Journal of Raw Materials to Processed Foods

The Influence of Carriers on the Physicochemical Properties of Freeze-Dried Purple Sweet Potato

Songul Kesen, Eda Elgin KILIÇ — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a rich food with vibrant color and a variety of beneficial phytochemicals. Purple sweet potato is increasingly being encapsulated for several reasons, primarily to enhance its antioxidant effects, improve its stability, and facilitate its use in food applications. By encapsulating extracts or powders, beneficial compounds are better protected from environmental factors, increasing their overall stability and bioavailability. Encapsulated forms of purple sweet potato show improved shelf life and stability during storage. Microencapsulation is an important technique used to improve the physical properties of powders. This study investigates the physicochemical properties of freeze-dried purple sweet potato powders encapsulated with various wall materials such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), maltodextrin (MD), whey protein isolate (WPI), and gum arabic (GA), compared to a control sample. The primary properties evaluated include bulk density (ρb), compressed density (ρt), Carr Index (CI), and Hausner Ratio (HR), as well as wettability, water absorption capacity (WAC), and water solubility index (WSI). The results showed significant differences in physical properties depending on the wall material selection. MD has the highest bulk density (0.55 g/cm³) and excellent flow properties, as evidenced by its low CI (0.16) and HR (1.20) values. In contrast, CMC had the lowest bulk density (0.23 g/cm³) and a higher CI (0.34), indicating weaker flow properties. Wettability results similarly highlighted the superior hydration properties of MD and GA, with rapid water absorption times of 1.44 and 1.26 seconds, respectively, while WPI had the longest wettability time (32.97 seconds). Additionally, the control sample had a WAC value of 2.06 g/g, which was higher than the values for MD (1.07 g/g) and GA (0.63 g/g). These findings highlight the significant impact of wall materials on the functional properties of freeze-dried potato powders and indicate opportunities for specialized product formulations in food processing and functional ingredient applications.

Preservation and Quality Control analysis in fermented beans biscuit treated with Zinc Oxide nanoparticles.

Dur-e-shahwar Sattar, Atika Sattar Laghari , Zarmeena Hassan — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0300

This study assessed the impact of 40ppm zinc oxide nanoparticles treated on soybeans before fermentation. Different concentration such as B Fermented soybean flour biscuit, B1: 5% of 40ppm ZnO-NPs fermented soybean flour biscuit, B2: 10% of 40ppm ZnO-NPs fermented soybean biscuit and B3: 15% of 40ppm ZnO-NPs fermented soybean flour biscuit. Results indicated that treated samples (B1, B2, and B3) indicated superior quality in all but one proximate component when compared with the controls (B). The biscuit sample B3 was characterized by the lowest levels of moisture content (4.9%) and fat (2.56%), and highest levels of ash (3.10%), protein (8.76%), and crude fiber (7.45%). Together these findings suggested that the nutritional quality was enhanced. The physical characteristics (diameter, width, and weight) of biscuits were not significantly different between treatment samples. Since all BJ human fibroblast cells exposed to treated samples expressed low toxicity levels, it can be inferred that all sample treatments B1 - B3 could be classified as safe for nutraceutical properties. Sensory evaluation indicated better texture, aroma, appearance, and overall acceptability scores for B2 and B3 and remained the highest after 90 days and the decline from highest mean scores to 120 days later was slight. Taken together, taken into consideration the treatment, fermentation, and incorporation of nanoparticles B3 could be used as a shelf-stable product with consumer health beneficial properties for bakery products developed in this study.

Turkish Virgin Olive Oils Key Odorant Compounds: A Review

Duygu Keser — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0300

Virgin olive oil, a premium culinary oil, is highly prized for its delicious taste and aroma components in the world. It is particularly important in the basic Mediterranean diet. Aroma is one of the most critical quality criteria influencing consumer acceptance of olive oils. More than 300 aroma compounds have been identified in olive oil; however, only a small fraction of these compounds are responsible for its characteristic aroma and are referred to as aroma-active compounds. Gas chromatography coupled with olfactometry is commonly used to identify aroma-active compounds. In addition, methods such as dilution analysis, frequency detection, and time–intensity techniques are employed to determine these compounds. Using the odor activity values (OAVs) obtained through these methods, the individual contribution of each aroma compound to the characteristic aroma of olive oil can be calculated. The number and concentration of aroma-active compounds in olive oil vary depending on numerous factors, including the olive cultivar, ripening stage, climate, production, and storage conditions. Turkey is among the leading countries in olive oil production worldwide. The most prominent olive cultivars in Turkey include Ayvalık, Beylik, Gemlik, Memecik, Halhalı, Haşebi, Kilis Yağlık, Nizip Yağlık, Domat, Sarı Ulak, and Tavşan Yüreği. The most important groups of volatile aroma compounds responsible for the characteristic aroma of olive oil are five- and six-carbon alcohols, aldehydes, and their corresponding esters. These are followed by terpenes, ketones, and carboxylic acids. Aroma and aroma-active compounds in olive oil are mainly formed through the lipoxygenase pathway during oil extraction from olives. In this pathway, aldehydes are formed from fatty acids, which are then reduced to alcohols by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and further converted into esters by alcohol acyltransferase (AAT). Among the aroma-active compounds, hexanal (associated with a cut grass odor), octanal (citrus-like), and 1-penten-3-ol (oily odor) stand out due to their high OAV values. This review aims to examine the aroma-active compounds present in Turkish olive oils.

Evaluation of the Influence of Honey Incorporation on the Rheological Properties of Peanut Butter

Nurgül GİZLİCE, Adnan Bozdogan — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The present research investigated how the addition of pine honey (PH), chestnut honey (CH), and highland honey (HH) at different inclusion levels (2.5%, 5%, and 10%) influences the rheological and sensory behavior of peanut butter. Rheological analysis revealed that all samples displayed non-Newtonian flow behavior, and the experimental data were well described by the Herschel–Bulkley model. The incorporation of honey led to an increase in the viscosity of peanut butter, with the highest values observed in samples containing PH, followed by those with HH and CH, respectively. In the sensory evaluation, panelists assessed attributes including oiliness, fluidity, texture, stickiness, taste, color, and overall impression. Among the samples, the peanut butter containing 5% PH received the highest preference score from the panelists. Therefore, the formulation incorporating 5% PH was determined to be optimal for peanut butter production.