Food Science & Nutrition最新文献

Green onion (Allium fistulosum) is among the most highly consumed vegetables in the Andean region and parts around the world, playing a central role in food security, rural livelihoods, and local culinary identity. Green onion lacks a clear and standardized definition of quality, limiting commercial differentiation and value generation in national and international markets. Existing approaches remain fragmented, focusing on isolated attributes without integrating cultural, perceptual, origin-related, and biofunctional dimensions into a unified framework. This study introduces an interdisciplinary methodological framework structured in five phases: (1) bibliometric analysis, (2) meta-analysis of physicochemical parameters and biofunctional compounds, (3) exploration of digital trends, (4) agronomic field observation, and (5) consumer perception analysis. The approach integrates direct and indirect information sources across the value chain and applies data analytics and natural language processing to reach a multidimensional definition of green onion quality. Results indicate that quality in green anion is determined by physical attributes such as firmness, color, pseudostem thickness, freshness, and the absence of visible damage, together with biofunctional components including flavonoids (38.4–73.3 mg quercetin/100 g) and sulfur compounds (71.6–353.6 μmol/g). Unlike earlier studies, our findings demonstrate that quality is a multidimensional and territorialized concept, shaped by cultivation practices, climatic conditions, and cultural contexts. According to consumer preferences, the most important attributes associated with the quality of green anion are freshness (93.6%), pseudostem thickness (89.3%), and absence of damage (87.1%). These results support the development of technical protocols that unify objective criteria with local knowledge, while proposing a replicable model for other traditional crops, with applications in quality standardization, sustainable production, and commercial valorization.

Medicinal plants play a vital role in wound healing and offer a viable solution to pathogen resistance to pharmaceuticals. Current study aimed to unveil the nutritional profile, antioxidant, cytotoxicity and wound healing potential of aqueous extract and synthesized silver nanoparticles of Solanum melongena. The crude extract was evaluated for nutritional profile via proximate analysis and determined the total flavonoids content (TFC) and total phenolic contents (TPC). The results showed higher nutritional value with 23.70 and 13.35 g/100 g DW of total fiber and crude protein content, respectively. The TPC and TFC analyses revealed the presence of significant phenolic and flavonoid content with 78.26 mg GAE/g DW & 89.93 mg CE/g DW at 90 mg/mL. Antioxidant potential was evaluated through DPPH assay, resulting in 68.67% (aqueous) and 81.87% (AgNPs) inhibition of free radicals. The promising antibacterial activity was shown by AgNPs against both Gram-positive (B. subtilis) and Gram-negative (E. coli, P. vulgaris, S. typhimurium, and P. multocida) bacterial strains, with a 19.5 mm ZOI recorded against B. subtilis. The biocompatibility was established through hemolytic assay exhibiting less than 5% hemolysis. The synthesized AgNPs of S. melongena were characterized, and SEM revealed a diameter of AgNPs as 30–52 nm. Through XRD analysis, average crystalline size was recorded as 15.37 nm and FTIR identified the key functional groups. LCMS analysis revealed the presence of key phytochemicals: campestral, cycloeucalenone, and neochlorogenic acid. The wound healing potential using crude and AgNPs was evaluated using eight groups of rabbits. Both extracts significantly reduced the wound size in rabbits, with nanoparticles showing higher efficacy. Histopathological studies revealed the reduced inflammation and markedly increased angiogenesis, fibroblast proliferation, re-epithelialization and collagen deposition, confirming their potent wound-healing activity. This study concludes that silver nanoparticles act as a potential carrier for drug delivery in targeted wounds, resulting in a significant reduction in wound size.

This study examines the impact of climate change, agricultural credit, and inflation on cereal crop productivity (CCP) in Ethiopia, using time series data from 1992 to 2022. Novel Dynamic Simulated Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NDS-ARDL) model was applied for the empirical analysis. To address the dynamic effects, impulse response functions were simulated, indicating the impact of $��\pm �10�$% shocks for each independent variable on CCP. The bound test results show that the variable illustrates long-term relationships. The coefficient of error correction term is −0.67, suggesting about 67% annual adjustment towards long run equilibrium. In the long-run, fertilizer application, cropland, and agricultural subsidy showed positive and significant contributions, while CO₂ and inflation showed a negative and significant impact on CCP. Furthermore, in the short-run, agricultural credit has a positive and significant, while inflation showed a significant negative impact on CCP. To boost long-term agricultural productivity, government should promote use of location-specific quality fertilizers, improved land use policy, and sustain agricultural subsidies. Additionally, financial institution and agricultural cooperatives should provide affordable credit services for farmers to support short-term productivity gains. Furthermore, to combat the adverse impact of CO₂ emissions and inflation, government should promote climate-smart agricultural practices and implement a price control policy on essential agricultural inputs.

In this study, natural fruit vinegars produced from gilaburu (Viburnum opulus), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), and bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) using traditional fermentation methods were compared in terms of their phytochemical composition and antioxidant capacity. Total phenolic content (496.07–696.0 mg GAE·L⁻¹), flavonoid levels (376.10–960.97 mg QE·L⁻¹), antioxidant activity (DPPH assay, 82.97%–92.02%), and organic acid profiles particularly oxalic acid (105.00–109.33 mg·L⁻¹) and acetic acid (288.00–308.67 mg·L⁻¹) were analyzed. The results revealed statistically significant differences among vinegar types in terms of total phenolic compounds, flavonoid levels, and certain organic acids (p < 0.001). Blackberry and gilaburu vinegars exhibited the highest total phenolic content, whereas the highest flavonoid level was determined in blackberry vinegar. The lowest flavonoid levels were observed in bitter orange vinegar, whereas bitter orange vinegar was distinguished by its acetic acid content within the organic acid profile. Despite having relatively lower phenolic and flavonoid contents, bitter orange vinegar demonstrated a high antioxidant activity comparable to that of the other vinegars (p > 0.05). This finding is likely attributable to synergistic effects between organic acids and other bioactive compounds. Phytochemical variation and sample grouping were visualized using principal component analysis, indicating that the observed differences were largely driven by the genetic characteristics of the fruit species because of the study design, ecological effects could not be evaluated independently of genetic factors. Overall, the findings suggest that blackberry and gilaburu vinegars possess a higher potential as functional food products, whereas bitter orange vinegar represents a valuable alternative owing to its strong antioxidant capacity and distinctive organic acid profile.

Lactobacillus delbrueckii is a key lactic acid bacterium (LAB) widely used in dairy fermentation, particularly in the production of yogurt, cheese, and kefir. Its metabolic activities—such as efficient lactose utilization, rapid acidification, and high proteolytic activity—make it an indispensable starter culture in the dairy industry. Beyond its technological advantages, L. delbrueckii contributes significantly to human health through the production of bioactive peptides (BAPs), extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), and other functional metabolites with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Recent studies have also highlighted its role in gut health, cholesterol reduction, and potential anti-cancer activity, underscoring its value as a probiotic. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the taxonomy, metabolism, and health-promoting properties of L. delbrueckii while also exploring its potential applications in precision fermentation and the development of functional foods. The insights discussed herein position L. delbrueckii as a promising candidate for next-generation probiotic dairy innovations.

The association between habitual dietary nutrient intake and the risk of late-stage progression of cardiovascular–kidney–metabolic (CKM) syndrome among individuals with accelerated aging remains insufficiently understood. Data were obtained from seven cycles (2005–2018) of the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Six machine learning models were developed to predict late-stage CKM progression. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME) were applied to quantify the relative contributions of individual dietary nutrients to disease risk. Among the evaluated machine learning models, LightGBM and Random Forest demonstrated the highest predictive performance. Time-series validation further indicated stable model performance across survey cycles. SHAP analysis showed that, when demographic characteristics and dietary intake were jointly incorporated, the strongest negative contributors to late-stage CKM risk were vitamin B12 (0.011), selenium (0.009), sodium (0.008), moisture (0.008), vitamin B6 (0.008), and vitamin E (0.007). When analyses were restricted to dietary nutrients alone, the leading negative contributors were moisture (0.0597), sodium (0.0368), caffeine (0.0251), niacin (0.0192), vitamin D (0.0191), selenium (0.0188), vitamin B12 (0.0177), and lutein + zeaxanthin (0.0166). Dietary nutrient mixtures are inversely associated with the risk of late-stage CKM progression in individuals with accelerated aging. LightGBM and Random Forest models achieved superior predictive accuracy. Selenium, sodium, and moisture emerged as prominent protective contributors.

Protein bars are widely consumed functional snacks, yet their stability and sensory quality can deteriorate during storage. This study examined the impact of incorporating aqueous and ethanolic rice bran extracts—rich sources of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties—into brown-rice-based protein bars and evaluated their quality, molecular characteristics, and functional performance. Ethanolic extract, which contained 1.85-fold higher total phenolics than the aqueous extract, produced the most pronounced improvements. Bars fortified with 1% ethanolic extract showed a 37.27% increase in DPPH radical scavenging activity and a 25.74% increase in ferric reducing antioxidant power reducing power compared to the control, alongside a 46.6% reduction in peroxide value, demonstrating enhanced oxidative stability. These molecular effects translated into favorable textural changes, including a 53.63% reduction in hardness and a 28.35% decrease in gumminess, accompanied by an 8.55% improvement in overall sensory acceptability. FTIR spectroscopy demonstrated meaningful alterations in secondary structures, including reduced α-helix content and increased β-turn and random coil proportions in ethanolic treatments, indicating partial protein unfolding. These molecular changes corresponded strongly with texture and sensory improvements, as confirmed by multivariate analyses (Principal Component Analysis and Partial Least Squares Regression). Collectively, the results highlight that ethanolic rice bran extract more effectively enhances antioxidant performance, structural properties, and consumer acceptability than aqueous extract. The findings not only underscore its potential as a natural preservative and functional ingredient in high-protein snacks but also support the valorization of rice bran as a sustainable source of nutraceutical compounds.

Over the past few years, the prevalence of high-fructose diets has become a significant inducer of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The effects and pathological mechanisms of high dietary fructose on gut microbiota and its subsequent role in MASLD remain unclear. Here, we investigated the impact of fructose supplementation on MASLD progression in wild-type C57BL/6 mice using both high-fructose drinking water and a high-fructose diet. Through 16S rDNA sequencing, we observed that long-term fructose exposure significantly reduced the abundance of Lactobacillus murinus (L. murinus) in the intestines of mice. We aim to further elucidate the role and underlying mechanisms of L. murinus in high-fructose-induced MASLD. Logically, we supplemented L. murinus exogenously in the high-fructose mouse model and found that L. murinus significantly alleviated fructose-induced MASLD symptoms, characterized by reduced liver ballooning, inflammation, hepatic cholesterol, triglycerides, as well as decreased blood cholesterol, triglycerides, ALT and AST levels. To further investigate the mechanistic basis of L. murinus-mediated protection, we conducted serum and fecal metabolomic analyses. These studies identified arginine as the sole metabolite exhibiting marked reductions in both serum and intestinal compartments. Integrated multi-omics analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between gut L. murinus abundance and arginine levels. ELISA demonstrated that exogenous administration of L. murinus effectively restored circulating arginine concentrations in high-fructose-fed mice. Importantly, direct arginine supplementation produced similar therapeutic benefits as L. murinus. Specifically, it improved key features of MASLD, including reduced liver ballooning, less liver inflammation, lower buildup of cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver and blood, and decreased ALT/AST levels. These data revealed a novel mechanism underlying fructose-induced MASLD by decreasing the abundance of gut L. murinus, which disrupts arginine metabolism. L. murinus and arginine could serve as potential therapeutic strategies against fructose-induced MASLD.

3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5-diCQA), as a plant-derived polyphenol, exhibits multiple bioactivities, including anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and anti-diabetes. A previous report demonstrated that 3,5-diCQA increased the lifespan and promoted the healthspan in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying the function of 3,5-diCQA remain to be further determined. In this study, 3,5-diCQA promoted the transfer of SKN-1 to nucleus and upregulated the expressions of its downstream genes. Moreover, 3,5-diCQA enhanced oxidative stress tolerance and decreased ROS level in a skn-1-dependent manner. Consistently, 3,5-diCQA remarkably reduced the ROS level and delayed senescence of MRC-5 cells by activating Nrf2. Notably, molecular docking results revealed that 3,5-diCQA was found to occupy the binding pocket of Keap 1 (Kelch-like epichlorohydrin-associated protein 1), a cytoplasmic repressor of Nrf2, thereby promoting Nrf2 activation. Overall, this study demonstrated that SKN-1/Nrf2 signaling is essential for 3,5-diCQA to exert its anti-aging and stress resistance-enhancing effects. Our findings elucidate novel mechanisms by which 3,5-diCQA activates the SKN-1/Nrf2 pathway, highlighting its promise as candidate for delaying aging and attenuating oxidative stress-related disorders.

This study explores the nutritional enhancement of germinated brown rice (GBR), commonly referred to as GABA rice, produced from Nigerian rice cultivars (FARO 44, FARO 52, and FARO 57). Paddy rice was germinated at 35°C for 0 (control), 12, 24, and 36 h, followed by parboiling and dehusking to obtain GBR. Nutritional analyses focused on mineral, vitamin, and phytic acid contents. Germination significantly increased macro-minerals, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium, by up to 109.8%, 22.1%, 12.1%, and 149.0%, respectively after 36 h of germination. The levels of trace minerals such as zinc, iron, manganese, selenium, and cerium also increased, while phytic acid level decreased with longer germination durations. Vitamin content improved markedly, with increases of 387.5% for B1, 440.0% for B2, and 56.8% for vitamin E, after 36 h of germination. A 24 h germination period was optimal for mineral enrichment, while 36 h maximized the vitamin levels. These findings suggest that GBR, when integrated into conventional rice processing systems, could offer a cost-effective dietary intervention for addressing micronutrient deficiencies and managing metabolic health disorders.