Lynda Messaoudene

Background: Soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) constitutes the third most cultivated cereal crop in Algeria, following barley and durum wheat. Aims: This study was conducted to perform a comparative evaluation of technological performance between local common wheat varieties and newly developed experimental lines. The primary objective was to assess the differences in their quality attributes and predict their potential suitability for a broader range of flour-based industrial applications. Methods: Nineteen Algerian wheat samples, comprising 13 local varieties and 6 test lines, were milled and analyzed for their fundamental technological quality parameters. Flour characteristics, including protein content, gluten content, Zeleny sedimentation values, and Alveograph parameters were subjected to correlation analysis, multivariate statistics, and hierarchical clustering for comprehensive evaluation. Results: The flour extraction rates ranged from 60.9% to 77.3%, with no significant statistical difference observed between the local varieties and test lines. Zeleny sedimentation values fluctuated between 22.17 and 34.67 mL, allowing for a quality classification spanning from medium to very good. The varieties exhibited a broad spectrum of technological quality, with dough strength values (W) ranging from 103 to 277 × 10⁻⁴ J. On average, the experimental lines demonstrated significantly higher W values, indicating superior dough strength compared to the local varieties. Based on the Tenacity/Extensibility ratio (P/L), five varieties were considered suitable for the milling sector, while six were identified as potentially ideal for bread-making. Furthermore, the test lines also exhibited higher tenacity (P), reinforcing their potential for stronger dough formulations. While thirteen varieties exhibited high protein content, and test lines displayed superior gluten quality, ten varieties did not meet the acceptable minimum standards for wet gluten, six failed for dry gluten, and fifteen were deficient in extensibility (L). However, no significant differences were observed between the local varieties and test lines in terms of extensibility (L) and dough volume (G). Conclusions: Although none of the studied samples fully satisfied the stringent industrial specifications for premium bread or noodle production, several varieties displayed promising dough strength properties. The varieties with lower overall quality may still be suitable for less demanding applications, such as biscuits, cakes, or traditional local baked goods. Keywords: Triticum aestivum L.; Flour Quality; Dough rheology; Alveograph testing.

Population growth has stimulated rising demand for agro-food products and economic activity for many years, negatively impacting the ecosystem and non-renewable resource consumption. Algeria confronts the monumental challenge of effectively choosing how to nourish everyone on a more congested globe. However, food loss is a significant issue that worsens as Algerians’ population expands and food consumption increases. In Algeria, food production and processing of food items, which include fruits, vegetables, and cereals, generate a considerable amount of by-products, with no commercial exploitation and a negative environmental impact, generating enormous socioeconomic problems. These by-products are essential sources of products with high levels of added value that can be applied in different sectors. They have no studies to measure the scope of food loss in the Algerian food industry. In this background, our research aims to quantify the loss in the Algerian food industry generated by the transformation of various agricultural products, directly affecting the economy and food availability for the population. The research utilizes a mixed methods approach, including coefficients, production statistics transformed, and data analysis; the findings reveal that a significant portion of fruits and vegetables are lost in the Algerian food industry, suggesting that minimizing food loss can help companies minimize costs and mitigate the adverse environmental effects of food production. Finally, the study proposes practical options to minimize food loss to create a long-term food system in Algeria.

The economic viability of guayule as an industrial crop for natural rubber production depends largely on the potential valorization of these co-products. According to the studies carried out on the subject, there is a broad consensus on the added value of the resin and bagasse in different fields of application. The process of extracting natural rubber from guayule produces mainly bagasse (±80% of the total dry mass) and resin (±10% of the total dry mass). According to guayule research, high-value co-products significantly improve the economic viability of guayule as an industrial crop and offset a substantial portion of the cultivation and processing costs. According to studies, resin remains the most fluctuating value; reducing this uncertainty, through future research on resin applications, it is essential to the success of guayule as a natural rubber raw material. It finds applications in different industrial fields, such as coatings, varnishes, paints, treated wood, biocontrol agents and controlled-release formulations. Bagasse is composed primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and resin, and has a high calorific value, making bagasse a suitable fuel for on-site combustion to produce electricity and thermal energy. Bagasse combustion in this scenario is less complex than the logistics of biofuel production. Resin-containing guayule bagasse has been combined with a plastic binder to make high-density composite panels resistant to termite degradation. In addition, the resinous material can be solvent-extracted and used to impregnate wood with raw resin extract so that the wood is protected from destructive organisms. Guayule bagasse containing resin can modify the soil nature and improve the growth of vegetables compared to de-resinated bagasse.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is among the most widely used medicinal and aromatic plants. It is well known for its multiple health benefits, most of which are correlated with its phenolic composition. Four phenolic compounds were identified in the extracts of aerial parts of coriander extracts, including caffeic acid, isoquercitrin, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, and rutin. Caffeic acid was the major compound in the extracts. A Box–Behnken Design (BBD) was employed in conjunction with the response surface methodology (RSM) to develop an ultrasound-assisted extraction method for the determination of phenolic compounds in the aerial parts of coriander using the level of caffeic acid as the target response. The following working variables were evaluated: methanol level in the extraction solvent, temperature, sonication time, and liquid-to-solvent ratio. It was found that the methanol concentration is the most significant factor that influences the recovery of caffeic acid. The optimal extraction conditions were: 10 min as the extraction time, 70 °C as the temperature, 50% for methanol in water as the solvent, and 6.51 mL of solvent per gram of sample. The repeatability and reproducibility were calculated and RSD values below 6% were obtained in both cases. The new method was employed for the extraction of real coriander samples and it is suggested that this method could potentially be applied for quality control analyses.