Whole-genome sequencing and machine learning reveal candidate genomic features associated with Listeria monocytogenes persistence in two ice cream facilities.

Soybeans are widely used as a protein source in food, but even trace amounts can trigger harmful reactions in allergic individuals. To minimize safety risks, food producers can use commercially available ELISA kits to detect unintended soy presence. However, selecting the appropriate ELISA kit is challenging due to limited information on assay performance across different matrices. Therefore, this study compared seven commercial soy ELISA kits across nine different food matrices: cookie, chocolate, beverages, snacks, plant-based drinks and products, dairy products, ice cream, meat replacers and herbs/spices. Soy content was quantified as milligram of total soy protein per kilogram of the food product, in both soy-spiked and incurred food products. Recovery, intra-assay, and inter-assay variability were evaluated for the spiked matrices. All kits could qualitatively detect soy at the eliciting dose (ED01) of 0.5 mg total soy protein based on relevant consumption size for each matrix. Quantitatively, detected soy concentrations increased with higher soy levels, though recovery varied by kit and matrix. The number of ELISA kits meeting recovery criteria was as follows: dairy products (7), cookies (6), ice cream (6), plant-based drinks and products (6), snacks (5), beverages (5), herbs/spices (5), chocolate (4), and meat replacers (3). Meat replacers proved the most challenging matrix, with only three kits meeting the criteria. These findings provide comparative performance data for commercially available soy ELISA kits and can assist the food industry in selecting appropriate methods for reliable soy detection in specific matrices, contributing to improved allergen risk management and consumer safety. • The seven kits were able to detect soy qualitatively at the level of 0.5 mg soy protein. • Nine soy relevant food matrices were tested. • Quantitative performance of the test kits varied with the food matrices. • Most challenging matrices were meat and meat replacers showing high matrix effects.

The Food Motivation Battery [FMB]: preliminary validation of an acute, item-specific measure of food motivation in young adults.

Despite decades of development, the fast food industry still shows considerable room for expansion. Market resources are becoming increasingly concentrated among leading brands, while local enterprises are also rising quickly by relying on cultural adaptation and regional advantages. Alongside internationally recognized companies such as McDonald's and KFC, Japanese restaurant brands including Yoshinoya and Ajisen Ramen have established a strong presence in East Asian markets. At the same time, Chinese brands such as Mixue Ice Cream & Tea and Tastien have accelerated their overseas expansion and gradually strengthened their influence in Southeast Asia. This study adopts case analysis and literature review as its primary research approaches to investigate how consumer preferences differ under various cultural backgrounds and how fast food enterprises coordinate global brand identity with localization strategies during international expansion. Through the discussion of cross-cultural marketing practices in the catering industry, the paper aims to enrich existing theoretical research and provide practical references for the international development of other service-oriented industries.

To understand efficacies of nonpharmacologic therapy for pediatric posttonsillectomy pain. CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Scopus. Studies on nonpharmacologic interventions for pediatric posttonsillectomy pain were included in this systematic review. Extracted variables included demographics, pain scores, and postoperative bleeding. Pain scores on 0-10 scales (eg, Visual Analog Scale, Wong-Baker, FLACC, Oucher) were analyzed, and scales using different ranges, but comparable pain markers, were standardized to 0 to 10. Data were summarized as means, proportions (%), and differences (Δ) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Risk of bias was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), ROBINS-I, or ROB-2 tools. Twenty-three studies (n = 3538) met inclusion criteria. Several nonpharmacologic intervention groups showed significant reductions in postoperative pain compared to control. At 6 hours postoperatively, acupuncture (∆ -0.8, 95% CI [-1.17, -0.43], P < .01), ice cream (∆ -1.4, 95% CI [-2.28, -0.52], P < .01), cartoon distraction (∆ -1.3, 95% CI [-1.83, -0.77], P < .01), and lavender essence inhalation (∆ -0.9, 95% CI [-1.76, -0.04], P = .04), were associated with lower pain scores. By postoperative Day 7 sugar-free gum was the only intervention associated with lower pain scores (∆ -2.2, 95% CI [-3.07, -1.33], P < .01). Salvia officinalis, cold diet, and food and effort restrictions were associated with less postoperative bleeding. Honey, intraoperative music, autologous serum, and liquid/soft diet (among other interventions) showed no changes in postoperative pain. Nonpharmacologic interventions including acupuncture, sugar-free gum, distraction, and select oil essence therapies are associated with less pain, with some interventions reducing postoperative bleeding risk. This supports incorporating non-pharmacologic adjuncts for pediatric posttonsillectomy pain, though further high-quality studies are needed.

Although preventing heat illness is critical in golf, risk profiles likely vary by engagement level. This study investigated whether risk factors for exertional heat exhaustion (EHE) differ between competitive and recreational golfers. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study targeting amateur golfers in Japan during the summers of 2024 and 2025. A stratified analysis was performed on competitive (n = 485) and recreational (n = 259) groups using multivariable logistic regression to identify independent risk factors. Although perceived dehydration and loss of appetite were universal risk factors (p < 0.05), distinct risk structures emerged. In the competitive group, sleep deprivation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.27) and mental stress (aOR = 1.66) were significant, suggesting that psychophysiological strain associated with competitive pressure may affect subjective heat tolerance. Conversely, specific associations for the recreational group included playing ≥ 11 rounds/month (aOR = 3.63) and increased consumption of jelly drinks (aOR = 2.62) and ice cream (aOR = 2.37). These behaviors likely reflect a reactive response to early thermal discomfort, indicating cumulative fatigue from unmanaged loads and a maladaptive reliance on "sensory cooling" rather than effective rehydration. These findings reveal a clear dichotomy in EHE risk factors based on participants' competitive orientation. Competitive golfers exhibit risk structures associated primarily with physiological and psychological strain, whereas recreational golfers are vulnerable due to behavioral management and preparedness deficits. Hence, effective prevention requires targeted strategies that address distinct, group-specific risks.

BackgroundDiet contains components that may exert broad immunoregulatory properties, including the promotion of tolerance. The timing of food introduction may influence the development of allergies. The aim of this study was to relate the timing of food introduction with doctor’s diagnosed allergies (food allergy, atopic eczema, and allergic asthma) at six years of age in a cohort of Swedish infants.MethodsAt six years of age, 430 children from the Swedish NICE birth cohort were assessed for food allergies, atopic eczema, and allergic asthma by a pediatric allergologist. Timing of introduction of 18 predefined foods (potatoes and roots, fruits and/or fruit juice, berries, nuts and/or almonds, peanuts and/or peanut oil, bread and/or biscuits, butter, margarine, vegetable oils, cow’s milk, ice cream, sour milk (“fil”), yoghurt, meat, fish, eggs, porridge, and gruel) was collected monthly via parent-completed web-based questionnaires. Associations were examined using logistic regression adjusted for allergic heredity.ResultsDuring the first year of life, 27% of the children received peanuts and/or peanut oil and 32% nuts and/or almonds. Earlier meat introduction was associated with 24% lower odds of food allergy per month earlier introduced [adjusted OR (95% CI): 0.76 (0.60–0.99), p = 0.028]. A similar tendency was observed for eggs, although not surviving adjustment for allergic heredity. Children with food allergies had been introduced to margarine earlier than non-allergic children [9.0 (5.0–12.0) vs. 12.0 (9.0–12.0) months, p = 0.021], although this finding likely reflects reverse causation.ConclusionsOur results suggest that earlier introduction of meat may be associated with a lower risk of food allergies later in childhood, although this finding must be interpreted with caution as causality cannot be proven. Timing of food introduction did not appear to be associated with atopic eczema or allergic asthma. Furthermore, our results indicate that recommendations for introduction of potentially allergenic foods during the first year of life were not effectively implemented.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05809479, 12 April 2023, Retrospectively registered.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12937-026-01344-4.

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the viability of probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis and Lactobacillus gasseri in a dietetic ice cream matrix. Four formulations were produced: control (A), B. animalis subsp. lactis (B), L. gasseri (C), and a coculture of both strains (D). A synbiotic frozen system was developed using a milk‐based cocoa matrix, and the cold adaptation of probiotic cells was monitored in the presence of phenolic‐stevia‐based cryoprotective components. Samples were analyzed before freezing, after freezing, and during 60 days of storage. Bacterial viability was assessed in the synbiotic ice cream matrix together with physicochemical properties (pH, texture, color, and organic acid formation), phenolic, antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC, DPPH), and sensory characteristics. Although a decrease in viable cell counts was observed during storage, levels remained above the recommended minimum threshold (≥ 6 log10 cfu g−1), indicating the maintenance of probiotic functionality. Microbial counts were positively correlated with lactic acid production, textural parameters (penetration and adhesiveness), and sensory attributes, such as sourness and fermented milk flavor. The synbiotic fermented system exhibited higher antioxidant capacity. Sensory evaluation showed that all fermented ice cream samples achieved acceptable scores (> 4 on the hedonic scale), indicating good consumer acceptability throughout storage. Overall, the findings suggest that the stevia‐sweetened cocoa ice cream matrix can serve as a promising synbiotic frozen carrier for maintaining probiotic viability during 60 days of storage, while retaining acceptable functional and sensory quality.

Ice recrystallization is a key factor limiting the storage stability of ice cream. Although tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) is recognized for its thickening and ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) capabilities, its specific mechanism of action in frozen dairy systems remains underexplored. This study aimed to elucidate the stabilizing mechanism of TSP (0%, 0.2%, and 0.5% w/w) in ice cream formulations. Rheological analysis revealed that TSP significantly modified the flow properties of the mixes. The consistency coefficient (K) increased from 0.4451 to 1.1593 Pa·sn, and the flow behavior index (n) increased from 0.2876 to 0.6445, confirming the characteristic shear-thinning behavior of the mixes. Oscillatory tests confirmed the formation of a weak gel-like network (storage modulus (G') > loss modulus (G″)), imparting viscoelastic stability to the mix. At the microstructural level, TSP promoted the formation of a finer, more monodisperse emulsion and effectively inhibited Ostwald ripening, reducing the mean ice crystal area from 221.69 μm2 to 135.78 μm2. Furthermore, TSP retarded crystallization kinetics and reduced freezable water content, leading to a prolonged phase transition. These microstructural changes translated to enhanced cohesiveness (rising from 5.835 to 7.121) and substantially reduced hardness in the final product, although this was accompanied by an increase in the melting rate. These findings demonstrate that TSP is a potent cryostabilizer that optimizes the microstructural integrity and textural quality of ice cream. This research provides a robust theoretical foundation for utilizing TSP as a functional ingredient in the frozen dessert industry. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Edible oleogels have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional solid fats, offering a healthier option by replacing saturated and trans fats with structured vegetable oils. These gels, composed of edible oils and oleogelators, mimic the functional properties of solid fats while providing enhanced nutritional benefits. Their versatility makes them suitable for a range of food products, including baked goods, ice cream, and chocolate. This review explores the latest advancements in oleogel technology, focusing on their formulation, oleogelation methods, and applications in 3D-printing for personalized nutrition. Structuring techniques, such as direct dispersion, emulsion templating, foam templating, and solvent exchange, are discussed, highlighting their unique advantages in terms of texture, stability, and sensory attributes. The integration of oleogels into 3D-printing technology offers new opportunities to design customized food products tailored to individual dietary needs. Such applications enable the creation of sustainable, functional foods with enhanced health benefits. Despite notable progress, challenges such as optimizing rheological properties, ensuring scalability, and gaining consumer acceptance remain. Nonetheless, oleogels hold great potential for the development of next-generation food systems, particularly in personalized nutrition, and represent a transformative innovation in advancing food science and technology.

Upcycling clarified and decolorized red beet waste into a sustainable glucose syrup alternative for ice cream production

This study aimed to select the proportion of dairy milk and coconut milk for the development of a value-added tender coconut-based ice cream with improved sensory and physicochemical properties with functional potential. Ice cream mixes were formulated by blending standardized mixed milk (4.50% fat, 8.50% SNF) with coconut milk in three proportions (3:2, 1:1, and 2:3w/w), while maintaining constant levels of milk fat (10.50%), milk solids-not-fat (12.00%), sucrose (15.00%), stabilizer (0.20%), and emulsifier (0.15%). The resultant ice creams were evaluated for proximate composition, pH, viscosity, hardness, melting rate, overrun, total phenolic content (TPC), and sensory characteristics. Increasing the proportion of coconut milk significantly (p < 0.05) increased total fat, total solids (TS), mix viscosity, hardness, melting resistance, and TPC, while reducing overrun. Sensory evaluation revealed that ice cream prepared using an equal proportion of milk and coconut milk (1:1, w/w) achieved the highest flavour score and total sensory score (93.60/100), reflecting optimal flavour balance, desirable body and texture, and improved melting quality. This optimized formulation exhibited a compositional profile (~ 19.0% total fat, 4.30% protein, 49.02% TS) and enhanced TPC value (0.25mg GAE g-1). Overall, the study demonstrates that a 1:1 dairy milk-coconut milk blend is optimal for producing an acceptable quality hybrid ice cream, offering a scientifically validated approach for developing functional dairy-plant frozen desserts.

Over the past 60 years, the proportion of highly processed foods rich in refined carbohydrates and added fats in the food environment has increased, coinciding with a rise in binge eating. While past research has focused on individual vulnerabilities for binge eating, emerging evidence suggests highly processed foods may exacerbate these vulnerabilities. This Research Forum addresses a critical research gap by synthesizing the foods reported in binge-eating episodes across 41 studies and identifying limitations in current food-reporting practices. Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, and PsycINFO through February 2025. Eligible studies reported specific foods consumed during binge-eating episodes among human participants. Foods were coded as highly processed based on the presence of refined carbohydrates and/or added fats. All 41 (100%) eligible studies reported at least one highly processed food in binge-eating episodes. Only 31.7% of studies (n = 13) reported minimally processed food consumption in a binge-eating episode. Of the food types reported across all studies (n = 404), 70.3% were classified as highly processed and 14.9% as minimally processed. However, vague food descriptions limited the ability to categorize many foods. The most frequently reported foods were cake, ice cream, cookies, and chocolate. Across published studies, highly processed foods were highly prevalent in binge-eating episodes, but interpretations are constrained by vague and incomplete food reporting. We outline recommendations for standardized food-reporting practices to improve the characterization of foods reported in binge-eating occasions to strengthen the clinical relevance of future research.

Analysis and market share expansion strategy for ice cream in Bhavnagar town

Hybrid gels based on zein nanoparticles, pectin and hydroxypropyl guar gum co-stabilized MLCT-rich Pickering emulsion gels and beeswax oleogels for functional fat substitutes.

Health concerns have driven the demand for foods enriched with probiotics in various formulations. Ice cream, a dairy dessert consumed by all age groups, has emerged as an appealing vehicle for probiotic delivery. This study aimed to develop, characterize, and conduct a sensory evaluation of ice cream made with lactose-free milk and no added sucrose, incorporating either Sicilian lemon or passion fruit peel flour, and fermented with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei GV17 in association with a commercial co-culture of Streptococcus thermophilus STI-12. The study also evaluated the viability of lactic acid bacteria in the fermented ice cream during storage and under simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions. The milk was fermented using the selected strains. Six ice cream formulations were prepared: CON, a control, and CONF, a fermented control, without fruit peel flour; FCLS with the addition of Sicilian lemon peel flour; and fermented FCLSF; FCM with passion fruit peel flour and fermented FCMF. All ice cream formulations met microbiological safety standards. When stored at -18 °C, the GV17 count remained above 9.3 log CFU/mL and STI-12 above 10.9 log CFU/mL. After 360 min under simulated GIT conditions, GV17 counts in the fermented ice creams exceeded 11.5 log CFU/mL. The highest hardness values were observed in FCM (8.23 N) and FCLSF (8.39 N). The highest purchase intention scores were FCM (3.79) and CONF (3.78). The incorporation of fruit peel flours, combined with potentially probiotic LAB, adds value to agri-food co-products and promotes sustainable food production. Fermented formulations maintained probiotic viability during frozen storage and achieved consumer acceptance.

An advanced molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor based on a Co3O4/TiO2 p-n heterojunction nanocomposite was developed for the selective determination of vanillin in complex food matrices. In this novel sensing platform, the heterostructured oxide core provides efficient interfacial charge transfer for enhanced sensitivity, while a surface-confined acrylamide-based molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) introduces superior molecular recognition and antifouling capabilities. Structural and surface analyses confirmed successful heterojunction formation and polymer integration without electrical insulation of the active sites. Electrochemical characterization revealed a pronounced synergistic effect between the nanocomposite and the MIP, resulting in a substantial reduction in charge-transfer resistance and preservation of the electroactive surface area. Consequently, the sensor exhibited a wide linear range from 2.5 to 250 µM and a low detection limit of 0.06 µM using cyclic voltammetry. Density functional theory (DFT) and Monte Carlo adsorption simulations demonstrated that vanillin forms a highly stable hydrogen-bonding network with acrylamide at an optimal 1 : 3 ratio. Crucially, the calculated binding energies significantly exceeded those of common interferents such as glucose and ascorbic acid, providing a robust mechanistic basis for the sensor's high selectivity. The sensor was successfully applied to milk, ice cream, biscuits, coffee, and iced tea, delivering recoveries of 96.8-103.2% and excellent agreement with HPLC and UV-vis methods. The platform retained over 89% of its initial response after 42 days under refrigerated storage. This work establishes a rationally designed, DFT-supported MIP/nanocomposite heterojunction strategy for robust electrochemical sensing in chemically aggressive matrices, highlighting the immense potential of hybrid nanomaterials in analytical applications.

Reliable identification of the thoracic duct (TD) is critical during esophagectomy to prevent clinically significant chylothorax. Although various fat-loading and imaging techniques exist, many require specialized equipment or large-volume administration. We standardized a protocol using a small dose of high-fat ice cream administered three hours before anesthesia induction to facilitate lymphatic opacification. In our experience, this protocol was well-tolerated, without anesthesia-related adverse events, and achieved successful TD visualization in all cases without specialized imaging systems such as indocyanine-green fluorescence. Several practical lessons emerged from this decade-long experience. First, combined with thoracoscopic magnification, this approach enables reliable visualization down to the TD branches. This not only prevents inadvertent injury but also allows for the immediate identification and secure repair of any leakage. Second, preserving a clearly visualized TD was associated with fewer clinically relevant chyle leaks, even within a perioperative pathway incorporating very early enteral feeding. Third, TD preservation under direct visualization did not appear to compromise oncologic adequacy, with comparable survival and recurrence patterns in appropriately selected cases. In conclusion, safe intraoperative TD management may depend less on routine en bloc resection than on strategic preservation enabled by reliable visualization. This simple, widely accessible fat-loading protocol facilitates consistent TD identification, and supports selective preservation guided by oncologic considerations without increasing technical complexity. This practical framework enhances surgical safety and optimizes perioperative outcomes in modern esophageal surgery.

Abstract This paper focuses on the use of three visually presented frames — Lungs, Twin Towers, and Ice Cream — across a range of multimodal, public-facing, broadly ‘persuasive’ discourse (including advertising and online campaigning). We focus on metonymic frame evocation as the primary mechanism by which these multimodal artefacts prompt affective responses, with a special focus on evocations by means of minimalist, schematized visual representations of the chosen frame, reducing the level of detail involved but strengthening affective impact (we refer to this phenomenon as affective enrichment ). In the final section, we focus on examples of ads or campaigns (involving, again, the frames of Lungs, Twin Towers or Ice Cream) in which the frame evocation is unsuccessful and ineffective, with visual overload and persuasive bleaching ( Dancygier 2023 ) producing conflicting or unwelcome persuasive and affective inferences. Overall, our analysis of schematization and affective enrichment presents an alternative meaning-making strategy to the process of image-schematic scaffolding ( Dancygier and Vandelanotte 2017 ) in multimodal discourse, set out in earlier work.

Milk and dairy products have long played a central role in human nutrition due to their rich content of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds. The growing interest in functional foods—offering health benefits beyond basic nutrition—has made dairy products an ideal base for functionalization. Increasing consumer demand for healthy, sustainable, and clean-label foods is driving innovation through the use of alternative ingredients such as food industry by-products, next-generation probiotics and postbiotics, unconventional fibers, microalgae, and bioactive compounds from microbial fermentation. As current literature reviews mainly address individual ingredient categories, this review provides a comprehensive overview of innovative and alternative ingredients for dairy functionalization, emphasizing their nutritional and health-promoting potential. Key topics include probiotics and postbiotics, alternative fibers, agri-food waste, bioactive peptides, bacteriocins, and microalgae, with applications in developing ice cream and fresh cheeses from buffalo milk. Finally, it identifies current research gaps and future directions to optimize functional dairy development while enhancing production efficiency and sustainability. • Next-generation probiotics show potential to enhance functional dairy products. • Microalgae enhance the antioxidant and bioactive profile of dairy products. • Food waste prebiotic fibers boost rheology and probiotic survival in dairy systems. • Bioactive Peptides show ACE-inhibitory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory capacity. • LAB-derived bacteriocins give effective natural bio-preservation in dairy products.