Augmenting Functional and Sensorial Quality Attributes of Kefir through Fortification with Encapsulated Blackberry Juice

A Comprehensive Antioxidant and Nutritional Profiling of Brassicaceae Microgreens

Microgreens are gaining prominence as nutrient-dense foods with health-promoting activities while aligning with smart agriculture and functional food trends. They are rich in numerous bioactive compounds like phenolics, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids, which act as antioxidants, while also causing multiple other biological activities. Using advanced statistical methods, this study investigated Brassicaceae microgreens, identifying kale and Sango radish as standout varieties. Both contained 16 amino acids, with potassium and calcium as dominant minerals. Sugar and protein contents ranged from 4.29 to 4.66% and 40.27 to 43.90%, respectively. Kale exhibited higher carotenoid levels, particularly lutein (996.36 mg/100 g) and beta-carotene (574.15 mg/100 g). In comparison, Sango radish excelled in glucose metabolism (α-glucosidase inhibition: 58%) and antioxidant activities (DPPH•: 7.92 mmol TE/100 g, ABTS•+: 43.47 mmol TE/100 g). Both showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Kale demonstrated stronger anti-inflammatory effects, while Sango radish showed antiproliferative potential. These results, supported by PCA and correlation analysis, underscore the dual role of these microgreens as nutritious and therapeutic food additives, addressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and microbial threats.

Sustainable Recovery of Polyphenols and Carotenoids from Horned Melon Peel via Cloud Point Extraction

Using natural plant extracts as food additives is a promising approach for improving food products' quality, nutritional value, and safety, offering advantages for both consumers and the environment. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to develop a sustainable method for extracting polyphenols and carotenoids from horned melon peel using the cloud point extraction (CPE) technique, intending to utilize it as a natural food additive. CPE is novel promising extraction method for separation and pre-concentration of different compounds while being simple, inexpensive, and low-toxic. Three parameters within the CPE approach, i.e., pH, equilibrium temperature, and equilibrium time, were investigated as independent variables through the implementation of Box-Behnken design and statistical analyses. The optimized conditions for the maximum recovery of both polyphenols and carotenoids, reaching 236.14 mg GAE/100 g and 13.80 mg β carotene/100 g, respectively, were a pH value of 7.32, an equilibrium temperature of 55 °C, and an equilibrium time of 43.03 min. The obtained bioactives' recovery values under the optimized conditions corresponded to the predicted ones, indicating the suitability of the employed RSM model. These results highlight the effectiveness of CPE in extracting bioactive compounds with varying polarities from agricultural by-products, underscoring its potential for enhancing the value of food waste and advancing sustainable practices in food processing. According to microbiological food safety parameters, the optimal CPE extract is suitable for food applications, while its storage under refrigerated and dark conditions is particularly beneficial. The CPE extract's enhanced stability under these conditions makes it a more viable option for long-term storage, preserving both safety and quality.

Wild Blackberry Fruit (Rubus fruticosus L.) as Potential Functional Ingredient in Food: Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Optimization, Ripening Period Evaluation, Application in Muffin, and Consumer Acceptance

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the antioxidant properties of wild blackberry fruits as well as their possible use in powdered form as a functional ingredient. For this, ultrasound-assisted extraction optimization, ripening stage evaluation, and wild blackberry powder incorporation into a real food matrix were applied. The optimum conditions for extraction were as follows: 60% MeOH, 20 min of extraction time, acidification with 0.5% HCl, and a 1:40 g/mL solid-to-solvent ratio, which allowed the following yields: total polyphenol content (TPC): 53.8 mg GAE/g; total flavonoid content (TFC): 5.78 mg QE/g; total monomer anthocyanin content (TMA): 11.2 mg CGE/g; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH): 71.5 mg AAE/g; IC50: 52.3 µg/mL. The study also highlighted that, during the ripening process, the TPC (41.4%), TFC (17.0%), and DPPH levels (66.4%) of the fruits decreased while the TMA yield increased. The incorporation of blackberry powder at different levels (5-20%) increased the TPC, TFC, TMA, and antioxidant properties of muffins. Although the muffins enriched with 20% wild blackberry powder had the best chemical properties (TPC: 3.15 mg GAE/g; TFC: 0.52 mg QE/g; TMA: 0.23 mg CGE/g; DPPH: 1.70 mg AAE/g; IC50: 1.65 mg/mL), the sensory analysis showed that the addition of blackberry fruit at a concentration of 10% to the muffins resulted in the best consumer acceptability.