Vol. 3 No. 2 (2025)

Ripening in plantain results in various modifications of its chemical compositions. The objective of this project was to determine the effects of various ripening conditions on the functional properties, nutritive composition, and oxalate composition of the plantain samples. Matured plantain was harvested, and the fingers were divided into six portions (RP₁–RP₅ and UPc) of five fingers in each group. RP₁ was left on shelf, RP₂ was wrapped in foil, RP₃ was immersed in water, RP₄ was immersed in 5% salt solution, and RP₅ was immersed in 6% salt solution to ripen while UPc was analyzed unripe as the control. The samples (RP₁–RP₅) were monitored as they underwent ripening and were prepared into flour upon ripening. Ripe plantains were dried in a hot air oven and milled to flour, the same way as the unripe sample was. The proximate, oxalate, and mineral (Ca, Fe, Mg, P, K, and Na) compositions of the samples, as well as their functional properties, were determined. The results showed that protein content values ranged from 2.19% to 6.65% and increased with ripening. The oxalate content values ranged from 11.34 to 36.06 mg/100 g with a significant reduction due to ripening (p ≤ 0.05). The water absorption capacity values ranged from 1.47 to 2.33 g/mL. The calcium content values ranged from 1.17 to 9.05 ppm. In conclusion, RP₁ (plantain left on the shelf to ripen) was the best in terms of increased nutrients, reduced oxalate composition, and better functional properties.

The use of curcumin in different food products is restricted due to its poor water solubility and chemical instability. In this context, to facilitate the incorporation of curcumin in food products and increase its protection against light, the study was aimed at developing spray-dried curcumin multilayered microcapsules stabilized by gelatin, gum arabic, and tannic acid, characterizing their thermophysical properties, and studying the antioxidant capacity of microencapsulated curcumin and storage under light conditions. Spray-dried curcumin multilayered microcapsules were prepared and characterized by particle size distribution, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and antioxidant capacity. The volume mean diameter D (4.3) of the microcapsules stabilized with one (gelatin), two (gelatin + gum arabic), and three (gelatin + gum arabic + tannic acid) layers was 106.44 (14.80), 22.83 (0.59), and 41.74 (2.30), respectively. The microcapsules exhibited a semi-spherical shell structure, and the governing forces between microcapsule components were electrostatic, hydrophobic, and hydrogen bonding interactions. The addition of wall materials increased the glass transition temperature (Tg), which allowed that two- and three-layered preserved the antioxidant capacity of curcumin under light conditions, holding great promise for this approach in the application to other lipophilic bioactive compounds.

The most readily available sources of protein for humans are fish and fish products. The most affordable and available fish species are mackerel, which are found in markets across the globe and are used in a variety of regional cuisines. The present study was carried out to analyze the biochemical composition (wet weight basis) such as moisture, protein, fat ash, and carbohydrate in three mackerel fishes (Rastrelliger kanagurta, Scomberomorus guttatus, and Scomberomorus kuhlii) of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. The highest moisture (73.25%–73.76%) was found in S. kuhlii, whereas the highest protein content (18.19%–18.35%) was recorded in S. guttatus. Fat amount was recorded high in S. guttatus (7.10%–7.24%) compared to R. kanagurata and S. kuhlii. The maximum ash was found in S. guttatus, while the highest (2.81%–4.48%) carbohydrate contents were recorded in R. kanagurata. One-way ANOVA showed no significant differences in proximate composition in different fish species (p > 0.05). According to the current study, mackerel is an inexpensive protein source that is thought to be good for human health.

Emulsions stabilized by solid particles, known as Pickering emulsions, offer a compelling alternative to conventional surfactant-based emulsions, attracting considerable interest within the food sector. This review comprehensively examines the application of solid particles in stabilizing food emulsions, offering a detailed comparison with traditional surfactant-based methods. Additionally, this paper elucidates how Pickering emulsions, stabilized by particles at the oil-water interface, achieve superior stability, preventing coalescence and phase separation, which is crucial for extending the shelf life of food products. It further explores the enhanced functionality these emulsions provide, including improved nutrient delivery through encapsulation, where sensitive compounds are protected and released in a controlled manner. Moreover, the review delves into innovative applications such as the development of low-fat food alternatives, where Pickering emulsions maintain sensory qualities while reducing lipid content, and their role in enabling advanced food technologies like 3D printing, allowing for tailored food structures and nutritional profiles. By elucidating the mechanisms of particle stabilization and exploring diverse applications, this paper underscores the significant potential of Pickering emulsion technology in transforming food processing and product development.

Food fraud is a new term worldwide and can involve many different stages of the production process. It affects safety, quality, consumer acceptance, and profitability. Food fraud assessment methods need to be very precise and reliable. Most animal-origin foods, including milk, dairy products, meat and meat products, eggs, fish, and fisheries goods, are vulnerable to food fraud. Identifying any adulteration in them is essential to stop unfair competition and protect consumer rights. Due to financial benefits, meat and meat products are vulnerable to various forms of adulteration. The meat business is transitioning from laborious and time-consuming analytical procedures to quick, non-invasive, non-destructive, repeatable, and trustworthy analytical technologies. This reviews precision analytical methods like near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and machine learning algorithms, linear regression, principal component analysis, etc., for detecting food fraud in meat and meat products.

Lutein is a widespread carotenoid in the world, which is characterized by remarkable antioxidant activity. The impact of lutein for the treatment of chronic inflammation disorders makes it an important supplement for the support of active human longevity. Lutein can inhibit the proinflammatory NF-kappaB pathway, Nox-enzyme and VEGF-related pathologies. Despite the lack of a provitamin activity, it is often denoted as “the eye vitamin”. The main aim of this mini-review is an analysis of possible mechanisms of lutein effects focusing on their superior antioxidative/“vitamin” role in human health and aquaculture/mariculture. Recent publications clearly demonstrate the ability of lutein to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis in both neuronal and muscle cells. It stimulates the tissue respiration and, most likely, it explains the accelerated nervous system development in neonatal children treated with lutein and lutein benefits for aqua/mariculture. Comparisons of characteristics of natural lutein and natural/synthetic astaxanthin included in this review allow the evaluation of their beneficial potentials. One of the most important advantages of natural vs. artificial substances is associated with natural carotenoid esterification and secondary structures. A comparative study of natural lutein and astaxanthin generation techniques illustrates the need for the development of new methods for fast and massive natural carotenoid production. Thus, the optimization of natural lutein production in cultivated microalgae may be considered as an important option in the further development of the carotenoid industry. All the important updates mentioned above for natural lutein will be summarized in this review.

A balanced nutritional diet is very important to consume to maintain a good health specially, during ageing. Fruits, nuts, vegetables, and fish contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components which can reduce the age-related risk of having cognitive decline and other various neurodegenerative diseases, like AD, PD, etc. There are many studies that have shown the impacts of nutrition on health and disease. Here we focus on age-related complications and their management with diet. Specifically, we highlight the roles of micronutrients as well as macronutrients on the gut-brain axis and their impact on brain function during ageing. These analyses may have some therapeutic value and/or the management of the cognitive dis-functions during ageing.