Search Results (158)

Lonicera japonica Thunb. (honeysuckle), a traditional herb with “food-medicine homology” status in Chinese medicine, is valued for its antipyretic and detoxifying properties. This review systematically summarizes its chemical composition—over 507 identified compounds, including phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, triterpenoids, saponins, and the plant-specific miR2911—as well as its multi-target pharmacological mechanisms and emerging translational applications, with particular emphasis on the gut–brain axis-mediated neuroprotective effects. Despite low oral bioavailability, honeysuckle polysaccharides and chlorogenic acid have been shown to exert significant neuroprotection in Alzheimer’s disease models by modulating gut microbiota composition, increasing short-chain fatty acid production, and restoring intestinal barrier integrity—a mechanism that challenges conventional direct-action paradigms. We also outline the applications of honeysuckle in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, animal husbandry, and cosmetics, and propose future directions including precision fermentation and mechanism-driven clinical trials. By integrating phytochemistry, pharmacology, and biotechnology, this review provides a roadmap for the evidence-based development of honeysuckle as a precise medicinal and edible resource. Full article

Agro-industrial by-products are increasingly considered as feed resources for circular animal production, but their value should not be interpreted only as a low-cost replacement of conventional ingredients. This scoping review critically examines how by-products from grape, olive, tomato, citrus, cereal, brewery, oilseed and vegetable processing chains may contribute to the development of high-value animal-derived foods. Particular attention is given to bioactive compounds, polyphenols, carotenoids, tocopherols, fermentable fibres and residual lipids, as well as to microbiome-mediated biotransformation, host metabolic pathways, compound transfer, product-quality modulation, feed safety and circular valorization. Available evidence indicates that selected by-products can influence milk, cheese, meat, eggs and fish products by modifying fatty acid profile, oxidative stability, antioxidant-related traits, pigmentation, volatile compounds, shelf-life and, in some cases, the transfer of specific metabolites to edible products. However, these responses depend on by-product source, processing method, inclusion level, active dose, animal species, basal diet and analytical endpoints. Chemical richness alone is therefore insufficient to support functional claims. Stronger evidence requires studies that connect matrix characterization, processing stability, microbial and host-mediated transformation, biological intermediates and final product quality within the same experimental design. Precision circular feeding should therefore combine local availability, safety, active-dose definition, metabolomic and lipidomic traceability, and product-level validation to support reproducible improvements in high-value animal-derived foods. Full article

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-K. pneumoniae) is a priority antimicrobial-resistant pathogen with the capacity to persist and disseminate across environmental and food animal production systems. This study conducted genomic surveillance of ESBL-K. pneumoniae recovered from municipal wastewater treatment plants and food animal production environments in Fayetteville, North Carolina. A total of 449 wastewater and livestock farm environment samples were analyzed. K. pneumoniae was recovered from 162 (36.1%) samples, including 68 (15.1%) ESBL-producing isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that 77.9% of ESBL-producing isolates were multidrug-resistant. Polymerase chain reaction identified bla_CTX-M-1, bla_SHV, and bla_ACT as the predominant resistance genes. Whole-genome sequencing of selected isolates identified diverse antimicrobial resistance determinants, virulence-associated genes, and plasmid replicons, with IncFIB(K) being the predominant plasmid type. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated close genetic relatedness between wastewater and farm environment isolates, with some differing by only 0–6 single-nucleotide polymorphisms, suggesting possible dissemination between environmental reservoirs. These findings highlight municipal wastewater and food animal production environments as important reservoirs of ESBL-K. pneumoniae and reinforce the value of integrated genomic surveillance within a One Health framework to monitor the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Full article

This review analyzes sustainable and regenerative development in the beef production chain, focusing on environmental impacts and pasture-based cattle farming. Livestock emissions account for about 14.5% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gases, with beef cattle contributing 3–3.2% mainly from enteric fermentation and manure management. Pasture-based cow-calf operations generate 60–70% of these emissions, posing significant challenges for producers. Improper grazing degrades soil and vegetation, reducing productivity, while climate change and technology introduce new animal health issues. At the same time, given that beef is an important food item worldwide, it is important to strive for the regenerative management of beef cattle farming. This article lists possibilities for researchers, beef cattle breeders, and farmers to follow and implement, in the hope that the sector will become regenerative. Scientific innovation in grazing-based beef cattle systems should focus on precision livestock monitoring, regenerative pasture management, genetic selection, and improving animal health, as well as identifying opportunities within the value chain. Such innovations could help to optimize productivity, enhance sustainability, improve animal welfare, and generate new income streams through ecosystem services or premium grass-fed markets. Full article

Access to safe, nutritious, and sustainable food remains a major challenge in many Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), where food insecurity, malnutrition, and foodborne diseases frequently coexist. Despite growing recognition of the interconnections between food safety, nutrition security, and sustainability, monitoring systems often assess these dimensions separately, limiting the effectiveness of policy interventions. This study conducted a structured methodological review and framework development study of indicators used to monitor food safety, nutrition security, and sustainability within food systems, with particular emphasis on LMIC contexts. Peer-reviewed literature and internationally recognized monitoring frameworks, drawn from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and institutional repositories including FAO, WHO, World Bank, and GAIN, were systematically reviewed, yielding 75 sources encompassing 54 peer-reviewed articles and 21 institutional reports, from which 47 indicators were identified and assessed. Indicators were evaluated according to relevance, data availability, methodological robustness, and policy actionability. The review identified a core set of ten operationally relevant indicators, including the Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS), Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W), Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), foodborne disease burden indicators, cost of a healthy diet, and post-harvest loss rates. Building on these findings, an integrated indicator selection framework is proposed to support context-specific monitoring and decision-making in LMICs. The results suggest the value of a One Health approach that links human, animal, and environmental health, and three One Health interface indicators, antimicrobial resistance prevalence in food chain isolates, zoonotic disease incidence attributable to food, and pesticide residue exceedance rate in fresh produce, are explicitly integrated into the proposed framework with LMIC-specific implementation pathways. A key limitation of this review is that it did not employ formal systematic methods and may not have exhaustively identified all relevant indicators across the full breadth of the published literature. Full article

Plant-based protein (PBP) foods are increasingly promoted as sustainable alternatives to animal-derived proteins, yet their environmental and nutritional performance depends on complex interactions among crop selection, agricultural practices, processing technologies, formulation strategies, food safety controls, and climate variability. This review synthesizes evidence across the entire plant-based protein value chain, examining how crop physiology, protein extraction and structuring, ingredient functionality, safety risks, and nutritional outcomes are shaped by both technological choices and environmental changes. Particular attention is given to climate-induced alterations in protein concentration, amino acid composition, mineral bioavailability, and contaminant risk, and how these upstream changes propagate through processing and food formulation to affect consumer health outcomes. We argue that sustainability is an emergent system-level outcome determined by interactions among biological, technological, nutritional, and socio-economic factors rather than an intrinsic property of any given crop or protein source. The review concludes by identifying research, processing, and policy priorities needed to enable scalable, climate-resilient, safe, and nutritionally robust plant-based protein systems. Full article

The dairy industry is increasingly seeking natural alternatives to synthetic additives to meet the growing demand for clean-label and functional foods. Bee-derived products (BDPs), including propolis, honey, bee pollen, bee bread, and royal jelly, represent a promising class of bioactive ingredients due to their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. This review critically examines their integration across the dairy value chain, adopting a farm-to-product perspective. At the farm level, BDPs can modulate rumen fermentation, influence microbial populations, and contribute to improved feed efficiency and reduced enteric methane emissions. These effects may translate into modifications in milk composition and functional properties. At the processing and product levels, the incorporation of BDPs into dairy matrices such as yogurt, cheese, and fermented milk enables the development of functional foods enriched with bioactive compounds and supports probiotic viability in synbiotic systems. However, their application is associated with technological and sensory challenges, including variability in chemical composition, dose-dependent antimicrobial effects, and potential impacts on texture and flavour. By bridging animal and food science, this review highlights the multifunctional role of BDPs in enhancing sustainability, safety, and nutritional value in dairy systems, while identifying current limitations and future research directions for their effective industrial implementation. Full article

Salmonella remains one of the most critical zoonotic pathogens in the poultry sector, linked to animal disease, foodborne illness, and the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Poultry acts as a major reservoir, enabling Salmonella transmission from hatchery to retail products through horizontal, vertical, and environmental routes. Despite the use of biosecurity, vaccination, antibiotics, and chemical decontamination, effective and sustainable control across the poultry value chain remains difficult, particularly in the face of rising multidrug-resistant strains and growing consumer concerns over chemical residues. Bacteriophages (phages), viruses that selectively infect and lyse bacteria, have emerged as a promising biological alternative for Salmonella control. Although many studies have reported the effectiveness of phages against bacterial species, including Salmonella, in the poultry industry, reports on their full potential to combat antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella across the entire poultry value chain remain limited. Therefore, this review synthesizes current evidence on the application of phages throughout the poultry value chain, including on-farm interventions, processing plant decontamination, and food packaging and storage. Findings from the reviewed articles indicate over a 90% reduction in Salmonella spp. in poultry farms and post-harvest meat, along with lower mortality in phage-treated groups compared to untreated groups; however, these outcomes depend on several factors (e.g., phage strains, concentrations, application methods, and environmental conditions). Laboratory, pilot, and field studies consistently demonstrate that phage preparations, especially when formulated as cocktails or combined with complementary interventions, can achieve substantial reductions in Salmonella, including antibiotic-resistant serovars, in live birds, eggs, poultry environments, and meat products. Unlike antibiotics and chemical sanitizers, phages act with high specificity, preserving beneficial microbiota and maintaining the sensory and nutritional quality of poultry products. Their safety has been supported by toxicological and genomic assessments, and several phage-based products have obtained regulatory approval, including Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status for food applications in the United States. By integrating efficacy, safety, regulatory, and practical deployment data, this review highlights bacteriophages as a scientifically validated and One Health–aligned tool capable of reducing Salmonella transmission from farm to fork across the poultry value chain, thereby laying the foundation for their future adoption in the poultry industry. Phage-based interventions offer a sustainable pathway to enhance food safety, limit antimicrobial resistance (AMR) dissemination, and strengthen consumer confidence in poultry products. However, the major limitation is the emergence of phage-resistant bacterial strains, as well as the potential involvement of some phages in the transfer of resistance and virulence genes, which could raise public concern. Nevertheless, the use of phage cocktails and whole-genome sequencing, involving tools such as ResFinder and virulence finder, can facilitate the selection of safe phages for application. Full article

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being proposed for postharvest food-safety control of animal-source foods, but its practical value depends on whether models can support real decisions rather than only report high accuracy. Methods: This narrative review used a structured literature mapping of peer-reviewed work, mainly from 2020 to 2025, identified through database searches and citation tracking using combined terms for artificial intelligence, machine learning, animal-source foods, postharvest food safety, slaughterhouse inspection, cold-chain monitoring, traceability, authenticity, HACCP, validation, and regulatory applicability. Results: The most implementation-proximate applications are computer vision prescreening in slaughterhouses and processing plants, sensor- and IoT-based cold-chain surveillance, freshness and adulteration screening, and digital traceability systems. Across these areas, stronger evidence is associated with clearly defined control points, transparent reference methods, external or temporal validation, auditable data flows, and documented human oversight. The main weaknesses are single-site datasets, retrospective designs, incomplete reporting of reference methods, limited workflow testing, and insufficient attention to false alerts, fallback procedures, and governance. Conclusions: AI should be viewed as targeted decision support, not as a replacement for established food-safety control. Future studies should prioritize prospective, multi-site, workflow-embedded validation and show how alerts lead to documented corrective or verification actions. Full article

Monitoring chemical residue levels in foods of animal origin is essential to ensure food safety and protect consumer health. Sulfites are commonly used in crustaceans to preserve quality; however, excessive levels may raise public health concerns, particularly for sensitive individuals. This study aimed to assess the compliance of shrimp from offshore and coastal fisheries in Morocco with current regulatory standards. A total of 60 samples were collected and analyzed for residual sulfite levels using the semi-quantitative strip test method. The results showed that sulfite concentrations ranged from 5 to 100 mg/kg in offshore samples, with a mean value of 41 mg/kg. Higher concentrations were observed in coastal samples, with an average of 172 mg/kg. Despite the observed differences between fishing origins, most samples complied with the established regulatory limits. These results support the importance of systematic monitoring programs within the fisheries supply chain to strengthen food safety control and contribute to veterinary public health protection. Full article

Food and medicine homology (FMH) substances are increasingly utilized as nutritional and medicinal resources in sustainable livestock production. Their active ingredients include polysaccharides, flavonoids, and terpenes, which may positively affect livestock meat quality by maintaining gut microbiota homeostasis, enhancing intestinal barrier function, and facilitating nutrient absorption, as well as regulating key signaling pathways such as mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Notably, the meat quality improvement can also be indirectly achieved via the gut–muscle axis. Gut microbiota metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids (BAs), and amino acid derivatives, modulate microbial homeostasis, intestinal barrier function, and nutrient absorption through the gut microbiota–metabolite axis, gut–immune axis, and nutrient absorption–signaling axis. These processes remotely regulate skeletal muscle metabolism, inflammation, and fiber type transformation, ultimately influencing meat tenderness, flavor, juiciness, and nutritional value. Despite their potential to reduce reliance on antibiotic growth promoters and enhance meat quality, multiple challenges persist, including complex component profiles, elusive mechanisms, undefined dose–effect relationships, inadequate standardization, insufficient safety evaluation and scarce direct trials on livestock meat quality endpoints. This review summarizes FMH substances that modulate the gut–muscle axis in meat quality regulation across different animal species and outlines their application prospects, aiming to facilitate antibiotic-free agriculture, the development of green functional feeds, and sustainable animal husbandry. Full article

This study investigated the effects of red grape pomace powder (GPP) on spontaneously fermented salamis produced from the meat of retired cows and young bulls of the Cinisara dairy breed. The use of GPP and meat from these animal categories was motivated by the valorization of low-commercial-value agri-food resources and the enhancement of sustainable local production chains. Plate count analyses showed typical fermentation dynamics, with lactic acid bacteria (LAB), coagulase-negative staphylococci, and yeasts reaching approximately 7 log CFU/g, and confirmed the absence of major foodborne pathogens. Illumina sequencing further characterized the bacterial community, identifying Latilactobacillus as the dominant genus at the end of ripening, with relative abundance (RA) of up to 65% in GPP-enriched trials. Physicochemical analyses showed progressive changes during ripening, including weight loss, pH decrease, color development, and increased proteolysis. GPP supplementation contributed to the stabilization of a*, chroma, and hue values, while reducing lightness during ripening. Oxidative stability measurements showed that GPP derived polyphenols effectively limited oxidative reactions, especially secondary lipid oxidation. GPP also modulated the volatile profile by increasing ester formation and introducing plant-derived compounds. Sensory evaluation revealed higher color intensity and aroma in enriched salamis, along with higher bitterness and lower structural homogeneity, especially in those produced from retired cows. Consumer surveys conducted in two retail settings indicated strong interest in this innovation, with over 80% of respondents willing to pay a 10–20% price premium. Overall, GPP emerges as a promising functional ingredient for enhancing, diversifying, and valorizing fermented salamis produced from dairy cattle meat, supporting both product innovation and sustainability-oriented strategies. Full article

Yersinia enterocolitica strains of biotype 4 (BT4) are the most prevalent in human cases in France, followed by biotype 2 (BT2). We evaluated four BT4 porcine (P) isolates and four BT2 bovine (B) isolates for their ability to survive at 4 °C in culture broth and on meat, exhibit motility at 4 °C and 12 °C, adhere to stainless steel at 12 °C, resist five biocides, and infect human intestinal Caco-2 cells. The objective was to determine whether animal isolates that genetically cluster with human (H) isolates (P+H+, B+H+) differ phenotypically from non-clustering isolates (P+H−, B+H−), based on core genome multi-locus sequence typing (cgMLST) using allelic distance thresholds of ≤5 for BT4 and ≤3 for BT2 isolates. No significant difference was observed for BT4 between P+H+ and P+H− isolates, nor for BT2 between B+H+ and B+H− isolates, for any test, except for motility. Porcine isolates clustering with human isolates (H+) exhibited a significantly reduced motility compared with non-clustering isolates (H−) (p-value < 0.05). In contrast, bovine isolates clustering with human isolates (H+) showed a significantly higher motility than non-clustering isolates (H−). Motility plays a role in the early stages of biofilm formation but is not directly involved in virulence, as Y. enterocolitica becomes non-motile at 37 °C. Animal isolates that did not cluster with human isolates displayed traits enabling their transmission along the food chain, suggesting potential low-level human exposure, asymptomatic carriage, or links to unreported infections. Full article

The transition toward sustainable food systems requires innovative approaches to managing perishable products, where inefficient inventory practices contribute significantly to global food loss and environmental degradation. This study develops a circular-economy-oriented inventory optimisation framework for dairy supply chains that integrates environmental externalities and waste valorisation pathways into operational decision-making. Departing from traditional linear “produce–consume–dispose” models, this study embeds three core sustainability mechanisms into a stochastic dynamic-programming framework: (1) progressive environmental cost internalisation aligned with EU Emissions-Trading System carbon pricing, capturing both waste-related emissions and cold-chain energy footprints; (2) circular-economy value-recovery channels that redirect near-expiry products to secondary applications (animal feed, biogas production, industrial processing) rather than disposal; and (3) deterioration-aware demand management that minimises resource throughput while maintaining service levels. Empirical calibration using Ukrainian dairy industry data demonstrates that sustainability-integrated inventory policies reduce waste generation by 4.8–10% relative to conventional approaches, with high-deterioration products showing the greatest potential for improvement. The authors identify a critical threshold in the circular economy: when salvage recovery rates exceed 35%, waste becomes an economic and ecological asset, fundamentally altering the sustainability calculus of inventory decisions. Environmental costs account for 4.6% of total operating expenses at current carbon prices, a share projected to increase substantially as climate regulations tighten. The findings provide actionable guidance for dairy supply chain stakeholders pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 12, 13): processors should establish circular-economy partnerships that achieve salvage rates above 35%, implement product-specific policies for high-deterioration items, and proactively integrate carbon pricing into inventory optimisation. The framework bridges sustainable operations theory and circular economy practice, offering a replicable model for transitioning perishable food supply chains toward closed-loop, low-waste configurations that simultaneously reduce environmental impact and enhance economic performance. Full article

The urban trade in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) plays a key role in sustaining livelihoods in the Global South, while also suggesting potential pressure on resource supply systems. This study provides an integrated analysis of NTFP diversity, market structure, economic importance, and perceived drivers of resource decline in Kolwezi, a rapidly expanding mining city where such dynamics remain poorly documented. Data were collected through surveys conducted with 35 sellers across two major urban markets and 384 consumers from different neighbourhoods and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics to examine patterns, associations, and socio-demographic influences. A total of 65 NTFP species were recorded, including 49 plant, 14 animal, and 2 fungal species, reflecting strong dependence on Miombo ecosystems. Medicinal (59.3%) and food uses dominate, with multifunctional species such as Bobgunnia madagascariensis (Desv.) J.H.Kirkbr. & Wiersama, Canarium schweinfurthii Engl., Terminalia mollis M.A.Lawson, Gardenia ternifolia subsp. jovis-tonantis (Welw.) Verdc., and Albizia antunesiana Harms, playing a central role in both household use and market supply. The trade is largely female-dominated (79.1%) and constitutes a major component of the informal urban economy, with monthly incomes ranging from USD 9 to 429.3, primarily driven by sales volume rather than unit price. However, the sector is constrained by structural and logistical limitations, including remoteness of supply areas, seasonality, and limited value addition. The perceived declining availability of high-use-value species, attributed by respondents to deforestation, mining expansion, and overexploitation, highlights perceived sustainability concerns. These pressures are perceived differently across socio-demographic groups, indicating heterogeneous understandings of environmental change. Overall, the results indicate a perceived mismatch between rising urban demand and declining resource availability, which may reflect an emerging socio-ecological imbalance between urban demand and perceived resource availability. Addressing these challenges requires integrated strategies that combine the domestication of priority species, the development of processing chains, improved infrastructure, and strengthened governance mechanisms. Such approaches are essential to reconcile livelihood support with the sustainable management of NTFPs in rapidly transforming urban landscapes. Full article