Comparing the nutritional value and prices of meat and milk substitutes with their animal-based benchmarks across six European countries.

Since overconsumption of animal-sourced foods is directly linked to multiple environmental and health issues, a dietary shift is imperative. One approach to facilitate this change is the production of substitutes for animal-sourced foods based on plant-based or novel ingredients. However, to be a valid alternative, substitute products must match animal-sourced foods regarding their nutritional value while being price competitive.

Strategies for effective high pressure germination or inactivation of spores involving nisin.

Unlabelled: The major challenge in employing high pressure (HP) at moderate temperature for sterilization is the remarkable resistance of bacterial spores. High isostatic pressure can initiate spore germination, enabling subsequent inactivation under mild conditions. However, not all spores could be triggered to germinate under pressure at temperatures ≤80°C so far.

Soy whey and brewer's spent grain hydrolysates wholly replace conventional medium for microalgae growth: Process performance and economic considerations.

To enhance circularity in heterotrophic microalgal bioprocesses, this study completely substituted glucose and Bold's basal medium (BBM) with brewer's spent grain (BSG) and soy whey (SW) hydrolysates. Mild acid hydrolysis conditions of BSG (0.2 M HSO, 130 °C, 36 min) and SW (0.

Enhancing protein extraction from heterotrophic Auxenochlorella protothecoides microalgae through emerging cell disruption technologies combined with incubation.

This study evaluated pulsed electric fields (PEF) and ultrasonication (US) combined with incubation to enhance cell disruption and protein extraction from Auxenochlorella protothecoides, comparing them to conventional high-pressure homogenization (HPH). A 5 h incubation enhanced protein yield by 79.4 % for PEF- and 27.

Characterization of high-pressure-treated Bacillus subtilis spore populations using flow cytometry - Shedding light on spore superdormancy at 550 MPa.

Mild spore inactivation can be challenging in industry because of the remarkable resistance of bacterial spores. High pressure (HP) can trigger spore germination, which reduces the spore's resistance, and thereby allows mild spore inactivation. However, spore germination is heterogenous.

Preservation of agri-food byproducts by acidification and fermentation in black soldier fly larvae bioconversion.

Maintaining a consistent supply of feedstock for efficient bioconversion of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) presents challenges due to the fluctuating availability of biowastes and agri-food products. To address the challenge of consistent feedstock supply for BSFL, this study investigated the influence of three preservation methods: wild fermentation, inoculated fermentation, and acidification on agri-food by-products applied over three storage durations (1, 7, and 14 days), evaluating their impact on BSFL bioconversion, and feedstock nutrient and microbiota composition. The preserved feedstocks were characterized for gross nutrient, sugar, fermentation metabolite, and bacterial community analyses.

Valorization of cocoa pod side streams improves nutritional and sustainability aspects of chocolate.

Chocolate production faces nutritional, environmental and socio-economic challenges present in the conventional cocoa value chain. Here we developed an approach that addresses these challenges by repurposing the often-discarded pectin-rich cocoa pod endocarp and converting it into a gel. This is done using cocoa pulp juice concentrate to replace traditional sugar from sugar beets.

Physical pretreatment of three biowastes to improve black soldier fly larvae bioconversion efficiency.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL, Hermetia illucens (L.)) are recognized for efficient biowaste reduction while yielding valuable proteins and fats for animals. However, lignocellulosic fibers in biowastes are difficult to digest by biowaste and larval digestive tract microorganisms as well as the larvae themselves.

A novel approach for the protein determination in food-relevant microalgae.

Microalgae are gaining interest as food ingredient. Assessments of functional and nutritional properties are necessary to forward their implementation. In this study, protein content and composition of eight commercially available microalgae biomasses were determined and compared to conventional food proteins.

Post-high-pressure temperature and time - Overlooked parameters in high pressure treatment of bacterial spores.

High pressure (HP) processing has high potential for bacterial spore inactivation with minimal thermal input. To advance HP germination and subsequent inactivation of spores, this study explored the physiological state of HP-treated spores using flow cytometry (FCM). Bacillus subtilis spores were treated at 550 MPa and 60 °C (very HP (vHP)) in buffer, incubated after the HP treatment, and stained for FCM analysis with SYTO16 indicating germination and propidium iodide (PI) indicating membrane damage.

Evaluation of ammonia pretreatment of four fibrous biowastes and its effect on black soldier fly larvae rearing performance.

Biowaste treatment with black soldier fly larvae (BSFL, Hermetia illucens L.) can promote a more sustainable food system by reusing nutrients that would otherwise be wasted. However, many agri-food wastes and byproducts are typically high in lignocellulosic fibers (i.

Residues from black soldier fly () larvae rearing influence the plant-associated soil microbiome in the short term.

The larvae of the black soldier fly (BSFL, ) efficiently close resource cycles. Next to the nutrient-rich insect biomass used as animal feed, the residues from the process are promising plant fertilizers. Besides a high nutrient content, the residues contain a diverse microbial community and application to soil can potentially promote soil fertility and agricultural production through the introduction of beneficial microbes.

Impact of the electric field intensity and treatment time on whey protein aggregate formation.

Whey proteins are being integrated as high-value food product ingredients due to their versatile and tunable techno-functionality. To meet high food quality and clean label expectations by consumers, electric field (EF) technologies have been proposed to open new frontiers in this field. Despite a variety of studies, it remains ambiguous which EF parameters are crucial to achieving targeted whey protein modifications.

A novel strategy to simultaneously enhance bioaccessible lipids and antioxidants in hetero/mixotrophic Chlorella vulgaris as functional ingredient.

Microalgae are a promising source of polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as bioactive antioxidant compounds such as carotenoids, phenolics and tocopherols. However, the accumulation of these biomolecules is often promoted by conflicting growth conditions. In this study, a phased bioprocessing strategy was developed to simultaneously enhance the lipid and antioxidant amounts by tailoring nitrogen content in the cultivation medium and applying light stress.

Nutrient Adequacy of Global Food Production.

A major challenge for countries around the world is to provide a nutritionally adequate diet to their population with limited available resources. A comprehensive analysis that reflects the adequacy of domestic food production for meeting national nutritional needs in different countries is lacking. Here we combined national crop, livestock, aquaculture, and fishery production statistics for 191 countries obtained from UN FAO with food composition databases from USDA and accounted for food loss and waste occurring at various stages to calculate the amounts of calories and 24 essential nutrients destined for human consumption.

Moderate High-Pressure Superdormancy in Spores: Properties of Superdormant Spores and Proteins Potentially Influencing Moderate High-Pressure Germination.

Resistant bacterial spores are a major concern in industrial decontamination processes. An approach known as pressure-mediated germination-inactivation strategy aims to artificially germinate spores by isostatic pressure to mitigate their resistance to inactivation processes. The successful implementation of such a germination-inactivation strategy relies on the germination of all spores.

Bacillus spore germination at moderate high pressure: A review on underlying mechanisms, influencing factors, and its comparison with nutrient germination.

Spore-forming bacteria are resistant to stress conditions owing to their ability to form highly resistant dormant spores. These spores can survive adverse environmental conditions in nature, as well as decontamination processes in the food and related industries. Bacterial spores may return to their vegetative state through a process called germination.

Enhancing single-cell bioconversion efficiency by harnessing nanosecond pulsed electric field processing.

Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) processing is gaining momentum as a physical means for single-cell bioconversion efficiency enhancement. The technology allows biomass yields per substrate (Y) to be leveraged and poses a viable option for stimulating intracellular compound production. NsPEF processing thus resonates with myriad domains spanning the pharmaceutical and medical sectors, as well as food and feed production.

Transfer of Lauric and Myristic Acid from Black Soldier Fly Larval Lipids to Egg Yolk Lipids of Hens Is Low.

Implementing insects, such as the black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), as animal feed commonly includes the previous removal of substantial amounts of fat. This fat may represent an as yet underutilized energy source for livestock. However, transfer of lauric and myristic acid, prevalent in BSFL fat and undesired in human nutrition, into animal-source foods like eggs may limit its implementation.

Automated Online Flow Cytometry Advances Microalgal Ecosystem Management as , High-Temporal Resolution Monitoring Tool.

Microalgae are emerging as a next-generation biotechnological production system in the pharmaceutical, biofuel, and food domain. The economization of microalgal biorefineries remains a main target, where culture contamination and prokaryotic upsurge are main bottlenecks to impair culture stability, reproducibility, and consequently productivity. Automated online flow cytometry (FCM) is gaining momentum as bioprocess optimization tool, as it allows for spatial and temporal landscaping, real-time investigations of rapid microbial processes, and the assessment of intrinsic cell features.

Isolation, stability, and characteristics of high-pressure superdormant Bacillus subtilis spores.

Bacterial spores are a major challenge in industrial decontamination processes owing to their extreme resistance. High-pressure (HP) of 150 MPa at 37 °C can trigger the germination of spores, making them lose their extreme resistance. Once their resistance is lost, germinated spores can easily be inactivated by a mild decontamination step.

Biochemical and Morphological Characterization of Heterotrophic and Cell Walls.

Microalgae are attractive for the food and cosmetic industries because of their nutrient composition. However, the bioaccessibility and extractability of nutrients in microalgae are limited by the rigid and indigestible cell wall. The goal of this study is to explore the cell wall polysaccharides (CWPSs) composition and morphology in heterotrophic and biomasses during growth.

Identification of Bacteria in Two Food Waste Black Soldier Fly Larvae Rearing Residues.

Significant economic, environmental, and social impacts are associated with the avoidable disposal of foods worldwide. Mass-rearing of black soldier fly () larvae using organic wastes and food- and agro-industry side products is promising for recycling resources within the food system. One current challenge of this approach is ensuring a reliable and high conversion performance of larvae with inherently variable substrates.

Biochemical and Nutritional Evaluation of and Biomasses Relevant for Food Application.

Microalgae are a source of potentially healthy and sustainable nutrients. However, the bioaccessibility of these nutrients remains uncertain. In this study, we analyzed the biomass composition of five commercial and strains, and heterotrophically cultivated in our laboratory.