Food Science & Nutrition最新文献

Reliable dietary assessment methods underpin the confidence in reported dietary outcome measures including a priori dietary pattern indexes such as the dietary inflammatory index (DII) score. The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is commonly used to gather dietary data from which the DII is calculated. The FFQ, however, requires recall of dietary intake over several months. This study aimed to (i) determine the comparability of DII scores calculated from multiple 24 h recalls versus a FFQ, and (ii) identify the number of 24 h recalls required for a comparable DII score. Dietary data were collected from n = 94 community-dwelling older adults in Australia (73.1 ± 4.8 years, 70.2% female) by an accredited practicing dietitian using four 24 h recalls over a two-week period and a FFQ. Convergent validity was assessed between each possible comparative product of calculated DII scores by Pearson correlation, paired t-test, absolute difference, and Bland Altman analysis. Most participants had a healthy body weight for their age (average BMI = 25.9 ± 4.0 kg/m²), were physically active (n = 91.5%), and were highly educated (Vocational education = 9.6%, Tertiary education = 64.9%). There were positive correlations between the FFQ and one (r = 0.219, p = 0.034), two (r = 0.205, p = 0.072), three (r = 0.334, p = 0.003), and four (r = 0.444, p ≤ 0.001) 24 h recalls. Bland–Altman plots demonstrated that four 24 h recalls exhibited the closest alignment with FFQ derived DII scores. As the number of recalls increased, the DII scores became more comparable to those from the FFQ. In community-dwelling older adults, utilizing a minimum of four 24 h recalls to calculate DII scores are comparable to scores calculated from a FFQ.

Plant-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (ELNs) have shown potential in the treatment of various diseases. This research sought to investigate the effects of Pinellia pedatisecta Schott-derived ELNs (PPS-ELNs) on colorectal cancer (CRC). PPS-ELNs extracted from Pinellia pedatisecta Schott were characterized. CRC cell lines HCT116 and HT-29 were exposed to 10 μg/mL of PPS-ELNs. Normal colon epithelial cells FHC were treated with different concentrations of PPS-ELNs. CRC mice were treated with 12.5 or 25 mg/kg of PPS-ELNs. Subsequent experiments, including cellular uptake assay, CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, Western blot, transmission electron microscopy, LysoTracker Red staining, immunofluorescence, ELISA, in vivo imaging, TUNEL staining, immunohistochemistry, HE staining, and biochemical analysis, were conducted to explore the anti-CRC effects and potential mechanisms of PPS-ELNs. Lysosome inhibitor chloroquine was employed to elucidate the underlying mechanism in vitro. The isolated PPS-ELNs were successfully characterized. Cellular uptake of PPS-ELNs was observed in CRC cell lines. Notably, PPS-ELNs did not affect FHC cell viability, while significantly inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis and mitophagy in CRC cell lines. Furthermore, PPS-ELNs induced oxidative stress and reduced lysosomal damage in HCT116 cells. The effects of PPS-ELNs on HCT116 cells were reversed by chloroquine. In CRC mice, PPS-ELNs were primarily accumulated in tumors. PPS-ELNs markedly reduced tumor growth, induced apoptosis, and decreased Ki67 expression. Additionally, PPS-ELNs decreased Gal3 expression, increased autophagosomes, and altered mitophagy-related protein levels in tumor tissues. Importantly, PPS-ELNs displayed an excellent safety profile in vivo. PPS-ELNs inhibit CRC progression through the lysosome-mediated mitophagy pathway.

Nowadays, the incidence and mortality rates of diseases remain major challenges throughout the world. To stop these health-threatening concerns, a safe diet plays a pivotal role. Polysaccharides, as natural biopolymers, possess remarkable potential in the development of safe and healthy foods to prevent the incidence of diseases and guarantee health. These abundant biopolymers have a high rate of practicality in the food industry and biomedical sciences. Polysaccharides can be found in various living organisms (including plants, seaweeds, animals, and microorganisms) and extracted by a number of advanced techniques. The anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, anticoagulant, antiviral, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides have considerable features in the food and health sciences. The applications of polysaccharides in food sciences are mainly owing to ameliorating fatigue, preserving the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, and providing health for the gut in living organisms. Moreover, polysaccharides have practical applications in pharmaceutical (drug delivery systems) and biomedical (regenerative medicine) sciences, which pave the way for the treatment of diseases. This comprehensive review highlights the potential applications of polysaccharides in food and health sciences.

Edible seeds have gained substantial scientific attention for their exceptional nutrient density and potential health-promoting properties. They are rich in dietary fiber, high-quality proteins, mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins (E, C, and K), and minerals such as magnesium, zinc, potassium, and iron. Bioactive compounds like polyphenols, carotenoids, and peptides contribute to their strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, helping to mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation linked to chronic diseases. This review focuses on pumpkin, flax, sesame, chia, and melon seeds, valuable sources of essential micronutrients and bioactives with demonstrated nutraceutical potential. Pumpkin seeds enhance immune strength because of their mineral profile, whereas chia seeds provide omega-3 fatty acids associated with neuroprotection and anti-Alzheimer's effects. The omega-3 content of flax and chia seeds offers cardioprotective benefits, whereas sesame lignans (sesamin) exhibit lipid-lowering and anti-aging properties. Flaxseed's secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG) contributes to cardiovascular and anti-cancer effects, and melon seed squalene supports immune health and exerts anti-cancer activity. Mechanistic studies highlight these seeds' ability to regulate molecular pathways related to oxidative stress, inflammation, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and metabolic disorders. Their bioactive constituents act through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic-regulating mechanisms, validating their classification as functional foods. Evidence from clinical and biochemical studies largely supports these benefits, although some claims stem from preliminary or in vitro findings. Overall, pumpkin, flax, sesame, chia, and melon seeds demonstrate significant potential as natural sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds that promote cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune health. Their integration into daily diets and functional food formulations could play a vital role in preventing lifestyle-related chronic diseases and enhancing overall well-being.

Exocarpium Citri Grandis (ECG) is a plant endemic to Huazhou City, Guangdong Province, China. It is utilized both as a health food and in traditional medicine. Recently, Exocarpium Citri Grandis-derived extracellular vesicle-like particles (ECG-EVLP) have been isolated from ECG. Given the significant advantages of plant-derived extracellular vesicle-like particles (P-EVLP), these particles from various sources have been investigated for their potential in wound healing applications, reducing wound area in vitro or in vivo models. Although the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of ECG-EVLP have been established in previous studies, their role in skin wound healing remains unexplored. Our findings indicate that ECG-EVLP can effectively promote wound healing. In vivo, wound healing was significantly improved in the ECG-EVLP group compared with the PBS group on Days 3, 7, 11, and 14. In vitro, ECG-EVLP significantly enhanced L929 cell proliferation at all concentrations (150, 300, and 450 μg/mL) after both 24 and 48 h. For HaCat cells, proliferation increased at the two high concentrations (300 and 450 μg/mL) after 24 h and extended to all concentrations, including all concentrations (150, 300, and 450 μg/mL), after 48 h. The activation of the VEGF/AKT signaling pathway, together with the inhibition of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, is likely the underlying mechanism. This interplay promotes cell proliferation, migration, and collagen production, thereby accelerating wound healing following ECG-EVLP stimulation. Additionally, sphingosine and naringin might be the effective components of ECG-EVLP in promoting wound healing.

This work characterizes proteins extracted from sheepskin using bromelain and examines angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition activity of the peptides generated by in vitro gastrointestinal digestion (GID). Gel electrophoresis revealed three major protein bands corresponding to keratin and collagen. In vitro gastrointestinal digestion facilitated protein breakdown into peptides, yielding below 3 kDa of molecular weight peptides. Arginine, tyrosine, lysine, and leucine were identified as the major residues of amino acids in the bromelain-soluble protein hydrolysate (BSPH). The action of inhibiting ACE of 1 mg/mL of BSPH was 48.99%, whereas the activity of the < 3 kDa ultra-filtrated fractions obtained before and after in vitro GID were 0% and 19.94%, respectively. To acquire the peptide profile and fractionate the ultra-filtrated peptide fractions, reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) was utilized. Among all the RP-HPLC fractions, 2, 3, 12, and 15 had the most active ACE inhibition. Subsequently, the peptide sequences from four active fractions were recognized using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and followed by in silico analysis to examine their bioactivity. Two potent ACE-inhibitory peptide candidates from sheepskin collagen, GPAGPAGPR, and QGPPGPAGPR, were identified by in silico analysis.

Mineral element fingerprint analysis technology is one of the effective methods for grain origin identification. The accuracy of the identification model is closely related to sample origin, including traceability scope and sample quantity. In this study, mung bean samples from four sites (Tailai and Dorbod Mongol Autonomous County in Heilongjiang Province, Baicheng City in Jilin Province, and Sishui County in Shandong Province) were used as the research object. The contents of mineral elements in mung bean samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Based on stoichiometric results, origin tracing models for different traceability scopes and different quantities of samples were established. The results show that the origin discrimination model established by the samples with different traceability scopes has the correct rate for the original discrimination of Tailai–Dorbod Mongol Autonomous (99.33%) < Tailai–Baicheng (99.67%) < Tailai–Sishui (100.0%). The origin discrimination model established by the different quantities has the correct rate for the original origin discrimination of 99.0% (n = 200) < 99.25% (n = 400) < 99.33% (n = 600). The results verified that the larger sample tracing scope and the larger sample quantity can improve the discrimination accuracy of the established origin tracing model.

This study investigated the convective drying kinetics of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) leaves from three varieties (Manipeba—M1, Tareza 1—M2, and Folha fina—M8). Drying experiments were conducted in a tray dryer with forced air circulation at temperatures ranging from 40°C to 80°C, and the process was monitored until the sample mass reached equilibrium. The results highlighted that temperatures above 50°C (60°C, 70°C, and 80°C) significantly enhance water diffusion in cassava leaves, leading to reduced drying times. The effective diffusivity (D_eff) of M1 (1.15–6.32 × 10⁻⁹), M2 (1.67–7.73 × 10⁻⁹), and M8 (1.77–7.97 × 10⁻⁹ m²/s) increased with temperature. The higher activation energy (E_a) of sample M1 (39.33 kJ/mol) suggests greater temperature sensitivity of water diffusivity compared with samples M2 (35.71 kJ/mol) and M8 (36.50 kJ/mol). Nine mathematical models were fitted to the drying experimental data, and the Page and Midilli models best described the drying curves (R² > 0.99, RMSE < 0.05). The findings contribute to understanding the drying behavior of cassava leaves and define conditions for the drying process.

Radiation-induced intestinal injury (RIII) is a common complication in patients under radiotherapy for abdominopelvic and retroperitoneal malignancies, significantly impairing quality of life and overall survival. However, the therapeutic effect of standard enteral nutrition (EN) is limited. This study aimed to investigate the protective role and potential mechanisms of octanoic acid (OA)-rich EN in RIII. C3H/HeN mice were randomly assigned to four groups: Sham, Radiation (RI), RI + EN and RI + OA-rich EN to investigate the impacts of OA-rich EN. Then mice were randomly assigned to five groups: Sham, RI, RI + OA-rich EN, RI + OA-rich EN + Luzindole, RI + OA-rich EN + EX527 to examine whether OA-rich EN alleviated RIII through the melatonin-silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) pathway. We evaluated the intestinal histopathology, apoptosis, tight junction protein expression and permeability. Moreover, melatonin and inflammatory cytokine levels were measured in the intestine and serum. SIRT1/Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-Alpha (PGC-1α)/Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARγ) pathway was also assessed. OA-rich EN promoted melatonin secretion in the intestine and serum, activated the SIRT1/PGC-1α/PPARγ pathway, markedly improved intestinal histopathology, and significantly reduced levels of inflammatory factors in intestine and serum. These beneficial effects were greater than EN alone. Furthermore, these beneficial effects were abolished when OA-rich EN was co-administered with either a melatonin antagonist or a SIRT1 inhibitor. This is the first confirmation that OA-rich EN alleviated RIII by promoting melatonin secretion, which in turn activated the SIRT1/PGC-1α/PPARγ pathway. Our findings highlight OA-rich EN as a promising nutritional strategy to improve intestinal health and reduce treatment-related complications in patients receiving abdominal radiotherapy.

Obesity is a significant risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Kaempferol, a natural flavonoid, has the ability to alleviate oxidative stress in animal models. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between kaempferol intake and renal function, as well as its impact on long-term prognosis in the obese population. This is an observational, cross-sectional, and longitudinal analysis based on NHANES data (2007–2018). Data regarding flavanol consumption were obtained from FNDDS. Prognostic information was sourced from the NCHS. Multivariate logistic and Cox regression, subgroup, and sensitivity analysis were used to investigate the relationship between dietary kaempferol and kidney function and prognosis. A total of 9816 participants with a median follow-up of 117 months were included. The stratified analysis revealed that kaempferol was a protective factor for renal function. For every 5 mg/day increment in kaempferol intake, the prevalence of kidney damage declined by 7% [OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88–0.99]. Additionally, at a median follow-up duration of 117 months, for every 5 mg/day increase in kaempferol intake, the mortality rate decreased by 7% [HR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.85–0.98]. Our findings suggested that higher kaempferol intake is associated with a reduced risk of kidney damage and improved long-term prognosis in obese individuals.