Biology and Life Sciences

Abstract: Argan oil production generates large amounts of press cake that remain underexploited despite its potential as a functional ingredient. The objective of this study therefore aimed to evaluate the effects of solid-state fermentation (24h and 48h at 30 °C) using three strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB)—Pediococcus pentosaceus, Pediococcus acidilactici, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on the functional properties of argan press cake (APC). The effects of fermentation were assessed by determining pH, LAB viable counts, free amino acid (FAA) profiles (including γ-aminobutyric acid), biogenic amine (BA) concentrations, fatty acid (FA) and volatile compound (VC) profiles. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity were evaluated against 15 pathogenic strains. The results showed growth of LAB, followed by a decrease in pH, which correlated with antimicrobial activity against pathogens in the fermented samples. As for free amino acids, their bioavailability increased in the fermented samples. Only two biogenic amines namely spermidine (29.4 ± 2.29 mg/kg) and spermine (29.7 ± 3.66 mg/kg) were identified in all argan cake samples. Furthermore, no changes were observed in the fatty acid profile. Overall, solid-state fermentation improved the biochemical and antimicrobial properties of argan press cake without compromising its lipid quality or safety.

Abstract: Dairy proteins, the caseins and whey proteins, underpin the texture, nutrition and functionality of the global dairy sector, yet conventional production ranks among the largest contributors to agricultural land use, greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption. This review synthesises the science and industrialization of precision fermentation as a route to bio-identical dairy proteins made in engineered microorganisms. It focuses on secreted bovine milk proteins (β lactoglobulin, the caseins and lactoferrin) and, as the closest functional comparator, egg ovalbumin, drawing on literature published between 1990 and 2026. The production chassis (Komagataella phaffii, Trichoderma reesei and Aspergillus oryzae) are compared, the molecular fidelity of the recombinant proteins is examined with emphasis on glycosylation and casein phosphorylation, and downstream processing is assessed, where host-derived polysaccharides such as mannan turn out to be an under-appreciated purification burden. The assembled evidence shows that published life-cycle assessments put the carbon footprint of fermentation-derived β lactoglobulin (5.5–17.6 t CO₂e per tonne of protein) in the same order of magnitude as extracted dairy protein, not the order-of-magnitude reductions sometimes claimed, because sugar feedstock and electricity, rather than the cow, dominate the burden. Techno-economic models agree on titres of 50 g/L or more and fermenters of 100,000 L as preconditions for commodity price parity. Regulation is moving faster than the underlying science, with US FDA GRAS no questions letters already issued for β-lactoglobulin (2020, 2023), lactoferrin (2025) and egg white proteins (2021, 2023). Nine concrete research priorities follow from the analysis, and the overall conclusion is that economics, not safety, is now the constraint that matters for adoption.

Abstract: Contaminated chicken and turkey products are estimated to have caused about 25 percent of domestically acquired foodborne cases of salmonellosis in the United States during 2018 – 2022 [1]. Process interventions reduce most but not all Salmonella, but salmonellosis has remained a major health concern [2]. Little research has considered the role contaminated poultry intestinal tracts play in Salmonella control. This paper examines the effect of intestinal (cecal) Salmonella on Salmonella in finished chicken carcasses using regression modeling and data from the United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA, FSIS). The paper finds that better control of Cecal Salmonella could reduce finished carcass Salmonella by up to 1 percent at establishments with weak pre-slaughter/farm controls and improved process controls could reduce carcass Salmonella by up to 2 percent at establishments with weak process controls. Results are consistent across 16 different combinations of serotype groups and working datasets and suggest that improved pre-slaughter/farm-level and finishing control can reduce Salmonella in chicken slaughter establishments with weak controls.

Abstract: Background: Cereal vinegar sediment (CVS), a byproduct formed during traditional grain vinegar storage, possesses lipid-lowering, glucose-lowering, and antioxidant properties. However, its effects on gut microbial and metabolic responses to short-term high-fat diet [HFD] exposure remain unclear. This study aimed to characterize the compositional profiles of Dade CVS (DD-CVS) and Hengshun CVS (HS-CVS) and investigate their effects on host metabolism and gut microbiota in mice with short-term HFD exposure. Methodology: The physicochemical properties of CVSs were evaluated, and their chemical compositions were characterized via untargeted metabolomics. Mice were fed a short-term HFD and administered DD-CVS or HS-CVS. Gut microbiota, cecal metabolites, and serum metabolites were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, metabolomics, and integrative multi-omics analysis. Results: Both CVSs were rich in amino acids, their derivatives, and polyphenolic compounds. CVS treatments attenuated body-weight gain and reshaped the gut microbiota composition of mice, including changes in the relative abundance of Allobaculum, Akkermansia, and Lachnospiraceae_Clostridium. Differentially, DD-CVS enriched Blautia and Ruminococcus, whereas HS-CVS promoted Bacillus. The results of gut microbial metabolic profiles showed that DD-CVS treatment regulated amino acid metabolism, while HS-CVS treatment influenced bile acid and arachidonic acid metabolism. Furthermore, serum metabolomics revealed that CVSs modulated systemic metabolic profiles and enriched CVS-associated compounds, such as α-linolenic acid. The candidate microbiota-sensitive metabolites, including lithocholic acid and 9(S)-HPODE, showed significant correlations with specific microbial taxa. Conclusion: DD-CVS and HS-CVS induced distinct gut microbial and metabolic responses during short-term HFD exposure, supporting further evaluation of CVS as a potential functional food.

Abstract:

Tofu is a traditional staple food widely consumed in Asian countries, that is currently experienced rapid growth and consumer demand across other continents. Conventional tofu production relies on the coagulation of soy proteins using established mineral salts or organic acids. In recent years, research has increasingly focused on exploring plant-based coagulants as natural alternatives to align with clean-label trends. Various plant extracts rich in proteolytic enzymes, organic acids, and other bioactive compounds, such as those derived from lime, Tamarindus, Hibiscus, Calotropis, Moringa, ginger, Phyllanthus, and Passiflora, have been investigated for their efficacy in inducing soymilk coagulation, alongside their effects on product yield, structural properties, and sensory attributes. In parallel, the incorporation of functional plant extracts, either during or post-coagulation, represents an innovative strategy to enhance the nutritional profile of tofu. Extracts rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants can confer valuable health-promoting properties; however, these additions may concurrently modify colour, flavour, texture and shelf-life of the final product, thereby requiring careful formulation optimization. The combined use of plant-based coagulants and functional plant-derived ingredients constitutes a promising avenue for developing next-generation soy-based products. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art concerning the application of plant extracts in tofu manufacturing, highlighting technological challenges, product modifications, and future research perspectives.

Abstract: Orange processing waste is the largest residue stream of the Mediterranean citrus industry and a concentrated source of pectic polysaccharides and phenolic compounds. Both fractions were recovered from the same residue, and the recovered pectin was evaluated as a wall material for the phenolics. Extraction was carried out by rapid solid–liquid dynamic extraction in a 40 L Naviglio® extractor with water as the only solvent, at 25–27 °C and 10 bar, over fifteen 40 min cycles preceded by a 20 min pre-impregnation, for approximately 10 h in total. Aqueous citrus extracts are rich in ascorbate and reducing sugars, so total phenolic content was determined both directly and after solid-phase clean-up, and only the corrected value is reported as phenolic. Corrected total phenolic content was 312 ± 18 mg GAE/100 g DW against 487 ± 26 mg GAE/100 g DW uncorrected, so non-phenolic reductants accounted for 36.0 % of the raw signal. Radical-scavenging capacity was 21.6 ± 1.4 µmol TE/g DW by DPPH and 48.3 ± 2.9 µmol TE/g DW by ABTS. Hydroxycinnamic acids dominated the chromatographic profile, with flavanone glycosides in the minority, as expected of an aqueous solvent. Pectin recovered from the residue was high-methoxyl at 68.4 ± 1.9 % esterification and was therefore not calcium-reactive as extracted. Enzymatic de-esterification with orange pectin methylesterase gave 38.2 ± 1.6 % with essentially no loss of molecular weight and a blockwise charge distribution (DBabs 19.1 %), whereas an alkali control at matched esterification lost 47 % of its chain length. Continuous-flow gelation of low-methoxyl pectin gave 176 ± 24 nm particles with an encapsulation efficiency of 88.6 ± 2.1 %. The maltodextrin-dried powder retained 71.0 % of its phenolics after 90 days at 25 °C against 22.9 % for the unprotected extract, and intestinal bioaccessibility rose from 31.5 ± 3.6 % to 68.3 ± 4.1 %. The degree of esterification of the recovered pectin determines whether the circular version of the process is chemically available, and is reported here on that basis.

Abstract: This study investigated three pumpkin seed polysaccharide fractions (PSP-1-1, PSP-1-2, and PSP-1-3) with molecular weights of 29,797 Da, 11,209 Da, and 4,346 Da, respectively, all containing both α- and β-glycosidic linkages. Structural analysis revealed arabinose, galactose, and glucose as predominant residues in PSP-1-1, while PSP-1-2 and PSP-1-3 additionally contained xylose, with all fractions sharing common structural units. All three fractions dose-dependently promoted GLP-1 secretion from L cells and upregulated sweet taste receptor pathway genes. The pooled fraction PSP-1s exhibited synergistic effects with higher gene expression than individual fractions and was therefore selected for in vivo studies. In diabetic mice, PSP-1s alleviated weight loss, reduced hyperphagia and polydipsia, lowered blood glucose, improved glucose tolerance and dyslipidemia, repaired pancreatic islets, and decreased GSP, insulin, and HOMA-IR while increasing QUICKI in a dose-dependent manner. PSP-1s enhanced GLP-1 secretion, elevated colonic SCFAs concentrations, and restructured gut microbiota by enriching beneficial SCFA-producing bacteria. Collectively, PSP-1s exerts hypoglycemic effects through dual mechanisms: remodeling gut microbiota to increase SCFA-stimulated GLP-1 secretion, and directly activating sweet taste receptors on L cells to enhance GLP-1 release, ultimately regulating blood glucose via the gut-brain GLP-1 signaling axis. These findings highlight PSP-1s as a promising candidate for type 2 diabetes management.

Abstract: The increasing interest in environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and edible packaging materials today has brought the use of agricultural derived functional biopolymers to the forefront. The carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) pod, with its rich biopolymer components such as carob gum (LBG) in its seeds and pectin and cellulose in its pulp, has high potential in the development of edible packaging matrices. Although these biopolymers exhibit limited water vapor barrier capacity due to their hydrophilic nature, they provide moderate to high barrier properties against oxygen and carbon dioxide. Synergistic effects obtained with different polymer combinations in packaging production can strengthen barrier and durability properties, and the inclusion of plasticizers such as polyethylene glycol and sorbitol in the packaging matrix can improve flexibility, homogeneity, and processability. Furthermore, the inclusion of antimicrobial, antioxidant, and nutritional components in the matrix can impart active functions to the packaging. Carob is of strategic importance in agriculture due to its adaptation to arid climates, its efficient use of water resources thanks to its deep root system, and its erosion-preventing properties. Consequently, the utilization of carob pod and its by-products in edible packaging applications has the potential to significantly contribute to reducing the use of synthetic plastics and promoting ecological and agricultural sustainability.

Abstract: Introduction: Patients on a thrice-weekly haemodialysis (TWH) maintenance schedule require a protein intake of at least 1.0-1.2 g/kg, providing 30-35 Kcal/kg. The mean age of patients on TWH routinely exceeds the age of 70, with more than 25% of patients over the age of 80. It is widely acknowledged that comorbid conditions and anorexia frequently hamper protein and calorie intake in the elderly, thus resulting in the onset of sarcopenia and/or Protein Energy Wasting (PEW). These conditions are further complicated by the massive loss of amino acids (AAs) in dialysate caused by the diffusive-convective mechanisms routinely used in TWH. Materials and Methods: A review of the available literature was performed to identify trials focussed on the replacement of amino acids to replace AA losses incurred following the use of extracorporeal treatments such as haemodialysis (HD) and haemodiafiltration (HDF), and studies adopting oral amino acid replacement protocols subsequently extrapolated and examined. The authors moreover intended to highlight how procedures developed in recent years had evolved, with the aim of identifying novel and better-tailored mixtures of free amino acids (FAAs) capable of yielding additional benefits. Results: Literature reports relating to patients on TWH who receive amino acid supplementation to replace annual AA losses that, depending on the type of extracorporeal method used, potentially exceed 1.0-1.5 Kg/year, are currently considerably limited. More recent papers describe the main mechanisms of action of amino acid mixes capable of affording a series of significant results: improvement of anaemia and cardiac performance and a beneficial effect on the percentage of muscle mass and metabolic and nutritional status resulting from enhanced patient compliance. Conclusions: We hypothesize that supplementation using novel mixes of FAAs may slow down the inevitable progression of sarcopenia and/or PEW by replacing the severe haemodialysis-induced amino acid deficit and eliciting markedly positive metabolic and clinical effects.

Abstract: The agri-food industry faces increasing challenges to serve a rapidly growing population amidst intense climate change. Precision agriculture in the era of the 4th industrial revolution relies on digital data that is quickly and reliably generated. Unlike laboratory-bound wet chemistry methods, portable near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) could provide rapid, non-destructive and on-the-spot assessment of crops with increasing regional importance, such as sweet potatoes. The present study aimed at developing an industrially feasible method by combining the NIR spectra of intact sweet potato samples and chemometrics to predict sweet potato characteristics. Samples from three sweet potato cultivars were stored at three different storage temperatures for one month with eight sampling occasions. Moisture content, total phenolic and total starch content were assessed to serve as reference. Spectra of tubers were recorded with a benchtop and a portable device with different arrangements: through-skin (intact), on cut-surface and on powdered samples. Models to differentiate between cultivars, storage conditions and predict reference parameters were built using principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) with rigorous cross- and test-set validation. Feasible regression models with up to 0.8 R2P could only be reached by using benchtop spectral data on powdered samples. Classification models, however, could reach 79.25% correct prediction to separate sweet potato cultivars by using the handheld spectral data recorded on the surface of intact tubers. The present results imply that handheld NIRS in combination with chemometrics could reach industrially feasible models to rapidly and nondestructively identify sweet potato cultivars, even those that show high physical similarities. The method presented here could be integrated into track and tracing systems where on-the-spot evaluations are necessary to ascertain product identity throughout the entire supply chain.

Abstract: Bovine thymus extracts have attracted medical interest for over 50 years due to their pleiotropic activity. Drug formulations and dietary supplements contain synthetic and natural thymus components. We characterized the biochemical properties of individual bovine thymus extracts and proposed preliminary analytical benchmarks, including water solubility (up to 450 mg/mL) and ~41% protein content, as typical for the tested material. The liquid chromatography profile and SDS-PAGE showed mostly polypeptides with molecular mass < 37 kDa. Using ELISA, we quantified the presence of thymosin β4 as one of the reactive components, while mass spectrometry sequences revealed homologues to additional immunologically active peptides. The cytokine quantification (TNF-α and IL-1β) in the THP-1-derived macrophage model was implemented. The minimum standard for characterization of thymus extract is proposed including its chromatography profile at 215 nm, protein/carbohydrate/lipid composition, and cytokine induction as a form of confirmation of biological activity. These findings support the use of combined physicochemical, chromatographic, and cell-based assays as candidate quality-control tools, although broader batch-to-batch validation, more specific bioactive-marker assays, and microbiological safety testing are still required.

Abstract: The conventional interpretation of Mixolab curves describing wheat dough behavior under simultaneous mechanical and thermal stress was substantially extended by introducing a series of novel kinetic and geometrical descriptors. In addition to the standard Mixolab parameters, new indexes of Mechanical Weakening of Proteins (MWP), Thermo-Mechanical Weakening of Proteins (TMW), several traits aiming at stability of dough consistency (STA_{C1 rel}, C12/STA_C1), Structural Recovery Index (C5/C1), micro-scaled torque change rates (ΔmCij) and physical angular descriptors (slopes omega°, delta°) were developed to characterize individual phases of viscoelastic dough transformation to the solidified bread crumb-like material. The approach was applied to investigate the effects of four chemically distinct essential oils (EOs), namely cinnamon, oregano, lemongrass, and thyme ones, incorporated into wheat flour at five concentration levels (5–80 mg · 100 g^–1 flour). Besides those all innovations, selected standard Mixolab torque-parameters were informatively recalculated to the Brabender units—to be easily compared to the Farinograph proof results, because this rheological test represents the standard in the cereal chemistry and technology branch. Adaptation of the Principal Components Analysis lies in: i) using of the Variance Components Analysis in a role of the input data filter and ii) unfolding of the 3D-space to 2D-surfaces pair of plots along the shared PC2 coordinate. Conventional Mixolab parameters revealed that cinnamon and oregano oils significantly weakened the gluten network, reducing dough stability and lowering the minimum protein-related torque C2, whereas lemongrass oil preserved the protein stability at levels comparable to the control flour. Oregano and thyme oils significantly increased the final torque C5, indicating enhanced starch retrogradation and formation of a firmer structure of the cooled gel. The innovative descriptors provided substantially deeper insight into these transformations. Cinnamon oil generated the highest MWP values (up to 18.5 %), indicating pronounced mechanically induced gluten weakening. In contrast, lemongrass oil maintained MWP values close to the control while accelerating starch gelatinization and hot-gel breakdown, reflected by elevated beta° values and steepened gamma° slopes. Oregano and thyme oils reduced the gelatinization kinetics but markedly supported the retrogradation-related parameters, including C54, slope delta°, and the C5/C1 ratio, indicating enhanced structural recovery during cooling. Correlation analysis confirmed that the innovative descriptors captured complementary information and exhibited substantially lower redundancy than conventional Mixolab variables. Before Principal Components Analysis from 34 variables in total, Variance Components Analysis identified 17 representative parameters with the highest distinguishing power; Principal Component Analysis demonstrated two-component model of PC1 and PC2 explained 72% of total experimental variability and reduced data noise to only 6 % (per contra to 61% and 14%, respectively, in the case of the standard Mixolab parameters). The multivariate models clearly differentiated essential oils according to their chemical composition and dose-dependent rheological effects on water-dough behavior. The results demonstrated chemically distinct essential oils influence on wheat dough rheology through different mechanisms affecting protein weakening, starch gelatinization, hot-gel stability, and starch retrogradation. The proposed kinetic and geometrical descriptors substantially enhance the interpretive capacity of Mixolab analysis and provide a valuable tool for mechanistic–kinetic investigation of functional ingredients in cereal-based systems.

Abstract: Objective. Live biotherapeutics—probiotics and synbiotics—have dominated microbiota-gut-brain axis interventions in psychiatry, yet clinical trials show modest, inconsistent effects, while mechanistic work increasingly attributes their benefits to microbial metabolic products rather than colonization. This review asks whether postbiotics—inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confer a health benefit, per the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics—can replace live microbial therapies in psychiatry. Method. A narrative synthesis was conducted of peer-reviewed literature spanning microbiome science, neuropharmacology, and psychiatry, including consensus statements, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, mechanistic preclinical studies, and human trials of microbial-metabolite-based and live-microbial interventions in mood, psychotic, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Results. Short-chain fatty acids—particularly butyrate—exert antidepressant and anxiolytic effects in animal models via histone deacetylase inhibition, neurotrophic upregulation, and microglial regulation, while microbially derived gamma-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, and indole derivatives signal to the brain through vagal, endocrine, and immune routes. Human data remain limited but supportive: fecal short-chain fatty acid profiles track depressive symptoms, and sodium butyrate supplementation reduced anxiety and depression scores in a randomized ulcerative-colitis trial. Critically, inanimate microbes—pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila and heat-killed strains—confer measurable benefits, proving viability is not required. However, isolated metabolites face pharmacokinetic barriers, lack living-consortium redundancy, and no psychiatric trial has compared a postbiotic with its live parental strain. Conclusion. Postbiotics are a mechanistically rigorous, safety-favorable class that can match, and in some domains exceed, live microbial therapies, but current evidence does not support wholesale replacement. The most defensible path is an integrated model using standardized postbiotic preparations as scalable adjuncts or alternatives within a stratified, biomarker-guided psychiatric armamentarium.

Abstract: Polysaccharides have attracted extensive attention due to their pharmacological activities, such as regulating depression, antitumor, hypoglycemic and lipid-lowering effects, and regulating intestinal flora. In this study, four crude polysaccharide fractions were separated and prepared from Lycium barbarum L., named LICP007, LICP008, LICP009 and LICP010. With hypoglycemic activity in vitro, LICP007 with a better hypoglycemic effect was selected for further separation and purification, and one neutral polysaccharide (LICP007-N1) and two acidic polysaccharides (LICP007-S2 and LICP007-S5) were obtained by DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-200 gel electrophoresis. Among them, LICP007-S5 showed the best inhibitory activity against α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Studies on physical and chemical properties show that LICP007-S5 was indeed very different from LICP007-N1 and LICP007-S2 in molecular weight distribution, monosaccharide composition, morphology and so on. These findings provide comparative information on the structure and biological activity of different Lycium barbarum polysaccharides and highlight their potential as hypoglycemic agents in functional foods.

Abstract: The growing demand for functional non-dairy beverages has stimulated interest in cereal-based fermented products with enhanced biological activity. This study investigated the effect of addition of lemon, mandarin, and orange essential oils (0.01–0.05%) on the fermentation performance, phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity, and sensory characteristics of wort-based lactic acid beverages fermented with Lacticaseibacillus casei ssp. rhamnosus Oly. The tested concentrations did not inhibit bacterial growth, although a slight delay in fermentation was observed. Nevertheless, all variants reached viable cell counts above 10¹¹ CFU/mL, confirming their probiotic potential. Total phenolic content was determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method, revealing that fermentation promoted the retention or increase of phenolic compounds. Fermentation generally enhanced the antioxidant capacity of the beverages, with the most pronounced increases observed by the FRAP assay. Depending on the formulation, CUPRAC, DPPH, and ABTS analyses also revealed changes in antioxidant potential associated with microbial biotransformation of phenolic compounds and interactions with citrus oil constituents. Sensory evaluation demonstrated improved aroma and flavor, compared with the control, with the beverages containing 0.04% lemon essential oil. 0.02% orange essential oil, and 0.02% mandarin essential oil receiving the highest sensory score. However, only the beverage with 0.02% orange essential oil showed high biological value.

Abstract: Edible packaging is commonly evaluated as a material that protects food, reduces conventional packaging, and may deliver active compounds. Its intended ingestion, however, changes the hygienic endpoint: an external surface exposed during manufacture, distribution, retail, and handling can become a direct route of consumer exposure. This critical narrative review introduces Edible Packaging Hygiene (EPH), a lifecycle framework for evaluating microbiological, chemical, allergenic, and physical hazards from raw-material selection to consumption. Low water activity may prevent growth without eliminating pathogens, antimicrobial performance against food-associated targets does not establish the hygienic safety of the packaging surface, and ingestion requires assessment of both migration and the residual material itself. The framework therefore emphasizes process stabilization, prevention of post-process contamination, moisture control, distribution and retail protection, consumer handling, and verification immediately before expected consumption. A secondary-packaging paradox arises when hygienic protection requires an additional non-edible layer, potentially reducing environmental benefits; this trade-off should be assessed at whole-system level rather than inferred from material mass. Research priorities include finished-surface challenge tests, transfer studies, dynamic humidity protocols, realistic retail and consumer simulations, and integrated safety-life-cycle assessment. EPH reframes edible packaging safety around hygienic integrity at the point of consumption.

Abstract: Osmotic dehydration is a technology of interest for food innovation and preservation, although its behavior depends on multiple variables that complicate conventional control and optimization. The objective was to develop and evaluate an intelligent system based on LabVIEW for the monitoring, multivariable analysis, and optimiza-tion of the osmotic dehydration of fruit matrices. Samples of mango, apple, pineapple, and coconut were evaluated using osmotic media of sugar water and carob syrup, con-sidering operating variables and mass transfer responses: weight loss (WR), water loss (WL), and solids gain (SG). Data acquisition, processing, and visualization were inte-grated using LabVIEW, complemented by response surface analysis. In pineapple, the combination of 50 °Brix and 80 kHz showed the highest WR (31.67%) and WL (39.65%) values, while the highest SG (11.91%) was obtained at 60 °Brix and 37 kHz. The com-parison between fruits revealed differentiated responses depending on the matrix and the osmotic agent. The results support the application of LabVIEW as a platform for the multivariable monitoring and analysis of osmotic dehydration and provide a basis for developing predictive optimization strategies and intelligent control in agri-food processes.

Abstract: Antimicrobial resistance is usually treated as a hospital problem, yet much of the resistance reaching a patient's bedside begins in the food chain. This review follows resistance from the breeding farm to the domestic kitchen, asking at every step what happens there to make resistant bacteria more likely to survive, multiply or move into a new host. Literature from 2010 to 2026 was drawn from five databases and from EFSA, WHO, FAO and WOAH surveillance outputs; 118 sources were retained. Primary production emerges as the main amplifier, because that is where antimicrobials are given in bulk and where copper, zinc and quaternary ammonium biocides quietly co-select for the same mobile elements. Slaughter and processing act as mixers rather than filters, redistributing a few resistant clones across a day of production. Retail and household handling add little selection but a great deal of exposure. Beneath all of it sits an environmental compartment that stores resistance genes and returns them months later. Three contributions are offered. Stage-specific amplification profiling separates stages that create resistance from those that merely carry it. An AMR-Critical Control Point framework adapts HACCP logic to a hazard that is a transferable gene rather than a bacterial count. An intervention hierarchy ranks controls by effectiveness rather than by ease of adoption. The review closes critically: the retail prevalence survey has reached diminishing returns, surveillance built separately in each sector cannot detect the linkages it was meant to find, and consumer messaging has been asked to carry more responsibility than it can bear. The limitations of our own frameworks are stated alongside those criticisms. For countries where antimicrobials are sold without prescription and most meat moves through informal markets, the order of reform matters more than its content: diagnostic capacity first, sentinel surveillance second, sales restriction third, consumer education last.

Abstract: The global food system currently stands at a crossroads. On one hand, nearly 1.05 billion tonnes of food are wasted annually—roughly one-third of everything produced for human consumption—while on the other hand, this very waste stream represents one of the most underutilized reservoirs of valuable biological resources on the planet. This paradox has given rise to the field of food waste valorization, a discipline that seeks to transform what was once considered refuse into a spectrum of high-value products. The present review article offers a comprehensive, critically assessed synthesis of the current state of knowledge in this rapidly evolving field. I begin by quantifying the magnitude of the global food waste challenge, drawing on the most recent data from the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization, which collectively underscore the environmental, economic, and ethical imperatives for action. From there, I undertake a detailed characterization of the major categories of agro-industrial by-products—those arising from fruit and vegetable processing, cereal milling and brewing, dairy manufacturing, and seafood processing—highlighting their compositional richness and the specific bioactive molecules they harbor. The review then provides an in-depth examination of the advanced green extraction technologies that have been developed to recover these compounds efficiently and sustainably, including ultrasound-assisted, microwave-assisted, supercritical fluid, enzyme-assisted, and pressurized liquid extraction, as well as emerging approaches such as pulsed electric field processing and natural deep eutectic solvents. I subsequently explore the biological conversion routes—anaerobic digestion, fermentation for platform chemicals, bioplastics production, enzyme fermentation, and single-cell protein cultivation—and the thermochemical technologies—pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonization, and gasification—that together form the technological backbone of the biorefinery concept. Four original tables synthesize data on waste types and valorization pathways, extraction technology comparisons, biological conversion routes and yields, and the market landscape for value-added products. Three original figures provide visual frameworks for understanding the integrated biorefinery, green extraction technologies, and the value-added product cascade. I critically assess the techno-economic feasibility and life cycle environmental performance of these approaches, identify the persistent challenges that impede widespread commercialization, and cast a forward-looking gaze toward the emerging trends—artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, synthetic biology, and supportive policy frameworks—that are poised to accelerate the transition to a circular bioeconomy. Throughout, our aim is to provide not merely a catalog of technologies and products, but a human-centered narrative that connects scientific innovation with the urgent societal need for a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food system.

Abstract: Acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is a medical emergency in which inflammation, bloody diarrhea, anorexia, protein loss, dehydration, treatment toxicity, and the prospect of urgent surgery can rapidly turn a previously well-nourished person into a nutritionally fragile patient. Nutrition is therefore part of active supportive care, but it is not a stand-alone induction therapy, and it must never delay intravenous corticosteroids, rescue therapy, infection assessment, venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, or timely colectomy. Current guidance favors early nutritional screening, continued oral intake when safe, enteral nutrition when oral intake is inadequate and the gut is usable, and parenteral nutrition only when enteral feeding is impossible, contraindicated, or insufficient. The evidence base remains uneven: most studies pool inflammatory bowel disease phenotypes, include non-severe disease, or report nutritional endpoints rather than colectomy, steroid response, infection, or functional recovery. Older trials support enteral nutrition as the safer default compared with parenteral nutrition when the gut functions, and a small randomized trial suggests that seven days of exclusive enteral nutrition alongside standard therapy may improve early steroid response, though this signal has not yet become a universal standard. A 2025 meta-analysis of adults with ulcerative colitis found exclusive enteral nutrition well tolerated but found no statistically reliable reduction in steroid failure or colectomy in acute severe disease. Refeeding risk, electrolyte depletion, anemia, vitamin D deficiency, zinc deficiency, and steroid-related bone risk all require deliberate monitoring. Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, fecal microbiota approaches, curcumin, and other microbiome-directed strategies remain adjunctive and should not be presented as substitutes for evidence-based medical or surgical treatment. Beyond the acute admission, this review also considers dietitian-led care, body composition, nutrition-related inequity, perioperative preparation, and the transition from hospital to home. Future research should prioritize ASUC-specific populations, phenotype-specific trial design, and patient-centered outcomes—including nutritional adequacy, muscle function, infection, rescue therapy, colectomy, functional recovery, affordability, and postdischarge sustainability.