Food Sources Research Articles

The dominant policy approach to the right to food has been improperly underpinned by a food security paradigm

Focusing on food security is hiding the true challenge of reclaiming a truly democratic path to the right to food and adequate nutrition. Under the food security paradigm, the question of power in the food system never comes up. So, as long as access to food is guaranteed under some system or other, there is no problem. Therefore, the notion of ‘securing-the-needs-of-the-hungry’ is also meant to signal the presence of a ‘security’ discourse that identifies ‘hunger’ and the ‘hungry’ as a threat to the political economy. The dearth of active scholarship in this area may be due, in part, to the opposition that the Via Campesina’s food sovereignty narrative poses to the existing institutions handling food issues, particularly at their governance level. The increasing dependence on agriculture --not as a source of food for direct consumption, but as a source of inputs for the food processing industry-- means that the raw food commodities produced by agriculture will have a diminishing potential to directly impact human consumption and health since many are processed, reshaped and transformed into unhealthy ultra-processed formulations.

Natural ways of vitamin D supplementation – detailed evaluation of Cantharellus cibarius

Introduction and purpose: In the past, fungi were considered a very low-value meal, however in modern literature, they are increasingly more frequently studied for their nutritional and medical properties. They are being currently reconsidered as an abundant source of nutrients that may be incorporated in diets of individuals of special medical needs, such as obese and diabetic patients. The purpose of this review is to evaluate one of the most common edible mushroom species, Cantharellus cibarius (girolle, golden chanterelle) for its health promoting properties with particular emphasis on its vitamin D content. It was of considerable importance for us to analyse the amount of vitamin D in the mentioned mushroom, as this micronutrient deficiency is fairly common in the human population. Material and method: The available literature was reviewed as provided by PubMed database and Google Scholar, with the use of keywords. State of knowledge: Golden chanterelle mushroom is a valuable source of proteins, mineral ingredients like potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and calcium, while containing low amounts of sodium and fat. The mushroom is especially valuable for its rich content of vitamin D, ranging up to 63 μg/100g fresh weight. Conclusions: This paper may help other scientists expand their research on golden chanterelle properties. Moreover, girolle, as naturally containing many pro-health metabolites, may serve as natural supplementation of microelements.

Metabolic engineering of Corynebacterium crenatum for enhanced L-tyrosine production from mannitol and glucose

BackgroundL-Tyrosine (L-Tyr) is a significant aromatic amino acid that is experiencing an increasing demand in the market due to its distinctive characteristics. Traditional production methods exhibit various limitations, prompting researchers to place greater emphasis on microbial synthesis as an alternative approach.ResultsHere, we developed a metabolic engineering-based method for efficient production of L-Tyr from Corynebacterium crenatum, including the elimination of competing pathways, the overexpression of aroB, aroD, and aroE, and the introduction of the mutated E. coli tyrAfbr gene for elevating L-Tyr generation. Moreover, the mtlR gene was knocked out, and the mtlD and pfkB genes were overexpressed, allowing C. crenatum to produce L-Tyr from mannitol. The L-Tyr production achieved 6.42 g/L at a glucose-to-mannitol ratio of 3:1 in a shake flask, which was 16.9% higher than that of glucose alone. Notably, the L-Tyr production of the fed-batch fermentation was elevated to 34.6 g/L, exhibiting the highest titers among those of C. glutamicum previously reported.ConclusionThe importance of this research is underscored by its pioneering application of mannitol as a carbon source for the biosynthesis of L-Tyr, as well as its examination of the influence of mannitol-associated genes in microbial metabolism. A promising platform is provided for the production of target compounds that does not compete with human food source.

Phytonutrient formulation using gum Arabic and Adansonia Digitata pulp: Lessons for boosting the human immune system - part 1

BackgroundThe human innate immune system (HIIs) defends the body against pathogens and relies on the energy obtained from food sources to increase its metabolic activity. AimIn this study, a new blended 3 in1 formula comprising A. senegal, A. seyal, and Adansonia digitata at a ratio of 5:3:2 was proposed as a potential aid in the management of Covid-19 patients with Metabolic Syndrome (MeT-S) disorders, with a specific focus on those presenting with impaired health. MethodsThe utilization of Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) was employed to analyze 3 blended ingredient combinations, including the 3in1 formula, A. senegal, A. seyal, and A. digitata pulp, for the presence of elements by detecting the levels of moisture, ash, minerals, protein, amino acids, carbohydrates, sugars, prebiotic polysaccharides, energy, dietary fibers, and crude fibers. This advanced technique has replaced the titration method used in previous studies. ResultsThe mineral content of the blended 3in1 sample was found to be dominated by potassium (70.56±2.35), Calcium (68.54±3.12), Magnesium (16.60±4.80), Phosphorus (11.50±2.50), Sodium (31.4±4.80), Zinc (19.19±2.10), Iron (19 ± 0.14), Copper (15.12±1.81), and selenium (0.037 ± 0.005) g/100 g DW. The blended 3 in1 sample also had a higher hydroxyproline content (30.17 g/100 g and a higher total protein and carbohydrate content than the blended 2 in1 sample. Additionally, arabinose was identified as the major reducing sugar with up to 48.23 and 49.97g/100 gDW. The prebiotic polysaccharide content was 88.61±3.12g/100 gDW for the blended 3 in1 sample, which was significantly higher than that of the blended 2 in1 sample. Furthermore, the energy value of the blended 3 in1 sample was significantly higher at 350.12±5.210 kcal/100 g than the blended 2 in1 sample at 340.67±3.155 kWh. The Insoluble Dietary Fibers (IDFs) and Soluble Dietary Fibers (SDFs) of the blended 3 in1 sample were 12.6±2.10 g/100 gDW and 87±2.124 g/100 g DW, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of the blended 2 in1 sample. ConclusionThe discovery of distinct molecular compositions of A. senegal and A. seyal when combined with Adansonia Digitata Pulp (ADLP) in the 3 in1 blend demonstrated enhanced HIIs among Covid-19 patients with compromised MeT-S disorders. This may be considered a valuable natural antiviral agent for the treatment of such individuals.

Effects of different feeding patterns on growth, enzyme activity, and intestinal microbiome of the juvenile Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai

In northern China, the predominant food sources for abalone farming include fresh kelp, salted kelp, and formulated diets, and abalone can also endure prolonged starvation when food is scarce. While there is a dearth of comprehensive investigation into the effects of these feeding patterns on the temporal dynamics of enzyme activity, and intestinal microbiome of abalone. In this study, a total of 3600 juvenile Pacific abalones were allocated to 12 tanks, randomly divided into four groups based on the feeding patterns: fresh kelp (labeled as FK), salted kelp (SK), formulated feed (FF), and starved group (S). After a 60-day feeding trial, the results showed that abalone in the FK, SK, and FF groups exhibited significant positive effects on both weight and shell growth compared to the S group (P<0.05). Notably, the FF group displayed the highest values of the growth performance. The activity of digestive enzymes and antioxidant enzymes in the FF group had an up-regulated trend over the course of feeding trial, whereas amylase and lipase activity in abalone declined along with starvation. Moreover, the microbial Shannon index showed an overall decreasing trend over time in the FF, FK, and SK groups except for the S group. The ANOSIM analysis revealed that both feeding pattern and cultivating time significantly influenced the structure of the microbial communities. Across the feeding trial, Proteobacteria, Fusobacteriota, and Firmicutes were identified as the dominant phyla in the intestinal microbiome of abalone under different feeding patterns. The core genera were Psychrilyobacter, Mycoplasma, and Vibrio. Additionally, the neutral model analysis revealed that stochastic processes both play a key role in shaping the assembly of microbial communities in different feeding patterns. This study could offer valuable insights into the impact of different feeding patterns on growth and physiology of abalone, thereby contributing to the enhancement of management strategies in the northern Chinese abalone aquaculture industry.

Bird deterrent measures at a landfill decreased the productivity of a dependent population of White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

Landfills provide an abundant and predictable food source for avifauna. The energy and time that are saved because of landfill‐foraging have had positive effects on the distribution of bird breeding populations and their reproductive parameters. However, the proliferation of individuals coinciding with the appearance of landfills often increases human–wildlife conflicts and intensifies the contact between waste and the environment. In this context, a landfill in Madrid (Spain) implemented deterrent measures in 2021 aiming to reduce the influx of birds inside its facilities. This study aims to describe the effects that a reduction in the accessibility and availability of landfill food resources may have had on the surrounding breeding populations of White Stork Ciconia ciconia. For this purpose, the breeding parameters of three populations with different landfill use indices were analysed before and after the application of bird deterrent measures. The closest population, with the highest landfill use index, suffered a drastic reduction in fledgling productivity during the breeding season with bird deterrent measures. On the other hand, a drought during one of the breeding seasons negatively affected the productivity of the populations that relied partially and completely on natural food resources (located at medium and long distance from the landfill, respectively). Landfill‐foraging might have mitigated the consequences of the natural food scarcity caused by this drought, even with the application of bird deterrent measures. Overall, our results show the potential negative impact of bird deterrent measures on populations dependent on landfill food, and highlight the importance of assessing the effect of these techniques beyond the site to determine their appropriateness. Due to the imminent closure of landfills and the expected worsening consequences of climate change, monitoring programmes should be established to determine the long‐term effects of bird deterrent measures and unusual environmental conditions on White Stork populations.

Coexistence and food sources of adult mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in a rural health center in Piura, Peru 2024.

Motivation for the study. Rural health facilities could be potential foci of transmission and scenarios of zoonosis during epidemic outbreaks of dengue and other arbovirosis due to the coexistence of mosquito species that feed on different vertebrates. Main findings. Aedes aegypti feeds on Homo sapiens sapiens. Culex quinquefasciatus feeds on Homo sapiens sapiens and Canis familiaris. Both coexist in health care areas of the Querecotillo health center. Implications. Molecular techniques should be integrated into vector control to understand feeding patterns in natural conditions and information on probable reservoirs. This study aimed to determine the coexistence and food sources of adult mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in a rural health center in Piura, Peru by using a descriptive cross-sectional design. Entomological techniques were used to capture and identify mosquitoes, and molecular biotechnology techniques were used to identify food sources. A total of 793 specimens of the Culex and Aedes genera were found coexisting, 789 (99.5%) were Culex quinquefasciatus, 607 (76.9%) were males and 182 (23.1%) were females. Likewise, 4 (100%) corresponded to Aedes aegypti females. The food sources of Aedes aegypti were Homo sapiens sapiens, and Homo sapiens sapiens and Canis familiaris were the food sources of Culex quinquefasciatus. This study provides evidence that rural health centers could be acting as foci of arbovirosis, with the risk that people who come for different ailments could contract diseases transmitted by C. quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti.

Classification of Corn Diseases and Pests Using Fuzzy Naïve Bayes Method

Corn is an essential dietary source for humans and animals. In addition to being a food source, corn has numerous benefits as a manufacturing commodity. The quality of grain crops must be considered to minimise the likelihood of disease and pest infestations. Therefore, the diseases and pests that attack corn plants must be classified so that farmers can control them during the growth period of corn plants. The fuzzy naive Bayes method is a statistical machine learning method that can be used to classify the diseases and pests of corn crops based on colour space-transformed digital images. This study aims to classify corn plant diseases and pests using the fuzzy naive Bayes method. Digital images of corn plant diseases and pests were transformed into a red, green and blue colour space model. The following seven classes of corn plant diseases and pests were classified: leaf rust disease, downy mildew disease, leaf blight disease, Locusta pest, Heliotis armigera pest, Spodoptera frugiperdita pest and non-pathogenic pest. With this method, the classification model achieves an accuracy of 87.83%, a macro precision of 34.91%, a macro recall of 35.90% and a macro f-score of 33.82%.

Integrated analysis of muscle lncRNA and mRNA of Chinese indigenous breed Ningxiang pig in four developmental stages.

Meat and its derivatives serve as crucial sources of protein, vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients for humans. Pork stands as China's primary animal-derived food product consumed widely across diverse dietary structures; evaluating intramuscular fat content becomes pivotal in assessing its quality standards. Nonetheless, the intricate molecular mechanisms governing intramuscular fat deposition remain elusive. Our study utilized sequencing technology to scrutinize longitudinal development stages within Ningxiang pig's longest dorsal muscles aiming to unravel these underlying mechanisms. In three distinct comparisons (30d vs. 90d, 90d vs. 150d and 150d vs. 210d) there were 578, 1,000 and 3,238 differentially expressed mRNA, along with 16, 158 and 85 lncRNAs were identified. STEM analysis unveiled six enriched model profiles for lncRNAs while seven such profiles emerged for mRNAs; notably, multiple shared model profiles existed between both RNA types. Enriched analysis highlighted numerous genes from mRNA profile8 and lncRNA profile7 significantly associated with pathways linked to fat deposition. Weight Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) revealed that differential expression modules (DMEs) & differential expression lncRNAs primarily clustered within cyan, dark slate blue and pale turquoise modules. Furthermore, target genes PKD2 (MSTRG21592.MTRSG8859 and MTRSG18175), COL5A1 (MTRSG9969 and MTRSG180) and SOX13 (MTRSG21592 and MTRSG9088) as core components all intricately tied into processes related to fat deposition. This study lays the groundwork for deeper exploration into the molecular mechanisms underlying LDM fat deposition traits, and it also presents candidate genes for future molecular marker-assisted breeding.

Polysaccharide breakdown products drive degradation-dispersal cycles of foraging bacteria through changes in metabolism and motility

Most of Earth’s biomass is composed of polysaccharides. During biomass decomposition, polysaccharides are degraded by heterotrophic bacteria as a nutrient and energy source and are thereby partly remineralized into CO2. As polysaccharides are heterogeneously distributed in nature, following the colonization and degradation of a polysaccharide hotspot the cells need to reach new polysaccharide hotspots. Even though many studies indicate that these degradation-dispersal cycles contribute to the carbon flow in marine systems, we know little about how cells alternate between polysaccharide degradation and motility, and which environmental factors trigger this behavioral switch. Here, we studied the growth of the marine bacterium Vibrio cyclitrophicus ZF270 on the abundant marine polysaccharide alginate, both in its soluble polymeric form as well as on its breakdown products. We used microfluidics coupled to time-lapse microscopy to analyze motility and growth of individual cells, and RNA sequencing to study associated changes in gene expression. We found that single cells grow at reduced rate on alginate until they form large groups that cooperatively break down the polymer. Exposing cell groups to digested alginate accelerates cell growth and changes the expression of genes involved in alginate degradation and catabolism, central metabolism, ribosomal biosynthesis, and transport. However, exposure to digested alginate also triggers cells to become motile and disperse from cell groups, proportionally increasing with the group size before the nutrient switch, and this is accompanied by high expression of genes involved in flagellar assembly, chemotaxis, and quorum sensing. The motile cells chemotax toward polymeric but not digested alginate, likely enabling them to find new polysaccharide hotspots. Overall, our findings reveal cellular mechanisms that might also underlie bacterial degradation-dispersal cycles, which influence the remineralization of biomass in marine environments.

Polysaccharide breakdown products drive degradation-dispersal cycles of foraging bacteria through changes in metabolism and motility.

Most of Earth's biomass is composed of polysaccharides. During biomass decomposition, polysaccharides are degraded by heterotrophic bacteria as a nutrient and energy source and are thereby partly remineralized into CO2. As polysaccharides are heterogeneously distributed in nature, following the colonization and degradation of a polysaccharide hotspot the cells need to reach new polysaccharide hotspots. Even though many studies indicate that these degradation-dispersal cycles contribute to the carbon flow in marine systems, we know little about how cells alternate between polysaccharide degradation and motility, and which environmental factors trigger this behavioral switch. Here, we studied the growth of the marine bacterium Vibrio cyclitrophicus ZF270 on the abundant marine polysaccharide alginate, both in its soluble polymeric form as well as on its breakdown products. We used microfluidics coupled to time-lapse microscopy to analyze motility and growth of individual cells, and RNA sequencing to study associated changes in gene expression. We found that single cells grow at reduced rate on alginate until they form large groups that cooperatively break down the polymer. Exposing cell groups to digested alginate accelerates cell growth and changes the expression of genes involved in alginate degradation and catabolism, central metabolism, ribosomal biosynthesis, and transport. However, exposure to digested alginate also triggers cells to become motile and disperse from cell groups, proportionally increasing with the group size before the nutrient switch, and this is accompanied by high expression of genes involved in flagellar assembly, chemotaxis, and quorum sensing. The motile cells chemotax toward polymeric but not digested alginate, likely enabling them to find new polysaccharide hotspots. Overall, our findings reveal cellular mechanisms that might also underlie bacterial degradation-dispersal cycles, which influence the remineralization of biomass in marine environments.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Castanopsis carlesii and Castanea henryi reveals the rearrangement and size differences of mitochondrial DNA molecules

BackgroundCastanopsis carlesii is a dominant tree species in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests and holds significant ecological value. It serves as an excellent timber tree species and raw material for cultivating edible fungi. Henry Chinquapin (Castanea henryi) wood is known for its hardness and resistance to water and moisture, making it an exceptional timber species. Additionally, its fruit has a sweet and fruity taste, making it a valuable food source. However, the mitogenomes of these species have not been previously reported. To gain a better understanding of them, this study successfully assembled high-quality mitogenomes of C. carlesii and Ca. henryi for the first time.ResultsOur research reveals that the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of C. carlesii exhibits a unique multi-branched conformation, while Ca. henryi primarily exists in the form of two independent molecules that can be further divided into three independent molecules through one pair of long repetitive sequences. The size of the mitogenomes of C. carlesii and Ca. henryi are 592,702 bp and 379,929 bp respectively, which are currently the largest and smallest Fagaceae mitogenomes recorded thus far. The primary factor influencing mitogenome size is dispersed repeats. Comparison with published mitogenomes from closely related species highlights differences in size, gene loss patterns, codon usage preferences, repetitive sequences, as well as mitochondrial plastid DNA segments (MTPTs).ConclusionsOur study enhances the understanding of mitogenome structure and evolution in Fagaceae, laying a crucial foundation for future research on cell respiration, disease resistance, and other traits in this family.

Wheat genetic progress in biomass allocation and yield components: A global perspective

BackgroundWheat is an essential food source and is subjected to intense breeding efforts for increased grain yield, but stagnation in grain yield improvements has been reported in many regions. The identification of genetically linked factors impeding further progress in wheat grain yield improvement is therefore urgently required. MethodA comparative meta-analysis of data from 66 publicly available field experiments involving multiple wheat genotypes was performed to identify traits altered in breeding programs, their relationship with grain yield, and their past and current impact on grain yield increases. ResultsWheat grain yield can be increased by increasing either the aboveground biomass (ABM) or the harvest index (HI). However, there was no correlation between these traits since a reduction in plant height can occur with increases in the HI and overall grain yield, but with no reduction in the ABM. The combined data from 32 global datasets revealed a substantial increase in wheat grain yield from 1860 to 2017, accompanied by improvement in HI and yield components. When considering only the genotypes introduced from the 1960s to 2017, there was a linear increase observed in both grain yield and HI until the mid-1980s. However, genetic progress in HI and GY has slowed down since then. Before the mid-1980s, there was a decreasing trend observed in plant height which remained relatively static thereafter. While ABM did not exhibit significant increases during this period. After the mid-1980s, significant improvements have been observed in ABM; however, no obvious increase were observed in other yield components. ConclusionsSince the 1980s, there has been an increase in the aboveground biomass of wheat, while grain weigth and grains per m2 increases trending slowly, and both harvest index and grain yield have almost stagnated. Therefore, increasing grains per m2 and/or grain weight should be the major research direction to further improve the wheat harvest index and grain yield in the future. ImplicationsThe systematic study of changes in wheat traits in past breeding efforts for improved grain yields has provided useful indicators for the direction of wheat breeding in the future.

Spatiotemporal variations and driving factors of fine-scale habitat use by the Yangtze finless porpoise population in the Yangtze River.

The Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) is critically endangered and has suffered from extensive habitat loss and fragmentation. Knowledge of its habitat preference could assist the conservation of the species and associated ecosystem. In the present study, spatiotemporal variations and driving factors of habitat use of a Yangtze finless porpoise population were studied in a 30-km section of the Yangtze mainstream. Seasonal variation in porpoise occurrences was observed based on visual surveys conducted from 2022 to 2023, with five surveys during the dry season and seven surveys during the wet season. Biological and environmental factors were synchronously sampled in both seasons. The maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) was applied to get the effects of biological and environmental variables on porpoise habitat preference. Within the study area, high-suitability habitats of the finless porpoises accounted for 19.0% and 15.4% of the area during the dry and wet seasons, respectively. The high-suitability habitat shifted from the mainstream in the dry season to the sandbar head and tributary area in the wet season. In the dry season, variables influencing the distribution were phytoplankton biomass, water velocity, and zooplankton biomass, which contributed 97.05% variation in the MaxEnt modeling. In the wet season, water depth, surface water temperature, and zooplankton biomass accounted for 97.69% variation of the distribution. Above results highlight that food availability plays an important role in porpoises distribution regardless of seasons, particularly in the dry season. This is because plankton is the primary food source for filter-feeding and omnivorous fish, especially those in the upper-middle layer which are frequently preyed on by finless porpoises. Suitable areas for finless porpoises, particularly those with high suitability, differed significantly across seasons at a fine-scale in the Yangtze mainstream. Seasonal variations in habitat were driven by different factors. But food availability plays an important role in porpoises distribution regardless of seasons, particularly in the dry season. These results suggest prioritizing conservation of the finless porpoise in the dry season when fish resources are relatively scarce. Measures including monitoring and evaluating prey resources should be considered. More attention should also be paid on management of shipping in the dry season given that the high-suitability habitat of the finless porpoises shifts to the mainstream.

Identification of Whey Protein‐Derived Anti‐Obesity Peptides Through 3T3‐L1 Adipocyte Differentiation Assay

ABSTRACTWhey proteins are a rich source of bioactive peptides. Whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) can effectively improve metabolic syndrome and reduce the risk of obesity. Bioactive peptides isolated from various food sources exhibit anti‐obesity effects. However, few reports are available on the identification of anti‐obesity peptides from whey protein. In this study, we aimed to identify anti‐obesity peptides from whey protein. Our findings revealed that WPH suppressed the accumulation of lipid droplets in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes. Anti‐obesity peptides in WPH were identified using amino acid sequencing and LC–MS analysis. Then, the inhibitory effects of the synthetic peptides on adipogenesis were assessed through Oil Red O staining. Two peptides were identified as anti‐adipogenic: LDQW and LKPTPEGDLEIL. Subsequently, real‐time PCR analysis found that several adipogenesis‐related genes, such as peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ, were downregulated in the treatment with these peptides. Furthermore, LDQW and LKPTPEGDLEIL decreased the mRNA expression levels of stearoyl‐coenzyme A desaturase 1 and increased carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1α expression in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes. These findings indicate that LDQW and LKPTPEGDLEIL have anti‐obesity properties and may be beneficial for treating metabolic diseases. This study provides a reference basis for developing new techniques to prevent obesity and related diseases.

Unveiling the secrets of lotus seed longevity: insights into adaptive strategies for extended storage.

Seed longevity is crucial for long-term storage, but prolonged unfavorable conditions can lead to viability loss. This study integrated theoretical and experimental techniques to elucidate the inherent mechanisms underlying the unique ability of lotus seed capacity to maintain stable viability even after enduring years. Transcriptome analysis and microscopy revealed the sturdy structure of the lotus seed pericarp, which predominantly expressed cellulose synthase genes involved in cell wall biogenesis. The cotyledon serves as a nutrient source for seeds during long-term storage. Additionally, the inactivation of chlorophyll degradation pathways may allow for the retention of chlorophyll in the lotus seed plumule, potentially enhancing the environmental adaptability of lotus seedlings. While the reduced abundance of transcripts corresponding to heat shock protein genes could impact protein processing and consequently diminish the vitality of aging lotus seeds. Moreover, an expansion in the number of seed maturation and defense response genes was observed in the lotus genome compared to other 11 species, which might represent an adaptive strategy against long-term adverse storage conditions. Overall, these findings are crucial for understanding the mechanisms underlying lotus seed longevity and may inform future improvements in the extended storage periods of seed crops.

Proteins and Peptides from Food Sources with Effect on Satiety and Their Role as Anti-Obesity Agents: A Narrative Review.

Obesity, clinically defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or higher, is a medical condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of body fat, which can lead to adverse health consequences. As a global public health issue with an escalating prevalence, controlling appetite and satiety is essential for regulating energy balance and managing body weight. Dietary proteins and peptides have gained interest in their potential to prevent and treat obesity by modulating satiety signals. This narrative review analyzes scientific evidence highlighting the role of dietary proteins and peptides in regulating satiety signals and investigates their therapeutic potential in preventing and treating obesity. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search focused on articles examining the impact of dietary proteins and peptides on satiety and obesity, encompassing both preclinical and clinical trials. Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between the intake of specific proteins or peptides from plant and animal sources and satiety regulation. These investigations identified mechanisms where amino acids and peptides interact with enteroendocrine cell receptors, activating intracellular signaling cascades that promote the release of anorexigenic gut hormones such as cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and peptide YY (PYY). Both in vitro and in vivo assays have shown that these interactions contribute to appetite regulation and the sensation of satiety. Using proteins and peptides in the diet may be an effective strategy for regulating appetite and controlling body weight. However, more research-including clinical trials-is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms better and optimize the application of these bioactive compounds in preventing and treating obesity.

Health risks and sources of PCDD/Fs and PCBs residue in cultured crabs

The Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) holds significant importance as a popular aquaculture food source; however, there are concerns about its potential contamination with polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from both food and aquatic environment. To assess the associated health risks and identify potential sources of contamination in crabs, a comprehensive investigation was conducted, including a total of 70 samples from the crab food web. The results demonstrated that crabs predominantly exhibited elevated concentrations of PCBs and dl-PCBs, with mean concentrations of 12 207 ± 11 962 pg g-1 and 554 ± 203 pg g-1, respectively, while PCDD/Fs concentrations were comparatively lower at 20 ± 17 pg g-1. The accumulation of PCBs in crabs significantly surpassed that of PCDD/Fs. The material balance of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in the crab food web was estimated, indicating that sediments and feeds likely constitute the two primary sources of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in crabs. The monthly intake of PCDD/Fs and PCBs through crab consumption accounted for 30% of the dietary intake, which was well below the provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI) limit. The weekly intake of PCDD/Fs and PCBs for adults consuming one crab (100 g) does not pose health risks and the recommended weekly intake of white crabmeat and brown crabmeat is 443 g and 21 g, respectively.

GRASSIUS 2.0: A gene regulatory information knowledgebase for maize and other grasses

Grass species, which include the major cereal crops maize, wheat, rice, and sugarcane, are an integral part of our global agriculture and source of food and energy for a growing world population. GRASSIUS was established as a knowledgebase for transcription factors (TFs) and coregulators (CoRegs) in maize and several other species in the grass family. TFs are a primary component of the gene regulatory networks (GRNs) and the underlying gene regulatory grids (GRGs) that govern all aspects of plant growth and metabolism. GRASSIUS is the source for all information pertaining to the maize TFome collection, which serves as a powerful resource for the discovery of GRNs in maize and other cereals [1,2]. Here we describe the release of the GRASSIUS 2.0 knowledgebase (www.grassius.org) with updated data, query, and tool features, as well as the ability to expand to accommodate future datasets. The membership and annotation of all TF and CoReg families has been updated and revised to include gene models from v3, v4, and v5, of the maize B73 genome and recent genome versions of rice, sorghum, Brachypodium, and sugarcane. A translation tool enables cross referencing of Gene IDs between versions of the maize genome. Protein-DNA interactions (PDIs) have been added incorporating results derived from various gene- and TF-centered PDI discovery tools and visualized through a new web-based interface. A filtering tools permits the selection and visualization of PDIs within a ± 2 kb distance from the transcriptional start site (TSS) of a gene of interest. A new BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) tool facilitates searching of the maize TFome as well as v3, v4, and v5 TF gene model sets. Lastly, we describe the methodology used to implement GRASSIUS 2.0 which can guide others in developing and updating similar plant gene regulatory knowledgebases.

Dietary Regulation of Lipid Metabolism in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Implications for Fetal Macrosomia.

The primary therapeutic approach for managing hyperglycemia today is diet therapy. Lipids are not only a source of nutrients but also play a role in initiating adipocyte differentiation in the fetus, which may explain the development of fetal macrosomia and future metabolic disorders in children born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Alterations in the maternal blood lipid profile, influenced by adherence to a healthy diet in mothers with GDM and the occurrence of fetal macrosomia, represent a complex and not fully understood process. The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of the blood plasma lipid profile in pregnant women with GDM across all trimesters based on adherence to diet therapy. The clinical part of the study followed a case-control design, including 110 women: 80 in the control group, 20 in a GDM group adhering to the diet, and 10 in a GDM group not adhering to the diet. The laboratory part was conducted as a longitudinal dynamic study, with venous blood samples collected at three time points: 11-13, 24-26, and 30-32 weeks of pregnancy. A significant impact of diet therapy on the composition of blood lipids throughout pregnancy was demonstrated, starting as early as the first trimester. ROC analysis indicated high effectiveness of the models developed, with an AUC of 0.98 for the 30- to 32-week model and sensitivity and specificity values of 1 and 0.9, respectively. An association was found between dietary habits, maternal blood lipid composition at 32 weeks, and newborn weight. The changes in lipid profiles during macrosomia development and under diet therapy were found to be diametrically opposed, confirming at the molecular level that diet therapy can normalize not only carbohydrate metabolism but also lipid metabolism in both the mother and fetus. Based on the data obtained, it is suggested that after further validation, the developed models could be used to improve the prognosis of macrosomia by analyzing blood plasma lipid profiles at various stages of pregnancy.