Human and global health would be greatly improved by replacing animal-based foods with plant-based alternatives. This transition would be facilitated when more affordable, convenient, sustainable, nutritious, and tasty plant-based foods are available on the market. Interest in related research has surged these years, and dozens of plant-based cheese (PBC) products have been introduced to the market. However, studies found that most PBCs are far from comparable with dairy cheese in nutritional value, and the texture and sensory properties are still hurdles to the widespread consumption of PBCs. This paper focused on the “tissue disruption route” and adopted chickpeas and nuts as the main ingredients to form a cheese snack. Test results showed that our samples were high of nourishment value compared to the cheese sample and even healthier than the cheese in the terms of energy ( vs. kJ/100 g, ), K/Na ratio (/ mg/100 g vs. / mg/100 g, ), DF ( g/100 g vs. N/A, ), and cholesterol ( vs. mg/100 g, ). From the order of magnitude, the PBC samples are similar to the cheese sample in the aspects of cohesiveness (
19 January 2024 in Current Research in Food Science
The crisp grass carp (CGC; Ctenopharyngodon idellus C. et V.), known for its unique texture and flavour, is a culinary delicacy whose quality is significantly influenced by thermal processing. This study employed 4D label-free proteomics and data mining techniques to investigate the proteomic changes in CGC muscle tissue induced by various heating temperatures. CGC samples were subjected to a series of heat treatments at increasing temperatures from 20 °C to 90 °C. Proteins were extracted, digested, and analysed using high-resolution mass spectrometry. The proteomic data were then subjected to extensive bioinformatics analysis, including GO and KEGG pathway enrichment. We identified a total of 1085 proteins, 516 of which were shared across all the temperature treatments, indicating a core proteome responsible for CGC textural properties. Differential expression analysis revealed temperature-dependent changes, with significant alterations observed at 90 °C, suggesting denaturation or aggregation of proteins at higher temperatures. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that proteins involved in amino acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism were particularly affected by heat. Textural analysis correlated these proteomic changes with alterations in CGC quality attributes, pinpointing 70 °C as the optimum temperature for maintaining the desired texture. A strong positive correlation between specific upregulated proteins was identified, such as the tubulin alpha chain and collagen alpha-1(IV) chain, and the improved textural properties of CGC during thermal processing, suggesting their potential as the potential biomarkers. This study offers a comprehensive proteomic view of the thermal stability and functionality of CGC proteins, delivering invaluable insights for both the culinary processing and scientific management of CGC. Our findings not only deepen the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the textural alterations in CGC during thermal processing but also furnish practical insights for the aquaculture industry. These insights could be leveraged to optimize cooking techniques, thereby enhancing the quality and consumer appeal of CGC products.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), recognized as a medical biomaterial, have been proven to promote cell proliferation and tissue repair. PHA has a variety of forms: PHB, PHV, PHHx, and PHBHHx, etc. In this study, PHBHHx was selected as the precursor to fabricate biopolyester films. Specifically, a novel type of biopolyester film was generated through an ammonolysis cross-linking reaction in conjunction with polyamidoamine dendrimer G2.0 (PAMAM). The properties of the resultant biopolyester films were comprehensively evaluated, encompassing surface characteristics, amino group content, and water contact angle. The drug-loading properties and compatibility with osteoblasts of the biopolyester films were also determined. The findings revealed that following aminolysis, the biopolyester film surface exhibited enhanced roughness and an enlarged surface area. Moreover, as the aminolysis duration extended, the hydrophilicity and drug-loading efficiency were significantly augmented. Post-aminolysis, the PHBHHx membrane exhibited a more favorable environment for the adhesion and proliferation of osteoblasts. Overall, the biopolyester film developed in this study provides novel insights and materials for tissue engineering, especially bone tissue repair.