Search Results (42)

Acrylamide is a heat-induced food contaminant that can be formed through the Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and asparagine in carbohydrate-rich foods. It is recognized as having carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and reproductive risks, prompting global regulatory and research attention. This review synthesizes recent advances (2013–2025) in understanding acrylamide’s formation mechanisms, detection methods, mitigation strategies, and health implications. Analytical innovations such as LC–MS/MS have enabled detection at trace levels (≤10 µg/kg), supporting process optimization and compliance monitoring. Effective mitigation strategies combine cooking adjustments, ingredient reformulation, and novel technologies, including vacuum frying, ohmic heating, and predictive modeling, which can achieve up to a 70% reduction in certain food categories. Dietary polyphenols and fibers also hold promise, lowering acrylamide formation and bioavailability through carbonyl trapping and enhanced detoxification. However, significant gaps remain in bioavailability assessment, analysis of metabolic fate (glycidamide conversion), and standardized global monitoring. This review emphasizes that a sustainable reduction in dietary acrylamide requires a multidisciplinary framework integrating mechanistic modeling, green processing, regulatory oversight, and consumer education. Bridging science, industry, and policy is essential to ensure safer food systems and minimize long-term public health risks. Full article

Sugarcane bagasse (SCB), a major byproduct of the sugar industry produced in millions of tons annually, is traditionally burned for energy but holds untapped potential for sustainable valorization amid global shifts toward renewable resources and reduced fossil fuel reliance. This review synthesizes recent advancements in SCB applications beyond energy, emphasizing bioenergy, bioplastics, construction materials, and agriculture to advance circular economy principles—addressing a gap in the existing literature by providing a holistic, comparative analysis of processing technologies, including their efficiency, costs, and scalability, which prior reviews have overlooked. Drawing from scientific literature, industry reports, case studies, and datasets, we evaluate SCB’s composition (40–50% cellulose, 25–30% hemicellulose, 20–25% lignin) and processing methods (e.g., pretreatment, hydrolysis, gasification, pyrolysis). Key findings highlight versatile applications: bioethanol production yielding 40–70% GHG reductions per life cycle assessments; pulp/paper substitution reducing water and chemical use; nanocellulose composites for automotive and medical sectors; particleboard and ash-cement in construction cutting deforestation and carbon footprints by ~20%; and biochar/processed feed enhancing crop yields by 25% while amending soil. Unlike previous reviews focused on isolated applications, this work integrates environmental, economic, and regulatory insights, identifying challenges like standardization gaps and proposing pathways for commercialization to drive scalable, green industry transitions. Continued research and policy support are essential for realizing SCB’s role in sustainable development. Full article

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are among the most traded and a significant component of global food and beverages. The consumption of these beverages is widely believed to be a major contributing factor to overweight, diabetes, tooth decay, and other noncommunicable diseases. To reduce the intake of these beverages, the World Health Organisation (WHO) encouraged countries and jurisdictions to introduce a sugar tax policy as an approach to reduce the sales and intake of the beverages. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the sustainability of the relationship that exists among the factors that influence the intake of SSBs in enhancing sugar tax in South Africa. A mixed research methods were used to explore the relationships among the variables. The Exploratory Sequential Design (ESD) was deemed appropriate to deal with the introduction of a sugar tax to reduce the intake of the SSB, most especially in Africa where the tax is a new concept. The Exploratory Sequential Design began with the collection of the structured interview qualitative data and analysis using the thematic analysis procedure, then followed by quantitative data collection and analysis using the confirmatory factor analysis method. This study used mainly primary data collected from the Gauteng Province of South Africa for both the qualitative and quantitative phases of the study. The study found that a sustainable effective sugar tax can be achieved when the public is aware of the existence, purpose, and acceptance of the sugar tax. Furthermore, the tax can become relevant and sustainable when it leads to a significant reduction in intake, contributing to negative consumer behaviour and attitude towards the intake of SSBs in South Africa. A synthesis of the integrated results confirmed that the recognition of the relationship among the factors influencing the intake of SSB and penalising the beverage manufacturers who do not reduce the sugar content in all their beverages as recommended by the WHO are vital in leading to a sustainable enhancement of an effective sugar tax in South Africa. Full article

The EAT-Lancet diet outlines target consumption for specific food components but overlooks accessibility and cost issues, which may hinder adherence among vulnerable populations. This study examines the acquisition profile of EAT-Lancet diet components by food security and poverty status, using data from 57,920 households in the 2017–2018 Brazilian Household Budget Survey. Poverty and food insecurity were defined according to the World Bank per capita income cutoffs and the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale, respectively. Food acquisition was classified into 15 EAT-Lancet diet components and expressed as per capita daily averages (g, % of total available energy, and % of food expenditure), by food security and poverty strata. Brazilian households were 37.9% food-insecure and 12% poor. Compared to more privileged counterparts, these households prioritized the acquisition of staples like refined cereals and legumes over most EAT-Lancet diet adequacy components, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and peanuts. While lower energy shares from moderation components were only slightly evident for red meat and dairy among food-insecure households, pronounced reductions in added sugars and vegetable oils were seen among the poor. These findings suggest that public policies should synergically address particularities of different deprivation contexts to promote sustainable diets in Brazil. Full article

The growing global focus on the adverse health conditions associated with excessive sugar consumption has prompted health and policy organizations as well as the public to take a more mindful approach to health and wellness. In response, food and beverage companies have proactively innovated and reformulated their product portfolios to incorporate low and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCSs) as viable alternatives to sugar. LNCSs offer an effective and safe approach to delivering sweetness to foods and beverages and reducing calories and sugar intake while contributing to the enjoyment of eating. The objective of this paper is to enhance the understanding of LNCSs segmentation and definitions, dietary consumption and reduction guidance, front-of-package labeling, taste and sensory perception and physiology, metabolic efficacy and impact, as well as the overall safety of LNCSs and sugar. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dietary patterns are able to capture the complexity of the diet. The present study aimed to compare the nutrient intake across different dietary patterns in Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Dietary patterns from 295 (predominantly women, 85%) of Brazilian community-dwelling older adults were identified using principal component analysis, based on a 24 h dietary recall (24HR). The following patterns were identified: the “traditional” pattern (consisting of in natura or minimally processed food); the “modified” pattern (consisting of processed foods, confectionery), and the “snack” pattern (composed of coffee, whole milk, bread, toast, butter, or margarine). Participants were divided into three tertiles according to their scores in each pattern. A comparison of energy and nutrient intake across the tertiles of the three patterns was analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis rank sum test. Then, the intake of energy and macro and micronutrients were analyzed. Results: Older adults with higher scores for the “traditional” pattern had significantly higher intakes of total energy, all macronutrients, beta-carotene, vitamin C, E and K, thiamine, pyridoxine, and total folate (p < 0.05). Participants with higher scores for the “modified” pattern had significantly higher intakes of total energy, added sugar, total and animal protein, leucine, arginine, monounsaturated fat, cholesterol, niacin, and pyridoxine; the second tertile had lower vitamin A than the first tertile (p < 0.05). Finally, older adults with higher scores for the “snack” pattern had significantly lower intakes of total and insoluble fiber, animal and vegetable proteins, vitamins (A, E, and K), niacin, and pyridoxine (p < 0.05). The “Traditional” pattern exhibited the most appropriate dietary pattern regarding the availability of essential nutrients, resulting in a better quality of habitual intake and outcomes that are related to health promotion and reduction in the risk of non-chronic issues. Conclusions: The results reinforce the importance of public policies that encourage the maintenance of the traditional Brazilian dietary pattern, which is in alignment with Brazilian Dietary Guidelines, especially in the older population. Full article

Consumption of added sugars negatively affects schoolchildren’s health, making it essential to promote strategies designed to reduce their intake through educational interventions. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a nutritional education intervention, INCAI, on the consumption of added sugars among schoolchildren in southeastern Mexico. A 9-month educational intervention was designed to promote healthy eating, physical activity, and the development of socio-emotional skills among primary school children. Information on the usual intake of foods and beverages was collected from 400 schoolchildren at the beginning and end of the intervention using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. For the analysis, a generalized estimating equation (GEE) model was constructed using the Poisson distribution family to estimate the effect of the intervention. The relative incidence in the final stage showed a slight increase of 4% (p = 0.093) in the percentage of added sugars compared with the baseline levels in the control group. By contrast, the intervention effect, represented by the interaction between treatment and time, showed a 10% reduction in the final stage in the intervention group (p < 0.001). Based on these findings, the INCAI educational intervention effectively reduced added sugar consumption by 10% in the intervention group, while no significant reduction was observed in the control group. These results suggest that nutritional education programs can be a useful strategy for lowering added sugar intake among schoolchildren, highlighting the importance of incorporating such interventions into public health policies targeting child populations. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to assess salt and sugar-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (KAB) of adults in the Central Division of Fiji. Methods: A randomised stratified sample of 700 adults were selected. Questions on salt and sugar-related KABs were developed. The survey took place from March to June 2022. For analyses, population and sample weights were applied, and differences between predefined subgroups (sex, age, ethnicity and area) were compared using weighted chi-square tests. Results: 534 adults participated (response rate 76%). Over 80% of participants (82% (95% CI 78.5 to 84.9%)) identified that consuming too much salt or salty sauce can lead to hypertension. More than 90% recognised that consuming too much sugar can lead to diabetes (92.3% (89.7 to 94.3%)). Approximately 80% of participants thought it was somewhat or very important to lower salt and sugar intake in their diet (79.8% (76.1 to 83.0) and 84.2% (80.8 to 87.1%), respectively). However, almost 40% reported adding salt or salty sauces when cooking (37.3% (32.7 to 42.2%)) and 65% (60.6 to 68.5%) adding sugar to drinks daily. Conclusions: Despite having positive knowledge and attitudes, many people reported behaviours likely to contribute to excess salt and sugar intake, highlighting the need for interventions that support behaviour change and the creation of healthier food environments. Full article

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) emissions during the roasting of green Arabica coffee and coffee formulations containing alcohol, sugar, and honey were investigated in this study. Fast and slow roasting methods, which took 5.62 and 9.65 min to achieve a light roast, respectively, were used to evaluate the emissions. The concentrations in the flue gas during the fast roasting of green coffee (0.0296 ng Nm⁻³ and 0.00364 ng WHO-TEQ Nm⁻³) were 13.9% and 70.5% higher than during slow roasting, respectively. However, this was only the trend for some formulations, and no significant differences in concentrations were found between the methods at p = 0.05. Thus, the slow roasting method might not necessarily reduce formation when additives are included. The emission factors were 2.86 ng kg⁻¹ and 0.352 ng WHO-TEQ kg⁻¹, and 4.17 ng kg⁻¹ and 0.176 ng WHO-TEQ kg⁻¹ for the fast and slow roasting of green coffee, respectively. Further investigations are warranted to understand the formation mechanism, assess potential health risks, and explore mitigation strategies. These findings have implications for both coffee processing industries and regulatory bodies, as understanding the impact of roasting methods and additives could inform the development of cleaner production practices and targeted emission reduction policies. Full article

Cenchrus fungigraminus is a new species and is largely used as forage and mushroom substrate. However, it can usually not be planted on farmland on account of local agricultural land policy. Interplanting Cenchrus fungigraminus with other crops annually (short-term) is an innovative strategy to promote the sustainable development of the grass industry in southern China. To further investigate this, C. fungigraminus mono-planting (MC), C. fungigraminus–potato interplanting (CIP) and C. fungigraminus–broad bean interplanting (CIB) were performed. Compared to MC, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), soil organic matter (SOM), ammoniacal nitrogen (AMN), pH and soil amino sugars had a positive effect on the rhizosphere soil of CIP and CIB, as well as enhancing soil nitrogenase, nitrite reductase, and peroxidase activities (p < 0.05). Moreover, CIP improved the root vitality (2.08 times) and crude protein (1.11 times). In addition, CIB enhanced the crude fiber of C. fungigraminus seedlings. These two interplanting models also improved the microbial composition and diversity (Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota, etc.) in the rhizosphere soil of C. fungigraminus seedlings. Among all the samples, 189 and 59 genes were involved in methane cycling and nitrogen cycling, respectively, which improved the presence of the serine cycle, ribulose monophosphate, assimilatory nitrate reduction, methane absorption, and glutamate synthesis and inhibited denitrification. Through correlation analysis and the Mantel test, the putative functional genes, encoding functions in both nitrogen and methane cycling, were shown to have a significant positive effect on pH, moisture, AMN, SOM, SMBC, and soil peroxidase activity, while not displaying a significant effect on soil nitrogenase activity and total amino sugar (p < 0.05). The short-term influence of the interplanting model was shown to improve land use efficiency and economic profitability per unit land area, and the models could provide sustainable agricultural production for rural revitalization. Full article

Objective: To investigate the impact of the Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen (NCK) Program on the cooking skills of Brazilian individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A randomized controlled intervention study was performed, with intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in weekly sessions of the NCK Program for six weeks (including two in-person practical cooking and three online cooking workshops). The cooking recipes were adapted by replacing high glycemic index ingredients with low and medium glycemic index alternatives. Of note, the recipes did not contain added sugars or sweeteners, were based on the use of fresh or minimally processed foods, herbs, and spices, and were sensorially tested by individuals with T2DM before use in the intervention. The study outcomes were participant score changes on the seven scales. A validated online instrument was administered to the control and intervention groups at baseline (T1) and post-intervention (T2). Parametric and non-parametric tests were used to assess the differences between the T1 and T2 parameters. Results: Of the 60 individuals enrolled, 44 answered the questionnaire at both times. The findings revealed a 45.37% ± 93.57% increase in Knowledge of Cooking Terms in the intervention group, whereas the control group showed a 3.82% ± 16.17% reduction (p = 0.008). There was an increase in all the other cooking skills and healthy eating scales from T1 to T2 in the intervention group, but the differences were not significant. Conclusions: The development of cooking skills can contribute to increasing culinary knowledge and the availability of time to cook at home. The results contribute to the planning of health actions aimed at individuals with DM2 through culinary interventions and public food and nutrition policies. Full article

The need for sustainable development in the context of pesticide use has been recognized by the European Union. The “Farm to Fork Strategy” indicates a goal of 50% reduction in pesticide use by 2030. To address this challenge, we used the concept of ionic liquids to modify known resistance inducers, i.e., a group of substances whose action is indicated as an alternative to fungicides. A new, patented substance developed by us, which is a choline 3,5-dichlorosalicylate, has been tested in the context of its use in sugar beet cultivation with the aim of controlling Cercospora leaf spot (CLS). The results suggest that the use of this substance in combination with one fungicide treatment reduces disease infection and produces yields very similar to the use of a standard protection program assuming the use of two fungicides. Such results provide the basis for further development of 3,5-dichlorosalicylate in terms of its use in agriculture. Thanks to its use, it was possible to resign from one fungicide treatment, while maintaining protection against CLS and yields at the same level as for the full fungicide protection program. Such an approach is in line with European Union policies. Full article

In the German beverage market, a shift in consumption has become apparent in recent decades: away from alcoholic beverages and towards non-alcoholic alternatives. This indicates a tradeoff between two important and nutritionally relevant substances: alcohol and sugar. This review, therefore, addresses the question of the significance of these developments to the German wine industry, where non-alcoholic wines and sparkling wines are becoming increasingly important. The production of these products is accompanied by a reduction in alcohol content with a simultaneous increase in sugar. Furthermore, these products could also become the focus of health policy efforts when it comes to accusations of possible “alibi marketing”. Here, parallels with the handling of tobacco products become clear, while the tradeoff between alcohol and sugar recedes into the background. Full article

The Childhood Obesity Plan aimed to reduce sugar and energy in foods through a voluntary sugar-reduction programme. Our primary objective was to determine whether this implementation strategy had been successful, focusing on the out-of-home sector. We used a repeated cross-sectional design to evaluate nutritional changes in desserts served by leading chain restaurants. We extracted nutrition information from online menus in autumn/winter 2020, for comparison with baseline (2017) and interim (2018) values extracted from third-party datasets. We assessed compliance with the 20% sugar-reduction target and category-specific energy targets by product category and for pooled desserts. Overall, sugar/portion and energy/portion decreased by 11% and 4%, respectively. Policy targets were achieved in one of five categories (ice-cream: −38% sugar, p < 0.001; −30% energy, p < 0.001). Secondary outcomes were analysed for subgroups with the necessary data. Few chains significantly reduced sugar and/or energy across their dessert range. Energy/portion was positively associated with portion weight and sugar/portion but not with sugar/100 g. More than half of adults’ desserts contained excessive sugar and/or saturated fat compared with dietary guidelines. Children’s desserts less frequently exceeded guidelines. These results demonstrate that voluntary measures can drive substantial change when technical, commercial, and operational barriers can be overcome. Full article

The obesity epidemic has become a major public health concern globally, and the food supply is a significant driver of this trend. Front-of-package (FOP) labels have been implemented in many countries to encourage healthier food choices. This systematic review aimed to examine the effect of FOP label implementation on food manufacturers’ practices. A comprehensive search of multiple databases was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, identifying 39 relevant articles from 1990 to 2021. The studies indicated that FOP labels conveying intuitive information influenced product reformulation, whereas those with numerical information without specific guidance had no impact on reducing unhealthy nutrients. The most common outcomes were sodium, sugar, and calorie reduction. Mandatory policies reported higher and more consistent effects on product reformulation compared to voluntary approaches. Voluntary FOP labeling resulted in low uptake and tended to be applied to healthier products. Food manufacturers responded to FOP labeling heterogeneously, depending on the label design and type of enforcement. FOP label implementation can reduce nutrients of concern but food manufacturers behave strategically by labeling healthier choices. This review provides recommendations for maximizing the benefits of using FOP labels to prevent obesity, and findings can inform future public health research and policymaking. Full article