Spices and Seasoning Mixes in European Union-Innovations and Ensuring Safety

Dynamic water migration and flavor analysis of sea cucumber in the process of Sichuan pepper seasoning soak

Soaking in seasoning solution is the main process of sea cucumber seasoning. This study analyzed the dynamic changes in water migration and flavor substances in sea cucumbers during soaking in a Sichuan pepper solution. It was found that the sea cucumber experienced a process of water absorption followed by water loss during the 0-48 h soaking process. During this period, the flavor compounds in sea cucumbers showed different dynamic trends. A total of 46 volatiles were identified, of which 29 were key flavor compounds. Its flavor profiles tended to stabilize as soaking time increased. m-Xylene, d-Limonene, Eucalyptol, p-Xylene, Sabinene, Beta-Myrcene, and Beta-Phellandrene were the main characteristic substances contributing to the differences in sea cucumber flavor. Correlation analysis predicted the relationship between water migration and the dynamic shifts in flavor compounds. This study provides a crucial reference for future studies on the processing and flavor modulation of sea cucumber products.

Study on the adsorption and migration rule of Sichuan pepper characteristic volatile compounds during the cooking process in the sea cucumber body wall

The natural flavor of sea cucumber is generally not easily accepted by consumers. In this study, the effect of different cooking conditions on the adsorption of the characteristic flavor of Sichuan pepper by sea cucumber was investigated by response surface methodology, and the optimal cooking conditions were identified. A total of 45 volatiles were identified based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, of which 27 were key flavor actives. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and textural analysis showed that the addition of Sichuan pepper during the cooking process affected the water migration and the textural properties of sea cucumbers. It was shown that the addition of Sichuan pepper could significantly improve the flavor and other quality characteristics of sea cucumber. This study has important practical guiding significance for the flavor improvement and product innovation of sea cucumber food.

The characteristic terpenes in sea cucumber soaked in star anise solution were characterized by HS-SPME-GC-MS and PCA analysis

The quality of sea cucumber is closely associated with its processing technology. In this study, the response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the thermal process conditions for seasoned sea cucumber, while gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique identified 25 characteristic compounds. Terpenes and their oxygen derivatives constituted approximately 70% of all compounds detected. Among these, trans-anethole emerged as the predominant volatile aroma compound in seasoned sea cucumber at a concentration of 39.99 ± 4.52 mg/g, followed by p-anisaldehyde, cis-anethole, linalool, estragole, and d-limonene. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that trans-anethole, cis-anethole, estragole, and d-limonene collectively contributed over 45.0% to the flavor profile of sea cucumber. This investigation provides an initial exploration into the alterations in volatile compounds within star anise-seasoned seasoned sea cucumber, thereby establishing a foundation for instant sea cucumbers' flavor processing.

Spice-drug interactions: a case report on the use of turmeric, curry and ginger in a renal transplant patient on tacrolimus

Tacrolimus is a widely used immunosuppressant for the prevention of rejection after transplantation. In vitro studies suggest that interactions exist between spices and tacrolimus. We present the case of a renal transplant patient aged around 70 years who was treated with prednisone, mycophenolate-mofetil and tacrolimus. The patient had a pre-transplant dietary habit of consuming foods spiced with turmeric, curry and ginger. The following protocol was implemented in parallel with close monitoring of plasma tacrolimus concentrations: administration of 10 g/day of turmeric for 4 days, then 10 g/day of curry for 4 days and then 10 g/day of ginger for 4 days. No change in tacrolimus plasma concentrations during and after the implementation of the protocol was observed. The impact of turmeric, curry and ginger on plasma tacrolimus concentrations seems negligible in vivo although further studies are needed. A shared decision to test the impact of spice consumption in a patient with dietary habits involving these spices seems reasonable.

Determination of multiclass contaminants in chilli powder based on magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes and UPLC-QTOF/MS

A multiclass analysis approach was developed using magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes sorbents and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS) for the rapid screening and simultaneous determination of 216 contaminants including 15 mycotoxins, 9 synthetic colourants, and 192 pesticides in chilli powder. The sample preparation process was optimized. The optimal preparation procedure utilized NaCl and NaAc as the salting-out agents, and Fe3O4-MWCNTs as the sorbents, resulting in reduced chemical consumption, improved cleaning performance, and facilitated high-throughput analysis. The proposed method was validated, and satisfactory parameters were obtained. Approximately 85.6% of the target analytes exhibited a weak matrix effect, with the matrix effects falling within the range of 0.8 ∼ 1.2. The method demonstrated acceptable recoveries of the analytes, falling within the range of 62.14%∼119.76% at three fortified levels with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 20%. Additionally, the method's limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from ranged from 0.50 μg·kg-1 to 49.56 μg·kg-1. The method was further applied for analysis of 27 chilli powder samples, demonstrating its potential for screening and quantification of multiclass contaminants for spices.

Cultural Influences on African Migrant Pregnant and Postnatal Women's Dietary Behaviours and Nutrition Support Needs in the UK

Black women in the UK face significantly higher risks of overweight and obesity and adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to women from other ethnic groups. Maternal nutrition plays a pivotal role in influencing the health outcomes of women and their children, especially during preconception and pregnancy. Cultural and environmental factors significantly influence the dietary experiences of African women after migration. This study explored the unique nutrition-related challenges faced by African migrant pregnant and postnatal women in the UK, and their nutrition support needs. Interviews were conducted with 23 African migrant women living in the UK, who were either pregnant or had a pregnancy within the past 3 years. These were analysed thematically, resulting in five overarching themes: food rituals and beliefs, pregnancy cravings, limited access to culturally appropriate food, limited access to culturally appropriate and evidence-based nutritional guidance, and the focus on healthy weight. The study identified challenges that African migrant women face in balancing their cultural heritage with the UK food environment and dietary recommendations, including potential implications on their health and pregnancy outcomes. It emphasised the importance of addressing these challenges through culturally sensitive approaches and tailored interventions, to enable informed decision making and enhance health outcomes for these women.

Glycerol Monolaurate Inhibits Wild-Type African Swine Fever Virus Infection in Porcine Macrophages

Naturally abundant antimicrobial lipids, such as fatty acids and monoglycerides, that disrupt membrane-enveloped viruses are promising mitigants to inhibit African swine fever virus (ASFV). Among mitigant candidates in this class, glycerol monolaurate (GML) has demonstrated particularly high antiviral activity against laboratory-adapted ASFV strains. However, there is an outstanding need to further determine the effects of GML on wild-type ASFV strains, which can have different virulence levels and sensitivities to membrane-disrupting compounds as compared to laboratory-adapted strains. Herein, we investigated the antiviral effects of GML on a highly virulent strain of a wild-type ASFV isolate (Armenia/07) in an in vitro porcine macrophage model. GML treatment caused a concentration-dependent reduction in viral infectivity, and there was a sharp transition between inactive and active GML concentrations. Low GML concentrations had negligible effect on viral infectivity, whereas sufficiently high GML concentrations caused a >99% decrease in viral infectivity. The concentration onset of antiviral activity matched the critical micelle concentration (CMC) value of GML, reinforcing that GML micelles play a critical role in enabling anti-ASFV activity. These findings validate that GML can potently inhibit wild-type ASFV infection of porcine macrophages and support a biophysical explanation to guide antimicrobial lipid performance optimization for pathogen mitigation applications.

Spice and Herb Frauds: Types, Incidence, and Detection: The State of the Art

There is a necessity to protect the quality and authenticity of herbs and spices because of the increase in the fraud and adulteration incidence during the last 30 years. There are several aspects that make herbs and spices quite vulnerable to fraud and adulteration, including their positive and desirable sensorial and health-related properties, the form in which they are sold, which is mostly powdered, and their economic relevance around the world, even in developing countries. For these reasons, sensitive, rapid, and reliable techniques are needed to verify the authenticity of these agri-food products and implement effective adulteration prevention measures. This review highlights why spices and herbs are highly valued ingredients, their economic importance, and the official quality schemes to protect their quality and authenticity. In addition to this, the type of frauds that can take place with spices and herbs have been disclosed, and the fraud incidence and an overview of scientific articles related to fraud and adulteration based on the Rapid Alert System Feed and Food (RASFF) and the Web of Science databases, respectively, during the last 30 years, is carried out here. Next, the methods used to detect adulterants in spices and herbs are reviewed, with DNA-based techniques and mainly spectroscopy and image analysis methods being the most recommended. Finally, the available adulteration prevention measurements for spices and herbs are presented, and future perspectives are also discussed.

Antimicrobial monoglycerides for swine and poultry applications

The development of natural, broadly acting antimicrobial solutions to combat viral and bacterial pathogens is a high priority for the livestock industry. Herein, we cover the latest progress in utilizing lipid-based monoglycerides as feed additives to address some of the biggest challenges in animal agriculture. The current industry needs for effective antimicrobial strategies are introduced before discussing why medium-chain monoglycerides are a promising solution due to attractive molecular features and biological functions. We then critically analyze recent application examples in which case monoglycerides demonstrated superior activity to prevent feed transmission of viruses in swine and to mitigate bacterial infections in poultry along with gut microbiome modulation capabilities. Future innovation strategies are also suggested to expand the range of application possibilities and to enable new monoglyceride delivery options.

Health Benefits and Risks of Consuming Spices on the Example of Black Pepper and Cinnamon

The aim of this study is to present the benefits and risks associated with the consumption of black pepper and cinnamon, which are very popular spices in Poland. The article presents the current state of knowledge about health properties and possible dangers, such as liver damage, associated with their consumption. The experimental part presents the results of the research on the antioxidant properties against the DPPH radical, which was 80.85 ± 3.84-85.42 ± 2.34% for black pepper, and 55.52 ± 7.56-91.87 ± 2.93% for cinnamon. The total content of polyphenols in black pepper was 10.67 ± 1.30-32.13 ± 0.24 mg GAE/g, and in cinnamon 52.34 ± 0.96-94.71 ± 3.34 mg GAE/g. In addition, the content of piperine and pepper oil in black pepper was determined, as well as the content of coumarin in cinnamon. The content of piperine in the black pepper samples was in the range of 3.92 ± 0.35-9.23 ± 0.05%. The tested black pepper samples contained 0.89 ± 0.08-2.19 ± 0.15 mL/100 g d.m. of essential oil. The coumarin content in the cinnamon samples remained in the range of 1027.67 ± 50.36-4012.00 ± 79.57 mg/kg. Taking into account the content of coumarin in the tested cinnamon samples, it should be assumed that the majority of cinnamon available in Polish retail is Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl.

Mineral and Microbiological Analysis of Spices and Aromatic Herbs

Spices and aromatic herbs have always had great historical importance in human nutrition. Their use has been documented for centuries as a rich source of bioactive compounds; they have been used for their health benefits and also for flavoring or coloring food. However, despite the many health properties linked to the use of spices and aromatic herbs, these can represent biological hazards and can contain chemical substances of concern. Certainly, monitoring potential health hazards in spices and aromatic herbs includes microbiological safety and also the content of inorganic substances: both represent a key step. This research aims at monitoring the compliance of various spices and aromatic herbs from a non-European country market (namely: black cumin seeds, Iranian Tokhme Sharbati, clove buds, Shahjeera, Abbaszadeh saffron, organic fenugreek, whole black pepper, cinnamon, Abthul Ahmar (Asario), Ajwan seeds, whole coriander seeds, black sesame seeds, Sabja seeds) with the current European Union (EU) and WHO regulations, when available, regarding mineral and microbiological parameters. In particular, microbiological assays using rapid and conventional methods, and trace mineral determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were performed. Results show the safety of the tested spices, given that the microbiological parameters were within the legal microbiological criteria set by the European Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 and its amendment Regulation (EC) No. 1441/2007. With reference to potentially toxic Cd, Pb, As, Hg, these were within the limits set by the European Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 and its amendments, Regulation (EU) No. 1317/2021 and Regulation (EU) No. 1323/2021, and WHO. According to EU regulations, for Pb content, 2 samples out of 16 showed values different from the set limits.