Vegetable Sources Research Articles

Unveiling the effects of exercise and protein diet on pancreatic structure in ovariectomized aged rats

Objective: Evaluate structural alterations of the pancreas in ovariectomized elderly female rats that ingested different animal or vegetable protein sources and who underwent moderate resistance exercise. Methods: Female Wistar rats were divided into eight experimental groups: sedentary and non-ovariectomized animals plus vegetable protein diet (CVS) or animal protein diet (CAS); trained and non-ovariectomized rats plus vegetable protein diet (CVT) or animal protein diet (CAT); sedentary and ovariectomized groups plus vegetable protein diet (VOS) or animal protein diet (AOS); trained and ovariectomized animals plus vegetable protein diet (VOT) or animal protein diet (AOT). Results: Our results showed a decrease in pancreatic islet area in sedentary groups submitted to ovariectomy. On the other hand, we observed an increased frequency of minor and medium pancreatic islets in vegetable and animal diets, respectively. Additionally, all groups had a significant difference in volume density of acini, ducts, blood vessels, and pancreatic islets. Finally, immunohistochemistry demonstrated a decrease of glucagon in sedentary ovariectomized groups and a decrease of insulin in ovariectomized groups submitted to resistance training. Conclusion: Both resistance training and dietary intake contributed to pancreatic modifications in estrogen-deprived groups. Accordingly, further studies are needed regarding the structural and functional properties involving both interventions and menopause for a better understanding of our results.

Respon Pertumbuhan dan Hasil Microgreens Beberapa Varietas Tanaman Caisim (Brassica juncea L.) pada Berbagai Jarak Tanam

The diminishing amount of land available for agriculture and the growing demand for nutritious food have made it necessary to find alternative sources of fresh vegetables. Urban farming, especially the cultivation of microgreens, can help meet this demand. Microgreens offer several advantages, such as time and cost savings, and they require minimal space while growing quickly. However, the optimal spacing for different types of microgreens is not extensively documented, as research on microgreens is still limited in Indonesia. The Brassicaceae family is one of the most commonly cultivated families for microgreens. This study was carried out at Room A, Faculty of Agriculture, Singaperbangsa Karawang University, Campus 2. The experimental method used was a factorial randomized block design (RBD Factorials) with two treatments for varieties and three for spacing, repeated five times, resulting in 30 experimental units. Factor I, Varieties, consisted of v1 (Tosakan) and v2 (Shinta). Factor II, Spacing, consisted of j1 (1 cm x 1 cm), j2 (1 cm x 2 cm), and j3 (2 cm x 2 cm). The data were analyzed using an analysis of variance (Uji F) at a 5% level. If the results of the analysis of variance were significantly different, the study continued with a multiple range test (DMRT) at a 5% level to determine the best-performing treatment. There was an interaction between the treatments for microgreen varieties and spacing on parameters such as plant density, dry weight of the plant, and fresh weight. There was a significant effect of the variety on the parameter of chlorophyll content, and a significant effect of spacing on the parameters of plant growth rate and the age of leaf appearance. Additional types of plants are needed to determine significant differences related to spacing and their interactions.

Metagenomic Insights into Enhancing Protein Content and Digestibility in Jack Bean (Canavalia ensiformis) Tempeh: Unraveling Microbial Dynamics During Fermentation

Jack beans (Canavalia ensiformis) are a locally abundant Indonesian bean variety boasting a significant protein content that remains underutilized. The production of tempeh from Jack beans presents a promising avenue for tapping into this valuable vegetable protein source. The tempeh-making process involves several key stages, including soaking the ingredients, inoculating with a mold starter, and fermenting the mixture. Throughout each stage, protein content preservation and effective utilization are paramount. This study uses high-throughput sequencing technologies to characterize protein hydrolysis in Jack beans during fermentation. The research aims to investigate how microorganisms participating in the fermentation of Jack bean tempeh influence protein content and protein digestibility. The findings reveal that prolonging the fermentation time of Jack beans, utilizing a 1.5% tempeh mold starter, and fermenting for 36 hours resulted in a notable increase in protein content by 66.63% and enhanced protein digestibility in vitro by 48.82%. This improvement may be attributed to the predominant activities of Bacillus and Rhizopus during the fermentation process by the metagenomics approach.

Foresight diet quality: current trends and future problems

Abstract Current evidence suggests that several aspects of diet quality is globally suboptimal. While increasing animal-based products could exert certain benefits against undernutrition in developing countries, the preference of mass-produced low-quality meat-products over other animal-based ones (i.e., milk, dairy, and eggs) and their overall excessive consumption in spite of plant-based ones has been deemed responsible, at least in part, of the rise of non-communicable diseases. The industry-led response to the growing need of animal-food alternatives may not necessarily meet the health objectives of a natural vegetable source against highly processed products rich in chemical additives. Research in this area is growing producing mixed results, while adoption of plant-based dietary patterns seems less and less equivalent to be synonymous of a healthy nor sustainable choice. In this presentation, data on the current state of evidence on global food consumption, dietary patterns, as well as the relation between level of food processing and health will be provided.

Efficacy of a High-Protein Diet to Lower Glycemic Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review.

Diabetes is a metabolic disease with a high worldwide prevalence and an important factor in mortality and disability in the population. Complications can be reduced or prevented with lifestyle changes in physical activity, dietary habits, and smoking cessation. High-protein diets (HPDs, >30% or >1.0 g/Kg/day) decrease hyperglycemia in part due to their content of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), mainly leucine. Leucine (and other BCAAs) improve glucose metabolism by directly signaling in the medio-basal hypothalamus (MBH), increasing liver insulin sensitivity. To determine the effectiveness of an HPD to lower hyperglycemia, we analyzed the results of published clinical studies focusing on the levels of fasting plasma glucose and/or glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We carried out a systematic search for clinical studies using HPDs. We searched five databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Epistemonikos, and Cochrane), collecting 179 articles and finally selecting 8 articles to analyze their results. In conclusion, HPDs are an effective alternative to reduce hyperglycemia in patients with T2DM, especially so-called Paleolithic diets, due to their higher-quality protein from animal and vegetal sources and their exclusion of grains, dairy products, salt, refined fats, and added sugars.

Study of the Threat Status of 56 Bird Species Have Received Little Attention in Java

The rapid and vast development of the regions in Java is considered to adversely affect an estimated of 56 endemic, data deficient, nearly extinct bird species. This paper aims to provide up-to-date information on the status and distribution of these species. As many as 56 species’s specimens from Zoologicum Bogorienses Museum (MZB-BRIN, Cibinong) were used in this study. Additionally, this study used the on-site observation and a literature study on previous available references. This study found that 4 species were critical, 9 species were threatened, 6 species were vulnerable, 9 species were near threatened, 27 species were least concern and 1 species was data deficient. Based on the CITES’s list two species of birds were included in Appendix I, eleven species in Appendix II, and forty-three species in Non Appendix. Nationwide, 18 species of birds were protected and 38 species were not protected. Despite of these species importance in Indonesian biodiversity, they are perceived to be of lesser value and there has been increasingly limited distribution of birds. This condition is also exacerbated by poaching, birdkeeping, pets, trading, logging, changes in land use, leading to habitat loss. Policy makers are therefore urged to be wiser and to prioritize the management of bird habitats in Java. Arrangement of bird habitats in nature and concern for reforestation activities should continue to be carried out regularly, including by planting various vegetation sources and safe recovery trees.

Assessing Lettuce Exposure to a Multi-Pharmaceutical Mixture in Soil: Insights from LC-ESI-TQ Analysis and the Impact of Biochar on Pharmaceutical Bioavailability.

Agricultural practices introduce pharmaceutical (PhAC) residues into the terrestrial environment, potentially endangering agricultural crops and human health. This study aimed to evaluate various aspects related to the presence of pharmaceuticals in the lettuce-soil system, including bioconcentration factors (BCFs), translocation factors (TFs), ecotoxicological effects, the influence of biochar on the PhAC bioavailability, persistence in soil, and associated environmental and health risks. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was exposed to a mixture of 25 PhACs in two scenarios: initially contaminated soil (ranging from 0 to 10,000 ng·g-1) and soil irrigated with contaminated water (ranging from 0 to 1000 μg·L-1) over a 28-day period. The findings revealed a diverse range of BCFs (0.068-3.7) and TFs (0.032-0.58), indicating the uptake and translocation potential of pharmaceuticals by lettuce. Significant ecotoxicological effects on L. sativa, including weight change and increased mortality, were observed (p < 0.05). Interestingly, biochar did not significantly affect PhAC uptake by L. sativa (p > 0.05), while it significantly influenced the soil degradation kinetics of 12 PhACs (p < 0.05). Additionally, the estimated daily intake of PhACs through the consumption of L. sativa suggested negligible health risks, although concerns arose regarding the potential health risks if other vegetable sources were similarly contaminated with trace residues. Furthermore, this study evaluated the environmental risk associated with the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in soil, as medium to high. In conclusion, these findings highlight the multifaceted challenges posed by pharmaceutical contamination in agricultural environments and emphasize the importance of proactive measures to mitigate the associated risks to both environmental and human health.

Determining biomethane potential from animal-source industry wastes by anaerobic digestion: A case study from La rioja, Spain

The animal-source food industry (ASFI) is currently facing important challenges derived from sustainability policies and market requirements. In this respect, the ecological footprint resulting from emissions, management of residues, effluents, and by-products has become a key factor not only due to the laws in force, but also from the point of view of operation efficiency and market requirements. This paper assesses the potential use of the organic wastes generated by the ASFI as a source of biofuel generation (i.e., biomethane) in the region of La Rioja (Spain). To this end, primary data were directly collected from factories and the so-produced wastes were sampled and characterized. Statistical inference from collected data leads to theoretically estimate that the region might produce up to 118.46 GWh per year, mainly provided from piggeries, which would replace 12.4 % of the natural gas used by the regional industry. Besides, this strategy also reduces the environmental footprint and the generation of added value for companies and rural localities. However, the analytics show that an excess of nitrogen content may hinder the calculated theoretical methane yields and lead to operational issues. Looking for biowaste from vegetable sources more optimal admixtures may be designed to address these concerns.

The predictive role of the total potassium intake and odds of breast cancer: a case-control study

BackgroundsDietary potassium can play an important role in decreasing inflammatory factors as a protective factor for cancers. In this case-control study, we aimed to assess the possible association between dietary potassium intake and the risk of breast cancer (BC) among Iranian adult women.MethodsThe present case-control study was conducted at Shohada and Imam Hossain hospitals, in Tehran. The study included 134 newly diagnosed cases of BC and 267 controls. A validated semi-quantitative 168-item food frequency questionnaire was used to compute the potassium intake. Logistic regression, adjusted for potential confounders, was used to estimate odds ratios(ORs) and 95% confidence intervals(CI) of BC according to tertiles of potassium intake.ResultsThe mean(M) ± standard deviation(SD) of age and body mass index (BMI) were 47.9 ± 10.3 years and 29.4 ± 5.5 kg/m2, respectively. Also, the M ± SD of potassium intake for the control and case groups was 1616 ± 293 and 1542 ± 338 (mg/1000 Kcal), respectively. In the multivariable-adjusted model for potential confounders, the higher total potassium intake was associated with decreased odds of BC (OR: 0.35, 95%CI: 0.19–0.62, P for trend < 0.001). Moreover, an inverse relationship was observed between potassium from plant sources (OR: 0.39, 95%CI: 0.22–0.69, P for trend = 0.001) and fruit and vegetable sources (OR: 0.49, 95%CI: 0.28–0.87, P for trend = 0.016) and odds of BC.ConclusionsOur findings suggested that diet rich in potassium may have a predictive role to reduce the odds of BC.

Probiotics and Vegetable Oil Association: A Review

Abstract Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts. Currently, seven genera are used for their probiotic’s potential. Strains having the desired characteristics are associated with plenty of health benefits. Recent literature shows that different plant and vegetable oils are associated with probiotics. Other reports indicated their various aspects. For instance, the effect of probiotics on plant-based oil, edible oil, probiotics, the use of oils for probiotics encapsulation, etc., are documented. It is also reported that probiotics from vegetable sources and plant oil have some advancements, such as vegetarian and lactose-intolerant people using them. The multidimensional association between probiotics and vegetable oils attracts researchers to explore it. This research area is growing fast, but more limited research data is needed. Hence, this literature study was performed to identify the relationship, pros, and cons and provide recent insight into the literature for the researchers. Materials were collected by searching the related terminologies on different websites, finding the downloaded literature, and analyzing it critically. The results were presented as described by the authors, and a correlation was found that helps to enhance the field. Collectively, it was found that probiotics and plant and vegetable oils have a multifactorial relationship, and both can increase the effects of one another.

Georgian Medicinal Plants as Rich Natural Sources of Antioxidant Derivatives: A Review on the Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives.

The study of antioxidants is of pivotal importance in biomedicine as these molecules could be involved in biological pathways associated with disease. The identification of new antioxidants together with the acquisition of a deeper knowledge on their biology, could lead to the use of these compounds as drugs for innovative treatments. Plants are an important reservoir of phytodrugs that in many cases can be isolated with good extraction yields directly from the vegetal source and are often endowed with a low toxicity profile. Georgia, a country situated on the Black Sea coast in the Caucasus region at the intersection of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, is renowned for its unique woodland habitats and immense biological diversity due to the great variety of climate zones and landscapes. Many wild plants in the area are used as remedies for a number of illnesses in the local traditional medicine. However, the scientific knowledge of these sources of natural drugs and of their molecular components is still far from exhaustive. Therefore, with the present work we reviewed the scientific literature on some of the main Georgian medicinal plants and found that several species are a valuable source of hydrophilic and hydrophobic antioxidants, endowed in some cases with a high ROS-scavenging ability. The analysis of the literature also demonstrated that most of the medicinal extracts and compounds isolated from these plants are beneficial in suppressing multiple diseases in vitro. This review will provide information for scientists looking to develop secure plant-based pharmaceuticals as well as a rationale for using Georgian medicinal plants for the treatment of a range of diseases.

Biofortified biscuits with indigenous plants: An innovative approach to prevent stunting in early childhood

Background: Increasing human living standards is directly proportional to demands for the quality of public health. Prevalence of stunting in Indonesia is ranked fifth in the world with a figure reaching 37.2%. Therefore, stunting is 1 of 5 health problems that the government is focusing on solving. This growth and development disorder is characterized by the body size of the baby/toddler below standard as well as delays in cognitive and psychomotor abilities. Stunting in children is the impact of nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy and the first 1000 days of life. Important micronutrients that have the potential to reduce the risk of stunting are iron and folic acid. The majority of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers with high school education or below tend not to pay attention to their intake of these 2 micronutrients, so deficiencies often occur. Pregnancy/breastfeeding supplements on the market are also expensive. Facts show that cassava leaves (Manihot esculenta) and winged bean seeds (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) are local agricultural resources that are rich in iron and folic acid. The production of biscuits to prevent stunting from these 2 vegetable sources is certainly very promising and worth developing. The aim of writing this scientific work is to determine the right biscuit formulation so that it is suitable to be used as a biscuit to prevent stunting for the wider community. Methods: Making biscuits needs to be preceded by making cassava leaf paste and winged bean seed flour and then determining various formulations. Variations in winged bean seed flour formulation: cassava leaf paste, namely F1 (20:10), F2 (25:15), F3 (30:10). Biscuits are made using the cream method, namely mixing sugar, skim milk, margarine and egg yolks until homogeneous then adding wheat flour, winged bean seed flour, cassava leaf paste, water and leavening agent. The dough is rolled, molded and baked at 170oC for 30 minutes. Finding: after carrying out organoleptic tests to measure product quality and determine the best formulation, it turned out that F2 was the biscuit formulation that the panelists liked most. Conclusion : The development of stunting prevention biscuits from cassava leaves and winged bean seeds is a potential solution. The next step is to disseminate this product as part of a stunting prevention strategy in the community. Novelty/Originality of this Study: The use of local agricultural resources, specifically winged bean seeds and cassava leaves, to develop a nutritious and affordable biscuit aimed at preventing stunting is an innovative approach that not only addresses the chronic malnutrition problem but also supports local economies by utilizing underutilized crops.

Caracterización de lenteja y jacinto de agua, efecto en la digestibilidad aparente en la tilapia

Objective. To evaluate the nutritional composition of duckweed (DW) (Lemna minor) and water hyacinth (WH) (Eichhornia crassipes) and its effect on the apparent digestibility of dry matter (%, ADDM), apparent digestibility of crude protein (%, ADCP) and the apparent digestibility of the crude lipid (%, ADCL) in the nutrition of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Material and methods. The DW and WH were used to formulate nine isoproteic (32.47%), isolipidic (5.46%) and isoenergetic (16.45 MJ kg-1) diets, with three replicates and 15 male tilapia (36.36± 1.16 g) per repetition: 0% (T0); 10% (T10); 15% (T15); 20% (T20) and 25% (T25), respectively random. A principal component analysis (PCA) was applied. Results. The crude protein (%) of the WH and the DW, were 21.72% and 27.37% (p˂0.05), respectively. Fish fed with WH and DW, up to 10 and 15% inclusion in the diet, respectively, did not show significant differences (p&gt;0.05) for ADDM. However, for ADCP and ADCL, up to 15 and 20%, respectively, significant differences (p&gt;0.05) were not observed. Conclusions. Water hyacinth and duckweed meals were an alternative vegetable protein source, which can partially replace soybean meal and cornmeal in tilapia diets. The PCA suggests that the control diet, 10% WH, 10-15% DW, showed the best results in terms of the apparent digestibility of the nutrients.

Densification of Genetic Map and Stable Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis for Amino Acid Content of Seed in Soybean (Glycine max L.).

Soybean, a primary vegetable protein source, boasts favorable amino acid profiles; however, its composition still falls short of meeting human nutritional demands. The soybean amino acid content is a quantitative trait controlled by multiple genes. In this study, an F2 population of 186 individual plants derived from the cross between ChangJiangChun2 and JiYu166 served as the mapping population. Based on the previously published genetic map of our lab, we increased the density of the genetic map and constructed a new genetic map containing 518 SSR (simple sequence repeats) markers and 64 InDel (insertion-deletion) markers, with an average distance of 5.27 cm and a total length of 2881.2 cm. The content of eight essential amino acids was evaluated in the F2:5, F2:6, and BLUP (best linear unbiased prediction). A total of 52 QTLs (quantitative trait loci) were identified, and 13 QTL clusters were identified, among which loci02.1 and loci11.1 emerged as stable QTL clusters, exploring candidate genes within these regions. Through GO enrichment and gene annotation, 16 candidate genes associated with soybean essential amino acid content were predicted. This study would lay the foundation for elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of essential amino acid content and contribute to germplasm innovation in soybeans.

Molecular decoding a meat-like aroma generated from Laetiporus sulphureus-mediated fermentation of onion (Allium cepa L.)

The organoleptic properties of plant-based meat alternatives do not meet consumer expectations due to the lack of characteristic flavors resembling meat. To address this challenge, a fermentation system utilizing Laetiporussulphureus was developed to generate a meat-like and fatty flavor from a vegetable source, onion. By means of multiple stir bar sorptive extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry, an unsaturated aldehyde, (E,Z)-2,4-decadienal, which imparts a tallow-like and fatty odor, and a sulfurous compound benzothiazole, with a broth-like odor were identified, which well contributed to the characteristic odor of the supernatant. (E,Z)-2,4-Decadienal as the most important odorant (odor activity value = 206) was biosynthesized by transformation of linoleic acid with L.sulphureus, as revealed by isotopic tracing experiments. For the first time in Basidiomycota, the biogenetic pathway of (E,Z)-2,4-decadienal from linoleic acid was proposed.

Natural History of the Genus Elasmoderus Saussure, 1888 (Orthoptera: Tristiridae), an Endemic and Eremic Element of the Transitional Coastal Desert of Chile.

The genus Elasmoderus belongs to the family Tristiridae, an orthopteran group that is distributed across the transitional region of South America and represented in the Andean areas of Peru, Argentina, and Chile. The species of Elasmoderus have morphological adaptations that make them especially suited for surviving in extreme arid environments and are an endemic and eremic group of the north-central region of Chile. On the basis of field samplings, direct observations, and a comprehensive literature review, we collected information about the genus Elasmoderus. The objectives of this research were: (i) to provide updated information on the geographical distribution range of the species of the genus Elasmoderus, and (ii) to collect and synthesize the most relevant information on the natural history and ecology of this orthopteran group as a basis for future long-term studies of its populations. Although this genus is underrepresented compared to other orthopteran families, it has developed interesting adaptations to extreme arid environments that remain unstudied to this date. E. lutescens is known to be one of the species with a wider latitudinal distribution, mostly on the coast and longitudinal valley of Atacama. E. minutus has a more restricted distribution, whereas E. wagenknechti is concentrated in coastal and interior environments of the Coquimbo region, an area where it reaches high population densities, thus affecting crops and natural vegetation and polluting water sources. Our findings underscore the importance of conducting comprehensive research on native insect groups that are poorly known but crucial for arid and semiarid ecosystems. These data will serve as a starting point for conducting long-term studies on this orthopteran group to gain a better understanding of the importance and role of these species in the semiarid ecosystems of northern Chile.

Establishing an indoor agriculture system at a rural Montana PreK‐12 school creates hands‐on experiences for college seniors studying horticulture

AbstractIn 2022, seniors studying horticulture at Montana State University (MSU; Bozeman, MT) had the opportunity to participate in a unique community‐based learning project in collaboration with the newly built PreK‐12 public school in the rural town of Winifred, MT, to establish the greenhouse infrastructure to be used in curriculum at the school. The new greenhouse facility presented an opportunity for Winifred students to not only gain experience growing vegetables, but also to provide a source of fresh vegetables for school lunches and for community members. This course presented two unique opportunities for the MSU horticulture students: (1) to experience problem‐solving horticultural challenges through designing and troubleshooting the setup of the cropping systems for the greenhouse and (2) to participate in a course with a real‐world impact on improving food security in rural areas of Montana. Over the course of the semester, the MSU students successfully established the infrastructure for the Winifred School greenhouse, which has continued to be integrated into the curriculum as well as providing fresh produce for students and community members. By the end of the course, MSU students demonstrated program learning outcomes including demonstrating the content knowledge and skills necessary to function successfully in a horticultural career and being able to identify and analyze plant growth problems and develop solutions or strategies to solve those problems.

Characterizing the Chemical Composition of Eco-Enzymes Derived from Vegetable and Fruit Sources

Characterizing the Chemical Composition of Eco-Enzymes Derived from Vegetable and Fruit Sources

Promising New Methods Based on the SOD Enzyme and SAUR36 Gene to Screen for Canola Materials with Heavy Metal Resistance.

Canola is the largest self-produced vegetable oil source in China, although excessive levels of cadmium, lead, and arsenic seriously affect its yield. Therefore, developing methods to identify canola materials with good heavy metal tolerance is a hot topic for canola breeding. In this study, canola near-isogenic lines with different oil contents (F338 (40.62%) and F335 (46.68%) as the control) and heavy metal tolerances were used as raw materials. In an experiment with 100 times the safe standard values, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities of F335 were 32.02 mmol/mg and 71.84 mmol/mg, while the activities of F338 were 24.85 mmol/mg and 63.86 mmol/mg, exhibiting significant differences. The DEGs and DAPs in the MAPK signaling pathway of the plant hormone signal transduction pathway and other related pathways were analyzed and verified using RT-qPCR. SAUR36 and SAUR32 were identified as the key differential genes. The expression of the SAUR36 gene in canola materials planted in the experimental field was significantly higher than in the control, and FY958 exhibited the largest difference (27.82 times). In this study, SOD and SAUR36 were found to be closely related to heavy metal stress tolerance. Therefore, they may be used to screen for new canola materials with good heavy metal stress tolerance for canola breeding.

Clean labelling sodium nitrite at pilot scale: In-situ reduction of nitrate from plant sources and its effects on the overall quality and safety of restructured cooked ham

Growing health and environmental concerns have increased demand for all-natural products, with a focus on clean labelling. Sodium nitrite is the most widely used additive in the meat industry because it imparts the typical cured flavour and colour to meat products and, most importantly, their microbiological safety. However, due to health concerns, the European Commission is proposing revised regulations to reduce nitrate and nitrite levels in meat products. As a result, the meat industry is actively seeking alternatives. This study explored the production of four cooked hams utilising nitrate-rich vegetable sources combined with two different nitrate-reducing commercial food cultures, alongside a control ham prepared with sodium nitrite (150 ppm). Microbiological, physico-chemical (pH, water activity, nitrate and nitrite concentration, lipid profile, lipid oxidation) and sensory (texture and colour profile) characterisation of the products was carried out. Challenge tests for Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium sporogenes and Clostridium perfringens have been performed to assess the growth of pathogens, if present in the products. Results revealed comparable microbiological and physico-chemical profiles across ham formulations, with minor differences observed in colour parameters for sample C. The sensory analysis showed that for the pilot ham formulations A and D, there were no significant differences in consumer perception compared to the control ham. In the challenge tests, L. monocytogenes levels were similar in both control and tested hams. There were no significant differences in C. sporogenes and C. perfringens counts at any temperature or between test and control samples. These results indicate that this technology has a potential future in the cured meat sector, as regulators mandate the reduction of added synthetic chemicals and consumers seek healthier and more natural ingredients in their daily diets.