High Nutritional Quality Research Articles

Discrepancy between Food Classification Systems: Evaluation of Nutri-Score, NOVA Classification and Chilean Front-of-Package Food Warning Labels.

Currently, there are different food classification systems in order to inform the population of the best alternatives for consumption, considering all the diseases associated with the consumption of products of low nutritional quality. Reports indicate that these forms of labelling warnings correspond to a laudable strategy for populations that do not have the knowledge to discriminate between the wide range of products offered by the food industry. However, recent publications indicate that there may be inconsistencies between the different classification guidelines, and the guidelines that nations should adopt in their food guides are still a matter of debate. In view of this, the present study aimed to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative differences that exist between the NOVA, Nutri-Score and Chilean Front-of-package (FoP) food warning label according to the Chilean basic food basket list. An analytical study was carried out to classify a list of 736 foods according to three different systems, evaluating the distributions according to their methods of classifying the products. Quantitative differences were contrasted for each system, as well as between them, together with an analysis of the dimensions of each system. According to the Nutri-Score classification, the most frequent category was A with 27% (high nutritional quality), followed by D with 22% (low nutritional quality) of the total. On the other hand, the NOVA classification showed that the most frequent categorization was ultra-processed food (NOVA 4) with 54%, followed by unprocessed (NOVA 1) with 19%. Regarding the FoP warning labels, 57% of the foods were categorized as free warning labels, followed by the category of foods with 3 warning labels (23%). Regarding the results of the principal component analysis, the Nutri-Score and FoP warning labels present a degree of similarity in their classification guidelines, being different than the dimension pointed out by NOVA. The present work managed to demonstrate that there are quantitative and qualitative differences between the classification and recommendation guidelines of the Nutri-Score, NOVA and FoP warning labels, finding concrete discrepancies between them.

Investigation of drought induced biochemical and gene expression changes in carrot cultivars.

Carrot is the most important vegetable in Apiaceae family, and it is consumed globally due to its high nutritional quality. Drought stress is major environmental constraint for vegetables especially carrot. Limited data is available regarding the mechanisms conferring drought tolerance in carrot. Methods andResults Eight commercial carrot cultivars were used in this study and subjected to drought stress under semi-controlled greenhouse conditions. Biochemical, antioxidant enzymatic activity and changes in transcript level of drought related genes was estimated, the gene expression analysis was done by using qRT-PCR in comparison with reference gene expression Actin (Act1). Results revealed that cultivars Coral Orange, Tendersweet and Solar Yellow were tolerant to drought stress, which was supported by their higher transcript levels of catalase gene (CAT), superoxide dismutase genes (Cu/ZN-SOD, Cu/Zn-SDC) in these cultivars. The downregulation of PDH1 gene (Proline dehydrogenase 1) was also observed that was associated with upregulation of proline accumulation in carrot plants. Moreover, results also suggested that PRT genes (Proline transporter genes) played a key role in drought tolerance in carrot cultivars. Conclusion Among the cultivars studied, Coral Orange showed overall tolerance to drought stress conditions, whereas cultivars Cosmic Purple and Eregli Black were sensitive based on their biochemical and gene expression levels. According to our knowledge, this is the first comparative study on drought tolerance in several carrot cultivars. It will provide a background for carrot breeding to understand biochemical and molecular responses of carrot plant to drought stress and mechanisms behind it.

Metabolome and transcriptome analysis of terpene synthase genes and their putative role in floral aroma production in Litchi chinensis.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are essential traits of flowers since they attract pollinators, aid in seed distribution, protect the plant from internal and external stimuli, and are involved in plant-plant and plant-environment interactions. Apart from their role in plants, VOCs are used in pharmaceuticals, fragrances, cosmetics, and flavorings. Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is a popular fruit due to its enticing red appearance, exotic taste, and high nutritional qualities. Litchi flowers bloom as inflorescences primarily on the shoot terminals. There are three distinct flower types, two male and one female, all of which are produced on the same panicle and rely on insect pollination. Herein, we used a comprehensive metabolomic approach to examine the volatile profile of litchi fruit (green pericarp, yellow pericarp, and red pericarp) as well as male and female flowers (bud stage, half open and full bloom). From a quantitative examination of the volatiles in L. chinensis, a total of 19, 22, and 21 VOCs were discovered from female flowers, male flowers, and fruits, with the majority of them belonging to sesquiterpenes. Multivariate analysis revealed that the volatile profiles of fruits differ from those of male and female flowers. Three VOCs were unique to male flowers and ten to the fruit, while eight VOCs were shared by both male and female flowers and eleven by both male and female flowers and the fruit. Furthermore, for the first time, we identified and comprehensively studied the TERPENE SYNTHASE genes (TPS) using the litchi genome and transcriptome database, which revealed 38 TPS genes unevenly distributed across the 15 chromosomes. A phylogenetic study showed that LcTPS were grouped into TPS-b, TPS-c, TPS-e, TPS-f, and TPS-g subfamilies, with TPS-b having the most genes. The conserved motifs (RRX8 W, NSE/DTE, and DDXX D) were studied in LcTPSs, and significant variation between subfamilies was discovered. Furthermore, after integrating the metabolome and transcriptome datasets, several VOCs were shown to be development-specific and highly linked with distinct LcTPS genes, making them promising biomarkers. Interestingly, LcTPS17/20/23/24/31 were associated with monoterpene edges, while the rest were connected to sesquiterpene edges, indicating their probable participation in the aroma biosynthesis mechanism of certain compounds.

Interrelationship between grain yield components and nutritional quality traits in cowpea genotypes

Correlations and path coefficient analysis provide knowledge on trait interrelationships and potential for simultaneous, direct, or indirect selection in plant breeding. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic and phenotypic correlations as well as the path coefficient analysis among grain yield components and nutritional quality traits in cowpea genotypes. Data for grain yield components and mineral elements were collected from 70 cowpea genotypes planted at two environments in 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons in South Africa. Grain yield had significant (P<0.05) positive phenotypic correlations with number of seeds per pod (SPP), indicating that selection of cowpea genotypes based on SPP could be effective in maximizing grain yield. The heat map showed that grain yield was strongly associated with number of branches (NB), SPP and number of pods per plant. Among the yield components, only SPP showed significant (P<0.05) positive phenotypic correlations with Zn, Mn, and Mg. Grain yield showed no genetic correlations with yield components and nutritional quality traits. Significant (P<0.05) positive genetic correlations were observed between yield components and most of the nutritional quality traits, indicating inherent association among the traits. Path coefficient analysis identified SPP and NB as major contributors to grain yield. The PCA identified cowpea genotypes such as ARC030, ARC011, ARC016, ARC024, NGOII, ARC032, IT90K59, and ARC047 with high grain yield and good nutritional quality traits that can be used further as potential parents for crop improvement through biofortification. The clustered heat map distingished five groups of cowpea genotypes and three of those were associated with good grain yield and nutritional quality traits which could make cowpea a good choice to combat food security and malnutrition in the world.

Desirable Diet to Lower the Japanese Nitrogen Footprint: Analysis of the Saitama Prefecture Nutrition Survey 2017

With the growing interest in healthy and sustainable diets, studying diets with high nutritional quality and low environmental impact is needed. We focused on the nitrogen footprint (NFP)-an indicator of reactive nitrogen loss that causes various environmental impacts-of Japanese diets using individual dietary records and identified the characteristics of lower NFP diets. This cross-sectional study was a secondary data analysis from the 2017 Saitama Prefecture Nutrition Survey. We analyzed the data obtained from a questionnaire and two-day dietary records of 479 men and women aged 30-65 y who had no misreported or missing data. The NFP was calculated using the virtual nitrogen factors of each food group reported in a previous study. After assessing NFP and its contributions, we conducted sub-group analysis for participants with appropriate weight status and adequate protein intake, classifying them into three groups according to tertiles of NFP to protein ratio. We compared NFP, its contributions, and nutrient intake between the groups. The total NFP (kg N/y) was 18.2±5.0 in men and 16.1±4.4 in women. In the sub-group analysis, total NFPs of the lower NFP group were 16.5±3.1 in men and 13.6±2.8 in women. Cereals, pulses, and fish and seafood contributed more significantly to the total NFP in the lower NFP group than in the higher NFP group. These results suggest that adequate protein intake from a variety of food sources is required to lower the environmental impact of adequate diets.

English

Sorghum is a nutritious and under-utilized cereal whose potential in development of nutritious ready-to-drink beverages remains unexplored. The objective of the study was to optimize malting and fermentation conditions to obtain a nutritionally superior new sorghum product. Four beverage formulations containing sweetened sorghum malt extracts were developed through fermentation using kombucha culture at different temperatures (between 20 and 35&deg;C). The formulations were also malted for three, four and five days and analyzed for nutritional characteristics. The iron, total phenolics and vitamin C contents in the formulations ranged from 0.125 &plusmn; 0.292 to 2.956 &plusmn; 13.83 mg/100g, 0.1328 &plusmn; 0.00594 to 1.6601 &plusmn; 0.0640 mg GAE/100 ml and 4.3505 &plusmn; 0.2797 to 6.1304c &plusmn; 0.2797 mg/100 ml respectively. Iron was used in the process optimization to select the best beverage which had high nutritional and sensory quality. The mean contents of iron in the beverages ranged from 1.25 &plusmn; 0.292 mg/kg (formulation 5D1) to 29.56 &plusmn; 13.83 mg/kg (formulation 4D). The best formulation was obtained from an optimum of four days malting and fermentation temperature of 25&deg;C (4D). The findings indicate that nutritious beverages can be developed from sorghum by employing different malting days and fermentation conditions to come up with products having varying levels of iron, vitamin c and phenolics depending on your process or consumer needs. &nbsp; Key words: Sorghum, kombucha, malting, fermentation.

Effect of Production System on Chemical Composition and Macro-Minerals of Sudanese camels Milk

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the production system effect on camel milk composition and macro-elements content in Sudan.&#x0D; Methodology: Sample purchased from camel milk production markets (Albutana- Tumbool, Kordfan-Elobied, and Khartoum-Alsalam market) in 6 replicates.&#x0D; Findings: There were no difference in moisture, and protein % among camel milk from different area, on the other hand there were significantly different in fat and ash content % with highest values for Khartoum camel milk and lowest values for Kordofan camel milk. Macro-minerals (Na, K, Mg, Ca, and P) content in camel milk were determined and there was different content. Ca, Na, K, Mg and P higher in Khartoum camel milk and lowest content values for Kordofan camel milk. The study was extended to determine soil macro-elements contents in Albutana and Kordofan areas which were fed by grazing system, and ignored soil in Khartoum whereas camels lives in a farm.&#x0D; Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Camels produce more milk of high nutritional quality and for a longer period of time than other species in an environment that might be rightly termed as hostile in terms of extreme temperature, drought and lack of pasture, in Sudan camel’s milk constitutes the sole diet of camel herders for considerable periods and they rely completely on camel’s milk for more than month without having drinking water especially during the migratory routes. Camel milk from different areas and production system had different chemical content in fat and ash % and similar in moisture and protein %, within the same season. However, macro-minerals in camel milk increasing by soil macro minerals contents specially on grazing system.

Evaluation of the effect of replacing shortening for sesame paste (Sesamum indicum) in nixtamalized maize cookies

Cookies are products highly consumed around the world, with time, consumers are demanding products with higher nutritional value and that are focused on current market trends. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of substituting vegetable shortening for sesame paste (Sesamum indicum) in nixtamalized maize flour cookies to obtain a product with high nutritional quality and gluten-free to be suitable for the consumption of people with celiac disease. A total of five treatments were evaluated, alternating the sesame seed paste and vegetable shortening ratio 100:0 (T1), 75:25 (T2), 50:50 (T3), 25:75 (T4) and 0:100 (T5), respectively. Spread factor, protein content, fat content, ash content, colour and texture (fracturability and hardness) on days 0, 2 and 7 were analyzed. Significant differences were found between T3, T4 and T5 in spread factor value, T5 with the highest value. T5 cookies had 56% protein content. There was no significant difference between ash and raw fat. In colour, T2 presented the biggest L* value, in difference against T1, T3 and T5. In a* value, T1 and T5 are the ones with the biggest value (12.58), T1 and T3 have no difference and the lowest value is reported in T2 and T4 (8.96). In b* value, T2, T4 and T5 treatments had the highest value (31.70) while T2, T4 and T1 did not present any difference with T3. On day 0, fracturability and hardness only T3 is higher compared to other treatments. On days 2 and 7, the difference is increasing, with being T3 the one with the highest value and T5 with the lowest value. By substituting vegetable shortening for sesame seed paste in cornmeal cookies in 100% (T5), protein percentage was higher and a lower value in fat percentage. Likewise, it was concluded that substitution of vegetable shortening for sesame seed paste can produce a cookie with better nutritional value (higher protein and lower fat content) and with favourable physical characteristics such as less hardness, less fracturability and less spread factor.

Yield, Antioxidant Activity and Total Polyphenol Content of Okra Fruits Grown in Slovak Republic

Climate change, linked with an increase in temperature, contributes to the possibility growing of non-typical and lesser-known vegetable species in the Slovak Republic, including okra. Seven okra cultivars were tested as part of this study, which focused on the basic yield parameters, antioxidant activity and total polyphenol content in okra fruits. The statistical analysis of obtained results revealed significant differences in all monitored parameters of okra. The selection of “plastic” crop cultivars that can produce a steadier yield in each growing year is required due to the significant climate variations between growing seasons. In this regard, the okra cultivar ‘Baby Bubba’ can be recommended. The results also showed the high antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of okra pulp and seeds. Okra has a higher nutritional quality than other vegetable species frequently grown in the Slovak Republic. Okra cultivars ‘Burgundy’, ‘Pure Luck F1′ and ‘Jing Orange’ can be suggested from a nutritional perspective. Finally, it is possible to state that okra cultivars showed good yield potential and nutritional quality compared to the studies realized in countries in which okra is known and commonly used by the human population.

Transcriptomic Analysis Provides Insights into Anthocyanin Accumulation in Mulberry Fruits

Mulberry fruits are rich in anthocyanins, which are important secondary metabolites that give mulberries their bright color, favorable taste and high nutritional quality, making them a popular fruit. However, few studies have focused on the molecular mechanism underlying anthocyanin accumulation in mulberries and the gene regulatory networks of anthocyanin biosynthetic pathways remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with anthocyanin accumulation between two mulberry genotypes (‘Zi Jing’, ZJ and ‘Zhen Zhu Bai’, ZZB, with purple and white fruit flesh, respectively) at 5, 18, 27 and 31 days after flower. Using transcriptome analysis, we explored several key DEGs involved in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, including the structural genes: CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR1, DFR2 and ANS, known as MBW complex genes: MYB (M.alba_G0017209), MYB (M.alba_G0017689), bHLH (M.alba_G0012659), bHLH (M.alba_G0009347) and bHLH3 (M.alba_G0016257) and the ethylene response factor: ERF (M.alba_G0016603). Of these, changing trends related to expression pattern and anthocyanin content showed their most positive correlation at the post-flowering stage in both genotypes. Our results indicated that ethylene enhances anthocyanin accumulation in mulberry fruits. Furthermore, qRT-PCR was performed to confirm the above-mentioned genes’ expression (except for MYB (M.alba_G0017689) and bHLH (M.alba_G0009347) was significantly up-regulated under ethylene treatment at 300 mg/L. These findings help uncover the gene regulatory networks of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway and will contribute to engineering purposes in future mulberry breeding programs.

Fatty acids and nutritional components of the seed oil from Wangmo red ball Camellia oleifera grown in the low-heat valley of Guizhou, China

Wangmo red ball Camellia oleifera is the main Camellia species cultivated for oil in the low-heat valley of Guizhou, China. In this study, we evaluated the comprehensive nutritional value of Wangmo C. oleifera seed oil through fatty acid and nutritional component analyses. Twenty excellent Wangmo C. oleifera plants with stable yield and disease resistance were selected from the Camellia oleifera germplasm resource garden in the low-heat valley site of Guizhou University. The unit crown yield, fatty acid content of the seed oil, fatty acid composition and functional nutrients were determined, and the oil quality was comprehensively evaluated using principal component analysis. The fatty acid content of C. oleifera seed oil was 35.03–53.47%, suggesting likely popularization and wide application prospects. The fatty acids included SFAs, MUFAs and PUFAs, and the oleic acid content was 80%, indicating a highly stable and nutritious oil. The oil was also rich in carotenoids, polyphenols, flavonoids, β-sitosterol, squalene and α-Ve, with average content of 7.404 mg/kg, 16.062 mg/kg, 0.401 g/100 g, 265.087 mg/kg, 129.315 mg/kg and 21.505 mg/100 g, respectively. However, the correlations among the nutritional indices were weak. PCA showed that germplasms GH7, GH43, GH28, GH8 and GH31 exhibited the top five nutritional qualities. The rankings in this study provide data for identifying excellent Wangmo C. oleifera plants with high nutritional quality. Additionally, this study provides a valuable reference for the research and development of high-end edible oil and a theoretical basis for the development of economic forest species in low-heat valley areas across the world.

Physicochemical properties, in vitro digestibility, antioxidant activity and consumer acceptability of biscuits prepared from germinated finger millet and Bambara groundnut flour blends

The formulation of new food products with high nutritional quality and functionality is gaining global attention. The physicochemical properties, in vitro digestibility, antioxidant activity and consumer acceptability of biscuits produced from germinated finger millet (GFM) (Eleusine coracana) and Bambara groundnut (GBGN) (Vigna subterranea) flour blends were investigated. As the proportion of GBGN flour increased in the biscuit samples, protein, in vitro protein digestibility (80.52–89.20 %), slowly digestible and resistant starch, total phenolic content and antioxidant activities increased significantly, while rapidly digestible starch, starch hydrolysis index, glycemic index and phytic acid decreased. Addition of GBGN also positively influenced the physical attributes of the biscuits. The blending of 80% GFM with 20 % GBGN resulted in a biscuit with acceptable sensory qualities such as taste, aroma, appearance, crunchiness, and overall acceptability. This study showed that GFM and GBGN flour blends could serve as functional ingredients to produce better products.

A Comparative Study of Ten Pear (Pyrus communis L.) Cultivars in Relation to the Content of Sugars, Organic Acids, and Polyphenol Compounds.

Traditional pear cultivars are increasingly in demand by consumers because of their excellent taste, the possibility of use in sustainable food production systems, convenience as raw materials for obtaining products of high nutritional quality, and perceived health benefits. In this study, individual sugars, organic acids, and polyphenols in the fruits of nine traditional and one commercial pear cultivar during two growing seasons were determined by HPLC. A significant influence of cultivars, growing years, and their interaction on the content of analyzed primary and secondary metabolites was determined. The commercial pear cultivar ‘Président Drouard’ and traditional cultivars ‘Dolokrahan’, ‘Budaljača’, and ‘Krakača’ had a lower content of all analyzed sugars. Overall, traditional pear cultivars had higher total polyphenols in the peel and pulp than ‘Président Drouard’, with the exception ‘Takiša’ and ‘Ahmetova’. High polyphenol content detected in ‘Budaljača’, ‘Dolokrahan’, and ‘Krakača’ shows the utilization value of traditional pear germplasm. The obtained data can serve as practical supporting data for the use of traditional pears in the neutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and food industries.

Endodermal apoplastic barriers are linked to osmotic tolerance in meso-xerophytic grass Elymus sibiricus.

Drought is the most serious adversity faced by agriculture and animal husbandry industries. One strategy that plants use to adapt to water deficits is modifying the root growth and architecture. Root endodermis has cell walls reinforced with apoplastic barriers formed by the Casparian strip (CS) and suberin lamellae (SL) deposits, regulates radial nutrient transport and protects the vascular cylinder from abiotic threats. Elymus sibiricus is an economically important meso-xerophytic forage grass, characterized by high nutritional quality and strong environmental adaptability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the drought tolerance of E. sibiricus genotypes and investigate the root structural adaptation mechanism of drought-tolerant genotypes’ responding to drought. Specifically, a drought tolerant (DT) and drought sensitive (DS) genotype were screened out from 52 E. sibiricus genotypes. DT showed less apoplastic bypass flow of water and solutes than DS under control conditions, as determined with a hydraulic conductivity measurement system and an apoplastic fluorescent tracer, specifically PTS trisodium-8-hydroxy-1,3,6-pyrenetrisulphonic acid (PTS). In addition, DT accumulated less Na, Mg, Mn, and Zn and more Ni, Cu, and Al than DS, regardless of osmotic stress. Further study showed more suberin deposition in DT than in DS, which could be induced by osmotic stress in both. Accordingly, the CS and SL were deposited closer to the root tip in DT than in DS. However, osmotic stress induced their deposition closer to the root tips in DS, while likely increasing the thickness of the CS and SL in DT. The stronger and earlier formation of endodermal barriers may determine the radial transport pathways of water and solutes, and contribute to balance growth and drought response in E. sibiricus. These results could help us better understand how altered endodermal apoplastic barriers in roots regulate water and mineral nutrient transport in plants that have adapted to drought environments. Moreover, the current findings will aid in improving future breeding programs to develop drought-tolerant grass or crop cultivars.

194 Sustainable Livestock Production from Phytochemically Diversified Pastures

Abstract Agricultural systems must increase productivity while conserving the natural resource base and optimizing ecosystem services to meet the converging challenges posed by a growing human population, increasing costs of production inputs, and widespread environmental degradation. Thus, sustainability concerns justify the needs for readjustment of pasture strategies and redefining the role of forages in livestock production. The function of forages in pasture-based livestock systems needs to be broaden beyond their agronomic and animal nutrition benefits. Specifically, the potential of bioactive compounds found in forb species in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, boosting animal immune system, increasing the biochemical richness of animal products and ecosystem benefits should be considered in designing pasture systems. It is key to take full advantage of the benefits provided by the biochemicals present in diverse arrays of forages, as they can contribute to the enhancement of feed efficiency and animal health at relatively low costs to the producer. The use of phytochemically diverse pastures that include legumes and forbs with high nutritive quality together with the presence of beneficial plant secondary compounds can improve the antioxidant capacity and the immune function of livestock and reduce animal CH4 emissions and nitrate (NO3) leaching from soils. The main tenet of the invited talk will be to provide information on recent research findings on the effects of temperate forb species with high bioactive compounds on animal production, health and GHG emissions. Furthermore, how these forages can be successfully incorporated in pasture systems and animal feeding programs in temperate agro-ecologies will be discussed.

The Relationship Between Pod Length and the Quality of Indigofera Gozoll Agribun Plant Seeds

Indigofera gozoll agribun is a legume tree plant that has high nutritional quality as animal feed. However, it still has problem with the low seed quality. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between pod length and the quality of Indigofera seeds. This research was designed in a completely randomized design with five treatments of pod length size and four replications, namely: P1 (3.5 cm), P2 (4 cm), P3 (4.5 cm), P4 (5 cm) and P5 (5.5 cm). The parameters observed were: characteristics and morphology of pods and the growth of sprouts Indigofera seed. The results showed that the percentage of germination, plumule length and radicle length were significantly different at the 5% level, while the number of leaves and sprouts weight were not significantly different. The treatment of P4 obtained the highest germination percentage (65.5%) and radicle length of 1.05 cm, while P5 obtained the highest germination weight and plumule length respectively (0.53 and 3.38 cm), as well as the highest number of leaves (1, 26 strands). It can be concluded that the pod length of 5 cm can be recommended to obtain the best quality Indigofera seeds.&#x0D; Keywords: Indigofera gozoll agribun, seed, pod length, sprouts

Sustainability Dimensions of the Mediterranean Diet: A Systematic Review of the Indicators Used and Its Results

The concern about sustainability is growing and the Mediterranean diet has been extensively identified as a promising model, with benefits for human and environmental health. This systematic review aims to identify and describe the indicators that have been used to evaluate the sustainability of the Mediterranean diet and the results from their application. A methodology using PRISMA guidelines was followed, and searches were performed in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and GreenFile. A total of 32 studies assessing the sustainability of the Mediterranean diet were identified. Twenty-five of these studies quantified the environmental impact, 7 studies evaluated the nutritional quality, and 12 studies assessed the daily cost of this dietary pattern. A total of 33 distinct indicators were identified, of which 10 were used to assess the environmental dimension (mainly, carbon, water, and ecological footprint), 8 were used to assess the nutritional dimension (mainly Health score and Nutrient Rich Food Index), 1 was used to assess the economic dimension (dietary cost), and 8 used combined indicators. The remaining 6 indicators for the assessment of sociocultural dimension were only identified in 1 study but were not measured. The Mediterranean diet had a lower environmental impact than Western diets and showed a carbon footprint between 0.9 and 6.88 kg CO2/d per capita, a water footprint between 600 and 5280 m3/d per capita, and an ecological footprint between 2.8 and 53.42 m2/d per capita. With regard to the nutritional dimension, the Mediterranean diet had a high nutritional quality and obtained 122 points on the Health score and ranged between 12.95 and 90.6 points on the Nutrient Rich Food Index. The cost of the Mediterranean diet is similar to other diets and varied between 3.33 and 14.42€/d per capita. These findings show that no uniformity in assessing the MDiet's sustainability exists.

Chemical properties and microstructure analysis of yellow corn and okara-based composite flour

Composite flour is derived from mixing flour rich in starch, protein, and other ingredients. Corn and okara have great potentials of being used as raw materials for the manufacturing of this composite flour, due to their high nutritional quality and affordability. Therefore, this study was aimed to analyze the chemical characteristics and microstructure of yellow corn and okara-based composite flours. The composite flour was produced in five different formulations of yellow corn flour and dried okara. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using the One-way ANOVA with a significance level of 95% and the difference between the mean values of the data was further analyzed with DMRT. Results showed that the amount of okara flour added to that of the composite flours significantly (p<0.05) decreased moisture and carbohydrate contents, and then increased the ash, fat, protein, total dietary fiber, and resistant starch contents. While its microstructure analysis has confirmed the interaction between yellow corn starch granules and okara fiber. Furthermore, higher addition of okara flour has improved the composite flours properties. Thus, yellow corn and okara-based composite flours showed great potentials as functional food ingredients for food products diversification, due to their high protein and dietary fiber contents.

Extraction and Characterization of Protein Concentrates from Limpets (Patella vulgata) and Peptide Release Following Gastrointestinal Digestion.

This study investigated the characterization of proteins from the Irish limpet (Patella vulgata) and assessed the in vitro biological activities of hydrolysates obtained following gastrointestinal digestion (INFOGEST) of a limpet protein concentrate (LPC). The physicochemical properties and the digestibility of the LPC were investigated, along with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and antioxidant activities of the LPC-digested samples. All the digested samples examined outperformed the LPC in terms of activity. Peptides were identified using LC-MS/MS after digestion. A total of 38 and 19 peptides were identified in LPC-G and LPC-GI, respectively, using a database search and a de novo approach. Most of the identified peptides had hydrophobic amino acids, which may contribute to their antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activities. The findings of this study showed that LPC has high nutritional quality with good digestibility and could serve as a potential source of antioxidative and ACE inhibitory peptides following gastrointestinal digestion.

Effect of fish diet and cooking mode on the composition and microstructure of ready-to-eat fish fillets of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) juveniles

The effect of fish diet and cooking modality was described for Gilthead sea bream juveniles (Sparus aurata). Three feeds were tested: a control diet containing fish meal (FM>26%) and fish oil (FO>6%) and two diets where FM and FO were replaced with more sustainable alternatives (FM<14%; FO<5%). Fillets were analyzed raw and after cooking at increasing intensities: sous-vide, boiling, roasting and microwave oven baking. The overall quality of fish fillets was assessed by measuring their appearance by Image Analysis, by characterizing their proximate composition, fatty acid profiles, quality indices, and their microstructural features by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and relaxometry. The analysis of experimental data suggested that fish diet specifically characterized the nutritional quality of cooked fillets by affecting their fatty acid profiles, irrespective of the cooking process. Appearance (color, image texture) and muscle microstructure were only influenced by the intensity of cooking, regardless of diet. As cooking intensity increased, water and oil distribution in myofibrils was progressively reorganized and muscle fibers shrunk, causing relevant microstructural changes, especially in roasted and microwave oven baked fillets. The paper provides a useful guide for the production of ready-to-eat meals derived from sustainable aquaculture processes and characterized by high sensory and nutritional quality.