Athletes and individuals with cardiovascular concerns often rely on supplements to enhance their performance and heart health. However, there is a growing demand for natural, functional alternatives. This study aimed to develop Nitro Boost Beetroot Bites, a functional snack/food formulated using beetroot, jaggery, and coconut, to promote improved blood circulation, energy generation, and cardiovascular health. In this study, an observational research design was employed to compare a control group with an experimental group that consumed the product. Proximate analysis was performed for nutritional characterization, along with sensory analysis using a hedonic scale. The proximate analysis showed an increase in carbohydrates to 61.96 grams and a decrease in protein content to 11 grams in the experimental product. Despite these changes, the high nitrate content from beetroot is expected to contribute to enhanced athletic endurance and cardiovascular health. Despite these changes, the elevated nitrate levels of 47.31 grams per serving in beetroot are anticipated to improve athletic endurance and cardiovascular health. In terms of organoleptic characteristics, including appearance, texture, taste, and overall acceptability, the scores given by those who consumed the the formulated Nitro Boost Beetroot Bites were significantly higher than those given by the control group. Nitro Boost Beetroot Bites demonstrate potential as a natural, nitrate-dense supplement for enhancing athletic performance and cardiovascular health.

It is advised that the amount of Nitro Boost Bites consumed be kept to about 8.63 grams daily to maintain a nitrate intake within the range of 0-3.7 mg/kg bodyweight, which is the ADI. Although sensory attributes have been enhanced, additional modifications to the formulation are necessary to equilibrate the nutritional content. Future clinical research is necessary to validate the long-term efficacy of the product and enhance its health advantages.

This study examines the green marketing strategies employed by food companies in Poland and Sweden, with a specific focus on how these strategies align with the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) sustainability framework, which encompasses environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Using content analysis of publicly available sustainability reports, we identified key themes and concepts reflecting the companies' approaches to sustainable marketing across the three regions. Data collection involved a combination of web scraping (via Python) and manual verification. Company lists were obtained from lusha.com, a platform that ranks top companies by country. Out of 187 Polish food companies, 19 had accessible sustainability reports; in Sweden, 26 reports were obtained from a total of 244 companies. We excluded the remaining companies because we could not find sustainability reports for them, and some belonged to other product categories, such as cosmetics and food innovation technology. Additionally, we excluded food companies that mentioned their sustainability goals on their webpage but did not provide sustainability reports. This study used supervised Bag-of-Words (BOW) technique for text analysis using R studio. We developed custom dictionaries to identify key themes related to green marketing strategies and their linkage to the triple bottom-line framework of sustainability. The findings reveal both commonalities and regional differences in the emphasis placed on environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability. Notably, the social dimension was the most emphasized across both regions. This research contributes to the understanding of regional variations in green marketing communication strategies and offers insights into how food companies integrate sustainability into their public communications and reporting practices.

Culinary processing is an integral part of food preparation, affecting not only sensory properties but also the biological activity of nutrients. This study investigates how different thermal treatments of sardines (Sardina spp.) and sprats (Sprattus spp.)—rich sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids with proven anti-inflammatory and probiotic-modulating effects—influence the adhesion of selected probiotic strains to intestinal epithelial cells.

Samples of sardines and sprats were subjected to boiling, steaming, frying, and baking, with raw samples serving as controls. All samples were then digested using the standardised INFOGEST in vitro digestion protocol. After digestion, the samples were incubated with FITC-labelled probiotic strains (Lactobacillus brevis, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus gasseri) on two epithelial co-culture models: Caco-2 + HT29 and Caco-2 + HT29-MTX. Adhesion was quantified via fluorescence measurement after washing off non-adherent bacteria.

The results showed that adhesion capacity was significantly influenced not only by the bacterial strain and cell model but, most notably, by the type of heat treatment. L. rhamnosus exhibited the highest adhesion, particularly on the Caco-2 + HT29 model, with increases exceeding 100% for raw sardine digests and nearly 95% for boiled samples compared to controls. In contrast, L. gasseri showed the lowest adhesion levels across all conditions, while L. brevis displayed moderate responses (e.g., over 50% increase with baked sprats and over 40% decrease with baked sardines).

Gentler cooking methods, such as boiling and steaming, enhanced bacterial adhesion, likely due to reduced protein denaturation and limited oxidation. These findings confirm the strain-specific nature of adhesion and highlight the importance of appropriate culinary processing for preserving the probiotic potential of foods. This knowledge may contribute to the development of functional foods aimed at supporting gut health.

Introduction: Recent research in food and nutrition sciences has explored milk peptides for their nutraceutical and therapeutic benefits. In this study, an attempt was made to assess the hypoglycemic effect of αS1-casein (αS1-CSN) isolated from the milk of Gir through dipeptidyl peptidase – IV (DPP-IV) inhibition.

Methods: The enzymatic hydrolysis of extracted αS1-CSN was carried out using Flavourzyme, pepsin and trypsin individually at 1%, 2% and 4% enzyme–substrate (E-S) ratios for a period of 2 - 12 h. This hydrolysate was ultra-filtered through 10 and 3 kDa cutoff membranes in order to obtain low-molecular-weight peptides. Permeate of 3 kDa was subjected to preparatory RP-HPLC in order to collect time-bound fractions. Later, peptide sequencing was performed through LC-MS/MS. Furthermore, the α-CSN hydrolysate was assessed with a peptide transportation assay using the caco2 cell line model.

Results: The hydrolysate obtained from pepsin treatment after 4 h at a 4% E-S ratio showed maximum DPP-IV inhibition (92.08±1.77%) with an IC₅₀ value of 140.3 µg/mL, and the corresponding degree of hydrolysis was 11.22±1.06%. A total of 45 time-based (collected every 30 s) peaks were recorded and evaluated for % DPP-IV inhibition; among them, fraction 27 showed the highest DPP-IV inhibition (65.31±2.41%), and this fraction was subjected to UHPLC and LC-MS/MS analysis, through which 40 unique peptides were identified. Most of the peptides identified (~85%) belonged to the region of f193-213 and f137 to 154 in αS1-CSN. Among them, two low-molecular-weight peptides were synthesized, viz., IPNPIGSENSE and IQKEDVPSE, and assessed for DPP-IV inhibition; later, one showed the lowest IC50 value of 1.67mM. Cell viability was not affected with up to 100 µg of product per well, and about 10% of the peptides were transported from the apical to the basal chamber in a time of 2 h.

Conclusion: The developed hydrolysate of αS1-CSN could be a potential hypoglycemic product.

Paneer whey (PW), a significant by-product of the Indian dairy industry, contains nearly 50% of the total milk solids. Despite its nutritional value, a substantial portion of PW remains underutilized and is often discarded, leading to both nutrient loss and environmental pollution due to its high organic load. Leveraging its rich nutrient profile, PW can be transformed into value-added products, such as galactooligosaccharides (GOS), which are recognized prebiotics. The objective of this study was to develop a GOS-rich paneer whey powder and assess its storage stability. Paneer whey was concentrated to 40% lactose content and hydrolyzed using commercial β-galactosidase enzymes in a sequential process at 40°C for 4 hours. The resulting GOS-rich hydrolyzed concentrated paneer whey (HCPW) syrup was characterized and stored in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles at 7 ± 2°C for 180 days. Initially, the HCPW contained 24.34% GOS (based on initial lactose content) and 6.94 µM/L hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), with no significant changes observed during storage. For spray-drying, the Taguchi method was used to optimize processing conditions. Moisture content, insolubility index, drying yield, and encapsulation efficiency were selected as response variables. The optimized GOS-rich whey powder exhibited an encapsulation efficiency of 55.43% and excellent solubility and dispersibility (93.03%). To evaluate storage stability, the spray-dried GOS-rich paneer whey powder was packed in aluminium-laminated pouches and stored at 30 ± 2°C for 90 days. Microbiological parameters remained within permissible limits throughout the storage period. Although moisture content increased significantly, it remained below 5%. The browning index rose from 5.59 to 8.07, and HMF content increased from 45.41 to 57.18 µM/L, indicating the progression of Maillard browning. However, the encapsulation efficiency and GOS content of the powder remained stable during storage.

In agro-based economies with limited industrial resources, such as Paraguay, there is a pressing need for accessible tools that support the sustainable management and optimization of agro-industrial byproducts. This study presents Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a decision-making and optimization tool for industrial processes, applied to the valorization of Acrocomia aculeata endocarp—an abundant yet underutilized byproduct from the palm fruit industry that is widely processed in Paraguay. This work provides an LCA estimate that defines system boundaries and includes transport and potential packaging scenarios. The LCA covers the pathway from waste generation (endocarp produced during processing) through its conversion to biochar (450 °C), packaging, and distribution (up to 200 km). The analysis identified key environmental hotspots, with significant impacts associated with polypropylene packaging and transport logistics, despite the assumption of clean energy use for pyrolysis. These results demonstrate how LCA can guide process improvements, from exploring packaging alternatives to optimizing supply chains and increasing the use of renewable energy sources. Beyond serving as an environmental diagnostic, this work positions LCA as a scalable decision-support tool for resource-constrained agro-industrial contexts. It offers valuable support for industrial symbiosis initiatives and value chain enhancement. The proposed methodology is adaptable to other agro-industrial residues, helping industries reduce waste, improve carbon sequestration through biochar application in agriculture and contribute to climate action targets. Overall, the study advances the development of circular economy strategies in agro-industrial systems.

Amidst growing consumer interest in anthocyanins’ health benefits, the market for anthocyanin-based supplements has expanded rapidly. However, data on the composition, formulation, and health positioning of these products in the Australian online market remains limited. This study addresses this gap through a comprehensive analysis of anthocyanin-based dietary supplements available online in Australia (in July–August 2024), focusing on key product characteristics, including their origin, sources, formulation, concentration, content, claims, dosage, and pricing. Among 121 analysed products, bilberry, elderberry, and tart cherry were the most common sources, representing 47% of the market. Capsules were the dominant delivery format (86%), and the extract concentrations varied widely, where lower concentrations (1–10:1) were the most prevalent, indicating that the extracts were less than 10 times concentrated from fresh fruits. Only 12% of the products disclosed their anthocyanin levels (0.1%–39%), with bilberry-based products dominating this category. Health claims appeared for 69% of the products, often linking bilberry to vision health, elderberry to immune support, tart cherry to joint and muscle recovery, and cranberry to urinary tract health. However, most claims did not reference clinical evidence or use approved wording under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) or Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulations, and regulatory disclaimers were inconsistently provided. This suggests limited regulatory compliance across product labelling. The amount of the extract per serving varied significantly, ranging from 10 mg to 1,000 mg. Pricing analysis revealed a large cost range (AUD 0.02–7.40/g; average of AUD 0.78/g), with bilberry being the most expensive and tart cherry the cheapest. This analysis provides valuable insights for consumers seeking to make informed decisions, health professionals offering evidence-based guidance, researchers optimising delivery formats, and manufacturers improving their product offerings. Moreover, the findings highlight the need for greater transparency in product labelling and underscore the necessity for FSANZ to enhance the scrutiny of online products, particularly those sourced internationally, to ensure adherence to labelling and health claim standards under Australian regulations.

The global demand for sustainable protein has brought edible insects into focus as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional livestock, given their reduced resource needs and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Although their safety is widely supported by existing research, widespread consumer acceptance is still lacking.

Therefore, this study explored the influence of different sample preparation techniques on cytotoxicity and probiotic interactions. We tested three commonly consumed insect species—Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm), Acheta domesticus (house cricket), and Locusta migratoria (migratory locust). Samples were processed using two methods: simulated gastrointestinal digestion based on the INFOGEST protocol (5 g per sample) and ethanol extraction with 80% ethanol for 24 hours, followed by evaporation and resuspension in DMSO (final concentration: 51.2 mg/mL). All samples were sterile-filtered (0.22 µm). Cytotoxic effects were assessed in non-differentiated human intestinal cell lines (Caco-2 and HT29) using the MTT assay. Both digested and ethanol-extracted samples were tested in a concentration range of 10–0.31% for digested samples and 512–16 µg/mL for extracts. In parallel, we evaluated the ability of selected probiotic strains (Lactobacillus gasseri, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, and L. brevis) to adhere to these epithelial models in the presence of insect-derived samples, which were tested at concentrations of 1, 0.75, and 0.5% for digested material.

Our results showed that the ethanolic extracts were non-toxic to both cell lines, whereas digested samples exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with IC₅₀ values around 2.5% of the original digest. Because probiotic adhesion is influenced by both the insect species and the preparation of samples, suggesting a range of bioactive compounds, these findings indicate that previously published safety assessments, often based on selected extracts or simplified models, may not fully capture the complexity of biological responses, and their interpretation should therefore be approached with appropriate caution.

Introduction

Grape pomace, a by-product of grape processing, is recognized as an economically valuable commodity due to its richness in bioactive substances, which are associated with health implications and technological applications. Grape pomace phenolic compounds have been found to be natural antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds that can prevent lipid oxidation and extend the shelf life of various food products, preserving quality and nutritive value.

Methods

This study investigated the phenolic profile of grape pomace from a variety of Vitis vinifera L. cultivars produced on the Island of Madeira. Green extraction techniques—micro-QuEChERS and micro-liquid–liquid extraction—were used, as well as ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (UHPLC-PDA), for the identification and quantification of polyphenols. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts of grape pomace was also tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Results

The Tinta Negra grape variety presented the highest content of polyphenols (10.31 mg/100 g), followed by Malvasia Roxa (8.35 mg/100 g), Complexa (7.50 mg/100 g), Boal (6.78 mg/100 g), Malvasia São Jorge (6.66 mg/100 g), Sercial (6.03 mg/100 g), Verdelho (5.80 mg/100 g), and Terrantez (5.30 mg/100 g). Red grape pomace presented, on average, 1.4 times more polyphenols (8.72 mg/100 g) than white grape pomace (6.12 mg/100 g). The major polyphenols identified were gallic acid (2.15–3.35 mg/100 g), catechin (0.96–3.08 mg/100 g), and trans-resveratrol (0.32–1.82 mg/100 g), which represented 74% of the polyphenolic fraction. Sercial and Complexa exhibited the biggest inhibition zones against S. aureus (11.5 and 11.3 mm, respectively) and E. coli (7.50 and 7.10 mm, respectively).

Conclusions

The results indicate that grape pomace is an important natural source of antioxidants and antimicrobials with huge potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Grape pomace valorization follows the guidelines of a circular bioeconomy because it transforms winemaking by-products into value-added functional products.

Maize is a key staple crop in Ghana, essential for household food security. However, postharvest handling and storage practices make maize highly susceptible to fungal infestation and subsequent mycotoxin contamination. Mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxins and fumonisins, pose significant health risks, including liver cancer, immune suppression, and stunted growth. This study investigates the microbial causes and contributing factors of mycotoxin contamination in stored maize, with the aim of identifying food safety risks in typical Ghanaian storage environments.

The study involved the collection of maize samples from 60 farmers across five rural communities in the Eastern and Ashanti regions of Ghana. Fungal species were isolated and identified using standard pour plate and serial dilution methods on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), incubated at 25–28 °C for 5–7 days.

Moisture content, temperature, and storage conditions were also recorded and analysed to assess their correlation with fungal presence and mycotoxin production.

Preliminary results revealed a high incidence of Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides, with aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1 as the most common toxins detected.

Poor ventilation, high humidity, and traditional storage methods were strongly associated with higher fungal loads and mycotoxin levels. These findings confirm that postharvest practices significantly influence microbial contamination and toxin accumulation.

In conclusion, this study highlights the urgent need for improved postharvest management and mycotoxin monitoring in Ghana. By applying a food microbiology approach, the research provides valuable insight into the fungal ecology of stored maize and offers practical recommendations for farmers and policymakers. The results support national and regional efforts to enhance food safety, reduce postharvest losses, and protect public health in maize-dependent communities.