Search Results (1,419)

Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) mediates innate antiviral immunity. Although it comprises multiple subtypes, their functional divergence and application potential remain incompletely characterized. In this study, we identified 13 BoIFN-α subtypes (A1–A13) in the bovine genome through bioinformatic analysis. Prokaryotic expression and functional comparison revealed substantial differences in antiviral activity among these subtypes (up to 77.7-fold), with BoIFN-A8 being the most potent. Based on these findings, we designed a novel consensus interferon, BoIFN-Acons, by multiple sequence alignment and successfully synthesized it. When expressed in E. coli, BoIFN-Acons exhibited superior antiviral potency (2.36 × 10⁵ U/mg), which was 16.2-fold higher than that of the most active natural subtype. To establish a safe delivery system, we integrated the codon-optimized gene into a food-grade L. lactis expression platform and achieved efficient supernatant production. In vitro assays confirmed that the recombinant BoIFN-Acons effectively suppressed replication of Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and Bovine enterovirus (BEV) and significantly upregulated interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) such as Mx1 and OAS1. Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrated that oral administration of the engineered L. lactis strain alleviated virus-induced clinical symptoms, reduced viral loads in major tissues, and induced upregulation of immune-related genes in the spleen, showing significant prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy. Collectively, this study systematically elucidated the functional diversity of BoIFN-α subtypes and developed a highly active consensus interferon delivered via an oral lactic acid bacteria system, providing a new strategy for the eco-friendly control of animal viral diseases. Full article

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-proteinogenic amino acid that acts as a major signaling molecule across the nervous, cardiovascular, and immune systems. While GABA has historically been produced via chemical synthesis or plant extraction, microbial fermentation using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) provides a safe, sustainable, and food-grade alternative. This review details the recent progress of LAB-derived GABA, covering the workflow from strain selection to functional food applications. We discuss how modern screening methods combine high-throughput phenotypic testing with genomic mining of the gad operon to efficiently identify high-yielding strains. The biochemical mechanisms of the GABA shunt are also explained, alongside recent CRISPR-based metabolic engineering efforts designed to bypass natural yield limits. Furthermore, we address practical industrial challenges—such as the poor proteolytic ability of key producers like Levilactobacillus brevis—and evaluate viable solutions, including symbiotic co-cultures and optimized downstream purification steps. The review then summarizes the specific health benefits of dietary LAB-derived GABA, focusing on its ability to relieve anxiety via the microbiota-gut–brain axis, control blood pressure, and regulate immunity. Finally, we analyze the current regulatory and sensory hurdles, highlighting how integrating multi-omics data can help establish LAB-derived GABA as a reliable ingredient for functional foods and personalized nutrition. Full article

Panax notoginseng stems and leaves are abundant agricultural residues generated during root harvest, rich in flavonoids yet remain largely underutilized as a valuable phytochemical source. This study optimized a green steaming-sodium bicarbonate aqueous extraction process via orthogonal design. Optimal conditions (steaming 1 h, 1.0% food-grade NaHCO₃, boiling extraction 2 h, 1:20 g/mL) achieved a solid yield of 13.50 ± 0.41%, significantly higher than conventional water extraction (7.98 ± 0.41%, p < 0.05), demonstrating enhanced recovery of bioactive compounds. The extract exhibited 91.95 ± 0.08% xanthine oxidase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 5.0 mg/mL) with reversible mixed-type inhibition (K_i = 4.99 mg/mL). UHPLC-MS/MS identified 3392 metabolites, predominantly flavonoids, alkaloids, and organic acids with potential XO inhibitory activity. Network pharmacology and molecular docking revealed multi-target interactions involving ADRA2A, ADA, GAA, PNP, and PTGS2 enriched in purine metabolism and AGE-RAGE signaling pathways, with quercetin 3-Gentiobioside exhibiting the strongest binding affinity and favorable ligand-target interactions (ΔG = −12.91 kcal/mol). This eco-friendly strategy employs only pure water and food-grade additives, efficiently concentrating xanthine oxidase inhibitors and offering a clean-label, sustainable approach for high-value utilization of P. notoginseng agricultural residues. These findings provide a pharmacological basis for developing functional foods targeting hyperuricemia and associated metabolic disorders. Full article

The food industry is interested in utilizing active compounds from agri-food waste to produce healthy products and promote sustainability and resource efficiency. This study aimed to conduct a phytochemical analysis of grape pomace derived from Vitis vinifera wine grape varieties Saperavi and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel of the Nar-Shirin variety, which are widely processed in South Kazakhstan. The extraction processes were simple and employed water and ethanol, two food-grade solvents widely used in green extraction due to their low toxicity and compatibility with food applications.Among the extraction methods tested, aqueous–alcoholic extraction demonstrated the highest efficiency in recovering total phenolic content (TPC), yielding 225.5 ± 1.46 mg GAE/g extract from pomegranate peel, 153.9 ± 1.25 mg GAE/g extract from Cabernet Sauvignon pomace, and 98.6 ± 0.83 mg GAE/g extract from Saperavi pomace. Phenolic profiling of the aqueous–alcoholic extract was performed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF MS/MS). The total ion chromatograms revealed the presence of predominant phenolic compounds in all analyzed samples. Key identified constituents in grape pomace included kaempferol 3-O-β-D-xylofuranoside, kaempferol 3-O-β-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-rhamnopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-α-L-arabinoside, genistin, and megastigmane glycoside. In pomegranate peel, compounds such as myricetin, 5-(2Z,8Z)-pentadecadien-1-yl-1,3-benzenediol were identified for the first time. These findings highlight the rich phenolic composition of grape pomace and pomegranate peel’s extracts and support their potential as valuable sources of bioactive compounds for food, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications. Full article

Imperatorin (IPT) is a naturally occurring coumarin with recognized antioxidant and anti-aging properties; unfortunately, its poor water solubility and low oral bioavailability severely limit its practical use. To get around these issues, we formulated IPT-loaded NLCs using grape seed oil and glyceryl monostearate—both food-grade excipients—with the goal of enhancing oral absorption. Optimized IPT@NLCs were prepared by high-pressure homogenization, featuring uniform spherical morphology, an average particle size of 186.63 ± 1.65 nm, a PDI of 0.188 ± 0.008, an encapsulation efficiency of 99.54 ± 0.10%, and a drug loading capacity of 9.08 ± 0.23%. IPT@NLCs remained stable in SGF, while their cumulative in vitro release over 48 h reached 90.56 ± 3.12% in SIF. We established a Caco-2/HT29-MTX-E12 co-culture monolayer to examine mucus penetration, cellular uptake, and transcellular transport routes. In parallel, oxidative stress experiments using 3T3-L1 cells, along with in vivo pharmacokinetic and gastrointestinal safety evaluations, were conducted to provide complementary evidence. Our results indicate that NLC encapsulation significantly improves both the dissolution and intestinal uptake of IPT, primarily by shifting the absorption mechanism from passive diffusion to energy-dependent active transport. In addition, IPT@NLCs effectively reduce intracellular oxidative damage through modulation of endogenous antioxidant enzyme activities. Animal studies further reveal an approximately 9-fold increase in relative oral bioavailability, with no notable irritation to gastrointestinal tissues. Overall, GSO-based NLCs offer safe and efficient oral delivery, enhancing IPT bioavailability and antioxidant activity, providing a strategy for developing natural-product-based formulations. Full article

Diet represents a key determinant of the body’s acid–base balance because foods are metabolized into non-volatile acids or bases. An increase in dietary acid load can elicit low-grade metabolic acidosis, which has been associated with systemic inflammation and the risk of adverse cardiometabolic conditions, including obesity. Potential renal acid load (PRAL) and Net Endogenous Acid Production (NEAP) represent the major markers of dietary acid load. The aim of this secondary analysis was to compare the acid load of four different diets and investigate its association with Body Mass Index (BMI) in a sample of the general population. In an online survey, the INVITA study, four dietary patterns (meat-eaters, fish-eaters, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and vegans) were compared for their corresponding PRAL and NEAP values, and the associations of both parameters with BMI were evaluated. Multiple linear regression models were progressively adjusted for dietary pattern, energy intake, age, sex, physical activity, smoking status, and education level. The stepwise decrease in animal food consumption across the four dietary patterns was associated with a progressive reduction in dietary acid load, with vegan participants showing the lowest values. While PRAL did not prove consistently associated with BMI in this cohort, NEAP remained significantly associated with BMI even after full adjustment for lifestyle confounders (β = 0.032, p = 0.00013). However, because NEAP includes an anthropometric component based on body surface area, this association should be interpreted cautiously, as it may partly reflect mathematical coupling rather than a purely diet-derived effect. PRAL should be considered the more diet-specific marker, while NEAP represents a composite index combining dietary acid load and anthropometric scaling. Because PRAL and NEAP do not account for protein origin, future studies should assess whether diet-specific reference ranges could improve their comparisons for dietary patterns including mostly or exclusively plant protein. Full article

The increasing interest in natural versus synthetic additives is a driving force for food industry innovation to develop alternative solutions for food safety and quality. Brown algae, described as containing potential antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds, are promising alternative sources. However, optimized food-grade extracts require preserving their bioactivity. In this study, the effects of seasonality and interannual variation, together with non-thermal high-hydrostatic-pressure (HHP) pretreatment, on the extraction of antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds from the macroalga Ericaria selaginoides, collected from the northwest of Spain between November 2021 and September 2023, were assessed. The HHP pretreatment of fresh algae did not significantly change the yield of the crude extracts and only slightly improved the antimicrobial activity of the extracts against L. monocytogenes, S. aureus and B. cereus, without significantly diminishing the antioxidant activity until 600 MPa for 5 min, the total polyphenol content (TPC), and the chlorophyll A content. Interannual and seasonal variations significantly influenced pigments and protein, carbohydrate and polyphenol contents, together with the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, of the extracts. By NMR, phloroglucinol was identified as the major secondary metabolite, together with mannitol, alanine and a mixture of meroditerpenoids, which may contribute to the reported activities. The overall results demonstrated the role of environmental factors in driving seasonal and interannual changes in macroalgal metabolism, significantly influencing the bioactive properties of extracts, while the effect of HHP pretreatment was minimal. Full article

Background/Objectives: Obesity induced by high-fat high-fructose (HFHF) diets is associated with adipose tissue expansion, dysregulated adipogenesis, chronic low-grade inflammation, and oxidative stress. Bioactive compounds have emerged as promising nutritional strategies to mitigate these alterations, although their stability and bioavailability remain limiting factors. This study investigated the effects of different forms of jabuticaba (Plinia sp.) consumption—whole fruit, freeze-dried peel, and phenolic microencapsulated peel extract—on adipose tissue remodeling, oxidative stress, and metabolic parameters in HFHF-fed mice. Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed an HFHF diet for six weeks, followed by six weeks of intervention with the jabuticaba formulations. Results: HFHF feeding induced significant metabolic alterations, evidenced by increased body weight gain, abdominal perimeter, Lee index, and fasting glucose levels. Jabuticaba intake, regardless of formulation, reduced abdominal perimeter, final body weight, and Lee index (p < 0.05) without affecting food intake. Treatment also improved metabolic biomarkers, reducing serum glucose, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, while increasing HDL cholesterol (p < 0.05). In addition, jabuticaba decreased visceral and total adipose tissue mass, attenuated adipocyte hypertrophy, and enhanced antioxidant defenses, leading to reduced oxidative damage in adipose tissue. Conclusions: All the jabuticaba formulations exerted protective metabolic effects; the whole fruit showed more consistent systemic metabolic improvements, whereas the microencapsulated peel extract demonstrated greater efficacy in modulating adipose tissue. Full article

Temperature fluctuations in cold chain logistics accelerate protein degradation, lipid oxidation, and color deterioration of Litopenaeus vannamei, reducing product value and compromising food safety. To address this issue, this paper proposes a dynamic quality prediction method based on the Tad-Transformer neural network. First, storage experiments were conducted under six cold chain temperature conditions to collect multi-dimensional physicochemical and texture data. Core quality indicators were selected through temperature sensitivity analysis, and a time-series dataset was constructed. Second, an improved K-means++ clustering algorithm incorporating min-max constraints was applied for quality grading. Finally, the Tad-Transformer model was employed to predict quality indicators and temporal grade evolution. Comparative validation with Transformer, Informer and FEDformer on the self-constructed dataset demonstrates that, for the most challenging high-quality samples, the proposed model achieves both precision and recall exceeding 89%, representing improvements of 4.17–10.77% and 2.28–8.37%, respectively, over the comparison models. This method provides technical support for quality grading control and early warning of abnormal risks in cold chain logistics, offering a scientific reference for dynamic quality monitoring and intelligent evaluation of aquatic products. Full article

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the world’s second-most cultivated vegetable. Production reached 192 million tonnes in 2023; approximately 23% is industrially processed, leaving 4.3 to 10.2 million tonnes of pomace each year. Despite its high content of lycopene, tocopherols, polyphenols, dietary fibre, and seed oil, most of this residue is composted, landfilled, or fed without prior processing. This narrative review examines how the chemistry of tomato by-products maps onto their effects in farm animals, and how green-extraction biorefinery fits within the European Green Deal. Reported pomace lycopene runs from 36.7 to 50.2 mg/100 g DM, with phenolics near 161.8 mg GAE/g. Lycopene is an efficient singlet-oxygen quencher; it activates Keap1–Nrf2–ARE signaling while dampening NF-κB. Supercritical CO₂, ultrasound, microwave, pressurized-liquid, and NADES extractions can now recover up to 91% of peel lycopene using green, food-grade solvents. In broilers, 5 to 10% pomace or 30 to 400 mg/kg purified lycopene improves antioxidant status and lessens heat stress; in dairy ruminants, ensiled pomace at 10 to 40% maintains milk yield while improving milk PUFA. In finishing pigs and rabbits, dietary pomace or lycopene improves tissue oxidative stability, with growth benefits reported in heat-stressed rabbits. Standardized bioactive reporting and clearer inclusion limits remain the main research priorities. Full article

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves are widely used as functional food and medicinal-food raw materials, yet the influence of soil microplastic contamination on their quality formation remains insufficiently understood. In this study, a 45-day pot experiment with 3–4 biological replicates was conducted to compare the effects of conventional polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) microplastics at graded soil application rates on mulberry seedling growth, tissue ultrastructure, antioxidant-related quality attributes, and metabolic profiles. PE and PBS suppressed mulberry height, stem diameter and biomass in a dose-dependent way (p < 0.05). At 400 mg/kg, PE reduced plant height, stem diameter and fresh biomass by 34.7%, 30.8% and 31.4%, while PBS caused larger declines of 45.5%, 39.8% and 42.5%; total dry biomass dropped maximally by 34.2% under PE and 46.8% under PBS. Both treatments triggered 31.8% compensatory root elongation potentially for nutrient capture, yet PBS induced more severe root pore blockage and leaf cuticle damage than PE across tested concentrations. MP exposure raised leaf total flavonoids and phenolics markedly. At 400 mg/kg, PE and PBS boosted flavonoids by 82.8% and 90.9%, phenolics by 90.1% and 100.8%. Meanwhile, 400 mg/kg PE and PBS increased DPPH activity by 65.9% and 73.5%, ABTS activity by 66.3% and 74.4% relative to the control. Non-targeted metabolomics demonstrated pronounced shifts in the leaf metabolic profiles, characterized by the accumulation of coumaric acid, quercetin, and rutin, while glutathione levels declined. KEGG analysis identified phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis as core responsive pathways; high PBS levels strongly disturbed lipid and stress metabolism. Overall, microplastic stress induced a trade-off between vegetative growth and antioxidant-oriented secondary metabolism in mulberry leaves. These findings suggest that biodegradable PBS residues can induce prominent physiological variations during the initial crop production stage, which highlights the need to closely track their temporal effects on functional raw materials. Full article

The growing demand for natural food colorants has increased interest in sustainable alternatives derived from agro-industrial by-products. This study developed and characterized a food-grade natural brown colorant from date seed waste of Phoenix dactylifera L. (Khalas variety) by process optimization, mineral profiling, phenolic characterization and analysis of its storage stability. A food-grade aqueous extraction system was employed, and a Taguchi L9 orthogonal array was used to optimize the processing parameters affecting color development. Roasting temperature was identified as the most influential factor, contributing 85.75% of the variation in color intensity. Signal-to-noise ratio analysis determined the optimum processing conditions as 200 °C roasting temperature, 5 min roasting time, and 15 min extraction time, yielding an OD₄₂₀ value of 0.927. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of hydroxyl, carbonyl, aromatic, and carbohydrate-associated functional groups related to thermally generated brown pigments. Further studies demonstrated that both temperature and opaqueness of the storage bottle significantly influence colorant stability. Refrigerated storage in amber containers provided superior retention of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, in addition to a superior antioxidant activity compared with room-temperature storage in clear containers. Mineral profiling revealed significantly high levels of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, with the mineral composition remaining largely stable during storage. HPLC analysis identified catechin and gallic acid as the major phenolic compounds, while ellagic acid was detected exclusively in the glycerol–water extract, indicating enhanced recovery of selected phenolics through solvent modification. Overall, the developed date seed colorant combines color-forming, antioxidant and nutritional properties, while providing a sustainable approach for the valorization of date-processing by-products. The findings highlight the potential application of date seed colorant as a clean-label alternative to synthetic brown colorants and support the development of sustainable food ingredients aligned with sustainable development goals. Full article

The development of sustainable food systems increasingly relies on the valorization of agri-food by-products and circular economy strategies. In this context, food-grade hydrogels represent promising matrices for incorporating biological components and bioactive compounds. This study focuses on the preparation and characterization of four hydrogels formulated with natural biopolymers, such as pectin, an extract obtained from spray-dried by-products generated during the processing of strawberry and blueberry fruit preparations, with potential applications in innovative and sustainable food formulations. A specific formulation was produced by including plant cells. UV–visible spectra, pH, and moisture content of the hydrogels were evaluated. Their morphological, chemical, and hydrodynamic properties were investigated using micro-Raman and FTIR/ATR spectroscopy along with swelling degree and dehydration behavior over time. The analysis clarified gelation mechanisms, confirming the key role of calcium chloride in matrix stabilization and the influence of plant cells on water retention. The developed food-grade hydrogels demonstrated physicochemical stability, even after 20 days of storage at 4 °C. The incorporation of plant cells modulated the hydrogel’s hygroscopic behavior, maintaining the fundamental gelation pathways. These results highlight the potential of these hydrogels as sustainable matrices for incorporating biological components and support their application in innovative food formulations based on the valorization of by-products. Full article

Background/Objectives: Front-of-pack labelling systems such as Nutri-Score are promoted as public health tools to guide consumers towards healthier food choices. However, their capacity to accurately signal sugar content in child-targeted foods—a key determinant of dental caries risk—remains poorly characterised. This study aimed to evaluate whether Nutri-Score category reliably reflects sugar content in pre-packaged foods marketed to children, and to discuss the implications for paediatric oral health. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study analysed the nutritional labels of 100 pre-packaged foods directed at the paediatric population, all displaying a Nutri-Score label, selected from three major supermarket chains in Valencia, Spain. Products were grouped into eight predefined food categories. Sugar content (g/100 g or 100 mL), Nutri-Score category (A–E), and ordinal position of sugar in the ingredients list were recorded. Global association between Nutri-Score grade and sugar content was evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient; category-level analyses used the Kruskal–Wallis or Mann–Whitney U test as appropriate. Results: A moderate statistically significant positive correlation was found between Nutri-Score grade and sugar content across all 100 products (ρ = 0.515, p < 0.001). In the exploratory category-level analyses, suggestive differences were observed in biscuits (H = 8.72, p = 0.033), milks and milk drinks (H = 9.02, p = 0.029), and desserts (H = 8.31, p = 0.016); none of these p-values survived Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons (adjusted α = 0.006). Notably, some products rated A and B contained high sugar levels: one A-rated breakfast cereal reached 22.4 g/100 g, and the highest B-rated product (a flavoured milk drink) contained 22.1 g/100 g. No significant association was detected in cereals, breads, dairy products, juices, or frozen foods. Conclusions: Nutri-Score demonstrated limited discriminatory ability to identify high-sugar child-targeted foods consistently across food categories. These findings support recommending that paediatric dental practitioners advise caregivers to evaluate sugar content and ingredients lists beyond front-of-pack grading. Further regulatory refinement of the algorithm to specifically weight added sugar exposure in child-targeted products may be warranted. Full article

Water-in-water (W/W) Pickering emulsions based on aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) are promising for food applications, but their stabilization is challenged by the ultra-low interfacial tension inherent to ATPSs. This study developed food-grade W/W Pickering emulsions stabilized by bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNCs) and evaluated their ability to regulate starch digestibility. The effects of dextran (Dex) concentration, maltodextrin (MD) concentration, and BCNC content on the microstructure, rheological properties, and stability of the emulsions were systematically investigated. The partitioning behavior of amylopectin (AMP) between the two phases and the in vitro digestion behavior of AMP-loaded W/W Pickering emulsions in the presence of α-amylase were further examined. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the successful preparation of BCNCs. The optimal formulation (24 wt% Dex, 14 wt% MD, and 0.24 wt% BCNCs) exhibited a uniform droplet distribution and enhanced storage stability. Contact angle analysis indicated preferential wettability of BCNCs toward the continuous Dex-rich phase, promoting interfacial adsorption and droplet stabilization. The emulsions remained stable at pH 3.0–7.0 but were sensitive to ionic strength above 7 mM sodium chloride. Importantly, in vitro digestion showed that BCNC-stabilized emulsions significantly inhibited α-amylase-mediated hydrolysis of AMP, with the hydrolysis extent reducing from ~54% to 14%. These results indicate that BCNCs act as effective natural stabilizers for W/W Pickering emulsions, forming a physical barrier that retards starch digestion. This work provides a sustainable strategy for designing slow-digestible, low-glycemic-index food systems with potential applications in functional foods and pharmaceuticals. Full article