Backgroundl-Fucose is a functional deoxyhexose prevalent in various organisms. Particularly, it is the general backbone unit of the polysaccharides of many edible brown algae; it is also a human-identical milk monosaccharide and has been proposed for use in infant formula as a functional ingredient.Scope and approachThis review aims to provide a detailed overview of the occurrence and physiological effects of l-fucose. We have reviewed various strategies for preparing l-fucose, including algal extraction, enzymatic production, and microbial synthesis using metabolic engineering approaches.Key findings and conclusionsl-Fucose is an important polysaccharide obtained from various microorganisms, algae, and plants. In mammals, they occur as N- and O-linked glycans in glycoproteins and glycolipids that perform important physiological functions. l-Fucose has prebiotic activity, protects intestinal barrier function, improves lipid metabolism, exhibits antitumor activity, and slows skin aging; thus, it can potentially be used as a bioactive component in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic industries. l-Fucose is easily manufactured from algae and can be produced via chemical, enzymatic, and microbial synthesis.

BackgroundConventional solvents used to extract plant active ingredients such as water, methanol, ethanol, propanol, etc. have no purification function. Thus, the contents of impurities in the extracts are higher, which increases the difficulty of the subsequent process. An aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) based on short-chain alcohol and salt is a novel solvent, which has the advantages of excellent phase separation effect, high selectivity, low viscosity, low cost, easy recycling, environmental friendliness, and so on. It is a potential alternative for conventional solvents and has been widely used in the extraction of plant active ingredients.Scope and approachThis review summarized the research progress of short-chain alcohol/salt-based ATPS for recovery of plant active compounds, including the principle and mechanism, the main factors affecting the efficiency, the applications in recent years, etc., and put forward the future perspective.Key findings and conclusionsThe present results indicate that alcohol/salt-based ATPS can significantly improve the purity of extracts while obtaining higher extraction efficiency with the aid of ultrasound or microwave. Therefore, alcohol/salt-based ATPS plays an important role in improving the recovery of plant active ingredients, and has a broader application prospect in the industrial production.

BackgroundSingle-cell protein (SCP) is an evolving biotechnological concept that can potentially align protein production with the global sustainability commitment.Scope and approachThis review presents an overview of SCP's current outlook, including production, commercial prospects, and sustainability status. It also elaborates on the potential of the evolving digital twin concept in improving SCP production's efficiency and sustainability performance.Key findings and conclusionAn expanding body of work was identified, with well-explored fermentative approaches and varying substrates and microbes. Whereas interest in first-generation substrates such as methane is gradually fading due to their high competitiveness and acquisition cost, second-generation substrates such as lignocellulosic materials and agro-industrial wastes are rapidly evolving due to their availability, low cost, appreciable nutrient density, and alignment with the circular bioeconomy path. Sustainability assessment of current production attaches substantial environmental, mainly global warming and land use offset, and economic savings to SCP production. Moreover, it emphasizes conventional energy use as a hotspot contributor to all impact categories. However, research on life cycle costing, social life cycle assessment, and environmental nutrition concepts is limited. Current trends project rapid market growth for SCP due to expanding feed, food, and nonfood applications. The rapid influx of transformative innovations such as mixed culture biotechnology and the emerging digital twin concept that present catalytic advantages in achieving market growth and sustainability cobenefits are backing these projections. Several sensor and predictive technologies are available to enable an SCP-digital twin path, presenting an opportunity to enhance green and precision SCP production. Despite these innovations, significant efforts are required to overcome limitations concerning toxicity, legislative restrictions, technical constraints, and consumer neophobia to bolster commerce and market value.

BackgroundTo increase uptake of algae in food products, it is essential to understand aroma and flavour components in algae to optimise their sensory properties to suit various food applications. Volatile analysis of algae is a promising tool for identification of suitable algae application for future food development.Scope and approachThis review identified key aroma-active volatile compounds across fifteen algae species; and the impact of taxonomy, environment as well as various processing methods on those key volatile profiles is discussed. In addition, volatile profiles of algae allow for quality assessment of algae. This includes monitoring of volatile changes that may occur during farming and post-harvest processing, thereby ensuring that desired aroma and flavour profiles are achieved.Key findings and conclusionsA total of 69 volatile compounds were identified as odour active across 15 species, with aldehydes being the largest contributor based on the total number of key volatile compounds present. Through a standardised assessment of volatile compounds in algae, species specific changes in volatiles can be observed and comparisons drawn across a range of species. Allowing for incorporation of algae and algal components into a broader variety of food applications with increased consumer acceptance, thereby meeting the demand for sustainable food sources in the future.

BackgroundSurface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique is widely used in the field of food detection due to its rapidity, non-destructiveness and high sensitivity. However, non-recyclable substrates are limited in their practical detection application owing to high-cost and environmental pollution. Therefore, it is crucial to design SERS substrates that are recyclable and highly sensitive. Semiconductors with photocatalytic degradation capabilities have become attractive materials for the detection of contaminated residues in complex food matrices due to their high photocatalytic efficiency and environmental friendliness. Nevertheless, relevant research advances in this field have not been reviewed.Scope and methodsIn this review, the basic principles of SERS and semiconductor photocatalysis are introduced. The various constituent structures of semiconductors used for SERS substracts are described, including pure semiconductors, semiconductor-Ag/Au hybrid structures, and semiconductor-transition metal/semiconductor heterostructures. Then, the application of recyclable substrates for SERS detection of pesticides, dyes, antibiotics, heavy metals and other contaminants in agri-food products is then elaborated. Finally, the limitations and prospects of recyclable SERS substrates are presented.Key findings and conclusionsPhotocatalytic semiconductors are potential candidates for the preparation of highly sensitive and recoverable SERS substrates. However, the development of recyclable SERS substrates for real sample detection remains a challenging scientific problem. Future research should focus on preparing novel photocatalytic semiconductor heterojunctions, investigating substrate interface catalytic processes and exploring the effects of complex food substrates on substrate recycling performance to improve the versatility of substrates and make them practical tools for the detection of food contaminants in the agri-food industry.

BackgroundHigher resistance of microbial spores to high temperatures, low pH and high pressures coupled with characteristics such as good stability and rapid germination make their use extremely desirable for the innovative formulation of several probiotic foods, mainly due to the inherent technological limitations of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which represent the main probiotic microorganisms applied in food. Probiotic spores are resistant to several processing conditions employed in the food industry, thus presenting high feasibility of application and guaranteeing the functionality of probiotic foods; in addition, they are able to maintain such characteristics throughout the shelf life of such products stored at room temperature or under refrigeration.Scope and approachThis study presents a review of the main characteristics, technological implications, and types of consumption and health benefits of potential probiotic Bacillus spores.Key findings and conclusionsSpore-forming probiotics are available in different pharmaceutical forms (sachets, capsules, tablets, pills, liquid suspensions) and used in medical and veterinary fields, and more recently in the food industry. Health benefits of spore-forming probiotics should be intensively studied, evaluating their behavior in the GIT and other anatomical sites, determining the mechanisms of action involved and correlating them with the main beneficial effects on health. Spore-forming probiotics have great potential for applications in the food industry, since they present high resistance to the technological processes and physiological mechanisms of the body, which would be lethal to LAB.

BackgroundBioactive peptides obtained from different food sources have been proved to exert several bioactivities, such as antioxidant, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, or anti-inflammatory. However, the characterization of the peptides exerting the bioactivity within a protein hydrolysate is challenging, as in the pool of components in the hydrolysate each component could be or not exerting a specific bioactivity. Prediction tools are being developed based on the peptides’ molecular features known to be associated with specific bioactivity, in order to facilitate the assessment by calculating the likelihood of new identified sequences to be bioactive. Tools concerning physicochemical characterization, bioactivity evaluation and bioavailability have been developed in recent years.Scope and approachThis review aims to summarize bioinformatic tools aiming to characterize the physicochemical characterization, bioactivity and bioavailability of peptides. The purpose was to provide an insight on the accuracy and limitations of their functionality, based on the own's authors conclusion as well as on how these tools have been used in other reports as research instruments.Key findings and conclusionsThe number of tools is exponentially growing in these recent years. Although these tools appear as promising instruments, by now they should not be considered as an accurate model to define peptides as bioactive, and in vitro/in vivo validation is still required. Their use as screening might be considered good, but not as a tool to state that a peptide is bioactive.

BackgroundThe biodegradable, biocompatible, sustainable, and renewable nature of biomaterials has led to increased interest in developing biopolymeric food packaging films (BFPFs) with green ingredients and strategies. To enhance the performance of these films, biopolymer molecules can be modified or combined with additives like nanomaterials, cross-linkers, bioactive compounds, and other polymers, particularly with Maillard-reaction (MR), as a promising approach to enhance the performance of degradable BFPFs.Scope and approachIn this work, after an overview of MR chemistry, the MR in different types of biopolymers have been discussed in detail. In addition, this work summarizes the application of MR cross-linked BFPFs in recent years.Key findings and conclusionsThe MR is an effective cross-linking method that can improve the properties of BFPFs. The extent of cross-linking induced by MR depends on the reaction degree, and its occurrence can be controlled during different stages of film-formation solution and drying. The initiation of MR requires a specific temperature range. Additionally, MR products can serve as functional additives that provide antibacterial and antioxidant activities to BFPFs.

BackgroundTen years ago, in 2012, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) led the food industry when it created a standardized way to assess and manage food fraud incidents. GFSI adopted an interdisciplinary approach to not only detect food fraud but to understand and reduce the root causes. A series of crucial milestones guided the GFSI work, starting with creating their GFSI Food Fraud Think Tank through the Technical Working Group benchmark development, the adoption by the GSFI Board of Directors, and then development, implementation, and management by the food industry.Scope and approachThis research presents the key GFSI food fraud prevention strategy development milestones from the historical records and a member of the original GFSI Food Fraud Think Tank.Key findings and conclusionsGFSI achieved momentum by establishing a food industry-wide definition and scope of the problem. Further, focusing on all types of fraud and for all products – not just incoming goods and adulterant-substances – created a holistic and all-encompassing approach. The new topic of food fraud prevention is moving through the ‘hype cycle’ and is now in the ‘Scope of Enlightenment’ (e.g., processes and systems are simplified and optimized) and moving to the ‘Plateau of Productivity’ (e.g., standard operating procedures are adopted). GFSI, itself is maturing and evolving through the ‘hype cycle.’ The next ten years will include a more rigorous and thorough adoption of management systems with a continuous improvement process. The foundation is very theoretically and practically sound.

BackgroundRecently, plant-based meat analogs have attracted extensive interest due to their contributions to environmental sustainability, animal welfare protection and health benefits. Lipids act as key determinants of the quality of plant-based meat analogs. However, little information is available regarding how plant oils in meat analogs provide sensory attributes and technological functions comparable to those of animal fats. Furthermore, the selection principle of lipids used in plant-based meat analogs remains insufficiently clear and experience dependent.Scope and approachThis review provides extensive insights into the lipid sources and their functional roles in plant-based meat analogs, and related molecular interactions to present systematic information about the biochemical and molecular principles behind industrial applications. Additionally, the applications, challenges, and perspectives of potential lipid replacers in plant-based meat analogs were assessed and highlighted.Key findings and conclusionsExogenous lipids from oilseeds and tropical sources have been widely used in plant-based meat analogs, and endogenous lipids in less-refined plant protein ingredients have potential use in preparing clean-labeled meat analogs. These lipids play crucial roles as texture modifiers, juiciness enhancers, flavor providers, appearance modulators, lubricants and emulsifiers in plant-based meat analogs. The molecular interactions between lipids and other components during thermomechanical processing influence hydration dynamics, protein aggregation behavior and starch gelatinization, furtherly affecting the qualities of meat analog products. Fat replacers based on unique or modified carbohydrates, proteins, and synthetic lipids with low calories and desired functionalities are potential substitutes for lipids in meat analogs.

BackgroundA deeper understanding of multiscale structures of starch and starch-containing systems subjected to internal and external changes is required due to the rising demands to improve the qualities and applications of starch resources. Various in situ characterizations have been developed to investigate the above phenomena and mechanisms. In situ methods provide the potential to elucidate the multiscale structures of starch related to their application in the food industry since the physicochemical properties of starch are governed by their structures.Scope and approachBy reviewing the literature, especially from the last five years, we provide the basic principles, instrumentation, in situ environments, empirical methods, and typical applications of the most cutting-edge in situ methodologies for investigating starch, including in situ variable-temperature and time-domain NMR, scattering, diffraction, vibrational spectroscopy, imaging, and intelligent systems. On this basis, the limitations and future opportunities are discussed.Key findings and conclusionsIn situ characterizations are used to identify the structural changes, morphological evolutions, phase transitions, and interactions of starch under various processing and environmental settings. Moreover, in situ methods can be employed in different ways for starch-containing foods, including enhancing their quality, monitoring their processing, and detecting their quality and packaging. This review attempts to provide a thorough grasp of in situ methods for identifying the underlying mechanisms and actions that control some of the most important uses of starch. In situ approaches will garner more interest as a result of their distinctive qualities, particularly concerning characterization of multiscale structures of starch and starch-based systems.

BackgroundHyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology fusing spectroscopic technology and imaging technology has been proposed to achieve rapid and non-destructive inspection of food quality. In order to make full use of the hyperspectral data containing rich information, it is needed to develop effective and efficient data analysis methods to mine new information from hyperspectral data. The feature construction (FC) method, as a method of extracting information to construct new features, is applied to construct more representative and informative features from hyperspectral data for the detection of food quality.Scope and approachThe review focuses on the construction methods of different dimensional features including zero-dimensional (0-D) features, one-dimensional (1-D) features, two-dimensional (2-D) features and three-dimensional (3-D) features in detail and presents their principles and implementation steps. In the review, applications of the HSI technology combined with different dimensional FC methods for the quality inspection of food are also discussed, and challenges and future work of the HSI technology combined with FC methods are presented.Key findings and conclusionsThe current review is expected to provide some guidance to researchers on different dimensional FC methods, which should further encourage more applications of the HSI technology in food quality inspection. Despite the challenges in combining FC methods with hyperspectral technology, the encapsulation of FC methods in miniaturised hyperspectral instruments is an inevitable trend for future development.

BackgroundInflammatory bowel disease (IBD) seriously affects patient's life. A systematic summary of the latest epidemic trend and pathogenesis of IBD is lacking. In addition, some health benefits of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were reported, whereas a comprehensive review of its mechanisms for alleviating IBD is limited.Scope and approachThis review systematically revealed the epidemic trend and pathogenesis of IBD, and showed the potential regulatory mode of LAB on gut health, then critically exhibited the possible mechanisms of LAB in alleviating IBD based on animal and clinical studies. Moreover, it pointed out the challenges and opportunities of LAB for IBD.Key findings and conclusionsHigher incidences and death rates of IBD were found in developed countries. Environmental and genetic factors are important factors for the occurrence of IBD. LAB provided numerous advantages and had great potential for improving IBD as its ability to produce bioactive metabolites, regulate gut immunity, protect the intestinal mechanical barriers, inhibit oxidative damage, and restore unbalanced gut microbiota. Then, the manuscript advice to screen effective LAB by cell models and metabolites, to control the optimal intake of LAB through dose-effect studies, to encapsulate LAB through nanoencapsulation and microencapsulation to improve utilization, to promote the understanding of LAB by investigating the mechanism, and to improve the design of the clinical study to improve the lives of patients. This will contribute to understanding the epidemic trend, pathogenesis, and treatment of IBD, and promote the development of targeted therapeutic products such as LAB.

BackgroundThere is a limited understanding of odor-taste interactions at the molecular levels about how these interactions influence flavor perception. Microfluidic technology used small volumes of fluids in the microscale channels and chambers. It has the potential to provide high throughput assays as well as manipulate organ-on-chips models to simulate the complex interaction of organs in the body.Scope and approachThis review discusses the progress and limitation of psychophysics, electroencephalography, and functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate odor-induced taste perception. The application of organ-on-chip models of the nasal mucosa, oral cavity, and brain-gut axis with microfluidics is also discussed.Key finding and conclusionsSensory results showed congruency between taste and odor affected the extent to which odor enhances taste perception. EEG and fMRI demonstrated the cross-modal interactions occur within primary sensory cortices in the brain, but the previous learning and experience are equally important. The multi-channel on the microfluidics not only provides an advantage to separate macromolecules in the sample matrix but can also offer higher throughput than conventional item-by-item detection and decreases reagents and sample consumption. It is feasible to establish in vitro sensory models to investigate interactions among flavor components with olfactory/taste receptors, brain, gut, etc.

BackgroundResearch in recent years has shown there is high potential for various insect species to converting organic substrates into high-quality feedstuffs. Insect-derived meal is increasingly being used to replace conventional feedstuffs such as soybean and fishmeal in animal diets, due to its high protein and essential amino acid content. However, research on consumer acceptance of foods derived from animals produced using insect-based meal is fragmented.Scope and approachA systematic literature review was carried out in Scopus, Web of Science, AgEcon, and Google Scholar, with a total of 28 articles meeting the selection criteria. Papers were reviewed to identify factors affecting consumer acceptance of insect-based feed.Key Findings and Conclusions: Overall, the review indicated that insects are more acceptable to consumers as an animal feedstuff than as human food. The most important factors influencing consumer evaluation of insect-based feed included risk perceptions, knowledge and heuristic cues. Ethical and environmental concerns also played a role in the decision-making process, but their effect on consumer acceptance of using insects in animal feed was less important. Food neophobia, disgust and uncertainties about safety and health, mainly deriving from lack of knowledge on the part of consumers, emerged as critical barriers to acceptance of insects in animal feed. Greater familiarity with the technology used for the production of insect meals could alleviate disgust and even lessen the impact of neophobia, although affective emotional reactions are unlikely to be changed by awareness and provision of information alone. Technological issues (including substrates and insect species) as well as price changes in the resulting animal-based foods are relevant factors that warrant further research in relation to consumer acceptance.

BackgroundAquafaba is the term used for the liquid separated from the cooking of legumes, particularly chickpeas. This novel material has shown remarkable rheological functionalities; therefore, it has transitioned from being a by-product of the industry to a valued additive explored thoroughly in recent years. However, the research carried out on aquafaba has not yet proposed feasible strategies for its industrialization.Scope and approachThis review assessed the current production of aquafaba to identify the necessary steps to achieve scalability. This work surveyed the totality of the original research articles dealing with this topic published in SCIE and Scopus-indexed journals. The common points were categorized into material, pre and post-treatments, and cooking.Key findings and conclusionsThe analysis showed that the sources, composition, and functionality of aquafaba vary greatly. Additionally, although there are strong recommendations, there is no consensus on the legume-to-water ratios and cooking time. After cooking the exploration of the characteristics and functionalities of aquafaba is limited and not well developed yet. Furthermore, its application has been limited to a few food products. Altogether, these findings suggest that, although research on this topic has moved forward in the last few years, there is still much ground to cover to truly make aquafaba a commercial plant-based food additive.

BackgroundFood processing is a technique to convert agricultural produce into a consumable food product with enhanced shelf life. The advent of Industry 4.0 greatly facilitates the adoption of several digital approaches in the food processing industry. Food manufacturing and processing industries need to accelerate and shift towards using technology like the “Internet of Things” (IoT) to meet demand, produce extremely safe food and sustain the organization's goal.Scope and approachThis paper aims to pinpoint several aspects and potential areas of application of IoT in the food processing industry. This review acts as a technical manual for the food processing sector to enable the data stream of the IoT system. With these prospects, smart factories can be created by merging IoT and processing technology.Key findings and conclusionsIn the food processing industry, IoT has the potential to improve overall sustainability practices, reduce energy consumption, reduce manufacturing costs, enhance worker health and safety during food manufacturing, create eco-friendly products and improve working conditions. Meanwhile, a new era of food processing has ascended with the application of the Internet of Things (IoT) and converting the aging process into a smart process by better controlling, real-time data detection and optimization, as well as efficient production and monitoring.

BackgroundKumquat essential oil (KEO) extracted from ripe kumquats has considerable potential value in the cosmetic, phytopharmaceutical, and food industries due to its desirable fragrance and diverse biological activities. However, compared to other plant essential oils, there are relatively few studies on the biological activity of KEO and limited data have been reported on its health benefits.Scope and approachThis paper summarizes the composition of KEO and discusses the aromatic properties and pharmacological activities of some key components in KEO. We also discuss the impacts of a variety of processing conditions on these parameters. In particular, we focused on the application of KEO for therapeutic purposes, such as oxidative stress mitigation and organ protection benefits. Furthermore, relevant technologies for enhancing the performance of KEO, the related biomedical research, and future perspectives are discussed.Key findings and conclusionsTerpenoids, such as limonene and myrcene, are rich in double-bonded structures and are the most abundant components of KEO. In addition to terpenoids, there are also small amounts of oxygen-containing derivatives. These bioactive substances contribute to the unique flavor of KEO and exert various pharmacological effects, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-proliferative, anti-hypertensive, and protective effects on the heart, kidneys, lungs, and other organs. Overall, KEO and its bioactive substances are safe, and effective, and KEO is relatively easy to obtain. These substances represent alternative functional substances that can be used in a variety of applications in the food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

BackgroundFreezing reduces the temperature of the food system and extends the shelf life of food. However, the inevitable formation of ice crystals could impact food quality. Small-size ice crystals are more acceptable in frozen foods than large aggregates with irregular shapes. Undesired ice crystals could not only change food structure and cause serious quality deterioration, including texture alteration, nutrient loss and off-flavour. Ice-regulating materials have been proven to regulate ice nucleation, growth and recrystallization, which show promising applications in the food industry.Scope and approachThe theoretical information on ice formation, particularly ice nucleation and recrystallization, was described. Current ice-regulating materials, such as active proteins, saccharides, and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), and their mechanisms of regulating ice formation were summarized. Based on the ice damage to foodstuffs with different microstructures, the applications of active ice-regulating materials in improving the quality of frozen food were also discussed.Key findings and conclusionsIce-regulating materials showed superior actions in regulating ice formation and their addition alleviated ice damage and improved the quality of frozen foods by accelerating or inhibiting freezing. Moreover, the current challenges and future perspectives of ice formation regulation for high-efficiency food freezing were proposed.

BackgroundMuscle food provides a variety of nutrients to maintain the normal activities and metabolism of the human body. However, a series of studies have revealed a close association between the oxidized muscle food and human health. To thoroughly understand the impact of the oxidation of muscle food on human health, it is necessary to systematically pay attention to the oxidation derived from the periods including both before ingestion and during digestion.Scope and approachWe clearly distinguished the oxidation of muscle food before ingestion and during digestion and discuss the potential effects of oxidation products in muscle food on human health. The existing knowledge gaps and the challenges potentially encountered in fully understanding the mechanisms and effects of these oxidation products are also provided.Key findings and conclusionsOxidative processes occurring during the storage and processing of muscle foods may potentially induce oxidative stress responses within the human body upon ingestion. Oxidation products in muscle food, such as lipid oxidation products and protein oxidation products, exhibit both beneficial and detrimental effects on human health. The impact of these oxidative products from muscle foods commences within the digestive system, where they can directly affect health or indirectly through the formation of novel metabolic byproducts. Oxidized muscle foods can lead to immune system imbalance, nervous system damage, and cardiovascular inflammation, thereby increasing the risk of autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Although the current findings suggest a potential link between oxidation products of muscle foods and human health, further in vivo studies using animal models or human trials are essential to ultimately determine these effects.