Critical reviews in food science and nutrition最新文献

Laminaribiose, a β-1,3-linked glucose disaccharide, possesses notable bioactivities with potential applications in food and health. Its industrial use is constrained by low yield and purity. Production strategies include natural extraction, chemical synthesis, and enzymatic synthesis. Natural extraction preserves bioactivity but is inefficient, chemical synthesis affords structural control but suffers from byproducts and toxicity, whereas enzymatic synthesis offers mild, efficient catalysis with improved yield. Enzymatic synthesis of laminaribiose has been established through systems ranging from single to multi-enzyme cascades. Single-enzyme approaches employ β-glucosidase or β-1,3-glucanase, while dual-enzyme systems use sucrose phosphorylase (SP) and laminaribiose phosphorylase (LBP) with sucrose and glucose. Tri-enzyme systems of α-glucan phosphorylase (αGP), α-glucosidase (αG), and LBP utilize starch. In contrast, four-enzyme cascades integrate αGP, LBP, isoamylase (IA), and 4-α-glucanotransferase (4GT) with maltodextrin and glucose, or combine cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI), cellodextrin phosphorylase (CDP), cellobiose phosphorylase (CBP), and LBP with cellulose. Advances in enzyme engineering, particularly for LBP, have further enhanced catalytic efficiency. This review critically summarizes recent advances in the biological functions, applications, and enzymatic synthesis of laminaribiose, with particular focus on multi-enzyme cascade strategies and their catalytic features. It aims to provide a conceptual framework for developing efficient, sustainable synthesis and advancing industrial applications.

The rising prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases has driven interest in novel therapeutic adjuvant strategies, including dietary bioactive compounds like plant sterols (PS). This review evaluates the scientific evidence on the potential benefits of PS in intestinal diseases, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A systematic review, following PRISMA guidelines, analyzed 58 scientific articles. The findings, primarily from pre-clinical studies using cell lines and animal models, show that PS possess antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties. PS appear to selectively inhibit cancer cell proliferation without affecting healthy cells by modulating key processes such as apoptosis and cell cycle progression. Additionally, PS have been shown to influence the colonic microbiota and can be metabolized into antiproliferative metabolites, which are crucial to their cancer-inhibiting effects. Moreover, PS reduce intestinal inflammation by targeting pathways like NF-κB and MAPK, lowering inflammation and oxidative stress markers while improving intestinal barrier integrity. While PS show promising therapeutic adjuvant potential for CRC and IBD, further research is needed to assess their effects in food matrices, employing control foods without PS to establish a clear cause-effect relationship. Finally, clinical trials are essential to verify their efficacy in humans and explore their application in clinical practice.

Accumulation of the carotene lycopene in Citrus is an unusual trait found in a limited number of pummelos, grapefruits, oranges, lemons and related hybrids, imparting a distinctive pink-to-red color to the fruit. This phenotype most often arises from spontaneous bud-sport mutations and is generally confined to the inner fruit tissues (endocarp), although in some cultivars lycopene is also found in the rind (flavedo) or albedo. Pink-fleshed cultivars typically show an altered carotenoid profile, particularly in the pulp, with higher total carotenoid levels than their parental or standard counterparts. Comparative analyses across citrus species and cultivars reveal both shared and distinct patterns in carotenoid accumulation and tissue-specific pigmentation. The genetic and molecular bases of these changes are not yet fully resolved and appear to differ among species and cultivars. Beyond their scientific interest, these cultivars present promising opportunities for commercial development due to their striking coloration and provide enhanced nutritional value because of their high carotenoid levels. This review integrates and compares evidence from multiple citrus species and cultivars on the origin and diversity of lycopene-accumulating Citrus, their characteristic carotenoid composition, the proposed molecular and biochemical mechanisms leading to lycopene accumulation, and the nutritional and health implications of pink-fleshed cultivars.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), have been reported to attenuate skeletal muscle atrophy and osteoporosis. This review first examines the relationship between the beneficial effects of EGCG and its ability to enhance stem cell function by improving cellular antioxidant capacity. It subsequently identifies key areas warranting further investigation to support the clinical application of EGCG. Stem cell function is essential for the maintenance of muscle and bone mass; however, it declines with aging, largely due to the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species and dysregulation of Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), processes that ultimately contribute to skeletal muscle atrophy and osteoporosis. Current evidence indicates that EGCG-mediated amelioration of these conditions is associated with increased stem cell function via increasing mitochondrial function, autophagy, antioxidant gene induction, and YAP/TAZ activation, all of which are mutually interconnected and ultimately improve cellular antioxidant capacity. Although clinical studies remain limited, available data suggest that green tea consumption, particularly when combined with exercise, may be a promising strategy for attenuating skeletal muscle atrophy and osteoporosis in humans. Furthermore, the mechanisms proposed in preclinical studies may underlie the effects of EGCG or green tea in humans, although validation in rigorously designed clinical studies is necessary.

Aflatoxin contamination in pistachios, caused by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, poses significant risks to food safety and global trade due to its carcinogenic properties. This review examines traditional detection methods such as High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Although these techniques are highly precise, they are costly, destructive, and impractical for smallholder farmers. Emerging nondestructive technologies enable rapid, accurate detection without destroying the sample, particularly when Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) is combined with machine learning. Regulatory thresholds such as the European Union (EU) 8 µg/kg limit for AFB1 create challenges for producers and exporters, especially since HSI methods often lack the precision required for validated quantitative regression at this level on naturally contaminated pistachio kernels. High implementation costs, limited regulatory guidance, and calibration demands hinder its adoption. Climate change heightens contamination risks, calling for predictive models that integrate HSI with environmental data. To support equitable access, especially for smallholder farmers, reducing costs, standardizing protocols, and enhancing global cooperation are essential. These measures will strengthen food safety and regulatory compliance in pistachio production.

Probiotics are known for their health benefit on the host, whereas their viability and functionality are influenced by various complex factors such as acids, bile salts, oxidative stress, and during passage through the gastrointestinal tract. Currently, nanofiber has emerged as a promising delivery system to improve the performance of probiotics through entrapment within a matrix of biopolymeric material. In this review, we systematically summarize the recent progress on probiotic encapsulation using nanofibers. Particular emphasis is given to the utilization of natural biopolymers, synthetic polymers, and their combination as wall materials of nanofibers. The properties, stabilizing mechanisms, and influencing factors of each type of the nanofibers are discussed. The role of prebiotic materials in nanofibers is also described. Finally, the challenges and future research directions of nanofibers in the probiotic encapsulation are proposed.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the colonic mucosa. Nutrient requirements for UC are often extrapolated from studies in Crohn's disease (CD) yet physiological differences between UC and CD phenotypes may result in distinct nutrient requirements. This scoping review aimed to evaluate nutrient requirements for adults with UC. A scoping review with a systematic search strategy was conducted to June 2025. Data were extracted to identify nutrient requirements stratified by disease activity. Twenty-one studies involving 617 adults (274 male) were included. Measured resting energy expenditure (mREE) via indirect calorimetry ranged from 28.9 ± 3.2 to 31.5 ± 4.8 kcal/kg (fat free mass)/day (d) in quiescent UC, 26.4 kcal/kg/d in mild-moderate disease and 23.9 kcal/kg/d in acute severe UC (ASUC). Protein requirement, from historic studies, were 1.2-1.4 g/kg/d in ASUC. Protein requirements in quiescent or mild to moderate UC and whether elevated protein requirements persist in today's biologic era, remain unknown. Micronutrient requirement was investigated in mixed disease activity states confounding results. Evidence is insufficient to determine whether chronic inflammation in UC alters macro- and micronutrient requirements. Historical studies suggest increased protein requirements in ASUC, without evidence for quiescent or mild-moderate disease. Well-designed and disease activity-stratified studies are needed to establish evidence-based nutrient recommendations in UC.

Growing interest in microbiota-directed nutrition has intensified the evaluation of plant food byproducts as potential prebiotics. However, the evidence supporting these effects depends strongly on the conceptual definitions and methodological approaches applied to characterize prebiotic activity. This review provides a critical synthesis of the evolution of the prebiotic concept and the experimental conditions used to assess plant food byproducts, integrating compositional features, in vitro fermentation parameters, in vivo designs, and analytical criteria. In vitro studies consistently show that fruit-, seed-, grain-, and tuber-derived byproducts stimulate beneficial taxa such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Roseburia, and Akkermansia, enhance short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, and support phenolic biotransformation. These outcomes, however, are highly influenced by inoculum origin, fermentation systems, substrate dose, and physicochemical properties of the native plant matrix. Animal studies report improvements in intestinal barrier function, inflammation, and metabolic regulation, although inconsistencies in dosing and reporting limit comparability. Despite promising microbial and physiological effects, methodological heterogeneity prevents many substrates from being conclusively classified as prebiotics. Standardized characterization, multi-omics integration, advanced dynamic gut models, and well-designed clinical studies are needed to confirm efficacy and safety. Overall, plant food byproducts remain compelling candidates for prebiotic development, provided that their evaluation follows robust, consistent methodological frameworks.

Plant proteins have gained increasing attention due to their sustainability and nutritional benefits, yet their complex structures and limited functional properties restrict their broader use in food systems. Chemical modification has emerged as an effective strategy to regulate protein conformation and functionality, but a comprehensive understanding of different modification mechanisms and their implications is still lacking. This review provides a systematic overview of five major chemical modification approaches-pH-shifting, glycosylation, phosphorylation, acylation, and deamidation-with emphasis on their underlying mechanisms and key influencing factors. In addition, recent findings on how these modifications alter secondary and tertiary structures and thereby enhance solubility, emulsifying, foaming, and gel properties are critically summarized. Finally, the review highlights the nutritional implications, challenges, and future perspectives of chemical modifications. Chemical modifications of plant proteins are mainly pH-shifting and glycosylation modifications. Glycosylation, phosphorylation, acylation, and deamidation modifications can be affected by a variety of factors compared to pH-shifting modification. Chemical modifications mainly alter the secondary and tertiary structure of plant proteins. Chemical modifications can significantly improve the functional properties (solubility, emulsifying, foaming, and gel properties) of plant proteins under specific conditions.