Self-aggregates of octenylsuccinate oat β-glucan (A_OSG) have been verified as nanocapsules to load curcumin, a representative of hydrophobic phytochemicals. This study primarily investigated the stability of curcumin-loaded A_OSGs over food processing, storage and digestive fluids. Curcumin in A_OSGs showed better stability over storage and thermal treatment than its free form. Curcumin loaded in A_OSGs stored at 4 °C in the dark exhibited higher stability than that at higher temperatures or exposed to light. Approximately 18% of curcumin was lost after five freeze–thaw cycles. Curcumin in A_OSG was more stable than its free form in mimetic intestinal fluids, attesting to the effective protection of A_OSG for curcumin over digestive environments. When curcumin-loaded A_OSG travelled across mimetic gastric and intestinal fluids, curcumin was tightly accommodated in the capsule, while it rapidly escaped as the capsule reached the colon. Interestingly, the curcumin loaded in A_OSG generated higher values of C_max and area under the curve than did its free counterpart. These observations showed that A_OSG is a powerful vehicle for stabilizing hydrophobic phytochemicals in food processing and storage, facilitating their colon-targeted delivery and enhancing their bioavailability.

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the extraction of pectin from orange peel waste using hydrochloric acid and citric acid and how they affect the quantity and quality of pectin, as well as the potential uses of the extracted pectin in edible film formulations. Both extraction procedures were used to extract orange peel samples at 80 °C for one hour. The results showed that using hydrochloric acid to extract pectin (HP) achieved slightly better results (15.15%) than using citric acid, CAP (14.44%). Chemical analysis showed that the two methods were quite different: the pectin from hydrochloric acid had more moisture (3.00%) with a higher equivalent weight of 806.45 mg/mol, while the pectin from citric acid had more ash (1.952%) and a lower equivalent weight of 769.23 mg/mol. Both extraction techniques maintained critical functional properties, and esterification values remained within market standards (51.85%). The extracted pectin was effectively used to make edible films, indicating its potential for other valuable applications. The edible films were characterized by mechanical properties, WVP, optical properties, SEM, FTIR, XRD, DPPH, and biodegradability. The citric acid edible films had the highest DPPH and tensile strength, the lowest elongation and WVP, and the highest degradability in soil. So, the citric acid extraction procedure was demonstrated to be environmentally friendly and lower environmental impact. This study provides valuable insights into producing pectin in an environmentally friendly manner for the food and packaging sectors.

Starch retrogradation is a key process governing the final quality of indirectly thermally puffed starchy foods. This study investigated the effect of retrogradation duration (0–72 h) on the multi-scale structure, water distribution, thermal puffing performance and textural properties of tigernut starch-based products. XRD, FTIR and synchrotron SAXS analyses confirmed that retrogradation progressively promoted molecular ordering, as reflected by reduced lamellar long period (d_Bragg) and radius of gyration (R_g), along with enhanced short-range order (R_1047/1022) and relative crystallinity. LF-NMR results showed that among all tested retrogradation durations, the 4 h treatment presented the highest proportion of immobilized water (A₂₂), while longer retrogradation periods led to a gradual increase in the content of free water. Puffing performance and texture showed a non-linear dependence on retrogradation time: the 4 h retrograded sample presented the best comprehensive quality among the seven tested time points, with the highest expansion ratio (9.75), specific volume (8.42 mL/g) and crispness (36.67), and the lowest hardness (1165.53 g). Pearson correlation analysis identified water activity (a_w) as the dominant factor governing puffing performance, which was in turn regulated by retrogradation-induced structural evolution. This study elucidates that a moderate retrogradation degree (approximately 4 h) facilitates the formation of a moderately ordered lamellar structure with the most favorable water retention performance within the current experimental range, creating ideal thermodynamic conditions for puffing, while excessive retrogradation causes structural rigidity and poor expansion.

The growth in organic waste generation from agriculture and homes and excessive use of chemical fertilizers call for sustainable nutrient management practices. We investigated the impact of vermicompost made from rabbit manure (R _m ) and plant/kitchen waste (P _w ) in five proportions (0-100%) on compost properties, vegetable growth, and soil fertility. The vermicomposting process, utilizing the earthworm species Eisenia fetida , spanned 75–120 days, following which it was administered to tomato, lettuce, and carrot plants in the laboratory. The physical and chemical characteristics of the compost were affected by the feedstock. Higher P _w resulted in lower pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and bulk density, but higher organic matter, porosity, and water retention. However, Rm-dominated treatments had greater macronutrients and micronutrients. The 50% R _m : 50% P _w amendment provided an ideal C/N ratio (21), improved enzyme activity, and a diverse microbial community. All treatments significantly improved crop yields over the control, with the 50:50 mixture achieving maximum yield for tomato (10.2 kg m ⁻² ) and lettuce (4.5 kg m ⁻² ), while P _w -rich treatments were best for carrot yield. Soil quality was significantly enhanced (structure, CEC, and microbial activity). The results show that the R _m :P _w ratio affects the quality of the vermicompost and enables sustainable waste valorization and soil fertility. This research provides an R _m :P _w compositional approach to link feedstock ratios to compost maturity, microbial community, crop yield, and soil properties after application. It reveals an optimal R _m :P _w ratio (50:50) that optimally balances compost stability, crop performance and environmental benefits, offering a scalable approach to integrated organic waste valorization in circular food systems.

This study designed and evaluated an integrated membrane filtration system consisting of ultrafiltration (UF), Nano-filtration (NF), reverse osmosis (RO), and ultraviolet (UV) treatment to process cheese whey from small and medium dairy plants and assess its technical feasibility. Three whey types—Mozzarella, Karish, and Domiati—were characterized before and after treatment. UF mainly acted as a pretreatment stage, moderately removing suspended solids and organic matter (20–50%) while maintaining stable pH. NF substantially improved water quality, achieving turbidity reductions exceeding 98% and decreasing Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD₅) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) by up to 96%. RO delivered the highest purification efficiency, with turbidity removal greater than 99% and marked reductions in organic load; BOD₅ decreased to 150–214 mg L⁻1 and COD to 350–550 mg L⁻1 depending on whey type. Nutrients and dissolved ions were effectively rejected, with overall removal efficiencies frequently surpassing 80–97%. Complete elimination of Total plate count, total coliforms, and fecal coliforms was observed after NF and RO, confirming strong microbial retention. Organoleptic properties improved significantly, producing clear, odorless permeate suitable for reuse or environmentally safe discharge. Overall, the integrated UF–NF–RO–UV system demonstrates strong potential as a scalable and sustainable approach for whey wastewater treatment, supporting water conservation, pollution reduction, and resource recovery in dairy industries.

Activated carbon is a highly porous adsorbent material that is often used to treat wastewater using physical and chemical adsorption. Agricultural and urban biomass waste valorization to activated carbon is a low-cost, renewable solution to commercial adsorbents, and can help prevent waste from tree pruning from being dumped in landfills or openly burned. In this study, the ability of the ground and unground Ficus nitida leaves to efficiently adsorb Rhodamine B dye and total chromium from model aqueous solutions was investigated. Chemical activation was performed using phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) at different impregnation ratios (1:1, 2:1, and 4:1). Samples obtained as a result of the above activation were labeled G1–G3 (ground) and UG1–UG3 (unground). The adsorption test showed that the samples with the highest activation ratio (G3 and UG3) gave the best results, removing 92% and 94% RhB, respectively, in 20 minutes. After 24 h, sample G3 showed the best efficiency of 73.31% (13.35 ppm remaining) in chromium removal, where the adsorption kinetics were well described by the pseudo-second-order model (R² > 0.98), indicating that there may be some chemical interactions occurring during the adsorption process along with physisorption, and the RhB adsorption isotherms for sample UG3 were well described by the Langmuir isotherm (R² > 0.95). The higher activation ratio and grinding increased the carbon content (up to 90% C for G3), surface functional groups, and textural properties (BET surface area of 699 m²/g and total pore volume of 3.06 cm³/g). Furthermore, reusability tests over five consecutive cycles demonstrated the excellent recyclability of sample G3, retaining removal efficiencies of 80.5% for RhB and 50.2% for total chromium. The results revealed that Ficus nitida leaf-based AC can be used as an efficient, economical, and reusable adsorbent material for sustainable environmental cleanup and water purification systems and will create a circular economy for waste management.