Critical reviews in food science and nutrition最新文献

The sustainable transition of wine production systems includes non-thermal technologies, microbial biotechnologies and nature-inspired solutions. The Iberian Peninsula is a significant global wine producer, with unique geography and a strong R&D context, making it an interesting model for global trends. Spain and Portugal serve as models for using these novel technologies to reduce the environmental footprint. Emerging non-thermal technologies are of interest in the food industry, and currently, many applications have been proposed in the wine industry. These tools can process grapes or grape must to enhance the extraction of phenols, aroma compounds, and nutrients, eliminate wild microorganisms, and control deletereous enzymes. High Hydrostatic Pressure, Ultra High-Pressure Homogenization, Ultrasounds, and Pulsed Electric Fields are approved by the OIV for grape, juice, or wine treatments. Other technologies, like UV-C, are under evaluation. These methods may reduce wild microbiota and aid in starter culture implantation, supporting bio-based applications. Traditional fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae have evolved to include non-Saccharomyces and malolactic bacteria in mixed cultures, reducing the use of exogenous chemicals like SO₂. The approaches given in this work not only support environmental sustainability but also enhances the overall quality and safety of wine, making it a valuable contribution to the industry.

(195 WORDS)It has been suggested that different nutritional stimuli are required to augment myofibrillar versus muscle connective protein synthesis rates. To study such different aspects of skeletal muscle remodeling, researchers often isolate myofibrillar or connective protein fractions from muscle tissue samples. However, the composition of these muscle protein fractions remains poorly defined. Here, we evaluated the amino acid profiles and protein compositions of the myofibrillar and muscle connective protein fractions within skeletal muscle tissue. The muscle connective protein fraction was shown to contain ∼70% of the total mixed muscle collagen content, with 4.4 ± 0.9% collagen relative to total protein content. This was 3-4 fold greater than the collagen content in mixed muscle tissue (1.2 ± 0.2%; p < 0.05). Myofibrillar proteins, such as actin and myosin, accounted for 39% of the myofibrillar protein fraction and 32% of the muscle connective protein fraction. The muscle connective protein fraction contained a higher proportion (42%) of key scaffolding proteins compared to the myofibrillar protein fraction (11%). In conclusion, the muscle connective protein fraction contains an enriched proportion of collagen among a large proportion of intra- and extracellular scaffolding and cell adhesion proteins, all of which are far less abundant in the myofibrillar protein fraction.

Food allergies constitute a significant and escalating global public health issue. Over the past decade, efforts have intensified to prevent and treat these allergies, including exploring new anti-allergic agents and natural bioactive compounds with minimal side effects. Despite progress, consensus on effective strategies remains elusive. This study undertakes a comprehensive review and discussion of current anti-allergic medications, natural bioactive ingredients, and innovative nano/micro-carriers, focusing on four key mechanisms: binding to allergen epitopes, modulating gut microbiota, restoring intestinal epithelial integrity, and regulating immune responses. Many natural compounds show effectiveness through multiple pathways. Advances in nanotechnology have improved delivery systems such as nanoparticles and sporopollenin exine capsules, enhancing targeted delivery and efficacy. Given the distinct cellular and molecular targets of these anti-allergic agents, investigating synergies between natural and synthetic drugs is essential. For instance, combine traditional anti-allergic drugs with glucocorticoids to quickly relieve initial symptoms; then, use natural agents like probiotics for immune regulation, reducing treatment time and recurrence risk. This review lays the foundation for a scientific framework to guide the future development of combination therapy models in clinical applications.

Allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis, are IgE-mediated conditions closely linked to Th2 cells. Their increasing prevalence has posed significant global health and economic challenges. Conventional anti-allergic drugs, though effective, often lead to side effects like sedation and dependency, driving the search for safer, plant-derived alternatives. Ellagitannins, a class of phenolic compounds abundant in many plants, and their metabolites (e.g., ellagic acid, gallic acid) have demonstrated promising anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the impact of their structural variability on bioavailability and biological activity remains unclear. To date, no comprehensive review has been conducted on the effects of different ellagitannin structures and their metabolism on anti-allergic biological activities. This study proposes a novel classification method for ellagitannins based on their in vivo digestion and absorption, provides a comprehensive review of their metabolic pathways and influencing factors, and, for the first time, explores the anti-allergic activities and mechanisms of ellagitannins and their metabolites. These findings lay a foundation for future research into the structural characteristics and anti-allergic functional activities of ellagitannins.

Growing consumer demand for healthier and natural ingredients has driven the food industry toward "clean-label" products, replacing synthetic additives with plant-based alternatives. Ginger has gained significant attention for its distinctive flavor and various bioactive compounds. Consequently, its primary extract, ginger oleoresin, is widely applied in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics and personal care industries due to its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. This review systematically presents the functional components and biological activities of ginger oleoresin. Given the critical impact of extraction methods on its quality and bioactivity, this review emphasizes green extraction techniques, including supercritical fluid extraction, enzyme-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, ionic liquid extraction, and other emerging techniques, which are designed to enhance both efficiency and sustainability. Additionally, to address challenges like hydrophobicity and poor stability, this review discusses various encapsulation strategies including spray drying, emulsion techniques, and complex coacervation, which improve the stability and bioavailability in food systems. By highlighting green extraction and encapsulation technologies, this review offers insights into maximizing its application in food formulations. Furthermore, the dose-related effects and safety considerations are also discussed, aiming to provide a comprehensive guide for effective utilization of ginger oleoresin as a natural, multifunctional additive in food formulations.

Prebiotics, particularly non-digestible carbohydrates (NDCs), are increasingly recognized for their role in modulating immune responses in the gut, lungs, and urinary tract. This review systematically evaluates evidence from human studies on the effects of NDCs and prebiotics on immune markers, infection risk and severity, inflammation, and vaccine responses. Prebiotics such as inulin, galactooligosaccharides (GOS), and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) positively influence gut microbiota by promoting beneficial species like Bifidobacteria. They also enhance the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, which interact with immune cells via G-protein-coupled receptors, inducing anti-inflammatory effects. In addition to microbiota-mediated mechanisms, NDCs and prebiotics may directly affect immune and epithelial cells by interacting with pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), enhancing gut barrier function, and modulating immunity. A systematic review of human studies showed that prebiotics, including GOS, FOS, and 2'-fucosyllactose (2FL), reduced infections and increased IgA in healthy infants, while yeast β-glucan reduced respiratory infection symptoms in healthy adults. Yeast β-glucan and GOS supplementation resulted in improvements in NK cell activity. Some effects on vaccine efficacy were noted in young adults, but the overall impact of NDCs and prebiotics on vaccination and systemic inflammation was inconsistent. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms involved and to optimize health applications.

The utilization of sensors, biosensors, electronic tongues and noses, as well as those techniques gathered under the family of vibrational spectroscopy are contributing with the so-called digital revolution in food sciences, from farm to fork, through food safety applications. These applications require the incorporation of data analytics in the form of chemometrics, machine learning and AI tools. This paper rather to provide with information about the advantages and opportunities of AI applications in the field of food sciences, it focusses on discussing the different issues that can conspire with the implementation and utilization of AI methods and techniques, in combination with sensing technologies and instrumental methods. The scientific literature has provided with a vast number of examples on the growing trend on the utilization of AI and ML methods and techniques, in food science applications. The incorporation of both AI, and ML methods has aided to the development of mathematical models that are helping to better explain not only food composition, but also the food system. However, no matter the type of AI and ML method or technique utilized, there are issues of importance that are not well understood or considered during their application. They can include among other issues, the selection of samples and sampling protocols, the lack of understanding of the physical effects of sample presentation on the collected signal, the utilization of few samples during model development, the issues associated with model overfitting as well as the lack of validation of the models.

Camellia oleifera (C. oleifera) oil, commonly referred to as "Oriental olive oil," is renowned for its bioactive composition and associated health benefits. This review highlights its key constituents-unsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols, phytosterols, squalene, and vitamin E-and their therapeutic effects. Research indicates that it aids in the management of cardiovascular diseases by regulating blood lipids and blood pressure, primarily due to its oleic acid and polyphenol content. Furthermore, it exhibits neuroprotective effects in models of Alzheimer's disease, potentially by modulating communication between gut microbiota and the brain, as well as reducing neuroinflammation. Additionally, C. oleifera oil demonstrates hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities through antioxidant pathways and immune modulation. Its benefits include mitigating liver damage, improving glycemic control, and exhibiting anticancer properties. The oil's potential to alleviate inflammatory bowel disease and acute kidney injury underscores its therapeutic versatility. Beyond its culinary applications, it is also utilized in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics due to its antioxidant and emollient properties. This review summarizes the research on its composition, extraction methods, and health impacts, addressing existing mechanistic gaps and outlining future research directions to optimize its industrial and medical applications.

Food chemistry is a science that studies the composition, properties, and changes of food at the chemical and molecular levels, as well as their relationships to human health. With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the field of food chemistry has undergone significant transformation, and new development opportunities have emerged. AI provides efficient, precise, and intelligent solutions for food analysis. This review examines the integration of AI technologies with conventional analytical methodologies in food chemistry, focusing on recent advancements in their applications. It elaborates on AI-driven approaches in spectroscopic analysis, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and sensor technology, highlighting their transformative potential in food quality control, identification of bioactive constituents, contaminant detection, nutritional analysis, and novel ingredient design. Through specific case studies, the review demonstrates how AI enhances analytical efficiency and accuracy, providing innovative solutions for future research and practical applications in food chemistry.

Food safety problems caused by microbial contamination (biotoxins, foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria, etc.) have always been a hot issue in food research, which seriously threatens people's health. In order to deeply analyze the principle of microbial contamination and ensure food safety from the root, the research on microbial biomolecular interactions with the help of molecular simulation technology has attracted wide attention. With the improvement of computer power, molecular simulation technology has become a hot spot in the research fields of microbial biotoxin mechanism and target finding, novel antimicrobial peptide design and bacteriostatic small-molecule drug design with the advantage of its high precision. In this paper, based on the current development of molecular simulation technology including protein molecular modeling, molecular docking and molecular dynamics, we systematically review the progress of the application of molecular simulation technology in the field of microbial contamination of food and discuss its future development prospects.