STUDY SHEDS LIGHT ON
EMULSION-FLAVOR RELEASE
Understanding how flavors and aromas are released from food is key to formulating successful products, and new research from Greece may deepen our understanding, reported Nutraingredients.com.
Researchers from the University of Thessaloniki investigated the release of the flavor compounds limonene and trans-2-hexenal from emulsions formulated using gum arabic or egg yolk/xanthan gum.
”Gum Arabic as well as egg yolk are two very common emulsifiers used in many food formulations and their impact on aroma release from emulsions stabilized with xanthan gum has not been systematically investigated so far,” the researchers wrote in the journal Food Research International.
The research could have implications for food formulators looking to extend or enhance oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsions, such as salad dressings, beverages, dips, sauces, desserts and yogurts.
The study showed flavor release from such emulsions is complicated by the two-phase systems since the flavor/ aroma compounds may be distributed in the oil phase, the aqueous phase, and/or the interface.
Emulsions composed of sunflower oil in water, and stabilized by gum arabic/xanthan (GA/X) and egg yolk/xanthan (EY/X) were tested and the flavor release of limonene and trans-2-hexenal. An increase in lipid/oil fraction was found to decrease the release of both aroma compounds, according to data obtained using static headspace gas chromatography.
Moreover, both compounds diffused quicker through the egg yolk/xanthan-stabilized emulsion than the gum arabic/xanthan-stabilized emulsion.
This quicker diffusion of the aroma compounds through the egg yolk/xanthan-stabilized emulsion indicated a lower ability to retain the aroma compounds. The researchers cite the nature of the interfacial film and the extent of oil-droplet interactions as the reason for this observation.
Researchers from Agri-Food Canada recently reported in the Journal of Food Science that the release of flavor from food is dependent on the oil content of the emulsion.
"It appears that the hydrophobic flavor release profile in oil-in-water emulsion could be optimized by appropriate alteration of emulsion composition," the Agri-Food Canada scientists said.
Not only did the researchers provide significant evidence for the relationship between emulsion oil content and flavor release, they also report a new technique for measuring flavor release that offers a "rapid, simple and sensitive instrumental approach in real time."
The technique, a modification of gas chromatography, enabled the researchers to evaluate the effect of protein, oil and aroma concentrations on flavor release from model emulsions.
CITRUS ESSENTIAL OILS STUDY
REVEALS ANTI-FUNGAL POTENTIAL
Essential oils from citrus like mandarins and lemon could be natural anti-fungal agents for food, according to new research from Spain.
The study, published in the journal Food Chemistry, reports essential oils of lemon, mandarin, grapefruit and orange all exhibited antifungal activity against the common food molds Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium verrucosum.
Essential oil from orange was the most effective against A. niger (50 percent reduction), according to researchers. The mandarin produced the best effects against A. flavus (65 percent reduction), and grapefruit came out on top against P. chrysogenum and P. verrucosum (48.1 and 48.3 percent, respectively).
The protective effects against growth were proposed to be due to toxic effects of the essential oil on the functionality and structure of the cell membrane in the mold.
The researchers from Miguel Hernandez University in Alicante also note that other studies have indicated inhibition may also be due to the monoterpenes content of essential oils.
"The main advantage of essential oils is that they can be used in any foods and are considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS), as long as their maximum effects is attained with the minimum change in the organoleptic properties of the food," wrote the researchers.
REGISTER FOR NAFFS/WFFC
FOOD SAFETY MEETING
NAFFS and WFFC are co-hosting “Spotlight on Food Safety” which promises to be an information-packed program you won’t want to miss.
Beginning at 9 a.m. on June 5, this program being held at the Holiday Inn Newark Airport Hotel in Newark will feature:
- Paul Jeka of All-Ways Forwarding International presenting “Nuts & Bolts of Protecting Your Product.”
- John Cox of the Law Offices of John H. Cox and legal counsel to FMA and FEMA will address “Ingredient Origins and Safety: How to Satisfy Your Customers That It’s Safe Without Revealing Your Supply Chain.”
- Pamela Smith of McCormick will cover “Regulatory Aspects of the Global Supply Chain.”
- Maluwa Behringer of Kraft Foods will discuss “Quality and Food Safety Across a Global Supply Chain.”
- A representative from U.S. Customs and Border Protection will outline “The Ins and Outs of C-TPAT.”
Registration and morning refreshments will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 12:30 p.m. Complete details are available on www.naffs.org. Register now!
BOTANICAL EXTRACTS MAY
HELP FIGHT OBESITY
Two research groups have joined forces to identify natural compounds that could hold potential in the prevention of metabolic disease and obesity, reported FoodNavigator.com.
According to Zen-Bio and Pennington Biomedical Research Center (PBRC), the initial phase of their collaboration will involve screening thousands of botanical extracts for their beneficial effects on abdominal fat cells and adult stem cells.
Zen-Bio provides research tools for the study of human metabolic disease. PBRC conducts basic, clinical and population research in the area of nutrition. Through its Botanical Research Center, which it holds together with Rutgers University, PBRC also has a library of botanical extracts.
Researchers from Zen-Bio will screen the compounds with their human fat-derived stem cell screening system, reported the groups.
The collaboration comes at a time of increased focus on natural ways to address obesity and metabolic syndrome, as ever larger proportions of the western population becomes affected by the conditions.
"One of our goals was to find and test promising botanicals that may be effective in treating obesity, and equally as important, preventing the progression to diabetes," said William Cefalu, of Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
June 5 – NAFFS/WFFC Meeting, Holiday Inn, Newark, N.J.
October 23-26 - The 91st Annual NAFFS Convention, The Resort at Longboat Key Club, Longboat Key, Fla.
