Food Science News

The sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides). Image credit: Svdmolen / CC BY-SA 3.0 Deed.

Sea Buckthorn Berries are Rich Source of Natural Antioxidants, New Study Shows

Mar 21, 2024 by News Staff

Berries of the sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) grown in Canada showed promising health benefits induced by their rich and diverse polyphenolic profile...

Harper et al. demonstrate that the addition of external water simultaneously suppresses surface charging and clumping of ground coffee and results in notably different flow dynamics in espresso formats, likely yielding markedly different taste profiles and more concentrated extracts. Image credit: Harper et al., doi: 10.1016/j.matt.2023.11.005.

Grinding Coffee with Addition of Water Reduces Static Electricity, Researchers Say

Dec 6, 2023 by News Staff

Coffee grinding produces large quantities of static charge due to both fracturing and rubbing. Charge causes particle aggregation and discharge, a familiar...

Petersen et al. suggest that using herbs/spices to create flavor-enhanced recipes lower in overconsumed dietary components has the potential to reduce intake and is acceptable to consumers. Image credit: Congerdesign.

Researchers Figure Out How to Remove Salt and Saturated Fat from Popular Foods

Aug 30, 2023 by News Staff

New proof-of-concept research involving 10 recipes demonstrates that using herbs/spices to create flavor enhanced, healthier versions of commonly consumed...

Ukrainian borsch. Image credit: Liz West / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Polyphenol- and Nitrate-Rich Foods May Boost Performance in Athletes

Jun 9, 2022 by News Staff

Consumption of polyphenol- and nitrate-rich foods, such as the beetroot, the bright-red veggie more often found in the Ukrainian borsch than a breakfast...

The western honeybee (Apis mellifera). Image credit: David Hablützel.

New Zealand Honeydew Honey Has Excellent Antioxidant Properties, Study Shows

Jun 8, 2022 by Sergio Prostak

A team of researchers at the Auckland University of Technology has profiled the chemical composition of New Zealand honeydew honey and compared its antioxidant...

Hwang et al. studied the capillary-induced coalescence of swelling pasta; they observed that, as pasta is cooked (hence, swollen and softened), capillary action more easily deforms the noodle, and two pasta noodles can coalesce with the shorter stick length: (a) picture of spaghetti aglio e olio; capillary adhesion between the noodles is induced by olive oil seasoned with garlic and pepper; (b) pasta radial and axial growth over time at 100 degrees Celsius cooking due to hygroscopic swelling; radial strain grows up to 70% of its original and axial strain up to 40% of its original after 30 min of cooking (at 100 degrees Celsius); pasta cross section shows color-gradient before it is sufficiently cooked. Image credit: Hwang et al., doi: 10.1063/5.0083696.

New Math Model Describes Swelling, Elasticity and Adhesion of Pasta as It Cooks

Apr 15, 2022 by News Staff

In new research, a team of researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has documented how pasta — composed of starch granules —...

Yin et al. investigated the effects of sous vide, boiling, and roasting on beef protein digestibility and peptide profiling in simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Image credit: Anova Culinary / CC BY-SA 2.0.

Sous-Vide Cooking Increases Beef Protein Digestibility, New Study Finds

Dec 10, 2020 by News Staff

Beef samples treated with sous vide — a technique in which food is vacuum-sealed in a plastic pouch and then placed in a water bath or steam environment...

Matcha tea. Image credit: Dung Thuy Vu Nguyen.

Matcha Tea Has Anti-Anxiety Properties, New Study Shows

Jul 16, 2019 by Enrico de Lazaro

In a study done in mice, a team of researchers at Kumamoto University, Japan, demonstrated that Matcha tea powder exerts strong and synergistic anxiolytic...

Soft pretzels have a uniform brown crust color and elicit a characteristic aroma that is clearly different from those of other small types of bread. Image credit: Kerstin Riemer.

Chemists Identify Key Aroma Compounds in Pretzels

Jun 26, 2019 by News Staff

A team of scientists at the Technische Universität München in Germany has identified the key compounds that give soft pretzels their distinctive scent. Soft...

Propionates are potent inhibitors of molds that are widely used as a food preservative.

Propionate Consumption Increases Levels of Obesity- and Diabetes-Associated Hormones

Apr 30, 2019 by News Staff

Propionates, salts of a short-chain fatty acid called propionic acid, are widely used in baked goods, animal feeds and artificial flavorings. Although...

Dabas et al explored the anti-inflammatory potential of colored avocado seed extract. Image credit: Tookapic.

Avocado Seed Extract Shows Anti-Inflammatory Activity

Mar 14, 2019 by News Staff

Anti-inflammatory medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids are commonly used to treat various diseases. According...

This study reveals important fundamental differences between hot and cold brew coffee that may have implications for possible health impacts on drinkers. Image credit: Fxxu.

Study: Hot Brew Coffee Has More Antioxidants than Cold Brew

Nov 8, 2018 by Enrico de Lazaro

According to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports, the hot brew method extracts more antioxidants from coffee than the cold brew method. This...

Kühn et al show that cocoa beans from different growing regions contain vitamin D2.

Cocoa and Chocolate are Rich Dietary Sources of Vitamin D2, Study Shows

Sep 28, 2018 by Natali Anderson

A study carried out by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and the Max Rubner-Institut, Germany, shows that cocoa and cocoa-based foods contain...

Cellulose nanofibrils affect the colloidal network structure of ice cream. Image credit: Jonny Lindner.

Cellulose Nanofibers from Banana Plant Waste Could Be Key to Ideal Ice Cream

Mar 22, 2018 by News Staff

An international team of scientists from Colombia and Canada has found that adding a fibrous extract from banana fruit stems (rachis) to ice cream could...

Vanilla plant, 1915. Image credit: McCormick and Company.

Vanillin Intake Reduces Psoriatic Skin Inflammation in Mice

Dec 4, 2017 by News Staff

Vanillin, one of the most widely used flavoring products worldwide, is an effective bioactive compound against psoriatic skin inflammation, according to...

Mushrooms contain unusually high amounts of antioxidants called glutathione and ergothioneine. Image credit: Jan Plywacz.

Study: Mushrooms Contain Powerful Antioxidants with Anti-Aging Potential

Nov 9, 2017 by News Staff

Certain mushroom species are high in two antioxidants — glutathione and ergothioneine — that may help with anti-aging treatments and strategies,...

The caffeine we habitually consume in coffee can inhibit the perception of sweet taste. Image credit: Felix Broennimann.

Caffeine Alters Perception of Sweet Taste, New Study Says

Aug 25, 2017 by News Staff

According to a new study published in the Journal of Food Science, caffeine tempers taste buds temporarily, making food and drink seem less sweet. The...

According to Murayyan et al, Ontario-grown red onions have the strongest cancer-fighting power. Image credit: Erika Wittlieb.

Study: Red Onions Have Strongest Cancer-Fighting Power

Jun 13, 2017 by Enrico de Lazaro

In a study to examine how effective different varieties of onion are at killing cancer cells, a team of scientists at the University of Guelph has found...

A watercolor drawing of the durian (Durio zibethinus), c. 1819-1823. The drawing is one of 477 natural history drawings of plants and animals of Malacca and Singapore commissioned by William Farquhar.

Chemists Identify Key Compounds Responsible for Durian’s Pungent Odor

Jan 19, 2017 by Natali Anderson

A team of researchers in Germany has analyzed a set of stinky and fruity chemical ingredients and found that the overall odor of durian pulp could be mimicked...