Search Results (2,791)

This study, conducted in Southern Italy in 2023, investigated the effects of a dynamic agrivoltaics (AV) system on microclimate, water consumption, plant growth, and essential oil yield in six medicinal species: lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L. ‘Royal purple’), lemmon thyme (Thymus citriodorus (Pers.) Schreb. ar. ‘Aureus’), common thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. ‘Severn seas’), mint (Mentha spicata L. ‘Moroccan’), and sage (Salvia officinalis L. subsp. Officinalis). Due to the rotating solar panels, two distinct ground zones were identified: a consistently shaded area under the panels (UP), and a partially shaded area between the panels (BP). These were compared to an adjacent full-sun control area (T). Microclimate parameters, including solar radiation, air and leaf infrared temperature, and soil temperature, were recorded throughout the cultivation season. Reference evapotranspiration (ET_O) was calculated using Turc’s method, and crop evapotranspiration (ET_C) was estimated with species-specific crop coefficients (K_C). Results showed significantly lower microclimatic values in the UP plot compared to both BP and especially T, resulting in ET_C reductions of 81.1% in UP and 13.1% in BP relative to T, an advantage in water-scarce environments. Growth and yield responses varied among species and treatment plots. Except for mint, all species showed a significant reduction in fresh biomass (40.1% to 48.8%) under the high shading of UP compared to T. However, no biomass reductions were observed in BP. Notably, essential oil yields were higher in both UP and BP plots (0.60–2.63%) compared to the T plot (0.51–1.90%). These findings demonstrate that dynamic AV systems can enhance water use efficiency and essential oil yield, offering promising opportunities for sustainable, high-quality medicinal crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Full article

With the growing severity of environmental pollution, people are paying increasing attention to their health. However, naturally occurring wood with health benefits and applications in human healthcare is still scarce. Natural wood exhibits a limited negative oxygen ion release capacity, and this release has a short duration, failing to meet practical application requirements. This study innovatively developed a humidity-responsive, healthy wood material with a high negative oxygen ion release capacity based on fast-growing poplar. Through vacuum cyclic impregnation technology, hexagonal stone powder was infused into the pores of poplar wood, endowing it with the ability to continuously release negative oxygen ions. The healthy wood demonstrated a static average negative oxygen ion release rate of 537 ions/cm³ (peaking at 617 ions/cm³) and a dynamic average release rate of 3,170 ions/cm³ (peaking at 10,590 ions/cm³). The results showed that the particle size of hexagonal stone powder in suspension was influenced by the dispersants and dispersion processes. The composite dispersion process demonstrated optimal performance when using 0.5 wt% silane coupling agent γ-(methacryloxy)propyltrimethoxysilane (KH570), achieving the smallest particle size of 8.93 μm. The healthy wood demonstrated excellent impregnation performance, with a weight gain exceeding 14.61% and a liquid absorption rate surpassing 165.18%. The optimal impregnation cycle for vacuum circulation technology was determined to be six cycles, regardless of the type of dispersant. Compared with poplar wood, the hygroscopic swelling rate of healthy wood was lower, especially in PEG-treated samples, where the tangential, radial, longitudinal, and volumetric swelling rates decreased by 70.93%, 71.67%, 69.41%, and 71.35%, respectively. Combining hexagonal stone powder with fast-growing poplar wood can effectively enhance the release of negative oxygen ions. The static average release of negative oxygen ions from healthy wood is 1.44 times that of untreated hexagonal stone powder, and the dynamic release reaches 2 to 3 times the concentration of negative oxygen ions specified by national fresh air standards. The water-responsive mechanism revealed that negative oxygen ion release surged when ambient humidity exceeded 70%. This work proposes a sustainable and effective method to prepare healthy wood with permanent negative oxygen ion release capability. It demonstrates great potential for improving indoor air quality and enhancing human health. Full article

The quality of water in households can be affected by plumbing design and materials, water usage patterns, and source water quality characteristics. These factors influence stagnation duration, disinfection residuals, metal release, and microbial activity. In particular, stagnation can degrade water quality and increase lead release from lead service lines. This study employs numerical modeling to assess how combined corrosion control and flushing strategies affect lead levels in household taps with lead service lines under reduced water use. To estimate potential health risks, the U.S. EPA model is used to predict the percentage of children likely to exceed safe blood lead levels. Lead exceedances are assessed based on various regulatory requirements. Results show that exceedances at the kitchen tap range from 3 to 74% of usage time for the 5 µg/L standard, and from 0 to 49% for the 10 µg/L threshold, across different scenarios. Implementing corrosion control treatment in combination with periodic flushing proves effective in lowering lead levels under the studied low-consumption scenarios. Under these conditions, the combined strategy limits lead exceedances above 5 µg/L to only 3% of usage time, with none above 10 µg/L. This demonstrates its value as a practical short-term strategy for households awaiting full pipe replacement. Targeted flushing before peak water use reduces the median time that water remains stagnant in household pipes from 8 to 3 h at the kitchen tap under low-demand conditions. Finally, the risk model indicates that the combined approach can reduce the predicted percentage of children with blood lead levels exceeding 5 μg/dL from 61 to 6% under low water demand. Full article

This study evaluates the efficacy of commercial clean-label additives, specifically fermentates, in inhibiting mold growth in vitro and extending the shelf life of preservative-free bread. The mold growth on selected bread was modeled using the time-to-growth approach. The pH, a_w, and moisture content of fresh bread were determined. In addition, selected fermentates were characterized physicochemically. Fermentates, defined as liquid or powdered preparations containing microorganisms, their metabolites, and culture supernatants, were tested at varying concentrations (1% to 12%) to assess their antimicrobial performance and impact on bread quality parameters, including moisture content, water activity, and pH. The results showed significant differences in fermentate efficacy, with Product A as the best mold growth inhibitor in vitro and a clear dose-dependent response. For Penicillium corylophilum, inhibition increased from 51.90% at 1% to 62.60% at 4%, while P. chrysogenum had an inhibition ranging from 32.26% to 34.49%. Product F exhibited moderate activity on both molds at 4%, inhibiting between 28.48% and 46.27%. The two molds exhibited differing sensitivities to the fermentates, with P. corylophilum consistently more susceptible to inhibition. Product A displayed a low pH (2.61) and high levels of lactic acid (1053.6 mmol/L) and acetic acid (1061.3 mmol/L). Product F presented a similar pH but lower levels of lactic and acetic acid. A time-to-growth model, validated by significant coefficients (p < 0.05) and high predictive accuracy (R² > 0.95), was employed to predict the appearance of mold on bread loaves. The model revealed that higher concentrations of fermentates A and F delayed mold growth, with fermentate A demonstrating superior efficacy. At 2% concentration, fermentate A delayed mold growth for 8 days, compared to 6 days for fermentate F. At 8% concentration, fermentate A prevented mold growth for over 25 days, significantly outperforming the control (4 days). Additionally, fermentates influenced bread quality parameters, with fermentate A improving crust moisture retention and reducing water activity at higher concentrations. These findings highlight the potential of fermentates as sustainable, consumer-friendly alternatives to synthetic preservatives, offering a viable solution to the challenge of bread spoilage while maintaining product quality. Full article

To study the effect of cold plasma (CP) on the refrigerator shelf life of coconut water, microorganism growth and diversity and physicochemical properties were investigated. Results indicated that CP treatment did not cause significant color changes in coconut water, with turbidity remaining lower than the control even after 6 days of storage. Enzymatic activity analysis revealed reduced polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) levels in treated samples. Specifically, the 12 s CP treatment resulted in the lowest antioxidant capacity values: 15.77 Fe²⁺/g for ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 37.15% for DPPH radical scavenging, and 39.51% for ABTS⁺ radical scavenging. Microbial enumeration showed that extended CP treatment effectively inhibited the growth of total viable counts, psychrophilic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and yeast. High-throughput sequencing identified Leuconostoc, Carnobacterium, and Lactobacillus as the dominant bacterial genera. During storage, Carnobacterium was the primary genus in the early stage, while Leuconostoc emerged as the dominant genus by the end of the storage period. In summary, CP as an effective non-thermal technology was able to maintain quality and antioxidant capacity, inhibit microbial growth, and delay the spoilage in coconut water to help extend the refrigerated shelf life of the product. Full article

Heavy metal pollution from human activities is an increasing environmental concern. This study investigates the concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Hg, and As in the coastal seawater offshore of Beihai, Guangxi, in April 2021, and explores their relationships with dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phosphate, and salinity. Our results reveal higher heavy metal concentrations in the northern nearshore waters and lower levels in southern offshore areas, with surface waters generally exhibiting greater enrichment than bottom waters. Surface concentrations show a decreasing trend from the northeast to the southwest, likely influenced by prevailing northeast monsoon winds. While bottom water concentrations decline from the northwest to the southeast, which indicates the influence of riverine runoff, particularly from the Qinzhou Bay estuary. Heavy metal levels in southern Beihai waters are comparable to those in the Beibu Gulf, except for Hg and Zn, which are significantly higher in the water of the Beibu Gulf. Notably, heavy metal concentrations in both Beihai and Beibu Gulf remain considerably lower than those observed in the coastal waters of Guangdong. Overall, Beihai’s coastal seawater meets China’s Class I quality standards. Nonetheless, continued monitoring is essential, especially of the potential ecological impacts of Hg and Zn on marine life. Full article

Effective transport strategies are critical for the survival and welfare of juvenile Ictalurus punctatus, but the effects of pre-transport salt bath treatments remain uncertain. In this study, we systematically evaluated the effects of pre-transport salt bath acclimation at 0‰ (S1), 1‰ (S2), 5‰ (S3), and 9‰ (S4) salinity for 30 min on stress resilience and recovery in fingerlings during 12 h of simulated transport and 24 h of recovery. All fish survived, but total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) increased, and pH decreased in all groups, except S3, which showed significantly lower TAN and higher pH (p < 0.05). The S3 and S4 groups showed attenuated increases in serum cortisol and glucose, with S3 exhibiting the fastest return to baseline levels and stable serum sodium and potassium levels. Liver antioxidant enzyme activities in group S3 remained stable, with the lowest malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. Integrated biomarker response (IBR) and histological analyses demonstrated that S3 had the lowest systemic stress and tissue damage, whereas S1 and S4 displayed marked cellular disruption. These results indicate that a 5‰ salt bath applied prior to transport may improve water quality, mitigate stress responses, and preserve tissue integrity in juvenile channel catfish. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in other species and under commercial transport conditions. Full article

The rising demand for sustainable protein is driving interest in insects as a raw material for advanced food ingredients. This review collates and critically analyses over 300 studies on the conversion of crickets, mealworms, black soldier flies, and other farmed species into powders, protein isolates, oils, and chitosan-rich fibers with targeted techno-functional roles. This survey maps how thermal pre-treatments, blanch–dry–mill routes, enzymatic hydrolysis, and isoelectric solubilization–precipitation preserve or enhance the water- and oil-holding capacity, emulsification, foaming, and gelation, while also mitigating off-flavors, allergenicity, and microbial risks. A meta-analysis shows insect flours can absorb up to 3.2 g of water g⁻¹, stabilize oil-in-water emulsions for 14 days at 4 °C, and form gels with 180 kPa strength, outperforming or matching eggs, soy, or whey in specific applications. Case studies demonstrate a successful incorporation at 5–15% into bakery, meat analogs and dairy alternatives without sensory penalties, and chitin-derived chitosan films extend the bread shelf life by three days. Comparative life-cycle data indicate 45–80% lower greenhouse gas emissions and land use than equivalent animal-derived ingredients. Collectively, the evidence positions insect-based ingredients as versatile, safe, and climate-smart tools to enhance food quality and sustainability, while outlining research gaps in allergen mitigation, consumer acceptance, and regulatory harmonization. Full article

Antimicrobial food packaging with natural antimicrobials and biodegradable polymers presents an innovative solution to mitigate microbial contamination, prolong freshness, reduce food waste, and alleviate environmental burden. This study developed antimicrobial hemicellulose-based films by incorporating carvacrol (1% and 2%) as a natural antimicrobial agent through micro-emulsification produced by high-pressure homogenization (M-films). For comparison, films with the same formula were constructed using coarse emulsions (C-films) without high-pressure homogenization. These films were investigated for their antimicrobial efficacy, mechanical and barrier properties, and physicochemical attributes to explore their potential as sustainable antimicrobial packaging solutions. The M-films demonstrated superior antimicrobial activity, achieving reductions exceeding 4 Log CFU/mL against Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella enterica, compared to the C-films. High-pressure homogenization significantly reduced the emulsion’s particle size, from 11.59 to 2.55 μm, and considerably enhanced the M-film’s uniformity, hydrophobicity, and structural quality. Most importantly, the M-films exhibited lower oxygen transmission (35.14 cc/m²/day) and water vapor transmission rates (52.12 g/m²/day) than the C-films at 45.1 and 65.5 cc/m²/day, respectively, indicating superior protection against gas and moisture diffusion. Markedly improved mechanical properties, including foldability, toughness, and bubble-free surfaces, were also observed, making the M-films suitable for practical applications. This study highlights the potential of high-pressure homogenization as a method for enhancing the functional properties of hemicellulose-based films (i.e., M-films). The fabricated films offer a viable alternative to conventional plastic packaging, paving the way for safer and greener solutions tailored to modern industry needs. Full article

The advancement of non-thermal disinfection technologies represents a critical pathway for ensuring food safety, meeting environmental sustainability requirements, and meeting consumer preferences for clean-label products. This study systematically evaluated the combined preservation effect of ultrasonic-assisted slightly acidic electrolyzed water (US+SAEW) on mirror carp fillets during refrigeration. Results demonstrated that US+SAEW exhibited superior antimicrobial efficacy compared to individual US or SAEW, achieving reductions of 0.73, 0.74, and 0.79 log CFU/g in total viable counts (TVC), Aeromonas bacteria, and lactic acid bacteria counts compared to the control, respectively. Furthermore, the combined intervention significantly suppressed microbial proliferation throughout the refrigeration period while simultaneously delaying protein and lipid degradation/oxidation induced by spoilage bacteria, thereby inhibiting the formation of alkaline nitrogenous compounds. Consequently, lower levels of pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), protein carbonyl, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were observed in US+SAEW compared to the other treatments. Multimodal characterization through low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), texture, and color analysis confirmed that US+SAEW effectively preserved quality characteristics, extending the shelf life of mirror carp fillets by four days. This study provides a novel non-thermal preservation strategy that combines microbial safety maintenance with quality retention, offering particular advantages for thermolabile food. Full article

This study aimed to assess the use of selected raw materials, such as whole-grain oat flakes, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds, to obtain bars using baking and drying methods. Modifying the bars’ composition involved selecting the fibre preparation, replacing water with NFC juice, and using fresh apple juice and apple pomace. The Psyllium fibre preparation, also in the form of a mixture with apple fibre, was the most useful in dough cohesion and the quality of the bars. Baked bars were characterised by higher sensory quality than those obtained by drying. Microwave–convection drying was a good alternative to baking, primarily due to the lower temperature resulting in a lower acrylamide content and comparable product quality. The basic grain ingredients and fibre preparations mainly shaped the nutritional and energy value and the sensory and microbiological quality. Modifying the recipe using NFC or fresh juice and apple pomace allowed the bars to develop new properties and quality characteristics. The use of NFC juices resulted in a reduction in the pH of the bars, which is associated with a higher microbiological quality of the bars. All bars had low acrylamide content, significantly lower than the permissible level. Using fresh pomace or fibre preparations made from by-products is a possibility to increase the fibre content in the bars and a method of managing by-products. Full article

Rapid socio-economic development and the impact of human activities have exerted tremendous pressure on the groundwater system of the Dawen River Basin (DRB), the largest tributary in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. Hydrochemical studies on the DRB have largely centered on the upstream Muwen River catchment and downstream Dongping Lake, with some focusing solely on karst groundwater. Basin-wide evaluations suggest good overall groundwater quality, but moderate to severe contamination is confined to the lower Dongping Lake area. The hydrogeologically complex mid-reach, where the Muwen and Chaiwen rivers merge, warrants specific focus. This region, adjacent to populous areas and industrial/agricultural zones, features diverse aquifer systems, necessitating a thorough analysis of its hydrochemistry and origins. This study presents an integrated hydrochemical, isotopic investigation and EWQI evaluation of groundwater quality and formation mechanisms within the multiple groundwater types of the central DRB. Central DRB groundwater has a pH of 7.5–8.2 (avg. 7.8) and TDSs at 450–2420 mg/L (avg. 1075.4 mg/L) and is mainly brackish, with Ca²⁺ as the primary cation (68.3% of total cations) and SO₄²⁻ (33.6%) and NO₃⁻ (28.4%) as key anions. The Piper diagram reveals complex hydrochemical types, primarily HCO₃·SO₄-Ca and SO₄·Cl-Ca. Isotopic analysis (δ²H, δ¹⁸O) confirms atmospheric precipitation as the principal recharge source, with pore water showing evaporative enrichment due to shallow depths. The Gibbs diagram and ion ratios demonstrate that hydrochemistry is primarily controlled by silicate and carbonate weathering (especially calcite dissolution), active cation exchange, and anthropogenic influences. EWQI assessment (avg. 156.2) indicates generally “good” overall quality but significant spatial variability. Pore water exhibits the highest exceedance rates (50% > Class III), driven by nitrate pollution from intensive vegetable cultivation in eastern areas (Xiyangzhuang–Liangzhuang) and sulfate contamination from gypsum mining (Guojialou–Nanxiyao). Karst water (26.7% > Class III) shows localized pollution belts (Huafeng–Dongzhuang) linked to coal mining and industrial discharges. Compared to basin-wide studies suggesting good quality in mid-upper reaches, this intensive mid-reach sampling identifies critical localized pollution zones within an overall low-EWQI background. The findings highlight the necessity for aquifer-specific and land-use-targeted groundwater protection strategies in this hydrogeologically complex region. Full article

The growing mismatch between ecosystem service (ES) supply and demand underscores the importance of thoroughly understanding their spatiotemporal patterns and key drivers to promote ecological civilization and sustainable development at the regional level in China. This study investigates six key ES indicators across mainland China—habitat quality (HQ), carbon sequestration (CS), water yield (WY), sediment delivery ratio (SDR), food production (FP), and nutrient delivery ratio (NDR)—by integrating a suite of analytical approaches. These include a spatiotemporal analysis of trade-offs and synergies in supply, demand, and their ratios; self-organizing maps (SOM) for bundle identification; and interpretable machine learning models. While prior research studies have typically examined ES at a single spatial scale, focusing on supply-side bundles or associated drivers, they have often overlooked demand dynamics and cross-scale interactions. In contrast, this study integrates SOM and SHAP-based machine learning into a dual-scale framework (grid and city levels), enabling more precise identification of scale-dependent drivers and a deeper understanding of the complex interrelationships between ES supply, demand, and their spatial mismatches. The results reveal pronounced spatiotemporal heterogeneity in ES supply and demand at both grid and city scales. Overall, the supply services display a spatial pattern of higher values in the east and south, and lower values in the west and north. High-value areas for multiple demand services are concentrated in the densely populated eastern regions. The grid scale better captures spatial clustering, enhancing the detection of trade-offs and synergies. For instance, the correlation between HQ and NDR supply increased from 0.62 (grid scale) to 0.92 (city scale), while the correlation between HQ and SDR demand decreased from −0.03 to −0.58, indicating that upscaling may highlight broader synergistic or conflicting trends missed at finer resolutions. In the spatiotemporal interaction network of supply–demand ratios, CS, WY, FP, and NDR persistently show low values (below −0.5) in western and northern regions, indicating ongoing mismatches and uneven development. Driver analysis demonstrates scale-dependent effects: at the grid scale, HQ and FP are predominantly influenced by socioeconomic factors, SDR and WY by ecological variables, and CS and NDR by climatic conditions. At the city level, socioeconomic drivers dominate most services. Based on these findings, nine distinct supply–demand bundles were identified at both scales. The largest bundle at the grid scale (B3) occupies 29.1% of the study area, while the largest city-scale bundle (B8) covers 26.5%. This study deepens the understanding of trade-offs, synergies, and driving mechanisms of ecosystem services across multiple spatial scales; reveals scale-sensitive patterns of spatial mismatch; and provides scientific support for tiered ecological compensation, integrated regional planning, and sustainable development strategies. Full article

The impact of processing time, temperature, and sample on solution ratio parameters, along with pulsing microwave pretreatment, was assessed in the osmotic dehydration of waxy skin highbush blueberries. Fresh blueberries were pre-treated with 20% microwave power for 90 s before being subjected to osmotic dehydration for 8 h in a 60 °Brix sucrose solution, with three different sample to solution ratios (1:4, 1:7, and 1:10). Changes in water loss, solid gain, total anthocyanin content, total phenolic content, and total soluble solid content during osmotic dehydration, as well as color and texture changes, were investigated at four temperature levels (room temperature, 60 °C, 65 °C, and 70 °C). The highest rate of reduction in the total soluble solid content in the osmotic solution was observed during the initial hours (0–4 h) of the process. The most effective combination for reducing the total soluble content of the osmotic agent involved the microwave-pretreatment of the blueberries at 70 °C, using a sample to solution ratio of 1:4, resulting in a decrease of 11.98%, compared to 7.83% for non-pretreated samples. The solid gain was found to be affected by the sample to solution ratio × temperature × pretreatment at a 1% probability level (p ≤ 0.01). The temperature, osmotic solution ratio, and microwave pretreatment interacted together to affect the quality parameters of the osmotically dehydrated blueberries, including total anthocyanin content, total phenolic content, and color. Higher temperatures, along with microwave pretreatment, showed the worst effects on the quality characteristics mentioned. Microwave pretreatment did not change the texture significantly in comparison with non-pretreated blueberry samples. The enhancing effect of microwave pretreatment and higher temperatures on the efficiency of the osmotic dehydration process was obvious. An optimized microwave pretreatment can reduce both the required processing time and temperature for the osmotic dehydration of waxy skinned blueberries, which in turn can lead to the higher quality preservation of processed blueberries and lower energy consumption. This could be especially useful for the large-scale processing of waxy skinned berries. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of genotype and diet on geese from crossbreeding meat lines Tapphorn (T) and Eskildsen (E). This study was conducted on 240 crossbred geese assigned to two dietary groups: an SBM diet group fed a standard soybean-based diet and an LPS diet group fed a yellow lupin-based diet. Birds were reared under identical management conditions and slaughtered at 17 weeks of age. The following traits were recorded: meat colour (CIELab), pH₂₄, cooking loss, breast and thigh muscle texture (shear force and energy), and sensory traits. The results showed a significant effect of both genotype and diet on meat quality. The LPS diet lowered shear force and energy (by ~11%, p < 0.001), reduced cooking loss in breast muscles (by ~5%, p < 0.001), and improved the juiciness and flavour of thigh muscles. The ET genotype positively influenced the meat colour intensity (lower L*, higher a*), while the lupin-based diet improved technological parameters, especially the water-holding capacity. The results confirm that replacing soybean meal with yellow lupin protein is an effective nutritional strategy that can improve goose meat quality and sustainability without compromising the sensory quality. These outcomes support developing soy-free feeding strategies in goose production to meet consumer expectations and reduce reliance on imported feed. Full article