Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture最新文献

Artificial sweeteners have emerged as popular alternatives to traditional sweeteners, driven by the growing concern over sugar consumption and its associated rise in obesity and metabolic disorders. Despite their widespread use, the safety and health implications of artificial sweeteners remain a topic of debate, with conflicting evidence contributing to uncertainty about their long-term effects. This review synthesizes current scientific evidence regarding the impact of artificial sweeteners on gut microbiota and gastrointestinal health. Our analysis of in vitro experiments, animal models, and clinical trials reveals that artificial sweeteners can alter the composition and abundance of gut microbes. These changes raise concerns about their potential to affect overall gut health and contribute to gastrointestinal disorders. Additionally, artificial sweeteners have been shown to influence the production of metabolites by gut bacteria, further impacting systemic health. The findings suggest that artificial sweeteners may have complex and sometimes contradictory effects on gut microbiota. While some studies indicate potential benefits, such as reduced caloric intake and weight management, others highlight detrimental effects on microbial balance and metabolic functions. The inconsistent results underscore the need for further research to comprehensively understand the physiological impacts of various artificial sweeteners on human health. Future studies should aim for long-term, well-controlled investigations to clarify these relationships, ensuring evidence-based guidelines for the safe use of artificial sweeteners in diet management. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Phlomis capitata is an endemic species of flowering aromatic and medicinal plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to regions of the Mediterranean and nearby areas. Understanding the chemical compounds present in P. capitata can reveal potential medicinal properties. The present study examines the quantification of bioactive phytochemicals, antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibitory evaluation of P. capitata extract against key enzymes involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy and glaucoma for the first time. The mechanisms of enzyme inhibition activity of the predominant compounds in extract were also interpreted by molecular docking studies. Chemical characterization of the extract was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) (phytochemical profile) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (mineral composition) analysis. Furthermore, the binding interactions of major phytochemicals with all enzymes were investigated by molecular docking studies.

Results: LC-MS/MS analysis of the P. capitata revealed the identification of 19 compounds predominated by quinic acid (4.883 mg g^-1), followed by chlorogenic acid (4.36 mg g^-1), vanilic acid (3.405 mg g^-1), naringenin (2.571 mg g^-1) and cyranoside (1.101 mg g^-1). It was determined that the mineral element was rich (K, Ca, Al and Mg) and did not exceed the toxicity limits. The P. capitata extract demonstrated remarkable antioxidant activities in the order: 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (IC₅₀: 20.533 μg mL^-1) < 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (IC₅₀: 23.151 μg mL^-1) < N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine (IC₅₀: 45.221 μg mL^-1) and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (0.889 μg mL^-1) < Fe³⁺ reducing (0.969 μg mL^-1) < ferric reducing antioxidant potency (0.974 μg mL^-1). Moreover, of all the enzyme inhibitory assays (acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and human carbonic anhydrases I and II), the extract showed outstanding inhibitory activities (IC₅₀ values of 3.26, 7.15, 6.15, 6.81, 15.21 and 11.93 μg mL^-1, respectively).

Conclusion: In summary, the findings show that P. capitata is a versatile raw material that can be used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries to develop products that promote health. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The edible seeds of Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum basilicum were found to be a potent source of phytochemicals with noteworthy antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial properties. This study aimed to investigate the impact of germination and extraction solvents (ethanol (EtOH), distilled water) on the therapeutic properties exhibited and the ability of seed extracts to act as natural food preservatives.

Results: The EtOH extracts of germinated O. gratissimum and O. basilicum seeds exhibited more phytoconstituents content with significantly higher phenols (21.03 ± 0.01 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g and 21.46 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g respectively) and flavonoids (11.92 ± 0.03 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g and 14.45 ± 0.04 mg QE/g respectively) than other extracts did. Thus, they exhibited superior antioxidant potential with substantially lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values for scavenging 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) cation radical (0.013 ± 0.00 mg mL^-1 and 0.007 ± 0.00 mg mL^-1 respectively) and superoxide anion radical (4.33 ± 0.01 mg mL^-1 and 4.14 ± 0.00 mg mL^-1 respectively) and for inhibiting lipid oxidation (2.57 ± 0.00 mg mL^-1 and 2.33 ± 0.00 mg mL^-1 respectively) compared with other extracts. Further, they exhibited better antidiabetic potential with substantially lower IC₅₀ values for inhibiting α-amylase activity (0.93 ± 0.01 mg mL^-1 and 1.01 ± 0.01 mg mL^-1 respectively) and α-glucosidase activity (0.60 ± 0.01 mg mL^-1 and 0.51 ± 0.01 mg mL^-1 respectively). Also, they showed superior antimicrobial potential with higher inhibition zones for Bacillus subtilis (13.98 ± 0.18 mm, 17.02 ± 0.18 mm respectively), Vibrio parahaemolyticus (19.00 ± 0.20 mm, 22.58 ± 0.45 mm respectively), Salmonella enterica (24.98 ± 0.18 mm, 22.17 ± 0.15 mm respectively), and Escherichia coli (23.50 ± 0.50 mm, 27.00 ± 0.20 mm respectively) and better inhibition of Aspergillus flavus growth (93.28% and 81.77% respectively) compared with other extracts.

Conclusion: Both the O. gratissimum and O. basilicum seed extracts can be utilized efficiently as therapeutic agents to manage inflammation-driven diseases and diabetes, or as natural preservatives in foods and in edible films or coatings. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The antioxidant capacity of anthocyanins (AC) rapidly degrades during storage, highlighting the need for their stabilization. The conformational properties and high proline content of sodium caseinate (NaCAS), combined with the formation of NaCAS microgels in the presence of tara gum (TG) and acid gelation, suggest its potential as an effective stabilizing or encapsulating agent of AC.

Results: Spectrofluorimetric results suggest the formation of a complex between NaCAS and AC. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that the presence of TG and blackberry extract (BEX) modifies the NaCAS spectra in the analyzed range. These results validated the presence of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions between NaCAS and AC. The impact of the AC-NaCAS complex on the stability of the antioxidant capacity was assessed. After 43 days of storage, the lyophilized complex with an optimal BEX concentration retained 70% of its iron-reducing power. Additionally, the results indicate that, at the tested concentrations of BEX, the radical scavenging capacity of NaCAS is minimally affected.

Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that the bioactive properties of the aqueous extract of blackberry are effectively stabilized through the formation of complexes with NaCAS in the presence of TG. Both AC and TG interact with NaCAS, but in different ways. The antioxidant capacity of these mixtures, demonstrated through both reducing power and free radical capture, is preserved to a high degree after storage. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Multifunctional fluorescent probes have attracted much attention due to their wide range of applications and high utilization. In this study, a multifunctional fluorescent probe (E)-3-(4-(7-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)benzo[c] [1,2,5]thiadiazol-4-yl)phenyl)acrylic acid (TBAC) based on triphenylamine was designed and synthesized.

Results: The TBAC probe provided excellent aggregation-induced emission (AIE) performance and could be used as a fluorescent ink for printing. It was also prepared successfully for application as a fingerprint powder, facilitating the visual detection of invisible fingerprints on surfaces such as glass, plastic, tinfoil, metal, aluminum, and resin. The probe exhibited a clear fluorescence response to 12 volatile amines via an AIE-based 'on-off' mechanism in an EtOH/H₂O (4/6, v/v) solution. The TBAC/bromocresol green (BCG) indicator label also enabled non-destructive and rapid assessment of salmon freshness through dual-channel colorimetric and fluorescence responses.

Conclusion: The versatility of TBAC makes it a promising material for various applications, including fluorescent materials, criminal detection, and food safety. This study provides a new basis for the multifunctional application of fluorescent probes. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Wheat-maize cropping systems in semi-arid regions are expected to be affected by climate change in the future, which is alarming for global food security, environmental sustainability and socioeconomic development. Therefore, management practices like optimized plant geometry and fertilization need to be explored to counter these expected threats. To do this, the APSIM model was calibrated using 5-year data (from 2017/2018 to 2022) regarding yield, biomass, plant height, emergence, anthesis and crop maturity of wheat and maize from farmer fields.

Results: The performance of a model run was assessed using root mean square error, normalized root mean square error, coefficient of residual mass, coefficient of determination (R²) and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency, whose average was 1.59, 0.13, 0.001, 0.84 and 0.78, respectively, for calibration while 2.75, 0.20, -0.009, 0.80 and 0.75, respectively, for validation. Regarding crop phenology, it was modelled that the emergence, anthesis and maturity were earlier by 7-9 days, 8-10 days and 2-6 days, respectively, for wheat; 6-10 days, 13-20 days and 16-24 days, respectively, for spring maize; 3-5 days, 5-11 days and 8-19 days, respectively, for autumn maize under different climate change scenarios in near to far future. Simulations revealed the average reduction in the yield of wheat, spring maize and autumn maize by 11.5%, 11.8% and 11.0%, respectively, in near future (2025-2065) while 17.5%, 20.5% and 17.0%, respectively, in far future (2066-2100). Further, simulations discovered the potential of higher levels of fertilization (nitrogen = 60-100 kg ha^-1 and phosphorus = 40-75 kg ha^-1 for wheat while nitrogen = 75-120 kg ha^-1 and phosphorus = 40-80 kg ha^-1 for maize) and plant density (100 to 150 plants m^-2 for wheat and 8 to 13 plants m^-2 for maize) to enhance the yield of wheat, spring maize and autumn maize by 31-36%, 22-38% and 26-43%, respectively, in near future while 33-38%, 21-55% and 19-31%, respectively, in far future.

Conclusions: The findings underscore the effects of climate change on wheat-maize cropping systems and the importance of implementing optimized fertilization and adjusting plant density to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, thereby safeguarding food security and sustaining agricultural productivity. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) was modified by a sulfuric and nitric acid mixed system to improve the solubility of the material and the gas selective permeability of the film. SN1 and SN5, synthesized from mixed acid systems (with ratios of nitric acid and sulfuric acid of 1:1 and 1:5, respectively) were chosen because they had comparable nitro groups but differing sulfonyl groups. To investigate the impact of the type and content of sulfonated and nitrated polyether ether ketone (SNPEEK) on the structure and physicochemical properties of the films, SN1/polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and SN5/polyvinyl chloride films were made by adding varying amounts of SN1 and SN5 (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5 wt%), respectively.

Results: SNPEEK (with ratios of nitric acid and sulfuric acid of 1:1-9) with high nitric acid group concentration outperformed nitrated polyether ether ketone (NPEEK) (with ratios of nitric acid and sulfuric acid of 3-9:1) with a low nitric acid concentration in terms of solubility at room temperature and expanded the application range. The inclusion of SNPEEK resulted in more micropores on the membrane microstructure, and higher contents of -SO₃H and -NO₂ groups enhanced the polarity, which improved permeability and selectivity for CO₂ and O₂ and the moisture permeability of the membranes. During grape storage (4 ± 1 °C), 1.0% SN1/PVC and 1.0% SN5/PVC membranes reached equilibrium gas concentration on day 4 (4.6-5.4% CO₂, 17.6-18.1% O₂; 3.5-4.1% CO₂ and 18.6-19.1% O₂), grapes showed lower electrolyte leakage as well as higher hardness, total soluble solid content and vitamin C content.

Conclusion: Because there are few studies on modified PEEK air conditioning packaging for grape preservation, SNPEEK/PVC membrane has practical value. In the present study, 1.0% SN1/PVC and 1.0% SN5/PVC membranes extended the shelf life by more than 16 and 8 days, respectively, compared to the blank group (unsealed packaging). © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Biowaste accounts for about 40% of total waste. Food-industry waste is one major biowaste stream. The available technological approaches to biowaste treatment are expensive, not circular, unsustainable, and they require pre-treatments such as dehydration, extraction of inhibitors, pH correction, or the addition of other organic matrices. The NP-bioTech process uses a biocatalyst adsorbed onto an inert material enabling accelerated fermentation of critical biomass without pre-treatments, transforming it into biostabilized and pasteurized material, and converting waste into new usable products rapidly. Biocatalysts consist of naturally fortified selections of microbial colonies, enzymes, and fungi that are resistant to the action of d-limonene and other fermentation inhibitors.

Results: The NP-bioTech process was able to activate vigorous fermentation of citrus waste without any of the pre-treatments required by other available biowaste-treatment technologies. The horticultural use of the biostabilized output of such process for greenhouse crops was verified. The addition of such output to the growth media was beneficial for plants and did not show negative effects on quality and yield of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum L.). The concentration of Ca, K, Zn, Fe, and polyphenol increased; the average number of berries per plant was improved; the concentration of Pb and Cd contaminants decreased.

Conclusion: The NP-bioTech process emits no odors or pollutants. It does not generate leachate, and its output can be used in agriculture. It is capable of reconciling compliance with strict environmental restrictions, industrial feasibility, and economic sustainability. Its potential impact thus aligns well with the circular economy model. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The health benefits of organic food provide one reason for consuming it. Various studies have shown that regular organic food consumers (REG eco-con) follow a healthier diet. However, this topic has not been explored in Poland. This study aimed to evaluate the diet quality of mothers with children under 6 years old, residing in three provinces of Poland, who consumed organic food at varying frequencies. Data were collected using validated questionnaires.

Results: Among the mothers surveyed (N = 667), 84% achieved an average Diet Quality Index (DQI) score, indicating a neutral impact of their diet on health. Meanwhile, 15% of respondents exhibited diets with a high intensity of health-promoting characteristics. Women with a higher frequency of organic food consumption displayed more health-promoting dietary behavior. Regular organic food consumers demonstrated significantly higher DQI and Pro-Healthy Diet Index (pHDI) scores than those with lower organic food consumption frequency. The REG eco-con mothers also reported significantly more frequent consumption of vegetables, fruit, whole-grain bread and cereals, fermented dairy products, legumes, and fish. Respondents who rated their state of health as better than that of their peers were characterized by more frequent consumption of organic food.

Conclusion: An organic diet may play a significant role in an individual's quality of life and well-being. The results of this study could be relevant for the organic food sector and policymakers in developing nutritional transformation towards sustainability. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

In recent years, changes in dietary patterns from an omnivore diet to a moderate-to-restrictive diet that includes more plant food are becoming popular for various reasons and the associated health benefits. Despite the increased consumption of plant food as recommended by these seemingly healthy diets, micronutrient deficiency is still prevalent particularly among the health-conscious populations. The aim of this review is to help guide interventions by understanding micronutrient deficiency trends from a dietary habit and plant physiology context. In this review, the author discusses how modern agricultural practices coupled with climate change, and with particular emphasis on the extreme dietary habits that lack variation and excessive consumption, may contribute to an increased ingestion of antinutrients which in turn potentially exacerbate vitamin and mineral deficiencies. While plants possess a wide range of secondary metabolites that exert beneficial health effects, some of these compounds are also antinutrients that interfere with the digestion and absorption of nutrients and micronutrients. Furthermore, the article also raises questions concerning the fate of antinutrient traits in future crops that were to be redesigned with improved stress tolerance, and the impacts it may have on human nutrition and the environment. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.