Search Results (2,158)

Nutritional supplementation with pollen and protein-based patties is widely used in apiculture to support honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica) colonies during periods of limited natural forage, particularly in early spring and late summer. This study evaluated the effects of different supplemental diets on the survival, food intake, and gross energy content of caged adult worker bees of mixed ages under controlled laboratory conditions. Worker bees were fed four different diets: sucrose syrup (control), sugar patty, protein patty, and pollen patty. Survival, food intake, and gross energy content were assessed over an 18-day experimental period. Survival differed significantly among dietary treatments in both spring and summer experiments, with the highest final survival observed in bees receiving sugar patty (HBP). Aged-related differences in survival were treatment-dependent. Descriptive calorimetric data showed that bees receiving the pollen-enriched patty (HBP-PO) had the highest mean GE of bee body (22.05 ± 0.38 MJ/kg), with similarly high values observed in the 18-day old bees (22.28 ± 0.18 MJ/kg) and 20-day old bee workers (22.26 ± 0.23 MJ/kg). Notably, the GE content of the experimental diets did not correspond directly to the GE measured in bee bodies: the sucrose syrup had the highest dietary GE (16.56 ± 0.01 MJ/kg), whereas bees fed pollen-enriched patty showed the highest descriptive mean GE despite this diet having the lowest GE among the tested patties. These findings indicate that dietary caloric density alone may not predict the energetic status or survival of worker bees and suggest that diet composition and worker age contribute to different physiological responses to supplemental feeding. The experiment was conducted under controlled cage conditions; further studies at the colony level under apiary conditions are needed to determine whether these individual-level responses are maintained within functioning honey bee colonies. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of dietary glycerol monolaurate (GML) supplementation on feline growth performance and intestinal health. Twenty-four adult British Shorthair cats (3.03 ± 0.07 kg) were initially enrolled. Following a 56-day pre-feeding period, 18 eligible cats were allocated to two dietary groups, of which 12 cats were prespecified for final sample collection and statistical analysis (n = 6): a control group (CON, basal diet) and an experimental group (EXP, basal diet + 2000 mg/kg GML product) for a 28-day trial. Dietary GML significantly increased the average daily feed intake. GML supplementation significantly increased the changes in fecal score and fecal pH, and a significant GML × day interaction was observed for the change in fecal pH. GML improved the apparent digestibility of dry matter, gross energy, crude fat, and crude protein. Furthermore, serum albumin increased within the normal range. Cats in the EXP group showed elevated antioxidant enzyme activities, alongside lower malondialdehyde concentrations. GML also elevated serum immunoglobulin A and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines. Fecal analyses showed reduced acetic acid and total volatile fatty acids, but elevated propionic acid. Microbiome and metabolomic profiling revealed that GML decreased the relative abundance of Streptococcus and metabolites such as Linoleic Acid and 12,13-Epome, while increasing the relative abundances of Collinsella, Peptoclostridium, Clostridium, and (-)-Jasmonic Acid. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for applying GML in pet foods to optimize companion animal extruded diets. Full article

Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is a major mycotoxin in poultry feeds that can impair growth and damage multiple organs. This study evaluated whether dietary rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) could mitigate AFB₁-induced alterations in broiler chickens. Forty-five one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were assigned for 21 days to a control diet, a diet containing 250 µg/kg AFB₁, or the AFB₁-contaminated diet supplemented with 0.5% rosemary. Growth performance, relative organ weights, hematologic and serum biochemical profiles, hepatic and renal histopathology, and intestinal and glomerular morphometry were evaluated. AFB₁ significantly reduced body weight on day 14 (p = 0.028), worsened feed conversion ratio on days 7 and 14 (p = 0.001 and p = 0.011, respectively), decreased feed intake on day 21 (p = 0.004), and reduced relative bursal weight (p = 0.036). Rosemary supplementation significantly improved feed conversion during the first two weeks and restored feed intake on day 21 to values comparable with the Control group. Although body weight in the AF+PHY group was 22.3% higher than in the AF group on day 14, this pairwise difference was not statistically significant; nevertheless, the magnitude of this numerical response may be practically relevant by reducing early AFB₁-associated performance losses. AFB₁ also increased hepatic and glomerular lesion severity and reduced duodenal villus height (p = 0.012) and villus-plus-crypt length (p = 0.006). Rosemary significantly reduced bile duct epithelial degeneration (p < 0.001), overall hepatic lesion severity, and glomerular obliteration (p < 0.001), reducing the mean glomerular obliteration score by 41.3% relative to the AF group (1.55 vs. 2.64), while preserving duodenal villus-plus-crypt length at values not significantly different from the Control group. These findings indicate that 0.5% dietary rosemary partially mitigates AFB₁ toxicity, with statistically supported improvements in feed efficiency and attenuation of selected hepatic, renal, and intestinal structural alterations. Full article

Dietary nucleotides and nucleic-acid-derived compounds are considered bioactive nutrients, but their metabolic relevance remains uncertain. This narrative review, supported by a structured literature search, evaluates intestinal handling and evidence on glucose and lipid metabolism, redox homeostasis, immune function, gut barrier regulation, and microbiota. Direct supplementation studies are distinguished from nucleoside/nucleobase evidence, dietary nucleic acids or purine-rich foods, and endogenous extracellular purinergic signaling. Preclinical studies suggest defined nucleotide preparations may modulate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1)/protein kinase B (AKT)/forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) signaling, lipid accumulation, and mitochondrial/redox-related endpoints. In contrast, extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP) studies provide mechanistic context but do not show that oral supplementation modifies purinergic signaling in humans. Human intervention evidence is sparse and derived from older adults not selected for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Reductions in homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) should be interpreted as changes in a surrogate estimate, not proof of therapeutic efficacy. The supplemental doses evaluated in available human intervention studies appear generally well-tolerated, whereas short-term high nucleotide intake can raise circulating uric acid. Dietary nucleotides therefore remain candidate, not established, metabolic or immune therapies. Full article

The rumen is a complex microbial ecosystem in which anaerobic fermentation determines the availability of energy and protein to ruminant hosts and influences feed efficiency, animal productivity, and environmental emissions. This review integrates current knowledge of host–rumen microbiome interactions with particular emphasis on microbial fermentation, nutrient utilization, feed efficiency, methane (CH₄) production, and sustainable ruminant production. We examine how dietary factors, including forage-to-concentrate ratio, carbohydrate fermentability, protein degradability, and lipid supplementation, alter microbial community structure, hydrogen metabolism, volatile fatty acid production, microbial protein synthesis, and nitrogen utilization. The review further evaluates microbiome-targeted strategies, including 3-nitrooxypropanol, red seaweeds (Asparagopsis spp.), nitrate, direct-fed microbials, and plant-derived bioactive compounds, with emphasis on their effects on fermentation pathways and methanogenesis; these strategies differ substantially in evidence base and mechanistic specificity, with 3-nitrooxypropanol supported by the most consistent mechanistic and in vivo evidence and several plant-derived compounds and direct-fed microbials showing more variable responses. Evidence from microbiome-wide and genome-wide association studies indicates that host genetics contributes to variation in rumen microbial composition and function, with potential consequences for feed efficiency and CH₄ emissions. Host-side determinants of the rumen environment, such as feed intake, digesta passage rate, saliva production, and epithelial and immune function, further shape microbial responses. However, responses to microbiome-targeted interventions remain variable because of microbial functional redundancy, dietary context, adaptation, and host-specific effects. We therefore discuss the major constraints limiting the consistent translation of microbiome research into practical feeding strategies and propose an integrated framework combining functional microbiome indicators, precision nutrition, host–microbiome-informed selection, and real-time monitoring. Understanding and manipulating rumen microbial fermentation through coordinated nutritional and host-based approaches may provide a pathway toward improving ruminant productivity while reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production. Among the strategies reviewed, 3-nitrooxypropanol currently has the strongest and most reproducible evidence base, whereas plant-derived bioactives and several direct-fed microbials remain promising but inconsistent, and validated on-farm microbiome biomarkers remain a major gap. Full article

In broiler farming, high-fat (HF) diets are frequently incorporated, often leading to hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress, and gut damage. 1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) has emerged as a promising feed additive in animal husbandry due to its significant role in enhancing animal health. This study assessed the protective effects of DNJ-enriched mulberry extract (DNJ) on liver and gut health in broilers subjected to an HF diet, with particular emphasis on the liver-gut interaction. A total of 360 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were initially raised on a basal diet for 20 days, after which they were assigned to one of three dietary treatments from days 21 to 42: a control diet (CON), an HF diet, and an HF diet supplemented with 80 mg/kg DNJ (HF + DNJ). By day 42, broilers on the HF diet exhibited increased body weight, feed intake, and body weight gain, alongside reduced feed conversion efficiency. In contrast, DNJ supplementation reduced body weight without affecting feed intake in the HF diet group. It lowered liver T-CHO and LDL-C levels, increased SOD and CAT activities, and decreased MDA. Histological analyses showed that DNJ preserved intestinal mucosal structure and epithelial tight junctions. DNJ supplementation enriched microbes like Actinobacteriota and Baceroidota and reversed the HF-induced Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidota ratio. Furthermore, Bifidobacterium pullorum and Bacteroidota were positively correlated with antioxidant markers. In conclusion, dietary DNJ-enriched mulberry extract serves as an effective functional feed substance that mitigates HF-induced metabolic syndromes in broilers by balancing lipid metabolism, enhancing antioxidant defenses, safeguarding intestinal barrier integrity, and restoring healthy microbial community structures along the liver-gut axis. Full article

This study evaluated a rumen-derived Streptococcus macedonicus isolate in Barki lambs using in vitro and in vivo approaches. The isolate was characterized for antibacterial activity and antimicrobial susceptibility. In vitro, a control diet was incubated for 24 h with 0, 0.002, 0.004, 0.008, or 0.016 g of S. macedonicus, and fermentation and digestibility were determined. In vivo, 40 Barki lambs were assigned to four dietary treatments for 210 d: control, control plus 1 g/d commercial probiotic, or control plus 1 or 2 g/d S. macedonicus. Feed intake, nutrient digestibility, growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality were evaluated. The isolate showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus cereus. In vitro, S. macedonicus increased dry matter digestibility (52.9% to 56.7%; p = 0.042) and total gas production (p < 0.0001). In vivo, dry matter digestibility increased from 66.3% to 75.2% (p = 0.002). Supplemented lambs had greater final body weight, average daily gain, and an improved feed conversion ratio (p < 0.001). Supplementation also improved carcass yield, dressing percentage, longissimus muscle area, lean proportion, water-holding capacity, and meat redness while reducing carcass fat percentage. Overall, rumen-derived S. macedonicus improved nutrient utilization, growth performance, and carcass and meat quality traits. Full article

Background/Objectives: Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of IBD and be associated with disease activity. The aim of the study was to assess vitamin D levels, their association with disease activity in patients with IBD. Methods: A total of 231 subjects took part in the cross-sectional comparative study, including 129 patients with IBD and 102 healthy individuals Disease Activity Index and the Montreal classification were used to assess disease activity in patients with CD. For patients with UC, the Partial Mayo Score and the Montreal classification were applied. To determine total 25(OH)D chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) technology was used. Results: The concentration of 25(OH)D was significantly lower in the group of patients with IBD compared to the control group (25.5 ng/mL vs. 28.8 ng/mL, p = 0.0027). Differences in 25(OH)D concentrations depended on IBD activity, with significantly higher vitamin D concentrations found in patients in remission compared to those with active IBD (28.9 ± 7.2 ng/mL vs. 22.3 ± 6.1 ng/mL, p = 0.0022). This association was confirmed for both UC and CD patients. A multivariate adaptive regression model using spline curves revealed a relationship between serum 25(OH)D concentrations in patients with IBD and total dietary vitamin D intake, including vitamin D supplementation, consumption of one serving of fish per week, and disease remission. Conclusions: Serum 25(OH)D levels in IBD patients may serve as an additional, useful, and non-invasive marker of disease activity. Full article

Rumen development and microecological homeostasis are critical for post-weaning health in lambs; however, effective nutritional strategies combining probiotics and antimicrobial peptides remain underexplored. This study investigated the effects of graded doses of a combined additive (Candida utilis + antimicrobial peptide (AMP)) on rumen development and microecology in weaned Hu lambs. Forty healthy pre-weaning male lambs (initial body weight: 15.77 ± 1.25 kg; age: 42.98 ± 1.80 d) were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 10): a control group (CK, fed milk/basal diet), and three treatment groups receiving the same milk/basal diet supplemented with graded doses of the combined additive, based on feed intake (LCB: AMP 0.05 g/kg + C. utilis 0.1 g/kg, MCB: AMP 0.05 g/kg + C. utilis 0.8 g/kg, HCB: AMP 0.05 g/kg + C. utilis 1.5 g/kg) over a 40-day period starting from day 6. At the end of the trial, six lambs per group were randomly selected for sampling for analyses of rumen morphology, fermentation parameters, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and untargeted metabolomics. Results showed that, compared with CK, (1) MCB and HCB increased papilla height, and HCB also increased papilla width (p < 0.05); papilla width and muscular layer thickness showed significant linear increases with increasing additive dose (p < 0.05). (2) All treatments linearly reduced ruminal pH (p < 0.05), although all values remained within the normal physiological range; meanwhile, all treatment groups showed elevated levels of microbial protein (MCP), butyrate, valerate, and isovalerate; MCP also increased linearly with dose (p < 0.05); LCB decreased the acetate-to-propionate ratio(A:P), and this ratio exhibited a significant quadratic trend across treatment groups (p < 0.05). (3) HCB increased the α-diversity indices and reduced Methanobacteriota abundance; LCB elevated Bacillota; and all treatments decreased Spirochaetota, Synergistota, and Cyanobacteriota but increased Actinomycetota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Thermodesulfobacteriota (p < 0.05). (4) The number of differential metabolites and KEGG pathway enrichments gradually increased with increasing doses of the combined additive, with HCB exerting the most extensive modulatory effects on signaling and neural pathways. (5) Volatile fatty acids, Bacteroidota, and Xylanibacter were positively correlated with rumen development parameters (p < 0.05). Collectively, dietary supplementation with the combined additive improved rumen fermentation, microbial community structure, and metabolic profiles, with the high-dose (HCB) regimen showing the most effects on select parameters, whereas the low-dose (LCB) regimen exhibited advantages in specific fermentation traits. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the potential application of this combined additive in post-weaning lamb diets. Full article

Plant-based dietary patterns are typically discussed in terms of nutrients of concern—iron, creatine, indispensable amino acids, and rapidly fermented carbohydrates—based on the assumption that reduced dietary exposure necessarily translates into reduced physiological availability. This review examines physiological adaptation as an alternative framework, drawing on human intervention and observational evidence across five biological systems: iron homeostasis, endogenous biosynthesis of creatine and carnosine, protein metabolism, fermentation of dietary fiber by the gut microbiota, and the microbial biotransformation of plant polyphenols. Sustained changes in dietary exposure are accompanied by coordinated homeostatic responses, including increased intestinal iron absorption, upregulated endogenous synthesis, improved nitrogen economy, functional remodeling of the gut microbiota, and enhanced polyphenol biotransformation, which contribute to maintaining physiological function. However, adaptive capacity is not unlimited: pregnancy, chronic inflammation, malabsorptive disease, and severe or prolonged dietary insufficiency can exceed adaptive capacity and increase the physiological relevance of dietary intake, planning, or supplementation. Recognizing physiological adaptation as a distinct, measurable phenomenon reframes plant-based diets less as inherently deficient patterns requiring correction and more as a physiological model for understanding how the human body responds to sustained dietary change, with implications for interpreting acute versus long-term evidence and for nutritional counseling. Full article

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of substituting soybean meal with single-cell protein derived from Ralstonia eutropha H16 (SCP-H16) in broiler diets, with a specific emphasis on its impact on growth performance, meat quality, biochemical parameters, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health. A total of 540 one-day-old Arbor Acres (AA) male broiler chicks were randomly allocated to five treatment groups, each comprising six replicates of 18 chicks. The control group (CON) was provided with a corn-soybean meal basal diet, whereas the experimental groups received the basal diet supplemented with 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% SCP-H16, respectively, replacing soybean meal on an isonitrogenous basis. Specifically, dietary inclusion of 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% SCP-H16 replaced approximately 9%, 18%, 27%, and 36% of the soybean meal in the starter diet and 10%, 21%, 31%, and 41% in the grower diet, respectively. The feeding period lasted 42 days. The findings demonstrated that dietary supplementation with SCP-H16 significantly reduced the average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio of broilers (p < 0.05), without adversely affecting the final body weight and breast meat quality at 42 d. Compared to the CON group, the groups receiving 2% and 4% SCP-H16 exhibited significantly lower serum level of total cholesterol (T-CHO) (p < 0.05). Moreover, the serum activity of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) was significantly enhanced in the 2%, 4%, and 6% SCP-H16 groups, and the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) was significantly increased in the 2% and 4% SCP-H16 groups (p < 0.05), relative to the CON group. In the liver, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was significantly elevated in the 2% SCP-H16 group compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). Additionally, serum levels of IgG and IgM were significantly elevated in the 2%, 4%, and 6% SCP-H16 groups, while serum IgA level was increased across all SCP-H16-containing groups (p < 0.05). In the liver, both IgG and IgA levels were significantly elevated across all groups receiving SCP-H16 supplementation (p < 0.05). In the duodenum, the 2% SCP-H16 group exhibited a significantly greater villus height compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in both the duodenum and ileum, the groups receiving 2% and 4% SCP-H16 demonstrated a significant reduction in crypt depth and an increased villus height-to-crypt depth ratio relative to the CON group (p < 0.05). The 2% SCP-H16 group also showed significantly elevated mRNA expression levels of Occludin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in the duodenum compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). In the ileum, the 2% and 4% SCP-H16 groups exhibited significantly increased Occludin mRNA expression relative to the CON group (p < 0.05), with the 2% SCP-H16 group also showing a significant increase in zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) mRNA expression (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 2% to 4% SCP-H16 is associated with enhanced antioxidant capacity, elevated humoral immunity, and improved intestinal morphology and barrier-related gene expression, suggesting that SCP-H16 can serve as a promising alternative protein source to soybean meal. Full article

Functional pet foods are increasingly being developed to support host metabolism and intestinal health. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP), a major bioactive component of goji berries, has been reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and gut microbiota-regulatory activities; however, its effects in domestic cats remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of dietary LBP supplementation on serum metabolomic profiles and gut microbiota in adult cats. Twenty-four healthy adult Chinese domestic cats (1.50 ± 0.50 years old; 3.70 ± 0.80 kg) were allocated to four groups using a body-weight-balanced procedure (n = 6 per group): a basal diet group (C) and basal diet supplemented with 0.2% (L), 0.3% (M), or 0.4% (H) LBP. After a 1-week adaptation period, the formal feeding trial lasted 8 weeks. Growth-related indices, health scores, hematological and serum biochemical parameters, untargeted serum metabolomics, and fecal 16S rRNA sequencing were evaluated. LBP supplementation did not significantly affect body weight, average daily feed intake, body condition score, fecal score, coat score, hematological indices, or serum biochemical parameters. Metabolomic analysis showed that LBP mainly affected lipid metabolism, unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, branched-chain amino acid metabolism, lysine degradation, and protein digestion and absorption-related pathways. Microbiota analysis showed changes in alpha diversity, community structure, and the relative abundance of taxa such as Olsenella, Bifidobacterium, Catenibacterium, Peptoclostridium, Collinsella, and Clostridium. Correlation analysis suggested potential associations between key bacterial genera and serum metabolites related to fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. Overall, dietary LBP altered serum metabolic signatures and gut microbial composition without causing adverse effects in adult cats, These exploratory findings require confirmation in larger feline studies and do not establish an optimal supplementation level. Full article

Mineral elements affect tea nutritional and flavor quality, but systematic research on their dissolution behavior and links to volatile and taste profiles in Dahongpao tea is lacking, as is evidence regarding contribution to mineral intake for different populations. In this study, nine Dahongpao teas were brewed five times. Eleven elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with first-order kinetic fitting; volatile profiles were analyzed by electronic nose and taste attributes by electronic tongue; the contribution of tea infusions to dietary reference intakes was estimated from Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes (2023). The results showed that electronic nose analysis revealed distinct variation in volatile compound classes among the nine samples, with broad range and sulfur–organic compounds showing the highest response intensities. Electronic tongue analysis showed clear differences in taste profiles, particularly in astringency, umami, and sweetness, across the nine samples. Regarding dissolution behavior, Mg had the highest dissolution rate (67.24–70.94%), while Fe, Ca, K, and Zn were below 10%; dissolution followed first-order kinetics and total dissolved amounts correlated with total contents except for Fe. Network analysis integrating element data with volatile and taste profiles demonstrated that Mg and Mo contents were positively correlated with multiple volatile classes (e.g., sulfur–organic, broad range), while Ca, Mg, and Fe dissolution rates significantly correlated with richness and aftertaste-A, and Mo inversely correlated with sourness and saltiness. Contribution assessment showed that only Ca, K, Mg, and Se could be marginally supplemented, but the tea amounts needed far exceeded typical intake. In summary, element dissolution in Dahongpao tea is co-regulated by brew count and total content, with complex element–flavor interactions. Tea is not a primary mineral source; consumption should be individualized by age and physiological status. Full article

Background: Disturbances in mineral and bone metabolism are common in hemodialysis (HD) patients, increasing the risk of hyperphosphatemia. Dietary phosphorus restriction remains a cornerstone of management, often leading to stringent dietary recommendations. This study aimed to explore whether adopting a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern (Med-LDP), compared to a Western-like dietary pattern (West-LDP) was associated with serum phosphorus levels. Methods: This cross-sectional multicenter study included 564 HD patients from 37 dialysis centers. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were identified through principal component analysis based on 22 food groups. Associations between dietary patterns, phosphorus intake, and serum phosphorus levels were evaluated using correlations tests and linear regression analyses adjusted for demographic, clinical, nutritional, and dialysis-related factors. Results: Two different dietary patterns were identified: a “Mediterranean-like” pattern characterized by a higher intake of vegetables, legumes, fruit, starchy products, fish, olive oil, eggs, bakery products, and alcohol; and a “Western-like” characterized by a higher intake of soft drinks, red meat, fried and salted foods, fast food, and caffeine. Despite significantly higher intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrates, phosphorus, potassium, and fiber, patients following the Med-LDP exhibited lower serum phosphorus levels, calcium–phosphorus product, and PTHi concentrations. No differences were observed in serum potassium levels. The correlation between phosphorus intake and serum phosphorus was weak and not statistically significant. The West-LDP was positively associated with serum phosphorus levels and remained an independent predictor after adjustment for potential confounders. However, after further adjustment for the prescribed dosages of phosphate binders, vitamin D supplementation and analogs, as well as calcimimetics, the association was no longer statistically significant. Conclusions: HD patients following a Med-LDP exhibited lower serum phosphorus levels despite a higher phosphorus intake. These findings suggest that the overall dietary pattern may be a more important determinant of phosphorus homeostasis than total phosphorus intake alone. Full article

Unlike medicinal products (MPs), dietary supplements (DSs), foods for special medical purposes (FSMPs) and fortified foods (FFs) available on the Polish market are not required to meet pharmacopoeial quality standards. Dose uniformity testing, a pharmacopoeial requirement for MPs, confirms both the accuracy of the declared dose and consistency between individual doses. As consumption of DSs, FSMPs, and FFs continues to increase, particularly among vulnerable populations, ensuring consistent intake of essential nutrients becomes increasingly important. Therefore, adapting pharmacopoeial dose uniformity criteria to elemental analysis may provide an additional quality assessment tool beyond the percentage of the label claim. Accordingly, this study aimed to (1) validate a multi-element High-Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (HR-ICP-OES) method for assessing dose uniformity and (2) evaluate the uniformity of elemental doses in one DS and four FSMPs according to pharmacopoeial guidelines, with MPs included as reference materials. To achieve this, the key parameters of the HR-ICP-OES measurement methodology were defined to ensure reliable results, and the uniformity of the doses of the seven preparations was determined by establishing a pharmacopoeial acceptance value. Although HR-ICP-OES is useful for multi-element analysis of products, limitations have been identified relating to chemical and spectral interference, and to the analysis of selenium at low levels. Of the DSs and FSMPs analysed, none complied with the pharmacopoeial requirements for uniformity. Full article