The manuscript was prepared to conduct a thorough analysis and deepen the understanding of sustainable food production and diets within the context of the challenges posed by intensive agricultural practices and their environmental impacts, as well as their effects on human health. The rapid growth of the human population necessitates an increase in food production to meet nutritional needs. However, increasing the production of animal-derived products, which are significant protein sources, is likely to worsen undesirable consequences, such as global climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and a larger carbon footprint. Traditional farming techniques also contribute to environmental contamination due to the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Transitioning to a sustainable food production model that addresses food needs while protecting consumer health and the environment is crucial. The challenge for the food industry and research centers is to find and develop the production of alternative sources of protein. In addition to the technological problems that must be solved, there is consumer education focused on healthy eating and overcoming psychological barriers related to the consumption of new foods.

Cookies made from wheat have become increasingly popular as a snack due to their various advantages, such as their convenience as a ready-to-eat and easily storable food item, wide availability in different types, and affordability. Especially in recent years, there has been a trend towards enriching food with fruit additives, which increase the health-promoting properties of the products. The aim of this study was to examine current trends in fortifying cookies with fruits and their byproducts, with a particular focus on the changes in chemical composition, antioxidant properties, and sensory attributes. As indicated by the results of studies, the incorporation of powdered fruits and fruit byproducts into cookies helps to increase their fiber and mineral content. Most importantly, it significantly enhances the nutraceutical potential of the products by adding phenolic compounds with high antioxidant capacity. Enriching shortbread cookies is a challenge for both researchers and producers because the type of fruit additive and level of substitution can diversely affect sensory attributes of cookies such as color, texture, flavor, and taste, which have an impact on consumer acceptability.

Fruit pomace is a highly valuable byproduct from a nutritional standpoint. The aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical and sensory properties of wheat bread enriched with freeze-dried and powdered chokeberry pomace in amounts of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6% relative to the flour weight. The influence of pomace addition on the physical properties of the wheat dough was analyzed, and the physicochemical properties and consumer acceptance of the chokeberry-pomace-enriched bread were determined. Based on the obtained research results, it was shown that the addition of pomace increased the water absorption of the flour but caused a decrease in stability and weakening of the dough, resulting in increased softening. Consequently, the volume of the bread decreased, and the crumb hardness increased. Furthermore, the addition of pomace significantly reduced the brightness and yellowness of the bread crumbs, while making them more red. Importantly, compared to the control bread, the pomace-enriched bread was characterized by higher contents of minerals, dietary fiber, phenolic compounds, and higher antioxidant activity. Sensory evaluation showed that the addition of freeze-dried chokeberry pomace to wheat bread should not exceed 3% in relation to the weight of the flour used. Additionally, a 3% addition of chokeberry pomace increased the dietary fiber content by 80.9%, ash content by 2.6%, fat content by 26.5%, and total phenolics content by 272%. It decreased the protein content by 1.2%, and reduced the carbohydrate content by 4% compared to the control sample.

Wheat flour is one of the most important food raw materials, with its quality determined by various indicators. One such indicator is particle size and granulometric distribution. In recent years, numerous studies have focused on the effect of flour and bran particle size on the properties of cereal products such as bread, pasta, noodles, and cookies. The aim of this review was to analyze the extent to which this parameter influences the properties of these cereal products. Additionally, the relationships between flour particle size and its chemical composition were presented. Key factors affecting the granulometric composition of flour, related to wheat grain properties and the grinding process, were also discussed. The study specifically focuses on research conducted in the last five years.

Studies were conducted focusing on the drying of chili pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L.), cultivar Cyklon, using convective (AD), convective-microwave (AMD), vacuum (VD), and freeze-drying (FD) methods. The influence of the drying method and temperature on the kinetics of the process and selected quality attributes of the dried product were evaluated. It was demonstrated that the Midilli model best described the drying kinetics for all methods across the entire measurement range. FD and VD produced dried products with the highest brightness and the greatest value of the a* color parameter. The lowest b* color parameter was observed for the product dried using FD at 40 °C, while the highest b* value was noted for samples dried using AMD (100 W) at 60 °C. The highest carotenoid retention was achieved with the FD method at 40 °C, while the lowest carotenoid content was found in the product obtained using the AMD method (100 W) at 60 °C. The smallest losses of capsaicinoids were observed after FD drying at 40 °C, while the largest were found for AMD (100 W) at 60 °C. The analysis of chili pepper fruit extracts revealed the quantitative composition of 12 main phenolic compounds using the UHPLC-UV method. The highest polyphenol content was obtained with FD, while the lowest total polyphenol content was recorded after AD. Regardless of temperature, the total flavonoid content was highest in extracts from FD products, and the lowest flavonoid content was found after AMD at 100 W. For all drying methods analyzed, the total flavonoid content in the pepper extracts decreased with increasing temperature.

Pear pomace, a byproduct of juice production, represents a valuable reservoir of bioactive compounds with potential health benefits for humans. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of drying method and temperature on pear pomace, specifically focusing on the drying kinetics, grinding characteristics, color, phenolic profile (LC-MS/MS), and antioxidant activities of the powder. Drying using the contact method at 40 °C with microwave assistance demonstrated the shortest duration, whereas freeze-drying was briefer compared to contact-drying without microwave assistance. Freeze-drying resulted in brighter and more easily comminuted pomace. Lyophilized samples also exhibited higher total phenolic compound levels compared to contact-dried ones, correlating with enhanced antioxidant activity. Twenty-one phenolic compounds were identified, with dominant acids being quinic, chlorogenic, and protocatechuic. Flavonoids, primarily isoquercitrin, and rutin, were also presented. Pear pomace dried via contact at 60 °C contained more quinic and protocatechuic acids, while freeze-dried pomace at the same temperature exhibited higher levels of chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, and catechin. The content of certain phenolic components, such as gallic acid and epicatechin, also varied depending on the applied drying temperature.