Plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA) are a new popular food trend among consumers in Europe and North America. The forecast shows that PBMA will double their value by 2023. The objective of this study was to analyze the nutritional value of commercial products in terms of their fatty acid profile and protein digestibility from commercial PBMA. Eight commercially available PBMA were selected for fatty acid analysis, performed with gas chromatography of methylated fatty acids (GC-FAME), and, from these, four commercial products (almond drink, hemp drink, oat drink, and soy drink) were selected for a short-term in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) analysis. The fatty acid analysis results showed that most of the products predominantly contained oleic acid (C18:1 ω-9) and linoleic acid (C18:2 ω-6). Hemp drink contained the highest omega-6/omega-3 (ω6/ω3) ratio among all tested products (3.43). Oat drink and almond drink were the PBMA with the highest short-term protein digestibility, non-significantly different from cow’s milk, while soy drink showed the lowest value of protein digestibility. In conclusion, PBMA showed a significant variability depending on the plant source, both in terms of fatty acid composition and protein digestibility. These results provide more in-depth nutritional information, for future product development, and for consumer’s choice.

longed shelf-life by inactivation of micro-organisms and enzymes. HP/HT can at temperatures above 50 o C lead to pasteurization using pressure levels from 250-500 MPa [Wilson et al., 2008], while sterilization can be obtained with HP at temperatures higher than 70 o C . Focus is thus on the application of HP in combination with high temperatures (HT), which may lead to tissue compression, cell wall breakage and cell membrane disruption, depending on the HP and HT levels as well as the type of vegetable or fruit that are treated [Michel & Autio, 2002]. In the present study, where broccoli has been processed, the food quality is particularly connected with the enzyme-substrate (myrosinase--glucosinolate) system, where the different types of non-enzymatic and enzymatic catalyzed hydrolysis products give rise to effects from being health promoting to affecting the taste and odor [Hansen et al., 1995[Hansen et al., , 1997 Jeffery & Aray, 2009].PEF is considered a non-thermal treatment, which can lead to pasteurization at ambient temperatures using electrical field strengths of 20-30 kV/cm, and short pulses of 1-10 µs [Mosqueda-Melgar et al., 2008]. Application of short electric pulses may result in pore formation in cell membranes, and depending on the treatment intensity, time, electric field and pulse energy the membrane permeabilisation High pressure/high temperature (HP/HT) and pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment of food are among the novel processing techniques considered as alternatives to conventional thermal food processing. Introduction of new processing techniques with fast and gentle processing steps may reveal new possibilities for preservation of healthy bioactive compounds in processed food. However, effects on various food components due to autolysis and fast reactions prior to the applied HP/HT or PEF need to be considered as the total contribution of processing steps affects the obtained food quality. The present experiments were performed on broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Italica) florets, purée and juice. Specific focus was given to effects of HP/HT and PEF processing on the content of glucosinolates and activities of myrosinase isoenzymes (EC.3.2.1.147) in the broccoli preparations. Certain conditions applied in HP/HT processing of broccoli florets were able to maintain a high level of intact glucosinolates. Treatment at 700 MPa and 20°C for 10 min was found to inactivate myrosinase activity, but also pressure treatments at 300 MPa and 20°C were able to maintain a high level of intact glucosinolates present in the untreated broccoli florets. PEF processing of broccoli purée and juice showed that the myrosinase activities resulted in nearly total glucosinolate transformations as result of autolysis during puréeing and juice making prior to the PEF processing. These data demonstrated that insight into potential effects on myrosinase activities from application of PEF processing implies specific focus on the sample steps preceding the PEF processing. Processing of broccoli and autolysis reaction...

No abstract

No abstract

Agaritine (N-(gamma-L(+)-glutamyl)-4-hydroxymethylphenylhydrazine) is a phenylhydrazine derivative found in the cultivated Agaricus mushroom which is claimed to give rise to carcinogenic products when metabolized. The stability of a synthetic sample of agaritine was tested in water and methanol. In tap water kept in open vials, agaritine was totally degraded within 48h. Since agaritine degradation was less pronounced in closed than in open vials, and slower in Milli Q water and, in particular, in Milli Q water purged with N(2), the degradation seems to be oxygen-dependent. The antioxidant dithiothreitol reduced the degradation. Four or possibly five ultraviolet-absorbing compounds were formed during degradation, but these have not yet been identified. Whereas the rate of degradation was similar at temperatures between 4 and 22 degrees C, it was quicker at an acidic than at a neutral pH. The latter observation was confirmed in experiments where agaritine was incubated in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2). The importance of the degradation when performing toxicological studies with agaritine is discussed.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract