To investigate the effects of Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume polyphenols extract (LRE) on the quality of fried protein foods, the physicochemical indicators, textural properties, and volatile flavor components of fried protein foods with different concentrations of added LRE were measured. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism was elucidated by characterizing the microstructure, protein thermodynamic properties, and spatial conformation of fried foods. The results showed that LRE improved the color, increased the moisture content, reduced the oil content, enhanced the hardness and chewiness, and promoted the formation of characteristic flavor compounds in fried protein foods. Additionally, LRE strengthened the microscopic network structure of fried protein foods. Moreover, LRE enhanced the intermolecular interactions between myofibrillar proteins but weakened those between pea proteins. LRE improved the thermal stability of myofibrillar proteins while promoting the thermal denaturation of pea proteins, thereby regulating the quality attributes of fried protein foods.

The effect of the water-soluble polysaccharides from Nicandra physalodes (Linn.) Gaertn. seeds (NPGP), prepared by hot water extraction-alcohol precipitation method, on the processing quality of beef was investigated. Chemical and instrumental methods were used to determine the effects of adding different levels of NPGP on the cooking loss, thawing loss, water-holding capacity (WHC), color, hardness, chewiness and gel strength of beef meatballs. The results showed that increasing addition of NPGP (0.00%-0.15%) reduced the cooking loss (from 27.42% to 22.11%) and thawing loss (from 2.45% to 1.36%) and enhanced the WHC (from 8.68% to 11.50%) of beef meatballs. Moreover, it increased the brightness value (from 62.10 to 64.60) and whiteness value (from 57.97 to 60.57), reduced the redness value (from 4.37 to 3.87), decreased the hardness (from 1 046.61 to 802.53 g), chewiness (from 687.79 to 523.57 g) and gel strength (from 5 608.30 to 3 683.36 g·mm) of beef meatballs, enabling beef balls to show good quality during processing. The above results showed that NPGP could improve the processing quality of beef meatballs.

Recently, more and more attentions are payed to improve the quality and safety of food during processing and storage, and food additives are screened as the good solution plan according to various practices in a long history. Although some synthetic additives are effective, their potential toxicity and hazards on human health are being considered. Thus, the natural additives from food and other natural sources may be the alternative approach. In present study, the modification of lotus anthocyanins on the quality of ice cream was investigated. With the addition of lotus anthocyanins, the color of ice cream changed to purple, and its a* value increased and L* and b* values decreased, which enhanced its attractiveness to consumers. Meanwhile, in the low range of addition amount (0.5% to 1.5%, m/m), lotus anthocyanins increased the expansion rate of ice cream and decreased its melting rate, which was beneficial for air filling and delaying its melting. In addition, lotus anthocyanins at low amount (0.5% to 1.5%, m/m) could ameliorated the texture, rheology and interface properties of ice cream, and further changed the particle size distribution of ice cream to a appropriate range, so as to enhance the stability and shelf life of ice cream. All present results suggest that lotus anthocyanins at the appropriate amount can improve the quality of ice cream, and have the potential applications on ice cream production in food industry.