Food ControlPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-12-18DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111922
Mingyang Hu, Sina Cha, Yuwen Li, Lu Zhao, Yutong Xue, Chenyu Xue, Na Dong, Anshan Shan
{"title":"A food-grade antimicrobial peptide from Lactococcus lactis: A potent and stable bio-preservative against Gram-negative pathogens in orange juice","authors":"Mingyang Hu, Sina Cha, Yuwen Li, Lu Zhao, Yutong Xue, Chenyu Xue, Na Dong, Anshan Shan","doi":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111922","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111922","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The extensive use of chemical preservatives in the food industry has raised concerns about potential health risks and the emergence of bacterial resistance, thereby driving the demand for natural alternatives. Here, we report the food-grade biosynthesis of a novel antimicrobial peptide (SH) in <em>Lactococcus lactis</em>, induced by NaCl. Following optimized expression and purification, SH showed potent activity against Gram-negative pathogens like <em>Escherichia coli</em> and <em>Salmonella</em>, with no toxicity to mammalian or probiotic cells. It also displayed exceptional stability under extreme temperatures, broad pH ranges, and high NaCl conditions. Mechanistic studies revealed that SH binds lipopolysaccharides, disrupts bacterial membranes, induces reactive oxygen species accumulation, inhibits dehydrogenase activity, and interacts with DNA. When applied to orange juice, SH significantly reduced microbial load and attenuated vitamin C degradation. These results identify SH as a safe, stable, and effective bio-preservative with strong potential to enhance food safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":319,"journal":{"name":"Food Control","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 111922"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 visible-light-activated ZnO nanoparticles for sustainable postharvest protection of strawberries","authors":"Kristina Aponiene , Alisa Gricajeva , Aleksej Zarkov , Rokas Dobuzinskas , Pranciskus Vitta","doi":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111935","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111935","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Strawberries are highly valued for their taste and nutritional benefits; however, their postharvest shelf life is limited due to microbial spoilage and contamination by foodborne pathogens. Traditional preservation methods, such as fungicides and chemical sanitizers, face increasing restrictions due to concerns about their impact on public health and environmental sustainability. This study investigates the antimicrobial potential of visible-light-activated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) against bacterial pathogens and natural microbiota on strawberries, assessing their impact on fruit shelf life and antioxidant capacity.</div><div><em>In vitro</em> antibacterial assays showed that ZnO NPs alone did not affect the survival of <em>Enterococcus faecalis</em> MSCL 302, <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em> ATC<sub>L3</sub>C 7644, or <em>Escherichia coli</em> O157:H7. However, exposure to visible light at 405 nm led to significant bacterial inactivation, with <em>L. monocytogenes</em> demonstrating the highest susceptibility. There was a clear relationship between the antibacterial properties of ZnO NPs and the illumination dose. SEM analysis revealed NPs attachment to bacterial cells, suggesting possible membrane disruption and leakage of intracellular contents. DNA integrity assays further indicated oxidative stress in light-treated samples, although the exact antibacterial mechanism remains to be clarified.</div><div>The application of photoactivated ZnO NPs on strawberries resulted in a 1.4-log reduction in yeasts and molds, significantly inhibiting their regrowth over a six-day period. Treated strawberries displayed a shelf-life increase of up to two days, with no adverse effects on their antioxidant activity. These findings advance current understanding by demonstrating the potential of visible-light-activated ZnO NPs as a safe, effective, and non-destructive approach to enhance microbial safety and extend the shelf life of strawberries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":319,"journal":{"name":"Food Control","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 111935"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food ControlPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111885
Lijuan Lin , Bingyan Chen , Jinhua Lin , Juanjuan Liao , Zhiji Huang , Yun Liu , Xiaozi Lin
{"title":"Combined treatment of slightly acidic electrolyzed water and nisin preserves fresh-cut lettuce: Microbial community dynamics and transcriptomic insights","authors":"Lijuan Lin , Bingyan Chen , Jinhua Lin , Juanjuan Liao , Zhiji Huang , Yun Liu , Xiaozi Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111885","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111885","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the combined effects of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) and nisin on microbial inhibition, quality retention, and transcriptional regulation in fresh-cut lettuce during refrigerated storage. Compared to the control group, SAEW (50 mg L<sup>−1</sup>) combined with nisin (300 mg L<sup>−1</sup>) significantly reduced total plate count by 2.2 log CFU/g by day 8, maintained vitamin C content, and minimized weight loss and texture deterioration. Notably, the combined treatment better maintained cellular energy status, as evidenced by higher ATP levels and an accumulation of pyruvate, indicating a modulation of central carbon metabolism. High-throughput sequencing revealed suppression of spoilage-associated genera such as <em>Flavobacterium</em>, <em>Stenotrophomonas</em> and <em>Plectosphaerella</em>, alongside alterations in overall microbial diversity. Transcriptomic analysis highlighted dynamic regulation of glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and pyruvate metabolism pathways, with key genes (e.g., <em>PFK3, PKP2, PCK1, Ldha, DLD, LPD1, PKP1, PGM1, PGIC, PFP-ALPHA, PDH-E1</em>) modulated to limit microbial activity and enhance stress adaptation. The SAEW-nisin combination preserved sensory attributes and demonstrated potential as a sustainable alternative to chlorine-based sanitizers by jointly inhibiting spoilage microbes and activating host defense mechanisms. These findings provide mechanistic insights for optimizing preservation strategies in fresh-cut produce.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":319,"journal":{"name":"Food Control","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 111885"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145749056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food ControlPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111909
Yining Xu , Lianxu Tang , Junwei Gao , Qiong Pan , Baocai Xu , Huiting Luo , Peijun Li
{"title":"Reduction of N-nitrosodimethylamine in fermented cooked sausages by combined treatment of Lactiplantibacillus pentosus R3 and tea polyphenols","authors":"Yining Xu , Lianxu Tang , Junwei Gao , Qiong Pan , Baocai Xu , Huiting Luo , Peijun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111909","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111909","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reducing NDMA in fermented cooked sausages is crucial for mitigating potential health risks and improving the physicochemical quality of the product. This study investigated the efficacy of <em>Lactiplantibacillus pentosus</em> R3 and tea polyphenols (TP) in NDMA reduction during sausage fermentation and cooking. The results demonstrated that <em>L. pentosus</em> R3 and TP enhanced microbial growth, with low concentrations of TP further enhancing the proliferation of lactic acid bacteria. Moreover, the combined treatment markedly reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values, carbonyl content, and total volatile basic nitrogen levels (<em>P</em> < 0.05), thereby inhibiting protein and lipid oxidation and suppressing nitrosation reactions. The lowest NDMA levels were observed in samples treated with both <em>L. pentosus</em> R3 and TP. While moisture content and water activity (a<sub>w</sub>) remained unaffected in early fermentation (<em>P</em> > 0.05), both declined significantly in later stages (<em>P</em> < 0.05), enhancing microbial and biochemical stability. These findings highlight the combined application of <em>L. pentosus</em> R3 and TP as an effective strategy for reducing NDMA levels in fermented cooked sausages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":319,"journal":{"name":"Food Control","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 111909"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145749550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food ControlPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2026.111974
Lydia Ait Said , Jean-Philippe Langlois , Laurie Sanschagrin , Éric Jubinville , Valérie Goulet-Beaulieu , Julie Jean
{"title":"Biofilm-forming capability and susceptibility to disinfectants among bacterial isolates from seafood processing in Québec","authors":"Lydia Ait Said , Jean-Philippe Langlois , Laurie Sanschagrin , Éric Jubinville , Valérie Goulet-Beaulieu , Julie Jean","doi":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2026.111974","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2026.111974","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fish and seafood processing faces persistent microbial contamination issues, due largely to biofilm formation on equipment and product contact surfaces, despite sanitation procedures. In this study, the bacterial diversity found on production lines processing shrimp, smoked salmon (artisanal and industrial-scale), snow crab and lobster was evaluated in terms of biofilm-forming ability and resistance to two conventional and two alternative disinfection treatments.</div><div>From a total of 105 surfaces sampled after sanitation, 472 bacterial isolates were obtained, representing 53 genera, primarily <em>Pseudomonas</em>, <em>Aeromonas</em>, and <em>Acinetobacter</em>. While most isolates produced weak biofilms, moderate to strong biofilm producers were mainly <em>Pseudomonas</em> (43 %), <em>Aeromonas</em> (22 %), and <em>Acinetobacter</em> (10 %).</div><div>Nine representative isolates were tested against peracetic acid. Peracetic acid (100 ppm) reduced viable counts by > 3 log cfu/mL in four isolates, although two showed marked resistance (<1 log reduction). Sodium hypochlorite (70 ppm) was effective against five isolates, while one was resistant. Reuterin (258 mM) proved ineffective against all isolates, whereas pulsed light (11.52 J/cm<sup>2</sup>) achieved reduction greater than 3 log for most strains.</div><div>These results highlight the persistence of biofilm-forming bacteria after sanitation and demonstrate that resistance varies across genera and treatments. In particular, <em>Pseudomonas</em> and <em>Acinetobacter</em> emerge as key genera capable of withstanding conventional disinfectants, emphasizing the need to optimize both chemical and non-chemical disinfection strategies to improve hygiene in seafood processing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":319,"journal":{"name":"Food Control","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 111974"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development of species-specific ERA-lateral flow strip assays to authenticate duck, donkey, and sheep/goat ingredients in processed meat products","authors":"Xueke Zhou , Qingqing Xie , Weiwei Chen , Guojun Cheng , Guanghui Yu , Taohong Zhou , Li Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2026.111963","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2026.111963","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Meat adulteration poses a significant threat to food safety and consumer confidence. Duck is often used as a low-cost alternative, while donkey and sheep/goat meat are frequently fraudulently replaced due to their higher market value. These practices undermine consumer trust and complicate regulatory oversight. In this study, we developed a rapid and reliable method for identifying these species. Through bioinformatics analysis, species-specific nuclear single-copy genes were selected as targets, namely NC_051786.1 for duck, NC_052185.1 for donkey, and NC_030825.1 for sheep/goat. Based on these sequences, primers and probes were designed to establish enzymatic recombinase amplification (ERA) assays, which were coupled with lateral flow strip (LFS) technology for rapid, on-site meat authentication. The ERA-LFS assays operated at 39–41 °C, showed high specificity with no cross-reactivity to non-target species, and achieved a detection limit of 0.016 ng genomic DNA per reaction, with results obtained within 20–30 min of reaction time. In spiked genomic DNA samples, the assays successfully detected as low as 0.5 % duck and donkey DNA and 0.1 % sheep DNA. Furthermore, the assays were validated through testing a range of commercially available processed meat products. These results demonstrate that the developed ERA-LFS assays provide a rapid, sensitive, and specific approach for meat species authentication, offering a practical tool for routine monitoring, on-site inspection, and regulatory enforcement to safeguard food safety and consumer health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":319,"journal":{"name":"Food Control","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 111963"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food ControlPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-12-17DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111927
Jinyu Xu , Xue Hei , Mumin Zheng , Yunna Wang , Ning Xie , Xu Li , Xiaodan Wang , Jiaping Lv , Gang Lu , Xiaoyang Pang , Dongwei Yu , Shuwen Zhang
{"title":"Effect of heat-resistant protease from psychrotrophic bacteria in raw milk on shelf-life quality of UHT milk","authors":"Jinyu Xu , Xue Hei , Mumin Zheng , Yunna Wang , Ning Xie , Xu Li , Xiaodan Wang , Jiaping Lv , Gang Lu , Xiaoyang Pang , Dongwei Yu , Shuwen Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111927","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111927","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The deterioration of ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk quality during shelf life such as protein hydrolysis, is closely related to the residual activity of heat-resistant protease from psychrotrophic bacteria. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of heat-resistant protease activity derived from psychrotrophic bacteria on the quality of whole milk. Different concentrations of heat-resistant protease from <em>Aeromonas sp</em>.were added to UHT milk, and the effect on milk quality was investigated during storage time at different temperatures. The results indicate that as the shelf life extended, the pH, stability, and fluorescence intensity of all samples gradually decreased, while the degree of hydrolysis, average particle size, precipitation, and zeta potential significantly increased. The results of SDS-PAGE indicated that <em>κ</em>-casein was preferentially hydrolyzed by proteases. Moreover, the degree of deterioration in UHT milk was correlated with the concentration of proteases. As the protease concentration in milk reached 0.08 U/mL, the samples reached the end of the shelf life when stored at 37 °C within 28 d, while no significant deterioration was observed after 98 d at 4 °C. The results of this study provide valuable evidence for controlling quality of UHT milk during the storage of UHT milk and extending its shelf life.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":319,"journal":{"name":"Food Control","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 111927"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food ControlPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-12-22DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111929
Mahmoud E. Abd El-Aziz, Samir M.M. Morsi
{"title":"Metal nanoparticles in food packaging: Benefits, functions and limitations","authors":"Mahmoud E. Abd El-Aziz, Samir M.M. Morsi","doi":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) have been utilized in various applications, including biosensors, photocatalysts, bone regeneration, and energy storage. Their incorporation into food packaging materials, which is known as active packaging, offers solutions to challenges related to food preservation, safety, sustainability, and supply chain efficiency. The active packaging market is expected to grow at 12 % CAGR until 2030. Usually, MNPs were incorporated (0.5–8 wt%) into polymer matrices to form nanocomposites that combine the flexibility of polymers with the exceptional functional properties of MNPs, resulting in enhanced mechanical strength, barrier protection, and antimicrobial activity. Moreover, these nanocomposites exhibit various functional properties, including fire resistance, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, and enhanced thermal, optical, magnetic, and electrical performance. These materials improve shelf life up to 14 days, food quality, and waste reduction through greater resistance to gases, moisture, and UV radiation. Despite these advantages, the widespread use of MNPs in food contact materials applications faces several challenges. One of the most pressing concerns is the potential migration of NPs or metal ions into food, which may pose toxicological risks such as oxidative stress or DNA damage. Additional issues include NPs aggregation within polymer matrices that compromises optical properties, high production costs and the lack of standardized detection methods and regulatory frameworks, which hinder safety assurance and commercialization. This review explores the benefits, multifunctional roles, and limitations of MNP-based packaging. It emphasizes their impact on mechanical, antimicrobial, and barrier performance, while addressing critical aspects of safety, migration and regulation. Ultimately, it highlights the future directions needed to develop safe, sustainable, and commercially viable food packaging systems enabled by MNPs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":319,"journal":{"name":"Food Control","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 111929"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food ControlPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111938
María Cecilia Bruno, Diego Manuel Posik, Leonidas Hernán Olivera, María Eugenia Zappa, Nadia Sabiela Castillo, Gisela Barbisan, Egle Etel Villegas Castagnasso, Julián Alejandro Crespi, Pilar Peral García, Guillermo Giovambattista
{"title":"Food-metabarcoding: Identification of multiple animal and plant species in foodstuffs using target GBS assay","authors":"María Cecilia Bruno, Diego Manuel Posik, Leonidas Hernán Olivera, María Eugenia Zappa, Nadia Sabiela Castillo, Gisela Barbisan, Egle Etel Villegas Castagnasso, Julián Alejandro Crespi, Pilar Peral García, Guillermo Giovambattista","doi":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111938","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111938","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The advancement of agri-food production systems presents ongoing challenges regarding food transparency, quality, and safety. Ensuring robust traceability and authentication of biological products necessitates effective DNA-based methods. This study introduces a cost-effective, high-throughput targeted Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) assay, leveraging Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) to detect multiple animal and plant species within complex food matrices. The assay targets two mitochondrial (<em>COI</em>, <em>cyt b</em>) and two chloroplastic (<em>rbcL</em>, <em>matK</em>) genes, covering 206 species prevalent in the Argentinian food industry alongside potential contaminants. <em>In silico</em> analysis identified primers for 319 markers, establishing a multiplexed GBS panel. Despite occasional cross-amplification among phylogenetically related species, genus-level specificity remained high. <em>In vitro</em> validation of 144 samples, including laboratory-prepared DNA mixtures and processed food products, confirmed high sensitivity, detecting animal and plant species at concentrations as low as 0.005 ng/μL and between 0.5 ng/μL- 2,5 ng/μL, respectively. This sensitivity is crucial for detecting minor components and inadvertent contaminations. Furthermore, the assay consistently demonstrated strong repeatability across replicate samples. Analysis of commercial food products successfully identified declared ingredients in the majority of cases and, importantly, facilitated the detection of undeclared species and precise scientific nomenclature for generic ingredients. Although genetic overlap and short-read sequencing limitations restricted species-level discrimination among closely related taxa, the method proved robust for broader taxonomic classification. By expanding species coverage across diverse food matrices, this approach advances NGS-based food Metabarcoding, offering a powerful tool for quality control and fraud detection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":319,"journal":{"name":"Food Control","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 111938"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food ControlPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111941
Yejun Zhang , Jianan Sun , Jiao Li , Xiangzhao Mao
{"title":"Predicting and visualizing the distribution of cryoprotectant L-Proline in Litopenaeus vannamei by machine learning and hyperspectral imaging","authors":"Yejun Zhang , Jianan Sun , Jiao Li , Xiangzhao Mao","doi":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111941","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111941","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cryoprotectants are vital for preserving <em>Litopenaeus vannamei</em> at low temperature, with their penetration in shrimp muscle being crucial for exerting cryoprotective effect. However, traditional methods for detecting cryoprotectants are often destructive, time-consuming, and impractical for real-time applications. To address this limitation, this study proposes a non-destructive approach combining hyperspectral imaging (370–1030 nm) and machine learning for rapid quantification and spatial visualization of cryoprotectant L-Proline in peeled shrimp. Three hundred predictive models were constructed and compared through different preprocessing methods, feature extraction techniques, and algorithms. The optimal model (F-SG-1st-IFS-BP-ANN) achieved a coefficient of determination (R<sup>2</sup>) of 0.98, a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.42 mg/g, and a residual prediction deviation (RPD) of 8.06 on the prediction set, with training and prediction times of 0.59 s and 0.0001 s, respectively. Based on this model, the proline distribution within shrimp muscle was clearly visualized, allowing for precise discrimination of concentration gradients. This work demonstrates a novel and efficient strategy for monitoring cryoprotectant diffusion, which can significantly contribute to process optimization and online quality control in the production of frozen shrimp products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":319,"journal":{"name":"Food Control","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 111941"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}