NPJ Science of Food最新文献

Western-style dietary patterns have been linked with obesity and associated metabolic disorders and gut dysbiosis, whereas prudent dietary and snacking choices mitigate these predispositions. Using a multi-omics approach, we investigated how almond snacking counters gut imbalances linked to adiposity and an average American Diet (AAD). Fifteen adults with overweight or obesity underwent a randomized, crossover-controlled feeding trial comparing a 4-week AAD with a similar isocaloric diet supplemented with 42.5 g/day of almonds (ALD). Almond snacking increases functional gut microbes, including Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, while suppressing opportunistic pathogens, thereby favorably modulating gut microecological niches through symbiotic and microbe-metabolite interactions. Moreover, ALD elevates health-beneficial monosaccharides and fosters bacterial consumption of amino acids, owing to enhanced microbial homeostasis. Additionally, ALD enhances metabolic homeostasis through a ketosis-like effect, reduces inflammation, and improves satiety-regulating hormones. The findings suggest that prudent dietary choices, such as almond snacking, promote gut microbial homeostasis while modulating immune metabolic state.

Human breast milk (HBM)-derived exosomes play a crucial role not only in infant nutrition but also in modulating inflammation, immunity, and epithelial cell protection. This study investigated how HBM-derived exosomes regulate immune cell development and function. The exosomes promoted the differentiation of naïve CD4⁺ T cells into Treg and Th2 cells while suppressing their differentiation into Th17 and Th1 cells. They also enhanced the proliferation of intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells and reduced apoptosis in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-damaged caco-2 cells. In a DSS-induced colitis mouse model, the exosomes significantly alleviated disease severity, as evidenced by improvements in colon length, disease activity index, and histology grades. Furthermore, the exosomes normalized CD4⁺ T cell subsets in the spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, and colon, restoring levels comparable to controls. These findings suggest that HBM-derived exosomes hold promise as a potential therapeutic strategy for inflammatory bowel disease by modulating T-cell responses and protecting intestinal epithelial cells.

Stenophylla coffee, an undomesticated species from Upper West Africa, is of commercial interest due to its high heat tolerance and Arabica-like flavour. To investigate the chemical basis of flavour similarity, we analysed unroasted coffee bean samples using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and applied metabolomics approaches to compare chemical profiles. We report similarities between Arabica and stenophylla in the relative levels of several key compounds linked to coffee flavour, including caffeine, trigonelline, sucrose and citric acid. Differences in their chemical profiles were also observed, especially in their diterpenoid and hydroxycinnamic acid profiles. We report the additional novel finding that theacrine occurs in stenophylla, which is the first record of this alkaloid in coffee beans. For stenophylla, the dissimilarities in chemical compound composition (compared to Arabica) may offer opportunities for a better understanding of the chemical basis of high-quality coffee and sensory diversification.

The study examined the vitamin A status in commercially managed suckler cows and lactating dairy cows and identified primary influencing factors. Liver retinyl ester concentrations were higher in multiparous than primiparous cows (p < 0.01). Pasture availability was associated with higher β-carotene concentrations (p < 0.001). In dairy cows, pasture access during the dry period did not affect any of the parameters assayed. β-Carotene and retinol in milk increased with parity. No vitamin A deficiency or hypervitaminosis A was detected. Liver and milk retinol and retinyl ester concentrations that were analysed in the present study and data from a recent German total diet study were used to estimate the exposure to preformed vitamin A in vulnerable groups (children, 0.5-5 years). 95th percentiles of preformed vitamin A intake do not exceed tolerable upper intake levels in individuals between 1 year and 5 years, but in infants 6 to 12 months of age.

Veterinary drug residues in poultry and livestock products present persistent challenges to food safety, necessitating precise and efficient detection methods. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been identified as a powerful tool for veterinary drug residue analysis due to its high sensitivity and specificity. However, the development of reliable SERS substrates and the interpretation of complex spectral data remain significant obstacles. This review summarizes the development process of SERS substrates, categorizing them into metal-based, rigid, and flexible substrates, and highlighting the emerging trend of multifunctional substrates. The diverse application scenarios and detection requirements for these substrates are also discussed, with a focus on their use in veterinary drug detection. Furthermore, the integration of deep learning techniques into SERS-based detection is explored, including substrate structure design optimization, optical property prediction, spectral preprocessing, and both qualitative and quantitative spectral analyses. Finally, key limitations are briefly outlined, such as challenges in selecting reporter molecules, data imbalance, and computational demands. Future trends and directions for improving SERS-based veterinary drug detection are proposed.

Humans must obtain vitamin B₉ (folate) from plant-based diet. The sources as well as the effect of food processing are discussed in detail. Industrial production, fortification and biofortification, kinetics, and physiological role in humans are described. As folate deficiency leads to several pathological states, current opinions toward prevention through fortification are discussed. Claimed risks of increased folate intake are mentioned as well as analytical ways for measurement of folate.

Inappropriate antibiotic use in food animals is considered a significant contributor to increasing antibiotic resistance. Consumers can play a critical role in reducing it through purchasing choices, demand, and policy advocacy. This systematic review aimed to synthesize all published literature investigating consumers' perspectives (i.e., knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes) on antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance in food animals. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar on November 14, 2022, and an updated search on April 30, 2024. We limited findings to original peer-reviewed journal articles published up to 2023 (inclusive), were written in English, and focused on knowledge/perceptions/attitudes of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance in food animals. Of the 3815 articles identified, 39 were included. The findings suggested that consumers were concerned about antibiotic use in food animals, thus they were willing to pay more for food products with antibiotic-free or reduced-antibiotic use. However, consumers lacked deep understanding of antibiotic use practice and antibiotic stewardship in food animals as well as transmission risks of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and livestock industries to implement policy and practice changes to ensure responsible antibiotic use in food animals.

Sialic acid (SA) is widely present at the end of the sugar chain of glycoproteins and glycolipids on the surface of animal and microbial cells and is involved in many physiological activities between microbial and host cells. Notably, these functions are attributed to the diversity of these SA types, their different transformation pathways, and their metabolic actions within the host, which are considered potential targets for affecting various diseases. However, developing disease mitigation strategies is often limited by an unclear understanding of the mechanisms of interaction of the causative agents with their hosts. This review mainly focuses on three types of SA: Neu5Ac, Neu5Gc, and KDN. The sources, main types, and distribution of these SAs are discussed in detail, emphasizing the metabolic processes of different SAs and their interaction mechanisms with the host. This review will help lay a foundation for developing functional foods and SA-targeted intervention strategies.

Aloe vera, renowned for its medicinal and food applications, offers a sustainable, scalable, and cost-effective scaffold material for cultured meat production. Our method repurposes Aloe vera parenchyma into a sustainable and innovative scaffold for CM production. These scaffolds, derived from agricultural byproducts, feature a porous structure that retains liquids and supports bovine mesenchymal stem cell (bMSC) adhesion, proliferation, and extracellular matrix formation. By incorporating oleic acid, the scaffolds enable the accumulation of fat-like tissue, creating "lipid chunks" that can enhance the texture and flavor profile of plant-based meat alternatives. Furthermore, scalability is addressed by culturing the scaffolds in a macrofluidic single-use bioreactor (MSUB), showcasing the potential for large-scale production. This work demonstrates Aloe vera scaffold's versatility as a cost-effective material and highlights its promise for sustainable protein solutions and tissue engineering applications.

Metabolic disorders encompass various dysregulations, such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, central obesity, atherogenic hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance. Dyslipidemia refers to elevated levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, along with decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the blood. Dyslipidemia is closely associated with hypertension, which is one of the important risk factors for cardiovascular disease.In this study, an apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE^-/-) mouse model was utilized to investigate whether supplementation with steamed mature silkworm, known as HongJam, might ameliorate and have therapeutic effects on metabolic disorders and behavioral abnormalities observed in apoE^-/- mice. The Golden Silk HongJam-supplemented feed-consuming (GSf)-apoE^-/- mice showed recovery from the reduced spatial memory, social memory, and postural control ability observed in the normal feed-consuming (Nf)-apoE^-/- mice. They also exhibited similar blood pressure to those in the normal feed-consuming C57BL/6J control (Nf-Con) group. Additionally, the significantly reduced activities of glutathione-S-transferase, superoxide dismutase, acetylcholinesterase, and mitochondrial complexes I-IV in the Nf-apoE^-/- group were restored in all GSf-apoE^-/- groups. Furthermore, the amount of ATP in all GSf-apoE^-/- mice was similar to or higher than that in the Nf-Con group.Taken together, GS HongJam supplementation may have preventive, ameliorative, and therapeutic effects on the symptoms of metabolic disorders caused by the loss of ApoE.