In this study, a new starch has been isolated from acorn (Quercus ilex) fruits. The chemical composition of acorn flour showed its richness in carbohydrates (64.43%), proteins (8%), and fat (10%). The extraction yield of acorn starch was about 34.5%. Thus, the composition of extracted acorn starch and its physical and functional properties were studied. Acorn starch had high purity represented by low proportions of proteins (0.92%) and lipids (0.51%) with a pH of 5.3. The swelling power was 20.76 g/g, while the solubility was about 64.22% at 90°C which suggests that acorn starch has potential for use in food industries. The FT-IR spectra of isolated native starches have shown the main bands characterizing the starch. However, X-ray diffractograms exhibited an A- and B-type diffraction pattern. Furthermore, the effect of acorn starch incorporation at different levels (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%) on the quality parameters of a fermented dairy product was investigated at the beginning of storage. The results demonstrated that the most suitable dose of acorn starch to be incorporated in the fermented dairy product was lower than 1%. This low concentration reduced syneresis, improved functional properties, and enhanced the viscosity of the fermented dairy product.

Zizyphus lotus, which belongs to Rhamnaceae family, has been widely used to formulate many healthy food products. The aim of this work was to formulate new functional cookies enriched with different amounts of Zizyphus lotus powder (ZLP; 15%, 30%, 45% and 100%). The chemical properties of ZLP were also determined. The formulated cookies were evaluated for their physicochemical, textural and sensory characteristics. Results revealed that ZLP contained various bioactive components, fatty acids, and antioxidants. ZLP-added cookies demonstrated higher phytochemical and antioxidant activities than control cookies prepared without ZLP. The activity of ZLP cookies was enhanced with increase of ZLP level. Hardness and fracturability (brittleness) of cookies increased with increasing amount of ZLP. Results of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis also revealed the presence of many bioactive compounds in formulated cookies. All cookie samples were generally accepted, but the panelists indicated a higher preference for cookies containing 15% ZLP.

In this study Cichorium intybus L. roots were tested for its chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and phenolic profile. Optimization of ultrasonic inulin extraction using response surface methodology (RSM) was further investigated. Chicory roots were found to have high value of total carbohydrates (70.43%), soluble fiber (66.93), Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (33.07%), potassium (380 mg/100g), calcium (540 mg/100g) and sodium (140 mg/100g). Chicory roots exhibit a high content of flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins. Antioxidant activity measurement reveals the capacity of Chicory roots to scavenge diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. Phenolic acids profile shows the abundance of vanillic acid (19.64%) followed by protocatechuic acid (15.67%). The effect of three independent variables namely extraction time, the ratio of water to raw material and temperature on inulin extraction was studied. Optimum deciding responses were Inulin content, Total Soluble Solids (TSS) content and Water produced inulin yield. The optimal ultrasonic extraction conditions were: extraction time 87 min, liquid to solid ratio 38 (ml/g) and ultrasonic temperature 61°C. Under these conditions, the inulin content, TSS content and produced inulin yield were 35.92%, 24.72%, and 32.53%, respectively. The produced inulin was characterized by the Fourier infrared transformation (FTIR) and observed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seeds oils (PSO) from three Tunisian varieties namely Jebali, Testouri, and Gabsi were extracted by ultrasonic‐assisted extraction and analyzed for their physicochemical properties, fatty acids (FA) profile, and sterol composition. PSO of Gabsi and Testouri showed the best quality indexes in terms of peroxide and acid values and the highest oxidative stability index was observed for PSO of Gabsi ecotype (2.534 hr). Polyphenol content of PSO of Gabsi ecotype (886.909 mg/kg) was roughly 3 and 23 times higher than that of Jebali and Testouri ecotypes, respectively. Twelve FAs were identified by GC/FID. Punicic acid was the major compounds ranged from 81.53% (Testouri) to 86.41% (Gabsi). The unsaturated/saturated FA ratios of PSO were 14.53, 15.95, and 18.68, respectively for Gabsi, Testouri, and Jebali, respectively. Phytosterols were also identified and β‐sitosterol was the major compound in PSO. In addition, the phytochemical and antioxidant properties of phenolic extracts obtained from pomegranate seeds residues were investigated. Pomegranate seeds extract (PSE) of Gabsi cultivar showed the highest content of polyphenols (64.762 mg CAE/g) and flavonoids (7.127 mg RE/g). Antioxidant potential of extracts was performed using DPPH test and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Results revealed that Gabsi cultivar was the most reactive extract with EC50 of 0.105 mg/mL for DPPH test and 40.622 mg AA/g for TAC. Phenolic profiles of PSE were also investigated. Results showed the importance of cultivar selection in the potential use of bioactive compounds of seeds as nutraceutical ingredients in food and chemical industries. Practical Application Three Tunisian pomegranate cultivars namely Jebali, Testouri, and Gabsi were investigated for their seeds oil and phenolic composition. Pomegranate seeds oil (PSO) are rich in bioactive polyunsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols that can be of interest in several food and chemical industrial applications. Moreover, pomegranate seeds extracts are a natural source of antioxidant components, such as phenolic compounds, that can be used by the pharmaceutical industry as promising nutraceutical ingredients. The obtained results can be used to provide guidance on cultivar selection during industrial applications.

Background and objectives Soaking is a processing treatment used in different grain. The objective of the present work is to study the water absorption of bulgur (precooked, dried, and debranned durum wheat), at various temperatures (35, 50, 60 and 65°C) by measuring the moisture content with respect to time. The effect of soaking time and temperature on three dimensions was examined (length: “a (mm)”; crease side width: “b (mm)”; secondary width: “c (mm)”). Weight, volume, sphericity, and density of the precooked, dried, and debranned wheat kernel were also measured. Findings The results indicated higher water absorption capacity at higher temperature. Peleg's model was successfully used to evaluate water absorption during soaking. Peleg's model constants were investigated relative to temperature and confirmed a higher absorption capacity of water. Moreover, during soaking, all the dimensions as well as weight and volume percentages increased with time and temperature. The percent change of secondary width “c” was affected by both temperature and time soaked, indicating that it was the most important parameter controlling the deformation and shape of the kernel. Conclusion Bulgur kernel had higher water absorption due to the absence of the outer bran layer, which acts as a barrier for water absorption. Significance and novetly Modeling the water absorption of bulgur during soaking and measuring its size is important since it help industries to control the soaking operation and further cooking operation and then to optimize industrial process dishes based with bulgur.