Search Results (730)

The contribution of members of the agri-food system to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is a key element in the global transition to sustainable development. The use of sustainable management systems supports the development of an integrated approach with a spirit of continuous improvement. Such organization is based on risk-management tools that are applied to multiple stakeholders, e.g., those responsible for product quality, occupational health and safety, and environmental impact, thus enabling better global performance. In this review, the term “ethical food systems” is used in our discussion of the concrete methods that can be used to endorse fairness and concern across the food chain. This comprises safeguarding equitable access to nutritious foods, defending animal welfare, assisting ecologically accountable production, and addressing social and labor justice within supply chains. Ethical factors also include transparency, cultural respect, and intergenerational responsibility. Consequently, the objective of this review is to address how these ethical values can be implemented within a One Health framework, predominantly by assimilating plant-based diets, developing governance tools, and resolving nutritional insecurity. Within the One Health framework, decoding ethical principles into practice necessitates a set of concrete interventions: (i) raising awareness of animal rights; (ii) distributing nutritional and environmental knowledge; (iii) endorsing plant-based food research, commercialization, and consumption; (iv) development of social inclusion and positive recognition of vegan/vegetarian identity. At the same time, it should be noted that this perspective represents only one side of the coin, as many populations continue to consume meat and rely on animal proteins for their nutritional value; thus, the role and benefits of meat and other animal-derived foods must also be recognized and discussed. This operational definition provides a foundation for asking how ethical perspectives can be applied. A case study from Africa shows the implementation of a sustainable and healthy future through the One Health approach. Full article

Dietary fiber is an essential component of the human diet, and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) accounts for a significant proportion. However, its poor solubility and rigid structure limit its high-value applications. In recent years, modification technologies have become key strategies for enhancing the functional properties of IDF and expanding its applications. This review systematically summarizes the latest advances in the field of IDF modification, emphasizing how different modification strategies precisely regulate the multilevel structure of IDF to selectively improve its physicochemical properties and physiological functions. The principles and mechanisms of physical, chemical, biological, and combined modification methods are explained, and the unique advantages and limitations of each method in terms of structural changes, functional enhancement, and application scenarios are compared. Using high-pressure hydrostatic pressure-assisted cellulase treatment on potato dietary fiber can effectively disrupt fiber rigidity, increase soluble dietary fiber (SDF), and markedly enhance cholesterol and glucose adsorption capacities, outperforming single-treatment approaches. Microwave-assisted enzymatic treatment of millet bran IDF raises its intestinal fermentation rate from 36% to 59% and doubles butyrate production, significantly boosting prebiotic activity and offering a new pathway for targeted modulation of gut microbiota; combined modification strategies further demonstrate synergistic benefits. Modified IDF can serve not only as a low-calorie fat replacer in foods but also, through specific structural alterations, be incorporated into plant-based meat products to improve their fiber attributes and nutritional density. Moreover, this review explores the emerging potential of modified IDF in pharmaceutical carriers and gut microecology regulation. The aim is to provide theoretical guidance for selecting and optimizing IDF modification strategies, thereby promoting the high-value utilization of agricultural processing by-products and the development of high-quality dietary fiber products. Full article

The global population is rising sharply and is expected to be 10 billion by 2050. Nutrition security, especially protein, is a major concern, as it is one of the essential ingredients for body growth. However, consumption of meat is unsustainable, as the use of natural resources and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are relatively high compared to plant-based protein sources. Aquatic plants like duckweed, Azolla, and water spinach, as well as macroalgae and microalgae, contain good amounts of protein, ranging from 25% to 60% dry weight (DW) and comprising major essential amino acids (EAAs). These plants are rich in vitamins and minerals and possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anti-fatigue properties. In addition, green food processing (GFP) technologies minimize the antinutritional factors, which in turn increase the bioaccessibility and biodigestibility of aquatic plants. Fermentation is one of the oldest known GFP methods. Recent advances include high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, ultrasound-assisted, and microwave-assisted extraction, which are among the most promising techniques. Hence, government initiatives, as well as research and private sector collaboration for cultivation, processing, and advocating for such nutrient-dense food, are necessary. This will ensure sustainable production and consumption. Full article

This study focused on the preparation of microcapsules that simulate adipose tissue cells via complex coacervation, followed by the formation of block-like fat analogue products through gelation. The results indicated that microcapsules obtained by encapsulating coconut oil with soy protein isolate (SPI) and sodium alginate (SA) through a complex coacervation process could serve as effective fat substitutes in meat products. When the mass ratio of SPI to SA was 3:1, the core-to-wall mass ratio was 1:1, and the total wall material concentration was 3% (w/v), the oil loading rate of the microcapsules reached 39.17%. The particle size of the oil-loaded microcapsules was mainly distributed between 40–180 μm, which was comparable to the size of fat cells in animal adipose tissue. Microcapsules (50%, w/w) were mixed with a 5% (w/v) curdlan dispersion and heated at 95 °C for 60 min to form fat analogues. The fat analogues demonstrated significantly reduced cooking loss, enhanced textural rigidity, and superior chew resistance, achieving performance metrics comparable to those of natural adipose tissue. This dual-phase strategy—combining interfacial engineering of lipid microcapsules with polysaccharide-mediated gelation—provides a promising approach for developing sustainable, plant-based fat alternatives in meat product reformulation. The methodology not only addresses texture and flavour challenges in fat replacement but also enables precise control over lipid content, supporting applications in healthier food systems. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study investigates how consumers decide to adopt alternative proteins—specifically insect-based, cultured meat, and plant-based options—as part of a transition towards environmentally sustainable diets. Building on an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the analysis adds personal moral norms and environmental concerns to better capture the ethical and normative drivers of food choice. Methods: Survey data from 948 residents of the Campania region (southern Italy) were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to assess the relationship among classical TPB constructs, personal moral norms, environmental concerns, and behavioural intention towards alternative protein consumption. Results: Personal moral norms emerge as the strongest predictor of behavioural intention, directly and indirectly influencing attitudes and environmental concerns. Subjective norms also affect intention, primarily by reinforcing moral norms and perceived behavioural control, although their direct impact is not significant. Classical TPB constructs show limited direct effects. Conclusions: The findings suggest that consumers’ sustainable food intentions are more strongly shaped by moral identity and the surrounding social context than by attitudes alone. The evidence supports the development of culturally sensitive strategies designed to strengthen moral and normative motivations and foster the adoption of alternative proteins. Full article

The sales volume and consumption of plant-based meat substitutes is steadily increasing. Since meat and meat products are an important protein source, this study focused on the nutritional protein quality (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS)) of alternative sausages based on soy, wheat, and a wheat-soy blend in comparison to a pork-based sausage using the tiny-TIMsg gastrointestinal model. The protein digestibility of all products ranged from 80.8% (soy sausage) and 87.1 to 89.0% (other sausages). The highest DIAAS values were obtained for pork sausage limited by leucine (116%). Soy sausage was limited in sulfur-containing amino acids (86%). Wheat and wheat-soy sausages were limited by lysine (33% and 41%, respectively). The antioxidant activity of the bioaccessible fractions revealed a higher antioxidative potential of the plant-based sausages. While plant-based sausages offer comparable protein digestibility and superior antioxidant capacity, their significantly lower DIAAS values underscore the potential for formulation strategies that consider nutritional aspects. Full article

Plant-based meat analogs, particularly those produced by high-moisture extrusion, are prone to quality deterioration during frozen storage due to poor freeze–thaw stability. This study aimed to develop a synergistic stabilization strategy for soy protein isolate (SPI)-based extrudates using glucose oxidase (GO), phytase (PA), and tamarind gum (TG). The effects of individual additives (GO, PA, TG) and their combination (GO + TG) were systematically evaluated over seven freeze–thaw cycles, with a pure soybean-protein meat analog (PSM) as a control. The results showed that repeated freeze–thaw cycles severely degraded the control groups, leading to reduced water-holding capacity (WHC), increased hardness, and color darkening. While all additives mitigated these changes, the GO + TG combination exhibited the most pronounced protective effect, maintaining the highest WHC (0.993 ± 0.000), optimal texture (hardness 66.0 ± 0.0 N, elasticity 3.7 ± 0.0 mm), and minimal color variation. Structural analyses revealed that GO + TG effectively suppressed protein oxidation, minimized sulfhydryl loss, preserved protein secondary and tertiary structures, and inhibited the conversion of immobilized water to free water. The synergistic mechanism is attributed to the formation of a dual-network structure, wherein GO enhances covalent cross-linking and TG provides steric stabilization. This study offers a practical and effective approach for enhancing the freeze–thaw stability of extruded plant-based meat products, with potential industrial applications. Full article

Meat provides high-quality protein and essential micronutrients such as vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, and selenium, along with conditionally essential compounds including creatine, carnitine, and taurine. Growing concerns over environmental sustainability, animal welfare, and potential health risks associated with excessive meat consumption have spurred the development of plant-based and cultured alternatives intended to replicate the nutritional and sensory attributes of meat. This review critically examines the extent to which these emerging products achieve nutrient equivalence with conventional meat, focusing on essential and conditionally essential nutrients, their bioavailability, and implications for human health. After outlining the physiological importance of nutrients characteristically supplied by meat, the review compares the composition of plant-based meat analogs (PBMAs) and cultured meat prototypes. Differences in fortification strategies, ingredient formulation, and the presence of anti-nutritional factors are discussed in relation to nutrient absorption and utilization. Current PBMAs can approximate protein content but generally provide lower levels and reduced bioavailability of vitamin B12, heme iron, creatine, taurine, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids unless fortified. Cultured meat offers theoretical potential for compositional optimization through cellular engineering but remains limited by scarce empirical data. Achieving nutrient equivalence with conventional meat thus represents a major scientific, technological, and regulatory challenge. Future progress will depend on integrating nutritional design into product development, validating bioavailability in human studies, and implementing transparent labeling to ensure that next-generation meat alternatives meet both health and sustainability goals. Full article

Peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) is an underutilized Amazonian crop with emerging relevance for plant-based food systems. Global demand for plant-based products continues to expand, reaching USD 28.38 billion in 2024, yet current formulations rely on a narrow set of ingredients with limitations in nutritional quality, functionality, sustainability, and supply-chain resilience. This review synthesizes quantitative evidence on the nutritional composition (carbohydrates 30–72% dm, protein 2–8% dm, lipids 2–14% dm), fatty acid profile, mineral density, and bioactive compounds (carotenoids up to 800 µg/g dm; phenolics 60–90 mg GAE/100 g dm) of peach palm fruit. Techno-functional properties relevant for plant-based applications, such as emulsification, water-binding, and structural contributions in bakery products and meat analogues, are critically examined, along with the effects of processing on nutrient retention and antinutrient reduction. The review also evaluates sustainability attributes and identifies key limitations, including regional cultivation, sensory constraints, and economic and technological barriers. By integrating nutritional, technological, and ecological perspectives, this work highlights the potential of peach palm as a diversified ingredient source and outlines research gaps necessary for future industrial adoption. Full article

With the increases in the global population, demand for meat, and income, plant-based meat alternatives using mushrooms, soybeans, and other ingredients are attracting increasing attention to address food security. Mushroom mycelia have a high moisture content and are prone to quality deterioration; therefore, interventions, such as freeze-drying and optimized packaging, are necessary to improve shelf life. Furthermore, controlling storage temperature is a key factor in preserving product quality. Therefore, in this study, Lentinula edodes (shiitake mushroom) mycelium sausage were stored under various packaging methods (aerobic packaging, vacuum packaging, and modified atmosphere packaging) and storage temperatures (0 and 4 °C). Quality and storability were evaluated at 0, 7, 15, 30, and 50 days using tests for proximate components, pH, storage loss, color, water activity (Aw), aerobic bacterial count, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) using an electronic nose and an electronic tongue. The vacuum-treated groups showed superior pH, CIE L*, CIE a*, Aw, TBARS, and VBN levels. At 0 °C, each treatment group exhibited significantly lower VBN levels on days 30 and 50 (p < 0.05). Overall, vacuum packaging and low storage temperatures are expected to be beneficial for maintaining the quality and storage characteristics of shiitake mushroom mycelium sausages. Full article

Background/objectives: Plant-based meat analogues (PBMAs) are designed to mimic meat products and to be cooked under similar conditions by consumers. There have been few studies into the lipid stability of PBMAs, and no published studies have investigated the effect of cooking on the lipid stability of PBMAs. Methods: This study analysed the effect of recommended cooking conditions on the lipid oxidation of three commercial chicken schnitzel PBMAs with differing fatty acid composition. Fatty acids and lipid classes were analysed using gas chromatography (GC) and capillary chromatography (Iatroscan) with flame ionisation detectors, respectively. Lipid oxidation was analysed using multiple tests, including peroxide value (POV), p-Anisidine value, acid value, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) tests, which then allowed for the total oxidation (TOTOX) to be calculated. Results: Fatty acid analysis by GC showed different levels of saturated and unsaturated fatty acid contents in all PBMAs, with oleic acid (C18:1) being the most abundant (product A = 52%; product B = 62%; product C = 37%). Meanwhile, lipid class analyses by Iatroscan revealed that the oils used in the PBMAs were composed of triacylglycerol (TAG), which remained intact after cooking. Lipid oxidation tests showed no major increases between the raw and cooked PBMA. Also, the TOTOX values for each product did not increase significantly (p < 0.05) due to cooking (TOTOX values for raw/cooked product A = 9.36/9.99; product B = 5.88/6.19; product C = 11.31/11.92), suggesting a broad stability of the lipids. Conclusions: Therefore, if the on-package cooking instructions are followed for these three PBMA products, their lipid oxidation levels remain within safe limits. Full article

Animal breeding has undergone profound transformations from its origins in phenotypic observation to the integration of genomic and machine learning techniques. This review paper explores the progression of livestock breeding, tracing its roots to the domestication of animals during the Neolithic Revolution. Gregor Mendel’s foundational work with pea plants established key principles of Mendelian genetics, which initially focused on discrete qualitative traits. However, the advancement of quantitative genetics has shifted the focus to continuous traits, such as body weight and milk yield, which are influenced by multiple genes. QTL mapping revolutionized breeding by shifting from phenotype- to genotype-based selection, enhancing accuracy through genomic predictions like GEBV under GBLUP. The strongest QTL associations on chromosome 18 linked local GEBV with FUK and DDX19B expression. In recent years, machine learning and artificial intelligence have transformed genomic prediction into livestock breeding by efficiently handling high-dimensional data and capturing complex genetic relationships. Notably, a deployed deep learning model achieved an average correlation of up to 0.643 between actual and predicted values. This review highlights the integration of machine learning approaches in animal breeding, showcasing advancements in milk and meat production, and the improvement of disease management through multi-omics strategies. The paper underscores the shift towards innovative methods and their impact on advancing animal breeding practices, offering insights into prospects for enhancing productivity, health, and welfare in livestock. Full article

Coconut milk is a widely consumed plant-based milk alternative, valued for its creamy texture and functional properties. This study systematically evaluated the fatty acid and phenolic profiles of coconut meat and water at tender and mature stages to inform coconut milk production. Fatty acid analysis revealed that mature coconut meat (MCM) contained 299.7 g/kg total fatty acids, predominantly lauric acid (C12:0, 142.97 g/kg, 48%), myristic acid (C14:0, 57.39 g/kg, 19%), and palmitic acid (C16:0, 29.79 g/kg, 10%), whereas tender coconut meat (TCM) contained 90.87 g/kg total fatty acids. Tender coconut water (TCW) exhibited the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and DPPH radical scavenging activity. UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS identified 1065 phytochemicals, including 96 phenolics, with multivariate analyses showing distinct profiles between tissues and developmental stages. Notably, tender samples contained higher levels of bioactive phenolics, such as catechin, epicatechin, and astilbin. Collectively, these results demonstrate that tissue type and developmental stage jointly shape the nutritional and functional attributes of coconuts. Mature coconut meat provides lipid-rich nutrition for coconut milk, while tender coconut water offers antioxidant-rich bioactivity. Integrating these raw materials can enhance the nutritional and functional properties of coconut milk, enhancing its role as a versatile plant-based alternative for functional food and beverages. Full article

Plant-based meat alternatives (PMAs), as an emerging food category gaining increasing popularity, face potential food safety risks and ethical concerns for vegetarians due to the illegal adulteration of animal-derived components. To address these challenges and enhance regulatory oversight, the development of a rapid, sensitive, and highly specific detection method is essential. In this study, five DNA extraction methods were evaluated and optimized to identify the most effective approach for PMA products. The optimal conditions were determined to be 60 mmol/L NaCl, 10 mmol/L Tris HCl, and a centrifugation speed of 12,000× g. Additionally, specific primers targeting four common animal-derived adulterants, namely pork, chicken, duck, and beef, were designed and screened for targeted amplification. To establish a rapid and visually interpretable detection system, the recombinant polymerase amplification conditions were optimized. The final protocol used 0.4 µmol/L primer and isothermal amplification at 39 °C for 25 min, with the incorporation of SYBR Green I dye enabling the rapid and specific visualization of animal-derived DNA. This optimized method is characterized by its simplicity, sensitivity (capable of detecting beef-derived components as low as 0.0514% w/w), and rapidity, significantly reducing detection time and providing a reliable tool for the identification of animal-derived adulteration in PMA products. Full article

Background/Objectives: Interest in alternatives to animal-derived products has gained momentum, driven by health, environmental, and ethical concerns. However, consumer interest in plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) remains highly heterogeneous. This study employs the core dimensions of the Food-Related Lifestyle (FRL) framework for consumer segmentation to deepen understanding of PBMA adoption in a meat-centric context such as Poland, and to derive segment-specific recommendations that support the transition toward plant-based diets. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a representative sample of Polish adults (n = 1200). Consumer segmentation was performed using a two-step cluster analysis based on the three FRL dimensions—food involvement, innovativeness, and responsibility. Results: Four distinct consumer clusters emerged, differing significantly across all FRL dimensions (p < 0.001). Cluster 1, Traditionalists (18.5%), demonstrated high food involvement but the lowest innovativeness, showing the highest proportion of non-buyers and strong environmental scepticism. Cluster 2, Conscious Food Enthusiasts (24.6%), demonstrated the highest scores across all FRL dimensions, reported the most frequent PBMA purchases, and showed a strong sustainability orientation combined with a pronounced appreciation for sensory quality and eating enjoyment. Cluster 3, Moderates (38.8%) occupied intermediate positions exhibiting moderate PBMA purchasing frequency but expressing concern about food waste. Cluster 4, Careless Food Lovers (18.2%, n = 218), showed high food involvement and innovativeness, but the lowest responsibility, characterised by pronounced environmental scepticism. Conclusions: The study shows that consumer segments with similar levels of food involvement differ in their perceptions, beliefs, and willingness to adopt PBMAs, primarily according to their environmental orientation. These findings highlight that a strong interest in food alone does not translate into acceptance of plant-based alternatives unless accompanied by sustainability-oriented values. Overall, the results offer practical guidance for designing marketing, product development, and policy initiatives tailored to distinct consumer profiles, supporting the transition toward more plant-based dietary patterns. Full article