Gebremichael Gebremedhin Hailu

The valorization of fish processing by-products, particularly fish heads, represents an opportunity to advance the circular economy and reduce the environmental burden associated with organic waste. This study presents a process simulation-based techno-economic assessment of industrial-scale oil extraction from fish heads using supercritical fluid extraction (SCFE) and enzymatic hydrolysis extraction (EHE). Process models were developed in SuperPro Designer (V9.0) for a 50,000 kg/batch facility, integrating mass and energy balances, equipment design, scheduling, and economic analysis. All the results are derived from process simulations and have not been validated experimentally. SCFE yields a relatively high annual oil output (43.03 million kg/year) but is constrained by high solvent costs. EHE produces less oil (34.06 million kg/year) yet shows superior economic indicators, including a higher return on investment (24.77%), a shorter payback period (4.04 years), and diversified co-product revenues (cake, lecithin, soapstock), although it requires relatively greater capital ($862.7 million compared with $846.2 million for SCFE). While a full life-cycle assessment was not conducted, a partial resource inventory assessment indicates that EHE enables a biorefinery approach that improves resource efficiency. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the most favorable batch capacities were 50,000 kg for the SCFE and 150,000 kg for the EHE under the assumptions and throughput range examined. Overall, this simulation-based study underscores the economic and resource-efficiency potential of integrated biorefinery strategies for fish waste valorization, while highlighting the need for experimental validation and comprehensive environmental evaluation in future work.

Probiotics, beneficial microorganisms, confer numerous health benefits when administered. However, their efficacy is hindered by harsh gut conditions, including acidity, bile acids, and enzymatic degradation. To overcome these challenges, encapsulation and nanoshell technology have emerged as a pivotal strategy to enhance probiotic stability, bioavailability, and specificity. Wall materials comprising proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids protect sensitive core materials like probiotics. In recent advancements, surface‐engineered probiotics and nanoshell techniques have demonstrated the ability to regulate development and differentiation. Despite promising outcomes, critical challenges persist in nanoshell fabrication, including production scalability, controlled release behavior, and interaction between encapsulating material and probiotic surfaces. The research is important because it contributes to advancing functional food, next‐generation probiotics, and therapeutic delivery systems, which may help treat gastrointestinal tract and health issues. Furthermore, it addresses important knowledge gaps regarding the interaction between encapsulating material and the probiotics' surface. It also discussed future prospects for improving delivery efficiency by adding a functional molecule to enhance colonization. This review aims to provide an up‐to‐date overview of popular and recent coating materials/biopolymers for probiotic encapsulation. It further explores recent advances in nanoshell production mediated by individual bacteria, and discusses their future prospect for improving delivery efficiency.

The global demand for sustainable and effective food preservation techniques has spurred significant interest in biodegradable packaging materials, with chitosan films emerging as a promising solution for extending the shelf life of highly perishable seafood products such as shrimp. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the development, characterization, and functional enhancement of chitosan-based films for shrimp. Chitosan, derived from chitin, has inherent antimicrobial, antioxidant, and biodegradable properties, making it an ideal candidate for eco-friendly packaging. The key physicochemical and functional properties of chitosan films, including their mechanical strength, barrier performance, and structural characteristics, are discussed. Functional enhancements, such as the incorporation of natural bioactive compounds (e.g., essential oils and plant extracts) and nanofillers, have been shown to significantly improve the antimicrobial efficacy, oxygen and water vapor barrier properties, and mechanical stability of films. A critical aspect of this progress is the synergistic effect achieved by combining chitosan with other antimicrobials, which broadens the spectrum of activity against various bacterial strains and enhances overall preservation efficacy. Recent studies have demonstrated that functionalized chitosan coatings effectively inhibit microbial growth, retard lipid oxidation, and maintain sensory and nutritional quality during refrigerated storage of shrimp. In addition, this review evaluates current limitations related to large-scale production, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory approval for commercial applications. Overall, chitosan-based preservation systems represent a promising approach for sustainable seafood packaging. Future research may focus on industrial scalability, multifunctional film design, and integration with smart/active packaging technologies.

Novel food processing technologies, such as ohmic heating, ultrasonic heating, cold plasma, high‐pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric fields (PEFs), and enzymatic hydrolysis, have the ability to extend shelf life, improve quality, regulate the freshness of food products, and have diverse effects on food components, that is, protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Understanding the overall effects and mechanisms of these methods on food proteins from a multidimensional perspective is a core foundation for driving further innovations and advancements related to food protein modifications and their applications in the food industry. Therefore, this review aims to explore novel food processing technologies and their impacts on the particle size, structure, solubility, emulsion stability, foaming properties, and bioactivity of food protein, which affect the nutritional and functional properties of foods. Recent studies have shown that all these technologies have a significant effect on protein structure, solubility, functionality, and bioactivity. For instance, HPP primarily affects the particle size, secondary structure, and coagulation properties. PEF has been shown to enhance protein solubility and modify protein structure. Enzymatic hydrolysis breaks down proteins, improving their texture, proteolytic activity, degree of hydrolysis, and solubility. Processing‐induced changes in protein properties significantly enhance the overall qualities of the final food products. While novel food processing methods show promise for enhancing food proteins, they also have several drawbacks. To reduce these negative effects, combining different processing techniques may offer a solution, and computer‐based tools can help simulate, optimize, control, and validate these processes.

Diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, impacts millions worldwide. Although Syzygium cumini L. (Jamun) has been traditionally utilized for its antidiabetic properties, its efficacy remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the hypoglycemic potential of a low‐calorie Jamun drink in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic Sprague Dawley rats. Twenty rats were allocated into four groups: G₀ (normal feed; negative control), G₁ (normal feed + STZ at 60 mg/kg BW, administered intraperitoneally; positive control), G₂ (normal feed + STZ + Jamun sugar drink, 2 mL/day), and G₃ (normal feed + STZ + Jamun stevia drink, 2 mL/day). Body weight and blood glucose levels were monitored every 15 days over a 45‐day period, while renal and pancreatic tissues were microscopically examined for potential adverse effects. Significant weight gain was observed in G₀ (120.2 ± 25.37 g to 135.0 ± 17.16 g) and G₃ (120.8 ± 18.15 g to 132.6 ± 26.28 g). Notably, blood glucose levels in G₂ and G₃ decreased significantly, with final Mean ± SD values of 211.8 ± 8.11 mg/dL and 183.6 ± 8.53 mg/dL, respectively. Histological analysis showed no adverse effects on renal or pancreatic tissues in the treatment groups, while the diseased group exhibited marked irregularities and necrosis in both organs. In conclusion, the low‐calorie Jamun drink demonstrated significant potential in reducing blood glucose levels without causing adverse organ effects, suggesting its promise as a functional dietary intervention for diabetes management.

This study investigates the synthesis and characterization of Plant-Ag-graphene nanocomposites through a combination of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, the nanocomposites were formed by catalyzing silver nanoparticles with plant extracts, and the resulting structures were analyzed using advanced instrumentation. In the FTIR analysis, distinctive peaks were observed at 3340 cm⁻¹ (O-H stretching), 1740 cm⁻¹ (C = O stretching), and 1050 cm⁻¹. When compared to silver nanoparticles, the nanocomposites exhibited altered peak intensities, indicating modifications in chemical bonding. SEM images revealed that in nanocomposites, nanoparticles were adhered to graphene sheets, confirming the successful formation of Plant-Ag-graphene structures. EDX spectra showed a reduction in the silver content, confirming the integration of graphene into the nanocomposites. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of face-centered cubic-shaped Ag metal in the nanocomposites, while graphene exhibited a hexagonal crystalline shape. UV-Vis spectroscopy demonstrated shifts in peak positions, Spectrum A (400 to 700 nm) and spectrum B (265 nm), suggesting the successful synthesis of Plant-Ag-graphene nanocomposites. Moreover, the cytotoxic activity showed cell inhibition among Plant-Ag-Graphene (65.69%) and Plant-Ag (61.39%), respectively.

In this study nutritionally enriched apple and date jam was developed by replacing sugar with natural and artificial sweeteners stevia and sorbitol. Three different types of samples were prepared. Sample T₁ was prepared by using stevia as a sweetener agent. Sample T₂ was prepared by using sorbitol as a sweetener agent. Sample T₃ was prepared by using a mixture of stevia and sorbitol as sweetener agents. Standard apple jam was used as a control sample labeled as T₄ and was used for comparison analysis. The developed product was analyzed by physiochemical analysis and sensory evaluation. Microbial analysis was done to study the shelf life study of the developed product. The study showed that stevia and sorbitol could be used for jam preparation. Sample T₃ also showed intermediate values of acidity and pH as 4.14 and 1.90, respectively, moreover, total soluble solids (TSS) was observed as 65.16 °Brix, T₃ also showed an intermediate level of energy values. Sample T₃ having sorbitol and stevia sweetener agents had the highest rate of overall acceptability. Storage studies of all samples show that with the passage of time all sensory characteristics of all treatments decreased.