International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition最新文献

Seaweed-derived dietary fibre sodium alginate (SA) has been shown to present with health benefits in food-derived disease models. To determine whether SA improves the disease rather than merely suppressing its progression, we assessed its effects using farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-deficient mice to provide a model of advanced hyperlipidaemia. Fxr-null mice were fed with a 5% SA-supplemented diet for nine weeks and showed significant decreases in the levels of liver triglycerides (p < 0.05), total cholesterol (p < 0.05), serum low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (p < 0.001). The expression levels of fatty acid-synthesizing genes (Fas and Scd1) and cholesterol-metabolizing genes (Hmgcr, Hmgcs, and Abca1), were significantly reduced. Furthermore, the SA supplementation has altered the gut microbiota and significantly increased the abundance of the genus Oscillospira (p < 0.001) and Parabacteroides (p < 0.01). These results suggest that SA improves lipid disruption and influences the composition of the gut microbiota in the Fxr-null mice.

This systematic review aimed to summarise the current knowledge regarding the effects of the Mediterranean diet (MD) on the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). A systematic search was done on Web of Sciences, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases until January 2025. The majority of the included studies (15 of 16 RCTs) supported the role of MD following in the secondary prevention of CVDs. According to the RCT results, the patients in the MD group had lower cardiovascular deaths, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and other events. They also had healthier lipid profiles and blood fatty acids, higher flow-mediated dilation and endothelial progenitor cell levels, and lower endothelial progenitor cells compared to a low-fat diet. However, both MD and control (low-fat diet) groups promoted similar decreases in blood pressure and body mass index. The findings of this review suggested that adherence to the MD could be beneficial in the secondary prevention of CVD.

Pulse pasta has, in recent years, gained the interest of consumers and food manufacturers and a deeper understanding of the the effects of flour types and pasta processing on its physical and nutritional characteristics has become a priority. This work investigates the effects of red lentil flour type (raw or pre-cooked), pasta extrusion pressure (i.e. 80 and 125 bars), and drying temperature (i.e.,50 and 80 °C) on pasta quality and in vitro nutritional digestibility. A significant reduction in cooking loss was found in pasta extruded at high pressure and dried at high temperature (80 °C), while all pasta had acceptable cooking quality in terms of length, thickness and weight gains. More slowly digestible starch was found in pasta dried at high temperatures, while less rapidly digestible and more resistant starch was present in pasta extruded at high pressure. In vitro starch digestibility can be effectively reduced by applying proper processing conditions (i.e. high extrusion pressure) which could be vital for designing a 100% legume pasta with modulated glycemic response.

Lentil proteins (LPs) may encounter challenges in their food industry applications due to certain limitations in their functional properties. This study focused on enhancing the quality of LPs through physical modifications and investigating the effects of a 24-hr fermentation process with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. The protein structures of LPs were analysed using several techniques, including ultraviolet spectra, fluorescence spectra, and FT-IR spectra, respectively, resulting in the protein structure of LPs substantial modifications (p < 0.05) during the fermentation procedure. protein surface properties of fermented LPs, including surface charge and surface hydrophobicity, changed significantly (p < 0.05) from -23.03 to -32.70 mV and 860.30 to 600.6 a.u., respectively. Using Lactobacillus by fermentation processes can offer several benefits, particularly in enhancing the digestibility, protein structure, and nutritional values of LPs.

Our study examined the relationship between diet quality and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among 1779 U.S. cancer survivors using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2005-2016). Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015). Higher HEI-2015 scores were linked to significantly lower MetS prevalence (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.32-0.80). Specifically, a higher intake of seafood and plant proteins, and fatty acids, coupled with a reduced intake of added sugars, was associated with decreased odds of MetS prevalence (OR: 0.93; 95% CI, 0.86-0.99) in cancer survivors. Additionally, a better diet quality was linked to lower prevalence of high waist circumference, elevated triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and high fasting glucose levels (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.27-0.72). These results suggest that adopting healthy dietary habits may prevent MetS in cancer survivors.

This cross-sectional study was aimed to investigate knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding dietary supplements (DS) and nutraceuticals among athletes, gym practitioners, and individuals who did not exercise regularly. A total of 372 participants, aged 18-65, completed a questionnaire covering demographics, supplement usage, and three validated tools: the Knowledge about Dietary Supplements (KaDS), Supplements Knowledge Score (SKS), and Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice towards Nutraceuticals (KAPN). Significant differences were found in the use of vitaminised water, protein powder, glucosamines, beetroot juice, creatine, omega-3, and pre-workout supplements among the groups, with gym practitioners reporting the highest usage. Athletes scored the highest in knowledge of DS effects on health, while both athletes and gym practitioners scored higher than non-exercisers in knowledge related to sports supplements. However, all groups showed inadequate knowledge of nutraceuticals, and moderately positive attitudes towards these products. Older participants performed better in knowledge questionnaires. These findings suggest that gym practitioners, inactive and young people could benefit most from educational interventions regarding dietary supplementation.

This comprehensive review examines the impact of dietary patterns on gut microbiome composition and diversity from infancy to old age, linking these changes to age-related health outcomes. It investigates how the gut microbiome develops and changes across life stages, focusing on the influence of dietary factors. The review explores how early-life feeding practices, including breastfeeding and formula feeding, shape the infant gut microbiota and have lasting effects. In elderly individuals, alterations in the gut microbiome are associated with increased susceptibility to infections, chronic inflammation, metabolic disorders and cognitive decline. The critical role of diet in modulating the gut microbiome throughout life is emphasised, particularly the potential benefits of probiotics and fortified foods in promoting healthy ageing. By elucidating the mechanisms connecting food systems to gut health, this review provides insights into interventions that could enhance gut microbiome resilience and improve health outcomes across the lifespan.

This meta-analysis aims to compile all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the effects of grapes or grape products on adult anthropometric measures and serum adipokines. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar, Web of Science and CENTRAL databases published before January 2022. Random-effects model was used to combine mean differences between intervention and placebo groups. A minimal reduction was revealed for BMI following consumption of grapes/grape products [weighted mean difference (WMD): -0.14 kg]; however, no significant effects were observed on body weight, except for trials conducting in female (n = 3 studies; WMD: -0.68 kg), and those enrolled patients with metabolic syndrome (n = 3 studies; WMD: -0.62 kg). No significant effect was found for waist circumference, body fat, waist to hip ratio, serum level of leptin and adiponectin. Our findings showed that grapes or grape products have no significant anti-obesity effects on body weight, anthropometric measures, or adipokines. However, BMI showed a trivial decrease, which should not be considered given the low quality of the studies.

Environmental factors can play fundamental role in health in childhood and adulthood during critical developmental periods like lactation. The maternal intake of probiotics like kefir during lactation could benefit newborns' intestinal health. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal kefir intake during lactation on bacterial breast milk composition and the gut microbiota of offspring Wistar male rats at weaning. Lactating Wistar rats and their pups were divided into four groups based on litter size and maternal kefir intake. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene in breast milk revealed the predominance of the Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteriota phyla. Offspring gut microbiota exhibited clustering tendencies in kefir groups with varying genus abundance. Additionally, maternal kefir intake led to increased levels of butyrate acid in offspring faeces (> +30%, p > 0.05). These findings show that the lactation period could be a window of opportunity to program intestinal health through microbiota modulation.