Food Science & Nutrition最新文献

Food security is still a significant problem, particularly in less developed nations. Orphan crops, such as finger millet (FM), are essential for meeting dietary and nutritional needs as well as providing a means of livelihood for economies with limited resources in Asia and Africa. Comparing two varieties of FM malt beverages using sorghum grain as an external reference, the research examined the impact of fermentation time on the physicochemical characteristics and phenolic composition of the FM malt beverages. The FM grains were fermented using Lactobacillus fermentum and the grain microflora. The beverages' pH decreased in a time-dependent manner throughout fermentation, and their sugar content increased accordingly. A reduction in the beverages' viscosities for both L. fermentum and the grain microflora was observed. The amount of citric acid in the beverages decreased as fermentation progressed, especially for L. fermentum. Catechin, epicatechin, and protocatechuic acid were the phenolics identified in the FM beverages. An increase in fermentation time was correlated with a decrease in the beverages' total phenolic content. At 96 h of fermentation, the beverages' DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP radical scavenging activities were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced for both L. fermentum and the grain microflora. The 24-h fermented beverages maintained higher amounts of total polyphenols and antioxidant effects. The findings indicate that FM may be utilized as a functional grain to produce nonalcoholic beverages with health benefits.

The study evaluated the effects of chitosan coating combined with Orange (Citrus sinensis) essential oil (OEO) and potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) sachets as ethylene inhibitors on maintaining quality and extending the shelf-life of Ercolini pears. Additionally, it examined the reduction of superficial scalding in pears stored at 25°C ± 2°C. for 14 days. Different parameters of the fruits were evaluated during the storage period which include weight reduction, incidence of superficial scald, surface microstructure (SEM), water contact angle, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity, and sensory attributes. The group of fruits treated with the chitosan-OEO coating and KMnO₄ exhibited the lowest weight reduction (3.76%) and the lowest incidence of superficial scald compared to the control. SEM analysis showed that the treated pears had smoother surface microstructures, indicating effective contact between the coating and the fruit tissue. The water contact angle increased to 100.15° for the chitosan-OEO-coated fruits, indicating enhanced water barrier properties. The highest levels of TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity were observed in the chitosan-OEO-coated fruit group at the end of the storage period. Sensory analysis revealed that the chitosan-OEO-coated pears, combined with ethylene scavengers, scored higher in appearance, texture, flavor, mouthfeel, aroma, and overall acceptability compared to the control. This treatment method demonstrates promising potential for extending the shelf-life of pears while preserving their visual and nutritional quality.

Cognitive impairment frequently accompanies temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), which is linked to oxidative stress. Freeze-dried broccoli powder (BROC) exhibits diverse biological activities, particularly its antioxidant properties. Our study explored the effects of BROC on post-epileptic cognitive function. Male mice with lithium-pilocarpine-induced epilepsy were randomly divided into three groups: control group, model group (basal diet), and broccoli intervention group (basal diet supplemented with 4% BROC). Following 60 days of intervention, cognitive function was evaluated using IntelliCage Learning Tests, Novel Object Recognition, and Shuttle Box Tests. The hippocampal levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzyme activities were measured, and the protein expression levels of HO-1, NQO1, and Nrf2 were analyzed by Western blot. The results demonstrated that broccoli intervention significantly ameliorated cognitive deficits in epileptic mice, decreased hippocampal MDA levels while enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities, and upregulated the expression of HO-1, NQO1, and Nrf2. Consequently, BROC effectively attenuates OS and ameliorates cognitive deficits in TLE mice, suggesting its potential therapeutic value for post-epileptic cognitive dysfunction.

In the last 2 decades, Turkey and the United States have produced half of the world's dried grape production. Sultani seedless grape, used as a material in the study, is the most important grape variety since being economically growing in Turkiye for dried grape production and its exportation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the drying of seedless grapes by carbonic maceration (CM) pretreatment and following hot air drying. By the way statistical analysis was carried to determine how the process parameters affected the drying behavior of grape samples. Finally, the studied parameters of both process steps, pretreatment and following drying, were simultaneously optimized according to the investigated responses. The results showed that drying temperature and CM process parameters significantly affected the drying efficiency. Notably, when compared to the control, the CM treatment accelerated the drying process by more than 24%. Furthermore, antioxidant potential, surface color, and texture were found to be better preserved in the dried grapes treated with CM. While pH, hue, TPC, and TEAC values of optimum dried grapes were significantly higher, TA and HMF values were remarkably lower than control samples (without CM pretreatment) (p ≤ 0.05). Throughout CM pretreatment and following the drying process, the dependent variables, being elasticity, antioxidant capacity, drying time, and hue value, were optimized by the response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal drying temperature (DryT), CM pressure (CMP), CM temperature (CMT), and CM time (CMt) parameters were as 77°C, 0.30 MPa, 4°C, and 8 h, respectively. For drying operations, CM's significant advantages should be considered in terms of enhancing the process and the product. As a result, this study offers significant findings in this context. The CM has been found to be an effective technique utilized before drying grapes based on the results that were achieved.

This research aimed to evaluate the social determinants influencing food literacy among Iranian adults. This cross-sectional investigation was executed during the period spanning from 2023 to 2024, targeting voluntary adult participants (aged 18–65) residing across four provinces (comprising 547 individuals). The study employed questionnaires to assess three behavioral aspects related to food, participants' attitudes toward social media, and their levels of food literacy. The outcomes derived from the regression analysis indicated that various factors, including female gender, marital status, extensive use of social media, advanced age, elevated educational attainment, and a favorable attitude toward social media, were significantly correlated with enhanced food literacy levels. Collectively, these predictors elucidated 16.2% of the variance observed in food literacy. This study highlights Iran's significant social determinants of food literacy. Promoting informed eating practices across diverse demographic groups may be useful in achieving healthier communities in Iran. Future studies should investigate the underlying mechanisms for designing interventions. Performing these investigations within specific contexts could help determine effective strategies for enhancing nutritional knowledge.

Elatostema sessile is used by traditional medicinal practitioners to treat various diseases. The methanol extract (MES) and its fractions, including petroleum ether (PES), carbon tetrachloride (TES), chloroform (CES), and aqueous soluble fractions (AES), were tested for their antioxidant, cytotoxic, analgesic, and sedative properties on Swiss albino mice. In addition, we used GCMS to determine the bioactive compounds present in the MES of E. sessile. The MES had the lowest IC₅₀ value (24.95 μg/mL) for antioxidant activity, measured by DPPH free radical scavenging, whereas the IC₅₀ value for ascorbic acid was 5.80 μg/mL. In cytotoxic test with brine shrimp, PES exhibited the lowest LC₅₀ value of 6.10 μg/mL among all the extract. Using the formalin-induced paw licking method, MES and PES showed substantial results (p < 0.001) at 400 mg/kg dose. The tail immersion test showed significant (p < 0.05) findings for MES, PES, and TES after 30, 60, and 90 min following 400 mg/kg dose administration. The hole-cross test demonstrated highly statistically significant results (p < 0.001) for the sedative activity of PES at a dose of 400 mg/kg after 30 min of administration and for CES after 90 min. According to molecular docking investigations, the extract has the potential to function as a pain-relieving drug by inhibiting the enzymatic activity of cyclooxygenases 1 and 2. In summary, the results indicate that E. sessile offers significant therapeutic promise in the creation of innovative therapies for cancer, pain, and sleep problems.

Silicon dioxide (SiO₂) nanoparticles (NPs) are among the most commonly utilized inorganic NPs in the food industry because of their ability to enhance the quality of a variety of foods. In the present study, the impact of SiO₂ on the NaCN structure and digestibility was examined. The study also aimed to ascertain the bioactive peptide formation as affected by the interactions between SiO₂ and NaCN. The CD spectrum signals in the 250–290-nm region were altered in the presence of SiO₂ at 14 mg/mL, indicating an alteration in the tertiary structure of NaCN. Additionally, the hydrodynamic size of NaCN micelles increased nearly 2-fold upon interaction with SiO₂. Gathering of casein micelles was observed in the presence of SiO₂, especially at high NP concentrations. At the end of the in vitro digestion simulation, SiO₂ led to a reduced proteolysis rate of NaCN from 8.3 mM Leu to 6.9 mM Leu in the stomach and from 17.4 mM Leu to 15.3 mM Leu in the intestine, as revealed by the OPA assay. The observed phenomenon is likely attributed to the aggregation of sodium caseinate following its interaction with SiO₂ NPs, as evidenced by electron microscope imaging. However, there were no significant alterations in the overall peptide profile. Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and ACE-inhibitory properties of the < 3-kDa peptide fraction remained unaffected by SiO₂, which is consistent with a similar peptide profile.

Plantago ovata L., also known as psyllium, is a plant native to the Mediterranean that is commercially cultivated and utilized for its polysaccharides, which have an arabinoxylan structure. Psyllium seeds possess various functional characteristics due to strong hydrophilic and gelling properties, as well as stabilizing and emulsifying capabilities. This study evaluated the use of psyllium (P. ovata L.) husk powder (PHP) as a stabilizer in the production of probiotic plant-based yogurt from coconut milk. The physicochemical, microbiological, textural, rheological, microstructural, and sensory properties of yogurt samples produced by adding different amounts of PHP (control, 0.125%, 0.25%, and 0.5%) during the storage period were analyzed. The produced plant-based yogurts contained 72.80%–76.03% moisture, 18.30%–18.89% fat, 1.81%–2.03% protein, and 0.41%–0.44% ash. As the proportion of PHP and storage time increased, pH, and syneresis generally decreased and titratable acidity increased. The sample containing 0.5% PHP exhibited the highest microbiological counts. The addition of PHP to samples decreased L*, b*, C*, and h values and increased a* values. As the proportion of PHP increased, a significant increase in particle size parameters was detected. A more stable, homogeneous, and dense gel structure appeared in products with 0.25% PHP addition. The addition of PHP decreased hardness and adhesiveness while increasing cohesiveness. All samples exhibited a weak viscoelastic gel property (G′>G″). As the proportion of added PHP increased, the storage modulus decreased. Samples containing 0.25% PHP were rated higher in terms of sensory attributes, including taste, texture, and overall acceptability. Hierarchical cluster and principal component analyses were employed to categorize the yogurts, revealing that the control sample exhibited distinct characteristics compared to the psyllium-added yogurts in terms of the aforementioned properties. The results show that, when added in the right amounts, PHP can stabilize the production of probiotic yogurt-like products from coconut milk.

The nutraceutical potential of seed oils and cakes of Adansonia digitata, Grewia tenax, and Thespesia garckeana was evaluated by determining their chemical profile and examining their antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties. Oils of G. tenax and T. garckeana were rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The cake methanolic extract of T. garckeana revealed the highest antiradical (44.67 mg trolox equivalent (TE)/g extract) and metal chelating (26.38 mg EDTA equivalent/g extract) properties, while the oil of G. tenax displayed the highest Cu⁺⁺ (180.62 mg TE/g extract) and Fe⁺⁺⁺ (82.07 mg TE/g extract) reducing capacity. Pelargonidin and rutin were the dominant antioxidant compounds. The oil of A. digitata displayed the highest anti-acetylcholinesterase (2.44 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g extract) and butyrylcholinesterase (2.10 mg GALAE/g extract) activity, while its cake exhibited the best α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (1.46 acarbose equivalent (ACAE)/g extract). The cake of T. garckeana exerted the highest α-amylase inhibitory effect (0.71 mmol ACAE/g extract). The highest anti-tyrosinase activity (10.88 mg kojic acid equivalent/g extract) was recorded from the cake of G. tenax. These results indicated that these seeds could be a rich source of antioxidants that target diseases associated with oxidative stress, like diabetes and certain neurological disorders.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) poses a serious threat to human health. Alisol B 23-Acetate (AB23A) has shown beneficial effects on NASH, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. We conducted in vitro experiments by inducing L02 cell damage with free fatty acids (FFA) and administering various concentrations of AB23A. We found that AB23A intervention reduced triglyceride (TG) levels in FFA-induced L02 cells and improved cellular steatosis. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that AB23A intervention significantly downregulated glucose-regulated protein 94 (Grp94), indicating that AB23A primarily regulates the protein processing pathway in the endoplasmic reticulum. Within this pathway, AB23A intervention also significantly downregulated endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-related genes (PERK, eIF2α, ATF4) and ER-associated degradation (ERAD)-related genes (FBXO2, DERL, HSP90AA1). When we silenced GRP94, the regulatory effects of AB23A on TG levels, cellular steatosis, ERS-related proteins (p-PERK/PERK, p-eIF2α/eIF2α, ATF4), and ERAD-related proteins (FBXO2, DERL, HSP90α) disappeared. In vivo, AB23A intervention promoted recovery of the liver index in NASH mice, reduced hepatic inflammatory infiltration and lipid deposition, improved serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, and reduced liver TG levels. RT-qPCR and Western blot results demonstrated that AB23A intervention dose-dependently downregulated the gene and protein expression of GRP94 and ERS- and ERAD-related factors. There was no significant difference between the effects of high-dose AB23A intervention and PPC intervention. This study demonstrated, through both in vitro and in vivo experiments, that AB23A improves hepatic steatosis. This effect may be related to the downregulation of GRP94, which suppresses ERS and ERAD, thereby restoring ER homeostasis.