Search Results (692)

Understanding the components of the diet, food groups, and nutritional strategies that help prevent MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease) is essential for identifying dietary behaviors that can stop the progression of this condition, which currently affects over one-quarter of the global population. This review highlights the importance of including antioxidant nutrients in the diet, such as vitamins C and E, CoQ10, and polyphenolic compounds. It also emphasizes substances that support lipid metabolism, including choline, alpha-lipoic acid, and berberine. Among food groups, it is crucial to choose those that help prevent metabolic disturbances. Among carbohydrate-rich foods, vegetables, fruits, and high-fiber products are recommended. For protein sources, eggs, fish, and white meat are preferred. Among fat sources, plant oils and fatty fish are advised due to their content of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Various dietary strategies aimed at preventing MASLD should include elements of the Mediterranean diet or be personalized to provide anti-inflammatory compounds and substances that inhibit fat accumulation in liver cells. Other recommended dietary models include the DASH diet, the flexitarian diet, intermittent fasting, and diets that limit fructose and simple sugars. Additionally, supplementing the diet with spirulina or chlorella, berberine, probiotics, or omega-3 fatty acids, as well as drinking several cups of coffee per day, may be beneficial. Full article

The accurate dosing of polyaluminum chloride (PAC) is essential for achieving effective coagulation in drinking water treatment, yet conventional methods such as jar tests are limited in their responsiveness and operational efficiency. This study proposes a hybrid modeling framework that integrates artificial neural networks (ANN) with genetic algorithms (GA) to optimize PAC dosage under variable raw water conditions. Operational data from 400 jar test experiments, collected between 2022 and 2024 at the Yanahurco water treatment plant (Ecuador), were used to train an ANN model capable of predicting six post-treatment water quality indicators, including turbidity, color, and pH. The ANN achieved excellent predictive accuracy (R² > 0.95 for turbidity and color), supporting its use as a surrogate model within a GA-based optimization scheme. The genetic algorithm evaluated dosage strategies by minimizing treatment costs while enforcing compliance with national water quality standards. The results revealed a bimodal dosing pattern, favoring low PAC dosages (~4 ppm) during routine conditions and higher dosages (~12 ppm) when influent quality declined. Optimization yielded a 49% reduction in median chemical costs and improved color compliance from 52% to 63%, while maintaining pH compliance above 97%. Turbidity remained a challenge under some conditions, indicating the potential benefit of complementary coagulants. The proposed ANN–GA approach offers a scalable and adaptive solution for enhancing chemical dosing efficiency in water treatment operations. Full article

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been found worldwide in water, soil, plants, and animals, including humans. A primary route of exposure for humans and animals to PFAS is through the diet and drinking water. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a long-chain PFAS with a relatively long half-life, has been associated with adverse health effects in humans and laboratory animals. There are few toxicokinetic studies on PFOS in domestic livestock raised for human food consumption, which are critical for assessing human food safety. This work aimed to develop a simple daily accumulation model (DAM) for predicting PFOS residues in edible beef cattle muscle. A one-compartment toxicokinetic model in a spreadsheet format was developed using simple calculations to account for daily PFAS into and out of the animal. The DAM was used to simulate two case studies to predict resultant PFOS residues in edible beef cattle tissues. The results demonstrated that the model can reasonably predict PFOS concentrations in beef cattle muscle in a real-world scenario. The DAM was then used to simulate dietary PFOS exposure in beef cattle throughout a typical lifespan in order to derive a generic bioaccumulation factor. The DAM is expected to work well for other PFAS in beef cattle, PFAS in other livestock species raised for meat, and other chemical contaminants with relatively long half-lives. Full article

This study explored the use of fruit- and herb-based powders as fortifying agents in soy- and oat-based beverages. Developed using a New Product Development approach, the powders were derived from underutilized plants rich in bioactives but with limited sensory appeal. Formulations included powders from both widely available fruits, such as apple and pear, chosen for their accessibility and economic relevance, and less commonly consumed fruits, such as Japanese quince, rosehip, and rhubarb, which are often discarded due to sour or astringent flavors. Processing these into powders helped mask undesirable sensory traits and enabled incorporation into beverage matrices. Physicochemical analyses confirmed their technological suitability, while high polyphenol content indicated potential health benefits. Importantly, no process contaminants (furfural, 5-hydroxymethyl-L-furfural, and acrylamide) were detected, supporting the powders’ safety for food use. The integrated application of an electronic tongue and nose enabled objective profiling of taste and aroma. The electronic tongue distinguished taste profiles across formulations, revealing matrix-dependent effects and interactions, particularly with trehalose, that influenced sweetness and bitterness. The electronic nose provided consistent aroma differentiation. Overall, the results highlight the potential of these underutilized plant powders as multifunctional ingredients in plant-based beverage development. They support product innovation aligned with consumer expectations for natural, health-promoting foods. Future work will include sensory validation with consumer panels. Full article

This online survey aimed to gather consumer opinions on dairy products and production and to identify the potential market for A2 milk (milk containing exclusively β-casein A2, which reduces gastrointestinal discomfort after consumption). The questionnaire included seven sections covering the consumption of dairy products, sociodemographic aspects, awareness and purchase intention of A2 milk, questions about milk as a source of nutrients and health benefits, the environmental impact of milk production, and alternatives to cow milk. Responses from 672 Spanish consumers categorized into clusters (according to their milk consumption and their discomfort after drinking it), gender, age, educational level, and milk taste preference were analyzed using a linear multiple regression model. Dairy consumers not experiencing discomfort after drinking milk (62.6%) and those who preferred the taste of milk over plant-based alternatives (64.0%) demonstrated better knowledge of milk nutrients and its health benefits. Participants’ age, gender, and education level also influenced their perceptions, with older participants, women, and those with university education generally showing better results. In conclusion, clusters impact consumers’ milk perceptions as a nutritional source and its health benefits. The positive perception of milk’s nutritional benefits among dairy consumers experiencing discomfort after drinking milk (17.3%) positions them as a strong target market for A2 milk. Full article

Nematodes are among the organisms found in treated water. While generally considered harmless to human health, under certain conditions, they may serve as vectors for pathogenic viruses and bacteria, posing potential risks. Conventional disinfection processes in water treatment can contribute to the inactivation or removal of nematodes, but their effectiveness varies. This study, conducted at a water treatment plant (WTP) in Mashhad, Iran, aimed to determine the optimal dose and contact time of sodium hypochlorite and ozone for enhancing nematode inactivation in the affected surface water. This research combined primary disinfection using sodium hypochlorite at the existing WTP with a pilot ozone injection system to evaluate their individual and combined effectiveness. The results show that sodium hypochlorite at a concentration of 2 mg/L achieved 68% nematode inactivation. At 2.0 mg/L, with a 20 min contact time, ozone disinfection resulted in 39% inactivation. However, the combined application of sodium hypochlorite and ozone significantly improved efficiency, reaching 92% nematode inactivation when sodium hypochlorite and ozone were applied at 2 mg/L and 3 mg/L, respectively, with a 20 min ozone contact time. These findings indicate that, among the disinfection methods examined, the combined use of sodium hypochlorite and ozone is the most effective approach for nematode inactivation in drinking water, offering a promising strategy for improving water quality and safety. Full article

Background/Objectives: Recent research indicates a global transition from healthy and balanced diets to unhealthy Westernized dietary patterns (WDPs). This transition is linked to increased rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, often preceded by metabolic syndrome (MetS). Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a diet quality index, termed Westernized Diet Index (WDI), to assess adherence to WDPs and its association with main cardiometabolic health issues, for which MetS and its components were chosen as representatives of NCDs. Methods: The development of the WDI was driven by a semi-systematic and comprehensive examination of the literature (n = 491 articles) that evaluated the influence of WDP components on health outcomes. The scoring algorithm involved multiple steps, assigning scores based on study design, sample size, and the direction of food effects on health outcomes. Results: The final developed index encompassed 30 food groups/items. It was revealed that soft drinks, processed foods, red meat, sodium, and hydrogenated fats had the most detrimental effects on health, significantly influencing the index’s coefficients. In contrast, dietary fiber, plant-based metabolites, vitamins, minerals, nuts/seeds, and fish had the most substantial beneficial impacts. Conclusions: The WDI aligns with the existing literature on the importance of specific food items and with other validated diet quality indices, e.g., the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). Thus, the WDI can provide evidence for clinicians and researchers in formulating evidence-based dietary guidelines as well as strategies for the prevention and treatment of diet-related health issues. However, further validation is proposed to verify the WDI’s capability across different contexts. Full article

Plant polyphenols have emerged as potent bioactive molecules that can modulate key cellular pathways associated with aging and chronic disorders. The Mediterranean diet and the traditional Japanese style of life are rich in polyphenol-containing foods and beverages, and epidemiological evidence links these dietary patterns to increased longevity and reduced morbidity. This narrative review examines the chemical description of plant polyphenols, their mechanisms of action, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hormetic effects, and how supplementation or a diet rich in these compounds may provide further life extension. We discuss the major classes of polyphenols present in the Mediterranean dietary pattern (e.g., resveratrol and hydroxytyrosol) and in the Japanese diet (e.g., epigallocatechin gallate and soy isoflavones), comparing their biological behaviors and cooperative effects on metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative conditions. We also examine a few preclinical and clinical studies that explain the beneficial impact of these chemicals on aging-associated biomarkers. Furthermore, both dietary habits are characterized by low consumption of processed foods and sugary carbonated drinks and reduced utilization of deep-frying with linoleic acid-rich oils, a practice that reduces the formation of harmful lipid peroxidation products, notably 4-hydroxynonenal, known to be implicated in accelerating the aging process. The Mediterranean dietary pattern is also characterized by a low/moderate daily consumption of wine, mainly red wine. This work debates emerging evidence addressing issues of bioavailability, dosage optimization, and formulation technologies for polyphenol supplementation, also comparing differences and similarities with the vegan and vegetarian diets. We also explore how these chemicals could modulate epigenetic modifications that affect gene expression patterns pertinent to health and aging. In conclusion, we aim to show a consolidated framework for the comprehension of how plant polyphenols could be utilized in nutritional strategies for potentiating life expectancy while stimulating further research on nutraceutical development. Full article

In the last decades, there has been huge interest in Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) worldwide because of the toxic effects on humans. In 2013, a large-scale contamination of PFASs in the Veneto region was caused by a fluorochemical plant in Vicenza. About 130,000 inhabitants were exposed to PFAS in their drinking water. To date, relatively few studies have investigated the associations between blood serum PFAS concentrations and oxidative stress in semen. This study compared the antioxidant activity, lipoperoxide levels and protection or induction of oxidative DNA damage by sperm nuclear basic proteins (SNBP) in subjects living in Veneto exposed to PFAS (VNT) with those living in a non-PFAS contaminated area (VSL). Although the semen parameters were within the WHO range, the VNT semen samples showed higher levels of lipoperoxides and lower antioxidant activity compared to the VSL samples. These differences were statistically significant. We also examined DNA damage following SNBP addition under pro-oxidative conditions, finding a significantly different distribution of DNA damage types between the two groups, where 0 means no damage and 1 to 3 means increasing damage with 3 indicating maximum damage. SNBP of VNT subjects showed a reduced ability to protect DNA from oxidative damage. In the VSL group, damage 0 was found in 56% of subjects, 35% of the VNT group show damage 1, 36% damage 2 and 18% damage 3, while only 11% of VNT subjects show damage 0. Additionally, VNT with 0-grade DNA oxidative damage also exhibited reduced antioxidant activity and higher levels of lipoperoxides, in contrast to VSL. The results of this study indicate that exposure to PFAS produces oxidative stress in the semen of VNT subjects, who were also found to have blood serum perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) levels above the threshold. This suggests the possibility of infertility issues and emphasises the necessity for additional research into the long-term consequences of oxidative stress on male fertility and the health of offspring. Full article

Domestic showers are critical points of human exposure to microbial biofilms, which may harbor opportunistic pathogens such as Legionella spp. and nontuberculous Mycobacterium. However, biofilm development in reverse osmosis (RO)-treated drinking water systems remains poorly understood. We tested whether shower plumbing material (flexible polymer hose versus showerhead with inline polyethersulfone filter) and seasonal water variations influence biofilm community assembly. In a controlled field study, commercial shower systems were deployed in households supplied with RO-treated tap water from the KAUST Seawater Desalination Plant; biofilm samples were collected from hoses and filters over 3–17 months. Flow cytometry and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing characterized microbial abundance, diversity, and taxonomic composition. We found that alpha diversity, measured by observed OTUs, was uniformly low, reflecting ultra-low biomass in RO-treated tap water. Beta diversity analyses revealed clear clustering by material type, with hoses exhibiting greater richness and evenness than filters. Core taxa—Pelomonas, Blastomonas, and Porphyrobacter—dominated both biofilm types, suggesting adaptation to low-nutrient, chlorinated conditions. Overall, our results demonstrate that ultra-low-nutrient RO tap water still supports the formation of material-driven, low-diversity biofilms dominated by oligotrophic taxa, underscoring plumbing-material choice as a critical factor for safeguarding shower water quality. These findings advance our understanding of biofilm ecology in RO-treated systems, informing strategies to mitigate potential health risks in shower water. Full article

The rising demand for vegan products calls for new plant-based antimicrobial preservation methods. This study evaluates an antifungal ingredient obtained by fermenting oat drink with lactic acid bacteria to extend vegan mortadella’s shelf life. In vitro tests showed antimicrobial effects against Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium commune, and Listeria monocytogenes (inhibition zones: 2–5 mm). The enrichment of the oat drink culture medium with additional nutrients enhanced fermentation performance and increased antifungal activity. The fermented culture medium with the highest antimicrobial activity was used to develop a bioactive ingredient for the preservation of vegan mortadella conservation. Adding 3% of this ingredient to vegan mortadella improved microbial stability, reducing mesophilic bacteria by 2.5 Log₁₀ CFU/g and increasing lactic acid bacteria. Lower pH and water activity changes were observed but remained within quality standards. Contamination assays showed a consistent reduction of A. flavus over 7 days, while P. commune and L. monocytogenes dropped below detection within 2 days. In contrast, control samples maintained contamination levels near 3.0 Log₁₀ CFU/g. These findings support the potential of fermented oat-based ingredients as effective, natural preservatives for vegan foods. Full article

The dramatic increase in domestic and industrial waste over recent centuries has significantly polluted water bodies, threatening aquatic life and human activities such as drinking, recreation, and commerce. Understanding pollutant dispersion is essential for designing effective waste management systems, employing both experimental and computational techniques. Among Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques, the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) has emerged as a novel approach based on a discretized Boltzmann equation. The versatility and parallelization capability of this method makes it particularly attractive for fluid dynamics simulations using high-performance computing. Motivated by its successful application across various scientific disciplines, this study explores the potential of LBM to model pollutant mixing and dilution from outfalls into surface water bodies, focusing specifically on vertical dense jets in crossflow (JICF), a key scenario for the diffusion of brine from desalination plants. A full-LBM scheme is employed to model both the hydrodynamics and the transport of the saline concentration field, and Large Eddy Simulations (LES) are employed in the framework of LBM to reduce computational costs typically associated with turbulence modeling, together with a recursive regularization procedure for the collision operator to achieve greater stability. Several key aspects of vertical dense JICF are considered. The simulations successfully capture general flow characteristics corresponding to jets with varying crossflow parameter $u_{r}F$ and most of the typical vortical structures associated with JICF. Relevant quantities such as the terminal rise height, the impact distance, the dilution at the terminal rise height, and the dilution at the impact point are compared with experimental results and semi-empirical relations. The results show a systematic underestimation of these quantities, but the key trends are successfully captured, highlighting LBM’s promise as a tool for simulating wastewater dispersion in aquatic environments. Full article

This paper presents a novel small-scale system for drinking water treatment from surface waters, designed to rely on gravity as the only source of energy driving the treatment process. The pilot-scale setup, designed for a flow rate of 0.5 L/s, was tested at the Cornell University Water Filtration Plant (CWFP) for a total period of 5 months of operation. The experiments evaluated the influence of selected process parameters on system performance. The identified best operation practices were used to complete a comparative study against CWFP’s full-scale treatment process and to conduct a performance assessment in the context of various legislative landscapes. The objective of the work was to determine both the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed technology over established solutions. Over the study period, the average turbidity of the produced water was equal to 0.54 NTU. The pilot complied with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) turbidity standard of <0.3 NTU 47.1% of the time and <1 NTU for 89.9% of the time, thus falling short of the standard of <0.3 NTU 95% of the time and <1 NTU 100% of the time. For 99.5% of the time, it complied with the World Health Organization turbidity guideline of <5 NTU for chlorination treatment. The benchmark conventional system outperformed the tested prototype, complying with the US EPA standards for the entire duration of the study. The tested process also generated a waste stream, which accounted on average for more than 10% of the total raw water volume. Full article

The demand for functional beverages has increased significantly in recent years as society places more and more emphasis on healthy lifestyles and disease prevention. Functional beverages may contain various health-promoting, bioactive compounds (e.g., antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, probiotics, proteins, etc.). These ingredients originate from sources including fruits (e.g., red berries), vegetables (e.g., spinach), nuts (e.g., flaxseeds), and herbs (e.g., turmeric), or can be added as separate components (e.g., prebiotics). Their nutritional properties qualify pseudocereals (quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth) as ideal bases for functional beverages. They are high in antioxidants (e.g., polyphenols), vitamins (e.g., folate), and minerals (e.g., iron). Their high protein content (5.7–25.3%, about three times higher than that of maize) improves the nutritional profile of plant-based drinks. They have a balanced protein and amino acid composition, as they contain all the essential amino acids (among which lysine is present in high amounts) and are gluten-free. The in vitro protein digestibility of pseudocereals is also outstanding (PDCAAS: quinoa (0.85), amaranth (0.70), and buckwheat (0.78), while those for wheat, rice, and maize are 0.42, 0.56, and 0.47, respectively). Given these benefits, trends in producing and consuming plant-based, especially pseudocereal-based, functional beverages are highlighted in the present review. Full article

Fermenting fruit and vegetable juices with probiotic bacteria is becoming a popular way to create functional drinks, offering an alternative to traditional dairy-based probiotic products. These plant-based juices are naturally rich in nutrients that help support the growth and activity of various probiotic strains. They also meet the rising demand for lactose-free, vegan, and clean-label options. This review looks at the key microbiological, nutritional, and sensory aspects of probiotic fermentation in juice. Common probiotic groups like Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Lactococcus, Bacillus, and Streptococcus show different abilities to adapt to juice environments, affecting properties such as antioxidant levels, shelf life, and taste. The review also explores how factors like pH, sugar levels, heating, and storage can influence fermentation results. New non-thermal processing methods that help maintain probiotic survival are also discussed. Since fermented juices can sometimes develop off-flavors, this paper looks at ways to improve their taste and overall consumer appeal. Finally, future directions are suggested, including personalized nutrition, synbiotic products, and advanced encapsulation technologies. Overall, probiotic fermentation of fruit and vegetable juices shows strong potential for developing a new generation of healthy and appealing functional foods. Full article