Current Research in Food Science最新文献

{"title":"Soymilk yogurt prepared using Pediococcus pentosaceus TOKAI 759m ameliorates cognitive function through gut microbiota modulation in high-fat diet mice","authors":"Yuki Nakashima ,&nbsp;Tomoyuki Hibi ,&nbsp;Masafumi Urakami ,&nbsp;Maki Hoshino ,&nbsp;Taiki Morii ,&nbsp;Hikari Sugawa ,&nbsp;Nana Katsuta ,&nbsp;Yuki Tominaga ,&nbsp;Himeno Takahashi ,&nbsp;Asako Otomo ,&nbsp;Shinji Hadano ,&nbsp;Shin Yasuda ,&nbsp;Ayaka Hokamura ,&nbsp;Saki Imai ,&nbsp;Hideki Kinoshita","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.100993","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.100993","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent studies have confirmed that obesity leads to neuroinflammation and cognitive decline. This study aimed to examine whether soymilk yogurt prepared using <em>Pediococcus pentosaceus</em> TOKAI 759m could prevent cognitive decline and neuroinflammation progression in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). C57BL/6NJcl male mice were grouped according to the following dietary interventions and monitored for 15 weeks: (1) normal control diet, (2) HFD, (3) HFD with soymilk (SM), (4) HFD with soymilk yogurt (SY), and (5) HFD with bacterial cells of the starter strain (BC). The levels of inflammatory cytokines in serum and hippocampus were measured. Compared to the HFD group, the SY group scored higher in the novel object recognition test and exhibited lower levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α in the hippocampus. However, the SM and BC groups did not show these significant changes. Proteomic analysis of the hippocampus revealed three enriched protein clusters in the SY group: synaptic proteins, glycolysis, and mitochondrial ATP formation. Fecal samples were also collected to measure the proportion of gut microbiota using 16S rRNA analysis. Interestingly, the proportion of butyrate-producing bacteria, such as <em>Clostridium</em> and <em>Akkermansia</em>, tended to be higher in the SY group than in the HFD group. An additional <em>in vitro</em> study revealed that the components of SY, such as daidzein, genistein, and adenine, could decrease inflammatory cytokine levels in microglial cells. In conclusion, soymilk yogurt prepared using <em>P. pentosaceus</em> TOKAI 759m may modulate gut microbiota and prevent neuroinflammation, thereby leading to a possible improvement in cognitive function.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100993"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Computer simulation of microwave-assisted drying: Coupled influence of microwave power and pulse ratio on product and process characteristics","authors":"Jalal Dehghannya,&nbsp;Mahdi Habibi-Ghods","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shrinkage consideration is pivotal in modeling heat and mass transfer during drying processes. This study investigated the interactive effects of microwave power and pulse ratio on various properties of potato slices during drying. The drying process was further modeled using moving boundary conditions to assess the influence of these variables on heat and moisture diffusion. Results demonstrated that increasing microwave power and decreasing the pulse ratio significantly reduced drying time due to intensified effective moisture diffusion coefficient (14.28%). Enhanced product quality—evidenced by minimized shrinkage (26.28%), reduced bulk density (13.22%), and improved rehydration ratio (28.96%)—alongside increased energy efficiency, was observed with higher power levels and pulse ratios. Additionally, a higher pulse ratio intensified the electric field due to shorter microwave “on” durations, promoting a more uniform wave distribution within the product. Unlike convective air drying, where moisture removal initiated from the food's edges, the combined microwave-air drying approach exhibited a distinct moisture migration pattern attributed to the volumetric heating mechanism of microwaves, which directed heat transfer from the interior to the surface of the potato slices. The model's performance, evaluated using R² and RMSE metrics, was deemed satisfactory. Overall, this research highlights the importance of optimizing microwave power and pulse ratio for the efficient production of high-quality potato chips.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 101013"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143528730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soluble fibres modulate dough rheology and gluten structure via hydrogen bond density and Flory-Huggins water interaction parameter","authors":"Stefano Renzetti ,&nbsp;Lisa Lambertini ,&nbsp;Helene C.M. Mocking-Bode ,&nbsp;Ruud G.M. van der Sman","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.100991","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.100991","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soluble fibres are gaining increasing interest for functional food applications like bread, but their interaction with gluten and effects on dough rheology are not fully elucidated. This study hypothesized that soluble fibres influence gluten structure and dough rheology by acting as plasticizers and humectants. Plasticizing properties depend on the effective number of hydrogen bonding sites available in the fibre molecule (<em>N</em>_{<em>OH,s</em>}). Humectant properties are related to the water interaction parameter derived from analysis of the sorption behaviour. Oligo-fructoses, inulins, polydextrose and a glucose syrup were added individually and in mixtures to wheat dough to test the hypothesis. PCA and multi-linear regressions showed that the G′ from temperature sweeps increased with an increase in the effective volume fraction of hydrogen bonding sites (<span><math><mrow><msub><mi>Φ</mi><mrow><mi>w</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>e</mi><mi>f</mi><mi>f</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>) in the solvent and in the water interaction parameter (<em>χ</em>_<em>eff</em>). The enhanced G′ corresponded to a reduction in tan(δ), indicating an increased elastic behaviour. The parameters <span><math><mrow><msub><mi>Φ</mi><mrow><mi>w</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>e</mi><mi>f</mi><mi>f</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> and <em>χ</em>_<em>eff</em> also explained the changes in phase transitions during heating, i.e. T_onset and T_peak of starch gelatinization (R² &gt; 0.9). Image analysis of the gluten network revealed that fibre structure and physico-chemical properties influenced the gluten network by altering branching rate, lacunarity, and protein strand width. Comparing inulins and polydextrose of similar molecular weights (M_w) indicated that interactions with gluten were influenced more by <em>N</em>_{<em>OH,s</em>} than M_w. High M_w inulins, with a linear structure, promoted junctions in the gluten network through hydrogen bonds, and possibly phase separation in gluten-rich and inulin-rich phases. In contrast, the more hydrophilic, branched polydextrose reduced junction formation in the gluten network due to fewer <em>N</em>_{<em>OH,s</em>}. This study provides new insights into the physico-chemical properties of soluble fibres and their role in wheat dough functionality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100991"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143297356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry-based fingerprint analysis of volatile flavor compounds in ginger cultivated under different conditions","authors":"Qian-qian Jia,&nbsp;Jia-xing Li,&nbsp;Sen Yang,&nbsp;Ding-ding Su","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101041","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101041","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ginger is widely acclaimed for its pungent aroma, nutritional benefits, and unique pharmacological properties, making it essential in culinary and medicinal applications. This study investigates volatile flavor profile differences in ginger resulting from various cultivation practices. Gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS) was utilized to isolate and identify volatile compounds. Subsequent analyses, including relative odor activity values (ROAV) and multivariate statistical analysis, precisely identified key flavor compounds differentiating organically cultivated ginger from conventional field-grown varieties. A total of fifty-six volatile compounds were identified, comprising 17 esters, 4 alcohols, 7 ketones, 18 terpenoids, 6 aldehydes, and 4 miscellaneous compounds, with esters and terpenoids constituting over 50 % of total volatiles. Compounds such as α-phellandrene, β-citronellal, butyl 2-propenoate, 2-heptanone-D, and 3-octanone predominantly contributed lemon, banana, and citronella notes in organically cultivated ginger. In contrast, citral dominated in conventional ginger. This research significantly advances our understanding of ginger's aroma under varied cultivation conditions and demonstrates GC–IMS's utility in effectively profiling ginger flavor, thereby guiding improved cultivation and management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 101041"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the effect of natural deep eutectic solvents on zein: Structural and functional properties","authors":"Adieh Anvar ,&nbsp;Mohammad Hossein Azizi ,&nbsp;Hassan Ahmadi Gavlighi","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the effects of chemical modification, including ethanol, acetic acid, and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), on the secondary and tertiary structures, hydrophobicity, free amine content, protein-protein interactions, and functional properties of zein. The NADES used included choline chloride: oxalic acid, choline chloride: urea, choline chloride: glycerol, and glucose: citric acid. The results reveal that the NADES system significantly altered zein's structures, as evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence, and Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy analysis. Circular dichroism spectroscopy analysis indicated significant conformational change in modified zein, with decreased α-helix and increased random coil content. Notably, the NADES system leads to greater disruption of hydrogen bonds and facilitates the exposure of hydrophobic regions compared to water, ethanol, and acetic acid systems. This resulted in enhanced solubility, surface hydrophobicity, and free amine content in zein, indicating a more significant change in protein structure. In contrast, water and acetic acid solvents maintained more stable disulfide bonds within zein, which correlates with lower solubility and less unfolding. The NADES system promoted interactions between zein and its solvent components, improving emulsifying properties. Water, ethanol, and acetic acid systems had higher solubility in urea, thiourea, and dithiothreitol than the NADES system, revealing disruption of both covalent and noncovalent bonds in zein modified by NADES. Overall, this study highlights the superior ability of the NADES system to modify zein's structure and functionality compared to conventional solvents, suggesting its potential for enhancing protein applications in the industrial production of foods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100965"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11748687/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Can cell-cultured meat from stem cells pave the way for sustainable alternative protein?","authors":"Octavio Bignardi da Silva Nunes ,&nbsp;Tiago Willian Buranello ,&nbsp;Fabiana de Andrade Farias ,&nbsp;Jenyffer Rosero ,&nbsp;Kaiana Recchia ,&nbsp;Fabiana Fernandes Bressan","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.100979","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.100979","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the global population grows, the demand for food and animal-derived products rises significantly, posing a notable challenge to the progress of society in general. Alternative protein production may adequately address such a challenge, and cell-based meat production emerges as a promising solution. This review investigates methodologies for <em>in vitro</em> myogenesis and adipogenesis from stem cells (adult, embryonic, or induced pluripotent stem cells - iPSCs) across different animal species, as well as the remaining challenges for scalability, the possibility of genetic modification, along with safety concerns regarding the commercialization of cell-cultured meat. Regarding such complexities, interdisciplinary approaches will be vital for assessing the potential of cell-cultured meat as a sustainable protein source, mimicking the sensory and nutritional attributes of conventional livestock meat whilst meeting the demands of a growing global population while mitigating environmental impacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100979"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143096340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A pectic polysaccharide from Lycium ruthenicum Murray alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice","authors":"Dai Dong ,&nbsp;Hailiang Wang ,&nbsp;Hongtao Bi ,&nbsp;Yu Li ,&nbsp;Tingting Gao ,&nbsp;Jingyue Feng ,&nbsp;Guoqiang Li ,&nbsp;Shiqi Guo ,&nbsp;Hongyan Yuan ,&nbsp;Weihua Ni","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100955","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100955","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD) can lead to severe complications like perforation, bleeding, and colon cancer, posing life-threatening risks. <em>Lycium ruthenicum</em> Murray (<em>L. ruthenicum</em> Murr.), rich in polysaccharides, has been utilized in traditional diets for thousands of years. This study explores the protective effects of the polysaccharide of <em>L. ruthenicum</em> on mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. In the present study, a pectic polysaccharide (LRWP-A<em>p</em>) containing arabinogalactan (AG) and homogalacturonic acid (HG) structural domains with a Mw of 4.34 kDa was obtained from <em>L. ruthenicum</em> Murr. Fruit. The gavage administration of LRWP-A<em>p</em> significantly alleviated symptoms of DSS-induced colitis in mice. In this process, LRWP-A<em>p</em> modulated the balance of Arg-1/iNOS to regulate the metabolism of arginine, and the levels of intestinal tight junction (TJ) (ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin 1) were increased by LRWP-A<em>p</em> treatment, which promoted intestinal barrier function. In addition, LRWP-A<em>p</em> alleviated the inflammatory response while increasing the anti-inflammatory response by reducing the level of proinflammatory factors, enhancing the level of anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10) and improving the balance of Treg/Th17 cells. These effects resulted in the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis. Moreover, LRWP-A<em>p</em> modulated the gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content, which may maintain relatively favorable intestinal homeostasis. In general, LRWP-A<em>p</em> has the potential to alleviate IBD, and the use of <em>L. ruthenicum</em> Murr. As a natural functional food to improve gut health in the context of DSS-induced colitis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100955"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11728900/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142977906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Non-volatile and volatile metabolite analyses and objective quantitative technique reveal the effect of fixation methods on the flavor quality and metabolites of green tea","authors":"Xizhe Zhu ,&nbsp;Liyue Yang ,&nbsp;Zhiwen Ge ,&nbsp;Wen Ouyang ,&nbsp;Jinjin Wang ,&nbsp;Ming Chen ,&nbsp;Yaya Yu ,&nbsp;Shunyin Wu ,&nbsp;Yanhua Qin ,&nbsp;Chunyong Huang ,&nbsp;Guofu Zhang ,&nbsp;Yating Zhang ,&nbsp;Haibo Yuan ,&nbsp;Yongwen Jiang ,&nbsp;Jinjie Hua","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fixation methodology serves as the critical determinant in shaping green tea's multi-dimensional quality attributes; however, the impact of different fixation methods and the corresponding combinations on the overall metabolites and quality of in green tea remains unclear. In this study, non-volatile metabolites (NVMs) and volatile metabolites (VMs) analyses and objective quantitative techniques were used to determine the effects of electromagnetic roller-hot air coupling fixation (ROHF), electromagnetic roller-steam coupling fixation (ROSF), electromagnetic roller-hot air-steam coupling fixation (RHSF), electromagnetic single roller fixation (ROLF), and carding fixation (CDF) on the quality of green tea. Forty-four NVMs, 99 VMs, and 15 flavor objective quantitative indexes were identified, with 12 differential NVMs and 9 differential VMs statistically screened. The green tea processed via ROLF was lustrous and emerald green with a bright and clear liquor; ROSF resulted in low caffeine and flavonoid glycosides contents and an umami (UMS) taste; and RHSF was associated with high <em>trans</em>-β-ionone, hexanal and 1-octen-3-ol levels, with a floral and fresh aroma. These findings provide a precise control scheme for the customized processing of green tea, and promote the upgrading of traditional fixation process to intelligent standardization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 101037"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143681395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Encapsulation of menthol by cyclodextrins-comparison between experiments and molecular simulations","authors":"Sa Xu ,&nbsp;Fang Wei ,&nbsp;Ximing Xu ,&nbsp;Rui Wang ,&nbsp;Xiujuan Xu ,&nbsp;Wu Fan ,&nbsp;Guobi Chai ,&nbsp;Qidong Zhang ,&nbsp;Qingzhao Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cyclodextrins (CDs) are a traditional wall material for encapsulating flavor ingredients. Given the substantial structural differences among flavor ingredients, experimentally deriving the selection criteria for CDs suitable for these flavor substances is a time-consuming process. However, most existing literature relies on the embedding efficiency from practical experiments to evaluate the binding effect between flavor ingredients and CDs. This article used menthol as the research subject and investigated the binding effects of three different CDs through experiments and computer simulations. The experimental results revealed that β-CD exhibited the optimal encapsulation efficiency (EE, 36.54%) on menthol, subsequently, γ-CD showed a 33.35% EE value, whereas α-CD was unable to form an inclusion complex (IC) with menthol. Conformation changes, root mean square deviation (RMSD), radius of gyration (Rg), Radial distribution function (RDF), solvent accessible surface area (SASA), and hydrogen bonds, and binding free energy were analyzed through molecular dynamics simulation and compared with the experimental results. The results indicated that the IC formed between β-CD and menthol (menthol/β-CD-IC) is the most stable, with a binding free energy (ΔGbind) of −7.27 kcal/mol. The IC formed between α-CD and menthol (menthol/α-CD-IC) is the least stable one (ΔGbind = 2.59 kcal/mol). The results revealed a high degree of consistency between the experimental outcomes and those of molecular simulation, so molecular simulation can serve as a more efficient screening method, an alternative to practical experiments, to obtain the combination ability between host-guest molecules.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 101021"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143563742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of familiarity, brand loyalty and food neophobicity on food acceptance: A case study of instant noodles with consumers in Seoul, Beijing, and Shanghai","authors":"Kaixin Xiao ,&nbsp;Seo-Jin Chung ,&nbsp;Runrou Wong ,&nbsp;Byunghoon Lee ,&nbsp;Haeun Kim ,&nbsp;Baoqing Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the factors influencing the liking and disliking of regular and spicy Jjajang instant noodles among consumers in Seoul (South Korea), Beijing (China), and Shanghai (China). The research examined the roles of cultural background, regional taste preferences, brand loyalty, and food neophobia.</div><div>Four regular Jjajang instant noodles (two Korean and two Chinese brands) and two spicy Korean Jjajang noodles were tasted and evaluated by 312 consumers (Seoul = 106, Beijing = 105, Shanghai = 101) in blind condition using the 9-point hedonic scale and the Check-All-That-Apply method. The participants in Shanghai included both general instant noodle consumers and loyal consumers of a specific instant noodle brand. Additional data, including flavor familiarity and individual's food neophobicity, were collected.</div><div>Results showed a positive relationship between flavor familiarity and consumer acceptance, with significant regional variations. Flavor familiarity affected Seoul consumers significantly and preferred products that were produced by Korean companies. Beijing and Shanghai general consumers showed similar liking patterns, preferring one Chinese and one Korean products over the others. Loyal consumers of a specific brand in Shanghai preferred the product of the corresponding brand to others, even under blind conditions. Spicy samples were generally disliked due to excessive spiciness. Food neophobia influenced consumer acceptance, with consumers in some regions, such as Shanghai, showing greater openness to novel flavors.</div><div>This study reveals the critical role of cultural background and flavor familiarity in shaping consumer acceptance of instant noodles with Jjajang flavor among Chinese and Korean consumers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 101026"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}