Journal of Food Quality最新文献

{"title":"Impact of Different Lactobacillus spp. and Apple Fiber Supplementation on the Technological and Biofunctional Properties of Fermented Goat Milk Beverages","authors":"Nazlı Kanca","doi":"10.1155/jfq/7609551","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/jfq/7609551","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fermented goat milk beverages have emerged as promising functional dairy matrices due to their high nutritional value, probiotic content, and associated health-promoting potential. Growing demand for fiber-enriched probiotic dairy products has stimulated efforts to improve technological stability, biofunctional performance, and sensory quality. However, limitations related to fermentation efficiency, product structure, sensory acceptance, and probiotic survival during storage remain critical challenges. Consequently, the incorporation of functional ingredients such as dietary fiber in combination with selected probiotic bacteria represents an approach to overcome these constraints and optimize product quality. This study evaluated the effects of three <i>Lactobacillus</i> spp. (<i>L. acidophilus</i>, <i>L. casei</i>, and <i>L. helveticus</i>); 1% apple fiber (AF) supplementation; and 21-day storage on the technological, functional, microbiological, and sensory properties of fermented goat milk beverages. <i>L. casei</i> significantly reduced fermentation time by 305 min compared with <i>L. acidophilus</i> and by 62.65 min compared with <i>L. helveticus</i>, while producing beverages with the highest water-holding capacity (WHC; 46.20%), consistency index (1.11 Pa.sⁿ), and probiotic viability (8.99 log cfu/mL). AF supplementation improved technological and functional attributes by increasing WHC by 3.72%, total phenolic content by 0.56%, and antioxidant activity (DPPH 4.9%, ABTS 1.14 μmol Trolox/g fresh weight), while reducing syneresis by 3.47% and suppressing goaty flavor intensity. Sensory evaluation showed that AF addition decreased fermented flavor intensity but added fruity notes, resulting in a sensory trade-off, whereas <i>L. casei</i> beverages achieved the highest overall acceptability. Correlation analysis showed that flavor was the strongest predictor of product acceptance (<i>r</i> = 0.901, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.01). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed clear clustering based on both culture type and AF supplementation. Overall, the combined application of <i>L. casei</i> and AF provides an effective technological and biofunctional strategy for the development of structurally stable, nutritionally enhanced, and consumer-oriented fermented goat milk beverages, highlighting its relevance for next-generation functional dairy product innovation.</p>","PeriodicalId":15951,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Food Quality","volume":"2026 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jfq/7609551","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147565405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Two Saponins From Liquorice Reverse Secondary Structure Modifications of Lysozyme and Mitigate Cytotoxicity and Inflammatory Responses in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells","authors":"Gangqiang Liu,&nbsp;Mengzhao Shi,&nbsp;Ziyi Tang,&nbsp;Changxin Ye,&nbsp;Huihui Xu,&nbsp;Cheng Jiang,&nbsp;Pin Lv,&nbsp;Yan Zhang,&nbsp;Lijian Cui,&nbsp;Yun Huang","doi":"10.1155/jfq/1323501","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/jfq/1323501","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Natural lysozyme (N-Lyso) is an important natural preservative widely used in the food industry and biomedical fields. However, the specific properties and safety of lysozyme after secondary structure modification (M-Lyso) are still poorly understood. Compared to N-Lyso, M-Lyso at the same concentration exhibits increased protease sensitivity, reduced enzymatic activity, but no significant change in antibacterial activity. Multispectral analysis combined with cell experiments revealed that M-Lyso, characterized by a decreased α-helix content and increased β-sheet structure, induced an increase in PDE4D expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and elevated levels of PDE4D and IL-6 in the cell culture supernatants, accompanied by a decrease in cell viability. However, treating M-Lyso with glycyrrhizic acid (GL) or glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) from liquorice reversed the above phenomena. Molecular docking results indicated GL and GA formed supramolecular complexes with lysozyme. The understanding of specific properties of N-Lyso and M-Lyso not only provides valuable insights into the safety profile of lysozyme but also offers for the prevention and treating diseases related to alterations in the protein secondary structure.</p>","PeriodicalId":15951,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Food Quality","volume":"2026 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jfq/1323501","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147564704","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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 Permeation as the Nexus of Food Safety and Sustainability in the Packaging Industry","authors":"David J. Alcarde Jr.,&nbsp;Elyson Keith P. Encarnacion,&nbsp;Anne C. Alcantara,&nbsp;Harold E. Armario,&nbsp;Agaseve F. Del Rosario,&nbsp;Winnie P. Alejandro,&nbsp;Rizel Marie S. M. Ting","doi":"10.1155/jfq/3278398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/jfq/3278398","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Gas permeation plays a central role in food packaging by directly influencing food safety, product quality, and shelf life, while simultaneously shaping sustainability outcomes within the packaging industry. This review examines the fundamental mechanisms of gas permeation through packaging materials, with particular focus on oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor and their effects on microbial growth, oxidation, and moisture control in packaged foods. The roles of active packaging systems, which regulate the internal gaseous environment through components such as oxygen scavengers and antimicrobial agents, and intelligent packaging technologies, which enable real-time monitoring and improved transparency, are critically discussed. The review further evaluates the environmental trade-offs associated with conventional petroleum-based plastics and bioplastics, highlighting that while bioplastics may offer reduced environmental impacts under certain conditions, challenges related to cost, performance, infrastructure, and scalability remain. Advances in material science, including nanocomposites and functional coatings, and life-cycle considerations are identified as key strategies for reconciling gas barrier performance with sustainability goals. Collectively, this review positions gas permeation as a unifying framework for the design of food-packaging systems that enhance food safety, reduce waste, and support the transition toward sustainable packaging solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":15951,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Food Quality","volume":"2026 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jfq/3278398","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147320937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"The Effect of Nanoliposomes of Achillea millefolium Essential Oil on the Shelf Life of Fresh Beef at Refrigerated Storage","authors":"Mahya Sheikhzadeh,&nbsp;Shokufeh Najmi Khoei,&nbsp;Arefeh Akbari,&nbsp;Sepideh Pourvatan Doust,&nbsp;Maryam Zokaei,&nbsp;Asiye Ahmadi-Dastgerdi","doi":"10.1155/jfq/1095501","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/jfq/1095501","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Nanoencapsulation of essential oils (EOs) improves their solubility, stability, and bioavailability. This research aimed to prepare nanoliposomes containing 1% and 2% yarrow (<i>Achillea millefolium</i>) EO and their effect on the shelf life of fresh beef at refrigerated storage. Nanoliposome properties, including encapsulation efficiency, particle size, zeta potential, morphology, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermal properties, were evaluated. The nanoliposomes were characterized by an appropriate nanosize scale (91.3–139 nm) and a negative charge (−27.35 mV to −22.64 mV) that successfully encapsulated the EO with high efficiency (&gt; 86%). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed a homogeneous structure in which the EO was well dispersed in the nanoliposome matrix. The FTIR spectrum indicated the successful incorporation of the EO into the nanoliposomes without changing their chemical structure. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) findings confirmed that the glass transition (<i>T</i>_<i>g</i>) and melting (<i>T</i>_<i>m</i>) temperatures increased about 2°C with nanoliposomes, resulting in an improvement in thermal stability. The nanoliposomes containing 2% yarrow EO (NLP-2% EO) with the smallest particle size and highest encapsulation efficiency, zeta potential, antioxidant properties, and thermal stability were selected as the best treatment and used to preserve fresh beef for 10 days. During the meat storage, pH values, total volatile nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and total mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria increased significantly (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), indicating meat spoilage. Regarding chemical and microbial indices, the control treatment (C) and the treatment containing free EO were acceptable for less than 5 days and 5–10 days, respectively, while the incorporation of EO into nanoliposomes (NLP-EO) extended the shelf life of fresh beef up to 10 days at 4°C. Therefore, the encapsulated yarrow EO in nanoliposomes was suggested for beef preservation.</p>","PeriodicalId":15951,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Food Quality","volume":"2026 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jfq/1095501","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146224250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Biopolymer-Based Encapsulation Approach: The Effect of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) Oil Carried by Chitosan on Fish Fillet Quality","authors":"Gonca Alak,&nbsp;Ebrar Akpınar,&nbsp;Ayşe Kara,&nbsp;Muhammed Alaeddin Ekiz,&nbsp;Koray Koşar,&nbsp;Eylül Ecrin Ekiz,&nbsp;Elif Zeynep Özçelik,&nbsp;Tuba Akbey,&nbsp;Hakan Mete,&nbsp;Göktuğ Gedikli,&nbsp;Emir Birkan Tan,&nbsp;Momin Momin,&nbsp;Muhammed Atamanalp","doi":"10.1155/jfq/5493150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/jfq/5493150","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In this study, the effects of chitosan (Ch) coatings encapsulated using an ultrasonic emulsification method with sea buckthorn (<i>Hippophae rhamnoides</i> L.) essential oil (HrEo) on the shelf life and quality parameters of rainbow trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>) fillets, in terms of microbiological, chemical, physical, and sensory properties, were investigated. Characterization data and FT-IR findings revealed that the Ch-loaded nanoemulsion (NE) is an oil-in-water (O/W) type, microstructurally homogeneous, low polydispersity index (PDI), stable viscosity and optical properties, acidic pH, and sufficient electrostatic stability. Ch supports the stability of the NE by enhancing both physicochemical stability and interdroplet electrostatic interactions. It was determined that the encapsulation system (HrEo-N) prepared inhibited microbiological growth in fillets and had a positive effect on sensory and color parameters. Similarly, it showed a positive effect on chemical parameters and played an inhibitory role in the increases in these parameters. All these findings show that the combined effect of HrEo-N increases the functionality of the Ch film. As a result of the successful combination of the antibacterial effect of HrEo-N and the antioxidant properties of Ch, a coating material with both antibacterial and antioxidant properties has been developed.</p>","PeriodicalId":15951,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Food Quality","volume":"2026 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jfq/5493150","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146224085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Tracing the Role of Bioactive Ingredients in Encapsulation Techniques for Sustainable Foods: A Bibliometric Analysis","authors":"Selin Elmas","doi":"10.1155/jfq/6687757","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/jfq/6687757","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This comprehensive study investigates the complex realm of encapsulation techniques and bioactive ingredients, particularly in the context of sustainable foods, through a detailed bibliometric analysis that captures the essence and evolution of research in this crucial field. We compiled a substantial dataset of 218 bibliographic records from the esteemed Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar databases using carefully chosen keywords. This meticulous process included analyzing the contributions of various authors and exploring intricate relationships among keywords, citation impact, country involvement, and influential journals. This analysis creates a detailed map of research progress, illuminating contemporary scientific trends, notable advancements, and significant gaps in existing knowledge. Current research efforts can be categorized into three interconnected areas: the examination of various encapsulation techniques and the physicochemical properties of wall materials that contain bioactive compounds; the investigation of innovative technologies that enhance encapsulation processes, such as nanotechnology and microencapsulation; and the growing research connecting sustainable food practices to better human health outcomes. With a forward-thinking perspective, future research should focus on discovering novel encapsulation techniques and conducting in-depth studies on wall materials that enhance bioavailability. This would unlock the potential benefits for human health and ultimately guide sustainable practices in the food industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":15951,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Food Quality","volume":"2026 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jfq/6687757","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146136062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Assessment of Microbial Hazards and Their Risk Analysis in Six Popular Street Foods of Dhaka City","authors":"Md. Ashfaq Aziz,&nbsp;Sharmin Zaman,&nbsp;Pavel Islam,&nbsp;Eshita Sarkar,&nbsp;Meherin Afroz Suchi,&nbsp;Ajoy Chowdhury,&nbsp;Anika Tabassum,&nbsp;S. M. Shipon,&nbsp;Md. Latiful Bari","doi":"10.1155/jfq/2873594","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/jfq/2873594","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Street food and ready-to-eat (RTE) salad items are an integral part of the food culture in Bangladesh. In developing countries, people like foods that do not require further processing before consumption as they are viewed as attractive, nutritious, convenient, and inexpensive. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), street foods are defined as “foods and beverages prepared and/or sold by vendors in streets and other public places for immediate consumption or consumption at a later time without further processing or preparation.” This research presents a comprehensive analysis of microbial hazards of street food and RTE salad items served in restaurants, with particular emphasis on pathogenic bacteria [<i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>), <i>Salmonella</i> spp., and <i>Vibrio</i> spp.] in the street foods, including chatpati (plate, water, and tamarind chutney), cholamuri, sandwiches, sugarcane juice, and aloe vera sharbat and in the utensils used in serving these items. This study also aimed to assess the potential health risks associated with consuming these food items and provide recommendations for mitigating these risks. An elevated level of harmful bacteria was detected in the selected RTE street food salads and the utensils used to serve them. The risk assessment revealed a significant likelihood of infection from consuming these foods and emphasized the importance of improving vendors’ public health awareness and providing access to clean water to ensure long-term safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":15951,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Food Quality","volume":"2026 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jfq/2873594","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146135834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Adulteration Detection of Yak Meat Based on Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics","authors":"Hang Lv,&nbsp;Xihui Bian,&nbsp;Yuan Gao,&nbsp;Meisong Wang,&nbsp;Haiyue Wu,&nbsp;Zhongxin Yan,&nbsp;Yang Xiang","doi":"10.1155/jfq/7348743","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/jfq/7348743","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), which leverages molecular absorption of infrared light, possesses strong “fingerprint” identification capabilities. It has become an indispensable tool in compound identification, molecular structure analysis, and quantitative analysis. In recent years, NIRS, combined with chemometrics, has shown tremendous potential for rapid, nondestructive detection in complex systems. In this study, near-infrared spectra of 48 yak meat samples with varying adulteration levels (400–2500 nm) were collected. After dividing the samples by concentration gradient, six multivariate calibration methods were compared: principal component regression (PCR), partial least squares (PLS), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), support vector regression (SVR), backpropagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN), and extreme learning machine (ELM). The PLS model was chosen as the base model. Furthermore, 14 spectral preprocessing methods were evaluated, including Savitzky–Golay smoothing, standard normal variate (SNV), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), derivative spectra, and continuous wavelet transform (CWT). The CWT method was found to provide the best results. On this basis, seven variable selection algorithms, including uninformative variable elimination (UVE), Monte Carlo UVE (MCUVE), randomization test (RT), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), whale optimization algorithm (WOA), gray wolf optimizer (GWO), and butterfly optimization algorithm (BOA), were applied. The WOA algorithm significantly improved model performance, selecting 11 and 21 key features for yak meat and beef content predictions, respectively. The final model achieved RMSEP values of 4.8607 (Rp = 0.9157) for yak meat and 3.8066 (Rp = 0.9486) for beef content. This study established the optimal modeling strategy for quantitative analysis of yak meat adulteration.</p>","PeriodicalId":15951,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Food Quality","volume":"2026 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jfq/7348743","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146155057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"The Fragrance of Time and Terroir: How Tree Age and Cultivar Shape the Aroma Profile of Phoenix Dancong Tea","authors":"Yanjun Wang,&nbsp;Ping Meng,&nbsp;Ling Tian","doi":"10.1155/jfq/8131886","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/jfq/8131886","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The aroma of <i>Phoenix Dancong</i> tea is central to its sensory quality and market value, yet its molecular basis remains insufficiently understood. In this study, we employed GC–IMS to systematically characterize the volatile profiles of <i>Dancong</i> teas across five tree-age stages (10–400 years) and 11 traditional aroma types. A total of 311 volatile compounds were identified, encompassing alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, terpenes, and nitrogen-containing heterocycles. Tree age was found to significantly enhance both the abundance and complexity of volatiles, with old-tree samples (≥ 200 years) enriched in sesquiterpenes (α-calacorene, β-cubebene) and indole derivatives, contributing to a deep woody-floral aroma base. Cultivar analysis revealed distinct and stable chemotypes across aroma types, with 2–3 representative marker compounds identified per cultivar based on statistical enrichment, reproducibility, and sensory correspondence. Principal component analysis, heatmap clustering, and aroma-wheel mapping confirmed the alignment between chemical signatures and traditional sensory labels. This study establishes a robust marker-based framework for authenticity verification, quality grading, and flavor-oriented breeding in <i>Dancong</i> tea, bridging traditional tea classification with modern molecular precision.</p>","PeriodicalId":15951,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Food Quality","volume":"2026 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jfq/8131886","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146155241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Enhancing Microbial Safety and Nutritional Quality of Fresh Carrot Juice: Insights From Plasma Jet and Spark Plasma Discharge (SPD) Treatments","authors":"Maryam Amini,&nbsp;Mansour Bayat,&nbsp;Ashkan Hajjafari","doi":"10.1155/jfq/8235540","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/jfq/8235540","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The food industry is gaining interest in nonthermal processing methods as an alternative to conventional pasteurization. In addition to preserving nutrition and sensory qualities, pulsed spark discharge (PSD) and plasma jet treatments have shown potential for microbial decontamination. In the current study, PSD treatment and plasma jet treatment are evaluated for their effectiveness in improving carrot juice’s microbial safety and quality.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Two different electrode configurations were used for PSD treatment of carrot juice samples, as well as plasma jet treatment of samples. Microbiological analyses were conducted to determine reductions in <i>Bacillus cereus</i> (<i>B. cereus</i>) spores, lactic acid bacteria, total aerobic bacteria, mold, coliforms, yeast, <i>E. coli</i>, and <i>E. faecalis</i>. A variety of nutritional parameters, including vitamin C, β-carotene, and sugar content, were analyzed, along with changes in color and phenolic content.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>PSD 1, PSD 2, and plasma jet treatment reduced <i>B. cereus</i> spores by 4, 3, and 0.7 log₁₀ (CFU/mL), respectively. During plasma jet treatment, all tested microbes were eliminated. After 6 min of PSD treatment, vitamin C remained stable but decreased with extended exposure. β-Carotene levels remained unchanged for 7 min and then declined after 9 min. Additionally, reductions in sugar content were observed after 7 and 9 min, while increases in total phenolic content were observed. Despite an increase in yellowness and a decrease in redness, lightness did not change.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>PSD and plasma jet treatments significantly enhance carrot juice’s microbial safety while maintaining its nutritional and sensory properties. In addition to improved shelf life and consumer appeal, these alternatives may prove valuable in the juice industry.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":15951,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Food Quality","volume":"2026 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jfq/8235540","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146099313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}