Search Results (799)

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the potential of Candida utilis-fermented corn steep liquor (CU-FCSL) to replace soybean meal (SBM) in broiler diets. A total of 72 twenty-one-day-old Arbor Acres Plus broilers (six replicates of six birds) were fed basal or test diets (20% substitution) to determine metabolizable energy. The same design was used to determine standardized ileal amino acid digestibility (SID), with an additional nitrogen-free diet group. In a 42-day growth trial, 288 one-day-old broilers were assigned to control, 2%, 4%, or 6% CU-FCSL diets (six replicates of 12 birds). The results showed that CU-FCSL contained AME 11.36 MJ/kg DM and AMEn 11.31 MJ/kg DM, including SID values of Lys (90.00%), Met (94.01%), Thr (84.63%), and Val (88.86%). Compared with the control, broilers fed 2% or 4% CU-FCSL consistently exhibited greater body weight and weight gain across all phases, whereas 6% inclusion impaired growth performance (p < 0.05). The 4% level improved ether extract digestibility, immune parameters, and intestinal villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, whereas 6% inclusion increased abdominal fat, elevated serum uric acid and ALT, decreased serum IgG, IgM, and IL-10, and inhibited intestinal development and health. In conclusion, 2% and 4% CU-FCSL could be added to replace SBM without adverse effects on broiler health. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of replacing soybean meal with fermented dried tomato pomace (FDTP) on biochemical, immune, and antioxidant responses, meat quality, and hepatic transcriptomic profiles in Boer goats. Twenty-four male goats were assigned to a control diet or diets in which FDTP replaced 33.33% (T1), 66.66% (T2), or 100% (T3) of soybean meal for 60 days (n = 6). Serum biochemical parameters, total immunoglobulin, and alternative complement hemolytic activity were unaffected, whereas lysozyme activity increased linearly with FDTP replacement. FDTP increased muscular SOD1 expression and altered cytokine expression in a tissue-specific manner, including increased IL10 and reduced IL1B and TNFα expression in selected tissues. In gastrocnemius muscle (n = 3), T2 had higher collagen content and lower cooking loss than the control and T3, whereas T3 had higher drip loss than T2; selected textural properties were also altered. During refrigerated storage, lipid oxidation was affected by storage day but not by treatment or the treatment × day interaction. T2 was selected post hoc for exploratory hepatic transcriptomic comparison with the control (n = 5). Among 587 DEGs, significantly enriched KEGG pathways involved metabolism and biotransformation, including steroid hormone biosynthesis, retinol metabolism, bile secretion, xenobiotic metabolism, and pentose and glucuronate interconversions. In addition to the enriched pathways, PI3K–Akt, MAPK, NF-κB, and cytokine–cytokine receptor pathways contained DEGs related to metabolic, stress, and immune responses. Overall, FDTP replacement was associated with changes in selected immune and meat-quality traits and with hepatic transcriptional responses predominantly related to metabolic and biotransformation processes. Full article

This study was to evaluate the effects of partially replacing spray-dried blood plasma (SDP) with alternative insect- and animal-derived protein meals on growth performance, diarrhea incidence (DI), nutrient digestibility, intestinal responses, and oxidative status of weaned pigs. A total of 135 pigs (21 d of age; 6.56 ± 0.79 kg body weight [BW]) were assigned to five treatments for 20 d. The control diet contained 40 g/kg SDP, whereas the other diets contained 20 g/kg SDP plus 20 g/kg black soldier fly larval meal (BSF), fish meal (FM), pork crackling meal (PCM), or hydrolyzed chicken protein (HCP). HCP maintained growth and energy and crude protein utilization comparable to SDP. PCM reduced final BW and average daily gain (ADG; p < 0.05), while average daily feed intake tended to decrease (p = 0.084). BSF and FM reduced DI (p < 0.05). BSF showed the lowest energy and crude protein digestibility (p < 0.05), whereas FM reduced crude protein digestibility and tended to reduce jejunal PepT1 mRNA abundance (p = 0.052). BSF and PCM reduced jejunal TNF-α mRNA abundance, while FM and PCM reduced ZO1 mRNA abundance (p < 0.05). Overall, HCP showed the greatest potential to partially replace SDP while preserving growth performance and nutrient utilization. Full article

This study evaluated the replacement of commercial fishmeal with a combination of Azolla microphylla meal (AMM) and soybean meal in red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) diets at 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% fishmeal replacement over 60 days, followed by a sublethal Aeromonas hydrophila exposure. Soybean meal was increased alongside AMM to maintain isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets; therefore, the observed responses reflect the combined replacement of fishmeal rather than the effect of AMM alone. Growth performance (WG, ADG, SGR) progressively declined and FCR increased with higher fishmeal replacement levels (p < 0.05). Serum aspartate transaminase (AST) rose and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) fell at elevated replacement levels. Fillet total essential amino acids were significantly reduced only at 75% fishmeal replacement, indicating that moderate substitution (up to 50%) preserves nutritional quality. As an exploratory, descriptive endpoint, the intestinal microbiota was profiled using pooled samples (n = 1 composite per treatment per time point), precluding statistical inference. Within the pooled post-challenge profiles, Cetobacterium represented a high relative proportion in T1–T3, whereas the pooled T4 profile showed a more heterogeneous taxonomic composition. Because no independent microbiota replicates were available, these observations are descriptive and hypothesis-generating rather than evidence of dietary or challenge effects. Overall, fishmeal replacement above 25% impaired growth, whereas fillet total essential amino acids were maintained through 50% replacement. These effects should be interpreted as the combined outcome of replacing fishmeal with AMM and soybean meal. The pooled microbiota profiles provide preliminary observations for future replicated studies. Full article

This study evaluated the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AAs) in three bakery and biscuit byproducts fed to growing pigs. Five crossbred barrows fitted with a T-cannula at the distal ileum were allotted to a 5 × 5 Latin square design. The AID of CP was higher in the plain bread meal (PB) and sweet bread meal (SB) than in corn (CN) and biscuit meal (BC) (p < 0.05), while the AID of most indispensable AAs was higher in CN and PB than in BC (p < 0.05), reflecting the dietary CP and total AA concentrations. After correction for basal endogenous AA losses, the SID of CP separated the ingredients more clearly, with PB and SB higher than CN, and CN higher than BC (p < 0.05). The SID of lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan did not differ among the four ingredients, indicating that the digestible supply of these limiting AAs was maintained when corn was replaced with these ingredients. These SID values provide ingredient-level information for incorporating bakery and biscuit byproducts into growing pig diets as alternative feed ingredients alongside corn. Full article

Rendered animal by-products such as meat meal are promising fish meal alternatives owing to their high protein content; however, they contain little n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), whose effects on fillet fatty acid quality and endogenous LC-PUFA biosynthesis in chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) remain unclear. We evaluated the growth, fillet fatty acid composition, and hepatic gene expression of chum salmon fed four diets—a control with 50% fish meal (D1), diets with 35% or 20% fish meal and the remainder replaced by meat meal (D2 and D3), and a D3-like diet with reduced fish oil (D4). Growth performance and feed utilization were unaffected, whereas the hepatosomatic index decreased as meat meal inclusion increased. Muscle n-3 LC-PUFA decreased with fish meal replacement but did not differ between D3 and D4. Serum non-specific immune parameters were unaffected, whereas serum GPx and catalase activities were lowest in fish fed D3. Although srebf1 (sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1) expression increased at the highest replacement level, fads2 (fatty acid desaturase 2) and elovl5 (elongation of very long-chain fatty acids protein 5) were not upregulated, indicating that the reduced n-3 LC-PUFA supply was not compensated by endogenous biosynthesis. Overall, meat meal can replace up to 60% of fish meal without compromising growth, but adequate dietary n-3 LC-PUFA should be maintained to preserve fillet quality. Full article

This experimental trial assessed raw cowpea seed (CPS; Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) inclusion effects in finishing pigs’ diet on growth performance, blood chemistry, meat quality, and fatty acid profile (FAs). A number of 54 crossbred male pigs ([♀F1 Topigs Large White × Norsvin Landrace] × ♂ Duroc) with an initial average body weight of 60.3 ± 3.20 kg (mean ± SD calculated across individual pigs) were divided into three groups of 18 pigs each comprising six pens of three pigs per treatment. The control group (CON) was fed a standardized SBM-based complete feed. In the experimental groups, the SBM was replaced with increasing levels of cowpea seeds (100 and 200 g/kg: CPS10 and CPS20 groups). Iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets were designed with comparable levels of total lysine, sulphury amino acids (methionine + cysteine), calcium, and phosphorus. At the end of the experiment (49-day finishing period), all pigs were slaughtered. To evaluate physicochemical traits and the fatty acid profile, samples of the Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle were collected. Incorporating CPS into pig diets produced no significant effects on growth performance (final BW, ADG, ADFI, FCR) or carcass characteristics. Overall, CPS inclusion did not affect blood biochemical indices or most meat quality parameters; however, a 20% CPS level decreased fat content, and both CPS treatments reduced the pH at 24 h post mortem, without affecting meat color or drip loss. Chewiness and resilience were lower in CPS10 group compared to CON group. Finally, the inclusion of CPS into the pigs’ diet ensured (p = 0.032) higher relative proportions of n-3 PUFAs within total muscle FAMEs, in the LD muscle, including, in particular, α-linolenic acid (p = 0.043), docosapentaenoic acid (p = 0.047), and docosahexaenoic acid (p = 0.044), which allowed for an increase in the hypo-/hypercholesterolemia ratio (p = 0.044) and a reduction in the n-6/n-3 PUFAs ratio (p = 0.037) compared with the CON group. In conclusion, raw Aura 26 cowpea seeds could partially replace soybean meal in fattening pig diets without adversely affecting productive performance while favorably altering the relative fatty acid composition of LD muscle lipids. Full article

This work aimed to determine the energy values and digestibility of amino acids (AA) in full-fat almonds, to estimate phosphorus (P) digestibility in full-fat almonds, and to calculate the replacement value of full-fat almonds in pig diets. In experiment 1, the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) of full-fat almonds were determined using six barrows (34.5 ± 2.0 kg) housed in individual metabolism cages. A basal diet containing corn, soybean meal, and soybean oil was used, and the almond diet was formulated by replacing the energy sources in the basal diet with full-fat almonds at 10%. In experiment 2, AA digestibility was determined using six barrows (28.9 ± 1.0 kg) fitted with a T-cannula in the distal ileum. A cornstarch-based diet containing full-fat almonds as the sole AA source was used. The DE and ME of full-fat almonds were 4370 and 4320 kcal/kg (standard error = 276 and 300). The standardized ileal digestibility values of Lys, Met, Thr, and Trp in full-fat almonds were 95.2%, 61.6%, 69.4%, and 101.3% (standard error = 9.2 to 10.7). The standardized total tract digestibility of P in full-fat almonds was estimated to be 69.3% (standard error = 4.5). When full-fat almonds (0.400 USD/kg) were included at 5% in pig diets, feed cost decreased by 0.005 USD/kg. In conclusion, an Excel spreadsheet based on measured energy and nutrient concentrations in full-fat almonds enables the estimation of feed cost changes according to ingredient prices and full-fat almond inclusion rates. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of substituting fish meal and part of soybean meal with enzymatically hydrolyzed soybean meal (EHSM) on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, antioxidant and immune status, and intestinal health in weaned piglets. Eighty 25-day-old piglets were distributed into two treatments with 8 replicate pens of 5 piglets each and fed a control diet or an EHSM diet for 42 days, with EHSM completely replacing fish meal and partially replacing soybean meal at inclusion levels of 9% and 4% during the pre-starter and starter phases, respectively. Compared with controls, EHSM increased day-42 body weight, average daily gain during days 28–42 and overall, and decreased feed conversion ratio during days 0–14 (p < 0.05). EHSM also reduced diarrhea incidence during days 0–14 (p = 0.050), decreased jejunal crypt depth, elevated jejunal villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, and increased NQO1 mRNA expression (p < 0.05). Plasma antioxidant and immunoglobulin indices were unaffected. Overall, EHSM improved growth and intestinal health, supporting its use as an alternative protein ingredient in weaned piglet diets. Additional research is warranted to clarify how EHSM influences intestinal function in weaned piglets. Full article

Protein restriction is an established nutritional intervention for selected adults with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD); a supplemented very-low-protein diet (sVLPD) combines marked protein restriction with essential amino acids and their nitrogen-free keto- and hydroxyanalogues (KAs). KAs may accept amino groups and regenerate essential amino acids while limiting exogenous nitrogen, but reversible transamination competes with irreversible oxidative decarboxylation. This narrative review integrates the biochemical pharmacology of KA/EAA mixtures with the clinical conditions required for effectiveness. Controlled and pragmatic trials are contrasted to distinguish efficacy under selected, adherent conditions from effectiveness in routine care. Safe implementation requires achieved protein restriction, adequate non-protein energy intake, correction of persistent metabolic acidosis, metabolic stability, administration with meals, appropriate dosing and structured monitoring; however, the specific effects of these conditions on in vivo KA disposition have not been quantified in advanced CKD. KA/EAA-supplemented VLPD may delay kidney replacement therapy in appropriately selected and supervised patients, but the supplement should be prescribed as part of a complete nutritional strategy rather than as an autonomous drug. Full article

The increasing need for aquafeed protein sources calls for sustainable substitutes for fish meal (FM). Degossypolled cottonseed protein (DCP) represents a promising plant-derived protein, but its impact on the intestinal health of carnivorous fish is not well understood. This study assessed how partial replacing FM with DCP affects growth performance, intestinal barrier integrity, immune function, and antioxidant status in juvenile largemouth bass. Five isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were prepared, in which DCP replaced 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, or 80% of the FM. Following an 8-week feeding period, the group receiving 20% DCP replacement showed no significant differences in growth or feed efficiency relative to the control, while 80% replacement caused marked growth reduction and increased visceral fat accumulation. High replacement levels (≥60%) downregulated antioxidant-related genes, damaged intestinal villi, compromised barrier integrity (mucins and tight junctions), and activated inflammatory responses via the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, along with suppression of immune parameters. In conclusion, replacing 20% of FM with DCP was safe for largemouth bass, while excessive substitution (≥60%) induces intestinal oxidative stress, barrier dysfunction, inflammation, and immunosuppression. These findings support DCP as a viable partial substitute for FM in commercial diets for this species. Full article

Low Glycemic Index (low-GI) meal replacement powders are increasingly sought for weight management. Sedum aizoon L. is a promising vegetable raw material, yet its processing characteristics remain poorly characterized. This study systematically evaluated the effects of four pretreatments (untreated, freeze–thaw, blanching, blanching plus green protection) and two drying methods (hot-air drying, freeze drying) on S. aizoon L. from the Diqing Plateau, Sedum aizoon L., and optimized a low-GI meal replacement formula. The results revealed that blanching and blanching plus green protection shortened hot-air-drying time by approximately 50% and improved the flowability and compactness of powder (Hausner ratio 1.26, Carr index 20.46%). Qualitative and quantitative analyses revealed that Sedum aizoon L. contained various bioactive substances such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. Freeze drying better retained polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C; the freeze–thaw plus freeze drying exhibited the optimal color protection effect with a chlorophyll content of 1.4843 mg/g. Dried Sedum aizoon L. was evaluated by a trained panel plus electronic nose analysis, while the meal replacement powder was assessed by electronic nose and electronic tongue. A single-factor test, a Plackett–Burman test and a response surface methodology were adopted to optimize the optimal formula of meal replacement powder: Sedum aizoon L. powder 2.3 g, skim milk powder 2.8 g, sugar powder 1.6 g, grain powder 4 g, nut powder 2.6 g, and konjac powder 0.55 g. The meal replacement powder has low estimated GI (eGI) value (eGI < 55) and high dietary fiber content (43.4 g/100 g), with superior aroma and taste versus a commercial reference. These findings support the industrial production of Sedum aizoon L.-based low-GI meal replacement food. Full article

Circadian rhythms regulate glucose metabolism, insulin secretion, hepatic glucose production, peripheral insulin sensitivity, nutrient handling, and energy balance. Observational studies have associated circadian timing disruption through shift work, irregular sleep, artificial light at night, social jet lag, late eating, or inconsistent meal timing with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This narrative review integrates molecular, clinical, nutritional, and pharmacological evidence linking circadian misalignment with diabetes, with emphasis on chrononutrition, time-restricted eating, glucose variability, diabetes-related complications, melatonin/MTNR1B-related susceptibility, exogenous melatonin, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), digital phenotyping, and chronopharmacology. A structured narrative literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies on circadian biology, diabetes, meal timing, time-restricted eating, melatonin signaling, MTNR1B, circadian biomarkers, CGM, and time-informed therapeutic strategies. Mechanistic and preclinical studies establish clock–metabolism coupling, whereas controlled human physiological studies support time-of-day variation in insulin secretion, postprandial responses, and glucose handling; diabetes-specific interventional and complication-outcome evidence remains limited. Chrononutrition and time-restricted eating may support glycemic regulation only as individualized adjuncts to standard diabetes care, not as replacements for established treatment; medication review and hypoglycemia monitoring are essential, particularly for patients using insulin or insulin secretagogues. Translation into routine care requires longer diabetes-specific trials, standardized outcomes, validated biomarkers, and patient-centered implementation protocols. Full article

This study employed an integrated multi-omics approach to investigate the regulatory effects and molecular mechanisms of a multi-component, high-dietary-fibre meal replacement powder containing Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd. pomace (PDMR) in high-fat-diet-induced obese mice. The results showed that PDMR significantly reduced body weight gain, Lee’s index, serum lipid and inflammatory cytokine levels, and improved adipocyte morphology. Mechanistically, PDMR activated the AMPK signalling pathway, suppressed lipogenesis via the ACC-SREBP1c-FAS axis, and promoted fatty acid β-oxidation and thermogenesis through the PPARα-CPT-1 and PGC-1α/UCP-1 axes. Moreover, PDMR remodelled the gut microbiota by enriching bacteria associated with SCFA production and anti-inflammatory activity (Alloprevotella, Ruminococcaceae, Odoribacter and Prevotellaceae_Ga6A1_group) and inhibiting bacteria associated with pro-inflammatory and fat-accumulation effects (Candidatus Saccharimonas and Clostridia_UCG-014), whilst reversing the excessive accumulation of secondary bile acids. Correlation analysis established a multi-level regulatory network linking gut microbiota, secondary bile acid metabolites and AMPK target gene expression. Collectively, PDMR may ameliorate lipid metabolic disorders through a potential gut microbiota–secondary bile acid–AMPK axis, providing a scientific basis for the high-value utilisation of Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd. and the development of functional meal replacement foods. Full article

Fermentation is among the oldest food technologies, yet its relevance now extends well beyond preservation. Fermented foods are increasingly viewed as matrix-dependent biological systems whose microbial and chemical composition evolves during fermentation and post-fermentation processing, and whose functional components may undergo further transformation during gastrointestinal digestion and host–microbiome interaction, rather than as passive carriers of single nutrients or microorganisms. This review synthesizes mechanistic, compositional, and clinical evidence on fermented foods as functional foods through three core scientific pillars: (i) the biological and matrix-related determinants of functionality, including microbial genotype and community ecology, enzymatic transformation, matrix restructuring, fermentation and post-fermentation processing, gastrointestinal digestion, and host phenotype; (ii) the principal fermentation-derived bioactive systems, including bioactive peptides, exopolysaccharides, organic acids, microbially synthesized vitamins, bioaccessible minerals, biotransformed phenolics, γ-aminobutyric acid and related amino acid derivatives, bacteriocins, bioactive lipids, and postbiotic components; and (iii) the mechanistic pathways linking these systems to immune, metabolic, endocrine, gastrointestinal, neuroimmune, and aging-related outcomes. Building on these foundations, the review further examines two translational dimensions: precision nutrition, with emphasis on interindividual variability, host–microbiome interactions, responder phenotypes, and product-specific human evidence; and next-generation functional fermented foods, integrating systems-level host–microbiome frameworks, multiomics, emerging predictive technologies, sustainability, safety, and regulatory translation. Microbial–epithelial–immune signaling, short-chain fatty acid receptor activation, regulatory T-cell modulation, intestinal barrier reinforcement, bile acid signaling, and selected fermentation-derived bioactive systems are supported by mechanistic evidence. Strong translational evidence is concentrated in well-characterized product–endpoint combinations, while broad metabolic, endocrine, neurocognitive, neurodegenerative, and healthy-aging claims are heterogeneous, limited, or mostly supported by preclinical and observational evidence. Poor strain-level and process characterization, varied product formulations, limited intervention periods, weak comparators, and extrapolation from isolated microbes or metabolites to whole fermented meals continue to hinder causal interpretation in the literature. Thus, future research should replace generic fermented food categories with reproducible product fingerprints integrating matrix composition, strain-resolved microbial identity, fermentation parameters, viable and non-viable fractions, metabolomic profiles, dose, and host characteristics. To determine which fermented products have clinically meaningful effects, in whom, through which mechanisms, and under what conditions, standardized controlled human interventions, multiomics with causal mediation approaches, precision nutrition frameworks, and integrated safety and regulatory evaluation are needed. Full article