Search Results (6,532)

Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum, 1792) is a non-native species in southern South America, where self-sustaining populations are established. After spawning migrations, adults die and provide substantial subsidies to freshwater food webs. We report the first direct evidence of predation on spawning Chinook salmon by South American sea lions Otaria byronia (de Blainville, 1820) in a river of southern Chile, up to 160 km upstream from estuaries. Sea lions appear to be exploiting a novel prey resource, indicating behavioral plasticity with potential ecological consequences for native species and riverine trophic dynamics. We discuss the implications of this previously unreported predator–prey interaction for the ecology of invaded freshwater systems in South America. Full article

Beginning with the notion that short-form video sites represent key digital commerce destinations for food influencers in general, there is very little research explaining how specific persuasion cues lead to varying degrees of consumer engagement. Based upon the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), Social Proof theory and the COBRA framework, this study aims to understand whether argument quality as a central-route cue and perceived emotional appeal as a peripheral-route cue affect consumption, contribution, creation engagement behaviors. Additionally, the study will determine if perceived post popularity, a platform-generated social proof signal, affects these relationships. A survey was conducted of 386 users of short food influencer videos. PLS-SEM analysis was performed on the survey data. Results indicated that both argument quality and perceived emotional appeal positively influence all three engagement levels. Perceived emotional appeal exerts a stronger effect, particularly on higher-engagement behaviors. The moderating effects of perceived post popularity were limited and applied solely to contribution, where it weakened the positive relationship between argument quality and contribution but strengthened the positive relationship between perceived emotional appeal and contribution. This study builds upon existing knowledge of how consumers respond to food influencer content by exploring differences between types of engagement and integrating platform-generated signals within an ELM-based theoretical model. Full article

Background: Within the fresh food e-commerce supply chain, government effort-contingent subsidies and logistics partnerships critically impact order pricing, preservation, and profitability. This study aims to investigate how different logistics cooperation modes interact with effort-contingent subsidies to optimize supply chain performance under preservation effort and random demand. Methods: We developed three Stackelberg game models: an independent logistics model, a logistics-supplier cooperation model without subsidies and a logistics-supplier cooperative model with government effort-contingent subsidies. Equilibrium strategies were derived theoretically and analyzed through numerical simulations to examine preservation efforts and pricing. Results: The findings show that logistics cooperation combined with effort-contingent subsidies not only optimizes the decision-making behaviors, but also effectively shares preservation costs and mitigates double marginalization. This synergy incentivizes higher preservation efforts and lowers wholesale prices, ultimately reducing retail prices and expanding market demand. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that excessively optimistic demand forecasts (over-ordering) sharply increase systemic costs, causing a reverse drop in actual demand. Conclusions: Government subsidies are an effective macro-policy tool for alleviating cold-chain costs when integrated with logistics cooperation. To build a sustainable supply chain, e-commerce platforms must adopt prudent ordering strategies, while policymakers should structurally design subsidies to incentivize preservation investments rather than purely subsidizing profits. Full article

This study evaluates the effects of germination on the composition, starch architecture, thermal profiles, short-range molecular order, and pasting behavior of wheat and rice flour systems and their corresponding isolated starch fractions. Germination significantly reduced total starch content in wheat flour (74.81–56.74%) and rice flour (85.55–64.00%). Additionally, amylose content decreased from 24.70 to 18.77% in wheat flour and from 20.83 to 19.69% in rice flour. Amylopectin A-chains increased in germinated wheat flour (33.98%) and germinated rice flour (31.49%), suggesting starch depolymerization and molecular restructuring. These structural changes are associated with lower gelatinization enthalpy values, which decreased from 8.82 to 4.78 J/g in wheat flour and from 9.99 to 6.90 J/g in rice flour, reflecting reduced thermal stability after sprouting. ATR-FTIR analysis showed that germinated flours had the highest short-range molecular order (1047/1023 ratios of 0.75 and 0.71 for wheat and rice, respectively), despite their lower starch content. Germination also affected the development of viscosity; peak viscosity decreased from 2482.5 to 217.0 cP in wheat flour and from 4830.0 to 1039.5 cP in rice flour. Germination influenced protein secondary structure: it increased relative α-helix content in flour systems (from 35.23% to 36.16% in wheat, and from 36.26% to 37.58% in rice) but decreased it in isolated starches (from 42.05% to 33.17% in wheat, and from 39.60% to 36.29% in rice), suggesting a matrix-specific response. Germination-induced depolymerization and reorganization altered starch structure, thermal properties, and viscosity. These findings provide an integrated structural and functional framework that links starch architecture, molecular order, gelatinization, and the development of viscosity in germinated cereal matrices for food applications. Full article

Household food safety refers to consumer practices that reduce microbial contamination, cross-contamination, temperature abuse, and foodborne disease risks during food storage, preparation, cooking, and leftover handling. Rural households may be particularly vulnerable because of limited access to standardized food safety education and the persistence of experience-based practices. This study examined progressive changes in household food safety handling knowledge and behaviors associated with cumulative exposure to a continuous tracing intervention among rural residents in China. A two-month quasi-experimental repeated-measures study without a non-intervention control group was conducted in rural households in Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces. A total of 139 households completed all intervention activities and four assessment waves, yielding 556 valid questionnaires. The intervention consisted of 10 rounds of paper-based and video-based materials targeting food safety knowledge, risk awareness, and self-efficacy. Outcomes were measured at baseline, after four intervention rounds, after eight rounds, and after ten rounds. Food safety behavior scores increased from 9.76 at baseline to 11.66, 13.33, and 14.72 after successive intervention stages. Knowledge scores increased from 13.71 to 17.35, 19.34, and 21.43, respectively. Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences between all assessment waves for both outcomes. Analyses accounting for the repeated-measures structure showed a positive association between food safety knowledge and self-reported handling behavior. Both online and offline delivery channels were associated with improvements in knowledge and behavior, while between-channel differences did not appear to be the primary driver of the observed changes. However, causal interpretation should be cautious because the study lacked a non-intervention control group, and testing effects, maturation, seasonal influences, and social desirability cannot be ruled out. Full article

(1) Background: The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) occurs at the population level when undernutrition and overweight or obesity coexist. In this study, DBM was operationalized as BMI-defined underweight and excess body weight (EBW) within the sampled student population. (2) Objective: To identify dietary patterns and examine their associations with sociodemographic and health behavior factors among underweight and EBW nursing students in Southern Thailand. (3) Methods: This secondary analysis used cross-sectional data collected from 372 undergraduate nursing students in 2023. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire; principal component analysis identified dietary patterns, and separate multivariable linear regression models examined associations with pattern scores in the underweight and EBW subgroups. (4) Results: Underweight and EBW were present in 22.0% and 26.3% of students, respectively. The snack pattern comprised milk and milk products, sweetened beverages, bakery items, desserts, pickled fruits, and snacks; the Thai dish pattern comprised rice, spicy curry, meat, entree-over-rice dishes, and vegetables; and the high-energy pattern comprised sticky rice and fried meat. Among underweight students, Thai dish scores were positively associated with year of study (p < 0.001), breakfast intake (p < 0.001), and supper intake (p = 0.008), and negatively associated with alcohol drinking (p = 0.014) and sedentary behavior (p = 0.018). Among students with EBW, snack pattern scores were higher among female students (p = 0.032) and students reporting exercise (p = 0.001) or sedentary behavior (p < 0.001), whereas Thai dish scores were associated with income (p = 0.006), dinner intake (p = 0.005), sex (p = 0.001), and supper intake (p = 0.034). Higher GPA (grade point average) was associated with lower high-energy-pattern scores in both subgroups (underweight, p = 0.018; EBW, p = 0.007). (5) Conclusion: BMI-defined underweight and EBW coexisted in this population. Dietary pattern correlates differed by nutritional status subgroup, underscoring the need for tailored nutrition and lifestyle interventions, as well as healthier university food environments. Full article

The rapid expansion of Online Food Delivery Services (OFDS) is associated with changes in urban food environments long structured by the central place hierarchy. Does OFDS narrow the spatial inequalities embedded in traditional food access, or reproduce them in a new form? To address the limited multi-dimensional evidence on this question, this study develops an integrated online–offline framework comparing the walkable food environment (W-FE) and the OFDS food environment (OFDS-FE) across three dimensions: accessibility, availability, and affordability. Taking Hangzhou, China as a case, we match multi-source restaurant data via the Hungarian algorithm, model OFDS service ranges with a three-stage Gaussian distance-decay function, and assess spatial equity using the Gini coefficient. Results show that the OFDS-FE is associated with extended potential accessibility beyond walkable catchments and with higher relative affordability of mid- and high-end dining options. At the citywide scale, inequality indicators are lower in the OFDS-FE than in the W-FE, yet disparities persist and, in some suburban areas, widen. All findings are based on modeled, supply-side potential access derived from a single-platform (Meituan), single-month (December 2024) cross-section, rather than on observed consumer behavior. Rather than dissolving the central place hierarchy, OFDS extends the reach of established food centers, forming a broader “digital central service zone.” These findings inform the integration of digital delivery ranges into community life-circle planning. Full article

The rapid global transition toward sustainable food systems has intensified interest in alternative protein ingredients derived from both terrestrial plants and blue foods. However, a critical bottleneck in the commercialization of these proteins is the stabilization of flavor profiles during dehydration. Drying technologies ranging from conventional hot-air and heat pump drying to microwave and vacuum freeze-drying inevitably induce structural reorganization and oxidative modifications. These transformations fundamentally modulate how volatile flavor compounds are bound, retained, and released within the food matrix. This review proposes a comprehensive structure–process–function framework that mechanistically connects intrinsic protein architectures, drying-induced denaturation, and flavor-binding behavior. The review first contrasts globular plant proteins (e.g., soy, pea, and emerging tropical crops) with fibrous marine myofibrillar and collagenous proteins, emphasizing their distinct hierarchies, amino acid compositions, and oxidative vulnerabilities. It then critically evaluates how varying drying modalities drive protein unfolding, aggregation, and carbonylation, and how these transformations alter binding pocket accessibility, surface hydrophobicity, and lipid–protein–flavor crosstalk. Furthermore, it highlights the emerging role of hybrid plant–marine protein matrices as a strategy to optimize techno-functionality. By integrating structural biophysics with computational approaches such as molecular docking and structure-based modeling, this review provides a predictive conceptual map for designing flavor–protein interactions under specific dehydration histories. Ultimately, the proposed framework offers practical design principles for selecting protein sources and tailoring drying strategies to produce high-quality, sensorially superior, and sustainable next-generation food products. Full article

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the discrepancy between nutrition-related knowledge (NRK) and nutrition-related practice (NRP) among 1440 Polish school-aged students (10–18 years), according to BMI status, and to identify factors associated with this discrepancy. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted via the CAWI method using an author-developed, non-validated questionnaire. Questions assessing NRK and NRP were thematically aligned and referred to the recommendations of the Polish Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Pyramid for Children and Adolescents (aged 4–18 years). Results: Students with excess weight scored significantly lower in nutritional knowledge (NRK: 46%) and practices (NRP: 30%) than those with underweight or normal weight (NRK: 52–53%, NRP: 33–34%). Higher NRK was associated with older age, female sex, larger urban residence (for students with overweight and obesity), and higher maternal/legal guardian education level (for students with normal/underweight body weight). Better NRP was associated with higher NRK and higher physical activity, while rural or small-town living was positively associated with healthier dietary practices and maintenance of normal BMI. Conclusions: The present study confirms that nutritional knowledge is a necessary but insufficient condition for shaping appropriate dietary behaviors among adolescents with different BMI statuses; lifestyle factors, practical food-related skills—including self-assessment of knowledge and adherence to dietary recommendations—and the broader environmental context plays a crucial role. These findings highlight the need for targeted nutrition education programs that expand not only knowledge but also practical skills among students. Full article

Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) frequently exhibit severe food selectivity and micronutrient deficiencies, impacting growth and nutritional status. Evidence on integrated nutritional interventions in resource-constrained settings remains limited. Objective: To assess the feasibility and preliminary pre–post changes associated with a 12-week multicomponent nutritional intervention among Vietnamese children with ASD. Methods: In this exploratory single-arm pilot study, 56 children with ASD (mean age 59.0 ± 22.3 months; 80.4% male) were recruited from five community centers in Nghe An Province, Vietnam. The intervention comprised caregiver nutrition education, individualized dietary counseling, and daily multi-micronutrient supplementation. Anthropometric indicators, biochemical markers, feeding behaviors, and dietary intake were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks. Pre–post changes were evaluated using paired statistical tests, and multivariable linear regression examined factors associated with growth response. Results: The study achieved a 100% completion rate, with all 56 recruited participants finishing the 12-week intervention and all scheduled follow-up assessments. Among children < 60 months, mean Weight-for-Age Z-score (WAZ) increased from −0.66 to −0.28 and mean Height-for-Age Z-score (HAZ) from −1.18 to −0.97 (p < 0.001). For children older than 60 months, mean HAZ increased from −0.87 to −0.58 (p < 0.001) and Body Mass Index-for-Age Z-score (BAZ) from −0.20 to 0.06 (p = 0.006). Significant increases occurred in serum zinc (10.29 to 11.72 µmol/L; p = 0.001), ferritin (31.74 to 34.79 ng/mL; p = 0.001), and hemoglobin (122.73 to 124.77 g/L; p = 0.002), while albumin remained unchanged. Concurrent improvements were observed in feeding behaviors and nutrient-dense food intake. Regression analysis indicated that lower baseline anthropometric status was significantly associated with greater gains in WAZ and HAZ. Conclusions: This community-based multicomponent intervention was feasible and associated with short-term improvements in feeding behaviors, dietary intake, selected biomarkers, and growth measures in children with ASD, supporting further evaluation in randomized controlled trials. Full article

Background/Objectives: The rates of obesity and binge-eating disorder (BED) have increased markedly over the last few decades. The onset of these conditions has been associated in part with the disruption of neural pathways that regulate food reward. Existing literature has implicated the endogenous opioid system as an important mediator of pleasure and reinforcing behaviors associated with food intake. While the relationship between opioids and food intake has been studied extensively, how dysregulated opioid signaling contributes to compulsive eating still remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this review is to analyze the role of opioid peptides and receptors, and their interactions with dopamine in hedonic feeding. Methods: We conducted a narrative review of preclinical and clinical trials, incorporating studies that were relevant to opioid-mediated feeding and food reward. Results: β-endorphins appear to modulate the hedonic value of food, but their effects appear to be context-dependent. Enkephalins may influence motivational drive toward food, while nociceptin signaling has been linked to the preferential consumption of palatable foods under binge-like conditions. Consistent with these findings, NOP antagonism has been reported to reduce binge-like intake of a high-fat diet (HFD) without affecting homeostatic eating patterns. Lastly, chronic mu-opioid receptor (MOP) activation by palatable foods may induce neuroadaptive changes, including receptor desensitization, dopamine D2 receptor downregulation, and reward hypofunctionality, which overlap with mechanisms associated with substance use disorders. Conclusions: Altered MOP signaling may disrupt the hedonic and behavioral mechanisms that regulate feeding behavior. Pharmacological therapies targeting opioid and opioid-dopamine interactions may show promise for treating obesity and BED. However, additional research is still needed to clarify peptide-specific mechanisms, sex differences, and long-term neurobiological consequences associated with hedonic and compulsive eating. Full article

The accelerating urgency of global public health challenges, biodiversity loss, and climate change has driven rapid innovation in novel foods and alternative proteins, including cultured cells, fermentation-derived components, plant-based meats, insects, and algae, which promise nutritious, sustainable, and ethical dietary choices with lower environmental footprints. Although technologies have advanced, consumer perception and preferences remain key hindrances due to perceptual, cultural, and sensory challenges. This semi-systematic narrative literature review aims to incorporate interdisciplinary studies (2020–2025) that span sensory science, AI-driven marketing, behavioral economics, and policy analysis to explore consumer incentives, barriers, and intervention approaches associated with novel food categories. Of 1260 initial records, 310 duplicates were removed, 530 were excluded at title/abstract screening, 233 were excluded at full-text review, leaving 197 studies for the final synthesis. The focus is on understanding cultural contexts, cognitive biases, digital and social influences, and the global framing impacts that shape consumer adoption. Consumer perceptions and preferences are primarily influenced by health benefits, ethical concerns, and environmental sustainability; however, neophobia, sensory unfamiliarity, trust deficits, and price temper these factors. Preliminary evidence suggests that AI-generated personalization, transparent labeling, behavioral nudges, and social norms may be useful tools for overcoming resistance to change, though the effectiveness of AI-driven personalization in actual purchasing behavior is not yet firmly established. Cultural diversity affects acceptance routes, with culturally established insect consumption differing from Western neophobia. Future studies should integrate interdisciplinary methodologies, longitudinal cross-cultural analyses, and innovative technologies to enhance communication and product design. Full article

Heavy metal pollution has become a critical concern in agricultural ecosystems driven by a complex matrix of industrial practices, high-input fertilizers, metal-based agrochemicals, and wastewater irrigation. While the previous literature typically highlights general physiological symptoms of heavy metal stress, this review provides a novel, comprehensive framework that bridges three independent pillars: specific industrial applications dictating elemental pathway, localizes active root-zone transport kinetics, and an engineering-based evaluation of emerging remediation strategies. We systematically synthesized literature from 2000 to 2026 across major databases (WoS, PubMed and Google Scholar), applying strict inclusion criteria based on data validation, experimental reproducibility, and mechanistic depth. We examine the geochemical behavior, cellular toxicity, and plant resilience mechanics of seven priority elements like cadmium, lead, arsenic, aluminum, mercury, chromium and molybdenum. Rather than merely reiterating superficial visual damage like chlorosis or stunted growth, we focus on physiological and molecular root causes of phytotoxicity, including the structural hijacking of essential nutrient networks, intracellular reduction cascades and organelle-specific oxidative disruption. This review also discussed the discovery of specialized, energy-dependent eukaryotic transport mechanisms like ABC transporters and a comparative operational blueprint evaluating physical–chemical conventional remediation techniques against advanced in situ and ex situ biotechnological approaches, including biochar assistance, microbial engineering, rhizosphere synergies, and engineered nanomaterials. By systematically linking industrial source dynamics with cellular toxicological mechanisms and field-scale engineering feasibility, this review establishes an actionable roadmap for future genetic, agronomic, and management interventions aimed at securing global food. Full article

Background: Food hypersensitivity is frequently associated with gastrointestinal and systemic manifestations. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical, nutritional, biochemical, lifestyle characteristics, and stress levels of Lebanese adults with food hypersensitivity (cases) (n = 378) compared with controls (n = 397) (absence of food hypersensitivity). Methods: A case–control study was conducted among 775 Lebanese adults, including participants with self-reported food allergies and/or food intolerance and controls. Sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle data were collected. Dietary intake was assessed using validated dietary assessment tools. Biochemical parameters (n = 775), stool analyses (n = 297), and fecal calprotectin were evaluated. Results: Overall, 378 participants (48.8%) were classified as having food hypersensitivity. Dermatological, nasal, respiratory, and gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly more frequent among cases than controls (p < 0.05). Autoimmune diseases were more prevalent among cases. Daily energy and nutrient intake differed significantly between groups, with cases generally reporting lower intakes than controls. Cases exhibited substantially lower serum vitamin D, vitamin B12, and hematocrit levels. In binary logistic regression models, significant correlations were observed alongside key antioxidant and immunomodulatory micronutrients: vitamin C (OR = 0.604; 95% CI: 0.390–0.937), dietary vitamin D (OR = 0.079; 95% CI: 0.011–0.565), vitamin E (OR = 0.085; 95% CI: 0.013–0.568), and iron (OR = 0.025; 95% CI: 0.002–0.291). Conclusions: Biochemical and nutritional differences were observed despite generally adequate dietary intake. Reduced intakes of essential micronutrients, including antioxidant vitamins (vitamins C and E), vitamin D, and the essential mineral iron, emerged as primary independent predictors of food hypersensitivity. These findings highlight the core role of localized intestinal inflammation, specific dietary avoidance behaviors, and systemic immune modulation. Full article

Background: In contemporary society, marked by rapid transformations in the sphere of communication and social interaction, social networks have gone beyond the role of simple communication platforms, becoming places where identities are formed, cultural norms are negotiated and self-perceptions are shaped. This reality has generated a growing interest in studying the relationship between the digital environment and health behaviors, especially among young people, a social category extremely receptive to visual and normative influences promoted online. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students enrolled in different kinds of faculties and specialties. An online questionnaire was distributed to gather socio-demographic, academic and medical data along with lifestyle and health-related behaviors. Several psychometric instruments were used: Health Behaviour Scale (HBS) to measure various dimensions of health-related actions, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) to screen for addictive or problematic social media use, Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS) to measure the problematic social media use among adolescents, Body Appreciation Scale–2 (BAS-2) to evaluate measure of one’s acceptance, favorable opinions and respect of their own body, and Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) to identify the psychological motives behind overeating. Results: More than 70% of students declared that they had their first smartphone before the age of 12 and 65% of students had screentime higher than 3 h per day during the weekdays, with a small increase during the weekends. Women scored higher than men in emotional eating (food consumption in response to negative emotions), and external eating (response to food stimuli in the environment, independent of hunger). Respondents from rural areas showed a significantly lower level of respect and acceptance of their own body and higher risk for Social Media Disorder compared to participants from urban areas. Important statistical correlation has been identified among the variables of the research. Social media addiction was associated with higher emotional eating both directly and indirectly, via lower body appreciation. The analysis also indicated that it does not show a direct relationship with restrictive eating behaviors; rather, its association with restrained eating is fully mediated by the individual’s body appreciation. Conclusions: The use of social platforms is a challenging process, with a great impact on psychological and emotional balance of young people. Even if the study identified a normative use among young people with a high education level, the risks factors should be taken into consideration when dealing with screentime, psychological and mental health and the risk for addiction. Full article