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The Effect of Pretreatment and Hot-air Drying Parameters on the Drying Behavior and Quality Properties of Onion (Allium cepa L.)

Maryam Hanif, Amal Brahimi, Abdelhakim Boudboud, Ali Assifaoui, Hassan Hajjaj, Hamid Mazouz and Abdelhay Elharrak

Hot-air drying is widely applied for onion (Allium cepa) preservation, but processing conditions strongly influence the quality of the final powder. This study evaluated the effects of blanching time (0, 3, and 5 min), antibrowning treatments (sodium metabisulfite (Na₂S₂O₅) or sodium sulfite (Na₂SO₃); 0.05 – 0.2% w/v), and drying temperature (60 – 80 °C) on physicochemical, biochemical and sensory properties of onion powder.

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Potential Antioxidant Activities from Milkfish Bone with Different Retorting Time

Muhammad Rizal Fahlivi, Hardoko, Asep Awaludin Prihanto and Maheno Sri Widodo

Bioactive peptides derived from fish-processing by-products have attracted considerable attention as natural antioxidants. This study investigated the production and antioxidant properties of hydrolysates obtained from milkfish (Chanos chanos) bone through high-temperature extraction at 121 °C for 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. The hydrolysates were centrifuged, neutralized with phosphoric acid, freeze-dried, and evaluated for molecular weight distribution, degree of hydrolysis (DH), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity, and ferrous ion-chelating ability.

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Capuli and Potential Benefits: A Brief Review Focused on Characteristics and Active Properties

Gabriela López Coronado and Cristian Patiño Vidal

Capuli (Prunus serotina) is a native fruit found in several provinces of Ecuador whose scientific interest has been associated with its nutraceutical potential and abundance of bioactive compounds. This article provides a brief review of capuli and its benefits, highlighting its bioactive properties and potential industrial applications. Capuli has been identified as a complex food matrix whose chemical composition exhibits remarkable antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

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Widespread Microbiological and Chemical Hazards in Vizianagaram Street Foods Require Urgent Food Safety Measures

Leela Rani Bepala, Sahiti Nidhi Dhanvada, Sneha Pinninti, Shiv Kiran Pinnada, Sita Kumari Karanam and Ramaiah Maddi

Street foods are an affordable and culturally significant part of diets in India, but they often pose serious safety concerns. This study evaluated the quality of nine commonly consumed street foods in Vizianagaram using microbiological analysis and fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Results showed widespread microbial contamination, with high total viable counts (TVC), coliforms, and frequent detection of Staphylococcus aureus.

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Comparison of Food Sensory Perception and Consumer Acceptability Between Traditional Standardized Booths and Immersive Virtual Environments

Morad Oubouali, Soufiane Ghanimi, Mohamed Sami, Yassine Zine-eddine, Bouabid Ichou, Mohammed Ellaite and Khalid Boutoial

Immersive technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), are increasingly being explored to enhance the contextual relevance of consumer testing while preserving rigorous laboratory control. This study investigated the impact of immersive contexts on the sensory perception of food products by comparing a standard physical sensory booth (SB) and a VR of restaurant (V-restaurant) using a repeated measures design where a consumer panel evaluated each matrix once per environment.

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Nutritional Profile of Meat and the Biological, Environmental, and Processing Factors Affecting its Composition: A Review

Sofia Skoumpa, Adriana Cunha-Neves, John Cleary and David Phelan

This literature review focuses on the factors affecting nutritional value of meat and meat products. Between 2024 and 2025 there was an estimated meat production increase of 5,386 carcass weight equivalents worldwide. Meat is rich in essential nutrients, including fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and carotenoids. These nutrients are essential for the regulation of daily biochemical functions in the human body and their consumption at appropriate levels is essential for human survival. Animal feed provides essential nutrients for growth and development.

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Sustainable Chitosan Groundnut Shell Hydrogel Beads for Adsorption/Desorption of Acid Black 172 Dye from Food Industry Wastewater

Asma Ashraf, Joydeep Dutta, Arun Karnwal, Gaurav Kumar, Natalia Nesterova, George Kyzas, Ajendra Kumar and Suhel Mehandi

The efficiency of low-cost, eco-friendly chitosan groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) shell powder (Ch-GNSP) composite beads were evaluated for the removal of Acid Black 172 (AB-172) dye. The composite was developed by integrating foodgrade chitosan with agro-industrial groundnut shell waste, promoting sustainable biomass valorization for food-processing wastewater management.

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Adsorption Isotherm Modeling of Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) and its Role in Storage Stability Assessment

Mohamed Sami, Morad Oubouali, Morad Kaddouri, Soufiane Ghanimi, Fatima Ezzahra Atmani, Reda Elkacmi, Abdelali Bouali and Aziz Hasib

Pistachio nuts (Pistacia vera L.) are highly sensitive to ambient humidity, and understanding their hygroscopic behavior is essential for optimizing storage and preserving quality. This study investigated the water adsorption properties of pistachio kernels at three temperatures (25 °C, 35 °C, and 45 °C) through experimental testing, utilizing the static gravimetric method. Hygroscopic equilibrium was reached after 11, 9 and 20 days, respectively.

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Future Prospects of Microgreens in Global Food and Nutritional Security

Moinuddin, Ateeq Khan, Girish Chandra, Shagun, Shahista Parveen, Sarthak Verma, Niyaj Ahamad and Belal Ahmad

Microgreens young seedlings harvested 7 – 21 days after germination have emerged as a nutrient-dense, resource-efficient crop with significant potential to address global food and nutritional security challenges. Their exceptional concentrations of vitamins (A, C, K, and E), minerals (Iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se)), carotenoids, phenolics, and bioactive phytochemicals position them as next-generation functional foods capable of combating micronutrient deficiencies in both urban and rural populations.

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Sequential Bioprocessing of Unripe Banana Flour to Produce Resistant-starch–rich, Low-glycemic Pasta Flour

William Tchabo, Spéro Ulrich Koba Edikou, Moriken Sangaré, Mamadou Lamarana Souare, Ibrahima Kaba, Robert Patrick Lekane Tchabo and Joseph Dossou

Sequential thermal priming, retrogradation, and fermentation were combined to transform unripe banana flour (UBF) into a resistant starch (RS) rich ingredient with reduced glycemic impact suitable for pasta manufacture. Three factors: Box- Behnken design (BBD) assessed thermal priming temperature (TPT) (70 – 90 °C), retrogradation temperature (RT) (12 – 38 °C), and fermentation time (FT) (2 – 12 h), with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strain (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Levilactobacillus brevis) as a categorical factor.

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