Nutritious Food Research Articles

ANALISIS PENGADAAN MAKANAN BERGIZI DALAM PENANGANAN STUNTING DI DESA SIMANAERE KECAMATAN GUNUNGSITOLI IDANOI

Stunting is a condition of growth failure in children (body and brain growth) due to malnutrition for a long time. So the child is shorter than normal children his age and has delays in thinking. There are still babies and toddlers in Simanere Village who experience quite high levels of stunting. The causes of stunting are due to the economic problems of families who are classified as underprivileged, the lack of provision of healthy food and the lack of implementation of healthy living by families. The Simanaere Village Government is making efforts to prevent stunting by providing nutritious food for babies and toddlers, but it is still not running optimally because the implementation does not run regularly and continuously every month. The aim of this research is to find out the extent of providing nutritious food in handling stunting in Simanaere Village. The method used is a qualitative approach. The research results show that the main problem occurs due to the budget disbursement process not running smoothly to finance the procurement of nutritious food, so the conclusion from this research is that there is a delay in the distribution of nutritious food for babies and toddlers in Simanere Village due to the budget disbursement process from the relevant agencies which takes months. . So it is recommended that Simanaere Village coordinate with the Gunungsitoli City Health Service and related agencies in providing nutritious food assistance for babies and toddlers.

Nutritional quality and diversity in Ghana’s school feeding programme: a mixed-methods exploration through caterer interviews in the Greater Accra Region

BackgroundThe Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) provides public primary school pupils with a free daily meal. Each meal is expected to follow set menus, providing 30% of children’s’ (6-12 years) energy requirements. This study assessed the nutritional quality and diversity of planned and provided GSFP meals, engaging school caterers to identify how meal quality in the Greater Accra Region could be enhanced.MethodsA cross-sectional mixed methods study design was used. Multistage sampling was used to select 129 schools implementing the GSFP in six districts of the Greater Accra Region. GSFP district menus were collected as well as a one-week school caterer recall of provided school meals. The meal served on the day of data collection was recorded and photographed. Nutritional quality was evaluated based on nutrient profiling methods: energy density (low<125kcal/100g; medium 125-225kcal/100g; high>225kcal/100g) and nutrient density (low<5%; medium 5-10%; high>10%). Meal diversity was assessed by a simple count composed of 5 food groups: cereals, pulses/nuts/seeds, animal-source, vegetables and fruits. Caterers’ views on programme facilitators and barriers were also explored.ResultsPlanned menus included 14-20 weekly options, composed of eight minimally processed traditional dishes. All meals, except white rice, had a high nutrient density/100g. Energy density was varied (low, n=2; medium, n=2; high, n=4). Meals included only 2/5 or 3/5 food groups, mainly starchy staples, pulses/nuts/seeds, and sometimes vegetables. Fruit was never reported. About half of caterers (51.1%) reported deviating from the planned menus: 11.7% served alternative meals, with some including animal-sourced food (17.0%), and 39.4% repeated meals provided during the week, often based on starchy staples, influencing overall nutritional quality. Most caterers reported food item cost and lack of food purchase guidelines as barriers to providing school meals, while food safety training and guidelines for food preparation were facilitators.ConclusionsWhile school meals are composed of minimally processed, nutrient dense, local foods, there are notable gaps in meal diversity and compliance, as reflected in provided meals. Caterer compliance to planned menus varied greatly, reflecting recent food price inflation. Upwardly adjusting the current meal allocation of 1.2 cedis (0.22USD) per child per day could enhance access to more affordable, nutritious and diverse foods in school meals.

Analysis of the foreign direct investment, oil palm expansion, and food security in Indonesia: Sumatra and Kalimantan case studies

The continuing oil palm expansion on food security has prompted fierce debate. On one side, analysts argue that local community incorporation in the oil palm sector can increase food purchasing in the market. However, the expansion has also brought unprecedented consequences of losing highly nutritious food due to forest conversions. This study aims to analyze oil palm expansion and local food security in various regions in Indonesia by tackling the following questions: (a) Which factors influence palm oil expansion, and does foreign investment play a role? (b) How does palm oil expansion affect food security in Indonesia? Socioeconomic methods have been applied in this study, including a systematic literature review and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders from various domestic and international organizations. These two methods help us triangulate the academic literature findings with real-world situations as perceived by the actors in the related field. Results indicate that, firstly, foreign investors have not only made a direct investment to facilitate oil palm expansion, but also indirect financial intermediaries are held without holding financial equities to upstream oil palm companies (e.g., supply chain financing contracts, channeling using local financial institutions such as credit union). Secondly, while large corporations asserted monoculture oil palm expansions, some smallholding farmers use mixed cropland expansion to share food and oil palm crops in their own smallholding terms. With the oil palm expansion, farmers can secure a cash flow from palm oil, but an unintended outcome is less nutrition diversification, and often because of the distance to markets, some commodities are favored over a more diverse diet. The outcomes of oil palm development vary and are multifold, as some stakeholders report that some studies show improving cash flows at the farm level, but other studies insist that food insecurity still prevails.

Life cycle assessment and energy return of investment of nutritionally-enhanced snacks supplemented with Spanish quinoa

The trend in the consumption of unconventional, more nutritious foods is leading to the globalization and decentralization of their production, giving rise to the adaptation and innovation of traditional products to make them healthier and more sustainable. This article focuses on quinoa and aims to estimate the environmental impacts of its production adapted to the Spanish conditions and of potential derived snacks enriched with this pseudo cereal by applying conventional and nutritional life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies. Besides, an exhaustive study of the energy flows by measuring the cumulative energy demand and the calculation of the energy return of investment (EROI) is carried out to assess the most impactful aspect of the processing industries. The application of cradle to gate LCA revealed that polluting emissions of Spanish quinoa are rather similar to those of the Andean grain, with an impact on climate change of 1.03 kg CO2 eq./kg. However, high resource footprints were obtained, for instance a water deprivation potential of 60 m3/kg due to the scarcity in this country. Besides, the consideration of a nutrient profile model as functional unit led to the conclusion that quinoa-based snacks are generally more environmentally sustainable than their conventional counterparts in terms of climate change, resources consumption or water degradation. EROI scores were relatively low for all options, with only between 1.77 and 4.35 % of the energy invested returned, which evidences the unsustainable agricultural practices and low efficiency of processing units. Based on this research, producers can reorient production systems in support of nature, and consumers are able to guide their choices towards improved eating patterns.

Peningkatan pengetahuan untuk pencegahan stunting melalui sosialisasi dan demo pembuatan makanan balita berbahan dasar protein hewani bagi kelompok istri peternak sapi pedaging rumahan di Desa Lando, Lombok Timur, Nusa Tenggara Barat [Increasing knowledge for stunting prevention through socialization and demonstration for creating animal protein-based toddler food for a group of wives of home-based beef cattle farmers in Lando Village, East

Stunting is a condition of failure to thrive in children under five (toddlers) which can hinder the child's physical and mental development. Data from the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey (SKI) shows that the number of stunted toddlers in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province is still quite high, namely 24.6%. Stunting cannot be cured but can be prevented. One of the prevention efforts is to increase the knowledge of mothers or prospective mothers regarding stunting and preventing it by providing food with high nutrition. This Community Service Activity (PKM) was carried out with the aim of educating mothers and wives of home-based beef cattle farmers in Lando Village, East Lombok, NTB about preventing stunting by providing highly nutritious supplementary food (PMT) and stunting detection. The methods used were socialization and demonstration of making toddler food. The results of this PKM activity were that there was a significant increase in participants' knowledge regarding the material being socialized (p0.0001). The conclusion that can be drawn is that There had been an increase in knowledge among PKM participants regarding stunting and preventing stunting through providing food with high protein content.

NF-κB pathway activation by Octopus peptide hydrolysate ameliorates gut dysbiosis and enhances immune response in cyclophosphamide-induced mice

Cyclophosphamide (CTX) is an anticancer medication that suppresses host immunity as well as adversely affects mucosal inflammation and gut microflora dysbiosis. The gut microflora is recognized as a substantial factor in host metabolism and immunological homeostasis. To improve immunity and inhibit cytotoxic and homeostatic imbalances triggered by CTX, it is essential to monitor immunoregulators. In this research, we assessed the impact of Octopus peptide hydrolysate (OPH) on immune modulation, intestinal integrity, and gut microbial composition in CTX-induced immune-deficient mice. The results revealed that OPH increased body weight, and immunological organ indices, and improved the histological changes in the colon, thymus, and spleen. The OPH stimulated the secretion of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and antibodies (IgM and IgA) while reducing the ratio of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and diamine oxidase (DAO) in the serum. OPH further enhanced goblet cell and mucus production, upregulated the expression of gut tight-junction proteins (Occludin, Zonula Occludin-1, Mucin-2, and Claudin-1), and activated the TLR4/NF-κB cascade (p-IκBα, P65/p-p65). In addition, OPH treatment declined the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio, enhanced the relative ratio of Alistipes/Lachnospiraceae, and reversed the ecological equilibrium of the gut microflora. The findings revealed that OPH serves as a prebiotic to prevent CTX-mediated disruption in the intestinal barrier and boosts gut mucosal immunity by attenuating gut microflora imbalance, implying that OPH could be used as an immunological ingredient in nutritious foods to regulate the immune system and protect the gut from inflammatory diseases.

Combatting stunting: The vital role of animal protein in early childhood nutrition

Stunting is a global issue that significantly affects the quality of human resources and a nation's future competitiveness. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the role of animal protein in preventing stunting in early childhood using an exploratory approach. The procedures were carried out using a qualitative descriptive design by conducting a literature review and collecting secondary data. The results showed that animal foods (eggs, milk, and meat) contained bioactive compounds and essential amino acid profiles (valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, lysine, histidine, methionine, and threonine), indicating the ability to provide the required nutrients and prevent stunting. In addition, optimizing nutrition in the first 1000 days of life starting from the conception phase until the age of 2 years by consuming a variety of nutritious foods containing animal protein at every meal was expected to prevent the condition. The results also revealed that providing sufficient animal foods that were physically and economically accessible to all individuals in society was a major challenge. Therefore, efforts were needed from the government to realize the goal of reducing stunting in Indonesia. Keywords: Stunting, Early Childhood, Animal Foods, Protein

Abstract B159: Could cultural adaptation of nutrition education improve survivorship outcomes among African American/black women with reproductive cancers?

Abstract Background/Significance: Cancer epidemiological data suggest African American/Black women experience the lowest relative survival rate for reproductive cancers compared to other racial/ethnic groups, despite these cancers being most prevalent among White women. Findings from recent studies suggest contributors to these adverse outcomes include socio-cultural and lifestyle factors, including diet, physical activity, and smoking. As an intervention strategy, it has been recommended dietary changes may enhance overall health and survival among AA/B women with reproductive cancers. However, inequalities in access to nutritious foods and culturally and linguistically appropriate nutrition information may serve as an impediment to making healthy food choices. Methods: An environmental scan was conducted by reviewing peer reviewed literature and online nutrition information sources to identify available, easily accessible, culturally adapted nutrition education for AA/B reproductive cancer survivors. Focus groups with breast and endometrial cancer survivors will ensure to inform the development of culturally targeted nutritional programs for cancer survivors. Results: Our literature review reveals a growing body of evidence indicating the potential benefits of culturally adapted dietary modifications post-diagnosis for African American/Black women with reproductive cancers, suggesting improved outcomes. Notably, the review underscores the critical role of culturally relevant nutrition information, disseminated by culturally affiliated individuals, with technology playing a pivotal role in accessibility facilitation. This research study aims to clarify the barriers and facilitators encountered by African American/Black women in accessing culturally and linguistically appropriate information, thereby enhancing understanding of factors influencing cancer survivorship outcomes. Conclusion and Implications/Discussion: Seeking to improve the survivorship of reproductive cancers in AA/B women through enhanced dietary patterns, this study merges insights from a systematic literature review and an environmental scan. Offering a comprehensive understanding of available nutritional information for AA/B women. Recognizing both strengths and gaps in existing resources, our research serves as a foundation for developing or adapting culturally specific nutritional programs to improve survivorship outcomes for reproductive cancers. Anticipating that our findings will contribute to understanding barriers and facilitators in accessing culturally and linguistically appropriate information, we aim to enhance cancer survivorship outcomes for AA/B women. Acknowledgement of Funding: The project described was supported by Award Number CHERC-MSI-21-166-01-CHERC-MSI. from the American Cancer Society (ACS). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the ACS. Citation Format: Desiree Rivers, Zakirah L Abdul-Hameed. Could cultural adaptation of nutrition education improve survivorship outcomes among African American/black women with reproductive cancers? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B159.

Development of Cracked Egg Detection Device Using Electric Discharge Phenomenon.

Eggs are a highly nutritious food; however, those are also fragile and susceptible to cracks, which can lead to bacterial contamination and economic losses. Traditional methods for detecting cracks, particularly in processed eggs, often fall short due to changes in the eggs' physical properties during processing. This study was aimed at developing a novel device for detecting egg cracks using electric discharge phenomena. The system was designed to apply a high-voltage electric field to the eggs, where sparks were generated at crack locations due to the differences in electrical conductivity between the insulative eggshell and the more conductive inner membrane exposed by the cracks. The detection apparatus consisted of a custom-built high-voltage power supply, flexible electrode pins, and a rotation mechanism to ensure a complete 360-degree inspection of each egg. Numerical simulations were performed to analyze the distribution of the electric field and charge density, confirming the method's validity. The results demonstrated that this system could efficiently detect cracks in both raw and processed eggs, overcoming the limitations of existing detection technologies. The proposed method offers high precision, reliability, and the potential for broader application in the inspection of various poultry products, representing a significant advancement in food safety and quality control.

Comparative efficacy of amino acid availability and peptidomic analysis of alternative proteins from different sources under dynamic in vitro protein digestion

The increasing global demand for animal protein highlights the critical necessity of exploring alternative protein sources. Accessing the nutritional characteristics of emerging alternative proteins is vital for food processing and consumer acceptance. This study investigated the amino acid availability and peptidomics profiles of plant- (soy), fungal- (filamentous fungus Fusarium venenatum), microalgae- (Nannochloropsis oculata), and insect-based (black soldier fly) proteins using an advanced dynamic in vitro digestion system, with whey protein as a reference. After gastric digestion, soy and mycelial proteins, despite displaying distinct microstructures, exhibited slightly higher protein digestibility levels of 28.79% and 26.36%, respectively, compared to whey protein (22.39%). However, following small intestinal digestion, whey protein (61.31%) significantly outperformed alternative proteins. Mycelial protein (43.71%) exhibited digestibility similar to soy protein (46.12%), markedly surpassing both microalgae protein (33.35%) and insect protein (26.58%). Notably, insect protein achieved an amino acid availability nearly approaching that of whey protein, underscoring its substantial proteolysis capability. Furthermore, microalgae protein produced the highest percentage and number of bioactive peptides under simulated digestion, suggesting potential health benefits such as angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor activities, which could mitigate the risk of hypertension and Type 2 diabetes. Alternative proteins from different sources demonstrate diverse digestive mechanisms and proteolysis profiles, thereby bolstering their potential applications as nutritious food ingredients in the future.

A tree-based approach to identify indispensable foods in minimum-cost food baskets.

Optimization techniques, such as linear programming, can be used to estimate the minimum cost of a nutrient-adequate food basket, to determine if individuals or households can afford nutritious diets. These cost estimates typically account for seasonal fluctuations but often overlook significant disruptions in the availability of affordable nutritious food that can severely impact food and nutrition security. This paper proposes a tree-based method, the binary search tree, to assess the resilience of the cost estimate of the minimum-cost food basket. In particular, this method aims to identify indispensable foods in these baskets - those whose unavailability would lead to a substantial cost increase. The binary search tree operates by iteratively excluding essential food items while ensuring the construction of minimum-cost nutritious baskets. It considers all relevant combinations of foods up to a specified size and avoids unnecessary optimizations, thereby saving computation time. We describe how the resulting tree can be evaluated and condensed to capture only the necessary information for decision makers. The construction and evaluation of the binary search tree are independent of the (dietary) restrictions or type of optimization model (i.e., linear, non-linear or integer) included. In general, the binary search tree can identify all (combinations of) foods whose exclusion leads to a significant cost increase of a nutritious food basket. Furthermore, it can detect possible substitute effects between foods and identify key limiting nutrients. A case study is presented in which the binary search tree is applied to data from Ebonyi, Nigeria, modeled using linear programming. We report all combinations of up to five foods that, when unavailable, can impact food and nutrition security in Ebonyi. The BST can provide insights into local food and nutrition security when facing drastic disruptions in access to nutritious foods by identifying indispensable foods. Its results can be used to inform and design interventions in the context of humanitarian operations.

The Great Transformation of the Agri-Food Sector: A Transformation for Life and Well-Being

This analysis aims to explore the urgent need to drive a major transformation of the agri-food sector. With this, it is intended to contribute to defining strategies for the future of agri-food systems. In this sense, the dynamics and importance of the agri-food sector are examined. Scientific and technological developments in the sector are described below. Subsequently, the implications of the link between health and agri-food systems are discussed. Next, alternatives are proposed to recover, heal and improve agri-food systems and the planet. Finally, some strategies are formulated to begin the great transformation of the agri-food sector, a transformation for the life and well-being of all. With appropriate planning and management, the great transformation of the agri-food sector can be achieved and the demand for healthy, nutritious and safe foods can be met.

Geographically Weighted Regression of Maternal Human Capital on Nutrition of Stunted Toddlers in Tin and Non-Tin Minning Areas

The perspective of maternal human capital on stunted toddler nutrition has a different spatial relationship between tin mining and non-tin mining areas. This study will look at which spatial patterns of maternal human capital influence the nutrition of stunted children under five in tin-mining villages. This study uses primary data on 346 stunted children under five in Bangka Belitung Islands Province, Indonesia. The analysis used geographically weighted regression (GWR) by dividing mining and nonmining areas of Bangka Island and Belitung Island. Maternal human capital that spatially influences the nutrition of stunted toddlers in tin mining and non-mining areas is maternal knowledge about nutritious food. Maternal knowledge of a clean and healthy environment has a negative effect on the nutrition of stunted children under five in the non-mining area of Bangka Island. Maternal education and skills to diversify fish food have an effect on the nutrition of children under five years old in Belitung Island tin mining area. Mothers' skills in diversifying fish food affect the nutrition of stunted children under five in 11 villages in the non-tin-mining area of Belitung Island.

Pelatihan Pembuatan Bakso Daging Ayam Afkir dengan Penambahan Antioksidan Alami pada Ibu Rumah Tangga di Kelurahan Padaidi, Kabupaten Pinrang

housewives in the Padaidi village, Mattiro Bulu sub-district, Pinrang regency are not economically productive; they rely solely on their husbands' income. On the other hand, this area is predominantly inhabited by chicken egg farmers. Generally, laying hens are culled after 70-76 weeks and have tougher meat compared to broiler chickens, resulting in very low market value. Therefore, technological intervention is needed to increase the added value of culled chickens. One of the alternatives to address this issue is empowering housewives to develop productive businesses in the field of processing livestock products, particularly processed culled chicken meat products such as meatballs, nuggets, sausages, and other processed meat products with the addition of natural antioxidants to produce healthier and more nutritious functional food products. The implementation method included coordination, discussions, education, training, and mentoring for partners (housewives). Based on the results, participants were very enthusiastic about attending training on making meatball from culled chicken meat with the addition of moringa leaf powder as a natural antioxidant. This training activity was expected to stimulate and motivate the local community, especially housewives, to engage in productive businesses in processing livestock products to help improve nutrition and family income.

Food diversity and accessibility enabled urban environments for sustainable food consumption: a case study of Brisbane, Australia

Food overconsumption is being addressed increasingly in the policy agendas of many advanced economies to achieve sustainable consumption. Yet, few studies define and research sustainable food consumption, particularly in understanding socioeconomic and environmental challenges and opportunities in urban environments. This paper evaluates 500 online surveys conducted in Brisbane, Australia, to explore public perceptions of food consumption and the underlying challenges and opportunities. A key finding is the co-existence of over- and underconsumption prevailing over the traditional focus on unhealthy food overconsumption. The challenges of affordability, access to healthy foods, limited retail options, and increasing carbon urban footprints complicate food consumption as a demand issue more conditional to the socio-spatial characteristics of urban environments. Opportunities for sustainable food consumption also arise in high health awareness and willingness to change dietary habits if facilitated by improved urban food provisioning. We argue that food diversity and accessibility-conducive urban environments can help transform food consumption by enabling enhanced access to affordable and nutritious foods, diversified food retail options and variety, and reduced food waste and loss-associated carbon emissions. To do so means improved global equity in food consumption and carbon footprint can optimistically reduce global food demand by 9% and generate better environmental outcomes, positively contributing to the UN’s Responsible Consumption (SDG12) and Climate Action (SDG 13) for 2030.

Evaluating the Growth, Yield, and Resilience of F1, F2, and Open-Pollinated Squash Varieties: A Comparative Study

In our country, malnutrition poses a severe challenge due to the limited production of nutritious food. Developing disease and pest-resistant varieties such as squash is crucial to tackle this issue. A recent study conducted in Can-ayan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, from July to October 2019, explored the growth and yield performance of different squash varieties (OP, F1, F2). The research aimed to understand the variations in yield, horticultural and reproductive characteristics, inbreeding depression, and profitability of growing diverse squash genotypes. The results, obtained through a Randomized Complete Block Design with five treatments, highlighted significant differences in traits among the genotypes. Notably, inbreeding depression was observed in marketable fruit production and yield. The analysis revealed varying traits across genotypes, with Gracia hybrid emerging as the most profitable choice, showing positive returns on investment. This study sheds light on the importance of developing resilient crop varieties like squash to address malnutrition challenges effectively.

PSVII-1 Widespread allele-specific expression across tissues and cells of the chicken genome

Abstract Chickens are a valuable livestock species, providing an affordable and nutritious food source worldwide through eggs and meat. Additionally, chickens are extensively used in scientific research as model organisms in virology, immunology, epigenetics, development, and conservation biology. Considering this, there are increasing efforts to deepen our understanding of their genome complexity, such as efforts by the Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes (FAANG) Consortium. Toward this goal, we are working to contribute to the annotation of the chicken transcriptome. Allele-specific expression (ASE) is an imbalance of allelic gene expression often driven by genetic and epigenetic changes in cis-regulatory regions. We, therefore, aimed to determine allelic imbalances in gene expression across 20 tissues and cells to shed light on mechanisms regulating gene expression. Using replicate paired-end (PE) RNA-seq samples, we identified around 7 million variants across 20 tissues and cells (e.g., reproductive tissues, intestine tissues, muscle, and immune tissues and cells). We applied quality control measures and filtered out monoallelic and homozygous variants. After that, we calculated read counts per allele to determine allelic expression. We found 365,894 significant ASE SNPs and 11,530 ASE genes in at least one tissue or cell type (FDR ≤ 0.05). We discovered that ASE SNPs are widely distributed throughout the chicken genome, and ASE SNPs and ASE genes showed a varied distribution across tissues and cells. Primary macrophage exhibited the most abundant, while the pectoralis major (breast muscle) had the lowest ASE genes and ASE SNPs, ranging from 7,592 to 32,505 ASE SNPs and 773 to 2,387 ASE genes. Our findings reveal several important pathways affected by allelic imbalance of expression. These pathways included fatty acid biosynthesis and regulation, cell proliferation and differentiation, cell metabolism, adipocytokine signaling, proteolysis and autophagy, and focal adhesion. In summary, our study provides insight into relevant biological processes critical to chickens and can contribute to improving genome annotation, helping to expand the transcriptomic reference source.

Are mesopelagic organisms nutritious food? Impact on metabolism, availability of nutrients, and contaminants from dietary intervention in C57BL/6J mice model

AbstractMesopelagic species are unexplored novel low‐trophic sources of essential micronutrients and may contribute to combat malnutrition. In this study, common mesopelagic species from the North Sea including Northern krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica), glacier lanternfish (Benthosema glaciale), and Muller's pearlside (Maurolicus muelleri) were supplemented in mice feed using a Western diet recipe. The metabolic outcomes were subsequently compared to those of ordinary seafood. Consumption of mesopelagic species induced a large variation in weight gain, in the following order: lanternfish (7.1 g) &gt; krill (14.4 g) &gt; control (19.7 g) &gt; pearlside (22.6 g). The lanternfish‐supplemented diet containing wax esters reduced weight gain and obesity and improved insulin sensitivity. The wax esters from the lanternfish‐supplemented diet were efficiently absorbed, with more than 92% of the fatty alcohols being assimilated. The inclusion of lanternfish and pearlside led to improvements in the fatty acid (FA) composition in the mouse liver, evidenced by increased levels of essential long‐chain polyunsaturated FAs and an increased n‐3/n‐6 ratio (0.7 to 1.45 vs. 0.46 in control group). Notably, no adverse effects were found in mice fed pearlside and lanternfish, although an elevated level of fluoride in femur bone was observed in mice fed a diet supplemented with krill followed by reduced sperm concentration and sperm motility. Collectively, our findings underscore the diverse array of metabolic and physiological effects induced by the consumption of mesopelagic species. Furthermore, these species can be considered as good sources of n‐3 FAs and essential vitamins, suggesting their potential value to human nutrition.

Flavor-boosting of Phaeodactylum tricornutum by fermentation with edible mushrooms

Microalgae are a promising and sustainable source of nutritious food, especially for use in alternatives to fish and seafood. Among them, Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PT) stands out for its potential to revolutionize future diets with its rich nutrient profile and eco-friendly cultivation methods. However, its typically fishy and “brackish water” off-odor has been a significant deterrent. Using 13 basidiomycetes as starter cultures, the dynamic changes in the aroma were studied. To better understand the aroma development during fermentation, odor-active compounds were identified using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry–olfactometry. By submerged fermentation lasting 39 and 51 hours with Pleurotus citrinopileatus (PCI) and Pleurotus eryngii (PER), respectively, the unpalatable odor of PT was transformed into savory and seafood-like aromas, while retaining most of the valuable carotenoids (fucoxanthin and β-carotene were retained at 75 % and 90 %) and fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were preserved at 80 % of their initial concentrations). Throughout the fermentation process, key odorants responsible for the algae's initial green, grassy, and unpleasant odor were reduced, while compounds responsible for savory and seafood-like fragrances increased. A series of sulfur compounds, such as dimethyl disulfide, were found to be major contributors to the post-fermentation aroma.

Moderating Effect of Strategic Linkages on Corporate Leadership and Organizational Performance in Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)

The urgency of securing safe, affordable, reliable, and nutritious food amid a growing global population and shrinking land productivity underscores the pivotal role of corporate leadership in fostering strategic partnerships and organizational performance. This is crucial for organizations like Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) to enhance performance and drive agricultural innovation that ensure achievement of national targets and mandate. Understanding the dynamics between leadership effectiveness, strategic alliances, and organizational performance is essential for addressing food security challenges and optimizing the impact of agricultural research institutions worldwide. The projected 27% increase in global population by 2050 emphasizes the need for strong corporate leadership and strategic partnerships to ensure balanced diets for over half a billion smallholder farmers. Despite Kenya&amp;apos;s higher productivity than East Africa and Africa averages, challenges remain in enhancing food security through effective leadership and strategic alliances, particularly within institutions like KALRO. The study explored the moderating influence of strategic linkages on the relationship between corporate leadership and the performance of KALRO. Rooted in organizational excellence, upper echelons, legitimacy, and stakeholder theories, the research employed a pragmatic philosophy, and mixed methods design to mitigate bias. The target population included 75 management organs, with 60 directors and 188 top leadership units as units of observation. Quantitative analysis, using a composite regression model and ANOVA, revealed a significant impact of strategic linkages on corporate leadership and KALRO&amp;apos;s performance. The study verified consistent variances and normality across variables, supporting parametric analyses. Autocorrelation analysis indicated no significant autocorrelation. Multicollinearity tests showed acceptable values, ensuring the reliability of the regression model. No outliers were detected. Cronbach&amp;apos;s alpha scores demonstrated strong internal reliability. Significant correlations confirmed associations between variables, aligning with previous research findings. Strategic linkages emerged as enhanced moderator, explaining 69.4% of the variance. In this case, the moderator variable amplified or strengthened the relationship between corporate leadership and organizational performance of KALRO. Rejecting the null hypothesis highlighted the positive impact of strategic linkages on performance. Conditional effects analysis revealed strong corporate leadership influence at low strategic linkages but diminishing at higher levels. Recommendations encompassed gender diversity, inclusive leadership development, regular performance appraisals, enhanced monitoring and evaluation system, and improved linkages. The findings provide valuable guidance for KALRO&amp;apos;s leadership amid competing priorities and budgetary constraints.