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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 26741

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Dr. Ewelina Zielińska

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Guest Editor

Department of Analysis and Evaluation of Food Quality, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Skromna 8 Street, 20-704 Lublin, Poland
Interests: edible insects; entomophagy; protein; antioxidant properties; functional food; bioactivity
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Prof. Dr. Urszula Pankiewicz

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Guest Editor

Department of Analysis and Food Quality Assessment, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Skromna 8, 20-704 Lublin, Poland
Interests: pulse electric fields; bioaccumulation; food analysis; sensory analysis; bacteria cells biomass; yeast cells biomass
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Dr. Monika Sujka

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Guest Editor

Department of Analysis and Food Quality Assessment, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Skromna 8, 20-704 Lublin, Poland
Interests: enzymatic and physical methods of starch modification; applications of pulsed electric field in food processing; sensory analysis; instrumental methods in food analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The continued growth of the world's population and the increasing prosperity of people over the next three decades will require an increase in food production. At the same time, these huge quantities of food must be produced in a way that protects the environment and will not have a negative impact on climate change. To achieve this, it will be necessary to change the way food is produced. Future technologies, system innovations, and unconventional raw materials are key to the expected transformation of the food system. These innovations range from sustainable food production to postproduction waste management.

Many technologies can transform the food sector. These include genetic engineering, microalga production and vertical farming, biodegradable polymer technology, and the breeding of insects as food and feed. There is a need to test and adopt new technologies so that they can be used throughout the food chain. Undoubtedly, some modern technologies need the support and acceptance of consumers by confirming their full safety.

The purpose of this Special Issue of Sustainability is to present original scientific articles as well as review articles on new technologies in the food system, unconventional food products, and waste management practices as well as consumer acceptance studies for the proposed solutions for food system transformation.

Dr. Ewelina Zielińska
Dr. Urszula Pankiewicz
Dr. Monika Sujka
Guest Editors

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Keywords

future/new technologies
food processing
unconventional raw material
edible insects
waste management

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 932 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Mealworm Powder (Tenebrio molitor) Fortification on Ice Cream Quality

by Ewelina Zielińska, Martina Pečová and Urszula Pankiewicz

Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 16041; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152216041 - 17 Nov 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1407

Abstract

The study’s objective was to characterize the effects of mealworm powder fortification on ice cream’s properties and nutritional value. The approximate composition and the mineral and fatty acid profiles were analyzed. Moreover, the antioxidant activity and physical properties as well as color were studied. As expected, insect powder substitution increased the protein content from 1.48 ± 0.13% for the control to 3.08 ± 0.22% for the sample with the highest insect substitution. The ash content increased as well. There was also a significant increase in zinc (2.5-fold), magnesium (3-fold), iron (4-fold) and unsaturated fatty acids. The ice cream with the highest percentage of insect powder had the slowest melting rate (0.094 ± 0.04 g/min) but the lowest overrun value (13.10 ± 0.22%) compared with the melting rate (0.145 ± 0.02 g/min) and overrun value (32.58 ± 0.6%) of control ice cream. Moreover, the ice cream turned darker in color. Furthermore, adding mealworm powder caused a significant increase in antioxidant properties as evaluated by ABTS and DPPH scavenging activity. Therefore, using mealworm powder in ice cream gave a product with better characteristics than the control sample, thus demonstrating the possibility of producing high-quality ice cream. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Just Food System Transformations)

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15 pages, 637 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bean Spread Enriched with Spelt as a Novel Source of Bioactive Peptides with Potential Anti-Metabolic Syndrome Properties

by Paula Grdeń and Anna Jakubczyk

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10173; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310173 - 27 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1122

Abstract

Bean spreads enriched with 10, 20, or 30% of spelt grain were analyzed in the study as a novel product with high nutraceutical potential. The spreads were hydrolyzed in vitro in gastrointestinal conditions. The highest peptide content was noted after the last step of hydrolysis in spread enriched with 10% of spelt grain (1.64 mg/mL). The fraction with molecular mass < 3.0 kDa obtained from this hydrolyzate was also characterized by the highest peptide content (1.50 mg/mL) and the highest antioxidant properties. The highest value of IC₅₀ against ABTS^•+ was 0.078 mg/mL. The highest value of the Fe²⁺ chelating activity was 0.056 mg/mL. Moreover, the trials show inhibitory activity against enzymes involved in the development of metabolic syndrome (with IC₅₀ values of 0.072 mg/mL for α-amylase inhibition, 0.028 mg/mL for α-glucosidase, and 0.059 mg/mL ACE—angiotensin-converting enzyme). The fraction with the highest properties was separated using Sephadex G10 and three fractions were obtained. The first and third fractions were characterized by the highest properties. These peptide fractions were identified using the LC–MS/MS technique. The following amino acid sequences were obtained from bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) protein: LPIESKWY, FALVAPVGSEPKA, NSILPIESKPWY, RLTDDTEDSMGRA, and KKVELEEEVDDWV, and those isolated from spelt protein had sequences FPQPQPFQ, QPQQPQQPFPQP, WPQQPQQPFPQPQQ, QSQQPQQPFPQPQQ, and QFQPQQPQQPFPQP. The study indicates that the bean spread enriched with 10 % of spelt grain may be used as a new product with special nutritional properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Just Food System Transformations)

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14 pages, 323 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Biofermented Feed on Zophobas morio: Growth Ability, Fatty Acid Profile, and Bioactive Properties

by Jana Čaloudová, Kateřina Křištofová, Matej Pospiech, Tatiana Klempová, Ondrej Slaný, Milan Čertík, Slavomír Marcinčák, Andrej Makiš, Zdeňka Javůrková, Martina Pečová, Michaela Zlámalová, Lucie Vrbíčková and Bohuslava Tremlová

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9709; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129709 - 17 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1824

Abstract

The global population’s increasing demand for sustainable and nutritious food sources has led to the exploration of alternative approaches in livestock production. Edible insects have emerged as a promising solution due to their nutritional composition, including high protein content, balanced fats, minerals, vitamins, and bioactive peptides. Biofermentation offers a viable method to enhance the nutritional value of insect feed. This study aimed to investigate the effects of feeding biofermented feeds derived from less valuable raw materials on the yield and nutritional composition of Zophobas morio larvae. The focus was on assessing fat quality, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and bioactive compounds and monitoring the larvae’s weight and length increases. Three feed types were tested: wheat bran (control), fermented wheat bran, and a mixture of fermented corn and flaxseed in a five-week period. The findings demonstrated a noteworthy (p < 0.05) elevation in polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as gamma-linolenic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid in Zophobas morio larvae fed with biofermented corn and flaxseed pomace, both pre- and postculinary treatment, as compared to the control group. The study also showed increased chelation of Cu²⁺ (p < 0.05) and Fe²⁺ (p < 0.05) between native and roasted insects in the samples without in vitro digestion, as well as increased Cyclooxygenase-1 activity (p < 0.05), indicating improved bioavailability. Additionally, culinary processing led to a reduction in polyphenol content (p < 0.05), antioxidant activity (p > 0.05) except DPPH, and peptide concentration (p < 0.05) in the samples without in vitro digestion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Just Food System Transformations)

17 pages, 2229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Ultrasound Treatment on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Ice Cream with a Strawberry Seed Oil Oleogel

by Sybilla Nazarewicz, Katarzyna Kozłowicz, Bożena Gładyszewska, Klaudia Rząd, Arkadiusz Matwijczuk, Zbigniew Kobus, Eva Ivanišová, Lubos Harangozo and Tomasz Skrzypek

Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8975; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118975 - 1 Jun 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2125

Abstract

This study presents the impact of an ultrasonic treatment (UT) as an alternative to traditional, standard pasteurization (PT) on selected properties of ice cream. Additionally, an oleogel from strawberry seed oil was included in the ice cream recipe as a fat component in the shares of 5%, 6%, and 7%. To evaluate the ultrasound’s effect on the ice cream’s properties, an analysis of the ice cream’s chemical composition was conducted, including the total content of polyphenols and macro- and microelements, as well as of its physical properties. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used for a more precise molecular-level analysis of the changes. The ice cream containing the oleogel from strawberry seed oil and subjected to ultrasonic treatment was characterized by a significantly higher dry matter (37.43%) and carbohydrate (56.82 g·(100 g)⁻¹) contents and a significantly lower fat content (9.93 g·(100 g)⁻¹) compared to the ice cream subjected to traditional pasteurization. In addition, the values of freezing point temperature and the amount of frozen water for these ice cream samples were significantly higher. Therefore, this study shows that ultrasonic treatment can be a beneficial alternative to traditional pasteurization in ice cream production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Just Food System Transformations)

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11 pages, 1573 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determination of Viscoelastic and Physicochemical Interactions of Dextran Type Exopolysaccharides (EPS) with Different Starch Samples

by Hande Gokcan, Duygu Ozmen, Meral Yildirim Yalcin, Enes Dertli, Omer Said Toker and Monika Sujka

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 4934; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15064934 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1807

Abstract

In this study, the rheological properties of three distinct dextrans with different levels of (1 → 6)-linked α-D-glucose/(1 → 3)-linked α-D-glucose units from three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were determined. Dextran PDER21 was further selected following the rheological measurements and its interactions with maize, wheat and waxy maize starches were determined by characterizing the viscoelastic and pasting properties of the dextran–starch mixtures. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis was also applied to unveil this interaction. The presence of dextran PDER21 in the standard maize starch increased the elastic behavior, while its increased amounts enhanced the elastic properties of wheat and waxy maize starches. The temperature sweep test showed the solid-like property of starch–dextran mixtures in the studied temperature range (4–70 °C). Dextran PDER21 affected the pasting properties of starches. Especially, high levels of the peak, through and final viscosity values were reached with the blends of standard maize starch–1% dextran, wheat starch–0.5% dextran and waxy maize starch–0.5% dextran PDER21. Finally, the interactions were also confirmed by FTIR analysis as no alterations in the starch FTIR spectra were observed at different levels of dextran in different starch samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Just Food System Transformations)

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13 pages, 1201 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extruded Corn Snacks with Cricket Powder: Impact on Physical Parameters and Consumer Acceptance

by Millena Ruszkowska, Małgorzata Tańska and Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski

Sustainability 2022, 14(24), 16578; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416578 - 10 Dec 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2471

Abstract

Edible insects are more and more widely researched and presented as a good source of nutrients. Among the available raw materials, cricket powder (CP), obtained from roasted and crushed crickets, deserves attention because it can be used as an ingredient in many food products. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of CP addition on the physical and sensory properties of extruded corn snacks. In the extrusion process, five variants of corn snacks were produced with 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% additions of CP, and with 8% CP and 2% baking powder. Snacks without CP addition were used as a control (R). The study also evaluated the storage life of the manufactured snack products based on their sorption properties. It was found that increasing the CP content in snacks has a significant effect on their characteristics, with a lower expansion ratio as the result of the higher CP content in the extrudates. CP increased the solubility and decreased the water absorption of the snacks. Color changes were also observed in the produced snacks. The more CP in the recipe, the darker the end product. In addition, the color parameters a* and b* were shifted towards red and blue in cross-sections of snacks with higher percentages of CP. According to the sensory analysis, CP additions up to 6% allow for obtaining sensory-attractive snacks. Statistical analysis of the results showed that the snack parameters, expansion ratio, and water absorption index are of the greatest importance for sensory acceptance. Therefore, when planning the incorporation of CP into this type of product, special attention should be paid to obtaining extrudates with appropriate parameters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Just Food System Transformations)

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12 pages, 537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Food Labeling and Expiry Date among the Female Health Sciences Students: A Public Health Concern

by Fatima Riaz, Amna Moiz, Syed E. Mahmood, Ausaf Ahmad, Shahabe Saquib Abullais and Shafait Ullah Khateeb

Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6708; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116708 - 31 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4215

Abstract

Nutrition information on food labels can help consumers to choose healthier food. We investigated consumers’ awareness of food labels and their influence on the decision to buy food items among students of health sciences of King Khalid University, Abha. This cross-sectional study involved 350 females who gave informed verbal consent and were selected by systematic random sampling technique. Data was collected by using a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS version 21. Overall 76.3% of students knew food labeling. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between the knowledge about food labeling and education, the number of family members, earning members, frequency of shopping and income. Almost half of the students checked food labels before buying, 43.7% replaced food on an importance basis and value of labeling, and 60% replaced on a cost basis. More than half of students were ready to buy food items with no labels, and 21.7% even utilized expired food items because of a lack of knowledge regarding expiry date and low cost of food which could be hazardous for their health. Awareness of food labeling and expiry date should be enhanced by including this subject in the curriculum and electronic media to avoid health hazards of expired food items. Choosing healthy food options shall reduce the nutrition and chronic diseases among the general population in future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Just Food System Transformations)

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23 pages, 6463 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Agriculture and Self-Sufficiency in Sweden—Calculation of Climate Impact and Acreage Need Based on Ecological Recycling Agriculture Farms

by Artur Granstedt and Olof Thomsson

Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 5834; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14105834 - 11 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3697

Abstract

A necessary reduction in climate impact and raised interest in the self-sufficiency of food in Sweden serve as the major background for the study. The purpose was to examine whether conversion of Swedish agriculture following principles of Ecological Recycling Agriculture (ERA) could be a realistic alternative. Case studies of 22 ERA farms were performed, and results were presented for five production groups in kg production, carbon sequestration, and nutrient balance per hectare. The farms show climate impact substantially lower than Swedish average agriculture, through 85% lower commodity purchases and 2.3 times larger carbon sequestration due to more ley cropping. Target diets with varying amounts of meat and dairy products were defined and matched with the production and presented in scenarios where the farms’ staple food production is upscaled for a Swedish population of 11 million inhabitants. Results are presented in kg of food category produced, hectares of arable land, CO₂ equivalents, and kg of N surplus per capita. The scenario results show that it is possible to achieve at least a 90% decrease in climate impact. It is concluded that it is within range for Sweden to be self-sufficient in staple foods based on the available acreage of arable land by adopting Ecological Recycling Agricultural principles in a similar manner as the studied farms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Just Food System Transformations)

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13 pages, 1228 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Use of Foods Based on Bee Drone Brood: Their Sensory and Microbiological Evaluation and Mineral Composition

by Marie Borkovcová, Jiří Mlček, Anna Adámková, Martin Adámek, Martina Bednářová, Zuzana Musilová and Veronika Ševčíková

Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 2814; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052814 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2640

Abstract

The aim of the work was to evaluate the safety of bee drone brood in terms of the risk of possible contamination with heavy metals, microbial contamination, and sensory acceptability. Bee drone brood dried at a temperature of 80 °C in a hot air oven (DBO) and lyophilized drone brood (DBL) were used. Sensory evaluation was performed on an oatmeal ball (O-B) and drone brood ball (DBO-B). For the determination of the minerals and other elements in DBO, spectrometric analysis was used. The content was as follows: Fe 60.87 µg/g, Cu 54.83 µg/g, Zn 257 µg/g, Ag 82.7 µg/g, Pb 2.1 µg/g, Au 1.2 µg/g, Ca 1336 µg/g, Sr 3.13 µg/g, Zr 1.67 µg/g, Bi 3.87 µg/g, Br 1.95 µg/g. The detected content of lead in dry matter (2.1 µg/g) was high above the limit set for crustaceans (0.4 µg/g). By comparing microbial assay values, no statistically significant difference between freshly dried DBO and dried DBO after a month of storage was detected. Bee drone brood contains microbes far below the legal limits and it is a good source of calcium, iron, and zinc. Except for the juiciness, consumers rated O-B better than DBO-B. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found only in taste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Just Food System Transformations)

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14 pages, 661 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feed Parameters Influencing the Breeding of Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor)

by Jiří Mlček, Martin Adámek, Anna Adámková, Jiří Matyáš, Martina Bučková, Martina Mrázková, Robert Vícha, Radek Vychodil, Ivana Knížková and Zdeněk Volek

Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 12992; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132312992 - 24 Nov 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3976

Abstract

With the growing public interest in edible insects, breeders are forced to increase the volume of production and shorten the life cycle of farmed insects. The exact composition of the feed is the know-how of each manufacturer. The aim of this work was to determine the general impact of individual conventional types of feed (bran, whey, raw ware potatoes) on the life cycle rate of Tenebrio molitor (TM), larval mortality and the content of fats, fatty acids and nitrogenous substances in larvae and their excrements. For the reasons of sustainability of the state of nature and waste disposal, polystyrene foam was added to the experiment as feed. The experiment was performed in two phases—rearing for 21 weeks and 5 weeks. The nitrogen content was determined using the Kjeldahl method (ISO 1871: 2009), the fat content by the Soxhlet method and the fatty acid profile using a gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector (FID). The results of the work show that the basis of the TM feed is wheat bran, not only due to the observed low larval mortality (45% over 21 weeks) and their optimal nutritional value (nitrogenous substances 53.6% DM, fat 37.1% DM, the highest total fatty acid content) but also due to the higher speed of TM development. Lower larval mortality during rearing was found when feeding dried whey and raw ware potatoes, but the development cycle rate was low. This confirmed that the bran as a feed allowed a fast life cycle with good larval nutritional parameters. From a nutritional and reproductive point of view, TM appeared to be a suitable alternative to animal production. Polystyrene as a feed, tested for biodegradation by TM larvae, caused the highest larval mortality (75% in 21 weeks). However, the content of nitrogenous substances in the larvae increased to 69.77%, in the excrement, it even increased to 82.68%, and there was no cannibalism among the larvae. The work thus demonstrated the possibility of biodegradation of polystyrene using TM larvae with an increase in nitrogenous substances in both larvae and excrement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Just Food System Transformations)

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