Search Results (233)

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seeds are an interesting raw material for malting regarding its relatively high bioactive compounds concentration and proven advantageous properties in different food products and dietary supplements. In the first stage of the study, important seeds properties relevant to the malting process including moisture content, seed viability, and water absorption capacity were determined. However, a few parameters determining the seeds’ usability for malt preparation, such as germination ability and water sensitivity, are different in comparison to typical malting raw materials such as barley or wheat. However, they make it possible to obtain high-quality hemp malt. In the next stage of research, spectroscopic and chromatographic analyses, including measurements of antioxidant activity and protein separation by SEC-HPLC, were conducted. The results showed that the malting process improved the total antioxidant potential of hemp seeds by 15%, leading to an increase in the concentration of lower molecular weight proteins and oligopeptides—below molecular mass of 10 kDa—responsible for this high antioxidant activity. The processing of hemp seeds reduced the phytate content while increasing phosphate fractions with fewer phosphate groups, which may have a beneficial effect on nutritional value. These results suggest that malting hemp seeds needs optimalization of the process but can increase its nutritional value as a promising raw material in the food industry. Full article

Ficus drupacea is a fruit-bearing tree that is distributed in Southeast Asia and Australia. The objective of this research was to ascertain the following with regard to ripened fruits: (i) their nutritional value, (ii) their mineral status, (iii) the fatty acid composition of fruit and seed oil, (iv) their phytochemical makeup, and (v) their antioxidant properties. The ripened fruits contained 3.21%, 3.25%, 0.92%, 1.47%, and 2.20% carbohydrate, protein, fat, ash, and fiber, respectively. Fruits had an energy content of 30.18 kcal/100 g. In terms of mineral content, the fruit was rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and nitrogen, with values of 21.03, 13.24, 11.07, and 4.13 mg/g DW. Iron, zinc, manganese, and boron had values of 686.67, 124.33, 114.40, and 35.78 µg/g DW, respectively. The contents of oxalate and phytate were 14.44 and 2.8 mg/g FW, respectively. The fruit and seed oil content were 0.67 and 8.07%, respectively, and the oil’s physicochemical properties were comparable to those of fig fruit and seed oils. Omega-3 (α-linolenic acid), omega-6 (linoleic acid), and omega-9 (oleic acid) fatty acids were abundant in the oils. Fruit extracts in acetone, methanol, and water have greater concentrations of phenolics, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, total antioxidant activity, and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays demonstrated increased antioxidant activities in close correlation with the higher concentrations of phenolics, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The results of this study demonstrate that the fruits of F. drupacea are a strong source of nutrients and phytochemicals, and they merit more investigation and thought for possible uses. Full article

This study aimed to determine the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) in various feed ingredients using the direct method. This study comprised eight experimental diets: a Ca–P-free diet and seven experimental diets, each containing monocalcium phosphate (MCP), dicalcium phosphate (DCP), monosodium phosphate (MSP) + limestone, corn, and soybean meal (SBM) as the sole sources of Ca and/or P. These diets provided 4.21 g/kg of non-phytate P from MCP, DCP, or MSP, and the MSP + limestone diet included 7.50 g/kg of Ca. The corn and SBM diets formulated to determine P digestibility maintained a dietary Ca/total P ratio of 1.4 through the addition of limestone. Chromic oxide was added to the diets as an indigestible index. On day 18, 256 male and 256 female broilers were individually weighed and randomly assigned to eight treatments, each with four replicates for each sex (eight birds per cage). This allocation followed a randomized complete block design based on body weight. On day 21, the birds were euthanized using carbon dioxide, and ileal digesta samples were collected from the distal two-thirds section of the ileum. No significant interactions between the experimental diets and sex regarding the SID of Ca or P were detected, and no effect of sex on the SID was observed. The standardized ileal Ca digestibility of MCP, DCP, limestone, corn, and SBM was found to be 84.7%, 70.1%, 52.6%, 88.6%, and 81.6%, respectively. The standardized ileal P digestibility of MCP, DCP, MSP, corn, and SBM was determined to be 91.8%, 76.8%, 94.4%, 73.1, and 88.4%, respectively. Given the variable digestibility of Ca and P across different feed ingredients, the consideration of the specific type of ingredients used in diet formulation is crucial. Full article

The effect of liver fibrosis on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients is unclear. Therefore, we performed a prospective cross-sectional study on 219 patients with T2DM and older than 60 years to evaluate the association between liver fibrosis, liver steatosis, and cognitive impairment. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to screen for MCI or dementia. Liver fibrosis was estimated using the non-invasive Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score, and liver steatosis was assessed with the hepatic steatosis index. The mean age was 71 ± 6 years, 47% were women and according to MoCA cut-off values, 53.88% had MCI and 16.43% had dementia. A moderate or high risk of advanced fibrosis was significantly higher in patients with MCI or dementia compared to those with normal cognition (p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders, a FIB-4 score greater than 1.54 was associated with MCI or dementia (p = 0.039). Multivariate analysis identified age over 70.5 years, antiplatelet medication use, and a FIB-4 score above 1.54 as the most relevant risk factors. Liver fibrosis, but not liver steatosis, is associated with MCI or dementia in older T2DM patients, suggesting that FIB-4 score might be a simple biomarker for the detection of cognitive impairment. Full article

The main aim of this study was to determine the effects of different processing methods on the antinutritional factors of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) of the Pusa Baisakhi variety. The values obtained were as follows: tannin 477 mg/100 g, oxalate 227 mg/100 g, phytate 627 mg/100 g, total phenolic content 772 mg/100 g, and saponin 2618 mg/100 g in raw mungbean, on a dry basis. The maximum reduction in tannin (63%) was observed when the mungbean was processed by the soaking and dehulling processes. The reduction achieved by soaking for 12 h and germination for 36 h was the most effective method in reducing the phytate content of mungbean (39%). The maximum reduction in saponin (22%) and oxalate (71%) was observed by autoclaving the soaked seeds. In comparison to other methods, roasting was the least effective method to reduce tannin, phytate, and oxalate. Autoclaving of the soaked seeds was the most effective method for reducing the antinutrients of mungbean among the cooking treatments. The processing methods such as soaking, dehulling, germination, roasting, raw open cooking, raw autoclaving, soaked open cooking, and autoclaving of soaked seeds significantly reduced the antinutrient contents of mungbean (p < 0.05). However, the effects of the treatments combined were more effective than those of the single process. Full article

Dietary phytic acid/phytate/myo-inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), a phosphate reservoir in plants, was viewed as antinutrient, caused by an influence on the bioavailability of minerals through its chelating activity. However, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that IP6 has beneficial (e.g., antiinflammatory, antibacterial, and anticancer) effects on multiple biological processes. Also, IP6 and its metabolites are known to exist in mammalian cells, including human cells, and the role of IP6 as a functional molecule is attracting attention. IP6 can bind to the growth sites of hydroxy-apatite (HA) and calcium oxalate crystals to prevent their growth and hence inhibit pathological calcification. SNF472, hexasodium IP6, is currently being evaluated in clinical studies as a treatment for vascular calcification and calciphylaxis. However, since HA crystal growth within bone matrix is an essential process in bone formation, it is possible that IP6 intake may inhibit physiological mineralization and bone formation, although currently more published studies suggest that IP6 may contribute to bone health rather than inhibit bone formation. Given that IP6 and its metabolites are thought to have diverse activities and many health benefits, it remains important to consider the range of effects of IP6 on bone. Full article

Background: Adults who have incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) may present with recurrent urolithiasis due to metabolic acidosis, leading to bone resorption, which in turn causes hypercalciuria and urine alkalinization (pH > 6.0). Oral potassium citrate is the most commonly used treatment for dRTA, but some patients cannot tolerate this treatment. The objective of this single-arm study was to evaluate the effect of phytate, an inhibitor of bone resorption, on calciuria of patients with incomplete dRTA. Methods: The calciuria levels of 16 patients who had incomplete dRTA with urolithiasis and could not tolerate potassium citrate treatment were recorded before (baseline) and after 6 months of treatment with oral calcium magnesium phytate (380 mg every 12 h). There were no dietary modifications or other treatments. Results: The baseline calciuria was 317 ± 81 mg/24 h and the level after 6 months was 221 ± 38 mg/24 h (p < 0.005). Conclusions: Our results suggest that calcium magnesium phytate should be considered as an alternative or adjunctive treatment for hypercalciuria in patients with incomplete dRTA. Full article

Legumes, rich in protein, fiber, and micronutrients, are increasingly popular in pulse-based and gluten-free foods despite global consumption stagnating at 21 g/day due to taste, low protein digestibility, anti-nutrients, and long cooking times. Bean resistance to cooking causes textural defects like the hardshell and hard-to-cook phenomena. The pectin–cation–phytate hypothesis explains why soaking beans in sodium salts reduces cooking time by enhancing pectin solubility in water. Gradoli Purgatory beans (GPB), from Italy′s Latium region, were malted, reducing phytic acid by 32% and oligosaccharides by 63%. This study evaluated the hardness of cooked GPB seeds in various conditions, including decorticated or malted states, using a modified standard method. Cooking at 98 °C for 7–75 min on an induction hob with a water-to-seed ratio of 4 g/g was tested. Soaking was applied before cooking for conventional seeds only, followed by texture analysis. Conventional GPBs were adequately cooked if their cotyledons disintegrated upon pressing, requiring a force peak of 250 to 220 N and cooking times of 52 to 57 min. Malted, decorticated, and split GPBs cooked similarly to raw decorticated and split ones, with times of 32 and 25 min, respectively. Faster cooking was due to bean coat removal and splitting, not chemical changes. Sodium or potassium carbonate/bicarbonate at 1–2 g/L improved cooking efficiency, with 2 g/L of sodium carbonate reducing cooking time to 13 min. Higher concentrations caused non-uniform cooking. Cooking malted, decorticated, and split GPBs in sodium-carbonated water reduced greenhouse gas emissions from 561 to 368 g CO_2e/kg, meeting the demand for eco-friendly and nutritionally enhanced plant protein sources. Full article

Ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and self-made nickel phytate (PANi) were used as modified materials to prepare green biomass rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF). The flame retardancy, thermal stability, smoke toxicity and mechanical properties of the modified RPUF were investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), a cone calorimetry (CONE) test, thermogravimetric analysis and a compression test. The results showed that the RPUF with 10 wt% APP (PANi/APP10) had the highest LOI of 26.5%. Its peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) were reduced by 29.64% and 24.05% compared with PANi/APP0 without APP. And its smoke production rate (SPR) and total smoke release (TSR) decreased by 33.14% and 19.88%, respectively. Compared with pure RPUF, the compressive strength of PANi/APP10 was increased by 50%, mainly because APP itself was an ultra-fine powder, which was better compatible with the matrix and improved the hardness of the material. The results showed that the synergistic effect of the gas phase and the condensed phase mechanism could effectively improve the flame-retardant effect. The current research results provided a new strategy for the preparation of green and low-toxicity RPUF. Full article

Antinutrients in rice tend to impair nutrient bioavailability; hence, this study aimed to investigate the effects of cooking and simulated digestion on the antioxidant activity and phenolic content of white and brown rice, as well as the bioavailability of some minerals. The rice grains were cooked in a pressure cooker, using a 1:2 (w/v) rice-to-water ratio. The digestion of the cooked rice grains was then simulated using pepsin and pancreatin systems. The phenolic (total, free, and bound) and flavonoid content; antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP); phytic acid and tannin levels; and mineral HCl-extractability were all determined in the raw, cooked, and digested grains. The cooking process significantly lowered (p ≤ 0.05) the phenolic content of the white rice; however, the phenolic content increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) when these cooked grains were digested. The phenolic content of brown rice decreased at a higher rate during cooking than that of white rice, and it recovered at a lower rate after digestion. The flavonoid content in both cooked and digested white and brown rice followed a similar trend with the phenolic content. This reduction in the phenolic and flavonoid content in both types of rice after cooking was associated with a large decrease in antioxidant activity, whereas, after digestion, it was associated with a considerable increase. After cooking, the levels of phytate and tannin in both types of rice decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.05), and this drop was even more pronounced in the digested grains. Although the mineral content in the cooked samples of white and brown rice decreased, it recovered after digestion; however, the mineral content remained lower than that of the raw samples. Despite this, there was also a rise in the bioavailability of the minerals in the cooked rice after digestion (p ≤ 0.05), which was considerably higher than the rise in the mineral content itself. The findings indicate that, while cooking rice decreases its phenolic content and antioxidant activity, it also lowers its antinutrient content. Additional benefits were also noted following the simulated digestion. Full article

The biofortification of edible crops with selenium (Se) is a common and effective strategy to address inadequate Se intake, which is suffered by millions of people worldwide. However, there is little information regarding the effects of this practice on crops belonging to the important Brassica family. To evaluate the efficacy of foliar Se application on broccoli, four treatments with varying Se concentrations were tested: 0%, 0.05%, 0.10%, and 0.15% (w/v), applied as sodium selenate during the early flowering stage. Although no overall effects on growth and biomass parameters were observed, the results indicate that the lowest Se dose (0.05-Se) was sufficient to notably increase Se concentration in the florets, even after boiling. Based on the increase to 14.2 mg Se kg⁻¹ of dry matter in this broccoli fraction, it was estimated that consuming a 100-gram portion of boiled florets biofortified with 0.05% Se would provide approximately 140 µg of Se, which could be sufficient to potentially improve human selenium status, as previously documented. Moreover, the results obtained underscore how the application of this small dose was also adequate to reduce phytate concentration in the florets and to increase antioxidant and polyphenol concentrations, thereby improving the concentration and bioavailability of other essential nutrients, including Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn, along with improving its quality as an antioxidant food. Full article

Antinutrients, also known as anti-nutritional factors (ANFs), are compounds found in many plant-based foods that can limit the bioavailability of nutrients or can act as precursors to toxic substances. ANFs have controversial effects on human health, depending mainly on their concentration. While the positive effects of these compounds are well documented, the dangers they pose and the approaches to avoid them have not been discussed to the same extent. There is no dispute that many ANFs negatively alter the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and proteins in addition to inhibiting some enzyme activities, thus negatively affecting the bioavailability of nutrients in the human body. This review discusses the chemical properties, plant bioavailability, and deleterious effects of anti-minerals (phytates and oxalates), glycosides (cyanogenic glycosides and saponins), polyphenols (tannins), and proteinaceous ANFs (enzyme inhibitors and lectins). The focus of this study is on the possibility of controlling the amount of ANF in food through fermentation. An overview of the most common biochemical pathways for their microbial reduction is provided, showing the genetic basis of these phenomena, including the active enzymes, the optimal conditions of action, and some data on the regulation of their synthesis. Full article

We aimed to estimate the non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) requirements of Chinese Jing Tint 6 layer chicks. We randomly allocated 720 birds to five treatments with six cages of 24 birds each, feeding them a corn–soybean diet containing 0.36%, 0.41%, 0.46%, 0.51%, and 0.56% NNP. The results showed that the body weight gain (BWG), tibial length, and apparent total tract digestibility coefficients (ATTDC) of P were affected (p < 0.05) by dietary NPP level. A quadratic broken-line analysis (p < 0.05) of BWG indicated that the optimal NPP for birds aged 1–14 d was 0.411%. Similarly, 0.409% of NPP met tibial growth needs. However, 0.394% of NPP was optimal for P utilization according to the ATTDC criterion. For 15–42 d birds, 0.466% NPP, as estimated by the BWG criterion, was sufficient for optimal growth without decreasing P utilization. Using the factorial method, NPP requirements were calculated as 0.367% and 0.439%, based on the maintenance factors and BWG for 1–14 and 15–42 d birds, respectively, to maintain normal growth. Combining the non-linear model with the factorial method, this study recommends dietary NPP levels of 0.367% and 0.439% for 1–14 and 15–42 d birds, respectively, to optimize P utilization without affecting performance. Full article

The inclusion of exogenous phytase in P- and Ca-deficient diets of broilers to address the growing concern about excessive P excretion into the environment over the years has been remarkably documented. However, responses among these studies have been inconsistent because of the several factors affecting P utilization. For this reason, a systematic review with a meta-analysis of results from forty-one studies published from 2000 to February 2024 was evaluated to achieve the following: (1) quantitatively summarize the size of phytase effect on growth performance, bone strength and mineralization in broilers fed diets deficient in P and Ca and (2) estimate and explore the heterogeneity in the effect size of outcomes using subgroup and meta-regression analyses. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s SYRCLE risk of bias checklists for animal studies. Applying the random effects models, Hedges’ g effect size of supplemented phytase was calculated using the R software (version 4.3.3, Angel Food Cake) to determine the standardized mean difference (SMD) at a 95% confidence interval. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to further explore the effect size heterogeneity (P_SMD ≤ 0.05, I² > 50%, n ≥ 10). The meta-analysis showed that supplemental phytase increases ADFI and BWG and improves FCR at each time point of growth (p < 0.0001). Additionally, phytase supplementation consistently increased tibia ash, P and Ca, and bone strength (p < 0.0001) of broilers fed P- and Ca-deficient diets. The results of the subgroup and meta-regression analyses showed that the age and strain of broiler, dietary P source, and the duration of phytase exposure significantly influence the effect size of phytase on growth and bone parameters. In conclusion, phytase can attenuate the effect of reducing dietary-available phosphorus and calcium and improve ADFI, BWG, and FCR, especially when added to starter diets. It further enhances bone ash, bone mineralization, and the bone-breaking strength of broilers, even though the effects of bone ash and strength can be maximized in the starter phase of growth. However, the effect sizes of phytase were related to the age and strain of the broiler, dietary P source, and the duration of phytase exposure rather than the dosage. Full article

This study addresses the challenge of finding novel ways to solubilize phosphorus and zinc for agricultural purposes. The aim was to isolate PSMs (phosphorous-solubilizing microbes) and ZnSMs (zinc-solubilizing microbes) from different environments (e.g., soil amendments, land uses, and crop rotation systems) and evaluate their ability to solubilize different insoluble P sources (e.g., β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), calcium-phytate (CaP), and rock phosphate (RP)) and Zn sources (e.g., zinc carbonate (ZnC), zinc oxide (ZnO), and zinc phosphate (ZnP)). Here, 25 isolates capable of solubilizing either P or Zn sources were isolated and classified by species using 16S rRNA and ITS-region sequencing. Notably, Aspergillus awamori, Fusarium circinatum, Fusarium longifundum, and Mucor circinelloides, isolated from cultivated soils and soil amendments, emerged as the most efficient PSMs and ZnSMs. Mucor circinelloides exhibited the highest solubilization ability for broths containing β-TCP, CaP, RP, ZnO, and ZnP, with log2-fold changes of 3.7, 1.8, 8.9, 7.8, and 2.4, respectively, compared to the control. For ZnC and ZnO, Aspergillus awamori displayed the highest Zn solubilization, with a 2.1 and 3.0 log2-fold change. The study highlights the potential of these strains as biofertilizers and underscores the role of Mucor and Fusarium genera in zinc solubilization. Full article