Search Results (38,551)

The nutritional composition and polyphenolic profile were determined in leaf and flowering shoots of burnet species (Sanguisorba officinalis, S. officinalis ‘Tanna’, and S. menziesii), with plant material further separated into leaves and stems. The results demonstrated that these herbs are valuable sources of dietary fiber, as well as being rich in protein and essential minerals. Depending on the morphological part, dietary fiber content ranged from 37.8 to 67.7 g/100 g, protein content from 5.3 to 19.5 g/100 g, and ash content from 3.8 to 9.9 g/100 g. Moreover, Sanguisorba species are particularly abundant in polyphenols (1–11% DM), with ellagitannins such as lambertianin C and sanguiin H-6 being the predominant constituents; in selected samples, they accounted for more than 90% of the total identified polyphenols. Due to their pleasant taste and aroma, and their dietary fiber, protein, and ellagitannin content, an attempt was made to evaluate their suitability as ingredients in food products. The results indicated that leaves are the most suitable for culinary applications into dishes such as soups and smoothies, whereas stems may serve as valuable raw material for dietary fiber- and phenolic-rich preparations. In conclusion, these findings support the promotion of edible herbs that are not only nutritious, palatable, and rich in ellagitannins, but also aesthetically valuable in garden settings and beneficial for pollinators. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chronic complications of diabetes mellitus are closely associated with increased oxidative stress and the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and antiglycation potential of hesperetin-7-O-glucoside (HCD) and diosmetin-7-O-glucoside (DCD) formulations complexed with cyclodextrins, using in vitro and in silico experimental models to evaluate their efficacy in mitigating hyperglycemia-induced molecular damage. Methods: Antioxidant activity was assessed using chemical and erythrocyte-based oxidative stress models, whereas antiglycation activity was evaluated in BSA–fructose, BSA–methylglyoxal, and arginine–methylglyoxal models. Results: Both formulations showed measurable antioxidant effects, with concentration-dependent behavior observed in some of the evaluated assays. In the DPPH assay, HCD and DCD achieved maximum inhibition values of 30.71% and 26.61%, respectively. Furthermore, DCD exhibited higher total antioxidant capacity (102.80 µg vitamin C equivalents/mL) and nitric oxide scavenging activity (37.89%) than HCD. In a cellular model, both formulations (200 µg/mL) significantly reduced AAPH-induced hemolysis, with DCD providing superior protection (7.05% vs. 16.63% for HCD). Under oxidative stress induced by high glucose concentration in erythrocytes, HCD and DCD reduced non-protein thiol levels, and HCD significantly increased catalase enzyme activity. Regarding antiglycation activity, DCD demonstrated superior efficacy relative to HCD in the BSA-fructose system, achieving 43.23% inhibition. DCD also displayed concentration-dependent inhibition of fructosamine formation (up to 47.99%) and BSA glycation by methylglyoxal (up to 45.20%). Both formulations significantly reduced carbonylated protein levels and preserved free thiol groups. In the arginine–methylglyoxal model, DCD and HCD reached 44.03% and 48.82% inhibition, respectively. Molecular docking revealed high binding affinity of both flavonoids to the protein active site (−9.00 kcal/mol for hesperetin-7-O-glucoside and −9.04 kcal/mol for diosmetin-7-O-glucoside), suggesting a structural protective role. Conclusions: The HCD and DCD formulations demonstrated antioxidant and antiglycation activities that may contribute to attenuating molecular alterations associated with chronic hyperglycemia through complementary mechanisms, including antioxidant effects, protection against protein carbonylation, and inhibition of glycation. While these findings highlight the potential of the evaluated formulations, additional mechanistic and in vivo studies are required to establish their pharmacological applicability. 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

Bamboo fibers are increasingly incorporated into food products as sustainable dietary fiber ingredients, yet their gastrointestinal digestion resistance and fermentative behavior by human gut microbiota remain insufficiently characterized. This study combined an INFOGEST-based in vitro digestion protocol with colonic fermentation using fecal microbiota from three healthy donors as an exploratory donor panel. Bamboo fibers were resistant to salivary, gastric, and intestinal enzymatic hydrolysis, as demonstrated by the absence of structural modifications in FTIR spectra, preserved morphology observed by scanning electron microscopy, and negligible release of reducing sugars (<0.1 g/L across all digestive phases), in contrast to extensively hydrolyzed wheat starch used as a positive control. During in vitro colonic fermentation, microbial responses were strongly dependent on substrate availability. In nutrient-limited minimal medium, bamboo fiber supplementation increased gas production, acidification, and SCFA formation compared with control conditions. Concomitantly, SCFA concentrations increased under minimal-medium conditions, although the magnitude of the response varied among donors, with the strongest changes observed for donor 1 (acetate reaching 5.4 vs. 3.3 g/L and propionate 1.48 vs. 0.76 g/L). These effects were markedly attenuated in nutrient-rich medium, indicating competition with readily fermentable substrates. Beta-diversity analyses and metagenomic profiling revealed that microbial community composition clustered primarily according to donor identity rather than experimental conditions. SEM further showed surface erosion and microbial attachment on fermented fibers, supporting partial structural alteration. Overall, bamboo fibers are resistant to upper gastrointestinal digestion but display context-dependent fermentative activity by human gut microbiota under carbohydrate-limited conditions, highlighting the importance of inter-individual variability, dietary context and substrate availability in determining their fermentative potential. Full article

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a common plastic widely used in food packaging, especially plastic bottles, and in fibers and textiles. The widespread use of PET and its intentional and unintentional release and disposal over the past few decades have placed significant pressure on the environment, necessitating the development of green, low-cost, and efficient recycling technologies to mitigate this impact. This article reviews recent advances in microwave-assisted catalytic depolymerization of PET. It begins by outlining the fundamental principles of PET materials science and depolymerization mechanisms. The article then reviews the historical evolution of this research and presents a benchmark comparison of different depolymerization methodologies. Finally, through a critical analysis and comparison of state-of-the-art approaches, the article identifies emerging trends and highlights promising directions for future research in the field. A comprehensive comparison of conventional and microwave heating methods is presented, indicating that catalyst-assisted microwave systems can shorten reaction times and achieve high product yields under optimized conditions. Key advantages and limitations are highlighted, and persistent challenges are discussed. Overall, this article surveys the latest progress in the chemical recycling of PET and provides critical insights for future research and further development of microwave-assisted catalytic PET depolymerization technology. Full article

Amino acids and nucleobases, as essential nutrients for lactic acid bacteria (LAB), play a pivotal role in their growth and metabolism. However, their specific effects on pediocin production and the underlying regulatory mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. This study aimed to identify exogenous amino acids and nucleobases that enhance pediocin production by Pediococcus pentosaceus SNSS18, and further analyze their induction mechanisms. Alanine, cysteine, aspartate, methionine, adenine, and uracil significantly promoted pediocin production (p < 0.05), achieving a maximum increase of 60.75% in antibacterial activity compared with the control. Genomic analysis revealed the presence of the pediocin PA-1 biosynthesis operon (pedABCD) and the LuxS/AI-2 quorum-sensing (QS) system in P. pentosaceus SNSS18. Notably, methionine (0.5 g/L), cysteine (0.5 g/L), aspartate (1 g/L), and uracil (1.5 g/L) enhanced AI-2 signal activity and upregulated the expression of key QS genes (luxS and pfs), suggesting that their promotive effects are likely linked to the LuxS/AI-2 QS system. Exogenous supplementation with AI-2 further verified that the LuxS/AI-2 QS system is a key pathway regulating pediocin production in P. pentosaceus SNSS18. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the promotive effects of alanine and adenine remain to be elucidated. These findings provide new insights into the regulation of pediocin biosynthesis and highlight the potential of exogenous amino acid and nucleobase supplementation to markedly enhance pediocin production for food biopreservation, while supporting the development of P. pentosaceus SNSS18 as a probiotic strain. Full article

Okra is a flavonoid-rich food known to confer a variety of health benefits and have extensive therapeutic characteristics. In this study, okra seeds at five stages of development (youngest, young, intermediate, mature and fully mature) were assessed for secondary metabolite content using 70% methanol. Extracts from mature seeds were found to contain the highest accumulation of total polyphenol content (TPC) (536.65 ± 80.13 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid content (TFC) (234.73 ± 45.58 mg ISE/g), DPPH scavenging activity (70.11%) and ABTS+ activity (75.19%). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that in fully mature seed extracts, quercetin (148.14 ± 11.01 mg/kg) is abundant, while isoquercetin and quercertin-3-O-gentibiose are respectively abundant in the youngest (5205.02 ± 48.54 mg/kg) and mature seeds (12,396.48 ± 77.54 mg/kg). Mature seed extracts also exhibited the highest activity against nitric oxide (NO) production and the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) in lipopolysaccharide-induced (LPS) RAW 264.7 cells. The findings from this study showed that secondary metabolite accumulation in okra seeds varies at different stages of development. Thus, determining the bioactive compounds at different levels of seed development is considered essential for potential pharmacological advancements in biologically significant plants. Full article

Lactic acid bacteria-fermented food materials are promising sources of functional ingredients, but the active components underlying their bioactivity often remain unclear. We localized the macrophage-stimulatory activity of a red pepper-based fermentate prepared with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CJLP243. Compared with the unfermented matrix and a non-fermented matrix supplemented with freeze-dried CJLP243, the fermentate induced greater IL-6 and TNF-α production in J774A.1 macrophages. Activity was reproducibly concentrated in the pellet-derived lysate-insoluble fraction (PDIF) and remained in residual debris after solvent extraction. LTA-directed fractionation and analytical screening did not support lipoteichoic acid as the principal determinant. Lysozyme markedly reduced activity, whereas proteinase K had a partial effect, a pattern consistent with a lysozyme-sensitive, cell wall-associated structure or cell wall–matrix complex, within which peptidoglycan-associated material remains a plausible candidate; contributions from co-associated components cannot be excluded. Targeted metabolomics revealed fermentation-associated changes in pellet-associated amino acid pools, consistent with broader adaptation of amino acid and nitrogen metabolism during fermentation; their biochemical linkage to cell-wall precursor pathways provides metabolic support rather than direct structural evidence. These findings identify a reproducible, process-linked insoluble fraction with macrophage-stimulatory activity and provide a framework for developing and standardizing fermentation-derived functional food ingredients. Full article

The increasing use of plastics in agriculture has enhanced crop productivity, water-use efficiency, and food supply stability. Nevertheless, the ongoing degradation of agricultural plastics and waste-derived materials has resulted in the widespread occurrence of microplastics (<5 mm) and nanoplastics (<1 μm) in agricultural soils, raising concerns about ecosystem functioning, food safety and human health. This review was conducted using literature obtained primarily from Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed. Publications published between 2019 and 2026 were primarily included. In addition, selected landmark studies published before 2019 were incorporated when they provided foundational concepts, methodological frameworks, or highly cited evidence that remains essential for understanding the sources, fate, and impacts of micro- and nanoplastics in agricultural systems. The review synthesizes recent scientific evidence regarding the sources, environmental fate, biological interactions, and food-chain transfer of micro- and nanoplastics within agricultural and food production systems, tracing their movement from farm to fork. Major contamination pathways include agricultural plastic materials, organic amendments, polymer-coated agrochemicals and atmospheric deposition. Mechanisms governing transport, aging, plant uptake and trophic transfer are also discussed. Current evidence suggests that agricultural soils are among the largest terrestrial reservoirs of micro- and nanoplastics; however, substantial uncertainties remain regarding environmental concentrations, plant uptake under field conditions, and human health risks due to methodological limitations and the lack of standardized analytical protocols. Future research should focus on standardized monitoring methods, enhanced risk assessment frameworks, the development of biodegradable alternatives, and integrated mitigation strategies to reduce plastic contamination. Full article

Phenolic compounds are important plant secondary metabolites with broad biological activity and potential applications in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, nutraceutical, and veterinary sectors. Conventional production from field-grown plants is limited by environmental variability, seasonality, and difficulties in standardizing metabolite composition. Plant in vitro cultures provide controlled systems for modulating secondary metabolism and producing phenolic compounds under defined conditions. This review summarizes current advances in plant in vitro platforms for phenolic production and discusses regulation through elicitation, metabolic modulation, molecular approaches, and bioreactor cultivation. The distinctive focus of this review is the critical evaluation of how culture type, production stability, metabolite composition, and structural variation affect biological performance and functional equivalence. Current evidence indicates that increased metabolite accumulation alone does not ensure preserved biological properties or translational applicability. Functional equivalence is therefore considered as a framework integrating chemical profiling, batch-to-batch reproducibility, biological validation, bioavailability, and application-oriented evaluation of in vitro-derived phenolics. Future progress will depend not only on increasing yield but also on achieving stable production, predictable composition, reproducible biological performance, and translational reliability. 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

Agricultural productive services (APS) play an important role in improving agricultural efficiency and ensuring food security. Existing studies have widely recognized that labor scarcity induced by rural labor transfer stimulates farmers’ demand for APS and promotes the expansion of agricultural service markets. Yet non-farm employment in developing countries is often characterized by instability, temporariness, and informality, which may generate volatile service demand and undermine the sustainable provision of APS. Based on survey data from 684 maize-producing households in China, this study constructs a multidimensional index of non-farm employment quality and investigates how it influences APS adoption intensity and transaction stability. Our results confirm that improvements in non-farm employment quality significantly increase APS adoption intensity, and the findings remain stable under alternative measurements and estimation methods. Mechanism analysis reveals that higher employment quality promotes APS adoption intensity by reducing farmers’ risk perception, while this effect is moderated by social capital. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive effect of non-farm employment quality is concentrated among growth-stage households, lower-land-fragmentation households, small-scale households, and single-type employment households. Further analysis indicates that higher employment quality contributes to more stable and long-term contractual relationships between farmers and service providers. By highlighting the importance of non-farm employment quality in stabilizing agricultural service demand and fostering stable transaction relationships, this study contributes to ongoing discussions on rural labor transformation and the sustainable development of APS markets under smallholder farming systems in developing countries. Full article

Food waste represents a significant environmental and economic challenge, partly due to inefficient portion management during preparation, storage, and consumption. One strategy to mitigate this issue is to use single-dose (monodose) packaging, which allows precise dosing and encourages complete consumption, thereby minimizing leftovers. This work presents the design, construction, and experimental validation of an automated machine engineered for single-dose packaging of low-viscosity sauces. The system is capable of filling, sealing, and cutting off a continuous plastic film to produce hermetically sealed 60 mL pouches. The system contains a deposit equipped with an ultrasonic level sensor, a pneumatic dispenser mechanism, a PI-based temperature controller for the sealing and cutting processes, and a Human–Machine Interface (HMI) for system configuration and process monitoring. The general controller was implemented using a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and coordinated the stages of pouch filling, sealing, cutting, and counting. Experimental tests demonstrated stable and repeatable volumetric dosing. Mean dosing errors remained below ±1 mL for water and tomato-based sauce, whereas tomatillo-based and Chilean sauce exhibited higher deviations of +2.10 mL and +3.25 mL, respectively, reflecting the influence of viscosity and product heterogeneity. In addition, the system achieved hermetic sealing in more than 95% of samples and stable operation during continuous cycles. Additionally, the system showed thermal stability under PI control and high precision in the deposit level. Full article

The increasing demand for alternative protein sources has stimulated interest in fungal biomass as a food ingredient. Although industrial strains of Fusarium venenatum have been extensively investigated, strain-specific information on conidial production, biomass accumulation, and crude protein content remains limited for strains maintained in microbial culture collections. This study evaluated the growth and sporulation of F. venenatum CML3311 in different solid media and investigated biomass and crude protein production under submerged fermentation conditions. Growth and sporulation were assessed on Yeast Malt Agar (YMA), Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol Agar (DRBC), Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA). Submerged fermentations were conducted using a 3² factorial design evaluating temperature (26–30 °C) and agitation (160–200 rpm) over 72 h. Biomass production was determined gravimetrically, and crude protein content was quantified by the Kjeldahl method. DRBC promoted the highest sporulation, reaching 4.63 × 10⁶ conidia/mL after 28 days. Biomass production increased during the first 48 h of cultivation, with the highest yields observed at 28–30 °C (6.4–6.5 g/L). Crude protein content ranged from 25.45% to 56.12% (dry basis), with the highest value obtained after 24 h at 28 °C and 200 rpm. These findings provide a strain-specific basis for inoculum preparation and submerged cultivation of F. venenatum CML3311 and identify conditions to be further investigated in process-optimization and safety-assessment studies. Full article

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are widely recognized as prebiotic ingredients, whereas their technological role in stabilizing lipid-based systems remains poorly understood. In this study, GOS were synthesized by enzymatic transgalactosylation of lactose and enriched by ethanol precipitation. Carbohydrate composition, glass transition temperature (Tg), and their influence on the formation of primary lipid oxidation were evaluated using freeze-dried lecithin liposomes as a model membrane system. Ethanol precipitation increased the GOS content from 22.8% to 50.7% (w/w) while reducing the proportion of monosaccharides from 40.0% to 15.5% (w/w). Tg was strongly influenced by carbohydrate composition and relative humidity (RH), with GOS-enriched preparations exhibiting higher Tg values than the crude reaction mixture. The formation of primary lipid oxidation products, assessed by UV spectroscopy through conjugated diene formation at 234 nm, was significantly lower in liposomes freeze-dried with GOS-rich preparations or sucrose than in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) controls, particularly under storage conditions in which the carbohydrate matrices remained in the glassy state. At higher RH, transition to the rubbery state was associated with increased conjugated diene formation. These findings suggest that the protective effect of GOS-rich formulations is associated with the physicochemical properties of the carbohydrate matrix and is consistent with the proposed role of the glassy state in limiting molecular mobility, rather than direct antioxidant activity. Beyond their established prebiotic properties, GOS-rich preparations may also contribute to the stability of dehydrated lipid-containing systems, supporting their use as multifunctional food ingredients. Full article