Think and Choose! The Dual Impact of Label Information and Consumer Attitudes on the Choice of a Plant-Based Analog.

This study explored the impact of various label information (extrinsic attributes) and sociodemographic and attitudinal factors (intrinsic attributes) on Brazilian consumer choices, using simulated traditional and plant-based muçarela cheese as the model product. The research was conducted in two phases: the first involved a structured questionnaire assessing attitudinal dimensions such as Health Consciousness, Climate Change, Plant-based Diets, and Food Neophobia, along with sociodemographic data collection. The second phase comprised a discrete choice experiment with (n = 52) and without (n = 509) eye tracking.

Virus adsorbent systems based on Amazon holocellulose and nanomaterials.

The environment preservation has been an important motivation to find alternative, functional, and biodegradable materials to replace polluting petrochemicals. The production of nonbiodegradable face masks increased the concentration of microplastics in the environment, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives, such as the use of local by-products to create efficient and eco-friendly filtering materials. Furthermore, the use of smart materials can reduce the risk of contagion and virus transmission, especially in the face of possible mutations.

Development of cassava starch-based films incorporated with phenolic compounds produced by an Amazonian fungus.

Drug-release systems have attracted attention over the last few years since they can be used as a substitute for traditional methods of drug delivery. These have the advantage of being directly administered at the treatment site and can maintain the drug at adequate levels for a longer period, thus increasing their efficacy. Starch-based films are interesting candidates for use as matrices for drug release, especially due to starch's non-toxic properties and its biocompatibility.

Synbiotic Sapota-do-Solimões (Quararibea cordata Vischer) Juice Improves Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acid Production in an In Vitro Model.

Sapota-do-Solimões (Quararibea cordata Vischer) is Amazon South América fruit found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The orange-yellow fruit is usually eaten out of hand or as juice. Despite being a source of carotenoids and dietary fibers (pectin) that can reach the colon and act as an energy source for intestinal microbiota, the fruit is rarely known outside of South America.

Pouteria spp. fruits: Health benefits of bioactive compounds and their potential for the food industry.

The Sapotaceae family encompasses the genus Pouteria spp., comprising approximately 1,250 species of fruits cherished by consumers for their delightful assortment and flavors. Over the years, extensive research has been devoted to exploring the natural bioactive compounds present in these fruits, with the primary goal of preventing and/or mitigating the risk of degenerative diseases.

: An Unconventional Alternative Edible Flower Rich in Bioactive Compounds.

The interest in the consumption of edible flowers has increased since they represent a rich source of bioactive compounds, which are significantly beneficial to human health. The objective of this research was to access the bioactive compounds and antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of unconventional alternative edible flowers of Welw. Ex Hiern.

Cold plasma as a pre-treatment for processing improvement in food: A review.

Thermal processes can be very damaging to the nutritional and sensory quality of foods. Non-thermal technologies have been applied to reduce the impact of heat on food, reducing processing time and increasing its efficiency. Among many non-thermal technologies, cold plasma is an emerging technology with several potential applications in food processing.

Microstructured lipid microparticles containing anthocyanins: Production, characterization, storage, and resistance to the gastrointestinal tract.

Anthocyanins from grape peel extract have several biological properties and can act as a natural colorant and antioxidant agent. However, these compounds are susceptible to degradation by light, oxygen, temperature, and the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, this study produced microstructured lipid microparticles (MLMs) containing anthocyanins by the spray chilling technique and evaluated the particle stability.

Passion fruit (Passiflora spp.) pulp: A review on bioactive properties, health benefits and technological potential.

The Passiflora genus (Passifloraceae family) extends worldwide, but it is mainly found in the Americas. The present review aimed to select the main reports published over the last 5 years involving the chemical composition, health benefits, and products obtained from the pulps of Passifora spp. The pulps of at least 10 species of Passiflora have been studied presenting different classes of organic compounds, especially phenolic acids, and polyphenols.

Probiotic fermented whey-milk beverages: Effect of different probiotic strains on the physicochemical characteristics, biological activity, and bioactive peptides.

The effect of probiotic strains (Lactobacillus acidophilus La-03 (La-03); Lactobacillus acidophilus La-05 (La-05); Bifidobacterium Bb-12 (Bb-12) or Lacticaseibacillus casei-01 (L. casei-01)) on the characteristics of fermented whey-milk beverages during storage (4 °C, 30 days) was evaluated. The products were assessed for biological and antioxidant activities, physicochemical characteristics, and bioactive peptides.

Microencapsulation by spray chilling in the food industry: Opportunities, challenges, and innovations.

Background: The increasing demand for healthy eating habits and the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a health crisis and global economic slowdown, has led to the consumption of functional and practical foods. Bioactive ingredients can be an alternative for healthy food choices; however, most functional compounds are sensitive to the adverse conditions of processing and digestive tract, impairing its use in food matrices, and industrial-scale applications. Microencapsulation by spray chilling can be a viable alternative to reduce these barriers in food processing.

Biodefensive Based on Essential Oil for Controlling of Larvae: Influence of Temperature (35 °C) and Preservatives.

Considerable efforts have been spent on the development of biodefensives based on the encapsulation of essential oils for controlling of urban pests from their larval stage, especially as anopheline controlling agents. The larval source management of is important for malaria prevention. For this reason, this research proposes larvicidal biodefensives based on polymeric particles loaded with essential oil, considering the influence of temperature (35 °C) and preservatives on the formulation stability.

Encapsulation of Bromelain in Combined Sodium Alginate and Amino Acid Carriers: Experimental Design of Simplex-Centroid Mixtures for Digestibility Evaluation.

Bromelain has potential as an analgesic, an anti-inflammatory, and in cancer treatments. Despite its therapeutic effects, this protein undergoes denaturation when administered orally. Microencapsulation processes have shown potential in protein protection and as controlled release systems.

Head-to-Tail and Head-to-Head Molecular Chains of Poly(-Anisidine): Combined Experimental and Theoretical Evaluation.

Poly(-anisidine) (PPA) is a polyaniline derivative presenting a methoxy (-OCH) group at the position of the phenyl ring. Considering the important role of conjugated polymers in novel technological applications, a systematic, combined experimental and theoretical investigation was performed to obtain more insight into the crystallization process of PPA. Conventional oxidative polymerization of -anisidine monomer was based on a central composite rotational design (CCRD).

Ohmic heating treatment in high-protein vanilla flavored milk: Quality, processing factors, and biological activity.

The processing of high-protein vanilla-flavored milk was performed under different electric field strengths of ohmic heating (5.22 V/cm, OH6; 6.96 V/cm, OH8; 8.

Andean purple maize to produce extruded breakfast cereals: impact on techno-functional properties and sensory acceptance.

Background: Andean purple maize (APM) is an ancient crop widely used as a natural coloring in traditional Peruvian cuisine. However, it has been little explored within the food industry. The present study assessed how APM impacts on techno-functional properties and sensory acceptance of breakfast cereals.

Alternative Controlling Agent of Pests: Nanoscale Surface and Fractal Analysis of Gelatin/PCL Loaded Particles Containing Essential Oil.

A new systematic structural study was performed using the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) reporting statistical parameters of polymeric particles based on gelatin and poly--caprolactone (PCL) containing essential oil from . The developed biocides are efficient alternative controlling agents of and , the main pests of . Our results showed that the particles morphology can be successfully controlled by advanced stereometric parameters, pointing to an appropriate concentration of encapsulated essential oil according to the particle surface characteristics.

PANI-WO·2HO Nanocomposite: Phase Interaction and Evaluation of Electronic Properties by Combined Experimental Techniques and Calculation.

The development of conjugated polymer-based nanocomposites by adding metallic particles into the polymerization medium allows the proposition of novel materials presenting improved electrical and optical properties. Polyaniline Emeraldine-salt form (ES-PANI) has been extensively studied due to its controllable electrical conductivity and oxidation states. On the other hand, tungsten oxide (WO) and its di-hydrated phases, such as WO·2HO, have been reported as important materials in photocatalysis and sensors.

Pulsatile Controlled Release and Stability Evaluation of Polymeric Particles Containing Essential Oil and Preservatives.

Considerable efforts have been spent on environmentally friendly particles for the encapsulation of essential oils. Polymeric particles were developed to encapsulate the essential oil from based on gelatin and poly--caprolactone (PCL) carriers. Gas Chromatography ((Flame Ionization Detection (GC/FID) and Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy were used for the full colloidal system characterization.

Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L. f.): An Amazonian fruit with potential health benefits.

The Amazon region has a significant biodiversity composed of several fruits with health benefits and distinguished potential for technological application and development of novel products. Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa) is one of the main Amazonian fruits with expressive nutraceutical properties. For this reason, this review aims to elucidate the current state of knowledge on buriti, providing information on its bioactive compounds, nutraceutical, and health potential for both technological and economic development especially in food and pharmaceutical areas.

Starch as a Matrix for Incorporation and Release of Bioactive Compounds: Fundamentals and Applications.

Due to its abundance in nature and low cost, starch is one of the most relevant raw materials for replacing synthetic polymers in a number of applications. It is generally regarded as non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable and, therefore, a safe option for biomedical, food, and packaging applications. In this review, we focused on studies that report the use of starch as a matrix for stabilization, incorporation, or release of bioactive compounds, and explore a wide range of applications of starch-based materials.

Poly(-methoxyaniline) Chain Degradation Based on a Heat Treatment (HT) Process: Combined Experimental and Theoretical Evaluation.

Poly(-methoxyaniline) emeraldine-salt form (ES-POMA) was chemically synthesized using hydrochloric acid and subjected to a heat treatment (HT) process for 1 h at 100 °C (TT) and 200 °C (TT). The HT process promoted a progressive decrease in crystallinity. The Le Bail method revealed a decomposition from tetrameric to trimeric-folded chains after the HT process.

Effect of polyvinyl alcohol and carboxymethylcellulose on the technological properties of fish gelatin films.

The objective of this work was to develop biodegradable films by mixing gelatin/carboxymethylcellulose (FG/CMC) and gelatin/polyvinyl alcohol (FG/PVOH) and to evaluate the effect of adding these polymers on the properties of fish gelatin films. The films FG/CMC and FG/PVOH were produced in the proportions 90/10, 80/20 and 70/30 and characterized their physical, chemical and functional properties. The addition of CMC and PVOH improved the mechanical strength, barrier property and water solubility of gelatin films.

Positive effects of thermosonication in Jamun fruit dairy dessert processing.

The effects of thermosonication processing (TS, 90 °C, ultrasound powers of 200, 400, and 600 W) on the quality parameters of Jamun fruit dairy dessert compared to conventional heating processing (high-temperature short time, (HTST), 90 °C/20 s) were evaluated. Microbiological inactivation and stability, rheological parameters, physical properties, volatile and fatty acid profiles, and bioactive compounds were assessed. TS provided more significant microbial inactivation (1 log CFU mL) and higher microbial stability during storage (21 days) than HTST, with 3, 2, and 2.

Aerobic spore-forming bacteria in powdered infant formula: Enumeration, identification by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS), presence of toxin genes and rpoB gene typing.

This study aimed to assess the counts and biodiversity characterization of aerobic sporeforming bacteria (ASB) in powdered infant formula (PIF). Fifty-four (n = 54) samples of PIF of three brands were analyzed for mesophilic aerobic bacteria, and ASB counts. ASB isolated from PIF were assessed for their ability to produce spoilage enzymes and hemolytic activity and further identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.