New Insights into Cereals and Cereal-Based Foods (Volume III)

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Grain".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2024 | Viewed by 6850

Special Issue Editor

Department of Food Science and Technology, International Hellenic University, Alexander Campus, GR-57400 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: tailoring functional and chemical properties of cereal and alternative plant sources in view of developing specific healthy foods and ingredients; grain safety; bioactive compounds; by products valorization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The present Special Issue comprises Volume III of the previous successful issues, launched in the last two years under the same title. Therefore, it is expected that it will also address functional and health aspects of cereal grains and flours and also technological advances of the cereal industry as a sector that needs to operate under the principles of sustainability and circular economy.

It is widely known that cereals, mainly wheat, rice, and corn, are staple foods consumed worldwide and, therefore, play a decisive role both in agricultural production and in global population feeding. Cereal grains, intact or as debranned kernels or refined flours, are processed into a wide variety of foods, ranging from bread and confectionary goods to breakfast cereals and pasta. Furthermore, particular grain fractions or components can be incorporated into food recipes to improve their nutritional or functional properties. Dietary fibers, vitamins and minerals, partly digested or resistant cereal starches, and secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds are cereal constituents with well-established roles in human health and wellbeing.

Contributions pertaining to innovations in the cereal value chain, cereal safety and security, and health and wellness following the consumption of cereal-based foods and ingredients are particularly welcome.

Prof. Dr. Maria Papageorgiou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • milling
  • bread making
  • sourdough
  • biscuit, cake, noodles and pasta products
  • consumer perception of grain-based foods
  • cereal safety and security
  • wholegrains
  • pseudocereals and ancient grains
  • grain breeding
  • cereal bioactive compounds
  • gluten free
  • valorization of cereal bio-products

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2779 KiB  
Article
Evaluation Method of Texture of Glutinous Rice Cakes (Niangao) and Its Key Impact Indicators
by Qingyun Lyu, Xing Wang, Yunzhuo Dang, Lijie Zhu, Lei Chen, Xuedong Wang and Wenping Ding
Foods 2024, 13(4), 621; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13040621 - 19 Feb 2024
Viewed by 446
Abstract
This study aimed to find a unique method to assess the textural properties of Niangao (glutinous rice cakes), to determine the relationship between the textural properties of rice cakes and the indicators of glutinous rice, and to identify the key indicators that significantly [...] Read more.
This study aimed to find a unique method to assess the textural properties of Niangao (glutinous rice cakes), to determine the relationship between the textural properties of rice cakes and the indicators of glutinous rice, and to identify the key indicators that significantly affect the textural properties of Niangao. The study encompassed the analysis of the chemical composition and pasting characteristics of 22 glutinous rice varieties, revealing the substantial impact of variety on lipid content, straight-chain starch content, and pasting performance. Subsequently, the textural features of the resulting Niangao were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) to derive a mathematical method for evaluating their textural attributes, with the obtained scores employed in hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) to identify 12 key textural characteristics. Further analysis using stepwise linear regression (SLR) demonstrated that the regression model incorporating final and peak viscosities of the glutinous rice significantly predicted the composite score of the Niangao’s textural properties. This highlights the importance of final and peak viscosities as key indicators for assessing the textural quality of Niangao. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Cereals and Cereal-Based Foods (Volume III))
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15 pages, 2182 KiB  
Article
Effect of Rice Bran and Retrograded Time on the Qualities of Brown Rice Noodles: Edible Quality, Microstructure, and Moisture Migration
by Hong Feng, Ting Li, You Zhou, Qingyun Lyu, Lei Chen, Xuedong Wang and Wenping Ding
Foods 2023, 12(24), 4509; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12244509 - 17 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 871
Abstract
Brown rice, as a kind of whole-grain food, has attracted significant attention due to its health benefits. This paper aimed to investigate the effect of rice bran content and retrograded time on the physicochemical properties and culinary qualities of brown rice noodles (BRNs). [...] Read more.
Brown rice, as a kind of whole-grain food, has attracted significant attention due to its health benefits. This paper aimed to investigate the effect of rice bran content and retrograded time on the physicochemical properties and culinary qualities of brown rice noodles (BRNs). The results indicated that the addition of rice bran altered the pasting properties, gel properties, and texture of the brown rice flours (BRFs). The optimal cooking time and water absorption of BRNs were reduced after the incorporation of rice bran to 14.9% and 41.9%, respectively, while the breaking rate increased from 2.2% to 23.3%. The color of BRNs became darker and yellower, and the overall acceptability by the consumer decreased. The addition of rice bran also led to a decrease in hardness, chewiness and crystallinity. The binding water inside the BRNs decreased, while the free water increased, resulting in a looser structure. This study revealed that the retrograded time of the BRNs also affected its quality. When the retrograded time was 7 h, the cooked BRNs had a lower breaking rate, good hardness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and better overall acceptability by consumers. The structure was compact, the internal binding water content of BRN was higher, and the free water content was lower. This study provides insights into developing nutritionally healthy, high-quality novel rice flour products, and offers a theoretical basis for the industrial production of BRNs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Cereals and Cereal-Based Foods (Volume III))
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19 pages, 3146 KiB  
Article
Effects of the Incorporation of Male Honey Bees on Dough Properties and on Wheat Flour Bread’s Quality Characteristics
by Anna Marinopoulou, Georgia Kagioglou, Nikolaos Vacharakis, Stylianos Raphaelides and Maria Papageorgiou
Foods 2023, 12(24), 4411; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12244411 - 07 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1058
Abstract
Two different levels (5 and 10%) of male honey bees (drones) in powder form were incorporated into wheat flour, and their impact on dough properties and on bread-quality characteristics were investigated. The incorporation of the drone powder to the wheat flour caused a [...] Read more.
Two different levels (5 and 10%) of male honey bees (drones) in powder form were incorporated into wheat flour, and their impact on dough properties and on bread-quality characteristics were investigated. The incorporation of the drone powder to the wheat flour caused a decrease in the extensibility and energy of the dough in the extensograph and an increase in the dough’s maximum resistance with increasing levels of the added drone powder. The elongational viscosity values of the dough fortified with drone powder were significantly higher than those of the control wheat flour dough. The breads supplemented with 10% drone powder exhibited lower lightness (L*) values compared to the control bread. The addition of drone powder led to an increase in the total dietary fiber content and insoluble dietary fiber content in the fortified bread. Significant differences in the specific volume values were observed between the control bread and the corresponding ones with 10% drone powder. Upon storage, the moisture content of the crumb of the control bread and of the fortified breads were both significantly decreased, while the addition of the drone powder to the wheat flour bread increased the crumb hardness and gumminess but decreased the cohesiveness of the breads. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Cereals and Cereal-Based Foods (Volume III))
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15 pages, 2184 KiB  
Article
Effects of Incorporation of Porous Tapioca Starch on the Quality of White Salted (Udon) Noodles
by Anju Pokharel, Randhir Kumar Jaidka, N. U. Sruthi and Rewati Raman Bhattarai
Foods 2023, 12(8), 1662; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12081662 - 16 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1777
Abstract
White salted (udon) noodles are one of the major staple foods in Asian countries, particularly in Japan. Noodle manufacturers prefer the Australian noodle wheat (ANW) varieties to produce high-quality udon noodles. However, the production of this variety has reduced significantly in recent years, [...] Read more.
White salted (udon) noodles are one of the major staple foods in Asian countries, particularly in Japan. Noodle manufacturers prefer the Australian noodle wheat (ANW) varieties to produce high-quality udon noodles. However, the production of this variety has reduced significantly in recent years, thus affecting the Japanese noodle market. Noodle manufacturers often add tapioca starch to compensate for the flour scarcity; however, the noodle-eating quality and texture are significantly reduced. This study, therefore, investigated the effect of the addition of porous tapioca starch on the cooking quality and texture of udon noodles. For this, tapioca starch was initially subjected to enzyme treatment, ultrasonication, and a combination of both to produce a porous starch where a combined enzyme (0.4% alpha amylase)–ultrasound treatment (20 kHz) yielded a porous starch with increased specific surface area and better absorbent properties which are ideal for udon noodle manufacturing, Later, udon noodles were prepared using three varieties of ANW, a hard Mace variety, and commercial wheat flour by incorporating the prepared porous tapioca starch at a concentration of 5% and 10% of dry ingredients. Adding this porous starch resulted in a lower cooking time with higher water absorption and desirable lower cooking loss compared to the control sample with 5% of the porous starch chosen as the optimum formulation. Increasing the level of the porous starch reduced the hardness of the noodles whilst maintaining the desired instrumental texture. Additionally, a multivariate analysis indicated a good correlation between responses’ optimum cooking time and water absorption capacity as well as turbidity and cooking loss, and a cluster analysis grouped noodle samples prepared from different varieties into the same clusters based on the porous starch added, indicating the possibility of different market strategies to improve the quality of the udon noodles produced from different wheat varieties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Cereals and Cereal-Based Foods (Volume III))
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Review

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52 pages, 1161 KiB  
Review
Fungal and Toxin Contaminants in Cereal Grains and Flours: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Christodoulos Deligeorgakis, Christopher Magro, Adriana Skendi, Haileeyesus Habtegebriel Gebrehiwot, Vasilis Valdramidis and Maria Papageorgiou
Foods 2023, 12(23), 4328; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12234328 - 29 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2163
Abstract
Cereal grains serve as the cornerstone of global nutrition, providing a significant portion of humanity’s caloric requirements. However, the presence of fungal genera, such Fusarium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria, known for their mycotoxin-producing abilities, presents a significant threat to [...] Read more.
Cereal grains serve as the cornerstone of global nutrition, providing a significant portion of humanity’s caloric requirements. However, the presence of fungal genera, such Fusarium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria, known for their mycotoxin-producing abilities, presents a significant threat to human health due to the adverse effects of these toxins. The primary objective of this study was to identify the predominant fungal contaminants in cereal grains utilized in breadmaking, as well as in flour and bread. Moreover, a systematic review, including meta-analysis, was conducted on the occurrence and levels of mycotoxins in wheat flour from the years 2013 to 2023. The genera most frequently reported were Fusarium, followed by Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria. Among the published reports, the majority focused on the analysis of Deoxynivalenol (DON), which garnered twice as many reports compared to those focusing on Aflatoxins, Zearalenone, and Ochratoxin A. The concentration of these toxins, in most cases determined by HPLC-MS/MS or HPLC coupled with a fluorescence detector (FLD), was occasionally observed to exceed the maximum limits established by national and/or international authorities. The prevalence of mycotoxins in flour samples from the European Union (EU) and China, as well as in foods intended for infants, exhibited a significant reduction compared to other commercial flours assessed by a meta-analysis investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Cereals and Cereal-Based Foods (Volume III))
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