Source Of Dietary Fiber Research Articles

Functional and sensory evaluation of bread made from wheat flour fortified with wine byproducts

Grape pomace is the main byproduct of the wine industry and an important source of dietary fiber and phenolic compounds. Grape pomace powder (GPP) partially substituted 8, 10, 12, 15, and 25% of the wheat flour in bread formulations. The proximate composition, total dietary fiber content, phenolic compounds, texture profile, color, and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds in vitro were measured in the bread. Bread sensory acceptance by consumers was determined using a 9-point hedonic scale. Compared with the control bread (CB), the 8% GPB-substituted bread presented the best results and exhibited an increase in total protein content (7.5%) and total dietary fiber content (6.1%). The total phenolic content was greater in GPB (5.1 mg GAE/g) than in CB (2.1 mg GAE/g). Adding GPP to the bread affected the color, and the color of the GPB-treated bread was darker than that of the CB-treated bread. Still, no significant differences were detected regarding the texture profile or consumer sensory acceptance between the GPB-treated and CB-treated bread. The in vitro analysis of phenolic compound bioaccessibility revealed no differences between the two samples during gastrointestinal digestion. GPP is an interesting byproduct that can be used in bakery. The replacement of 8% of the bread with GPP increased the nutritional content of the bread, particularly the protein, total dietary fiber, and total phenolic content, without affecting the texture or sensory acceptance of the bread. To understand the possible beneficial effect of GPB on consumers, further research on the bioavailability of phenolic compounds and the impact of dietary fiber increment needs to be assessed.Graphical

Small-Sized Tomato Pomace: Source of Bioactive Compounds and Ingredient for Sustainable Production of Functional Bread

Tomato processing generates a by-product known as tomato pomace (TP), which contains chemically diverse valuable components such as lycopene, phenols, dietary fibre, proteins, and oil. The aim of this study was to characterize bioactive compounds in small-sized tomato pomace from cherry and date tomatoes and to evaluate the effects of the addition of 10 and 20% (w/w) of tomato pomace flour (TPF) to durum wheat dough for bread production. Bread containing different amounts of TPF was characterized by physical, chemical, nutritional, and sensory characteristics. TPF is an important source of dietary fibre with a total content of approximately 52.3%, of which 5.3% is soluble and 47% is insoluble. It is also a potential source of natural antioxidants and contains remarkable residual levels of both total carotenoids and polyphenols. TPF addition reduced water loss during baking and significantly affected colour parameters and acidity; furthermore, both fortified TPF breads could use these nutrition and health claims and label the breads as “High Fibre”. The “overall” sensory attribute showed similar values in the control and fortified bread samples, suggesting that the overall quality of the bread remained relatively constant, regardless of the percentage of added TPF.

The Effect of Copper Nanoparticles on Liver Metabolism Depends on the Type of Dietary Fiber

Background/Objectives: A diet enriched with copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) exhibits a wide range of effects on liver metabolism, both positive and negative. Dietary fibers are the key components that may affect the absorption of minerals, including copper, and change their impact on organisms. Methods: Therefore, this study investigated whether and how supplementation with different sources of dietary fiber (cellulose, pectin, inulin, and psyllium) affects the function of CuNPs in the liver of male Wistar rats. Results: The results showed that CuNPs at different doses had varying effects on lipid metabolism and inflammation in the liver. Specifically, higher doses of CuNPs were associated with increased lipid accumulation and the activation of pro-inflammatory mechanisms. However, combining CuNPs with dietary fibers, such as psyllium and inulin, was beneficial in mitigating the effects of the examined nanoparticles, leading to reduced fat, cholesterol, and triglycerides in the liver. Combining psyllium with CuNPs showed the most substantial effect on liver metabolism and inflammation parameters. Furthermore, hepatic histology analyses showed that adding psyllium to the diet with CuNPs reduces changes associated with fat accumulation and mononuclear cell infiltration. The observed beneficial changes in the liver may have been related to a reduction in the gene expression level of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and cyclooxygenase-2. Conclusions: In conclusion, enriching the diet with dietary fibers such as psyllium can regulate the action of CuNPs, thereby improving lipid metabolism and reducing inflammation in the liver.

Chemical composition, physical properties, and sensory evaluation of wheat-based cookies enriched with different proportions of corn silk

Incorporating dried corn silk powder (CSP) into food products is considered beneficial for health and suitable for individuals of all ages. Thus, our study is designed to evaluate the effects of adding CSP to prepared cookies as a nontraditional source of dietary fiber and natural antioxidants, focusing on the chemical composition, physical properties, color attributes, antioxidant activity, and sensory properties of fortified cookies. Different CSP proportions (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) replaced wheat flour (WF) with a 72% extraction rate. The results revealed that CSP had significant levels of total phenolic content (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC), measuring 86.42 mg GAE/g and 112.68 mg QE/g, respectively. CSP contained higher quantities of protein and fiber than WF, with values of 14.81 g and 15.21 g per 100 g of flour weight basis, respectively. The amounts of phenolic compounds in cookie samples increased proportionally with the increasing substitution of CSP, while total carbohydrates decreased. Adding CSP at concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% resulted in corresponding increases in crude fiber of 0.52, 1.2, 2.04, and 2.7 times compared to the control cookie samples. As the amount of CSP supplementation increased (0–20%), TPC and TFC in the cookies increased to 3.06 and 4.08 mg GAE/g and 0.02 to 1.28 mg QE/g, respectively. Increasing CSP proportions led to a significant decrease in diameter, thickness, spread factor, volume, and density of fortified cookies. Furthermore, the L* value exhibited a substantial decline from 65.48 to 51.12 as the amount of CSP substitution increased from 5% to 20%. The sensory evaluation characteristics of the cookie samples indicated that the sample with 15% CSP had the highest overall acceptability score. Therefore, this study demonstrates that adding 15% CSP can effectively yield functional cookies without compromising their sensory acceptability.

Bioaccumulation and health risks of chromium and cadmium in <em>Basella alba</em> with emphasis on Urea, muriate of potash and triple super phosphate mixtures

Basella alba is a commonly consumed green leafy vegetable in South Asian countries and it is considered as an economical source of essential vitamins and dietary fibers. Urea, muriate of potash (MOP) and triple super phosphate (TSP) mixture is the most commonly used inexpensive fertilizer mixture in the commercial cultivation of B. alba. This study was conducted to assess the effect of using a mixture of Urea-MOP-TSP on the bioaccumulation potential of cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) by the leaves of B. alba. Pots treated with the Urea-MOP-TSP mixture and compost were maintained in a greenhouse with controlled light and temperature settings. The concentrations of Cd and Cr in the root zone soil, roots and leaves of B. alba were analyzed using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer after acid digestion. The health risk of consuming B. alba was evaluated using the daily intake of metals, health risk index and cancer risk index. The results showed that Cd and Cr can bioaccumulate in the leaves of B. alba. The bioaccumulation potential of Cr was higher than that of Cd. Although the daily intake of Cd and Cr from B. alba were below the maximum values stipulated by the WHO, the cancer risk index indicated potential cancer risks based on Cd intake due to consumption of B. alba cultivated using the Urea-MOP-TSP mixture. Furthermore, the health risks associated with the hyper-accumulation of Cd and Cr in the edible parts of B. alba cultivated using compost were significantly less compared to that of the plants treated with the Urea-MOP-TSP mixture. Therefore, if B. alba is cultivated using chemical fertilizer, it is recommended to regularly monitor the concentrations of Cd and Cr in the cultivation soil, chemical fertilizer and in the edible parts of B. alba to prevent the excessive buildup of Cd and Cr along the food chain. In addition, it is recommended to identify the potential microbial assemblages that can be inoculated to the cultivation soil to reduce the bioavailability of Cd and Cr.

Physico-chemical Characteristics of Millet Based Muffins during Storage

Millets are excellent source of protein, minerals and dietary fibers, and therefore they can be supplemented in bakery products and plays a therapeutic role in human health. The present study is aimed at optimizing the level of pearl millet, finger millet and little millet flours for preparation of muffins. In the present study, pearl millet, finger millet and little millet flour was used at the rate of 10%, 20% and 10% respectively for treatment S1and for treatment S2, pearl millet, finger millet and little millet flour % was 10%, 15% and 15% respectively. For treatment S3, pearl millet, finger millet and little millet flour content was 10%, 10% and 20% respectively. Control samples were prepared using wheat flour in treatment S0. And after, the formulation of the samples, all the muffins were undertaken for proximate composition. The standardization of samples were done based on sensory scores. The results showed that samples of S1 treatment scored highest in color, texture and overall acceptability in organoleptic evaluation. Therefore, S1 sample was optimized and was further kept for storage studies. The moisture, fat, protein, carbohydrate and ash % was found to be 22.20, 18.21, 12.64, 45.23 and 1.94% respectively in muffin sample of S1 treatment which was considered as the standardized product. And after, the samples of S1 treatment were subjected to storage studies at room temperature, it was found that the muffin samples remained acceptable up to 60 days of storage as there was no microbial spoilage found on the product.

Перспективы комплексной переработки ягод черной смородины

Black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) is one of the most popular berries in Russia. Its biochemical properties make it part of a healthy diet. This review describes the role of black currant and its by-products in the food industry and defines its nutritional value, i.e., vitamin C, anthocyanins, and dietary fiber. It covered original Russian and English research articles and reviews published in 2015-2023 and indexed in the Russian Research Citation Index or Pubmed databases. The keywords were black currant in Russian and English. Black currant berries are rich in dietary fiber, polyphenolic compounds, anthocyanins, vitamin C, and potassium. They cover human needs for these nutrients. Added to fermented dairy and grain foods at 5-20%, fresh or processed berries fortify them with dietary fiber, vitamin C, and anthocyanins while reducing energy value. As ingredients with color, taste, and aromatic compounds, black currant berries and their secondary products can be introduced into the formulations of various alcoholic beverages. Berry pomace is a technologically functional ingredient with a moisture-retaining ability that increases the antioxidant capacity of the final product. Juice and aqueous extracts of black currant pomace are used as picklers for fish and meat products to increase their microbiological safety and shelf-life. Complex processing of black currant berries is feasible as they are a valuable source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, and anthocyanins. Products of their processing provide a concentrate of dietary fiber with natural antioxidants. However, functional foods as sources of biologically active substances need to follow special criteria for fortified products. Black currant and its by-products are a potential source of valuable biologically active substances. In small quantities, they can expand the range of food products but fail to satisfy human diet with biologically active substances or reduce the overall energy value.

Effects of cooking and market classes on nutritional and antioxidant properties of dry bean flours and soluble dietary fiber-rich fractions

Dry beans are a rich source of proteins, starch, dietary fiber, and phenolic compounds, thus exhibiting potential health benefits. Fractionating dry beans, especially soluble dietary fiber (SDF), could be considered a valuable functional food ingredient. This study investigated the effects of pinto and black dry bean market classes and atmospheric pressure cooking on the physicochemical attributes of dry bean flours and the extraction and characterization of SDF-rich fractions. Cooking significantly (p < 0.05) increased the dietary fiber content, altering the macronutrient profile. Raw flours exhibited higher levels of extractable phenols and antioxidant capacity, while cooked flours had more hydrolyzable phenols and associated antioxidant activities. Pinto beans were found to have higher levels of slowly digestible starch (23.76%) and resistant starch (5.24%) compared to black beans (20.63% and 3.22%, respectively). The SDF-rich fraction from cooked flours showed a reduced residual protein content and included pectic polysaccharides, hemicelluloses, and raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs), with cooking affecting their molecular weight distribution. These fractions demonstrated shear-thinning behavior and temperature-dependent viscosity. The study highlights the significant influence of market class and cooking process on the nutritional and antioxidant properties of dry beans, suggesting their potential contributions to dietary health.

Food culture, lifestyle &amp; traditional food festivals: a narrative on the public health relevance of the traditional yam recipes in the Afikpo New Yam Festival

Food culture has over the years remained the centre for socio-cultural linkages among people in a community, with generational transmission giving birth to cultural affinity and cultural heritage. Besides its primary aim of nourishment, enhancement of growth and body functions, it also defines religious and traditional belief systems. Several communities, tribes and nation states such as China, Italy, Japan, India, Europe and Americas, have been associated with unique food cultures. In North and West African countries like Tunisia and Nigeria respectively, food cultures abound. In South-East Nigeria, the Igbo tribe conduct yam rituals as food cultural festivals. Afikpo, a community in the Igbo-speaking part of Nigeria, celebrates an annual yam ritual called Ikeji Festival, part of which, as the new yam is harvested, is preparation of traditional yam recipes. This article reviews the nutritional content of the various traditional yam recipes consumed in such ceremonies and the associated drinks. A literature search revealed that yam, an energy-giving food with a carbohydrate content of 15 – 40.6%, could be prepared with vegetables, legumes, fish, meat, melon seeds, red palm oil, African black beans, pumpkin fruit pulp, eggplants, African oil bean, piper guineese, plantain, solanum americanum, vitex donians, pterocarpus santalinoids, which are sources of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, dietary fibres and polyunsaturated fatty acids, all of which have been documented as beneficial in the management of chronic diseases. Alcoholic and various soft drinks are consumed with the yam recipes during the ceremony and there are possibilities that if awareness is not created, overindulgence could constitute to abuse.

Revolutionizing food security: The transformative role of fungi in the 21st century

With increasing global population density and climate change, the sustainability of food production poses new challenges. These are factors such as food inflation, climate change, natural disasters, and diseases affecting crops among others. Consequently, fungi have evolved as a pillar of ecological agriculture in the twenty-first century. Some of the diverse applications of fungi include biological control, synthesis of antifungal compounds, symbiotic relationship with plants, and enhancement of soil structure. They also function as decomposers in ensuring nutrient availability in the soil, and as biostimulants to enhance plants’ growth, plant disease management and enhanced resistance to abiotic stressors such as water scarcity, and salinity and mitigate the impact of climate change. Furthermore, fungi play other important roles in food security, such as in the processing of various foods including cheese, bread, fermented products and other sources of protein, vitamins, and dietary fiber, while foods of fungi origin prevent lifestyle diseases. New approaches in fungal biotechnology present the hope of eliminating hunger and malnutrition through food production, preservation, and packaging among others. Although, challenges persist in the management of pathogenic fungi in agriculture, however, it is important to leverage the beneficial role of fungi and encourage further exploration of its transformative potential towards a secured global food security.

Influence of Bilberry Pomace Powder Addition on the Physicochemical, Functional, Rheological, and Sensory Properties of Stirred Yogurt.

Fruit processing by-products could represent a sustainable ingredient for developing innovative dairy products. The present study was conducted to develop a novel functional yogurt by adding bilberry pomace powder (BPP) at 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% (w/w) levels in stirred-type yogurt production to confer color and to increase the dietary fiber and polyphenol content. Physicochemical properties of the yogurt samples, including color parameters, titratable acidity, pH, water holding capacity (WHC), and syneresis, as well as textural and rheological properties, were evaluated in yogurts on the 1, 14, and 28 days of refrigerated storage (4 °C). In addition, total phenolic content, total anthocyanin content, and radical scavenging activity were determined in yogurts, and sensory analysis was conducted. The results showed that BPP is a valuable source of polyphenols, dietary fiber, and oils rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs, n-6/n-3 ratio = 0.91). The incorporation of BPP imparted an attractive purple color to the yogurts, increased WHC, and reduced syneresis. Moreover, the addition of BPP improved the rheological properties, demonstrating that a more dense and stable yogurt gel network structure was obtained than the control. The yogurt enriched with 1.0% BPP received the highest scores for color, consistency, taste, and overall acceptability. Hence, bilberry pomace powder might be used as an ingredient to improve the nutritional and functional value of yogurts.

Valorization of okara by-product for obtaining soluble dietary fibers and their use in biodegradable carboxymethyl cellulose-based film

In the face of mounting environmental concerns and the need for sustainable innovation, the use of agro-industrial wastes as raw materials offers a promising pathway. In this context, this study investigated the okara, a by-product of soy processing, as a novel source of soluble dietary fiber for the enrichment of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) biodegradable films based on environmental benefits of waste reduction with the creation of renewable packaging alternatives. Okara soluble dietary fiber (OSDF)-enriched CMC film was compared with films made from traditional and innovative soluble dietary fibers, such as pectin, inulin, and β-glucan. OSDF was obtained through acid hydrolysis at 121 °C, achieving a yield of 5.31 % relative to its initial dry weight. All the produced films exhibited a maximum crystallinity of 5 %, as revealed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), indicative of their largely amorphous structure, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) ensured their uniformity and flawlessness. The CMC film enriched with okara soluble dietary fiber exhibited key properties, such as thickness, water vapor permeability, and thermal stability, comparable to other soluble fibers studied. These characteristics are essential for effective packaging applications. A notable distinction of the OSDF-enriched film was its capacity to block UV light, offering protection for light-sensitive items. The solubility tests showed that okara and β-glucan contributed to films with a higher solubility percentage. Mechanical testing underscored the influence of fiber on tensile strength, with the film enriched with β-glucan outperforming others at 27.5 MPa. All films showed rapid biodegradation within one week, emphasizing their eco-friendliness and the study alignment with sustainable development objectives in packaging.

Effect of buckwheat hulls at cell-scale on physiochemical and textural properties of steamed rice cake

Buckwheat hull (BWH) is a source of insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), which can be added to starch-based foods to increase their nutritional characteristics. The influence mechanism of different amounts (10, 20, 30 g/hg) of BWH at cell-scale (CBH, 10–50 μm) and tissue-scale (TBH,100–500 μm) on the physiochemical and textural properties of steamed rice cake was analyzed. With the decrease of BWH particle size and the increase of addition amount, the water retention capacity of rice flour-BWH mixture significantly (P < 0.05) increased. Compared with TBH, the addition of CBH significantly (P < 0.05) increased the viscosity of rice cake batter. The 20 g/hg and 30 g/hg addition of TBH significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the specific volume of rice cake, while that of CBH reversed the negative effects on the specific volume. Texture properties showed that the hardness of cake added with CBH was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than TBH. CBH with higher water affinity and stronger physical support enhanced the interactions of water-starch-IDF and the starch gel network of cake, thus leading to an open and fluffy cake structure. Therefore, milling the IDF to cell-scale might be a promising alternative for developing dietary fiber-enriched starch-based products.

PSVI-28 Interactive effects of different fiber and lipid sources on amino acid digestibility in growing pigs

Abstract A study was conducted to determine the effects of different fiber and lipid sources on the digestibility of amino acids (AA) in growing pigs. Five diets were fed in this study. The diets were corn-soybean meal-based diet with either soybean hulls (SBH) or sugar beet pulp (SBP) as fiber source and either soybean oil (SBO) or choice white grease (CWG) as lipid source in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement; and a N-free diet. The diets were formulated to be similar in content of AA, calcium, available phosphorus, and total dietary fiber. The SBH and SBP were each included in their respective diets at 15%, whereas the SBO and CWG were each included in their respective diets at 4.5%. The 5 diets were fed to 10 ileal-cannulated pigs [5 barrows and 5 gilts; initial average body weight (BW) = 54.8 ± 5.6 kg)]in a 5 × 5 Latin square design to give 10 replicates per diet. On an as fed basis, SBH and SBP contained 11.3 and 8.8% crude protein, 66.1 and 49.8% total non-starch-polysaccharides (NSP), 54.3 and 29.5% insoluble NSP, and 11.8 and 20.3% soluble NSP, respectively. The SBO and CWG contained &amp;gt;98.5 and &amp;gt;98.5% crude fat, 14.7 and 35.6% saturated fatty acids, and 76.6 and 62.5% unsaturated fatty acids, respectively. Dietary fiber source and lipid sources did not interact on standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of AA. The SBH- and SBP-containing diets did not differ regarding SID of all AA except Met and Trp. Pigs fed SBP-containing diets had lower (P &amp;lt; 0.05) SID of Met and greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) SID of Trp than those fed SBH-containing diets by 2.5 and 4.7%, respectively. The SBO- and CWG-containing diets did not differ regarding SID of all AA except Trp. The SID of Trp for SBO-containing diets was greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) than that for CWG-containing diets by 2.6%. In conclusion, the lack of interaction between dietary fiber and lipid sources on the SID of AA implies that these two factors (fiber and lipid sources) may exert their effects on ileal digestibility of AA independently if the fiber and lipid sources are included in diets for growing pigs at same levels included in the diets fed in the current study. The dietary fiber source and dietary lipid source had limited effects on the digestibility of most AA, implying that replacement of one fiber source with one another fiber source or of one lipid source with another lipid source in diets for growing pigs may have limited effect on digestibility of AA if the fiber and lipid sources are included in diets for growing pigs at same levels included in the diets fed in the current study.

48 Dietary functional fiber properties for improved health and disease outcomes in pigs

Abstract In swine production, using feed antibiotics as antimicrobial growth promotants has been reduced; thus, feed alternatives to manage gut health are required. Dietary fiber and similar carbohydrate structures such as resistant starch, oligosaccharides, and exopolysaccharides are nutritional tools that may enhance gut health in pigs. Dietary fiber may have a role to alleviate diarrheal diseases including in pigs post-weaning but can also reduce constipation in sows, but specific functionality depends on fiber properties. Antibiotics are hypothesized to influence gut health via modulation of intestinal microbial profiles; fermentation and intestinal inflammation are considered important mechanisms. Dietary fiber sources differ in a key functional property: fermentability. Rapid fermentation of fiber and oligosaccharides is associated with changes in microbial profiles and increased metabolite production. Recently, microbial composition was hypothesized to be less important and combined output of metabolites should be the focus. Fiber properties may also manipulate retention time and physico-chemical properties of the undigested residue; hence, non-fermentable fiber may prevent constipation in sows. The fiber-like structure resistant starch is not digested and acts as fermentable fiber but has unique properties, because it specifically increases intestinal abundance of bifidobacteria, which are associated with improved gut health. Using crop breeding, feed processing, and feed additives, the structure of fiber and starch can be altered thereby changing its degradation kinetics and affecting its prebiotic activity. Finally, fiber-like structures such as exopolysaccharides from Limosilactobacillus reuteri and unique oligosaccharides may serve as receptor analogues for pathogenic bacteria, e.g., enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). These receptor analogues block lectin domains of bacterial adhesins and thus prevent adherence of pathogens to the gut wall, thereby avoiding initiation of post-weaning diarrhea. In conclusion, dietary fiber and similar structures possess important functional properties that may also provide important solutions to maintain gut health in pigs.

EFS-Former: An Efficient Network for Fruit Tree Leaf Disease Segmentation and Severity Assessment

Fruit is a major source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber in people’s daily lives. Leaf diseases caused by climate change and other factors have significantly reduced fruit production. Deep learning methods for segmenting leaf diseases can effectively mitigate this issue. However, challenges such as leaf folding, jaggedness, and light shading make edge feature extraction difficult, affecting segmentation accuracy. To address these problems, this paper proposes a method based on EFS-Former. The expanded local detail (ELD) module extends the model’s receptive field by expanding the convolution, better handling fine spots and effectively reducing information loss. H-attention reduces computational redundancy by superimposing multi-layer convolutions, significantly improving feature filtering. The parallel fusion architecture effectively utilizes the different feature extraction intervals of the convolutional neural network (CNN) and Transformer encoders, achieving comprehensive feature extraction and effectively fusing detailed and semantic information in the channel and spatial dimensions within the feature fusion module (FFM). Experiments show that, compared to DeepLabV3+, this method achieves 10.78%, 9.51%, 0.72%, and 8.00% higher scores for mean intersection over union (mIoU), mean pixel accuracy (mPA), accuracy (Acc), and F_score, respectively, while having 1.78 M fewer total parameters and 0.32 G lower floating point operations per second (FLOPS). Additionally, it effectively calculates the ratio of leaf area occupied by spots. This method is also effective in calculating the disease period by analyzing the ratio of leaf area occupied by diseased spots. The method’s overall performance is evaluated using mIoU, mPA, Acc, and F_score metrics, achieving 88.60%, 93.49%, 98.60%, and 95.90%, respectively. In summary, this study offers an efficient and accurate method for fruit tree leaf spot segmentation, providing a solid foundation for the precise analysis of fruit tree leaves and spots, and supporting smart agriculture for precision pesticide spraying.

Gastrointestinal tract morphology, nutrient digestibility, and digesta mean retention time in laying hens of two different breeds fed with fine or coarse oat hulls

The inclusion of fiber-rich ingredients in poultry diets is expected to increase due to societal-, ecologic-, and economic developments. Particle size of dietary fiber sources, such as oat hulls (OH), has been shown to play a key-role in nutrient digestibility and digestion process, but the response may depend on the genetic background of the bird. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that laying hens varying in genetic background respond differently to the particle size of OH regarding gastrointestinal tract development, apparent ileal (AID) and total tract digestibility (ATTD), and digesta mean retention time (MRT). A total of 224, 29-wk-old Dekalb White (DW) and Bovans Black (BB) laying hens were assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments (fine vs. coarse OH). The diets were formulated to contain 150 g/kg OH as the main dietary fiber source. Titanium dioxide (3 g/kg) and cobalt-EDTA (2 g/kg) were added as inert tracers. Bovans Black hens had greater relative weights of the gizzard (+3.9% of BW, P = 0.015), ceca (+14.3% of BW, P < 0.001), and colon (+9.1% of BW, P < 0.001) compared with DW hens. Moreover, AID of nitrogen (+3.5%; P < 0.001) was greater in BB vs. DW hens, whereas AID of starch was only greater in BB when fed the fine OH diet (breed × diet, P = 0.037). In contrast, ATTD of NSP (-11.2%, P = 0.035) was lower in BB vs. DW hens and digesta MRT was longer in proventriculus + gizzard (solids: +25 min, P < 0.001; liquids: +5 min, P < 0.001) and ileum (solids: +53 min, P = 0.001; liquids: +38 min, P < 0.001). Birds fed coarse OH only had a greater relative weight of the gizzard (+3.9%, P < 0.001) compared with those fed fine OH. In conclusion, our study indicates that gastrointestinal tract traits, nutrient digestibility and digesta transit behavior differed between breeds, regardless of the particle size of OH in the diet.

The impact of dietary fibers on the construction and molecular network of extrusion-based 3D-printed chicken noodles: Unlocking the potential of specialized functional food

3D printing technology is promising in creating specialized functional foods, such as high-protein and high dietary fiber noodles. In this study, chicken breast-based noodles with varying proportions of oat bran and konjac flour were developed. The research analyzed the physicochemical, digestive properties, and 3D printability of these chicken-based doughs and noodles. The results indicated that the inclusion of fiber-rich flours notably enhanced dough viscosity and viscoelasticity. However, exceeding 4 % konjac flour negatively affected cooking quality and texture due to its strong water absorption capacity. The experimental group with fiber-rich flours exhibited prolonged starch/protein digestion time compared to the Control group. The increased ability to bind water in the fiber rich formula likely restricted water mobility, affecting mass transition in the “water channel”. Notably, chicken noodles fortified with 6 % oat bran and 2 % konjac flour displayed the highest 3D printability. These results offer valuable insights for the industry in selecting appropriate dietary fiber sources for the development of nutritionally balanced 3D-printed meal options.

Using Household Fruit and Vegetable Waste in Recipes to Reduce Kitchen Food Waste and their Nutritional and Functional Values

The formation of food waste brings numerous issues such as inefficient use of nutrients, social injustice, and economic and ecological losses. The aim of this study is to reduce fruit and vegetable waste, which are among the most common kitchen wastes, with new recipes, and to explore the advantages they provide to human health. The study developed 20 different recipes using parts typically considered waste in the kitchen, like stems, stalks, and peels from 11 fruits and 9 vegetables, and calculated their nutritional values using the BEBIS program (Nutrition Information System). Additionally, the functional properties of the fruit and vegetable waste used in the study were examined in light of scientific literature. Results showed that parts of fruits and vegetables considered as waste might have valuable nutritional properties, such as being a good source of dietary fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Among the recipes created with fruit waste, the chocolate balls with pomegranate peel powder had the highest energy value (4255.3 kcal), the sweet chicken with orange flavor had the highest protein content (122.1 g), and the watermelon dessert had the highest fiber content (25.3 g). Among the recipes made with vegetable waste, the puff pastry with leek leaves had the highest energy value (2740 kcal), and the savory cake with cauliflower and potatoes contained the most protein (222.2 g) and fiber (184.1 g). Using parts like stems, peels, and leaves considered food waste in recipes also imparts functional properties to the recipes. The food waste used in this study possesses properties in the literature such as anti-cancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, prevention of neurological disorders, and anti-obesity, anti-diabetes, and anti-aging effects.

Chronological dynamics of the gut microbiome in response to the pasture grazing system in geese.

It is commonly accepted that dietary fibers are good for gut health. The effect of fibers on the diversity and metabolic activities of the cecal microflora, however, differ with the passage of time. Therefore, we investigated the time-series impacts of the pasture grazing system (a high dietary fiber source) on the cecal microbiome and short-chain fatty acids in Wanpu geese, comparing it to commercial feeding (a low dietary fiber source). The cecal microbiota composition and SCFA concentrations were evaluated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and gas chromatography, respectively. We found that pasture produced a generally quick positive response to Bacteroidales, Lactobacillales, Gastranaerophilales (at 45 days), Lachnospirales, and Oscillospirales (at 60 days and 90 days) irrespective of Erysipelotrichales (at 45 days), Clostridia_UCG-014, RF39 (at 60 days), Christensenellales, and Peptostreptococcales-Tissierellales (at 90 days) in geese. Meanwhile, we found that Lactobacillales, Gastranaerophilales, Lachnospirales, and Oscillospirales were significantly correlated with short-chain fatty acids in pasture grazing geese. Indeed, the correlation of cecal microbiota with SCFAs led to altered microbial functions evinced by COG; KEGG pathway levels 1, 2, and 3; BugBase; and FAPROTAX databases. This study emphasizes the importance of dietary fiber sources in influencing beneficial impacts in regulating geese microbiota homeostasis and metabolic functions such as energy and lipid metabolism.IMPORTANCELow dietary fiber diet sources cause gut microbial and short-chain fatty acid alterations that lead to compromised animal health. The establishment of an artificial pasture grazing system at the expense of ryegrass is a good source of dietary fiber for geese. Our results described the importance of pasture in maintaining the gut microbiota, SCFAs, and potential microbial functions reported by COG; KEGG pathway levels 1, 2, and 3; BugBase; and FAPROTAX databases.