Journal of Cereal Science最新文献

{"title":"The organic-conventional trade-off: Grain yield, nutritional composition and quality traits across diverse cereals","authors":"Lovro Sinkovič,&nbsp;Hajer Ben Ammar,&nbsp;Marianna Rakszegi,&nbsp;Péter Mikó,&nbsp;Barbara Pipan","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104543","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104543","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the effects of conventional (CONV) and organic (ORG) management on grain yield, nutritional composition and quality traits of winter barley, winter spelt, spring oat and winter wheat over a three-year field experiment. The aim was to identify species-specific productivity-quality relationships and determine the relative contributions of management and seasonal variation to cereal performance. Across all species, CONV management consistently maximised grain yield, with winter barley reaching 7.03 t ha⁻¹ under CONV compared with 3.33 t ha⁻¹ under ORG, and winter wheat producing 6.43 versus 3.17 t ha⁻¹, respectively. In contrast, ORG management enhanced grain nutritional quality by increasing micronutrient concentrations, particularly Zn, Cu, Fe and Mo; for example, winter wheat under ORG accumulated 39.54 mg kg⁻¹ Zn compared with 26.98 mg kg⁻¹ under CONV, while spring oat exceeded 79 mg kg⁻¹ Fe under ORG conditions. Among the cereals studied, conventional hulled winter barley showed the highest β-glucan content, kernel width and thousand-kernel weight, whereas spring oat had higher fat, fibre and dry matter concentrations. Multivariate analyses showed that species identity was the main determinant of grain quality architecture, substantially outweighing management effects, while year significantly influenced most traits, reflecting strong genotype × environment × management interactions. The findings highlight the need to integrate cereal species selection, productivity and both concentration- and area-based nutritional indicators when designing sustainable cereal production systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104543"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854835","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":"Investigating the dynamic in vitro digestive characteristics of multigrain reconstituted rice after extrusion modification compared with white rice: focus on gastric emptying, digestive behavior and structural evolution","authors":"Yashi Wang,&nbsp;Wei Sun,&nbsp;Shijie Liu,&nbsp;Xinyu Zhao,&nbsp;Zili Zhao,&nbsp;Bing Li,&nbsp;Hongwei Zhang,&nbsp;Ying Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid digestibility of white rice (WR) poses metabolic burdens, whereas multigrain reconstituted rice (MRR) offers modulated digestive properties. This study employed a dynamic <em>in vitro</em> gastrointestinal system to investigate temporal variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying characteristics, starch hydrolysis rate, protein digestibility, microstructure and physicochemical properties of MRR and WR during gastrointestinal digestion. The results demonstrated that MRR contained ten times more dietary fiber than WR, exhibited significantly increased chyme viscosity, which physically impeded gastric mixing and peristaltic emptying, thereby prolonging gastric retention time. This delayed gastric emptying consequently limited the rate of starch transfer into the small intestine, leading to an 11.03% reduction in starch hydrolysis compared to WR. Meanwhile, the abundant dietary fiber in MRR formed a dense gel network that acted as a physical barrier, restricting enzyme accessibility to starch granules. Synergistically, the extrusion-induced V-type crystalline structure of MRR starch further enhanced its resistance to enzymatic attack. MRR showed delayed protein digestion but 4.15% higher final digestibility than WR. During digestion, the stable crystalline structure of MRR works synergistically with the physical barrier formed by its abundant dietary fiber, ultimately resulting in a slow and steady nutrient release pattern. The slow digestion behavior of MRR provided theoretical support for stabilized postprandial glucose response and prolonged satiety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104538"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physical approaches for mitigating zearalenone in corn and corn-related products: mechanisms, efficacy and prospects","authors":"Jinghan Li,&nbsp;Junmin Ji","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104541","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104541","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zearalenone (ZEN) is a prevalent mycotoxin in cereal crops, particularly in corn and its derived products, posing significant health risks to humans and livestock due to its estrogen-mimicking structure. Consequently, effective mitigation of ZEN has become a critical food safety priority, driving the development of biodegradation, chemical, and physical mitigation strategies. Among these, physical methods are particularly favored for their simplicity, efficiency, and scalability, making them highly suitable for industrial applications. This review critically summarizes ZEN contamination levels and regulatory limits, with a focus on recent advances in physical detoxification technologies. Particular emphasis is placed on physical degradation methods such as thermal treatment, irradiation, and cold plasma, alongside adsorption-based strategies utilizing clay minerals, activated carbon, and metal-organic frameworks. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms, detoxification efficacy, and practical limitations of these physical technologies are systematically evaluated. Although promising, the industrial application of these methods is often constrained by challenges in preserving food quality and maintaining efficacy within complex food matrices. This paper consolidates current insights to guide future research, emphasizing the development of selective adsorbents and process optimization under realistic food processing conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104541"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cereal matrix shapes acidification and volatile compound formation, but not culturable bacterial counts, in boza, a fermented cereal beverage","authors":"Katja Fink,&nbsp;Ines Uršnik,&nbsp;Damjan Janeš,&nbsp;Marko Kreft","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104544","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104544","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Boza is a fermented cereal beverage whose fermentation phenotype depends on cereal composition and starter microbiota. We evaluated a controlled laboratory model comprising three cereal bases and three inoculum sources. Maize flour, millet flour, and purified maize starch were each inoculated with sour cream, a defined mesophilic dairy starter, or a boza-derived inoculum and fermented for 48 h at 22 °C. We measured pH, titratable acidity, culturable aerobic bacterial counts, and 14 targeted volatile compounds. Flour formulations acidified markedly, with pH decreases of up to 3.5 units and final titratable acidity of up to 24.6 mmol NaOH/kg; starch formulations decreased by less than 1 pH unit and remained below 2 mmol NaOH/kg. Maize flour produced the largest pH decrease, whereas millet flour, particularly with sour-cream inoculum, reached the highest titratable acidity and showed the broadest increases in acetoin, two 2,3-butanediol isomers, 1-hexanol, and 1-octen-3-ol. Endpoint aerobic bacterial counts did not differ significantly among formulations despite marked differences in acidification. Thus, flour-based and starch-based formulations exhibited distinct fermentation phenotypes, with matrix-dependent inoculum effects. Across the tested formulations, cereal matrix was strongly associated with the measured phenotype, whereas endpoint culturable aerobic counts alone did not reflect acidification or volatile remodeling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104544"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854786","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":"Insight into changes in multi-level structure and physicochemical properties of blue wheat starch modified by autoclaving heat-moisture treatment","authors":"Limin Li,&nbsp;Yinghao Zhu,&nbsp;Qingfa Wang,&nbsp;Xueling Zheng,&nbsp;Chong Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104540","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104540","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Herein, functionalities of blue wheat starch modified by autoclaving heat-moisture treatment (AHT) were investigated on the basis of its multi-level structure. AHT with moisture content (MC) of 15-20 % enlarged crystalline lamellae and ameliorated packing order of double helices, and the thermal stability got enhanced. It induced debranching and moderate breakdown of long chains. Owing to the lower proportion of short chains in amylopectin, it yielded gels with higher springiness. AHT with MC of 25-30 % aggravated molecular disordering and chain depolymerization. The destruction of amylopectin was not confined to external short chains; internal long chains were also destructed. The severe structural destruction enhanced solubility, which contributes to higher paste clarity that is sensory-appealing for starch gel. Also, higher-MC AHT may induce more formation of starch-phenolics inclusion complexes and resulted in softer gels with anti-retrogradation capacity. Therefore, AHT-modified blue wheat starch is promising to serve as ingredients in novel starchy foods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"131 ","pages":"Article 104540"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of free asparagine levels in diverse Canada Western Red Spring wheat cultivars","authors":"Indhurathna Swaminathan,&nbsp;Xiaohang Zou,&nbsp;Reyna Stefanson,&nbsp;Nikisha Muhandiram,&nbsp;Pierre Hucl,&nbsp;Martin G. Scanlon,&nbsp;Maneka Malalgoda","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104509","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104509","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Free asparagine is the key precursor of acrylamide, a heat-induced contaminant of concern in wheat-based foods. Although genotype is known to influence free asparagine accumulation, limited information is available on how historical and modern Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat cultivars differ in free asparagine content across growing years. Understanding the influence of genotype on asparagine accumulation is essential for identifying wheat cultivars with inherently low levels. In this study, 40 CWRS wheat cultivars released between 1860 and 2018 were evaluated over two growing years (2020 and 2021) to determine the effect of genotype on free asparagine content and its relationship with selected wheat quality characteristics. Asparagine levels varied widely, ranging from 19.14 to 326.27 μg g⁻¹ in 2020 and from 90.63 to 712.97 μg g⁻¹ in 2021, showing notable numerical variation between growing years. Cultivar effect was significant, with AC Intrepid showing the highest asparagine content and Unity VB the lowest; however, most cultivars fell within overlapping ranges. Protein composition differed among cultivars, but these differences were not strongly associated with asparagine content. Pedigree-based clustering grouped cultivars broadly according to shared ancestry rather than release year and did not clearly align with asparagine-based clusters, indicating that parentage alone was not directly associated with asparagine levels. Correlation analysis showed a weak negative relationship between asparagine and protein or ash, with no meaningful associations with moisture, starch, fibre, or mixograph parameters. Overall, free asparagine in CWRS wheat was influenced by genotype, with no consistent trend across release years. These findings highlight the need to further evaluate environmental factors and identify cultivars that maintain consistently low asparagine levels under varying conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"130 ","pages":"Article 104509"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148640868","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":"Preparation of specialty malt via microwave processing","authors":"Nana Yang,&nbsp;Jiangyu Zhu,&nbsp;Yongqi Yin,&nbsp;Zhengfei Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104375","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104375","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The burgeoning craft beer market fuels demand for specialty malts, yet conventional production in roasting drums is energy-intensive and inefficient. This study developed an approach to producing specialty barley and wheat malts using microwave processing with a tumbling step to ensure homogeneity. The resulting malts exhibited significantly darkened colour, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and increased total polyphenol content. Analysis of volatile compounds revealed the generation of characteristic roasty pyrazines and caramel-like furans. When used in brewing (15 % substitution), these malts influenced the beer profile, intensifying colour, increasing perceived bitterness, and reconstituting the aroma by suppressing base malt notes and enhancing roasted attributes. Our results demonstrate that microwave processing is an efficient method for processing specialty malts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104375"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146036005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the role of starch and gluten protein in potato pulp/wheat mixed dough","authors":"Huayin Pu,&nbsp;Yilin Zhang,&nbsp;Miao Yue,&nbsp;Zhihui Yin,&nbsp;Chong Zhang,&nbsp;Junrong Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104392","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104392","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Incorporating potato pulp into wheat-based products offers a route to reduce costs and enhance nutrition. However, the micro-scale mechanisms governing its impact on dough components remain unclear. This study systematically investigated the physicochemical alterations of starch and gluten in doughs with varying potato pulp/wheat flour ratios. The research findings revealed that an increase in potato pulp content significantly modified both components. For starch, the relative crystallinity decreased (from 25.5% to 16.6%, shifting to a C-type crystalline pattern), while the pasting viscosity increased (from 1780.3 mPa s to 2040.2 mPa s for peak viscosity). Swelling power and solubility reached their peak values at 20% potato pulp substitution. For gluten, the protein structure became less ordered, with α-helix content dropping from 41.4% to 24.2%. Crucially, the disulfide bond content declined, accompanied by a shift from the stable gauche–gauche–gauche conformation (41.46% to 16.91%) to an unstable conformation, weakening the protein network. The samples with a potato pulp content of 20% displayed an optimal balance, characterized by starch with high swelling/solubility and gluten retaining a relatively higher α-helix content (35.62%). The deterioration beyond 20% was attributed to the incompatibility between the dominant potato starch and the diluted, weakened gluten network, as illustrated in the proposed mechanism. This work elucidates the micro-scale interactions in potato-wheat dough, providing a theoretical basis for developing high-quality composite products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104392"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147397829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Part-specific composition, stability and bioactivity of anthocyanins from purple maize","authors":"Jiahui Liu ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Zhu ,&nbsp;Tongyun Wu ,&nbsp;Weibin Bai ,&nbsp;Jianxia Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104379","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104379","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Purple maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) is a rich anthocyanin source, but part-specific structure–function links remain unclear, hindering by-product valorization as natural colorants and functional ingredients. Therefore, we investigated the structure-activity relationships of anthocyanin profiles (particularly acylation and methylation) in different parts<strong>.</strong> Anthocyanins from the seed coat, cob, husk, and silk were analyzed for composition, stability, antioxidant capacity, and inhibition of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes. Five major anthocyanins were identified, including cyanidin-, pelargonidin-, and peonidin-based glucosides (including malonylated forms). After 48 h UV exposure, seed coat anthocyanins were highly light-sensitive (retention 4.87 %), whereas silk anthocyanins were most stable (retention 22.15 %). Silk anthocyanins were least affected by ascorbic acid (0.5–5.0 mg mL⁻¹). Silk anthocyanins also displayed the strongest DPPH/ABTS radical-scavenging activities (IC₅₀ = 6.40/6.10 μM, respectively), while seed coat anthocyanins exhibited the highest hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 59.22 μM). All extracts inhibited α-glucosidase and α-amylase dose-dependently; cob anthocyanins showed the strongest dual-enzyme inhibition (α-glucosidase: 0–360 μg mL⁻¹, IC₅₀ = 8.97 μg mL⁻¹; α-amylase: 0–720 μg mL⁻¹, IC₅₀ = 63.54 μg mL⁻¹). These results support part-specific, function-oriented utilization of purple maize anthocyanins in food applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104379"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147397823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multiscale analysis of mycotoxin accumulation in fungal-infected maize using hyperspectral imaging and electron microscopy","authors":"Lili Cao ,&nbsp;Jie Li ,&nbsp;Jing Yu ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Zhou ,&nbsp;Chun Gao ,&nbsp;Li Xu ,&nbsp;Shaotong Jiang ,&nbsp;Min Pang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104394","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2026.104394","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The accumulation mechanisms of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) and deoxynivalenol (DON) in fungal-infected maize kernels were comparatively investigated using hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The moldy maize kernels were prepared by inoculation with <em>Aspergillus flavus</em> (<em>A. flavus</em>), <em>Fusarium graminearum</em> (<em>F. graminearum</em>), and natural molding (control group). A distinct difference in spatial distribution patterns between the mycotoxins was revealed by the combined HSI and HPLC analysis. AFB₁ was predominantly concentrated in the internal tissues (especially in the <em>A. flavus</em>-inoculated group), whereas DON was mainly located on the kernel surface (particularly in the <em>F. graminearum</em>-inoculated group). Intermediate and variable toxin distribution was exhibited in the control group influenced by indigenous fungi. These findings were further supported by SEM analysis. An AFB₁ quantification model based on a back-propagation neural network (BPNN) was established with high predictive accuracy (R²_v = 0.95, RPD = 4.55), highlighting the significant potential of non-destructive detection methods. Conversely, the predictive accuracy for DON was relatively lower (R²_v = 0.80, RPD = 2.22) due to its weaker spectral response and increased spatial heterogeneity. The integration of HSI and SEM provides an effective multi-scale strategy to elucidate the mechanisms of mycotoxin accumulation under different infection scenarios, thereby establishing a crucial foundation for future rapid and non-destructive detection technologies aimed at ensuring grain quality and safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104394"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147397824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}