Food Science and Engineering

A Review of the Effect of Adding Fat Substitutes on the Shelf Life and Quality Characteristics of Bakery Products

Zahra Akhlaghi — 2025-12-12

Fat substitutes are increasingly used in bakery products to reduce saturated and trans fat intake while maintaining sensory and structural properties. This review summarizes recent advances in carbohydrate-based (e.g., inulin, polydextrose), protein-based (e.g., whey protein, amaranth flour), and structured fat replacers (e.g., oleogels, emulsion-filled gels) and their effects on texture, moisture retention, oxidative stability, and shelf life. Oleogels and emulsion-based systems significantly lower saturated and trans fats, enhance oxidative stability, and reduce mold growth, while carbohydrate-based replacers improve moisture retention but may increase hardness or reduce volume at high substitution levels. Protein-based substitutes enhance nutritional value through increased fiber and antioxidants but can introduce off-flavors or allergen risks. Emulsifiers and hydrocolloids delay staling, retain moisture, and extend shelf life by up to 12 weeks without microbial growth. However, complete fat replacement often compromises texture, flavor, and consumer acceptance. Partial substitution (up to 75%) consistently yields better sensory and quality outcomes than full replacement. Formulation complexity and consumer preference remain key challenges. Ongoing research is needed to optimize fat replacer combinations and improve processing techniques to balance health benefits with sensory appeal and industrial feasibility.

Cost-Effective Purification of Waste-Derived Enzymes Beyond Chromatographic Approaches: A Sustainable Perspective

Marcelli Powzum Amorim — 2025-12-19

The increasing generation of agro-industrial and food waste poses a significant environmental challenge, but also represents an opportunity to obtain high-value biocompounds, such as enzymes. In this context, this article provides a review of the primary purification methods for enzymes derived from waste, with a focus on low-cost and environmentally friendly techniques. Three key methodologies are addressed: precipitation, Three-Phase Partitioning (TPP), and Aqueous Two-Phase Systems (ATPS). Precipitation stands out for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, and is often employed as an initial purification step. TPP combines extraction and purification into a single process and can be optimized using green solvents. Meanwhile, ATPS enables efficient separation of biomolecules in liquid-liquid systems composed of polymers or salts. The analyzed studies demonstrate that these techniques are promising for recovering enzymes with high activity and yield from low-cost sources while minimizing environmental impact. The review concludes that technological gaps still hinder large-scale application, highlighting the need for more efficient, sustainable, and economically viable methods to valorize waste and advance the circular bioeconomy. Furthermore, the techniques presented in this study highlight the potential for greater economic viability compared to traditional chromatography methods. In addition, they can be scaled up to industrial levels while adhering to sustainability guidelines.

Engineering Food Allergenicity: Mechanisms and Applications of Thermal and Non-Thermal Processing Technologies

Gulsun Akdemir Evrendilek — 2026-01-23

Food allergies represent a growing global public health challenge arising from complex interactions among genetic predisposition, environmental exposures, dietary habits, and gut microbiota. Sensitization may occur through dermal, respiratory, or gastrointestinal routes and is strongly influenced by epithelial barrier dysfunction and Th2-skewed immune responses. A detailed understanding of allergen structure, immune recognition, and sensitization pathways is therefore essential for the development of effective mitigation strategies. Both thermal and non-thermal food processing technologies have been investigated for their ability to reduce the allergenicity of common foods, including milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, and seafood. Conventional thermal processing can denature allergenic proteins and enhance digestibility, but may also adversely affect nutritional value and sensory quality. In contrast, emerging non-thermal technologies—such as High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP), Pulsed Ultraviolet (PUV) light, cold plasma, ultrasound, pulsed electric fields, and gamma irradiation—offer alternative approaches that induce targeted structural modifications in allergenic proteins while better preserving product quality. However, the effectiveness of these technologies is highly context-dependent, varying with the food matrix, processing parameters, and allergen type; moreover, reductions in Immunoglobulin E (IgE) reactivity observed in vitro do not always translate into clinically meaningful outcomes. Limitations in standardized allergenicity assessment, insufficient in vivo and clinical validation, and challenges related to scalability and regulatory acceptance remain significant barriers. This review integrates immunological mechanisms with food engineering perspectives to critically evaluate thermal and non-thermal processing strategies, highlighting the translational potential of non-thermal technologies as promising, scalable tools for developing safe, quality-preserving, and clinically relevant hypoallergenic foods.

Evaluation of the Effects of Fermentation with Natural Sourdough on the Phytic Acid Content of Corn Flour Produced in Guinea

Vamougna Soumaoro — 2026-01-23

In Guinea, iron and zinc deficiencies represent a major public health problem, exacerbated by the consumption of cereal-based foods rich in phytic acid, which reduces the bioavailability of these minerals. Natural fermentation of flours offers a simple approach to improving this availability. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of corn flour fermentation with a natural starter on phytic acid levels and fermentation parameters. The resulting flour was mixed with distilled water (1 : 1, 1 : 2, and 1 : 3 (w/v)). These suspensions were used to perform three fermentation conditions: fermentation with starter consisting of sterilized corn flour suspension and natural sourdough (2, 5, and 10%) (FFL); spontaneously fermented flour (FFS), composed of an unsterilized corn flour suspension without a starter; and a control composed solely of sterilized corn flour suspension without the addition of sourdough (FT). The results obtained show that after 48 h of fermentation, the pH varied from 5.71 ± 0.0071 to 3.41 ± 0.057, and the acidity evolved from 4.68 ± 0.062 to 13.63 ± 0.035 g/L in the samples (FFL, 1 : 3, 10%). A similar trend was observed in the samples (FFS, 1 : 3), where the pH went from 5.96 ± 0.0035 to 3.53 ± 0.0245 and the acidity from 2.04 ± 0.057 g/L to 11.37 ± 0.014 g/L. In FFS and FFL, a significant variation (p < 0.05) in phytic acid contents was observed; it went from 0.369 g/100 g in raw flour to 0.249 ± 0.057, 0.230 ± 0.071, and 0.196 ± 0.106 g/100 g in FFS samples with flour/water ratios of 1 : 1, 1 : 2, and 1 : 3 after 48 h of fermentation, respectively. FFL samples showed a variation, reaching 0.102 ± 0.028 g/100 g in the sample (FFL, 1 : 3, 10%). The present study shows that natural fermentation is significantly more effective than spontaneous fermentation in reducing phytic acid.

Simulated Digestion and Bioaccessibility of Cookies Enriched with Microencapsulated Polyphenols from Habanero Pepper Leaves Extracted Using NADES

Kevin Alejandro Avilés-Betanzos — 2026-01-22

This study presents the formulation of a cookie enriched with microencapsulated polyphenols from Capsicum chinense (Habanero pepper) leaves, extracted using a green ultrasound-assisted Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (NADES) of choline chloride and glucose (1 : 0.8 mol/mol) with 68% water. For microencapsulation, the extract was spray-dried with maltodextrin, modified starch, and guar gum, and the powder with the highest Total Polyphenol Content (TPC) was used to replace 20% (w/w) of common wheat flour. Digestion was simulated under fasted and postprandial conditions across gastric and intestinal phases. The enriched cookie showed a maximum TPC release of 273.6 ± 12.2 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE)/100 g at the intermediate intestinal stage (fasted), and antioxidant capacity peaked at 84.4 ± 1.5% inhibition in the final intestinal phase (postprandial). High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)-Diode-Array Detector (DAD) identified protocatechuic acid (3.86 ± 0.23 mg/100 g), catechin (6.99 ± 0.42 mg/100 g), and rutin (1.79 ± 0.06 mg/100 g) in the undigested cookie. After digestion, their concentrations increased at the intestinal stage (fasted): protocatechuic acid by 101.3%, catechin by 828.76%, and rutin by 1,481.82%. Statistical analysis (p < 0.05) showed significant effects of cookie type, digestion condition, phase, time, and their interactions. These findings support NADES-based microencapsulation as a promising strategy for enhancing polyphenol bioaccessibility in functional bakery products.

Innovation Paradigm in Food Preservation: Hypobaric Treatment Effectively Extends Shelf-Life and Inhibits Browning of Tricholoma matsutake

Ankang Kan — 2026-02-11

The high-value Tricholoma matsutake mushroom suffers from severe postharvest deterioration. This study evaluated the efficacy of hypobaric storage (618 Pa, 2 °C, 92% Relative Humidity (RH)) in extending its shelf-life, focusing on the effects of mushroom size (Grades 1-4) and packaging (with or without air-conditioning bags). Whole mushrooms were stored for 28 days, with quality assessments every 7 days. Key quantitative results demonstrated that hypobaric storage effectively limited weight loss to ≤ 9.8% and maintained the browning index below 40% for most groups after 21 days. Unpackaged mushrooms showed the best performance in mitigating weight loss and browning, indicating a paradigm shift away from reliance on physical packaging under controlled hypobaric environments. Larger mushrooms exhibited higher deterioration rates. Hypobaric storage successfully extended the shelf-life to 21 days. This study validates hypobaric storage as a potent, packaging-optimized strategy for extending the marketable life of high-value T. matsutake, with direct implications for reducing postharvest loss and improving supply chain flexibility.

Retraction Note to "Quality Evaluation of Breakfast Cereal Meal Produced from Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana) and Roasted African Yam Beans (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) Flour Blends" [Food Science and Engineering, Volume 4 Issue 2 (2023), 182-190]

Universal Wiser Publisher — 2026-02-11

This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor.

Owheruo JO, Edo GI, Bashir ZA, Akpoghelie PO, Agbo JJ. Quality Evaluation of Breakfast Cereal Meal Produced from Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana) and Roasted African Yam Beans (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) Flour Blends. Food Science and Engineering. 2023; 4(2): 182-190.

Following publication, a post-publication review conducted by the journal identified that multiple references cited in the article are not relevant to the subject matter of the study. This indicates insufficient engagement with the established and relevant scholarly literature and does not meet the journal's standards for academic rigor and citation practice.

In light of these findings, the Editor has lost confidence in the reliability of the article's scholarly foundation, as well as in the validity of its results and conclusions, and has therefore decided that retraction of the article is warranted.

This retraction is issued in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the scholarly record.

The editorial office remains committed to maintaining high standards of academic quality and will continue to strengthen its editorial and peer-review processes to ensure that all published manuscripts comply with established publishing standards and accepted principles of research integrity.

The editorial office apologizes to readers for any inconvenience caused by this retraction.

Retraction Note to "Natural Honey (Raw Honey): Insights on Quality, Composition, Economic and Health Effects: A Comprehensive Review" [Food Science and Engineering, Volume 4 Issue 2 (2023), 265-293]

Universal Wiser Publisher — 2026-02-11

This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor.

Edo GI, Onoharigho FO, Akpoghelie PO, Akpoghelie EO, Agbo JJ, Agoh E, Lawal RA. Natural Honey (Raw Honey): Insights on Quality, Composition, Economic and Health Effects: A Comprehensive Review. Food Science and Engineering. 2023; 4(2): 265-293.

This retraction is issued in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the scholarly record.

The editorial office apologizes to readers for any inconvenience caused by this retraction.