Search Results (295)

Limited data exists on the combined nutritional and phytochemical profiles of UK commercially available plant-based foods, limiting comprehensive compositional data available for dietary assessment and food formulation. This study addresses this gap by providing thorough compositional analysis of quinoa (red, black, organic), chia seeds (organic, white), pumpkin seeds (conventional, organic), flaxseeds (brown, golden, organic), and triticale grain (organic, cereal meal, rolled), profiling macronutrients, dietary fiber, amino acids, fatty acids, essential minerals, and bioactive phytochemicals. Pumpkin seeds exhibited the highest protein (29–36%) and fat (42–46%) contents, markedly exceeding quinoa and triticale, highlighting their role as a plant-based protein and energy source. Flaxseeds and chia seeds provided the greatest dietary fiber (15 g/100 g), while mineral analysis identified pumpkin seeds as particularly rich in phosphorus and magnesium, and white chia seeds as a rich source of calcium and iron. Targeted LC-MS/MS and HPLC screening (171 molecules) revealed substantial variation in phytochemical composition among products with red quinoa, golden flaxseed, and white chia seed containing the highest concentrations of quantified phytochemicals (up to 97.2 mg/100 g). These findings provide integrated data on the nutrient and phytochemical composition of selected commercially available products, reinforcing the practical importance of crop diversity for enhancing dietary nutrient and phytochemical diversity and informing future research, food innovation, and dietary assessment initiatives involving plant-based foods. Full article

Coeliac disease is a chronic autoimmune enteropathy triggered by gluten consumption in genetically predisposed individuals. Given that lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) is the only effective treatment, the nutritional quality of commercially available gluten-free (GF) products is of particular importance. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional content of selected GF products across multiple food categories available in the Greek market and compare them with their gluten-containing (GC) counterparts. In addition, the nutritional adequacy of a GFD for adults was assessed through an indicative 7-day dietary meal plan. A total of 228 food products (114 GF and 114 GC), categorized as charcuterie, starchy, bakery, confectionery, miscellaneous, meat-based, and plant-based, were included. Analysis of food label information revealed broadly comparable nutritional profiles with respect to energy, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugar, and sodium between GF and GC products. However, GF products contained less protein (7.31 ± 4.94 g vs. 9.86 ± 4.79 g, p < 0.001) and more dietary fibre (4.55 ± 3.05 g vs. 3.23 ± 2.21 g, p = 0.001). Analysis of the meal plan demonstrated that recommended intakes for all evaluated macronutrients and most micronutrients can be achieved while following a GFD with careful dietary planning. However, iron intake fell slightly below the recommended level for premenopausal women, while meeting vitamin D requirements remained challenging. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of partial replacement of fishmeal with 11% defatted Hermetia illucens meal (corresponding to approximately 35% replacement of the fishmeal-derived animal protein fraction) on growth performance, fillet proximate composition, and instrumental sensory responses of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) reared under commercial offshore farming conditions. A total of 60,000 fish were distributed into four sea cages and fed either a control diet (FM) or an insect-based diet (HIM) for 181 days. No significant differences were observed between dietary treatments in final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, or somatic indices, indicating that insect meal inclusion did not impair productive performance under farm-scale conditions. Fillet proximate composition was largely preserved. Fillet sensory characteristics were assessed using an integrated artificial sensing platform including an electronic eye (E-eye), electronic nose (E-nose), and electronic tongue (E-tongue) coupled with multivariate analysis. E-eye and E-nose analyses showed no clear discrimination between dietary groups, indicating that dietary insect meal inclusion had limited effects on fillet visual appearance and volatile compound profiles. In contrast, E-tongue analysis revealed a clear separation between treatments, suggesting selective modulation of taste-related attributes associated with dietary inclusion of insect meal. Overall, the results demonstrate that defatted H. illucens meal can be incorporated into practical seabream diets under commercial farming conditions without compromising productive performance or major fillet quality traits. Furthermore, this study provides farm-scale evidence that artificial sensing technologies can effectively detect subtle diet-related changes in sensory characteristics, particularly those associated with taste perception. Full article

Introduction: Inland fisheries in their diverse forms are an important activity in Portugal, currently involving about 100,000 fishers. Despite their relevance, there is still limited knowledge regarding the economic multiplier effect associated with this activity, including its contribution to local and regional economies, its broader socio-economic impacts, and its role in promoting nature-based tourism. Objective: The INFISHERIES.PT project aims to characterize the socio-economic value of inland fisheries in Portugal. Methodology: The three main fishing activities in Portugal (professional, sport, and recreational fisheries) were considered to assess inland fisheries’ economic value. Data on annual expenditures of competitive sport anglers were collected through an online questionnaire distributed by the Portuguese Federation of Sport Fishing, while data on recreational fishers were obtained through face-to-face surveys. The analysis of professional fisheries was based on official catch declarations submitted to the national licensing authority (ICNF) between 2012 and 2024. Interim Results: Results for sport fisheries indicate an estimated mean annual direct expenditure of €6.7 million, with fishing equipment accounting for the largest share, followed by travel, meals, and accommodation. Social interaction was identified as the main motivation for recreational fishing, followed by contact with nature, as well as motivations related to peace, relaxation, and entertainment. Respondents most frequently reported annual expenditures between €100 and €499 on fishing equipment, travel, and food during fishing trips. Regarding professional fisheries, results highlight the increasing importance of non-native species in total catches, particularly the red swamp crayfish, in recent years. Native migratory species, such as the European eel, sea lamprey, and allis shad, despite lower catch volumes, maintain high market value and make a significant contribution to total revenue. Conclusions: The results obtained to date in this project indicate that freshwater fishing in Portugal is a relevant activity, both in its commercial and non-commercial forms, and plays an important economic role at local and regional levels. Moreover, sport and recreational angling, in particular, also serve as drivers of nature-based tourism, potentially contributing to increased environmental awareness among the population and pressuring authorities to maintain freshwater ecosystems in good ecological condition. Full article

The objective of this research was to evaluate different commercial eubiotics. The eubiotics were evaluated individually and in combination on growth performance, carcass traits, and gut structure in broilers fed sorghum–soybean meal diets. A total of 1000 Ross 308 male broilers were randomly allocated to one of five dietary treatments with eight replicates of 25 broilers each. The experimental treatments were: 1. CON (basal diet), 2. ENR (basal diet + Enradin^® 100 g/ton), 3. PF (basal diet + Probion-forte© 300 g/ton), 4. PF+ EB (basal diet + Probion-forte© and EndoBan FT^® 250 and 250 g/ton, respectively), 5. CPP (basal diet + CRINA^® Poultry Plus 300 g/ton). Broilers fed with eubiotic-supplemented diets showed significantly ameliorated growth performance compared with the control group (CON p < 0.05). Carcass weight was also significantly higher in broilers fed with eubiotics than those fed CON (the basal diet, p < 0.05). Gut structure analysis showed an increased villus height and mucosal thickness in the duodenum of eubiotic-treated groups (p < 0.05). The mixed supplementation of Probion-forte© and EndoBan^®(PF-EB) induced greater villus height and mucosal thickness in the jejunum and ileum (p < 0.05). Additionally, supplementation with PPR (CRINA^® Poultry Plus) increased crypt depth in the duodenum and jejunum (p < 0.05), whereas PF (Probion-forte©) improved the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in the duodenum and ileum (p < 0.05). Consequently, dietary supplementation with these commercial eubiotics, individually and in combination, could ameliorate productive performance, carcass yield, skin pigmentation, and gut structure in broilers. Full article

Hemp and linseed are nutritionally valuable commodities that exhibit considerable varietal differences in composition. Nutrient composition was evaluated in 12 hemp and 11 linseed varieties, including commercially cultivated varieties from the EU Common Catalogue and newly bred lines, to assess varietal variability. Field experiments were conducted under uniform agronomic conditions in the Czech Republic during a single growing season using field-block samples. Analyses included proximate composition (dry matter, crude protein, fat, fiber, ash), fatty acid and amino acid profiles, carotenoids, vitamins, and cannabinoid content. Statistical evaluation was performed using a General Linear Model with Duncan’s multiple range test (p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed across most parameters, indicating substantial inter-varietal variability under the experimental conditions. Fat content ranged from approximately 200 to 377 g/kg in both oilseeds, with lipids dominated by polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly linoleic (n-6) and α-linolenic (n-3) acids. Hemp and linseed show potential as alternative plant protein sources in animal nutrition, but further digestibility and feeding studies are needed to confirm their suitability as partial soybean meal substitutes. Varietal selection may contribute to improved nutritional quality while influencing levels of undesirable constituents such as Δ⁹-THC in hemp. Full article

Background/Objectives: Several randomized controlled trials have found that dietary interventions promoting self-guided shifts away from ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and toward minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods may alleviate depressive symptoms. However, translating these interventions into scalable and sustainable real-world approaches remains a key challenge. Adopting a minimally processed dietary pattern requires sustained effort (e.g., meal planning, shopping, and preparation) within environments where UPFs are pervasive and convenient. These demands may be especially burdensome for individuals experiencing depressive symptoms. Consequently, interventions that rely heavily on individual effort may be difficult to maintain. Commercial meal delivery services may offer a structural solution by reducing logistical and cognitive barriers to dietary change, yet little is known about how individuals with depressive symptoms experience this approach. Methods: In a parent study, we conducted a randomized pilot study of a meal delivery service designed to provide minimally processed meals to adults with moderate to moderately severe depressive symptoms; here we report qualitative findings from post-intervention interviews with participants assigned to the meal delivery condition (n = 20). Results: Participants appreciated reductions in preparatory effort and mental load, which supported adherence. Dietary changes were also linked to improved mood through increased energy, mood stability, and more positive self-evaluation. However, social settings were a near-universal barrier, and acceptability depended on palatability, compatibility with personal preferences, and perceived autonomy. Several participants also described a temporal adjustment process (early cravings/withdrawal followed by adaptation). Conclusions: Overall, these findings suggest participant-informed priorities for future testing and refinement of scalable meal delivery interventions for depression, including personalization and choice, quality control, and support for social and withdrawal-related challenges. Full article

This study evaluated locally available dry feed formulations (FFs) as practical alternatives to fresh Chlorella sp. for culturing the freshwater fairy shrimp Streptocephalus sirindhornae. Seven dietary treatments were evaluated, including fresh Chlorella sp. at 1 × 10⁶ cells mL⁻¹ (FF1; control) and six mixed dry diets (FF2–FF7) formulated from spirulina powder, commercial shrimp feed, fish meal, and rice bran. Fairy shrimp were cultured for 20 days in a completely randomized design with three replicates per treatment at a stocking density of 30 individuals L⁻¹. Growth performance (body length and wet body weight) and survival were assessed across three developmental stages (1–5, 6–10, and 11–20 days post-hatch). Across all developmental stages, FF2 (50% spirulina powder + 50% commercial shrimp feed) consistently supported culture performance comparable to that of the control treatment. During the early developmental stage (1–5 days post-hatch), shrimp fed FF2 exhibited growth and survival rates comparable to those of the control group and significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those observed in several other dry diet treatments. During the late developmental stage (11–20 days post-hatch), survival of shrimp fed FF2 (62.45 ± 5.28 percent) did not differ significantly from that of the control group (61.85 ± 4.25 percent) but was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than survival in the other dry diet treatments. In addition, shrimp biomass produced with FF2 showed greater protein, lipid, carotenoid, and amino acid contents than shrimp fed fresh Chlorella sp. Protein, lipid, and amino acid contents were determined using standard AOAC methods, and carotenoid content was analyzed by HPLC. These findings suggest that FF2 may serve as a practical algae-independent diet for maintaining growth and survival of S. sirindhornae under controlled hatchery conditions. Full article

Sustainable phosphorus (P) management in agriculture requires a circular economy approach through the use of so-called bio-based fertilizers (BBFs). The properties of BBFs vary widely depending on raw materials and production processes. However, it is still unknown how these properties, and particularly the dominant P compounds determine not only the efficiency of BBFs in supplying P to crops, but also their effects on soil functioning and crop quality. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a representative set of BBFs, and relate this efficiency to their composition and dominant P compounds. To this end, 14 BBFs were studied: four from water purification (struvite, vivianite, and sewage sludge with and without composting), four composts (municipal solid waste (MSW), vineyard residues, and two using olive husks), three vermicomposts (two homemade and one commercial), fish meal, digestate, and a commercial organic fertilizer. Phosphorus forms in BBFs were determined using ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (P-NMR). The BBFs were compared to a single superphosphate (SSP) in a pot experiment growing wheat in two different alkaline soils, one rich in iron (Fe) oxides and one rich in carbonates. The effects on critical elements in grain [magnesium, Fe, zinc (Zn), manganese, and copper] and enzyme activities related to soil functioning and P cycling were also assessed. The dominant P compound in the BBFs was orthophosphate (73.8–89.5% of the total P in the NaOH–EDTA extracts). The MSW had the highest polyphosphate content (4.1%), a complex inorganic P compound. The organic P content ranged from 9.2% (fish meal) to 25.5% (Moge). Sewage sludge and composted sludge contributed high levels of phosphonates (4.1 and 5.6% of extracted P). The most abundant organic P compound class was inositol hexakisphosphates (IHPs), and myo-IHP (phytate) was the dominant IHP stereoisomer (1.2–6.4%) followed by D-chiro-IHP and scyllo-IHP. Plant dry matter and grain yield with most BBFs were not significantly different from that of SSP in both soils, likely due to the high concentrations of phosphate in relatively soluble forms in most of the BBFs. Vivianite and sewage sludge resulted in significantly higher grain yield than SSP (43% and 40%, respectively) in the carbonate-rich soil, likely due to progressive phosphate dissolution, which decreased the precipitation rate of insoluble calcium (Ca) phosphates. The highest P recoveries were obtained with horse manure vermicompost (65% and 15% higher than SSP in the Fe oxide-rich and in the carbonate-rich soil, respectively), partially attributed to the decreased precipitation rate of insoluble Ca phosphates with the added organic matter. Some BBFs increased micronutrient concentrations in grains and most decreased the P-to-Zn ratio relative to SSP. Overall, phosphatase and β-glucosidase activities increased with carbon-rich BBFs. Most of the studied BBFs could effectively replace fertilizers from non-renewable sources, in some cases with better crop P recoveries. Furthermore, some BBFs could provide additional benefits to grain quality, in terms of micronutrient supply for humans, and soil functioning. Full article

Accurate measurement of chewing events in natural eating conditions is important for unobtrusive monitoring of feeding behavior and masticatory function. Yet, existing methods often rely on contact sensors, dedicated wearables, or manual annotation. This work presents a non-contact, video-based framework for chewing-event detection using frontal facial video, normalized 3D facial landmark dynamics, and recurrent temporal modeling. To obtain physiologically grounded reference labels, synchronized bilateral anterior temporalis surface electromyography was acquired during real-meal sessions and used to derive chewing-event annotations during dataset construction, whereas inference relied exclusively on video. Facial motion was represented from frame-wise 3D landmarks and processed by recurrent neural networks, with model selection performed through Bayesian hyperparameter optimization. On an independent hold-out test set comprising five sessions and 18,836 frames, the proposed method detected 577 chewing events versus 589 ground truth events, corresponding to a mean absolute error of 4.4 chews/session and a mean absolute percentage error of 4.32%. A comparison with a related rule-based video method from the literature showed substantially larger counting errors (MAE = 39.4, MAPE = 30.39%), particularly in sessions that included concurrent activities such as speaking, suggesting that the proposed approach can reduce counting errors relative to the considered rule-based baseline under the specific meal conditions tested in this feasibility study. The effect of landmark-localization uncertainty on the predicted chewing probability was assessed through Monte Carlo propagation, showing limited impact for most prediction instants and greater sensitivity for intermediate probability values. Finally, the ONNX implementation achieved a mean latency of 8.96 ± 5.74 ms on CPU and 6.89 ± 3.58 ms with CUDA execution on the test workstation, supporting real-time applicability. To support practical deployment, the pipeline was also implemented as a native Kotlin Android application and tested on a commercial tablet, achieving real-time operation at 20 fps. Full article

This study comprehensively explores the environmental implications of two feeding strategies in pig farming, focusing on three scenarios: Brazilian tables (BT-2017), NRC (NRC-2012), and AGPIC (AGPIC-2021). The comparison involves conventional phase-feeding (CON) and the daily fit model (DFM). The five-phase system provided the same diet to all pigs within a group during each proposed phase. In contrast, the DFM adjusted the diet based on the nutritional requirements of pigs, anticipating subsequent diets through daily adjustments. We employed a cradle-to-gate approach, with the functional unit defined as one barrow with an initial body weight of 20.61 ± 0.85 kg, raised to 138.94 ± 0.90 kg over a 120-day growing-finishing period. Input data were sourced from observed commercial records from pig farms in Brazil, including over 1,000,000 data points from pigs raised under standard industry conditions. We evaluated the impact of the life cycle by considering factors such as acidification, climate change, ecotoxicity, eutrophication, land use, resource use, and water use. The OpenLCA software (version 1.11.0) and the Environmental Footprint 3.0 impact assessment method were used. Our results indicate that the DFM consistently outperforms the CON strategy in terms of reducing environmental impacts. Among the three scenarios, BT-2017 results in higher environmental impact reductions compared with NRC-2012 and AGPIC-2021. This is due to the higher concentration of corn and soybean meal in diets. Notable reductions include in relation to land use-related climate change impacts (12.55%), freshwater eutrophication (6.21%), mineral and metal resource depletion (6.11%), and fossil resource use (4.88%). These findings highlight that even modest adjustments to feeding strategies can effectively reduce the environmental footprint of pig farming. Full article

Clinical trials suggest that daily vinegar ingestion improves fasting blood glucose concentrations, postprandial glucose excursions, and hemoglobin A1c levels in patients with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. With the recent commercialization of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technologies, diabetes patients as well as other health-conscious individuals can evaluate the impact of food choices in real-time and make data-driven decisions to improve dietary behaviors. This 9-day, randomized crossover study documented CGM-derived glycemic patterns during vinegar ingestion in adults with prediabetes. Participants consumed two tablespoons of vinegar twice daily with meals for four days or a control tablet each morning for four days in random order. For each phase, fasting blood glucose on day four, average blood glucose across three days, and peak glucose excursion across three days were calculated. Fasting glucose concentrations of participants (n = 10 women; 36.6 ± 15.6 y; 33.9 ± 6.5 kg/m²) averaged 105.8 ± 20.6 mg/dL at baseline. Vinegar ingestion was associated with significant reductions in the mean glucose concentration (−4.4 mg/dL) and the frequency of blood glucose excursions > 140 mg/dL (−10%) in comparison to the control treatment, but fasting glucose concentrations were unaffected. These data suggest that vinegar-induced improvements in blood glucose can be observed in real-time using a CGM device in adults with prediabetes. Full article

Background/Objectives: In gilthead seabream, the transition from fish meal/oil-based diets to diets with partial plant-based replacement is gaining ground due to price fluctuations and environmental concerns. Most studies focus on the dietary effects on important commercial traits such as body weight and fat deposition, while metabolic traits and their underlying genetic and transcriptional regulation remain largely unexplored. Methods: In the present study, the response of metabolic traits (protein, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels) was measured in gilthead seabream of different genetic backgrounds at 15 (D15) and 30 days (D30) after a shift from a fish meal/oil-based diet (FM) to a plant-based (PP) diet. Results: Moderate heritability of total protein and triglyceride content of blood was estimated on D30. Significantly positive genetic correlations were observed between triglyceride D30 content and final weight and muscle fat. No significant genotype-by-diet interaction effects were detected. At the end of the production cycle, final body weight and fat were recorded, and hepatic expressions of ghri, ghrii, igf1 and ttr genes were measured in a subpopulation of 160 fish. An overall negative correlation was recorded between the hepatic expression of igf1 and final weight, whereas strong positive correlations were observed between the expression of all hepatic genes measured. In the same population, fourteen SNPs located in the 3′ UTR of ghrii and igf1 genes were genotyped and analyzed in two ways, as a sum-of-risk score and individually as predictors for body weight, muscle fat, metabolic traits and hepatic expression levels. The sum-of-risk score was significantly associated with muscle fat and ttr expression. Studying the effect of each SNP independently, two SNPs in the igf1 gene were associated with ghrii expression levels and one SNP in igf1 gene was associated with triglyceride levels at day 15 (Trigl_D15) while one SNP in ghrii was associated with ttr expression levels. Focusing on the diet, it was significantly associated with final weight, muscle fat, protein (D30) and triglycerides levels, and hepatic expression levels of ghrii. Full article

The increasing global demand for sustainable production of high-nutritional-value food and feed has emerged the need of harnessing the agro-industrial residues applying various innovative bioconversion strategies. In this context, the utilization of legume production wastes constitutes an intriguing subject because of their high content in nutritious molecules. The study herein concerns the incorporation of Fava Santorinis (Lathyrus clymenum) pericarps, an agro-industrial byproduct, into Black Soldier Fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens) larvae rearing diets to produce nutritious insect meals. Thus, four dietary treatments of BSF larvae were evaluated consisting of a commercial feed as control diet and three experimental diets incorporating 15%, 30% and 45% inclusion levels of fava bean pericarps. When BSF larvae reached their sixth instar stage, their growth performance and the nutritional content of the produced insect meal were assessed. Best results were obtained for BSF rearing with feed containing 30% and 45% pericarps, establishing the valorization of a large amount of pericarp, achieving a high growth rate and a rich protein content exceeding 30%. On the other hand, the presence of saponines was not determined, although the overall larvae performance indicates a high tolerance to their presence. Finally, the assessment of insect meals lipidic profiles revealed the prevalence of saturated lauric acid, an established potent antimicrobial agent, along with lower amounts of unsaturated Ω-6 linolenic acid and Ω-3 linoleic acid acids. The results herein demonstrate a sustainable strategy for the bioconversion of Fava Santorinis production waste to nutritious animal feed in the context of circular economy. Full article

The adoption of cost-effective feeding regimes is essential to maintain the growth and physiological status of lambs after weaning. The economic benefits of an alternative concentrate diet for Omani lambs were also assessed. Twenty male Omani lambs (12.31 ± 3.22 kg; 5 months old) were allocated to a commercial concentrate (control) or formulated concentrate group (n = 10/treatment) for 63 days. The formulated concentrate consisted of date palm fronds (29%), barley (20%), fish meal (12%), date syrup (10%), Moringa oleifera (28%), and salt (1%), with all ingredient proportions expressed on a dry matter (DM) basis. Growth performance, feed efficiency, hematological indices, serum biochemical parameters, and cost analyses were evaluated using individual lambs as the experimental unit. Growth performance, feed efficiency, hematological and serum biochemical parameters, and cost analyses were performed. Final body weight (BW), total weight gain (TWG), average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were similar between the groups (p > 0.05). The average daily feed intake was similar between groups (p = 0.321). However, the feed cost per kg of gain and feeding cost were lower (p < 0.001) by 63 and 58%, respectively, for the formulated concentrate group. Time × group interactions were observed for red blood cell parameters, with higher platelet counts (p < 0.001) and reticulocyte hemoglobin content (p = 0.018) in the formulated concentrate group. The serum biochemical parameters changed over time, with similar responses between the groups. Appropriate substitution of ingredients in lamb concentrate diets with agricultural by-products positively influenced economic efficiency. Full article