The study evaluates the interaction between Calocybe indica mushroom polyphenols (phenolic acid) and kidney bean protein (KBPM), aiming to enhance vegan food quality. The mushrooms exhibited a carbohydrate content of 3.65%, an antioxidant activity of 55.04 ± 0.17%, and a phenolic content of 4.86 mg GAE/g. Caffeic and cinnamic acids were identified through high-pressure liquid chromatography. Various concentrations of KBPM were tested at phenolic acid concentrations of 0.025, 0.050, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, and 1%, among these, KBPM 0.2 demonstrated the highest binding efficiency of 99.40 ± 0.05%. Notably, this complex improved the protein\'s functional properties, such as solubility by 11.43%, water and oil holding capacities by 10.62% and 22.04%, and emulsion capacity and stability by 3.69% and 5.83%, respectively, compared to the native protein. The protein-phenolic acid complex also enhanced thermal stability, surface charge, amino acid content, and reduced particle size compared to native protein. These enhancements also improved protein digestibility and sensory attributes in a fruit-based smoothie.

Over the years, consumer awareness of proper, healthy eating has increased significantly, but the consumption of fruits and vegetables remains too low. Smoothie drinks offer a convenient way to supplement daily diets with servings of fruits and vegetables. These ready-to-eat beverages retain the nutritional benefits of the raw ingredients from which they are made. Furthermore, they cater to the growing demand for quick and nutritious meal options. To meet consumer expectations, current trends in the food market are shifting towards natural, high-quality products with minimal processing and extended shelf life. Food manufacturers are increasingly aiming to reduce or eliminate synthetic preservatives, replacing them with plant-based alternatives. Plant-based preservatives are particularly appealing to consumers, who often view them as natural and organic substitutes for conventional preservatives. Essential oils, known for their antibacterial and antifungal properties, are effective against the microorganisms and fungi present in fruit and vegetable smoothies. However, the strong taste and aroma of essential oils can be a significant drawback, as the concentrations needed for microbiological stability are often unpalatable to consumers. Encapsulation of essential oils in nanoemulsions offers a promising and effective solution to these challenges, allowing for their use in food production without compromising sensory qualities.

The research aimed to evaluate the effect of ultrasonication and succinylation on the functional, iron binding, physiochemical, and cellular mineral uptake efficacy of chickpea protein concentrate. Succinylation resulted in significant improvements in the water-holding capacity (WHC) (25.47 %), oil-holding capacity (OHC) (31.38 %), and solubility (5.80 %) of the chickpea protein-iron complex. Mineral bioavailability significantly increased by 4.41 %, and there was a significant increase in cellular mineral uptake (64.64 %), retention (36.68 %), and transport (27.96 %). The ferritin content of the succinylated chickpea protein-iron complex showed a substantial increase of 66.31%. Furthermore, the dual modification approach combining ultrasonication and succinylation reduced the particle size of the protein-iron complex with a substantial reduction of 83.25 %. It also resulted in a significant enhancement of 51.5 % in the SH (sulfhydryl) content and 48.92 % in the surface hydrophobicity. Mineral bioavailability and cellular mineral uptake, retention, and transport were further enhanced through dual modification. In terms of application, the addition of single and dual-modified chickpea protein-iron complex to a fruit-based smoothie demonstrated positive acceptance in sensory attributes. Overall, the combined approach of succinylation and ultrasonication to the chickpea protein-iron complex shows a promising strategy for enhancing the physiochemical and techno-functional characteristics, cellular mineral uptake, and the development of vegan food products.

The kefir-based smoothies with kale and spinach were designed as a ready-to-drink and innovative functional snack. Microbiological, physicochemical, as well as pre- and postgastrointestinal total antioxidant capacity (TAC; CUPRAC, DPPH, and FRAP) analyses were conducted. It was determined that the kefir-based smoothies with vegetables had higher ash, carbohydrate, and dietary fiber values. Fructose and glucose contents of smoothy with kale were high, while smoothy with spinach included high sucrose and maltose. The microbiology results revealed that kefir-based vegetable smoothies had minimum Lactobacillaceae viability (>log 7 cfu g-1) for the required functional effect after 14-day storage. Moreover, the addition of kale significantly increased (p < .01) the level of initial TAC (CUPRAC, DPPH, and FRAP) and total phenolic content (TPC) values. After in vitro gastric digestion analysis, smoothie with spinach demonstrated higher TAC and TPC values and the control sample had higher TAC and TPC values compared with a predigestion step. It was found that in vitro intestinal DPPH values were higher for the sample with spinach samples, while the sample with kale had the highest FRAP values. It was also found that the bioaccessibility indexes of plain kefir were determined to be the highest in both in vitro gastric and intestinal procedures. The present study provided novel insights into the in vitro digestion properties of kefir fortified with vegetables. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to identify the functional properties of the milk and plant matrices mixture using in vitro and in vivo trials.

This study aimed to recycle whey milk by-products (protein source) in fruit smoothies (phenolic compounds source) through started-assisted fermentation and delivering sustainable and healthy food formulations capable of providing nutrients that are unavailable due to an unbalanced diet or incorrect eating habits. Five lactic acid bacteria strains were selected as best starters for smoothie production based on the complementarity of pro-technological (kinetics of growth and acidification) traits, exopolysaccharides and phenolics release, and antioxidant activity enhancement. Compared to raw whey milk-based fruit smoothies (Raw_WFS), fermentation led to distinct profiles of sugars (glucose, fructose, mannitol, and sucrose), organic acids (lactic acid and acetic acid), ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds (gallic acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, hydrocaffeic acid, quercetin, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, and ellagic acid) and especially anthocyanins (cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, peonidin, petunidin 3-glucoside). Protein and phenolics interaction enhanced the release of anthocyanins, notably under the action of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. The same bacterial strains outperformed other species in terms of protein digestibility and quality. With variations among starters culture, bio-converted metabolites were most likely responsible for the increase antioxidant scavenging capacity (DPPH, ABTS, and lipid peroxidation) and the modifications in organoleptic properties (aroma and flavor).

Phytol is a diterpene alcohol found abundantly in nature as the phytyl side chain of chlorophylls. Free form of phytol and its metabolites have been attracting attention because they have a potential to improve the lipid and glucose metabolism. On the other hand, phytol is unfavorable for those who suffering from Refsum\'s disease. However, there is little information on the phytol contents in leafy vegetables rich in chlorophylls. This study indicated that raw spinach leaves contain phytol of 0.4-1.5 mg/100 g fresh weight. Furthermore, crude enzyme extracted from the leaves showed the enzyme activities involved in dephytylation of chlorophyll derivatives and they were high at mild alkaline pH and around 45°C, and lowered at 55°C or above. Under the optimum pH and temperature for such enzymes determined in the model reaction using the crude enzyme, phytol content in the smoothie made from raw spinach leaves increased with an increase of chlorophyllide, another reaction product. Comparison between the increased amounts of phytol and chlorophyllide showed that the enzymatic dephytylation of chlorophylls was critically responsible for the increase of phytol in the smoothie. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Phytol, which is released by the enzymes related to chlorophyll metabolism in plants, has been investigated because of its potential abilities to improve the lipid metabolism and blood glucose level. In contrast to such health benefits, they are known to be toxic for patients suffering from Refsum\'s disease. This research for the first time reports the phytol content in raw spinach leaves and that phytol can be increased in the smoothie made from spinach leaves by the action of endogenous enzymes on chlorophyll derivatives under a certain condition. These results help control phytol content in the smoothies.

Lutein is a dietary lipophilic compound with anti-inflammatory properties. We have previously shown that dairy fat can improve the lutein content in spinach smoothies. It is, however, unclear whether fat concentrations and fermentation status in dairy products affect lutein liberation in smoothies. Moreover, plant-based milks vary in fat, protein, and fiber content which may affect lutein dissolution. This study aimed to provide translatable information to consumers by comparing lutein liberation in spinach smoothies made with different dairy or plant-based liquids in domestic settings. The smoothies were digested in vitro, and liberated lutein was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). High-fat and medium-fat cow\'s milk, as well as coconut milk with and without additives, were found to significantly improve lutein liberation by 36%, 30%, 25%, and 42%, respectively, compared to blending spinach with water alone. Adjustment models suggested that the effects of cow\'s milk and coconut milk were derived from fat and protein, respectively. On the other hand, soymilk with and without additives showed significantly reduced lutein liberation by 40% and 61%, respectively. To summarize, only 4 out of 14 tested liquids increased lutein liberation in spinach smoothies. The results highlight the importance of testing food companions for lipophilic active ingredients.

Smoothie drinks are currently very popular drinks sold especially in fast food establishments. However, smoothies are a significant source of microorganisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of smoothies purchased in Eastern Bohemia. A higher prevalence of mesophilic aerobic bacteria (5.4-7.2 log CFU/mL), yeast (4.4-5.9 log CFU/mL) and coliform bacteria (3.1-6.0 log CFU/mL) was observed in vegetable smoothies, in which even the occurrence of enterococci (1.6-3.3 log CFU/mL) was observed. However, the occurrence of S. aureus, Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. was not observed in any samples. Nevertheless, antimicrobial resistance was observed in 71.8% of the isolated strains. The highest level of resistance was found in isolates from smoothie drinks with predominantly vegetable contents (green smoothie drinks). Considerable resistance was observed in Gram-negative rods, especially to amoxicillin (82.2%) and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid (55.6%). Among enterococci, only one vancomycin-resistant strain was detected. The vast majority of isolated strains were able to form biofilms at a significant level, which increases the clinical importance of these microorganisms. The highest biofilm production was found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Kocuria kristinae and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Overall, significant biofilm production was also noted among isolates of Candida spp.

While increased intake of dietary fiber is known to reduce postprandial glycemic response, it is less understood whether the disruption of dietary fiber, in a blender, alters the postprandial glycemic response. We compared the postprandial glycemic response in 20 young, healthy college students (12 female, 8 male) after consuming whole fruit vs. blended fruit. The fruit included gala apple, with the seeds removed, and blackberries. We used a repeated measures two-way ANOVA with fruit treatment as the within-subject variable, sex as the between-subjects factor, and glucose maximum, glucose incremental area under the curve (iAUC), and 60 min glucose as dependent variables. Glucose maximum and glucose iAUC were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in blended fruit compared to whole fruit and 60 min glucose was marginally significantly lower (p = 0.057) in blended fruit compared to whole fruit. Sex was not a significant main effect and sex*treatment was not a significant interaction for any of the dependent variables. We hypothesize that a reduced glycemic response in blended apple and blackberries compared to whole apple and blackberries might be associated with the release of dietary fiber and nutritive components from ground blackberry seeds.

The food colorant E171 (TiO2) containing nano fractions can cause potential health problems. In the presented work, we used a \"gastrointestinal tract\" model (oral→large intestine) to \"digest\" a fruit smoothie in the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles and the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum B strain. The TiO2 migration was measured using the microfiltration membrane (0.2 µm; model of \"TiO2 bioacessability\"). We observed that the addition of the smoothie reduced the Ti content in the microfiltrate (reduced \"bioacessability\") at the \"mouth\", \"stomach\" and \"large intestine\" stages, probably due to the entrapment of Ti by the smoothie components. A significant decrease in Ti \"bioaccessibility\" at the \"gastric\" stage may have resulted from the agglomeration of nanoparticles at a low pH. Additionally, the presence of bacterial cells reduced the \"bioaccessibility\" at the \"large intestine\" stage. Microscopic imaging (SEM) revealed clear morphological changes to the bacterial cells in the presence of TiO2 (altered topography, shrunk-deformed cells with collapsed walls due to leakage of the content, indentations). Additionally, TiO2 significantly reduced the growth of the tested bacteria. It can be stated that the interactions (most probably entrapment) of TiO2 in the food matrix can occur during the digestion. This can influence the physicochemical properties, bioavailability and in vivo effect of TiO2. Research aimed at understanding the interactions between TiO2 and food components is in progress.