This study aimed to select thermotolerant yeast for bioethanol production from cellulose-rich corncob (CRC) residue. An effective yeast strain was identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae TC-5. Bioethanol production from CRC residue via separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF), simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), and prehydrolysis-SSF (pre-SSF) using this strain were examined at 35–42 °C compared with the use of commercial S. cerevisiae. Temperatures up to 40 °C did not affect ethanol production by TC-5. The ethanol concentration obtained via the commercial S. cerevisiae decreased with increasing temperatures. The highest bioethanol concentrations obtained via SHF, SSF, and pre-SSF at 35–40 °C of strain TC-5 were not significantly different (20.13–21.64 g/L). The SSF process, with the highest ethanol productivity (0.291 g/L/h), was chosen to study the effect of solid loading at 40 °C. A CRC level of 12.5% (w/v) via fed-batch SSF resulted in the highest ethanol concentrations of 38.23 g/L. Thereafter, bioethanol production via fed-batch SSF with 12.5% (w/v) CRC was performed in 5-L bioreactor. The maximum ethanol concentration and ethanol productivity values were 31.96 g/L and 0.222 g/L/h, respectively. The thermotolerant S. cerevisiae TC-5 is promising yeast for bioethanol production under elevated temperatures via SSF and the use of second-generation substrates.

Green soybean (Glycine max L.) pods (GSP) are agro-industrial waste from the production of frozen green soybean and milk. These pods contain natural antioxidants and various bioactive compounds that are still underutilized. Polyphenols and flavonoids in GSP were extracted by ultrasound technique and used in the antioxidant fortification of green soybean milk. The ultrasound extraction that yielded the highest total polyphenol content and antioxidant activities was 50% amplitude for 10 min. Response surface methodology was applied to analyze an optimum ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) condition of these variables. The highest desirability was found to be 50% amplitude with an extraction time of 10.5 min. Under these conditions, the experimental total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity were well matched with the predicted values (R² > 0.70). Fortification of the GSP extracts (1–3% v/v) in green soybean milk resulted in higher levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. Procyanidins were found to be the main polyphenols in dried GSP crude extracts, which were present at a concentration of 0.72 ± 0.01 mg/100 g. The addition of GSP extracts obtained by using an ultrasound technique to green soybean milk increased its bioactive compound content, especially procyanidins, as well as its antioxidant activity.

Bifidobacteria, a major bacterial group, have several beneficial impacts on health, such as enhancing the intestinal flora by limiting the colonization of pathogenic microorganisms and stimulating the immune system. As a result, bifidobacteria have been extensively included in various food products. In this study, Bifidobacterium breve TISTR 2130 was microencapsulated using an emulsion technique with sodium alginate and calcium lactate in green soybean milk as wall materials. This study found that microbeads prepared with 2.0% (w/v) sodium alginate and 2.0% (w/v) calcium lactate had the highest microencapsulation efficiency (MEE) of 99.8% ± 0.07%. In addition, the viability of microencapsulated B. breve TISTR 2130 and free cells was evaluated following a simulated gastrointestinal treatment. Microencapsulated B. breve TISTR 2130 showed higher cell viability than free cells under the simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The viability reduction of free cells dropped substantially to zero after 1 h of incubation in simulated gastrointestinal juice (SIJ), while the viable cell count of microencapsulated B. breve TISTR 2130 remained greater than 5 log CFU/mL and the survival rate was greater than 64% at the end of the sequential digestion. During refrigerated storage of green soybean yogurt (GSY) fortified with microencapsulated B. breve, the viability of B. breve TISTR 2130, syneresis, and acidity decreased, while the pH and viscosity increased. Microencapsulated B. breve TISTR 2130 has the potential to be used as a probiotic fortification in GSY since the viability remained above the recommended minimal limit of 6 log CFU/mL for 10 days during refrigerated storage. The present study demonstrated that the optimized microencapsulated B. breve TISTR 2130 sodium alginate matrix could survive the human gastrointestinal tract to provide health benefits and the possibility of incorporation into functional foods.

Thermoplastic starch (TPS) was prepared by melt-mixing cassava starch with glycerol. Polyethylene (PE), polyethylene-grafted-maleic anhydride (PE-MAH) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) solutions at 2% (w/v) were used to coat TPS using the dip coating process. The tensile strength of TPS increased with the dip coating solution technique, especially for PLA coating. Swelling index, water-soluble matter and water droplet contact angle confirmed the water resistant improvement of TPS by PE-MAH and the PLA dip coating solution. Plasticizer bleeding was found in uncoated TPS after storage, but not in the coated TPS. Coating TPS with PE-MAH and PLA improved the tensile properties, water resistance and conquered plasticizer bleeding problems in TPS.

Green soybeans, or edamame (Glycine max L. Merril), serve as a superior source of phytochemicals and other nutritive substances and are commonly used as ingredients and additives in food products due to their polyphenols’ functional properties and antioxidant activity. Hence, it is very important to use a process to extract compounds with functional roles from plants as efficiently as possible. In this study, we sought to identify the optimal conditions for extracting genistein, belonging to the aglycone subgroup of isoflavones, from edamame using the cold plasma (CP) and enzyme method. Additionally, the impact of various drying techniques (spray-drying and freeze-drying) and storage conditions on the crude genistein extract powder was evaluated. The findings showed that the maximum values for the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and genistein (22.5 ± 0.23 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g; 15.3 ± 0.13 mg of catechin equivalents (CAE)/100 g; and 12.6 ± 0.10 mg/100 g, respectively) were achieved under optimal pretreatment conditions using a CP gas flow rate of 5 L/min for 30 min, followed by enzymatic treatment at a specific enzyme concentration of 2.0% (v/v) for 240 min of incubation. Moreover, a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis demonstrated that the CP and enzyme treatment induced significant structural changes, as evidenced by the presence of deeper pores on the surface of the powder granules. Spray-drying demonstrated a superior efficacy compared to freeze-drying for encapsulating the crude isoflavone extract. This study’s results also demonstrated that storage at 4 °C significantly stabilized the TPC, TFC, and genistein content and the antioxidant activity while preserving the physical properties (solubility and color) of the crude extract powder for up to 45 days. In summary, cold plasma pretreatment and enzymatic treatments offer practical solutions by enhancing the efficiency of non-thermal extraction processes, thereby increasing the yield of bioactive compounds, maintaining quality, and diminishing reliance on traditional, harsh methods. The elevated genistein content in the crude extract powder indicates its prospective application as a functional ingredient in various food and nutraceutical contexts.