In situ 13C solid-state polarization transfer NMR to follow starch transformations in food

Convenience food products tend to alter their quality and texture while stored. Texture-giving food components are often starch-rich ingredients, such as pasta or rice. Starch transforms depending on time, temperature and water content, which alters the properties of products. Monitoring these transformations, which are associated with a change in mobility of the starch chain segments, could optimize the quality of food products containing multiple ingredients. In order to do so, we applied a simple and efficient in situ ¹³C solid-state magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR approach, based on two different polarization transfer schemes, cross polarization (CP) and insensitive nuclei enhanced by polarization transfer (INEPT). The efficiency of the CP and INEPT transfer depends strongly on the mobility of chain segments—the time scale of reorientation of the CH-bond and the order parameter. Rigid crystalline or amorphous starch chains give rise to CP peaks, whereas mobile gelatinized starch chains appear as INEPT peaks. Comparing ¹³C solid-state MAS NMR experiments based on CP and INEPT allows insight into the progress of gelatinization, and other starch transformations, by reporting on both rigid and mobile starch chains simultaneously with atomic resolution by the ¹³C chemical shift. In conjunction with ¹H solid-state MAS NMR, complementary information about other food components present at low concentration, such as lipids and protein, can be obtained. We demonstrate our approach on starch-based products and commercial pasta as a function of temperature and storage.     

高效液相色谱-四极杆-飞行时间质谱快速筛查鉴别食品中非法添加的62种中药材北大核心CSCD

建立了高效液相色谱-四极杆-飞行时间质谱快速筛查鉴别食品中非法添加的62种中药材的方法。依据卫生部关于进一步规范保健食品原料管理的通知(卫法监发[2002]51号)中可用于保健食品的物品名单,确定食品中可能非法添加的62种中药材原料清单,再从62种中药材中筛选其特征组分,获得不同中药材对应的特征组分清单。62种对照药材经甲醇超声提取后,于Thermo Accucore aQ色谱柱(150 mm×2.1 mm,2.6μm)上分离,在电喷雾正负离子扫描模式下,分别以0.1%(v/v)甲酸水溶液-乙腈和水-乙腈为流动相梯度洗脱,进行一级质谱和二级质谱全扫描检测,采用Library View软件建立不同中药材对应的特征组分的一级精确质量数据库和二级碎片质谱库。样品同法处理后上样分析,采用Peak View软件将样品高分辨数据与自建数据库中的质谱图、精确分子离子质量数、碎片离子质量数、保留时间等相关参数进行快速筛查鉴别分析。该工作通过建立“中药材-特征组分”对应清单,构建了食品中易非法添加的62种中药材中共388种特征组分的高分辨质谱库,每种中药材包括5~10种特征组分,通过对实际食品样品配制酒、代用茶及饮料进行筛查分析,1批次配制酒样品与淫羊藿中药材的7种特征组分匹配一致,推断该配制酒样品中加入了淫羊藿中药材。该法可实现无标准品情况下中药材的定性筛查,具有高通量、准确、简便、快捷的特点,解决了食品中非法添加中药材难以识别和确证的难题,可以实现食品中非法添加中药材的快速筛查鉴别分析。     

Electrochemical Peptide-Based Sensors for Foodborne Pathogens Detection

Food safety and quality control pose serious issues to food industry and public health domains, in general, with direct effects on consumers. Any physical, chemical, or biological unexpected or unidentified food constituent may exhibit harmful effects on people and animals from mild to severe reactions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), unsafe foodstuffs are especially dangerous for infants, young children, elderly, and chronic patients. It is imperative to continuously develop new technologies to detect foodborne pathogens and contaminants in order to aid the strengthening of healthcare and economic systems. In recent years, peptide-based sensors gained much attention in the field of food research as an alternative to immuno-, apta-, or DNA-based sensors. This review presents an overview of the electrochemical biosensors using peptides as molecular bio-recognition elements published mainly in the last decade, highlighting their possible application for rapid, non-destructive, and in situ analysis of food samples. Comparison with peptide-based optical and piezoelectrical sensors in terms of analytical performance is presented. Methods of foodstuffs pretreatment are also discussed.     

Effect of Botanical Extracts on the Growth and Nutritional Quality of Field-Grown White Head Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)

Nutraceuticals and functional foods are gaining more attention amongst consumers interested in nutritious food. The consumption of foodstuffs with a high content of phytochemicals has been proven to provide various health benefits. The application of biostimulants is a potential strategy to fortify cultivated plants with beneficial bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, it has not yet been established whether the proposed higher plants (St. John’s wort, giant goldenrod, common dandelion, red clover, nettle, and valerian) are appropriate for the production of potential bio-products enhancing the nutritional value of white cabbage. Therefore, this research examines the impact of botanical extracts on the growth and nutritional quality of cabbage grown under field conditions. Two extraction methods were used for the production of water-based bio-products, namely: ultrasound-assisted extraction and mechanical homogenisation. Bio-products were applied as foliar sprays to evaluate their impact on total yield, dry weight, photosynthetic pigments, polyphenols, antioxidant activity, vitamin C, nitrates, micro- and macroelements, volatile compounds, fatty acids, sterols, and sugars. Botanical extracts showed different effects on the examined parameters. The best results in terms of physiological and biochemical properties of cabbage were obtained for extracts from common dandelion, valerian, nettle, and giant goldenrod. When enriched with nutrients, vegetables can constitute a valuable component of functional food.     

Pomegranate By-Products as Natural Preservative to Prolong the Shelf Life of Breaded Cod Stick

This work evaluated the efficacy of pomegranate byproducts, specifically peel powder, as valid preservatives for food quality. Ready-to-cook cod sticks breaded with pomegranate peel powder were prepared. Shelf-life tests were conducted on breaded cod sticks during refrigerated storage (17 days) at 4 °C, monitoring the pH, microbiological and sensory quality. In addition, the nutritional quality of both the breaded and control samples was assessed. The results highlighted that active samples showed higher phenol and flavonoid content and higher antioxidant activity compared to the control fish, suggesting that pomegranate peel powder was responsible for a significant increase in cod stick nutritional quality. Furthermore, the cod stick active breading led to a delay in microbial growth without affecting the sensory properties; rather, it helped slow down the sensory attribute decline during the refrigerated storage. The data suggest that using pomegranate byproducts in breaded cod stick was effective in prolonging its shelf life, as well as improving its nutritional quality. Therefore, pomegranate peel powder can be considered as a potential resource as natural food preservative.     

A Dilute and Shoot Strategy for Determining Alternaria Toxins in Tomato-Based Samples and in Different Flours Using LC-IDMS Separation

Alternaria toxins are emerging mycotoxins whose regulation and standardization are in progress by the European Commission and the European Committee for Standardization. This paper describes a dilute and shoot approach to determine five Alternaria toxins in selected food samples using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The strategy involves sample extraction with acidified aqueous methanol, followed by a solvent change accomplished via sample evaporation and reconstitution. The quantification is based on isotope dilution, applying all corresponding isotopically labeled internal standards to compensate possible matrix effects of the analysis. The main advantages of the present method over other existing methods includes simple and effective sample preparation, as well as detection with high sensitivity. The five-fold sample dilution can decrease matrix effects, which were evaluated with both external and internal standard methods. The results demonstrated a limit of quantification lower than 1.0 µg/kg for all five analytes for the first time. The newly presented method showed acceptable accuracy (52.7–111%) when analyzing naturally contaminated and spiked standard samples at the described levels. The method was validated for tomato-based and flour samples (wheat, rye, and maize). The absolute recovery ranged from 66.7% to 91.6% (RSD < 10%). The developed method could be an alternative approach for those laboratories that exclude sample cleanup and pre-concentration of state-of-the-art instruments with enhanced sensitivity.     

高职扩招背景下食品化学混合式教学设计的重构与实践*

在全国高职院校扩大招生背景下,高职院校的扩招生表现出与统招生不同的学习特点和学习基础,根据扩招生的学情特点和课程标准,对已有混合式教学模式的食品化学课程,从课时设置、课前、课中、课后等几个方面重新进行教学设计和实施。利用线上学习成绩、线下课堂成绩、期末成绩等多维度评价理论课学习效果。结合调查问卷分析学生对混合式教学的评价,表明扩招生的学习自律性和主动性有明显提高,考试不及格率下降,学生对混合式教学的认同度也较高。通过教学重构力图达到教学形式灵活多样,培养标准不降低的目的,并培养学生良好的学习习惯,树立学好课程的信心。     

基于智能手机检测在食品安全中的应用

近年来,智能手机凭借其轻巧便携、成本低、可个性化定制且使用者无需专业培训等优势,在分析检测中的应用越来越多,并在医疗诊断、环境监测、食品监督等领域展现出广阔的应用前景,是众多学科巧妙结合的典范。该文综述了2015~2020年初基于智能手机的检测技术在食品安全方面的应用,包括对食品添加剂、抗生素、微生物、农残与重金属、生物毒素以及食物新鲜度的检测,为相关研究提供了参考依据,并对这项热门技术在分析检测领域的应用前景进行了展望。     

用于食品安全分析样品前处理的共价有机聚合物的制备及应用进展

食品安全关系身体健康和生命安全,是全球关注的热点之一。食品基质复杂,痕量有毒有害物质分析之前必须经过有效的前处理。目前发展的前处理技术如固相萃取、磁固相萃取、固相微萃取等,其关键是吸附介质。共价有机聚合物是一类通过共价键连接而成的有机多孔材料,具有质轻、稳定性好、比表面积大、结构可控、易于修饰等特性,是一类优异的新型吸附材料。该文综述了近年来共价有机聚合物(COPs)在食品安全分析前处理中的应用进展。共价有机聚合物及其功能化复合材料通过简单的装填、聚合反应或化学键合固定到小柱或毛细管柱中用作固相萃取的吸附介质;通过一锅法、原位还原法、原位生长法或共沉淀法生成具有磁性的固相萃取吸附介质;或者通过物理涂覆、化学键合、溶胶凝胶法及原位生长法制备固相微萃取纤维。基于以上高吸附容量共价有机聚合物的样品前处理技术,食品中农残兽残、添加剂、环境污染物及生物毒素等得到了有效富集。最后,展望了COPs在食品分析样品前处理应用中的发展方向:简单高效绿色制备方法的开发,功能化COPs的设计合成;萃取机理的研究;高通量、高灵敏度分析方法研究。这些研究将促进COPs在样品前处理领域获得更广泛的应用。     

High pressure inactivation of Clostridium botulinum type E endospores in model emulsion systems

Clostridium botulinum type E is a cold-tolerant, neurotoxigenic, endospore-forming organism, primarily associated with aquatic environments. High pressure thermal (HPT) processing presents a promising tool to enhance food safety and stability. The effect of fat on HPT inactivation of C. botulinum type E spores was investigated using an emulsion model system. The distribution of spores in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions and their HPT (300–750?MPa, 45–75?°C, 10?min) inactivation was determined as a function of emulsion fat content (30–70% (v/v) soybean oil in buffer). Approximately 26% and 74% of the spores were located at the oil–buffer interface and the continuous phase, respectively. Spore inactivation in emulsion systems decreased with increasing oil contents, which suggests that the fat content of food plays an important role in the protection of C. botulinum type E endospores against HPT treatments. These results can be helpful for future safety considerations.