This study investigated the potential utilization of milk thistle seed protein (MTP) isolates in gluten-free muffins to enhance the protein quantity and technological attributes. MTP was employed to partially substitute a blend including equal amounts of rice flour and corn starch (RCS) at 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%. The study encompassed a rheological assessment of muffin batters and physicochemical, textural, and sensory analyses of the muffins. The consistency coefficient (K) of muffin batters exhibited an increase with the incorporation of MTP, with all batters demonstrating shear-thinning behavior (n < 1). The dough samples exhibited solid-like characteristics attributed to G′ > G″, indicative of their viscoelastic nature. The storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) escalated with higher levels of MTP, suggesting an overall enhancement in dough viscoelasticity. The muffin containing wheat flour displayed the lowest hardness value, followed by MTP-added muffins at ratios of 12% and 9%. Additionally, MTP-added muffins exhibited greater springiness values than control samples without MTP (C2). However, the oxidative stability of MTP-added muffins was lower than the wheat control muffin (C1) and gluten-free control muffin. The protein content in muffins increased with MTP addition, reaching parity with wheat flour muffins at 6% MTP replacement. Sensory analysis revealed that substituting RCS with up to 6% MTP did not significantly alter the overall quality (p > 0.05), whereas higher MTP levels (9% and 12%) led to a decline in sensory attributes. Incorporating MTP at up to 6% yielded protein-enriched muffins with sensory characteristics comparable to the wheat flour muffin (C1). Furthermore, higher MTP additions (9% and 12%) conferred more favorable textural properties than the C2 muffin. However, the oxidative stability of the control muffins was found to be higher than that of MTP-added muffins. This study suggested that MTP could be a potential ingredient to increase the protein amount and specific volume of gluten-free muffins and to improve textural attributes such as springiness and hardness.

The present research aimed to incorporate terebinth seed protein into gluten-free cakes in order to increase their protein content and improve their technological properties. The terebinth protein replaced the rice flour–corn starch mixture used in control cakes at varying levels (3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%). The rheological properties of the cake batters were evaluated, along with the physicochemical attributes, textural properties, sensory attributes, and oxidative stability of the baked cakes. As the protein concentration increased, the consistency index of the cake batters also increased. All batters showed shear-thinning behavior, indicating pseudoplastic fluid behavior, and showed a viscoelastic nature reflected by the storage modulus (G′) exceeding the loss modulus (G″). Both G′ and G″ values increase with increasing protein content. The softest texture was observed in the control cake produced with wheat flour, followed by the cakes with 3% and 6% protein addition, while higher protein levels (9% and 12%) resulted in firmer cakes. Furthermore, oxidative stability improved with a higher level of protein. The addition of protein did not negatively affect sensory quality across all measured parameters. This study demonstrates the potential of terebinth protein to enhance the protein content and oxidative stability of gluten-free cakes that maintain their sensory attributes.

This study focused on developing a novel composite phosphate-selective electrode for on-site and real-time applications using a silver polyglutaraldehyde phosphate and carbon nanotube (CNT) matrix. CNT-silver polyglutaraldehyde phosphate compound was synthesized and characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The potentiometric performance of the composite phosphate-selective electrode was then investigated. The results demonstrated that the composite phosphate-selective electrode exhibited good sensitivity, with a linear response in the concentration range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁴ to 1.0 × 10⁻² M for phosphate ions. The electrode also showed high selectivity towards phosphate ions compared to other anions, such as chloride and nitrate. Additionally, the electrode displayed a quick response time of less than 15 s, making it suitable for real-time measurements. The electrode was applied to surface and soil water samples. The results obtained from the water samples showed a strong correlation with those obtained from the preferred spectrophotometry method, highlighting the potential of the developed electrode for on-site and continuous monitoring of phosphate and offering an efficient and practical solution for various fields that require phosphate detection.

Sucrose plays a critical role in fat-continuous confectionery systems such as cocoa–hazelnut spreads by contributing to sweetness, texture, flow behavior, particle interactions, and overall sensory quality. In this study, sucrose was replaced with fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and isomaltooligosaccharide (IMO) at replacement levels of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% in cocoa–hazelnut spread formulations. The effects of these substitutions on physicochemical, textural, and rheological properties, particle size distribution, color parameters, estimated glycemic index (eGI), and sensory characteristics were investigated. Sucrose replacement significantly altered the structural and rheological properties of the spread matrix depending on both the type of oligosaccharide and the level of substitution. Formulations containing FOS exhibited more pronounced reductions in firmness and sensory acceptability at higher replacement levels. In contrast, IMO-containing formulations better preserved particle dispersion, viscoelastic stability, and overall sensory quality, particularly at low to moderate substitution levels. However, complete replacement of sucrose showed an adverse effect on taste and spreadability in both oligosaccharide systems. Both oligosaccharides contributed to a reduction in the eGI values. The eGI decreased from 50.71 to 39.90 in FOS-containing formulations and from 51.39 to 41.94 in IMO-containing formulations. These findings suggest that FOS is more effective in lowering the eGI, whereas IMO demonstrates greater potential for maintaining the technological and sensory quality of cocoa–hazelnut spreads when used as a partial sucrose replacer.

Limosilactobacillus fermentum is a versatile lactic acid bacterium with significant probiotic and biotechnological potential, yet the genomic determinants underlying its ecological adaptation and therapeutic applications remain underexplored. This study performed a comparative genomic analysis of 52 L. fermentum strains, with a focus on the novel strain ATT-06 isolated from traditional Turkish shalgam. We uncovered substantial genetic diversity, evidenced by an open pan-genome (18,647 genes) and a small core genome (718 genes). CRISPR-Cas systems were prevalent (46 strains), with Type-IE and Type-IIA being most common and mutually exclusive from Type-IC. Strain ATT-06, which uniquely produced gamma-aminobutyric acid at 17.74 µg/mL, harbored a Type-IIA CRISPR system and a single prophage. In silico molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed that the bacteriocin Lactococcin, encoded by strain ATA-LTC-Lf170503, exhibited strong binding affinities (ΔG: -8.1 to -13.0 kcal/mol) against Rho proteins of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, outperforming Acidocin A. These findings highlight the genomic plasticity and adaptive mechanisms of L. fermentum, and position strain ATT-06 as a promising probiotic candidate with potential neuroactive and antimicrobial applications.