Can, Esra İrem; Çebi, Kadir

The nutritional adjustment of food products has gained popularity in recent years as consumer interest in healthy eating has increased. Cake is a widely consumed cereal-based product containing such key nutrients as carbohydrate, fat, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. In the present study, crust and crumb color, specific volume, microstructure, antimicrobial activity, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and sensory analyses were evaluated in four cake groups: a control cake (IT0) and cakes supplemented with 1% (IT1), 3% (IT2), and 5% (IT3) nettle seed powder. The addition of nettle seed powder to the cakes significantly reduced the crust (L*, a* and b*) and crumb color (L* and b*) parameters, with darker coloration due to the natural pigments and phenolic compounds in nettle seeds. The total phenolic content (TPC) in the cake samples ranged from 3.58 to 4.80 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g, and addition of nettle seed powder significantly increased TPC, which was attributed to the phenolic-rich composition of nettle seeds. The elimination rates of superoxide (O2•–), hydroxyl (OH•), nitric oxide (NO•), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radicals, as well as the iron-reducing potential, increased as the nettle seed concentration was increased, confirming the strong antioxidant capacity of nettle bioactives. The majority of sensory analysis parameters were found to be statistically significant. Although enrichment improved chemical and functional quality, it led to lower sensory scores, particularly in the 5% (IT3) group, which can be attributed to the darker color and distinct herbal flavor from the nettle seed powder. Considering all parameters, the 3% nettle seed cake (IT2) had the most balanced profile, successfully combining enhanced nutritional and antioxidant properties with acceptable sensory characteristics. IT2 can thus be recommended as the optimal, functional and most innovative cake formulation among the tested concentrations.

Singh, Pragati; Arya, Niharika; Sharma, Shalini; Sharma, Ankita; Rasane, Prasad; Gaur, Supriya Singh; Kaur, Sawinder; Gunjal, Mahendra; Kiliçgün, Hasan; Singh, Jyoti

Fermentation technologies play crucial roles in food processing, offering various advantages, including enhanced flavor profiles, extended shelf life, and improved nutritional qualities. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the major types of fermentation as well as effects of various factors such as substrate composition, temperature, pH, oxygen availability, and microbial strain selection on the process. Despite its widespread application, traditional fermentation processes face limitations related to yield optimization, contamination risks, and process consistency. Recent advancements have significantly enhanced fermentation efficiency, product quality, and scalability, ultimately expanding the applications beyond food and beverage production into pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, biofuels, and waste valorization. Furthermore, the emerging role of fermentation in health—such as its neuroprotective functions—is also discussed. This review critically examines the current state, challenges, and future of fermentation technologies, offering insights into their potential impact across health, industrial, and environmental sectors.

Akbar, Ubaida; Rasane, Prasad; Mondol, Md Sabir Ahmed; Singh, Jyoti; Nanda, Vikas; Kiliçgün, Hasan; Kaur, Sawinder

This study’s objective is to explore the influence of particle size on the characteristics and functionalities of baby corn powder. In food product development and application, particle properties are crucial. Sieve analysis using a series of standardized sieves determined the particle size distribution, ranging from >500 µm to 53 µm. The particles exhibited stability, with an average size of 208.8 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.133, and a zeta potential of –20 mV. Bulk density (BD) and true density (TD) showed an inverse relationship with particle size, with BD ranging from 0.552 to 0.238 gcm–3 for particle sizes >500 to 53 µm, respectively. The Carr index and Hausner ratio indicated better flowability in particles up to 300 µm. Principal component analysis revealed that the first principal component accounted for 90.1% of the variance, highlighting phenolic content as a key factor. Parameters clustered into four groups: Group I (emulsion stability, fiber %, moisture %, and fat %), Group II (BD, foaming stability (FS), carbohydrate %, and oil absorption capacity (OAC)), Group III (protein %, ferric reducing antioxidant power, flavonoid content, and total soluble sugars), and Group IV (iron, calcium, phenol, magnesium, phosphorus, and 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl activity). Correlation analysis showed strong positive relationships between antioxidant activities and phenolic (+0.99) and flavonoid content (+0.93), with negative correlations to carbohydrates (–0.89). Additionally, FS positively correlated with OAC (+0.78), while BD and TD correlated positively with the angle of repose (+ 0.97) and negatively with the Carr index and Hausner ratio (–0.98). Clustering identified three distinct particle size groups: Group I (>500 µm, 500 µm, and 420 µm), Group II (300 µm), and Group III (150 µm, 75 µm, and 53 µm), with Group II showing unique biochemical and technofunctional properties.

Kiliçgün, Hasan; Yangilar, Filiz

Apple is one of the most widely grown fruits in the world and can be found fresh in the market throughout the whole year due to its excellent storage ability. In addition to fresh consumption, apples are processed into a variety of products including fruit juice, vinegar, jams, and pies. In this study, the bioactive contents and microbial, physicochemical, and sensory properties of seven vinegars traditionally produced using a local apple variety, Kara Sakı, with different yeast materials (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, chickpea, buckwheat, barley, whey, natural home apple vinegar, and commercial apple cider vinegar) were assessed. The results indicated significant differences among vinegar samples for dry matter, ash, pH, total acidity, degrees Brix, alcohol, viscosity, total sugar, and color values. The total antioxidant capacity (DPPH assay as %), total polyphenolic contents, and total flavonoid contents of the seven apple vinegars were in range of 29.17%–82.64%, 44.45–470.30 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 mL, and 34.82–81.02 mg quercetin equivalent/100 mL, respectively. Total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, mold and yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria counts ranged from 2.62 to 5.53 log CFU/mL, 1.0 to 3.4 log CFU/mL, 1.01 to 3.85 log CFU/mL, and 1.35 to 4.48 log CFU/mL, respectively. The sensory evaluation results showed that the panelists preferred the commercial, natural, and chickpea vinegars the most. The findings suggest that the use of traditional processes for the production of fruit vinegars is promising in terms of producing differentiated vinegars and obtaining high levels of human health-promoting contents.

Shah, Syed Aizaz Ali; Shi, Yuzi; Nie, Jing; Yao, Xuehui; Guo, Yicong; Ahmad, Muhammad; Shah, Syed Atizaz Ali; Hayat, Faisal; Niamat, Yasmin; Öztürk, Halil İbrahim

Photosynthesis is critically dependent on both adequate light and nitrogen availability. In controlled agricultural environments with limited natural light, cucumber faces substantial challenges, including reduced photosynthetic efficiency and biomass accumulation. Nitrogen (N) is a vital component for the synthesis of various macromolecules, metabolites, and signaling molecules in plants. This study assessed the impact of different nitrate levels (LL-N, LL-1/2N, and LL-2N) on the physiological, biochemical, and metabolic responses of cucumber under low light conditions (80–100 µmol m–2 s–1 photosynthetic photon flux density) in comparison to standard light (400–500 µmol m–2 s–1 photosynthetic photon flux density) and unchanged nitrate. We observed that increasing nitrate levels to twice the standard concentration (LL-2N) significantly enhanced shoot morphology, including weight and size, and improved photosynthetic performance, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rates. In contrast, lower nitrate levels (LL-1/2N) exacerbated stress, leading to diminished photosynthesis and biomass. Biochemical analyses indicated that elevated nitrate concentrations activated key enzymes involved in the metabolism of carbon and nitrogen, including glutamine synthetase, sucrose phosphate synthase, nitrate reductase, and glutamate synthase. This led to improvement in the amounts of sucrose, fructose, soluble sugars, free amino acids, and soluble proteins. Additionally, the activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase were considerably greater under conditions of increased nitrate, which reduced the levels of malondialdehyde and H2 O2 as oxidative stress markers. Furthermore, enhanced nitrate levels upregulated critical photosynthetic genes (rbcL, rbcS, FBPase, and SBPase mRNA), supporting the RuBisCO contents and overall photosynthetic capacity. These findings underscore the effectiveness of strategic nitrate enrichment in mitigating low light stress, providing essential insights for optimizing cucumber cultivation in controlled environments and improving productivity.

Öztürk, Halil İbrahim; Dursun, Atilla; Hosseinpour, Arash; Haliloğlu, Kamil

In this study, genetic diversity among 71 bean genotypes (41 pinto beans and 30 fresh bean genotypes) and 4 commercial cultivars (Aleyna, Gina, Perolar, and Serra) commonly grown at Erzincan province in Turkey were investigated. The iPBS (inter-primer binding site) markers were used to investigate the genetic diversity of the genotypes. Polymorphism ratio was identified as 100% in all primers. Twenty-seven primers were studied and number of alleles in primers varied between 13–69 (with an average value of 37.14). According to cluster analysis based on iPBS data, genotypes were divided into 2 groups. Polymorphic information content (PIC) values varied between 0.19 (iPBS 2077) and 0.42 (iPBS 2381, iPBS 2385, and iPBS 2389) with an average PIC value of 0.33. According to genetic structure analysis, genotypes were divided into 2 subpopulations. Majority of the genotypes of the regions from where beans were collected were placed in the same groups.