Search Results (3,065)

Plant-derived bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and saponins, possess significant pharmacological value. However, conventional extraction methods often suffer from low efficiency, poor bioavailability, and environmental burdens. Aspergillus-based biotransformation has emerged as a superior platform for overcoming these limitations due to their robust secretomes, versatile metabolic networks, and the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status of specific industrially relevant species (e.g., A. oryzae and A. niger). Existing literature frequently focuses on isolated compounds or general fungal processes. To fill this gap, this review systematically links specific Aspergillus enzymatic systems to an “enzymatic hydrolysis–transformation–synthesis” closed-loop framework, which is essential for industrial-scale valorization. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the biotransformation of phytochemicals by A. niger, A. oryzae, and A. nidulans. These fungi utilize specialized enzymes—including β-glucosidases, cellulases, and glycosidases—to enable precise hydrolysis, deglycosylation, and detoxification under mild conditions. We highlight representative transformations that demonstrate markedly enhanced bioactivity and solubility. Key examples include the conversion of polydatin to resveratrol (>90% yield) and ginsenoside Rb1 to ginsenoside compound K (94.4% conversion rate). Although industrial applications span the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic sectors, significant challenges persist in solid-state fermentation (SSF) scale-up, strain stability, target compound over-degradation, and downstream purification. Genetic engineering, process optimization and hybrid bioprocessing are highlighted as promising strategies to overcome these limitations and realize sustainable, high-value production of natural bioactive metabolites. Full article

The increasing demand for safe, minimally processed, and sustainable food preservation strategies has intensified interest in light-activated antimicrobial systems derived from natural sources. This review examines the application of plant-derived photoactive compounds as functional agents that generate reactive species upon illumination, thereby facilitating effective microbial inactivation. Emphasis is placed on the diversity of phytochemicals exhibiting light-responsive properties, their mechanisms of action, and the factors influencing their efficacy, including physicochemical characteristics, environmental conditions, and formulation strategies. The review further discusses the role of delivery systems in improving the stability, solubility, and bioavailability of these photoactive compounds, as well as the influence of food matrix complexity on treatment performance. Applications across a range of food systems, including fresh produce, animal-derived products, and food packaging materials, are evaluated to demonstrate their practical relevance in food preservation. In addition, current challenges are critically highlighted, including variability in plant extract composition, limited understanding of photosensitiser behaviour within complex food matrices, restricted light penetration, and challenges associated with standardisation and scalability. This work provides an overview of emerging natural photoactive systems and their potential to advance safer and environmentally sustainable food preservation technologies. Full article

The valorization of agri-food by-products generated during juice extraction represents a key strategy within circular economy frameworks, as it reduces the environmental impact of waste disposal while creating added value and improving the food supply chain. In this work, five betaine-based natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) differing in their hydrogen-bond donors, namely citric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, glycerol, and ethylene glycol, were used for the green extraction of blueberry pomace, a largely underutilized by-product that is nevertheless rich in bioactive compounds. The extracts were characterized by liquid chromatography coupled with diode-array and tandem mass spectrometric detection, allowing targeted profiling of anthocyanins and non-anthocyanin phenolics, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and phenolic aldehydes. The extraction performance of NaDES was benchmarked against conventional solvents (water and ethanol) to evaluate differences in selectivity and efficiency toward distinct phenolic classes. Antioxidant capacity was determined using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. Among the NaDES systems, the betaine–citric acid NaDES extract exhibited notable phenolic recovery together with marked radical scavenging activity. After evaluating its inhibitory activity against elastase and tyrosinase, enzymes involved in the skin aging process, the selected NaDES extract was incorporated into a natural-based antiaging cosmetic formulation, and its main physicochemical properties were assessed to verify suitability for topical application. This study demonstrated that the use of NaDES represents an environmentally friendly and sustainable approach to transform blueberry by-products into high-value, safe, and ready-to-use cosmetic functional ingredients without the need for solvent removal. Full article

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is prevalent in hospitalized geriatric and neurological populations and constitutes a major driver of disease-related malnutrition. Conventional texture-modified diets frequently rely on diluting solid foods with liquid agents to achieve safe swallowing consistency, a process that reduces caloric and protein density per gram and creates a so-called volume paradox, whereby large meal volumes deliver inadequate nutrients. This retrospective observational study, conducted at the Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS in Rome, compared nutritional intake in 208 hospitalized dysphagic adults receiving either a traditional homogenized standard diet (THSD; n = 58) or a density-enriched dysphagia-prepared diet (DPD; n = 150). Following propensity-score matching, total daily energy intake was significantly higher with the DPD compared to the THSD (1024 ± 307 kcal vs. 523 ± 161 kcal; p < 0.0001), as was total protein intake (37.3 ± 12.9 g vs. 26.2 ± 12.7 g; p < 0.0001). Clinically meaningful differences were observed across all meal components, including a more than twofold advantage in breakfast protein content (6.6 ± 1.7 g vs. 3.0 ± 1.5 g). Despite these improvements, total energy and protein intake remained below estimated daily requirements in both groups, highlighting the need for systematic nutritional monitoring alongside catering optimization. These findings support density-enrichment as a practical and safe strategy for improving nutritional adequacy in dysphagic inpatients, with implications for reducing reliance on oral nutritional supplements and mitigating disease-related malnutrition in clinical settings. Full article

Background and Objectives: Nowadays synthetic sweeteners are widely used as sugar substitutes in beverages, processed foods, and pharmaceutical products, largely due to their low caloric content and perceived benefits for weight management and glycemic control. Their consumption has increased markedly over recent decades, paralleling global efforts to reduce added sugar intake and combat obesity and diabetes. This review examines the regulation of artificial sweeteners, their impact on vulnerable populations, and the increased concern about their health effects, including metabolic effects, effects on gut microbiota and neurological and behavioral issues. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search was performed across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, to identify studies relevant to synthetic sweeteners and human health. Results: While considered safe, artificial sweeteners are linked to potential influence on hormonal responses, affecting glucose homeostasis and insulin secretion, as well as effects on gut microbiota composition and glucose metabolism. However, the results reveal inconsistencies of the impact of artificial sweeteners on vulnerable populations, as well as their effects on the human gut microbiota, neurological behavior and endocrine effects and evidence remain limited. Conclusions: Continuous human trials, post-market surveillance and regulatory evaluations are therefore essential to ensure the safety of sugar substitutes for consumers’ health. Full article

The massive generation of coal-based solid wastes (CBSWs) poses severe environmental challenges globally, while widespread soil degradation threatens food security and ecosystem stability. This review critically evaluates the technical feasibility and agro-ecological benefits of valorizing CBSWs—including coal gangue, fly ash, gasification slag, and desulfurization gypsum—as soil amendments within a circular economy framework. We systematically examine the physicochemical characteristics of major CBSW types, analyze modification methods that enhance their performance and safety, and assess their multifaceted effects on soil physical structure, chemical properties, nutrient dynamics, heavy metal immobilization, and microbial communities. A dedicated section addresses environmental risks, particularly toxic element leaching, and outlines integrated control strategies from source selection to post-application monitoring. Critical knowledge gaps persist regarding long-term contaminant stability under climate change scenarios, molecular-scale immobilization mechanisms, and economic scalability. Future research must prioritize advanced low-energy modification technologies, robust long-term field studies, and harmonized international regulations. We conclude that with scientifically guided modification and stringent risk management, CBSWs can be transformed into safe, multifunctional soil conditioners, simultaneously addressing industrial waste management and contributing to global restoration of degraded soil health. Full article

Dietary emulsifiers, common in processed and ultra-processed foods, improve food texture and shelf life but may affect gut health by interacting with the microbiota and intestinal barrier. While emulsifiers have long been considered safe, growing evidence links their presence in ultra-processed foods to chronic disease risk. This review aims to evaluate the current understanding of the factors and mechanisms underlying individual differences in intestinal mucosal susceptibility to dietary emulsifiers. A search of PubMed and Embase through February 2026 identified eight relevant studies. Overall, the available evidence indicates a heterogeneous and highly individualized host response to dietary emulsifiers. These differences appear to be strongly influenced by the gut microbiota and its functional properties, while animal studies further suggest that host factors such as sex-related differences in microbial composition may also contribute to variability in response. Importantly, not all emulsifiers have the same effects, underscoring compound-specific impacts on gut physiology. The findings demonstrate that sensitivity to dietary emulsifiers varies substantially between individuals, challenging the long-standing assumption that these additives are universally safe. Given the multifactorial nature of this susceptibility, particularly the role of the gut microbiota, future research should adopt an integrative approach that combines microbial profiling with host genetics, immune responses, and early-life exposures. Such efforts will be essential to identify at-risk individuals and to inform more personalized dietary recommendations aimed at preserving intestinal health and reducing disease risk. Importantly, there is a clear need for larger, well-powered studies that can validate and expand upon these initial observations. Full article

This review aims to critically examine food industry by-products as potential sources of natural preservatives and to discuss how this evidence can be translated into adolescent food literacy, label interpretation, and critical food choices. Adolescents are increasingly exposed to food labels and claims about “natural,” “clean-label,” “upcycled,” “sustainable,” and “circular” foods, which may not always be transparent or supported by sufficient evidence regarding their safety, efficacy, sensory quality, consumer acceptance, or environmental benefit. Therefore, they need more than nutritional information; they need to interpret labels, question sustainability claims, and understand how food innovations are produced, tested, communicated, and regulated. Food by-products such as fruit and vegetable pomaces, peels, seeds, skins, olive and wine residues, cereal by-products, coffee silverskin, and cocoa residues are promising resources for clean-label preservation and circular food systems because they may contain phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, essential oils, pectin, dietary fibers, and other compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial, coloring, stabilizing, and texturizing properties. However, the bioactive potential alone does not guarantee that a by-product-derived ingredient is safe, effective, acceptable, scalable, or sustainable. Its use requires extraction, stabilization, real-food validation, safety assessment, sensory optimization, regulatory compliance, and sustainability evaluation. The review concludes that by-product-derived natural preservatives are both technological resources and educational tools. Future research and education should connect food preservation, label interpretation, food safety, sensory quality, sustainability evidence, and consumer decision-making to empower adolescents as critical consumers and informed agents of change in sustainable food systems. Full article

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in paddy soils poses a severe threat to food safety. Although straw incorporation is a key approach to sustainable agriculture, the mechanisms underlying its regulatory effects on safe rice production in Cd-contaminated fields remain unclear. This field study, conducted at two Cd-contaminated sites with two rice cultivars differing in Cd accumulation (low-Cd ZLY8612 and high-Cd YXY2115), evaluated five wheat straw management practices: straw removal (CK), straw mulching (SM), straw incorporation (SI), straw incorporation with organic fertilizer (SOI), and straw-derived biochar incorporation (SBI). The primary findings revealed that SOI and SBI could effectively reduce Cd availability and promoted Cd transformation to residual fractions, with SBI showing superior immobilization effects. SBI also enriched beneficial taxa (Bacillus, Sphingomonas, and Flavisolibacter), increased Proteobacteria, and reduced Chloroflexi and Acidobacteriota. All treatments enhanced rice yield; however, only SBI reduced grain Cd in the high-Cd cultivar to <0.2 mg/kg with high-Cd soil. Collectively, the combined application of straw-derived biochar incorporation and low-Cd-accumulating rice cultivar is a reliable and recommendable agronomic strategy for safe grain production and sustainable straw recycling in Cd-contaminated rice–wheat rotation fields. Full article

Street food is a fundamental part of the diet for millions of people, especially in Mexico, standing out for its accessibility, cost, and connection to culinary culture. Street food represents a practical alternative for the population and economic benefits for those who sell it. However, its preparation and sale can involve microbiological health hazards if proper hygiene conditions and practices are not applied during the handling, storage, and sale of products. Studies in Mexico have shown the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in street food, including coliform bacteria, Salmonella sp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes, among others, capable of causing foodborne illnesses. Therefore, this narrative review provides information available in various databases on street food, foodborne illnesses, causative agents, contaminants, and prevention measures. This study focuses on the Mexican context, including the socioeconomic relevance of these foods, microbiological contaminant hazards, prevention, and the regulatory framework. Although regulations and actions are in place for these foods, challenges remain related to food hygiene education for food handlers, microbiological surveillance of food, and the wide variety of products and sales outlets. Strengthening collaboration among authorities, academia, vendors, and consumers is essential to promote the availability of safe food and protect public health. Full article

Bacteriophage-based products are gaining attention as effective tools to reduce harmful germs in food and combat antimicrobial resistance throughout the food production process. However, in South America, their use is still limited because of complicated regulations and inconsistent evidence requirements. This review aims to (i) explore the current scientific and technological landscape of using bacteriophages in South American food systems, (ii) identify main regulatory challenges that impact their classification, approval, and use, and (iii) highlight the need for consistent international guidelines, especially from Codex Alimentarius, to help safely and effectively incorporate phage-based products in food. Research on phage-based products is growing, but it is not consistent across different regions. There are more patents and advancements in biotechnology, but they are limited to certain areas. Although progress is being made, the regulatory frameworks are still unclear, especially when it comes to how these products are classified, labeled, and monitored for safety. To address these gaps, risk-based guidelines are needed. These should define product categories and claims, set safety standards, and include rules for tracking products and monitoring them after they hit the market. Creating a new Codex Alimentarius project on phage-based products could help establish global guidelines that promote safe use, reduce uncertainty in regulations, and improve trade in food markets around the world. Full article

Edible insects have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional livestock as the global demand for sustainable protein sources rises. Ensuring the safety of insect-based foods is crucial for consumer acceptance and regulatory approval. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the primary chemical and microbiological contaminants associated with edible insects, including heavy metals, pesticides, veterinary drugs, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), mycotoxins, microbiological hazards, and allergenic risks. Current evidence indicates that, when insects are farmed and processed under controlled conditions and in compliance with existing European Union regulations, contaminant levels are generally low and within the range of those found in traditional animal-derived foods. Most studies report that current risks are primarily linked to substrate quality and storage practices. Allergenic risks, particularly cross-reactivity with crustacean and mite allergens, remain a crucial consideration for individuals with sensitivities. Despite these reassuring findings, knowledge gaps persist regarding insect-specific contaminant limits, the metabolic fate of toxins, and the long-term safety of consuming novel insect-derived products. Continued research, targeted monitoring, and regulatory adaptation will be essential to ensure the safe and sustainable integration of insect-based foods into the human diet. Full article

Sonchus asper (L.) Hill is a widely distributed plant traditionally used as both a food source and a medicinal herb. In recent years, increasing interest in natural, safe, and effective cosmetic ingredients has highlighted the potential of plant-derived bioactive compounds. This review provides an overview of the biological properties of S. asper, with particular emphasis on its relevance in cosmetic applications. The plant is characterized by a rich profile of primary and secondary metabolites, including amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, phenolic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, and terpenoids. These compounds contribute to a broad spectrum of biological activities, such as strong free radical scavenging activity, modulation of inflammatory pathways, and inhibition of the growth of selected skin-associated pathogens, suggesting its potential as a multifunctional cosmetic ingredient. Full article

Food allergy (FA) is an increasing public health concern, highlighting the urgent need for safe, bioactive-based preventive strategies. This study evaluated genistein, a plant-derived isoflavone, in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine FA model. Genistein was administered before sensitization and throughout allergy induction. Clinical symptoms, rectal temperature, diarrhea, OVA-specific antibodies, mast cell responses, intestinal barrier markers, gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and fecal metabolites were assessed using immunological, histological, microbiome, and metabolomic analyses. Genistein pretreatment prevented OVA-induced clinical symptom scores, rectal temperature decline, diarrhea occurrence, OVA-specific antibody responses, and mast cell responses. These changes were accompanied by preservation of jejunal tight junction-related markers and modulation of T-cell-associated immune responses. In vitro, genistein modulated antigen uptake, maturation-associated features of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs), and BMDC-driven CD4⁺ T-cell polarization. In parallel, genistein-pretreated mice showed altered gut microbial structure, higher relative abundances of selected SCFA-associated taxa, increased fecal butyrate, and fecal metabolomic alterations involving purine metabolism, bile-acid-related metabolism, and tryptophan-related microbial metabolites. Consistently, correlation analyses indicated associations among microbial taxa, metabolites, immune indicators, and intestinal barrier markers. Together, these findings provide preliminary mechanistic insight into genistein in experimental FA and support further investigation of genistein as a dietary bioactive candidate for FA prevention. Full article

The resourceful application of biogas slurry liquid (BSL) to farmland promotes circular agriculture, yet nutrient imbalances and potential heavy metal risks restrict its safe application. This study used Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) to evaluate the agronomic and environmental impacts of BSL applied alone or combined with chemical fertilizers. Heavy metal safety was assessed using the pollution index, geoaccumulation index, and bioaccumulation coefficient. This study demonstrates that BSL application significantly increases soil available nitrogen. The co-application of medium-concentration BSL (0.1 L) with conventional chemical fertilizer effectively alleviates nutrient deficiency, resulting in the highest cabbage yield (e.g., peak total fresh weight of 5.12 g plant⁻¹ and plant height of 20.73 cm) and quality (soluble sugar reaching 4.21–4.31%, vitamin C at 16.3–17.3 μg g⁻¹). Based strictly on this short-term evaluation, no significant anthropogenic enrichment of heavy metals was detected in the soil, and heavy metal concentrations in the edible tissues of Chinese cabbage complied with China’s national food safety standards. While experimental observation of continuous accumulation was outside the scope of this study, predictive mass-balance modeling identifies Cd as the primary limiting factor for the long-term safe use of BSL. Compared with single BSL application, co-application with chemical fertilizers significantly mitigates the projected accumulation of soil environmental hazards (extending the safe utilization period to 27.3–54.6 years), and concurrently enhances both crop yield and quality. This study supports evidence-based decision-making for the safe agronomic reuse of BSL and its ecological risk assessment. Full article