Search Results (120)

The African esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) corridor extends from Ethiopia to the Eastern Cape and contains some of the highest age-standardized ESCC incidence rates reported anywhere, with five-year survival below 5%. The corridor’s heterogeneous incidence (sex ratios from 1:1 to 7:1; tenfold variation between adjacent populations) has resisted single-factor explanation through more than half a century of investigation. We synthesize the multicenter evidence accumulated since the IARC 2018 Group 2A classification of very hot beverages (>65 °C), with particular attention to the African Esophageal Cancer Consortium (ESCCAPE) outputs and to whole-genome sequencing. We argue, on the convergent evidence of animal toxicology, human in vitro mucosa, and population genomics, that thermal exposure acts as a tumor promoter rather than an initiator. On this reading, the corridor’s heterogeneous burden reflects heterogeneous chemical co-exposure profiles operating against a shared thermal-promoter substrate. Extending the comparative margin-of-exposure (MOE) methodology to esophageal squamous carcinogenesis, we present an MOE framework distinguishing genotoxic compounds (within-mode-of-action additive) from thermal exposure (separate companion figure) and apply it to two corridor scenarios. The framework supports a four-lever prevention strategy combining tobacco control, alcoholic-strength reduction in unrecorded spirits, clean-cookstove deployment, and graduated thermal-exposure reduction. Full article

The presented study is dedicated to a “green” solution for hot beverage packaging—a biodegradable single-use cup. Product development follows a specifically elaborated methodology that involves initial material characterization, followed by adjusted product design. The research and design activities continue toward mold design development and testing. The study concludes with a cost analysis, in which an alternative material composition is also examined. The finalized product is ready for industrialization, reaching TRL 5, with assessed financial aspects. This study is a good demonstration of the application of modern technologies and tools for the development of an innovative product. Full article

Background: Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) is a widely consumed botanical beverage rich in caffeoylquinic acids, methylxanthines, flavonoids, and saponins. However, the large number of biological effects attributed to yerba mate has made it difficult to distinguish mechanistic promise from clinically relevant evidence. Methods: This structured narrative review searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, and Google Scholar for literature published from January 2015 through June 2026. Predefined thematic search blocks, eligibility criteria, staged screening, data extraction, and design-appropriate methodological appraisal were applied. Results: The most coherent evidence concerns antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms and possible metabolic effects, including lipid, glycemic, and body-weight-related outcomes. However, much of the evidence remains preclinical, while human studies are limited, heterogeneous in dose and formulation, and generally of short duration. Safety depends on total caffeine exposure, preparation temperature, processing-related contaminants, individual susceptibility, and concurrent medication use. Very-hot consumption and smoke-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons represent avoidable risks. Conclusions: Yerba mate may represent a functional beverage and source of bioactive ingredients, but therapeutic claims remain unsupported. Responsible use requires control of caffeine dose, beverage temperature, processing contaminants, and exposure in vulnerable populations. Future research should prioritize standardized preparations, long-term safety assessment, dose–response characterization, and adequately powered clinical trials. Full article

Matcha tea (Camellia sinensis) contains high levels of catechins but has a near-neutral pH (6.2–6.3), which limits the stability of its bioactive compounds. Blending matcha with acidic berries may enhance phenolic stabilization, antioxidant capacity, and sensory properties. This study evaluated pure matcha (MT) and a matcha beverage blended with 7.5% strawberry and 7.5% blackberry powder (Mix), extracted at 5 °C, 70 °C, and 100 °C. Sensory evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale (n = 50) identified 15% berry substitution (Mix) as optimal, with overall acceptability scores ranging from 8.28 to 8.32 across all extraction temperatures. Sensory evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale (n = 50) identified 15% berry substitution (Mix) as optimal. Total phenolics (Folin–Ciocalteu), flavonoids (AlCl₃), anthocyanins (pH differential), vitamin C (HPLC), and individual phenolic compounds were analyzed. Antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS) and anti-inflammatory activity (egg albumin denaturation) were assessed, and color parameters (L*, a*, b*, chroma, hue, browning index, ΔE) were measured. Results and Discussion: The Mix exhibited significantly higher total phenolics (24.4% increase at 100 °C) and flavonoids (31.6% increase at 100 °C) compared to MT. Anthocyanins, absent in MT, reached 52.35 mg/100 g at 5 °C, and vitamin C content was 2.6-fold higher than MT under cold extraction. HPLC profiling showed increased levels of gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, and rutin in the Mix. The Mix demonstrated superior antioxidant activity with DPPH inhibition of 84.08% at 100 °C (IC₅₀ = 165.0 µg/mL) and ABTS inhibition of 83.67% at 100 °C (IC₅₀ = 105.1 µg/mL). Anti-inflammatory activity was highest at 70 °C (IC₅₀ = 72.2 µg/mL), representing a 3.5-fold improvement over MT. Color parameters were similar to MT at 5 °C and 70 °C but darkened at 100 °C. The acidic pH (~3.7) of the Mix remained stable, contributing to catechin stabilization. Conclusion: The 15% strawberry-blackberry matcha blend shows potential as a functionally enhanced beverage with improved phenolic content, vitamin C, anthocyanins, and bioactivities. Temperature selection allows customization: 100 °C for maximal antioxidant activity, 70 °C for anti-inflammatory benefits, and 5 °C for nutrient preservation and vibrant color. Full article

Brewing generates several by-products with high potential for conversion into food in-gredients, including brewer’s spent grain, brewer’s spent yeast, spent hops, and hot trub. These streams contain dietary fibre, proteins, β-glucans, phenolics, minerals, and others with nutritional and technological value. This review evaluates their suitability for food applications by linking composition, processing routes, techno-functional behaviour, safety, sensory quality, and industrial readiness. A structured literature search covering publications from 2015 to 2026 was conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar to support a critical narrative synthesis of food-relevant applications of brewing by-products. The review shows that brewer’s spent grain is the most suitable by-product for wider food use, mainly in bakery, snacks, pasta, and cereal-based products, due to its high availability and fibre-rich composition. Brewer’s spent yeast is more appropriate for fraction-based applications involving proteins, peptides, β-glucans, and mannoproteins, especially in dairy products, savoury foods, beverages, and encapsula-tion systems. Spent hops and hot trub are less suitable for direct incorporation, but they may be used for selective recovery of phenolic-rich, antioxidant, flavour-active, or pro-tein-containing fractions. The conversion of these materials into food ingredients depends strongly on stabilization, drying, milling, extraction, fermentation, enzymatic treatment, debittering, and fractionation. Main limitations include high moisture content, short shelf-life, microbial spoilage, compositional variability, bitterness, dark colour, high nucleic acid content in yeast-derived fractions, regulatory uncertainty, and limited pilot-scale validation. Overall, brewing by-products can support the development of up-cycled ingredients when processing, safety, sensory quality, and product compatibility are controlled. Future progress requires standardized recovery protocols, stronger quality control, sensory validation, legal assessment, and scale-up studies to support their use in commercial food production. Full article

Behavioral interventions are widely used to promote sustainable consumption, but their effectiveness under high-friction real-world conditions remains uncertain, especially when multiple tools are combined. We report a quasi-experimental natural field study conducted in a busy urban café in Tel Aviv, Israel, examining the isolated and combined effects of a localized identity-based social-norm cue and a small financial incentive on reusable cup adoption. Across four consecutive weeks and 9414 hot-beverage transactions, a baseline week was followed by a norm condition, a 1 NIS discount condition, and a combined condition. Reusable cup use increased from 3.33% at baseline to 3.59% in the norm week, 4.19% in the incentive week, and 3.72% in the combined week, but none of these changes reached statistical significance. The financial incentive produced the largest descriptive increase, whereas the combined intervention did not outperform the incentive alone. Across the intervention period, reusable cup use exceeded the number expected under the baseline rate by approximately 35 purchases. These bounded null findings suggest that low-cost behavioral tools may yield only modest gains in convenience-driven consumption settings and that combining policy tools does not necessarily generate additive effects. The study contributes ecologically grounded evidence on the boundary conditions of sustainable behavior change and highlights the importance of testing behavioral policies under realistic implementation constraints. Full article

Travel-associated Legionnaires’ disease (TALD) investigations in hotels have generated extensive environmental monitoring data. However, the occupational implications for workers who operate, maintain, clean, or inspect the same systems are rarely assessed. We developed a hybrid framework integrating a semi-quantitative environmental hazard model with deterministic Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA). In the first model, culture concentration bands were combined with physicochemical deviation indicators (temperature, free residual chlorine, and pH) to derive point-level hazard ($H_i$) and zone-level hazard (${\overline{H}}_z$). In the second model, a job-based presence matrix was combined with zone-specific serogroup-based severity using a simplified World Health Organization (WHO)-style 3 × 3 likelihood–severity approach. Legionella pneumophila (≥50 CFU/L) was detected in 29.94% of water samples and was significantly associated with low chlorine (<0.2 mg/L; RR 2.90) and hot water temperature < 55 °C (RR 3.07). To support comparative occupational exposure stratification, QMRA was applied to estimate the daily inhaled dose ($\mathrm{d}$) for 15 worker groups, indicating variability in modeled biological exposure across occupational categories. Within this framework, modeled occupational exposure potential was shaped by the combined influence of pathogen concentration and assumed exposure duration. Under the hazard model, the highest zone-level hazard estimate was observed in kitchens and food and beverage (F&B) areas (${\overline{H}}_z$ = 2.607), followed by machinery rooms (${\overline{H}}_z$ = 2.022) and guest rooms (${\overline{H}}_z$ = 1.874). These findings support the integration of worker protection into water safety management, particularly in areas and groups overlooked in routine investigations. Full article

Styrene, a constituent of polystyrene food-contact materials, can migrate into hot beverages, but data on short-term consumer exposure and associated biological responses remain limited. In this single-arm longitudinal human biomonitoring pilot study, 40 healthy adults consumed tea or coffee daily in Styrofoam cups for approximately two weeks. Biomarkers were measured at baseline, day 6, and day 11, including urinary mandelic acid (MA) and phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA), salivary malondialdehyde (MDA), comet assay parameters in peripheral blood lymphocytes, and micronucleus (MN) frequency in buccal cells. Measured styrene migration into beverages ranged from 3.3 to 7.1 μg/L, below the World Health Organization guideline value. Urinary metabolites and salivary MDA showed substantial interindividual variability and no consistent temporal pattern. In contrast, generalized estimating equation models showed progressive increases in comet assay indicators over the exposure period. Tail intensity and tail moment increased over time, with stronger changes among participants consuming two cups daily. MN frequency did not change significantly. These findings suggest that repeated short-term consumption of hot beverages in polystyrene cups was associated with modest changes in selected early biomarkers of biological effect under consumer-use conditions. The results should be interpreted cautiously in light of the modest sample size, short follow-up, and absence of more specific mechanistic endpoints, but they support further study of repeated low-level exposure to food-contact materials. Full article

Hot air drying of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) and its by-products, mainly the peel and placenta with seeds, has been investigated, analysing the influence of pretreatments on drying kinetics and bioactive compound content. Pumpkin flours not only stand out for their microbiological stability (low water activity), but also for their bioactive compounds important for health, including phenolic compounds and other antioxidants. Pretreatments prior to drying may improve both the quality and the drying efficiency, although their optimization has not been studied in pumpkin by-product flours. Hence, we studied different pretreatments, such as steam blanching (SB) and freezing (F) (−18 °C), to investigate their effect on the pumpkin by-product flour quality (color and water activity) after drying and compared to flours made with the edible part (pulp). In addition, different drying kinetics models were evaluated. SB pulp and peel achieved lower water activity (0.25/0.20) than F (0.35/0.36), compared to untreated pumpkin by-product flour (0.40/0.45). The SB placenta with seeds achieved a lower water activity (0.19) than F (0.55). The total phenolic content (TPC) increased up to 41.7, 60.2 and 40.9% in pre-treated and dried pulp, peel and placenta with seeds, respectively, compared to control (CTRL). A similar result was obtained for total flavonoid content (TFC), where increases of up to 86.4, 36.4, and 32.2% were observed in pre-treated pulp, peel and placenta with seeds, respectively. For total antioxidant capacity (TAC), results showed an increase of up to 33.1% in pre-treated peel, with slight reductions in pulp (20.1%) and placenta with seeds (39.1%), compared to CTRL. These results are promising for obtaining new dehydrated plant products from industrial processing by-products, while maintaining their beneficial health characteristics. These powdered products can be used in future research on the formulation of new fortified foods, such as bakery products, or the development of natural additives for beverages or soups. Full article

Coffee is a very popular psychoactive beverage with a complex composition. Besides its stimulant effect due to caffeine, it contains several bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties and potent metabolic activity. Its clinical efficacy is fundamentally determined by the bioavailability and metabolic fate of its constituents. The bioactive components of coffee, such as polyphenols, melanoidins, phytosterols, biogenic amines, and carotenoids, have notable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. This review aims to present the main bioactive components of coffee, their biological effects, mechanisms of action, and the influence of preparation methods and individual variability on metabolic outcomes in common chronic diseases. The data are synthesized from clinical, prospective, and interventional studies to examine how processing variables and biological metabolism influence the health-promoting potential of coffee antioxidants. Brewing methods like hot filtration optimize the extraction of these antioxidants. Individual clinical outcomes are further modulated by genetic polymorphisms and gut microbiota variability, which influence the activation of the cellular Nrf2 antioxidant defense pathway. Full article

Background/Objectives: The growing prevalence of mental health problems among medical students is a global concern, with dietary patterns emerging as potential modifiable factors. This study aimed to explore and evaluate whether higher consumption of ultra-processed foods may be associated with greater symptoms of anxiety and depression. Methods: This was an exploratory cross-sectional study integrated into a previous cohort of medical students, conducted based on the guidelines for Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology. Sixty-seven medical students completed a Food Frequency Questionnaire-based index. Dietary patterns and the associations between these patterns and symptoms of anxiety and/or depression were assessed statistically. Results: There were differences in the consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes and unsweetened juices between groups with/without anxiety or depression (p < 0.05). A higher intake of ultra-processed foods such as pizza, hot dogs, cereals high in fat and sugar, processed beverages and sweets was linked to greater symptoms (p < 0.05; Cohen’s d = 0.3–0.7). Three to four dietary patterns were identified, explaining between 60% and 86% of the variance. High consumption of cereals with added fat and sugars increased the risk by 7.4 times (OR = 7.4, 95% CI 1.2–12.2, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Dietary intake was associated, but not causally linked, to emotional symptoms among medical students. Lower consumption of unprocessed foods and higher intake of ultra-processed foods formed consistent behavioral profiles associated with anxiety and depression. Consuming more than three daily servings of cereals with added fat and sugar increased the risk of severe depressive symptoms by more than sevenfold, highlighting a strong dietary determinant. Future research should assess nutritional interventions aimed to improve mental health and academic performance in medical students. Full article

The importance of proper hydration for work performance in hot climates is well known, as opposed to its role in cold climates. Workers’ water requirements may be high in both cold and hot environments, and the effects of dehydration can be a serious problem in either case. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommend that workers drink small amounts (150–250 mL at once) of chilled water (especially in hot environments) or warm beverages (especially in cold environments) every 15–20 min (before they become thirsty) to stay well hydrated. However, individual hydration plans are now more preferred, as no single recommendation is suitable for everyone. Workers should stay hydrated before, during, and after work. The article presents the importance of adequate hydration of workers as well as some recommendations for fluid intake in the workplace. Full article

To improve the drying efficiency and quality of Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis) for both medicinal and beverage purposes, this study examined the effects of temperature, vacuum degree, and rotation speed during rotary microwave vacuum drying. The study focused on drying kinetics, physicochemical properties, and sensory quality of the Scutellaria slices. Multivariate analyses, including hierarchical cluster and correlation network analyses, were used to explore the relationship between parameters and quality. Results showed that the method significantly reduced drying time and improved moisture migration. It also preserved active components like baicalin, wogonoside, total phenolics, and polysaccharides, with high antioxidant activity maintained. Temperature was the key factor. The best balance was achieved with 50 °C, −75 kPa, and 4.2 rad/s, resulting in high drying efficiency, a sensory acceptability score of 8.8, turbidity of 12.4 NTU, and strong antioxidant capacity. Cluster analysis distinguished microwave-vacuum-dried samples from those dried by traditional methods (natural air-drying and hot-air drying). Correlation network analysis revealed positive links between sensory acceptance, active components, and liquor clarity. This optimized parameter set is recommended for producing high-quality Scutellaria ingredients for consumers. Full article

Background/Objectives: Unbalanced diets contribute to a rise in low-grade systemic inflammation, a risk factor for metabolic diseases. The aim of this study is to systematically review evidence from chronic intervention studies to understand the role of foods in modulating inflammatory responses in humans. Methods: A literature search was conducted on PubMed using specific keywords. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane guidelines. Inclusion criteria required chronic dietary intervention studies measuring cytokine levels in humans. Results: In the 75 studies selected, results revealed extremely high variability both in outcomes, study design, and participant selection criteria. Studies with fruits and vegetables showed a reduction in circulating cytokine levels and/or an increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines in 80% of studies (8/10), followed by fish (78%; 7/9), dairy (67%; 4/6), cereals (64%; 7/11), and oils (57%; 4/7). Beverages and hot beverages showed a decrease in circulating cytokines in 50% of cases (10/20 and 4/8, respectively). An increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines was observed in dietary interventions with beverages. As further findings, we also observed greater effectiveness from fruits and vegetables (87.5%; 7/8), fish (75%; 6/8), and cereals (62.5%; 5/8) when studies were conducted in subjects with pathologies or risk factors. Conclusions: Fruits and vegetables, fish, and cereals reduce systemic inflammation mainly in subjects with pathologies or risk factors. However, the limited number of studies do not allow us to draw solid conclusions on individual foods. Standardized dietary intervention trials are urgently needed to understand the role of foods in modulating inflammatory responses and to deliver findings to the general public. Full article

This study aims to investigate the release of potentially toxic elements from disposable paper and plastic cups when exposed to hot water, simulating the scenario of their use in hot beverage consumption, and to assess the associated health risks. By using ICP-MS, twelve potentially toxic elements, namely As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Pb, Sb, V, and Zn, were determined in leachates, revealing significant variability in mass fractions between paper and plastic cups, with plastic cups demonstrating greater leaching potential. Health risk assessments, including hazard quotient (HQ) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), indicated minimal non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for most elements, except Pb, which posed elevated non-carcinogenic risk, especially in plastic cups. Children showed higher relative exposure levels compared to adults due to their lower body weights (the HQ in children is two times greater than in adults). Overall, the findings of the current study underscore the need for stricter monitoring and regulation of materials used in disposable cups, especially plastic ones, to mitigate potential health risks. Future investigations should assess the leaching behavior of potentially toxic elements under conditions that accurately mimic real-world usage. Such investigations ought to incorporate a systematic evaluation of diverse temperature regimes, varying exposure durations, and different beverage types. Full article