Search Results (67)

Oilseed meal, the primary by-product of oil extraction, is rich in protein, dietary fiber, and minerals, offering significant development potential. However, its application in high-value feed and food is severely restricted due to anti-nutritional factors, leading to resource waste and environmental issues. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) provides a green and efficient approach for the high-value utilization of oilseed meal. This review comprehensively discusses the entire process of strain selection, fermentation strategies, and application of active products in the SSF of oilseed meal. Regarding strain selection, Bacillus spp. degrade macromolecular proteins and inhibit microbial contamination through protease and antimicrobial peptide production. Lactobacillus spp. enhance flavor and safety by producing acids and flavor compounds. Aspergillus spp. decompose cell walls and degrade phytate using their cellulase and phytase systems. For fermentation strategies, mixed fermentation achieves functional complementarity, enzyme–fungus synergy enhances substrate conversion, segmented fermentation optimizes the microbial environment, and physical field assistance boosts enzyme activity, collectively improving fermentation efficiency and nutritional quality. In product applications, fermented oilseed meal serves as both high-quality protein feed and a source of functional peptides and active polysaccharides with antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities, showing potential for functional foods and biomedicine. In conclusion, SSF technology effectively degrades anti-nutritional factors, improving the nutritional value and adding value to oilseed meal, thus representing a key strategy for resource conversion. Future efforts should prioritize high-performance strain selection, intelligent process monitoring, and green preparation of active products to promote industrial application and sustainable development. Full article

Aquaculture has become the fastest-growing food-production sector worldwide, with increasing reliance on plant-based feed ingredients such as maize, soybean, wheat, rice, and oilseed meals. Although these ingredients reduce dependence on fishmeal, they are highly susceptible to fungal contamination and subsequent mycotoxin production. Global surveys reveal widespread contamination of aquafeeds with major regulated mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, ochratoxin A, and T-2 toxin, alongside emerging toxins such as enniatins, beauvericins, and sterigmatocystin metabolites. Aflatoxin B₁ is the most prevalent and toxic mycotoxin, with contamination prevalence often exceeding 80–100% in Africa and Asia with contamination levels surpassing 400 µg/kg in some regions of these continents. Fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone are also commonly detected, with fumonisins levels occasionally exceeding 7000 µg/kg. Mycotoxins induce diverse toxic effects in fish, including growth suppression, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, immunosuppression, oxidative stress, reproductive dysfunction, and mortality. Collectively, these findings highlight the urgent need for improved surveillance, feed management, and harmonized regulations addressing multi-mycotoxin exposure to safeguard aquaculture productivity, fish, and public health. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the global mycotoxin contamination patterns, analytical detection methods in fish feed and processed seafood as well as the toxicological effects of mycotoxins, with emphasis on species-specific responses and food safety implications. Full article

Food waste has emerged as one of the most pressing global sustainability challenges because of its environmental, economic, and social implications. Nearly one-third of the food produced worldwide is lost or wasted each year, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, depletion of natural resources, and increasing food insecurity. Advances in circular bioeconomy concepts and sustainable processing technologies have transformed food waste from an environmental liability into a valuable feedstock for producing biofuels, bioplastics, bioactive compounds, functional ingredients, prebiotics, and other high-value products. This review critically examines current strategies for converting food waste into value-added products, including green extraction technologies and biochemical, thermochemical, enzymatic, and microbial approaches. Attention is given to major agri-food by-products, such as fruit pomace, vegetable residues, oilseed meals, dairy by-products, and agro-industrial wastes. Emerging developments involving biorefinery concepts, artificial intelligence, digital biorefineries, synthetic biology, and carbon-neutral production systems are also discussed. Furthermore, the review highlights recent applications of waste-derived fibers, antioxidants, and polyphenols in functional foods, especially bakery products. Finally, key challenges related to feedstock heterogeneity, process scalability, regulatory frameworks, economic feasibility, and sustainability assessment are critically analyzed together with future research directions supporting the transition toward resilient circular bioeconomy systems. Full article

This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the global production of common edible, specialty, and industrial vegetable oils, with particular emphasis on the generation and valorization of by-products and side-streams within integrated biorefinery frameworks. Attention is given to the main residues generated during oil processing, including oilseed cakes and meals, husks and shells, pomace, refining side-streams, and process wastewaters. The chemical composition of these residues is discussed, highlighting their richness in proteins, dietary fibers, residual lipids, polyphenols, fatty acids, and other bioactive compounds that determine their suitability for downstream valorization. Current management practices are critically assessed, ranging from conventional disposal methods, such as landfilling and incineration, to modern valorization pathways, including anaerobic digestion for biogas production, composting, production of bio-based chemicals, recovery of high-value nutraceuticals, and integration into circular biorefinery models. Special attention is given to green extraction technologies with emphasis on the need for pilot-scale validation, efficient solvent recycling strategies, and integration with existing oil-processing infrastructure. Overall, this review identifies vegetable oil industry by-products and side-streams as technically promising feedstocks for multi-product biorefineries, while emphasizing that industrial implementation will depend on feedstock standardization, solvent recovery and reuse, regulatory acceptance, and integrated techno-economic and life-cycle assessments. Full article

Hemp and linseed are nutritionally valuable commodities that exhibit considerable varietal differences in composition. Nutrient composition was evaluated in 12 hemp and 11 linseed varieties, including commercially cultivated varieties from the EU Common Catalogue and newly bred lines, to assess varietal variability. Field experiments were conducted under uniform agronomic conditions in the Czech Republic during a single growing season using field-block samples. Analyses included proximate composition (dry matter, crude protein, fat, fiber, ash), fatty acid and amino acid profiles, carotenoids, vitamins, and cannabinoid content. Statistical evaluation was performed using a General Linear Model with Duncan’s multiple range test (p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed across most parameters, indicating substantial inter-varietal variability under the experimental conditions. Fat content ranged from approximately 200 to 377 g/kg in both oilseeds, with lipids dominated by polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly linoleic (n-6) and α-linolenic (n-3) acids. Hemp and linseed show potential as alternative plant protein sources in animal nutrition, but further digestibility and feeding studies are needed to confirm their suitability as partial soybean meal substitutes. Varietal selection may contribute to improved nutritional quality while influencing levels of undesirable constituents such as Δ⁹-THC in hemp. Full article

Current National Research Council equine protein requirements are based on feedstuff crude protein (CP) content; however, protein distribution in feedstuff cell contents and cell wall affects foregut protein digestion. Neutral detergent soluble crude protein (NDSCP) is the readily digestible protein fraction available to meet equine protein requirements. Updated models of equine nutrient requirements use NDSCP to quantify pre-cecal digestible crude protein (pcdCP) to determine if protein requirements are met. Thus, our study sought to develop linear regression models to predict NDSCP and pcdCP using feedstuff CP and fiber. Data were collected from the 2023 cumulative Dairy One© Feedstuff Composition Library (Ithaca, NY, USA; accessed 2 February 2024). Feedstuffs were selected when n ≥ 50 within each nutrient analysis used for model development [CP, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin]. Feedstuffs were categorized into four groups: forages, grains, grain byproducts, oilseeds and meals. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression in R Statistical Program© (v4.5.1). Predictor variables were selected using Pearson’s correlation with models ranked using Akaike’s information criterion (AICc), AICc weights (AICcWt), and Adjusted R². Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. The model using CP+NDF was the highest-ranked model for both NDSCP (AICcWt = 0.95; Adjusted R² = 0.9868) and pcdCP (AICcWt = 0.95; Adjusted R² = 0.9867). Overall, NDSCP and pcdCP were predicted with high precision using CP and NDF; both have previously predicted CP digestibility. Overall, incorporating CP and fiber fractionation in linear models improves prediction of estimated dietary available protein. Full article

Elaeagnus mollis oilseed (EMO) meal is a protein-rich by-product that may serve as a novel source of food-derived α-glucosidase inhibitory peptides. This study aimed to obtain EMO peptide fractions with enhanced α-glucosidase inhibition and to clarify the activity, stability and mechanism of the most active fraction. Fourteen proteases were compared, and 3.350 acidic protease was selected to establish an optimized hydrolysis process. The resulting EMO hydrolysate showed an IC₅₀ of 9.11 mg/mL against α-glucosidase and no detectable cytotoxicity towards HEK-293T cells at 0.1–12.0 mg/mL. Ultrafiltration yielded four fractions, among which the 3–10 kDa fraction exhibited the highest inhibition and maintained substantial activity under acidic pH (2–6), −20–50 °C, NaCl ≤ 5% and simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Kinetic analysis indicated mixed-type inhibition, while fluorescence, circular dichroism and molecular docking suggested that peptides in this fraction bind near the catalytic site of α-glucosidase and induce local conformational changes. These findings support EMO-derived 3–10 kDa peptides as stable, non-cytotoxic α-glucosidase inhibitors with potential as functional ingredients for dietary management of type 2 diabetes. Full article

Xanthoceras sorbifolium (Yellowhorn) is an underutilized, multipurpose, climate-resilient oilseed with emerging food and industrial potential. This review consolidates current knowledge on its botany, agronomy, kernel composition, extraction technologies, protein and bioactive functionality, food uses, regulatory considerations, and sustainability challenges. Yellowhorn offers high-quality oil with ≈94% unsaturated fatty acids (notably 3.5–4% nervonic acid), while defatted kernel meal contains 31–37% protein (w/w). The matrix also carries bioactives such as tocopherols in the oil (70–530 mg/kg), phytosterols (1420–2970 mg/kg), and saponins (up to 11.62%), alongside flavonoid extracts that show promising antioxidant activity (DPPH EC₅₀ ≈ 10.7 µg/mL). Extraction methods, including cold pressing, solvent systems, and supercritical CO₂, present trade-offs in yield (≈87.8%, ≈60.4–98.04%, and ≈56.5–89.63% respectively), bioactive retention, and scalability, while co-product valorization can improve economic and environmental performance. Regulatory acceptance in the U.S. will likely depend on a refined-oil, specification-driven Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) pathway supported by compositional and toxicological evidence. Sustainability priorities include breeding improvements and supply-chain development on marginal lands, valorization of co-products, and integration of life cycle assessment (LCA), both of which are currently under-reported for Yellowhorn. Future directions emphasize process optimization for simultaneous oil-protein recovery, selective purification of functional lipids, encapsulation for stability, and human studies to substantiate claims. Collectively, Yellowhorn represents a promising climate-ready ingredient system requiring targeted research to enable safe, scalable, and sustainable adoption. Full article

Castor (Ricinus communis) is a toxic seed used to extract oil for the chemical industry, with castor meal as a by-product. A recently developed industrial method allows its detoxification, enabling its use as a protein-rich feed for ruminants. This study evaluated the safety of detoxified castor meal based on intake, digestibility, and performance of sheep fed sugarcane silage containing increasing levels of this ingredient. The detoxified castor meal, supplied by an oil extraction industry, underwent no additional detoxification treatment. Twenty-four intact male sheep were randomly assigned to diets containing 0%, 10%, 20% or 40% fresh matter castor meal in sugarcane silage. Diets were balanced with soybean meal and ground corn. After 60 days of feeding, no signs of intoxication were observed. Crude protein (CP) intake decreased from 0.157 to 0.128 kg/day (p = 0.03) and ether extract (EE) intake from 0.068 to 0.044 kg/day (p = 0.04). Crude protein digestibility declined from 754 to 473 g/kg (p < 0.01), and EE digestibility from 813 to 725 g/kg (p = 0.02). All other intake, digestibility, and performance variables were not significantly affected (p ≥ 0.05). Industrially detoxified castor meal was shown to be a safe additive in sugarcane silage up to 40% by fresh matter, with no adverse effects on sheep performance. Full article

Due to global increases in poultry meat and egg production, consumers request sustainable agricultural practices, requiring alternative solutions for future feeding. Global egg production increased by over 41% between 2000 and 2020, from 51 to 87 million tonnes, at an average increasing rate of 3%. Similarly, the production of poultry meat reached 145 million tonnes in 2023 and continues to increase, which amplifies the pressure on sustainable alternative feed solutions. Commercial poultry diets are typically based on a cereal (corn or wheat) as an energy source and a quality protein source, especially soybean meal (SBM), to provide essential amino acids. Soybean production is associated with deforesting and land use in several countries, sensitiveness to supply chains and price volatility. As a response to these challenges over the last decade, research and commercial innovation have intensively focused on alternative and novel feed resources that can be integrated into both broiler and layer diets. Some future candidate ingredients are insect meal, algae, agro-industrial by-products such as distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), brewery spent grains (BSG) and fermented feedstuffs (oilseed cakes/meals). Literature data showed that moderate inclusion of these alternative ingredients can be partly integrated in poultry diets, without compromising egg or meat quality. In some cases, studies showed improvements of productive performances and specific quality traits (yolk color, fatty acids and antioxidant compounds), offering potential to valorize waste streams, improve local circularity and provide functional ingredients for animals and humans. However, challenges still remain, especially in terms of nutrient variability, digestibility limitations, higher processing costs and still-evolving regulations which constrain mainstream adoption of some of these potential future alternatives. Full article

Camelina sativa (CS) is an emerging sustainable oilseed crop with interesting feed application potentialities. The research assessed the potentiality of Camelina sativa (CS) in the diet for free-range laying hens, aiming at reaching a nutritional claim. To this purpose, two feeding groups of hens (n = 100 Livorno hens, n = 25 hens/pen) were farmed outdoor and received either a Control diet, which was a commercial diet for laying hens, or a CS diet. The latter was formulated to include the 5% CS cake and 1% CS oil, replacing conventional feedstuffs. Diets were isoprotein and isoenergy and were available ad libitum throughout the laying period (February–September). At day 1, n = 12 eggs/diet were sampled to assess the initial proximate composition and FA profile. Every 7 days the sampling was repeated to analyze the eggs’ FA profile, up to day 35. At the end of the laying season, n = 6 hens/dietary treatment were slaughtered and subjected to meat quality evaluations. Results highlighted that a 28-day feeding was the period required to obtain 227 mg of C18:3 n-3 and 81 mg of C20:5 n-3 + C22:6 n-3/100 g egg, whereas a further 7 days of feeding trial were ineffective in further enhancing the omega-3 FA content of eggs. CS eggs were comparable to Control ones for overall physical traits, proximate composition, and shelf-life. In addition, at the end of the laying period, the meat of CS hens was also found to be healthier than that of Control ones, thanks to a higher omega-3 FA proportion (p < 0.01), which was, however, not sufficient to reach any nutritional claim. Instead, the proximate composition of CS meat was overall comparable to Control hens. In conclusion, the present research demonstrated that feeding Camelina sativa meal and oil to laying hens is feasible and allows to reach the nutritional claim in eggs “rich in omega-3 FA” after a feeding period of 28 days, without any negative effects on other eggs’ quality trials. Camelina sativa can thus be defined as a promising sustainable feedstuff for the poultry sector for diversification purposes and to enhance the nutritional quality of eggs. Full article

In line with the recommended European policy for a zero-waste crop supply chain, a lab-pilot optimisation process to valorise the by-products of industrially produced rapeseed meal (RM) was performed. Three batches of RM were first processed into ethanol-wash solutes (EWS) and then optimised (OEWS) by an ultrasound-assisted (UA) treatment. After direct analysis in real time–high resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS) analysis, data were processed applying a partial least square–discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), which retrieved the 15 most discriminative ions able to characterise the biochemical changes during the ethanol-washing and UA optimisation process. The metabolomic fingerprinting of EWS and OEWS generated an accurate and well-defined 3D spatial clusterisation based on a restricted pool of informative bioactive compounds. A significantly higher relative abundance of sinapic, azelaic, and vernolic acids and a lower incidence of the oleic and palmitic fatty acids were detected in OEWS. DART-HRMS generated a vast amount of biochemical information in one single run, also demonstrating that its association with an untargeted multivariate statistical approach would be a valuable tool for revealing specific functional biomarkers. This would eventually enhance the circular and effective use of rapeseed residuals coming from this plant’s oilseed industry. Full article

Sustainable livestock production is a critical component of global food security and environmental stewardship. Agricultural crop residues, such as cereal straws, stovers, and hulls, as well as agro-industrial by-products, including oilseed meals, distillery wastes, and fruit/vegetable processing residues, are generated in large quantities worldwide, and these residues can be used in the diet of the animals to reduce the feed production cost and sustainability. In this review, we found that the use of treated crop residues in the diet of animals increased the production performance without causing any side effects on their health. Additionally, we also noticed that using these crop residues also mitigates the methane production in ruminants and feed costs, particularly for harvesting the feed crops. Traditionally, these materials have often been underutilized or even disposed of improperly, leading to wastage of valuable nutrients and potential environmental pollution. By incorporating these materials into animal feed formulations, livestock producers can benefit from several key advantages. The review further discusses the challenges and considerations involved in the effective utilization of these alternative feed resources, such as variability in nutrient composition, anti-nutritional factors, and the need for appropriate preprocessing and formulation strategies. Emerging technologies and innovative approaches to optimize the integration of crop residues and by-products into sustainable livestock production systems and also reduce global warming, particularly methane, CO₂ and other particles that affect the environment after burning these crop residues, are also highlighted. By synthesizing the current knowledge and exploring the multifaceted benefits, this review underscores the vital roles that agricultural crop residues and agro-industrial by-products can play in fostering the sustainability and resilience of livestock production, ultimately contributing to global food security and environmental stewardship. Full article

Upcycling low-cost agricultural by-products into valuable and sustainable alternative feeding materials could secure human food-supply chains with a low carbon footprint. This study explored increasing the feeding value of camelina meal (CAM) mixed with wheat bran (WB), soybean hulls (SH), and rice hulls (RH) for monogastric animals via solid-state fermentation (SSF) using white rot fungus Trametes versicolor. Experiments evaluated fungal growth, amino acid profiles, structural carbohydrates, glucosinolates, phytate and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). Weight loss analysis indicated that fungal growth was more active in WB/CAM and SH/CAM substrates than RH/CAM. Significant phytic acid degradation and near-complete glucosinolate elimination improved CAM feed quality across all substrates. Fermentation increased total and essential amino acids in the SH/CAM mixture, while reductions occurred in WB/CAM and RH/CAM mixtures. SH/CAM fermentation caused substantial cellulose and hemicellulose degradation, resulting in a 44% IVDMD increase. Conversely, RH/CAM fermentation decreased IVDMD despite a reduction in cellulose, possibly due to protein degradation. This study demonstrates the potential of T. versicolor-mediated SSF to enhance CAM and other agricultural residues’ feeding value for monogastric animal applications. Full article

Bread is a crucial component of a balanced diet. Increasing the choice of functional bakery products based on whole grain flours, with the addition of seeds and grains, can improve health, including reducing postprandial glycemia and the risk of metabolic syndrome. The current study attempted to characterize the relationship between the composition and nutritional value of 23 different types of functional bread and postprandial glycemic response values. This study involved 209 non-obese healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 50. The study protocol followed the standard glycemic index (GI) method outlined by the International Standard, ISO 26642:2010. Most of the examined bread had a low GI and was composed mainly of rye, oats, buckwheat flour with a sourdough starter, and oilseeds. Postprandial glycemia was negatively associated with the fat, protein, and fiber content of bread. However, the GI depended directly on the carbohydrate content and, inversely, on the fat content in wheat bread and bread containing oilseeds. Similarly, using whole-grain flour and sourdough in a functional bakery reduces the GI. Adding oilseeds and sourdough to bread also reduced blood glucose levels approximately one hour after a meal. A greater number of ingredients in a recipe may be associated with a higher GI. In designing a functional bread with a potentially beneficial effect on postprandial glycemia, the nutritional value, type of fermentation, and additives (type and number) are worth considering. The high variability in postprandial glycemia after bread consumption is related to several factors and requires GI determination according to standard methods to ensure that the information provided to the consumer is reliable. Full article