Search Results (425)

Background: Mental well-being is an important yet often overlooked component of cardiometabolic health. Dietary habits may influence psychological outcomes, but evidence among high-risk populations in Central and Eastern Europe remains limited. This study investigated the association between dietary behaviors and mental well-being among adults with cardiometabolic risk in Hungary. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) 2019. The study included 2785 adults with cardiometabolic high risk (obesity, hypertension, or hypercholesterolemia). Mental well-being was assessed using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index and categorized as poor (≤50) or better (>50). Dietary habits, sociodemographic factors, and lifestyle factors were analyzed. Weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Overall, 25.9% of participants had poor mental health. In multivariable analyses, low intake of vegetables (OR = 1.15), fruits (OR = 1.55), fruit juice (OR = 1.26), and fish (OR = 1.17), as well as inadequate water intake (OR = 1.38), were each independently associated with higher odds of poor mental health after adjustment for sex, education, income levels, self-perceived health status, physical activity, and alcohol consumption. Conclusions: Healthier dietary behaviors, particularly higher consumption of vegetables, fish, and adequate hydration, are associated with better mental well-being among individuals with cardiometabolic risk. These results underscore the need for comprehensive intervention strategies that simultaneously address physical health and psychological well-being among vulnerable populations. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study describes the process of harmonising data from food consumption screeners (FCSs) and food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) in pregnant women, highlighting challenges and strategies. Methods: It is a methodological, descriptive study on the harmonisation of individual food intake data. The data were divided into two datasets: FCS and FFQ. FCS responses were categorised as “never/almost never”, “1–4 days per week”, and “≥5 days per week”. FFQ data were harmonised by deriving variables in grams per day. Outliers were identified using z-scores for total harmonised caloric intake exceeding ±2 standard deviations. The distribution and heterogeneity of the derived variables were assessed using multilevel models. Results: Data were drawn from 12 studies conducted in Brazil, part of the Brazilian Maternal and Child Nutrition Consortium (BMCNC). The sample included pregnant women aged 18 years or older, at any stage of pregnancy. The final harmonised datasets comprised eight studies (n = 5484) with FCS data and four studies (n = 1759) with FFQ data. Most food categories in the FCS dataset had comparable frequencies across studies, with differences observed for natural juices, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages. In the FFQ data, the largest variations in daily consumption were found for leafy vegetables, sweetened beverages, and soft drinks. Heterogeneity ranged from less than 0.01% for beans (FCS) to 15.5% for fruits and natural juices (FFQ). Conclusions: By enabling standardised analyses across diverse Brazilian populations, the harmonised BMCNC datasets provide a valuable resource for investigating nutritional inequities and supporting future research to improve maternal and child nutrition. Full article

Young barley, derived from the early vegetative stage of Hordeum vulgare L., constitutes a plant-based functional ingredient whose phytochemical profile differs markedly from that of mature grain. Two principal commercial forms exist—dried grass powder and juice-derived products—differing in matrix composition and bioactive compound concentration. This narrative review critically evaluates the current knowledge on the phytochemical composition, biological activity, and translational relevance of young barley preparations considered as a functional plant food. The phytochemical spectrum is dominated by C-glycosyl flavones, particularly saponarin and lutonarin, alongside phenolic acids, chlorophylls, enzymatic antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Experimental evidence implicates the modulation of redox homeostasis, inflammatory signaling, and metabolic regulators as the primary biological mechanisms. In vitro studies additionally demonstrate antiproliferative activity in human cancer cell lines and immunomodulatory properties mediated by polysaccharide-rich fractions, extending the biological profile of young barley beyond classical antioxidant activity. Although preclinical models consistently demonstrate antioxidant and metabolic effects, high experimental doses and limited preparation standardization restrict the direct extrapolation to human supplementation contexts. Available clinical trials suggest modest improvements in selected lipid, glycemic, and oxidative stress markers; yet, most are small in scale and brief in duration. Agronomic variables including fertilization strategy and soil composition represent additional, underappreciated sources of phytochemical variability and safety concern. Overall, the current evidence supports the biological plausibility of young barley as a functional plant food; yet, the clinical data remain preliminary. Future research should prioritize preparation standardization, dose–response characterization, and agronomic transparency to strengthen translational reliability. In conclusion, young barley preparations represent a biologically plausible functional plant food ingredient with preliminary clinical support, pending confirmation from adequately powered, standardised randomised controlled trials. Full article

Shoot density is a key viticultural factor modulating canopy microclimate, berry composition, and wine quality, although yield–quality relationships are strongly influenced by environmental conditions. Saignée, a winemaking technique involving partial juice removal prior to fermentation, increases the skin-to-juice ratio and may enhance phenolic extraction. This study assessed the combined effects of shoot density (33 [T1], 20 [T2], and 15 [T3] shoots/m) and saignée (20% vs. control) on yield, grape composition, and wine chemical and sensory properties in Malbec across two vintages (2021–2022). At harvest, the pruning weight, yield components, general maturity parameters, and phenolic composition were measured. The wines were analysed for their phenolic and elemental composition, polysaccharides and volatile compounds, colour, and sensory attributes. T1 exhibited the highest yields and vegetative imbalance, whereas T2 and T3 achieved optimal Ravaz indices. The general grape maturity parameters were unaffected; however, T3 had increased berry phenolic content in 2022. T2 and T3 had enhanced wine tannins, total phenols, and polymeric pigments, particularly in 2022. Saignée increased the pH, potassium, total phenols, tannins, and acylated anthocyanins. Targeting yields near 4 kg/vine (≈10,500 kg/ha) improved vine balance and phenolic composition, although the responses were strongly modulated by interannual variability. Full article

Thirteen mandarin and hybrid cultivars grafted onto the commercial rootstocks Rangpur Lime and Swingle Citrumelo were comparatively assessed for vegetative growth, fruit physicochemical attributes, and field incidence and severity of Altenaria Brown Spot (ABS) and Huanglongbing (HLB). The experiment was conducted from January 2015 to December 2018 under a randomized block design, with ten replicates per scion–rootstock combination. Plant height, canopy volume, fruit mass, juice yield, acidity, soluble solids, and disease assessments were performed. RL induced greater vegetative growth but was associated with higher HLB severity, particularly in the Dekopon IAC 2009 and TM × LP 358 varieties. SC resulted in less vigorous trees but improved fruit quality, with higher acidity and soluble solids. Regarding ABS, the Loose Jacket IAC 515 and Muscia varieties showed high susceptibility, while Ortanique IAC 554 and Rainha BRS exhibited tolerance to both ABS and HLB. These findings suggest that although RL promotes vigorous growth, it may increase disease susceptibility, whereas SC is associated with reduced disease severity and improved fruit quality. Ortanique IAC 554 and Rainha BRS showed consistently low severity of ABS and HLB, combined with stable vegetative development and fruit quality, underscoring the importance of rootstock choice for guiding cultivar deployment in orchards under high disease pressure. Full article

Fruit and vegetable juices are ideal probiotic carriers and pectin supplementation is promising for probiotic survival. In this study, we investigated the effects of high- and low-methoxyl pectin on Lacticaseibacillus casei 37 and Lactobacillus helveticus 76 in fermented pear juice (PJ) regarding fermentation, viability, and functionality. Our results showed that pectin protected probiotic viability at 4 °C for 28 days, with viable cell counts reaching 8.39–8.63 log colony-forming units/mL. Furthermore, it promoted phenolic compound release (e.g., gallic acid and protocatechuic acid), raising total phenolic content by 8.3–21.9% and total flavonoid content by 79.6–140.3%. It significantly enhanced DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity, and FRAP antioxidant capacity. In vitro digestion revealed that pectin supplementation elevated the survival rate of probiotics in simulated gastric juice by 6.2–66.4%. Additionally, correlation analysis linked specific phenolics (p-coumaric acid, epicatechin, rutin) to antioxidant activity. An addition of 0.3% low-methoxyl and 0.2% high-methoxyl pectin was considered the optimal treatment, benefiting probiotic viability, phenolic accumulation and antioxidant stability of fermented PJ under cold storage and gastrointestinal environment. Thus, pectin is an effective carrier for high-viability, high-antioxidant probiotic fermented PJ beverages. Full article

Context: Accurate citrus crop mapping is essential for agricultural monitoring, production planning, and supply-chain management, particularly in Brazil, one of the world’s leading orange producers and the leading orange-juice exporter. Satellite image time series from Sentinel-2 provide rich spectral and temporal information for crop identification. However, citrus mapping remains challenging due to fragmented agricultural landscapes, cloud contamination, class imbalance, and spectral overlap with other vegetation classes. Problem: Conventional machine learning models often depend on handcrafted vegetation indices, while attention-based deep learning models may require larger datasets and can become unstable under geographically constrained conditions. Therefore, there is a need for a compact and robust deep learning architecture capable of extracting citrus phenological signatures directly from multispectral time-series data. Methods: This study evaluates a Spatio-Temporal Pixel-Set Encoder Convolutional Neural Network (PSE-CNN) for citrus crop classification in the immediate geographic regions of São João da Boa Vista and Mogi Guaçu, São Paulo, Brazil. MapBiomas Collection 10.1 data from 2019 to 2024 were used to derive reference polygons, and Sentinel-2 imagery was processed into cloud-masked, 15-day temporal composites using ten spectral bands. The proposed PSE-CNN was benchmarked against PSE-TAE, PSE-Transformer, Random Forest, and XGBoost using spatially grouped data partitioning and temporal test years. Results: The proposed PSE-CNN achieved the highest Unified F1-Score of $0.704$ and the lowest coefficient of variation of $3.03\%$, indicating stronger inter-annual stability across test years and random seeds among the evaluated models. It also outperformed classical models that relied on handcrafted vegetation indices and demonstrated greater overall stability than attention-based deep learning alternatives. Conclusions: The results indicate that combining pixel-set encoding with temporal convolution provides a resource-aware and stable framework for retrospective citrus crop mapping from Sentinel-2 satellite image time series. These findings suggest that PSE-CNN can support scalable agricultural monitoring, contributing to sustainable crop inventory systems in regions where labeled data and computational infrastructure are limited. Full article

Existing studies have suggested an association between consumption of foods/food groups and the risk of childhood overweight/obesity (OV/OB) and metabolic unhealthy obesity (MUO). However, they are heterogeneous in terms of design, samples and outcomes, and most do not provide evidence of long-term longitudinal associations given their cross-sectional nature. The aim of the present work was to systematically review longitudinal evidence of the association between foods/food groups and the risk of OV/OB and MUO in children and adolescents aged 2–19 years. Two databases (Scopus and PubMed) were searched for original research conducted in Western countries. Prospective epidemiological studies (PES) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with exposures/interventions related to the consumption of foods/food groups, OV/OB- or MUO-related outcomes and ≥1-year follow-up were considered eligible. A narrative evidence synthesis, complemented by random-effects meta-analyses where feasible, was performed. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42024496148). The narrative synthesis of 23 longitudinal studies revealed a detrimental effect of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) (n = 8/10 PESs and 1/2 RCTs) and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) (n = 2/3 PESs), and a beneficial effect of full/higher-fat dairy products (n = 2/3 PESs) on OV/OB-related outcomes, although certainty in evidence was (very) low. Evidence was inconclusive for artificially sweetened beverages, fruits and vegetables (primarily 100% fruit juices), milk and total dairy products. Random-effects meta-analysis of PESs focusing on SSBs revealed a positive association with follow-up body mass index (n = 3, pooled beta: 0.16 kg/m², 95%CI: 0.09, 0.23) but a non-significant association with change in BMI (n = 3, pooled beta: 0.07 kg/m², 95%CI: −0.05, 0.19). Only 1 PES reported on MUO-related outcomes and revealed a potential beneficial link between higher-fat milk intake and selected cardiometabolic indices. In conclusion, consumption of SSBs is positively associated with indicators of childhood OV/OB risk. A detrimental effect of UPFs and a beneficial effect of higher-fat dairy products on childhood adiposity outcomes were also observed, but the available evidence remains limited and insufficient to draw robust conclusions. Data for other foods/food groups and OV/OB, as well as for their link with childhood MUO, remain scarce and inconclusive. Full article

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of enriching carrot slices by NFC (not from concentrate) juices from chokeberry (CH), sea buckthorn (SB), cherry (CHE) and carrot (CA) before microwave-vacuum (MVD) and freeze-drying (FD) carrot on the physicochemical and thermal properties. While water activity (AW) was not dependent on enrichment treatment but only on drying method, NFC juices significantly enriched carrot slices with biocomponents. Freeze-dried samples, as a reference, had significantly lower AW than those dried by the MVD method. Both FD and MVD-dried samples had comparable polyphenol content and DPPH antioxidant activity (AA), but the MVD-dried samples exhibited higher ABTS antioxidant activity. Carrot enrichment in chokeberry and cherry juices resulted in up to six and 10 times higher TPC than in the raw material. In addition, samples enriched in these juices and dried with FD proved to be the most stable in terms of water state and glass transition temperature (61.4 and 69.6 °C) and water activity (approx. 0.10). In FTIR analysis, all samples exhibited similar spectral shapes, indicating similar chemical composition and functional group composition. Only in the spectral region below 900 cm⁻¹ were unique molecular vibrations induced by various organic compounds present. Enriching carrot in juices and MVD can lead to increased hardness (Fmax and breaking work), although this is associated with increased crispness, resulting from the microstructure with a large number of small pores, especially in MVD samples enriched with cherry, chokeberry, and carrot juices, with scores of 8.0–8.4 In this respect, the average crispness rating of the MVD samples (7.2) exceeded that of the FD samples (6.8). If there is a requirement for crunchiness in the future production of dried vegetables as snacks, changes in hardness should be prioritized, along with color and biocomponent content. Full article

Rootstock strongly influences citrus tree performance, but information remains limited for some regionally important cultivars. ‘IAPAR 73’, an early-season sweet orange commonly grown in Paraná, Brazil, has not been previously evaluated for rootstock responses. This study assessed the long-term effects of nine rootstocks, including ‘Rangpur’ lime, ‘Swingle’ citrumelo, ‘Volkamer’ lemon, ‘Caipira DAC’ and ‘Trifoliate’ oranges, ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Sunki’ mandarins, ‘Carrizo’ and ‘Fepagro C-13’ citranges, on vegetative growth, yield, production stability, and fruit quality under Brazilian subtropical conditions. Tree growth was monitored annually for 10 years (2003–2013) and analyzed at establishment (5 years) and full production (10 years) phases of the orchard. Yield and fruit quality were evaluated across multiple harvests, and total soluble solids (TSS) stability was quantified using the coefficient of variation. Rootstock effects were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models in a randomized complete block design, considering rootstock and year as fixed effects and blocks as random effects. Rootstock significantly influenced all evaluated traits. ‘Carrizo’, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Sunki’, and ‘Caipira DAC’ induced vigorous canopy growth and higher cumulative yields to the scion, while ‘Volkamer’ showed high yield efficiency and production stability. ‘Swingle’ and ‘Trifoliate’ enhanced TSS, TSS/TA ratios, and juice quality stability but induced lower vigor and yield, similar to ‘Rangpur’. This study provides the first evidence-based guidance for ‘IAPAR 73’ production, demonstrating that rootstock diversification can maximize productivity, stability, and sustainability in citrus orchards. Full article

This study compared the physicochemical properties, nutritional composition, and flavor characteristics of broccoli stalk and floret juices fermented with Limosilactobacillus reuteri 18 (Lr18) to enhance the valorization of broccoli processing by-products. Four sample groups were analyzed: non-fermented stalks, fermented stalks, non-fermented florets, and fermented florets. After 48 h of fermentation, total viable counts and total phenolic content were slightly higher in florets than in stalks. Total titratable acids, total sugars, total soluble solids (TSS), total flavonoids, and vitamin C were initially higher in florets but decreased after fermentation in both groups. Organic acid analysis revealed that fermentation increased citric acid, reduced oxalic acid, and promoted the conversion of malic acid to lactic acid. Stalks contained higher levels of lactic and malic acids but lower citric acid than florets. Tryptophan content was higher in florets and was partially converted to indole derivatives after fermentation. Volatile compound analysis and sensory evaluation indicated that fermentation reduced fruity notes in florets while increasing acidic and sulfurous notes. In contrast, fermentation enhanced fruity and rounded notes in stalks while reducing pungency. These findings provide a scientific basis for developing fermented vegetable products with improved functional and sensory properties, particularly using broccoli stalks as a valuable by-product. Full article

Background/Objectives: The presented study aimed to understand the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and practices, as well as consumers’ preferences for the consumption of Spirulina-enriched fruit and vegetable juices. Methods: A survey about the consumers’ attitudes towards consumption of algae in general and especially Spirulina was conducted to better understand the target groups and marketing strategies for this novel non-alcoholic beverage product. Knowledge–Attitude–Practice (KAP) model in combination with structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to test the hypothesised relationships between the variables. Additionally, consumers’ preference test was done using a seven-point hedonic scale and ranking of the six juice samples: plain sour cherry juice (SC1), sour cherry juice with 0.8% (SC2) and 1.6% (SC3) of blue Spirulina powder; plain tomato juice (T1), tomato juice with 0.8% (T2) and 1.6% (T3) of blue Spirulina powder. Results: The SEM results showed that there is a limited direct impact of knowledge on social motivation, while personal behaviour strongly predicts social motivation. Namely, perceived nutritional value and health benefits were shown to be the main factors for consumers’ willingness to drink Spirulina-enriched juice. Conclusions: The result of the consumer preference evaluation exposed that the juices containing sour cherry and Spirulina achieved better sensory acceptance and ranking than those containing tomato, pointing out the importance of the product matrix for achieving consumer acceptance. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dietary sweetener use is common among individuals with diabetes, yet little is known about the socioeconomic and dietary factors that influence the choice between caloric and artificial sweeteners in Central and Eastern Europe. This study examined the determinants of caloric and artificial sweetener use among adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) in Hungary. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using frequency-based self-reported dietary measures of 542 adults with self-reported DM from the 2019 European Health Interview Survey (EHIS). Weighted descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between sweetener use and sociodemographic, lifestyle, and dietary characteristics. Results: Overall, 28.0% of participants reported daily use of caloric sweeteners, and 45.2% reported daily use of artificial sweeteners. Higher educational attainment and healthier dietary patterns, including greater fruit and vegetable consumption, were associated with lower odds of caloric sweetener use. Individuals with lower fruit and vegetable intake, less frequent fruit juice consumption, and poor adherence to diabetic diet recommendations were more likely to use caloric sweeteners. In contrast, artificial sweetener use was strongly associated with daily fruit consumption, lower intake of fruit juice, and adherence to a diabetic diet. Vegetable intake showed a positive association with artificial sweetener use, which may reflect compensatory patterns in dietary self-management. Conclusions: Caloric and artificial sweetener use were associated with distinct socioeconomic and dietary profiles. Caloric sweetener use was linked to less healthy dietary behaviors, whereas artificial sweetener use appeared to be consistent with sugar-reduction strategies. These findings highlight the need for tailored dietary counseling that addresses both sweetener use and broader dietary patterns among individuals with diabetes in Hungary. Full article

Water kefir grains are complex probiotic granules that can efficiently ferment fruit and vegetable juices and significantly improve product flavor. However, the mechanisms of flavor formation remain unclear, which limits the process optimization of this technology. This study investigated the mechanisms involved in flavor formation during the fermentation of strawberry juice with water kefir grains. The results showed that as fermentation progressed, the total acidity increased, whereas the pH value and soluble solids content decreased. Additionally, the contents of citric acid and malic acid gradually decreased with fermentation, while the contents of lactic, acetic, and succinic acid increased, and three soluble sugars showed reduced levels. A total of 218 volatile compounds were identified. Eight dominant bacterial genera and one dominant yeast species were detected. Significant correlations between some key microorganisms and flavor compounds were observed. Specifically, Lactiplantibacillus was positively correlated with hexyl acetate. Meanwhile, Gluconobacter and Acetobacter were positively correlated with methyl (Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoate, isoamyl acetate, etc. In contrast, LAB such as Lacticaseibacillus and Schleiferilactobacillus showed the opposite correlations with these key flavor compounds. Saccharomyces showed a positive correlation with ethyl palmitate, ethyl propionate, phenylsuccinic acid, and 1-pentanol. The main flavor compound metabolic pathways were predicted and they were significantly related with yeasts, acetic acid bacteria, and lactic acid bacteria. Overall, this study offers a theoretical basis for the directional regulation and optimization of the flavor quality of strawberry juice fermented with water kefir. Full article

The aim of this study was to model the inactivation of Bacillus coagulans vegetative cells subjected to thermal processing (60–90 °C, 1–30 min) and pulsed electric fields (PEF) (11, 15, and 20 kV/cm, up to 0.12 s, 20 Hz, 15 μs pulse width) at different pH environments (4.0 to 7.0) and in real food matrices (peach puree and carrot juice). Microbial survival data were successfully described using the Gompertz model. Thermal experiments confirmed the high heat resistance of B. coagulans, with maximum survival observed at pH 5.0–6.0. PEF treatments were effective in inactivating vegetative cells, with more intense PEF conditions leading to faster inactivation. Complete inactivation was achieved in less than 15 ms at low pH (4.5), while more than 120 ms was required at pH 6.0. Preheating samples to 50–60 °C prior to PEF significantly reduced the PEF processing time needed for full inactivation, by approximately 88%. In food matrices, the inactivation rate in peach puree was twice as high as in carrot juice, but up to 8 times lower than in buffer solutions. Cells were inactivated twice as fast in peach puree as in carrot juice. This study provides quantitative technical parameter references for optimizing non-thermal processing technologies for acidic/weakly acidic fruit and vegetable products. Full article