Search Results (491)

The aim of this study was to develop novel and sensory-acceptable microgreens–apple juices and characterize them using UHPLC Q-ToF MS-based metabolomic analysis. The obtained juices showed reduced sugar content and mild acidity compared with the control apple juice. Untargeted analysis revealed 71 compounds, including phenolics, betalains, and one glucosinolate. Semi-quantification confirmed a high content of sinapic acid and its derivatives and hydroxybenzoic acid in broccoli–apple juice, as well as a predominant amount of phenolic acid diglycosides and hydroxycinnamoyl–isocitric acid derivatives in amaranth–apple juice. Apigenin C-glycosides were the main phenolics in red beet–apple juice, with the highest content of cytisoside derivatives. All microgreen-based juices contained apple-derived flavan-3-ols, procyanidins, dihydrochalcones, and certain flavonols. The formulated juices exhibited promising antioxidant potential evaluated by several screening assays (TPC, DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP), consistent with their phytochemical profiles, while differences among them may be linked to the amounts of certain bioactive molecules, mainly derived from microgreens. Moreover, these juices showed high overall quality and consumer acceptability, successfully masking typical microgreens flavors. Overall, these cold-pressed microgreen–apple juices can be classified as novel, low-calorie, and highly sensory-acceptable beverages, containing diverse bioactive compounds from both apple and microgreens; however, further in vitro and in vivo evidence is needed to support claims regarding their functionalities. Full article

Background: The rapid expansion of functional ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages—formulated with prebiotic fibers, botanical extracts, and reduced sugar—has outpaced systematic characterization of their small-molecule composition. Methods: We applied dual-mode untargeted high-resolution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), integrating hydrophilic interaction (HILIC) and reversed-phase C18 separations, to profile five commercial RTD beverages spanning distinct formulation categories: Coca-Cola^®, Poppi^® Orange, OLIPOP^® Cream Soda, Pure Leaf^® Unsweetened Black Tea, and BeePop™ Peach + Orange Blossom Honey. Results: Across all products, 478 compounds were structurally annotated at Metabolomics Standards Initiative (MSI) Levels 1 and 2, of which 42 matched compounds with reported bioactivity in a curated literature-based reference database. Seventeen compounds—including the NAD+ precursor trigonelline and multiple B vitamins—were detected across all five products. The number and diversity of compounds with reported bioactivity varied substantially by product and correlated with botanical ingredient complexity. Conclusions: This work presents a qualitative molecular survey of the RTD beverage category using standardized, dual-mode untargeted metabolomics, providing a reference dataset for future targeted quantitation studies. Full article

Musalais is a traditional fermented beverage of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang, China. Its production involves boiling grape juice at high temperatures to concentrate it and enhance its sugar content, followed by natural fermentation. However, this high-temperature concentration process leads to a significant loss of bioactive and flavor compounds, adversely affecting the quality of the final product. Adding composite ingredients may help mitigate this quality decline. This study compares Musalais new product with traditional Musalais. Phenolic analysis showed that total monomeric phenols were 182.36 mg·L⁻¹ in the new product versus 14.76 mg·L⁻¹ in traditional Musalais. Headspace solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS) identified 72 volatile compounds in the new product (total content of 569,848.88 μg·L⁻¹) compared to 58 compounds (total content of 362,774.17 μg·L⁻¹) in traditional Musalais. Compared to traditional Musalais, the new product exhibits a 24.14% increase in volatile compound variety and a 57.09% increase in total concentration, with more pronounced floral, fruity, and vinous aromas, as well as higher sensory scores. Non-targeted metabolomics suggests that the new product may have superior phenolic and volatile profiles. Full article

The demand for functional foods, particularly probiotics, has increased substantially in recent years. The search for plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA) has also risen, influenced by factors such as lactose intolerance, allergies, veganism, and environmental sustainability. Cashew nut kernels have high nutritional value, and are a suitable alternative for preparing plant-based beverages. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a potentially probiotic cashew nut-based beverage fermented by Lacticaseibacillus casei NRRL B-442. The fermented cashew nut-based beverage was prepared, and its stability was evaluated over a 42-day refrigerated storage period (4 °C). Various parameters were monitored, including pH, viability, and concentration of lactic acid, in addition to sugars. The survival rate of microorganisms following simulated gastrointestinal digestion was also determined. Sensory analysis included word association, hedonic scale, and CATA tests. During fermentation, the microorganism consumed glucose, leading to the production of lactic acid. The fermented drink was stable throughout the refrigerated storage period, with a final viable cell count greater than 12 log CFU/mL. After in vitro digestion, probiotic survival rates were higher than 73% in all the samples analyzed. The sensory analysis showed positive consumer acceptance. No statistically significant difference in overall hedonic acceptance was observed between the CNB sweetened with sucrose and sucralose, although both differed from the commercial fermented milk control in several sensory attributes. These results suggest that the cashew nut-based matrix is a promising alternative for developing functional plant products. This study effectively produced a probiotic beverage from cashew nut kernels with functional potential, providing a new product option for interested consumers. Full article

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition with psychosocial impact. Dietary carbohydrates, particularly added sugars, refined starches, and high-glycemic index/load (GI/GL) patterns, have been proposed as modifiable exposures that may relate to attention and behavioral regulation. This systematic review synthesized evidence linking carbohydrate quantity and quality to ADHD-related outcomes. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for English-language studies published from January 2015 to December 2025. Eligible studies included observational and interventional designs in children, adolescents, or adults with a clinical ADHD diagnosis or validated symptom assessment. Risk of bias was assessed using NOS/NOS-adapted criteria, RoB 2, and ROBINS-I. Findings were synthesized narratively by exposure domain. Results: Of 1174 records identified, 48 studies were included: 38 observational and 10 interventional. Sugar-related exposures showed the most consistent pattern: 15 of 16 studies examining added sugars, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets, candy, or sweet dietary patterns reported positive associations with ADHD diagnosis, symptom severity, hyperactivity, or less favorable ADHD-related outcomes. Findings for total carbohydrate intake were inconsistent. GI/GL-specific evidence was limited but generally adverse in direction. Among intervention studies, symptom improvement after modification was reported in 6 of 10 studies, whereas 4 studies showed mixed, preliminary, non-significant, or non-superior findings. Most observational studies showed moderate to high risk of bias, while interventional studies showed variable risk across domains. Conclusions: Poorer carbohydrate quality may be associated with greater ADHD-related symptom burden, whereas total carbohydrate intake showed inconsistent associations. Certainty remains limited by heterogeneity, residual confounding, risk of bias, and limited carbohydrate-specific intervention evidence. Full article

Colombian palm wine is a traditional fermented beverage produced from the sap of Attalea butyracea, whose microbiota and biochemical features remain poorly characterized. A comprehensive analytical framework was applied to palm wine samples from three Andean producers. This included the determination of proximate composition, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity, alongside a dual microbiological approach: traditional plate counting and high-throughput 16S rRNA/ITS metabarcoding. PICRUSt2 was employed to predict KEGG-based metabolic pathways to elucidate the microbial functional potential. The wines exhibited a low pH (3.35–3.65), a variable ethanol content (1.62–8.40 g/L), high residual sugars, moderate microbial loads, and limited antioxidant activity (as measured using the ABTS and DPPH assays). Analysis using high-throughput sequencing revealed high bacterial community diversity, dominated by Liquorilactobacillus nagelii, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Limosilactobacillus panis, Lacticaseibacillus casei, and Zymomonas mobilis alongside the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Functional profiling revealed a significant enrichment in metabolic pathways related to carbohydrates, amino acids, and cofactors/vitamins, as well as xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism. These findings provide the first integrated microbiological and physicochemical characterization of Colombian palm wine and highlight its biotechnological potential. Full article

Background/Objectives: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with reduced risk of non-communicable diseases but has declined among children, even in traditionally high-adherence settings such as Greece. As parental lifestyle behaviors strongly influence children’s dietary patterns, this study examined the associations between parental lifestyle factors and children’s MD adherence in Crete, Greece. Methods: A total of 760 parent–child dyads participated in this cross-sectional study. Children’s adherence to the MD was assessed using the KIDMED index. Parents completed validated instruments, including the MEDAS (MD adherence), IPAQ (physical activity), PSQI (sleep quality), and NLS (nutrition literacy), along with questions on dietary habits and screen time behaviors. ANOVA/Kruskal–Wallis tests and multivariable linear regression identified predictors of KIDMED scores. Results: Mean KIDMED score was 5.95 ± 2.65; 32% achieved optimal adherence. Younger children showed higher adherence. Higher children’s adherence to MD was positively associated with parental MD adherence (β = 0.493), urban residence (β = 0.544), higher parental education (β = 0.493), consistent daily meal routines (breakfast and mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks), higher water intake, and fresh juice consumption (all p < 0.05) were positively associated with parental MD adherence. Conversely, lower adherence was associated with parental age ≥ 45 years (β = 0.987), higher parental BMI (β = 0.072), consumption of sugar-sweetened (β = 0.390) or artificially sweetened beverages (β = 0.497), and weekend screen time ≥ 3 h/day (β = 0.383) (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: Children’s adherence to the MD is strongly associated with parental dietary behaviors and structured meal routines. These findings support family-focused interventions that emphasize parental dietary role modeling to counter declining MD adherence among Mediterranean youth. Full article

Background/Objectives: Insufficient hydration and high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is a significant public health challenge among adolescents. The aim of the presented study was to assess the beverage intake, in terms of quantity and choices, in a national-based population of Polish adolescents within the PLACE-19 Study. Methods: Within the PLACE-19 Study, the population of n = 1027 secondary school adolescents (age 15–20 years) was recruited based on a quota sampling of Polish secondary schools and n = 984 individuals (n = 674 female, n = 310 male) were included in the analysis. The study assessed beverages intake using the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS) survey questionnaire and data were gathered using the Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) technique. The beverages were assessed in the following groups: water, milk beverages, 100% fruit juices, coffee/tea, regular carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), diet CSDs, other sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs); additionally, total SSBs were summarized. The total beverage intake was compared with 80% of the Adequate Intake (AI) level. Results: The highest intake was observed for water (250 mL per day), and tea beverages (178.1 mL per day). However, in combining SSBs, the total daily intake for this group was 394.4 mL per day. The highest share of the daily intake of beverages was attributed to water intake (23.81%), and tea beverages (11.45%), followed by 100% fruit juices (7.14%), fruit drinks (6.67%), and milk (6.45%); however, the intake of total combined SSBs was even higher than for water (32.47%). Male individuals were characterized by a higher share of milk beverages, regular CSDs, diet CSDs, and other SSBs than female ones, while female individuals were characterized by a higher share of water, and coffee/tea in their total daily beverage intake than male ones (p < 0.001). Younger individuals were characterized by a higher share of other SSBs in their total daily beverage intake than older ones (p = 0.034). For the vast majority of the studied group, the inadequate intake of beverages was observed, as over 70% of the studied sub-groups did not meet the AI value. Conclusions: The inadequate beverage intake in a population of adolescents may be a problem, especially considering high intake of SSBs, and relatively low intake of water. Especially in male and younger individuals, due to a higher intake of SSBs, than for female and older individuals, education is necessary to promote adequate intake and choices of beverages. Further research is needed in the area of beverage consumption to understand the determinants of beverage consumption and develop opportunities to improve it. Full article

Water kefir production requires the fermentation of sweetened water with polysaccharide starter culture embedded with bacteria and yeast, which determines the finished product’s sensory, microbial, and chemical profile. The culture self-propagates, producing a new culture biomass used to inoculate subsequent raw materials. This study evaluated the effect of sequential culture transfers (across batches) and prolonged storage (within batches) on the microbial and chemical composition of finished beverages. Six commercial cultures were used in 20 sequential fermentations. The beverages were analyzed immediately after fermentation and then were stored at 4 °C for analysis every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. Microbial populations, including aerobic plate count (APC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), acetic acid bacteria (AAB), and yeast, were enumerated; major organic acids, sugars, and alcohols were quantified chromatographically. Sequential culture transfers and storage resulted in minimal microbial and chemical component changes. The initial microbial counts were similar across brewing cycles and culture systems with high counts of LAB. The culture transfers resulted in a decrease in initial ethanol levels to a negligible level. Microbial viability and sucrose content decreased with prolonged beverage storage. Overall, this study revealed that water kefir cultures were resistant to temporal changes and beverages’ microbial and chemical constituents were statistically stable (p > 0.05) during refrigeration. Full article

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major inhibitory neurotransmitter, is known for its physiological functions in alleviating anxiety and improving sleep. Currently, high-yielding GABA food products are mainly obtained through screening wild-type high-producing strains (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from Sichuan pickles yielding 0.67 g/L) or employing co-culture systems (e.g., Enterococcus faecium and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum reaching 6.35 g/L). While effective, these methods often rely on natural screening strains or multi-microbial interactions. This study employed CRISPR-Cas9 technology to knockout the UGA1 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a key gene responsible for GABA degradation. Starting from the low higher alcohol Saccharomyces cerevisiae SY-LH, we successfully constructed the recombinant strain SY-LHU. Remarkably, this study discovered a significant upregulation of GAD1 gene expression following UGA1 knockout, which further enhanced GABA synthesis capacity. Under optimal fermentation conditions (inoculum size 4 × 10⁷ cells/mL, wort concentration 10 °P, sugar addition 60 g/L, 30 °C for 10 days, and mixing the malt broth every 48 h), the validation fermentation was performed and the GABA content in the wort beverage reached 280.36 mg/L, representing a 385.4% increase compared to the pre-optimization level. Furthermore, sensory evaluation by a trained panel yielded a mean score of 88, with no significant off-flavors detected, demonstrating the product’s high consumer acceptance. This pioneering work provides a novel and feasible technical pathway for developing functional alcoholic beverages with sleep-aiding properties. Full article

Background/Objectives: This secondary and exploratory meta-analysis re-evaluated 30 randomized controlled trials on free and added sugars (FS) detailed in the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) report on the tolerable upper intake level for dietary sugars, focusing on the influence of food source (beverages, foods, or mixed) on cardiometabolic and anthropometric health. Methods: The EFSA’s method of analyzing the relative FS intake (difference between treatment and comparator arms, Δ%E^fs) was used, with further adjustment for the reported intake of all sources of FS and energy. The EFSA’s “high vs. low” random-effects meta-analysis comparing groups with the highest and lowest FS intake was replicated, and additional exploratory dose–response meta-regressions (linear and non-linear) were performed, stratified by food source. Given the secondary and observational nature of the analysis, all source-stratified findings should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating, rather than causal. Results: There were no interactions between Δ%E^fs and food source for any outcome, and within a source there were linearly positive and statistically significant regressions for body weight (mixed), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, foods), and uric acid (beverages). Across 13 outcomes, Δ%E^fs was positively and linearly related to greater fasting glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and LDL-C, and non-linearly to body weight. However, the data were limited in their representation of FS intake at typical population levels, and there were insufficient data to investigate the effect of FS from foods on most anthropometric outcomes. Conclusions: Meta-regressive dose–responses revealed little relationship between Δ%E^fs from specific food sources and health outcomes, but such effects might be masked by confounding factors. Future trials that test realistic intakes of FS across diverse food matrices and account for dietary compensation would help to overcome limitations in the body of evidence. Full article

Background: Mechanistic evidence increasingly implicates fructose exposures as contributors to the development and exacerbation of asthma and other atopic diseases. Proposed mechanisms include gut dysbiosis, impaired epithelial barrier integrity in the gut and airways, metabolic endotoxemia, and amplification of type 2 immune responses. However, epidemiologic findings linking fructose intake with asthma and atopic disorders remain heterogeneous. Objective: To conduct a review of epidemiologic studies evaluating associations between dietary fructose-containing exposures and atopic outcomes in pediatric populations. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and Embase identified cohort, case-control, cross-sectional, and randomized feeding studies assessing fructose exposure in relation to asthma and atopic outcomes in pediatric populations. Eligibility screening, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment were conducted by one reviewer and confirmed by the other. Results: Seventeen epidemiologic studies met criteria. Multiple cohorts (e.g., BRISA, PIAMA) reported modest to moderate associations between higher sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake and pediatric asthma or “asthma traits.” Cross-sectional analyses from NHANES and the National Children’s Study showed stronger associations, with greater fructose exposures linked to two- to five-fold higher odds of asthma. High fructose beverage consumption demonstrated the most consistent positive associations. Large ISAAC-based studies reported largely null findings, reflecting broad dietary exposure categories and limited specificity for fructose-rich beverages. Evidence for rhinitis, eczema, and sensitization was directionally consistent. Conclusions: Despite heterogeneity, the convergence of mechanistic plausibility with epidemiologic signals supports a potential contributory role of high fructose exposure in pediatric atopic disease. More rigorous longitudinal studies with biomarker-based exposure assessment are needed to refine causal inference. Full article

Background/Objectives: Liver fat represents an early metabolic lesion in the development of diabetes and its cardiometabolic complications. Diets high in free sugars, particularly from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), are associated with abdominal obesity and increased cardiometabolic risk, prompting global guidelines to limit SSBs as a major public health strategy. Low-fat cow’s milk is promoted as the preferred caloric replacement strategy for SSBs due to its high nutritional value and cardiometabolic advantages. Fortified soymilk is a plant-based alternative with approved health claims for cholesterol and coronary heart disease risk reduction that offers an equivalent nutritional value to cow’s milk. However, given concerns about its classification as an ultra-processed food (UPF), it is unclear whether soymilk offers comparable metabolic health benefits to milk as part of clinical and public health strategies to reduce SSB intake. The Soy Treatment Evaluation for Metabolic (STEM) health trial seeks to evaluate the impact of replacing SSBs with either 2% soymilk or 2% cow’s milk on liver fat and other cardiometabolic risk factors in habitual adult consumers of SSBs with obesity. Methods: The STEM trial is a 24-week, pragmatic, 3-arm, parallel, randomized trial. We recruited adults with obesity (high BMI plus high waist circumference based on ethnic specific cut-offs) consuming ≥1 SSB/day. Participants were randomized to one of three groups based on their usual SSB intake at baseline (servings/day): continued SSB (355 mL can) intake; replacement with fortified, sweetened 2% soymilk (250 mL); or replacement with 2% cow’s milk (250 mL). The primary outcome is the change in intrahepatocellular lipid (IHCL) measured by ¹H-MRS at 24 weeks. Hierarchical testing will be done to reduce the familywise error rate. The superiority of cow’s milk to SSBs will be assessed first to establish assay sensitivity. If superiority is established, then the non-inferiority of soymilk to cow’s milk will be assessed using a pre-specified non-inferiority margin of 1.5% IHCL units (assessed by difference of means using a 90% confidence interval [CI]). Analyses will be conducted according to the intention-to-treat (ITT) principle using inverse probability weighting (IPW) for superiority testing and per-protocol analyses for non-inferiority testing, using ANCOVA adjusted for age, sex, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) status, medication use, intervention dose, and baseline levels. We hypothesize that soymilk will be non-inferior to cow’s milk (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05191160). Results: Recruitment began in November 2021. A total of 3050 individuals were screened. We randomized 186 participants (62 per group) between 19 April 2022 and 16 April 2024. Participants are 57% male; with a mean [SD] age of 39.9 [11.8] years; BMI of 34.6 [6.1] kg/m², waist circumference of 112.6 [13.8] cm; IHCL of 10.0 [8.2] % with 64.1% meeting the criteria for MASLD; and SSBs intake of 2.3 [1.3] servings/day. Conclusions: Baseline characteristics were balanced across the study arms, with participants representing adults with a high-risk metabolic phenotype, and 64.1% meeting the criteria for MASLD. Findings will contribute to evidence on the cardiometabolic benefits of soymilk, informing clinical practice guidelines and public health policy. Full article

Diabetes Mellitus is a complex metabolic disorder, primarily characterized by persistent high blood sugar levels, and it is becoming increasingly prevalent with numerous associated complications. The leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskja, traditionally prepared as a tea beverage in China, is frequently used in folk medicine for managing metabolic syndromes, particularly diabetes and hyperlipidemia. However, the main active components responsible for its hypoglycemic effect and their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The current study aimed to clarify the main chemical components of the aqueous extract of C. paliurus leaves and to explore their mechanisms of action. The primary constituents from the aqueous extract of C. paliurus leaves were isolated and identified using macroporous adsorption resin, preparative liquid chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance technology. The contents of these identified compounds in the leaves were quantified using HPLC. An integrated approach combining network pharmacology and molecular docking was initially used to predict the potential molecular targets and associated signaling pathways responsible for the hypoglycemic activity of the compounds, with subsequent experimental validation performed in a hyperglycemic zebrafish model. From the aqueous extract, a total of seven compounds were obtained and subsequently identified as Chlorogenic Acid (CA), Quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucuronide (Q3GA), Astragalin, 3,4-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid (3,4-DCA), Afzelin, Quercetin, and Kaempferol. Their contents in C. paliurus leaves, as determined by HPLC, were 24.88 mg/g, 30.87 mg/g, 1.21 mg/g, 1.19 mg/g, 5.24 mg/g, 2.43 mg/g, and 1.34 mg/g, respectively. Network pharmacology analysis identified AKT1, TNF, and IL1B as key targets for the hypoglycemic effects of both the aqueous extract and the seven individual compounds. These findings were further supported by RT-PCR experiments in a zebrafish model, which showed that blood glucose regulation occurs through the downregulation of TNF and IL1B and the upregulation of AKT1 protein. The aqueous extract is rich in Chlorogenic Acid, Quercetin, and their derivatives, all of which display significant hypoglycemic activity. Full article

Background/Objectives: More than half of Swiss adults exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended limit for free sugar intake, with sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) as a major contributor. SSB intake may be associated with other dietary risk factors, but little is known about diet quality excluding SSB intake. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the association of SSB intake with the non-SSB diet quality in Swiss adults. Methods: Data from the cross-sectional, national nutrition survey menuCH (2014–2015, n = 2057, 18–75 years) were analyzed. Dietary intake was assessed via two 24 h dietary recalls. Participants were categorized as non-, low-, or high-SSB consumers based on the Swiss dietary guideline for free sugar intake. Diet quality excluding SSB was evaluated using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) scoring system (non-SSB AHEI). Results: Non-SSB consumers had higher non-SSB AHEI scores compared to low-SSB consumers, indicating healthier food choices beyond SSB intake, while high-SSB consumers had substantially poorer non-SSB diet quality. Despite these differences, non-SSB AHEI scores were only moderate across all SSB consumer types, suggesting that reducing SSB alone may not suffice to achieve optimal diet quality. Conclusions: In addition to population-based strategies to reduce SSB intake, future policies should aim to improve overall diet quality, including higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and unsaturated fats. Prospective studies are needed to clarify which alternative food choices individuals make when reducing SSB intake. Full article