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Background: Food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is abundantly present in nature and accountable for sporadic and epidemic cases of listeriosis in humans. The objective of this study was to screen common food sources for L. monocytogenes using biochemical and molecular methods to detect and characterise its toxin genes as well as for biofilm formation. Methods: A total of 92 samples, comprising dairy and street food products, were randomly collected from various sources for this investigation. The collected samples were processed for biochemical and molecular methods to detect L. monocytogenes. Additionally, virulence factors associated genes, antibiogram profiles and biofilm formation related assays were determined. Results: L. monocytogenes presence was confirmed using molecular detection methods targeting prs and lmo1030 genes, along with MALDI-TOF MS. Following 16 S rRNA sequencing, the identified Listeria species were further categorised into two groups. L. monocytogenes was detected in two (2.17%) food samples tested (L-23 and L-74). Multiplex PCR indicated the presence of seven virulence-related genes in L. monocytogenes isolates, i.e., inlA, inlB, prfA, iap, actA, plcB, and hlyA. In addition, 17 antibiotics were tested, whereby two isolates showed resistance to clindamycin and azithromycin, while one isolate (L-74) was also resistant to nalidixic acid, co-trimoxazole, ampicillin, norfloxacin, and cefotaxime. L-23 and L-74 isolates showed biofilm formation, especially at pH 8.6 and 37°C. Conclusions: Besides the demonstration of the presence of L. monocytogenes in some dairy and street food products, this study underscores the need to increase the standards of hygiene on the one hand and the importance of the surveillance of food-borne pathogens on the other.

Introduction: People are continuously exposed to contamination, which mainly consists of heavy metals (HMs) and organic compounds. Several metals can get into grains, veggies, and bread through various methods. We estimated the health risk of HM exposure from the consumption of bread, veggies, and rice, considering the per capita amounts of these foods in the Iranian food basket, especially in Hoveyzeh and Azadegan Plain. Material and method: The food products analyzed for the assessment of HMs include different veggies, rice, and bread. The health risk assessment was done with the Hazard Quotient and cancer risk formulae. The buying of vegetables, rice, and bread was done in random order during the fall and wintertime seasons. Result: Tarom rice has the maximum reported levels of Cd (0.55 mg/kg), but Pakistani rice has the lowest level (0.18 mg/kg). Radish shows the highest concentrations of As, Pb, Cr, and Ni among vegetation, while Cress shows the lowest level. The study findings showed that Lavash bread had the highest levels of As (1.31 mg/kg), Cd (0.2 mg/kg), and Ni (1.2 mg/kg), whereas it indicated the lowest level of Cr (0.056 mg/kg). While the non-carcinogenic risk of HMs was evaluated between two groups of adults and children, both groups' HI and HQ levels were less than 1. The maximum HQ and HI scores for children were associated with Arsenic (As), specifically 0.0127 and 0.0137 for Tarom rice, respectively. Nevertheless, the highest HQ and HI scores for adults were associated with As, namely 0.0059 and 0.0064 for Tarom rice, respectively. Conclusion: The evaluation of the carcinogenic risk caused by HM exposure in kids and adults showed that both groups' accumulated lifetime CRs and ILCRs were lower than 1*10–6. Hence, the consumption of veggies, rice, and bread within the study's area does not show an association with the occurrence of chronic diseases resulting from hazardous HMs.

In Jordan, the public is still unaware of the fate and impact of pesticide application. This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes, knowledge and practices of undergraduate students enrolled in various academic departments at the Faculty of Agriculture, Mutah University, Jordan toward pesticides’ residues in food and feed. Students were questioned about their social aspects, and food and feed safety knowledge and resources. Responses have been obtained from 209 responding students. Results indicated that the cross-section through the Faculty of Agriculture, Mutah University, Jordan appears a satisfactory. The findings show that respondents are very highly concerned about human health, food safety, and the risk of environmental pollution, and they have a real desire to reduce the use of pesticides. Respondents had a moderate level of knowledge about food safety, pesticides’ side effects, pesticides’ residues in food or feed, and usage of pesticides in homes and gardens. According to the respondents, the most common way that people are exposed to pesticide residues is by consuming pesticide residues in food. The respondents expressed a moderate level of concern about their attitudes toward organic farming adoption. Correlations between demographic variables and knowledge of food and feed safety, involving a workshop on food/feed safety, care about human health as well as environmental pollution, and looking for information on food/feed safety were reported in the study.

Background: Inflammation is a natural response of the body to tissue injury or infection, but chronic inflammation can contribute to the development of various diseases. Therefore, finding effective ways to reduce inflammation is of great interest to researchers and healthcare providers. The aim of the study was the elucidation of the phenolic profile from J. oxycedrus leaves and berries followed by in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory assays. Despite the existence of some works on this species, most of these researchers focus their attention on cade oil and only few were interested to study leaves and berries extracts. Methods: HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS2 was used for their characterization of the phenolic profile whereas spectrophotometric microassays in non-cellular and cellular systems (RAW 264.7 macrophages cell line) was assessed for their in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials. Results: Up to twenty-one polyphenolic compounds were positively identified in both extracts. Both leaves and berries extracts showed strong antioxidant capacity to scavenge O2●, with IC50 values of 22.86 ± 2.40 and 122.62 ± 9.42 µg/mL. Moreover, both revealed to have potential to inhibit 5-lipoxygenase in a dose-dependent way, being leaves the most effective vegetal material. Conclusion: The results suggest that J. oxycedrus leaves and berries could be considered exquisite sources of bioactive molecules for a potential further application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Globalization and the increasing complexity of supply chains have allowed food fraud to expand to a great extent. Some of the most serious effects of these deceitful activities are damage to a brand’s reputation and trust, economic losses, and public health risks. The usual victims of food fraud are dairy, meat, fish, and seafood products, as well as fats/oils and alcoholic drinks. The purpose of this review paper is to present an updated analysis of the currently available anticounterfeit technologies and their application to the four most fraud-affected food supply chains. An assessment that was conducted to determine when the adoption of a combination of technologies could enhance food safety and brand protection is also provided. The obtained results indicate that electronic and data-driven technologies (RFID devices and digital traceability systems) are still in their infancy in the food sectors that are subjected the most to fraudulent activities. Research is necessary to develop innovative digital and physical technologies to “outsmart” such fraudsters and to prevent their illicit actions in the food sector.

Carbon dots (CDs) are the most promising nanomaterials of zero-dimensional nanoparticle materials because they have strong fluorescence properties, good photoluminescence conversion, stability, and inter-charge transfer performance. CDs also have the advantages of good biocompatibility, low toxicity, and hydrophilic properties. CDs are generally synthesized through two approaches: top-down and bottom-up. Green synthesis of environmentally friendly CDs with easy and simple procedures has become an exciting concern lately and in the future. In addition to green synthesis, green carbon sources such as biomass waste have promising potential. The advantages of fluorescence CDs make them applicable in food sensing. Fluorescent resonance energy transfer, photoinduced electron transfer, and internal screening effect mechanisms enable precise detection of heavy metal ions, food additives, foodborne pathogens, nutrient composition, pesticide residues, and veterinary drug residues. This review provides a brief overview and future perspectives on green synthesis CDs and their applications for more advanced food sensing in food safety analysis.

Calorie content and hunger are two fundamental cues acting upon the processing of visually presented food items. However, whether and to which extent they affect visual awareness is still an open question. Here, high- and low-calorie food images administered to hungry or satiated participants were confronted in a breaking-Continuous Flash Suppression paradigm (Experiment 1), measuring the time required to access to visual awareness, and in a Binocular Rivalry paradigm (Experiment 2), quantifying the dominance time in visual awareness. Experiment 1 showed that high-calorie food accessed faster visual awareness, but mostly in satiated participants. Experiment 2 indicated that high-calorie food dominated longer visual awareness, regardless the degree of hunger. We argued that the unconscious advantage (Experiment 1) would represent a default state of the visual system towards highest-energy nutrients, yet the advantage is lost in hunger so to be tuned towards an increased need for any nutritional category. On the other hand, the conscious advantage of high-calorie food (Experiment 2) would represent a conscious perceptual and attentional bias towards highest energy-dense food useful for the actual detection of these stimuli in the environment.

Escherichia albertii is an emerging foodborne pathogen that causes diarrhea. E. albertii has been isolated from various foods, including pork and chicken meat, and environmental waters, such as river water. Although many food poisoning cases have been reported, there have been insufficient analyses of bacterial population behaviors in food and environmental water. In this study, we inoculated 2–5 log CFU of E. albertii into 25 g of pork, chicken meat, Japanese rock oyster, Pacific oyster, and 300 mL of well water and seawater at 4°C, 10°C, 20°C, and 30°C, and analyzed the bacterial population behavior in food and environmental water. After 3 days at 4°C, the population of E. albertii strain EA21 and EA24 in foods maintained approximately 4 log CFU/25 g. After 3 days at 10°C, the population of E. albertii strains in pork and oysters maintained approximately 4 log CFU/25 g, and that in chicken meat increased to approximately 5–6 log CFU/25 g. After 2 days at 20°C, E. albertii strains grew to approximately 6–7 log CFU/25 g in pork and chicken meat, and E. albertii strain EA21 but not EA24 grew to 4.5 log CFU/25 g in Japanese rock oyster, E. albertii strain EA21 but not EA24 slightly grew to 3.1 log CFU/25 g in Pacific oyster. After 1 day at 30°C, E. albertii strains grew to approximately 7–8 log CFU/25 g in chicken meat and pork, grew to approximately 4–6 log CFU/25 g in Japanese rock oyster, and 6–7 log CFU/25 g in Pacific oyster. These results suggest that E. albertii survives without growth below 4°C and grew rapidly at 20°C and 30°C in foods, especially in meat. E. albertii strains did not grow in well water and seawater at 4°C, 10°C, 20°C, and 30°C. The population of E. albertii strains in well water and seawater decreased faster at 30°C than at 4°C, 10°C, and 20°C, suggesting that E. albertii has low viability at 30°C in environmental water.

Gallic acid (GA), an important phenolic component, is gaining popularity due to its biological and industrial applications. However, its rapid expansion can be hazardous, causing cancer and gene damage, making the design of a low-cost and fast GA sensor difficult. We used a single-step hydrothermal approach to synthesize MoS2 nanoparticles for colorimetric detection of GA. The nanoparticles were analyzed using techniques like; UV–Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, SEM, EDX and XRD. The optimization of key parameters such as MoS2 concentration (2.0 mg), temperature (30 °C), and pH (7) resulted in a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.125 × 10−6 M with a dynamic range of 0.5 to 36 × 10−6 M. MoS2 nanoflowers performed as nanozymes in the filter paper-based sensor, catalyzing 3, 3′, 5, 5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) oxidation, while GA acted as an inhibitor to prevent further reaction progression. The detection was made feasible through capturing an image support by an ordinary smartphone and the steady-state kinetic study validated MoS2 nanoflowers' affinity for sensing H2O2. The sensor performed well in real-world samples such as diet tea, green tea, water, blood serum, and urine, with recovery rates ranging from 93.2 % to 102.1 %. Density functional theory calculations were applied to provide an insight into GA-MoS2 binding interactions and changes in electronic properties. With all of these merits, we believe MoS2 nanoparticles can provide low-cost and portable filter paper-based strips as a sensing platform for visual assessment of GA.

Plastics are becoming common environmental pollutants. Plants behave as access routes for plastics in the trophic chain since they can adsorb particles through their roots or on their surfaces. In this review, various methods for sample preparation and analytical methods for plastic isolation and identification from vegetables, fruits, and their seedlings were discussed. The effects that plastic particles have on them were also addressed. All of the studies offer convincing proof that micro and nano plastics already exist in fruits and vegetables, or can easily enter into their seedlings and have a variety of effects. Since most studies have been conducted under strictly controlled conditions using standard plastics, more tests under more environmentally realistic conditions are required to ensure that literature studies are applicable. Also, more fruits and vegetables need to be tested to identify the number of plastics currently there that, when consumed, could harm human health.

The main aim of this study is to examine the evolving landscape of agricultural socialized services and their impact on the consistent growth of grain production in China. Using panel data from 2007 to 2020, we employ the Entropy Method to gauge the dynamic changes in agricultural socialized services that have contributed to the steady increase in grain production. The research methods include static panel, mediator, and threshold regression models to investigate the effects and mechanisms underpinning the improvement of agricultural socialized services on grain production growth. The empirical findings demonstrate a significantly positive correlation between enhanced agricultural socialized services, such as means of production services, sci-tech information services, and social public services, and increased grain production. This positive impact persists even with limited grain production resources. A mediating effect was identified, whereby agricultural socialized services indirectly stimulate grain production growth by encouraging large-scale agricultural land management. Furthermore, threshold analysis indicates the presence of a single threshold effect linked to the level of agricultural socialization services. This threshold effect plays a pivotal role in the relationship between large-scale agricultural management and steady grain production growth. The study suggests an enhancement of agricultural socialized services can promote sustained growth in grain production.

One of the promising ways to enhance resistant starch (RS), which is safer and available in food-grade form, is to use organic acids. Several studies have reported the effect of the organic acids (OAs) intervention on RS content of foods, but the results have not been quantitatively summarized yet. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate such OAs interventions using a meta-analysis method. A total of 18 articles with 86 comparisons between the control and experimental (OAs intervention) groups were included as a database in this meta-analysis. The results revealed that the modification of RS with OAs significantly decreased (P tubers > cereals. The RS content of both the flour and starch samples was enhanced (P

The Kakamega gold belt's natural geological enrichment and artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) have resulted in food and environmental pollution, human exposure, and subsequent risks to health. This study aimed to characterise exposure pathways and risks among ASGM communities. Human hair, nails, urine, water, and staple food crops were collected and analysed from 144 ASGM miners and 25 people from the ASGM associated communities. Exposure to PHEs was predominantly via drinking water from mine shafts, springs and shallow-wells (for As>Pb>Cr>Al), with up to 366 µg L−1 arsenic measured in shaft waters consumed by miners. Additional exposure was via consumption of locally grown crops (for As>Ni>Pb>Cr>Cd>Hg>Al) besides inhalation of Hg vapour and dust, and direct dermal contact with Hg. Urinary elemental concentrations for both ASGM workers and wider ASGM communities were in nearly all cases above bioequivalents and reference upper thresholds for As, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb and Sb, with median concentrations of 12.3, 0.4, 1.6, 5.1, 0.7 and 0.15 µg L−1, respectively. Urinary As concentrations showed a strong positive correlation (0.958) with As in drinking water. This study highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in integrating environmental, dietary, and public health investigations to better characterise the hazards and risks associated with ASGM and better understand the trade-offs associated with ASGM activities relating to public health and environmental sustainability. Further research is crucial, and study results have been shared with Public Health and Environmental authorities to inform mitigation efforts.

This study proposes and evaluates a novel approach utilizing ensemble machine learning techniques for personalized meal services to address a critical gap in understanding AI-powered decision-making within the food delivery and restaurant industry. We draw inspiration from diverse fields, including non-traditional simulation methodologies and open innovation dynamics, to create a framework that leverages the combined strengths of individual algorithms. Three machine learning algorithms – decision trees, logistic regression, and naïve Bayes – are rigorously evaluated for their efficacy in classifying and assigning algorithms within an ensemble model for a new service. A simulated dataset, informed by expert tagging, is the training ground, ensuring practical relevance. We employ the voting probability metric on a held-out test set to provide a robust measure of accuracy in this critical task. Our findings reveal the significant potential of AI-powered personalized meal services. Ensemble models demonstrate high accuracy, showcasing the collaboration of combining individual algorithms. This originality lies in applying ensemble techniques to a business case with far-reaching implications for management and societal well-being. Beyond technical success, we explore this technology’s broader impact. AI-powered food recommendations can enhance accessibility for individuals with dietary needs, promote healthier lifestyles through nutritious meal suggestions, and generate new job opportunities. Acknowledging limitations and future research avenues, we invite further exploration of diverse machine learning algorithms and broader applications across various domains.

Over the past few years, there has been tremendous shift in consumption of edible seeds which contain a wide variety of nutrients and bioactive substances; hence contributing significantly in balanced intestinal homeostasis, enhancing short-chain fatty acid synthesis, and stimulating the growth of gut microorganisms. While numerous studies have explored edible seeds over the decades, a detailed and updated review on recent explorations is necessary. Therefore, the present review comprehensively discusses nutritional attributes of few important edible seeds namely flaxseeds, basil seeds, niger seeds, nigella seeds, sesame seeds, chironji seeds and fenugreek seeds. This review also discusses numerous in-vivo and in-vitro studies, delineating the positive effects of dietary fibers, proteins and bioactive compounds present in edible seeds upon re-modulation of probiotics. Moreover, it also explores the applications of edible seeds into development of several value-added bakery products. While these seeds offer immense potential, their chemical composition can pose challenges in the baking sector. Therefore, this review also addresses few recent challenges associated with utilizing seeds in baking applications. Besides many revelations, it is crucial to emphasize that further long-term, well-designed human intervention trials are necessary to fully validate the health-promoting properties of these edible seeds.

Food processing generates significant quantities of side streams or by-products, which often pose challenges for waste management and environmental sustainability. Concretely, most of the roughly 1 million tonnes of food losses generated annually in Switzerland in the food processing industry represent side streams. However, these side streams contain valuable components that could be harnessed through valorisation processes, leading to the development of a more efficient circular economy in the food industry. This review paper focuses on the application of side stream valorisation in the food sector. It provides a comprehensive overview of benefits and challenges of side streams in general and a deeper insight for 14 side streams representing different key food categories with the exception of meat products. The selected side streams are either available in high quantities or cause an especially high ecological impact. Further, a guiding protocol is suggested that supports food processors in assessing the key challenges of their side stream products for valorisation. Lastly, the review gives insight into the status of technological advancement in side stream valorisation necessary to promote sustainability and resource efficiency in the food industry, and an overview of commercially available products containing side streams.

Addiction is characterized by continued drug use despite negative consequences. In an animal model, a subset of rats continues to self-administer cocaine despite footshock consequences, showing punishment resistance. We sought to test the hypothesis that punishment resistance arises from failure to exert goal-directed control over habitual cocaine seeking. While habits are not inherently permanent or maladaptive, continued use of habits under conditions that should encourage goal-directed control makes them maladaptive and inflexible. We trained male and female Sprague Dawley rats on a seeking-taking chained schedule of cocaine self-administration. We then exposed them to four days of punishment testing in which footshock was delivered randomly on one-third of trials. Before and after punishment testing (four days pre-punishment and ≥ four days post-punishment), we assessed whether cocaine seeking was goal-directed or habitual using outcome devaluation via cocaine satiety. We found that punishment resistance was associated with continued use of habits, whereas punishment sensitivity was associated with increased goal-directed control. Although punishment resistance for cocaine was not predicted by habitual responding pre-punishment, it was associated with habitual responding post-punishment. In parallel studies of food self-administration, we similarly observed that punishment resistance was associated with habitual responding post-punishment but not pre-punishment in males, although it was associated with habitual responding both pre- and post-punishment in females, indicating that punishment resistance was predicted by habitual responding in food-seeking females. These findings indicate that punishment resistance is related to habits that have become inflexible and persist under conditions that should encourage a transition to goal-directed behavior.

Color is an important parameter in food because it can be associated with quality. Since ancient times, natural dyes have been used in foods to make them attractive, but due to their poor stability to environmental factors and production processes, technologies emerged over time that led to getting artificial pigments with high stability, low production costs, and high dyeing capacity. However, some adverse indications of health damage have been reported, and that is why there is a growing interest in using natural colorants in food again. The red color is one of the most striking and important tones in the food sector since it is attractive, and it can produce expected taste sensations. One of the natural pigments that provide this red hue are anthocyanins, compounds that are widely distributed in plant sources, unlike artificial colors, have been associated with multiple health benefits. However, the application of anthocyanins represents a challenge due to their low stability against factors such as pH, oxygen, light, and temperature, so they are being stabilized through chemistry or physics way. This work aims to highlight the importance of anthocyanins and illustrate a summary of stabilization and conservation strategies used in patents applied in the food industry, as a methodological background to increase the use of natural pigments in diets.

Canned food market demand has arisen due to the higher need for instant and ready-to-eat food. Food preservatives are often added to canned and processed foods to prolong their shelf life and help to sustain the quality, taste, color, and food texture. However, excessive usage of such food preservatives can lead to various diseases and health issues including palpitations, allergies, and cancer. Therefore, food preservative detection in food samples is essential for safe consumption and health well-being. This paper proposed a fuzzy logic framework to determine the safety of food products based on the concentration of sulphur dioxide (SD), benzoic acid (BA), and sorbic acid (SA) in five different food categories as referred to the Food Acts 1983 and Food Regulations 1985 in Malaysia. The fuzzy logic framework comprises of Mamdani inference system design with 90 fuzzy rules, 15 and 5 membership functions for both the input and output parameters respectively. 50 random values and 10 lab analysis results based on the industrial samples were used to validate the developed algorithms in ensuring the safety of the food products. The membership functions generated for the three inputs (SD, BA, and SA) during the fuzzification steps are based on the maximum allowable limit from the food acts. The defuzzification of fuzzy logic gave an average output value of 0.1565, 0.1350, 0.1150, 0.1100, and 0.1550 for chicken curry with potatoes, satay sauce, sardine in tomato sauce, anchovies paste, and sardine spread accordingly. Results obtained from the fuzzy logic framework concluded that all the industrial samples are safe to be eaten and comply with the Sixth Schedule, Regulation 20 in both Acts.

Salmonella is one of the most common foodborne pathogens. A total of 70–80% of bacterial food poisoning is caused by Salmonella in China. From 2015 to 2023, a total of 1945 samples in 6 food categories were collected in Huzhou for monitoring of Salmonella. Epidemiological analysis, serotyping, and antibiotic sensitivity testing were conducted on isolated Salmonella. Ninety Salmonella strains were detected from 1945 samples, and the total detection rate was 4.63%. Among all kinds of food, the detection rate of Salmonella in raw animal meat (8.93%) and raw poultry meat (8.54%) was the highest. Salmonella had also been detected in ready-to-eat foods (bulk cooked meat, Chinese cold dishes) and emerging food categories (seasoned raw meat and premade dishes). A total of 24 serotypes of Salmonella were detected, of which the dominant serotype was Salmonella Typhimurium. The serotypes of Salmonella detected in different types of food were different. The results showed that the isolates had strong resistance to ampicillin (AMP) and tetracycline (TET).

In the last decades, western Countries increased their interest in innovative products like donkey milk and other activities carried out with donkeys (onotherapy, onotourism). Donkey milk is considered a high-added-value food and is very similar to human breast milk. It is also used as an ingredient in cosmetics. The growing public interest suggests the need for a pilot study on the sustainability of donkey milk production, according to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) criteria. Milk was used as the Declared Functional Unit (DFU) and two different models were described, a Real Scenario Model (RSM, i.e. a farm with its declared milk yield), and an Increased Milk Production Model (IMPM, i.e., the same farm with theoretically increased milk yield). Allocation was applied both in RSM and IMPM; thus, different values of impact categories, i.e., Global Warming Potential (GWP, kg CO2 equivalents), Acidification Potential (ACP, g SO2 equivalents) and Eutrophication Potential (EUP, g PO43−) were observed. GWP improved after mass allocation and showed the lowest equivalents in IMPM, compared to economic and reference allocation criterion (P

Hyperspectral imaging analysis combined with machine learning was applied to identify eight edible vegetable oils, and its classification performance was compared with the chemical method based on fatty acid compositions. Furthermore, the degree of adulteration in vegetable oils was quantitatively investigated using machine learning-enabled hyperspectral approaches. The hyperspectral absorbance spectra of palm oil with a high degree of saturation were distinctly different from those of the other liquid oils. The flaxseed and olive oils exhibited the dominant hyperspectral intensities at 1170/1671 and 1212/1415 nm, respectively. Linear discriminant analysis demonstrated that two linear discriminants could explain a significant portion of the total variability, accounting for 96.0% (fatty acid compositions) and 98.9% (hyperspectral images). When the hyperspectral results were used as datasets for three machine learning models (decision tree, random forest, and k-nearest neighbor), several instances to incorrectly classify grapeseed and sunflower oils were detected, while olive, palm, and flaxseed oils were successfully identified. The machine learning models showed a great classification performance that exceeded 98.9% from the hyperspectral images of the vegetable oils, which was comparable to the fatty acid composition-based chemical method in identifying edible vegetable oils. In addition, the random forest model was the most effective in ascertaining adulteration levels in binary oil blends (R2 > 0.992 and RMSE < 2.75).

The climate impact of food is rapidly gaining attention. Studies focus on global and national impacts, marginalising the role and preferences of individual consumers. Diet is highly personal and for changes to be widely adopted they should be consistent with peoples' lifestyles, preferences, tastes, and knowledge. We construct global scenarios of reducing meat consumption and model their carbon mitigation potential to 2050. We conduct a simple survey to explore UK consumers' preferences for different approaches to reducing meat consumption, which are used to develop scenarios, and units for communicating the associated portion sizes and emissions savings. Results from our survey suggest that modest reductions in meat consumption are more resonant (e.g., eating three portions per week) rather than absolutes (becoming vegan for one month) or abstractions (consuming 170 cal of meat per day). Similarly, tangible analogies such as number of airline flights are preferred over raw emissions abated. We find that reducing meat intake to recommended healthy levels (92 cal per day) and avoiding ruminant meat could almost halve production-phase GHG emissions from the food system. Our survey illustrates how such information can be rephrased for more engaging communication: “reducing your meat intake to three times per week is equivalent to avoiding six short-haul return flights each year”.

Changes in eating behaviour including reductions in appetite and food intake, and healthier food cue reactivity, reward, hedonics and potentially also preference, contribute to weight loss and its health benefits after obesity surgery. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been increasingly used to interrogate the neural correlates of eating behaviour in obesity, including brain reward-cognitive systems, changes after obesity surgery, and links with alterations in the gut-hormone-brain axis. Neural responses to food cues can be measured by changes in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal in brain regions involved in reward processing, including caudate, putamen, nucleus accumbens, insula, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, and top-down inhibitory control, including dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). This systematic review aimed to examine: (i) results of human fMRI studies involving obesity surgery, (ii) important methodological differences in study design across studies, and (iii) correlations and associations of fMRI findings with clinical outcomes, other eating behaviour measures and mechanistic measures.Of 741 articles identified, 23 were eligible for inclusion: 16 (69.6%) longitudinal, two (8.7%) predictive, and five (21.7%) cross-sectional studies. Seventeen studies (77.3%) included patients having Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, six (26.1%) vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), and five (21.7%) laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). The majority of studies (86.0%) were identified as having a very low risk of bias, though only six (27.3%) were controlled interventional studies, with none including randomisation to surgical and control interventions. The remaining studies (14.0%) had a low risk of bias driven by their control groups not having an active treatment.After RYGB surgery, food cue reactivity often decreased or was unchanged in brain reward systems, and there were inconsistent findings as to whether reductions in food cue reactivity was greater for high-energy than low-energy foods. There was minimal evidence from studies of VSG and LAGB surgeries for changes in food cue reactivity in brain reward systems, though effects of VSG surgery on food cue reactivity in the dlPFC were more consistently found. There was consistent evidence for post-operative increases in satiety gut hormones glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY) mediating reduced food cue reactivity after RYGB surgery, including two interventional studies. Methodological heterogeneity across studies, including nutritional state, nature of food cues, post-operative timing, lack of control groups for order effects and weight loss or dietary/psychological advice, and often small sample sizes, limited the conclusions that could be drawn, especially for correlational analyses with clinical outcomes, other eating behaviour measures and potential mediators.This systematic review provides a detailed data resource for those performing or analysing fMRI studies of obesity surgery and makes suggestions to help improve reporting and design of such studies, as well as future directions.

Background: There is mounting evidence that Ethiopia is becoming a more street-food-consuming nation. The hygienic and safety procedures, however, are not adequately evaluated. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the magnitude of food safety and hygiene practices and associated factors among street food vendors of Bahir Dar City. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from March 10 to April 10, 2019. The data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire with an observational checklist. The collected data were entered into EPI Data and analyzed by R software. Descriptive statistics were computed. A Binary logistic regression model was fit to identify the association and strength of exploratory variables and food safety and hygiene practices at a 95 % confidence interval and p-value 2500 Birr (AOR = 4.99; 95%CI: 2.42, 10.3), work experience of >2 years (AOR = 2.05; 95%CI: 1.15, 3.65), having supervision by health professionals (AOR = 2.45; 95%CI: 1.25, 4.85), having good knowledge about food safety and hygiene (AOR = 3.84; 95%CI: 1.42, 10.36), and having a favorable attitude towards food safety and hygiene (AOR = 2.71; 95%CI: 1.12, 6.57) were determinants of food safety and hygiene practice. Conclusions: The level of good food safety and hygiene practices was low. Monthly income, work experience, supervision by health professionals, knowledge, and attitude toward food safety and hygiene were identified as the determinants of good food safety and hygiene practice.

Food is the main source of energy in the human diet, but the regrettable part is the heavy use of pesticides during their growth which in turn reflects in the final produce in the form of remaining metabolites or residues. Research are being carried out to minimize the number of pesticides residues which remain intact on the food surfaces. Ozone being a strong oxidant has high potential of removal of these residues from food. Ozone not only reduces the impact of pesticides but is also seen to improve the quality and shelf life of foods due to its anti-microbial properties. Being a green non-thermal technology, it has seen wide acceptance by researchers and scientists. However, the processing procedures need to be standardised for different varieties of agricultural produce. Therefore, it is important to track all the challenges faced while using ozone technology and finding solutions for its sustainable use. The objective of this mini-review is to give comprehensive information regarding use of ozone technology in removal of pesticide residues from food.

Recently, significant attention has been paid to the biologically active substances in plants that aid in preventing, treating or delaying diseases brought on by inflammatory and oxidative processes. There is scientific evidence to support the use of plant extracts in traditional medicines to treat bacterial, protozoal, and helminthic illnesses. From the leaf of Vernonia amygdalina also, phytochemicals have been identified and extracted, including alkaloids, tannins, steroids, cyanogenic glycosides, flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, xanthones, anthraquinones, oxalate and saponins. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the bioactive components of bitter leaf and how they contribute to its medicinal properties. Its health benefits; including its ability to lower cholesterol levels, it's anticancer and antioxidant properties as well it's potential as a natural remedy for diabetes are also discussed. Conclusively, the article underscores the significance of drinking bitter leaf juice and the effects it has on health and wellness.

Importance of nanotechnology may be seen by penetration of its application in diverse areas including the food sector. With investigations and advancements in nanotechnology, based on feedback from these diverse areas, ease, and efficacy are also increasing. The food sector may use nanotechnology to encapsulate smart foods for increased health, wellness, illness prevention, and effective targeted delivery. Such nanoencapsulated targeted delivery systems may further add to the economic and nutritional properties of smart foods like stability, solubility, effectiveness, safeguard against disintegration, permeability, and bioavailability of smart/bioactive substances. But in the way of application, the fabrication of nanomaterials/nanostructures has several challenges which range from figuring out the optimal technique for obtaining them to determining the most suitable form of nanostructure for a bioactive molecule of interest. This review precisely addresses concepts, recent advances in fabrication techniques as well as current challenges/glitches of nanoencapsulation with special reference to smart foods/bioactive components. Since dealing with food materials also raises the quest for safety and regulatory norms a brief overview of the safety and regulatory aspects of nanomaterials/nanoencapsulation is also presented.

Background: Amino acids are the building blocks of life. Nine of the 20 common amino acids need to be consumed from food, as they are not created within the body. Current amino acid analyser methodology requires either derivatisation which can be problematic or use of a mass spectrometer which can be costly. Scope and Approach: This review presents the contemporary knowledge of amino acid analysis in food by Ion Chromatography as reported recently (last 20 years). This review covers all aspects of sample types, hydrolysis methods, extraction techniques and comparisons to more conventional methodology. Chromatography methods and detector waveforms are also presented, so that between method comparisons can be achieved. Similarities and differences between these methods are discussed. Key Findings and Conclusions: Most sample extraction, chromatography and waveform methodology used for ion chromatography amino acid analysis can be drawn back to a foundational paper published in 2002. Neutralisation and rehydration methodology in contrast, differs from paper to paper. No literature was found on ion chromatography / mass spectrometry for amino acid analysis in food, which allows for a vast avenue of future directions to be explored using this evolving technique.

Background: Malnutrition remains a significant public health issue in the world population, especially in southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: The current research study intended to develop TLBO complementary food for babies from six to twenty-four months of age using Taro Flour, Steamed-Lupine protein isolate Powder, Extra-virgin Olive Oil, and Butternut Squash Flour. Methods: Using approved official procedures, both the nutritional and sensorial attributes of the TLBO have been compared to those of a commercially available CIF. Results: The protein (28.52 g/100 g), fat (9.97 g/100 g), carbohydrate (58.52 g/100 g), and energy (438.12 kcal/100 g) levels of the TLBO fulfilled the Codex standards (1991). The TLBO complementary food's essential amino acid content was higher than the amino acid profile recommended by FAO/W HO/UNU (2002) reference protein for infants aged 0.5 to 1 and 1 to 2 years. TLBO and CIF provided 92.50 and 57.6% of the recommended lysine level for infants with (1–2 yrs.) respectively. Sulfur amino acids remained the first LAA in TLBO complementary food formula. The monounsaturated fatty acid content of TLBO complementary food was higher (76.54%) than that of commercial complementary food CIF (23.9%). SFA content of the commercialized complementary food CIF, on the other hand, was higher (51.1%) than in the TLBO (16.24%). Atherogenic and thrombogenic indices were lower (0.15 and 1.22) in TLBO than those of CIF (1.56 and 1.58). The outcomes of the sensory assessment revealed that there was no statistically significant variation in the level of overall acceptability between TLBO and CIF.

Homegrown eggs from free-ranging laying hens often contain elevated concentrations of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs). However, it is unclear which factors contribute to these relatively large exposure risk scenarios. Moreover, existing bioavailability and modeling concepts of conventional organic pollutants cannot be generalized to PFAAs due to their different physicochemical soil interactions. Therefore, there is an urgent need for empirical models, based on real-world data, to provide insights into how (a)biotic factors affect the bioavailability to eggs. To this end, 17 targeted analytes were analyzed in abiotic (i.e. rainwater, soil; both N = 101) matrices and homegrown eggs (N = 101), which were sampled in 101 private gardens across Flanders (Belgium) in 2019, 2021 and 2022. Various soil characteristics were measured to evaluate their role in affecting PFAA bioavailability to the eggs. Finally, PFAAs were measured in potential feed sources (i.e. homegrown vegetable and earthworm pools; respectively N = 49 and N = 34) of the laying hens to evaluate their contribution to the egg burden. Modeling suggested that soil was a major exposure source to laying hens, accounting for 16–55% of the total variation in egg concentrations for dominant PFAAs. Moreover, concentrations in vegetables and earthworms for PFBA and PFOS, respectively, were significantly positively related with corresponding egg concentrations. Predictive models based on soil concentrations, total organic carbon (TOC), pH, clay content and exchangeable cations were successfully developed for major PFAAs, providing possibilities for time- and cost-effective risk assessment of PFAAs in homegrown eggs. Among other soil characteristics, TOC and clay content were related with lower and higher egg concentrations for most PFAAs, respectively. This suggests that bioavailability of PFAAs to the eggs is driven by complex physicochemical interactions of PFAAs with TOC and clay. Finally, remediation measures were formulated that are readily applicable to lower PFAA exposure via homegrown eggs.

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a family of compounds of anthropogenic origin that, as a result of the strength of the C-F bonds, possess excellent physicochemical properties that make them chemically stable, and resistant to degradation (even at high temperatures); characteristics which have led to their use for a wide range of applications. Nonetheless, as a counterpart, PFASs innate resistance to chemical, physical, and/or biological degradation, increases their persistence in the environment and also leads to their entrance in food and biological matrices, up to the point that they have even been designated as “forever chemicals”. This review article pretends to provide a global vision of the current analytical methods that are being used for PFASs determination in a wide variety of matrices (mainly, environmental, biological and food matrices), including their occurrence, with special emphasis in works published between 2018 and 2023. Furthermore, emphasis has been made in current analytical challenges as well as in the advancements in sensor technologies that are being made.

The beneficial microorganisms in food are diverse and complex in structure. These beneficial microorganisms can produce different and unique flavors in the process of food fermentation. The unique flavor of these fermented foods is mainly produced by different raw and auxiliary materials, fermentation technology, and the accumulation of flavor substances by dominant microorganisms during fermentation. The succession and metabolic accumulation of microbial flora significantly impacts the distinctive flavor of fermented foods. The investigation of the role of microbial flora changes in the production of flavor substances during fermentation can reveal the potential connection between microbial flora succession and the formation of key flavor compounds. This paper reviewed the evolution of microbial flora structure as food fermented and the key volatile compounds that contribute to flavor in the food system and their potential relationship. Further, it was a certain guiding significance for food industrial production.

Salmonella causes most deaths from diarrheal disease worldwide. Therefore, Salmonella must be accurately and quickly detected, even in complex food matrices, which is difficult to achieve using conventional culture methods. Here we propose a novel photonic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method based on ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) for the detection of Salmonella typhimurium in complex samples. Owing to the great photothermal conversion performance of Fe3O4, rapid thermal cycling could be accomplished. Our optimized photonic PCR system specifically detected Salmonella typhimurium in complex food matrices within 50 min. Quantitative data showed a limit of detection up to 102 CFU/mL in food samples. This method is suitable for the detection of all pathogenic microorganisms and is universal.

Pectin is a complex versatile heteropolysaccharide of great importance to food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. It is widely used in the food industry due to its thickening, gelling and emulsification properties and in biomedical and biomaterial applications on account of its potential anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects as well as its biodegradability and biocompatibility properties. Pectin is also a soluble dietary fiber with several beneficial gastrointestinal and physiological effects. The multifunctionality of pectin is related to the nature of its molecule that has diverse chemical structures, physicochemical properties and potential functionalities depending on the sources where it is extracted and on the extraction methods. Therefore, this review focuses on the importance of pectin for today's food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, compiling information on its composition and properties as determined by its origins, especially from waste biomass of the fruits and vegetables processing industry, on commercial applications and research needs. The suitability of the different extraction methods was also discussed, considering cost, energy consumption and productivity. Furthermore, the biodegradation of pectin as a complex process performed by a set of enzymes was also reviewed along with application purposes. Finally, future perspectives reveal pectin to be an astounding functional food ingredient requiring continuous research work.

During recent years, Endocrine Disruptor chemicals (EDCs) have been the subject of particular attention because they are ubiquitous and able to cause adverse effect in humans, and particularly in children. Substances capable of interfering with the normal activity of the endocrine system can be of both man-made and natural origin. They often come into contact with the body through diet, water, air or skin. However, although the body is continuously exposed to their action, it is difficult to fully quantify the negative effects of these substances. Available data show that individuals most exposed to endocrine disruptors more frequently have cancers, reproductive, (ie: infertility, endometriosis, miscarriage.), metabolic (ie: diabetes) and/or immune disorders. Behavioral and developmental disorders are also observed in children exposed to Endocrine Disruptors. The presence of EDCs has been demonstrated during pregnancy in maternal blood, urine, and hair. At the placental level, EDCs can affect normal development and endocrine function and promote inflammatory reactions. The aim of this brief narrative review is to raise the attention of general pediatricians on the most prevalent multiple or interconnecting risks caused by EDCs to children's health by summarizing the existing knowledge on these toxic chemicals. Authors also report the effort made by the European Union to develop an effective Hazard Control Decision Support System which aim is to improve risk-based procedures able of detecting, monitoring and managing toxic substances in food chain.

This review highlights the critical concern foreign material contamination poses across the food processing industry and provides information on methods and implementations to minimize the hazards caused by foreign materials. A foreign material is defined as any non-food, foreign bodies that may cause illness or injury to the consumer and are not typically part of the food. Foreign materials can enter the food processing plant as part of the raw materials such as fruit pits, bones, or contaminants like stones, insects, soil, grit, or pieces of harvesting equipment. Over the past 20 years, foreign materials have been responsible for about one out of ten recalls of foods, with plastic fragments being the most common complaint. The goal of this paper is to further the understanding of the risks foreign materials are to consumers and the tools that could be used to minimize the risk of foreign objects in foods.

Technology forecasting (TF) based on bibliometric tools allows knowing the technological trends of developed topics based on experience and current knowledge, thus anticipating future changes. To reduce hunger and improve nutrition, the food-based topic is of central concern, especially functional food. Among these, various studies on chocolates have been performed. On a global scale, these products are at the level of patents, with China leading it, vastly outperforming the cocoa-producing countries. Though no known functional chocolates are sold under that specific name, chocolates on the market serve as ''carriers'' of bioactive compounds. Unfortunately, they cannot be attributed to health properties since these properties have to be evaluated with in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. Launching functional chocolate on the market is possible; however, it would be a long-term process involving previous stages such as studying its ingredients' bioactive properties, laboratory-level product development, functional properties, and quality and acceptance parameters. For research purposes, it is possible to speak of functional chocolates, potentially functional chocolates, or chocolates enriched with bioactive compounds since the development of research does not necessarily involve launching the product on the market.

Dietary nutrients are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) both through traditional pathways (inducing hyperlipidemia and chronic inflammation) and through the emergence of a metaorganism-pathogenesis pathway (through the gut microbiota, its metabolites, and host). Several molecules from food play an important role as CVD risk-factor precursors either themselves or through the metabolism of the gut microbiome. Animal-based dietary proteins are the primary source of CVD risk-factor precursors; however, some plants also possess these precursors, though at relatively low levels compared with animal-source food products. Various medications have been developed to treat CVD through the gut-microbiota–circulation axis, and they exhibit potent effects in CVD treatment. Nevertheless, such medicines are still being improved, and there are many research gaps that need to be addressed. Furthermore, some medications have unpleasant or adverse effects. Numerous foods and herbs impart beneficial effects upon health and disease. In the past decade, many studies have focused on treating and preventing CVD by modulating the gut microbiota and their metabolites. This review provides an overview of the available information, summarizes current research related to the gut-microbiota–heart axis, enumerates the foods and herbs that are CVD-risk precursors, and illustrates how metabolites become CVD risk factors through the metabolism of gut microbiota. Moreover, we present perspectives on the application of foods and herbs—including prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, and antibiotic-like substances—as CVD prevention agents to modulate gut microbiota by inhibiting gut-derived CVD risk factors. Taxonomy (classification by EVISE): Cardiovascular disease, gut microbiota, herbal medicine, preventive medicine, dietary therapy, nutrition supplements.

Background: The effects of food on the pharmacokinetics and safety of metformin hydrochloride (MH) are unclear. Objective: To discover the effects of food on the pharmacokinetics and safety of MH, and its influence factors. Methods: English and Chinese databases, and grey (unpublished) literature were searched for eligible studies (registration No. CRD 42022321067 in PROSPERO network). The summary weighted mean difference for continuous variables, and the risk ratio for dichotomous variables was calculated for the main pharmacokinetic parameters. Heterogeneity among the included studies was analyzed using the I2 test. Subgroup analyses, meta-regression, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias test were conducted. Results: Fourteen clinical trials were included, comprising 408 participants. The pooled AUC0→t, AUC0→∞, and Cmax were decreased by about 30.21% (I2 = 16.7%, p = 0.276), 28.00% (I2 = 73.6%, p 0.05) confirmed that there is no publication bias. Conclusions: Pharmacokinetics parameters of MH were affected by food. High-fat, high-calorie diet lowered the extent and rate of absorption while slowing the absorption of metformin. These findings suggest that it is necessary to increase the dosage of MH in order to maintain the same treatment effect when administration of MH after a high fat, high calorie diet.

Food processing in hotels is one of most energy-intensive activities in the tourism industry. There is an urgent need to reduce energy consumption in hotels to limit their environmental impact. This research aims to assess tourists' preferences for the provision of food that require low energy preparation and to compare them with tourists’ preferences for other indirect energy saving options. A quantitative survey with 944 tourists visiting six tourist sites across the Czech Republic was used for primary data collection. Data were analyzed using linear regression models. Our findings signal that direct energy savings tend to be perceived differentially and surprisingly as the least preferred option among tourists. Those who support direct energy savings in food processing are rather older respondents and also respondents who declare stronger pro-environmental everyday behaviour and subjective norms. We claim that as tourists show highly diverse preferences for various ways of energy savings, we need to ensure that multiple energy saving options are offered so that tourists contribute to reducing the ecological footprint of hotels. At the same time, it has to be highlighted that only few surveyed tourists voluntarily accepted reduction of comfort in the food and beverage provision. There is room for many technological and social innovations and raising environmental awareness among tourists to overcome this contradiction.

Thermal processing is one of the important techniques for most of the plant-based food and herb medicines before consumption and application in order to meet the specific requirement. The plant and herbs are rich in amino acids and reducing sugars, and thermal processing may lead to Maillard reaction, resulting as a high risk of acrylamide pollution. Acrylamide, an organic pollutant that can be absorbed by the body through the respiratory tract, digestive tract, skin and mucous membranes, has potential carcinogenicity, neurological, genetic, reproductive and developmental toxicity. Therefore, it is significant to conduct pollution determination and risk assessment for quality assurance and security of medication. This review demonstrates state-of-the-art research of acrylamide focusing on the toxicity, formation, contamination, determination, and mitigation in taking food and herb medicine, to provide reference for scientific processing and ensure the security of consumers.

4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) is widely used industrially. This carcinogenic component has been reported in some types of food. It is usually produced by the caramelization process in food, drinks and caramel coloring. The possible mechanism for the formation of this compound in food is the Maillard reaction. In order to estimate the amount of substance 4-MEI in food, a systematic study was conducted. The selected keywords were 4-methylimidazole, 4-MEI, beverage, drink, meat, milk, and coffee. 144 articles were obtained from the initial search. The articles were evaluated and finally, the data of 15 manuscripts were extracted. Based on the data extracted from selected articles, the highest amount is reported in caramel color, coffee, and cola drinks. In 70% of the selected studies, the analytical method was based on liquid chromatography. In this method, there is no need for derivatization. SPE columns were used to extract samples in most manuscripts. According to per capita consumption, the most exposure to 4-MEI is through coffee. In high risk food products, regular monitoring with analytical methods with high sensitivity is recommended. Furthermore, most of the selected studies were about the validation method, so few samples were selected. It is recommended to design more studies with a high sample size to accurately evaluate this carcinogenic compound in food.

Patents are important tools to protect innovations in the food industry. They are also indicators of the research and development of an institution. Universities play a significant role in generating and developing innovative technologies. Center for Support to Technological Development (CDT is the Technological innovation center (NIT) that is responsible for protecting the technologies developed by the academic community of the University of Brasilia (UnB). This case study analyzes the patents and patent applications related to food deposited by the UnB. For this purpose, a search was conducted on the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) institutional page through the patent database. The results show diverse applications to the food area that are mainly related to biotechnology. Half of the protections are still in progress in the INPI workflow. The requirements issued were primarily related to national genetic heritage. Archiving processes were identified due to non-payment, but we highlighted that it could be a strategic decision of NIT/CDT. Rejections were mainly related to the lack of novelty or inventive steps. Currently, two food-related patents are in force that took, on average, nine and a half years to be granted. Although UnB exclusively owns the majority, the results also evidence co-ownership with other universities and companies. Finally, this study highlights possible partnerships between UnB and the food industry through technology transfer. The technology transfer indicators pointed out that UnB has expertise in this area and that there is a potential to be explored. These results contribute to strategic decision-making in developing new technologies related to food and nutrition and their transfer to society. The scale-up and the increased degree of maturity require greater interaction with the productive sector to ensure the transfer of technology for innovation arising from the research conducted at UnB.

Global food consumption tends to rise more quickly than supply. This has to do with important global issues like population growth. Additionally, global conflicts are going to hinder the distribution of food. Indonesia has an enormous opportunity of anticipating these circumstances considering its promise as one of the largest supplies of food worldwide. Rice is still the staple food in Indonesia, but the dynamics of society are under threat from wheat food. It is possible to create strategy plans to deal with potential food scarcity by understanding the behavior of food demand trends for big carbohydrate sources like corn, cassava, sweet potatoes (as a substitution), and the development of wheat as a beneficial food. The results of the study indicate that rice, corn, cassava, and sweet potatoes—food commodities that are major sources of carbohydrates—are inelastic, which means that their prices are not affected by variations in demand. The community still relies on rice as the primary food source. Cross elasticity >0 in these non-wheat food commodities indicates mutually beneficial replacement among the foods that are sources of carbohydrates. That is, with the dynamics of an increase in income, for example, it will also increase consumption. The results of the study also demonstrate that wheat food items are only a complementary, not a staple food needed, thus concerns about wheat's dominance as a food component in industrial products actually have no impact on local food. The availability of high-yielding varieties of rice, corn, cassava, and sweet potatoes, the implementation of food reserves by the Indonesian National Logistics Agency (Bulog) from the government center to the regions, food diversification, changing preferences, and creating an awareness of local food pride with massive education are some of the anticipatory steps taken in response to the global food crisis.

Demographic, economic, social, and climate change are all putting pressure increasing on natural resources through global energy, food, and water demand growth, which threatens the well-being of the ecosystems. To address this scientific and political challenge, a dual-purpose optimization tool has been proposed with the approach of minimizing the environmental effects and development costs of the region in line with resource consumption management, which optimally takes resources from the ecosystem, and regarding development approach (ecotourism development in this study), it has suggested the optimal strategy to improve the economic benefits. Moreover, this model is able to propose some effective management policies on resource planning at the regional level. This approach has been applied to Shif Island in the south of Iran. The main results are: (i) The regional potential has the possibility of increasing more than 2067 tourism numbers per year, which can compensate for a large part of the regional development costs. (ii) The regional management strategy of wastewater and solid waste resources with the view of the nexus approach development of the system (development of the eco-industrial park) and the ecosystem (the relationship between the soil and plant model) and the system development models in line with the regional demand), can reduce waste production to about zero and provide more than 90% of the region's fertilizer needs in order to improve the ecosystem's performance. (iii) In this model, the producers of materials and energy are the main inputs of the ecosystem, and the outputs of the ecosystem include the outputs of the agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishing process in the remote areas, as well as mineral resources (industrial raw materials and fossil resources), renewable energy, etc. Consumers consist of humans and living organisms of the urban-rural ecosystem.In general, in this paper, the aim is to develop a practical method for analyzing the symbiosis of living and non-living parts of the ecosystem in terms of water- Food-Energy and Ecosystem nexus model. In this regard, a hybrid technology model has been suggested to minimize the dynamic cost of changes in line to reach an optimal path for the development of living and non-living interaction.

Human food consumption is responsible for significant environmental impacts, which in recent years have been the focus of an increasing amount of research. One of the major results of these efforts has been an appreciation for the ways in which impacts can differ among products. To date, though, relatively little is known about possible differences in the environmental performance of a single food product that is made or produced in different contexts. Furthermore, the influence of consumer practices, such as cooking time or cleaning method, has not yet been investigated. The goals of the study were therefore (i) to compare the environmental impacts of a single food product—in this case, pizza—that is produced in different contexts (industrial, homemade, and assembled at home) and (ii) to investigate the influence of real-world consumer practices on these impacts. Two study models were used: a ham-and-cheese pizza and a mixed-cheese pizza. The functional units (FU) examined were one pizza and 1 kg of ready-to-eat pizza. The system boundaries extended from the agricultural production of ingredients to the consumption of the pizza at home. All inventory data related to the steps occurring before purchase (including storage at the supermarket) came from databases or the literature, while inventory data related to the steps occurring after the sale were obtained from questionnaires answered by 69 consumers who prepared and consumed the six pizza preparation pathways (two recipes multiply three methods of preparation) at home. Background data were selected in the AGRIBALYSE 3.0 and Ecoinvent 3.6 databases. The environmental impacts of the six pizza preparation pathways were calculated by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) using the characterization method ''EF 3.0 Method (adapted) V1.00 / EF 3.0 normalization and weighting set” in SimaPro software. To compare the environmental impacts of the six pizza preparation pathways, 69 LCAs were performed for each; to compensate for missing data from incomplete questionnaires, we performed random draws from the available data to generate the life cycle inventory for each assessment. The data obtained in this study can be used to make recommendations to consumers regarding more environmentally friendly food choices and practices.

Brain responses to food are thought to reflect food's rewarding value and to fluctuate with dietary restraint. We propose that brain responses to food are dynamic and depend on attentional focus. Food pictures (high-caloric/low-caloric, palatable/unpalatable) were presented during fMRI-scanning, while attentional focus (hedonic/health/neutral) was induced in 52 female participants varying in dietary restraint. The level of brain activity was hardly different between palatable versus unpalatable foods or high-caloric versus low-caloric foods. Activity in several brain regions was higher in hedonic than in health or neutral attentional focus (p < .05, FWE-corrected). Palatability and calorie content could be decoded from multi-voxel activity patterns (p < .05, FDR-corrected). Dietary restraint did not significantly influence brain responses to food. So, level of brain activity in response to food stimuli depends on attentional focus, and may reflect salience, not reward value. Palatability and calorie content are reflected in patterns of brain activity.

The objective of this paper was to analyze the contents of opinion and news articles related to the city of Boulder's sugar-sweetened beverage excise tax campaigns in Boulder's only local newspaper. We searched for articles in The Daily Camera related to the sugar-sweetened beverage tax, published from January 2016 to December 2018. We conducted a content analysis, categorizing 152 relevant articles by type, authors, and frames (pro, anti, neutral) on the basis of the preponderance of arguments, themes, and use of evidence. The majority of articles were opinion (n=92) versus news (n=60). Most articles were pro-frame (n=78) versus anti-frame (n=37) and neutral frame (n=37). Pro-frame articles were more likely to cite evidence in support of arguments or the professional credentials/experience of the authors. The most frequent pro-frame themes were health, benefits of the revenues, equity, and unethical tactics of the industry. The most frequent anti-frame themes were economic consequences, claims that the measure was confusing, government overreach, and purported ineffectiveness of taxes. The leveraging of local issues by the beverage industry was observed. Themes identified in the news regarding Boulder's successful sugar-sweetened beverage tax may appear in future sugar-sweetened beverage policy campaigns and should be anticipated.