Search Results (6,665)

Brewer’s spent grain (BSG), a by-product originating from the brewing industry, contains substantial amounts of fibers, proteins, and bioactive compounds; however, its utility is restricted by anti-nutritional factors. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) presents a viable method for improving the nutritional and functional properties of BSG. Microorganisms such as Rhizopus oligosporus have been demonstrated to enhance nutrient bioavailability, facilitate the degradation of complex carbohydrates, and improve protein digestibility while simultaneously reducing anti-nutritional components. Furthermore, this fermentation process yields bioactive compounds that exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and prebiotic properties, thereby contributing to improved gut health, the prevention of metabolic disorders, and enhanced nutritional outcomes. Additionally, SSF seeks sustainability by repurposing agro-industrial by-products, reducing waste, and promoting the principles of a circular economy. Collectively, these advantages underscore the transformative potential of SSF in converting BSG into a functional food ingredient, effectively addressing contemporary health and environmental challenges and offering innovative solutions for food security and sustainable development. Full article

Background: Skin aging is mainly associated with oxidative stress and enzymatic degradation of collagen and elastin by protease activity. Peptides have antioxidant capacity and inhibitory effects on protease enzymes. Objective: The purpose of this study was to obtain peptides with in vitro anti-aging activity from the enzymatic hydrolysis of bovine casein with actinidin, a protease extracted from the green kiwi fruit (Actinidia deliciosa) Methodology: The enzyme actinidin was extracted from the pulp of the kiwi fruit, purified by ion exchange chromatography and characterized by polyacrylamide electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Subsequently, the extracted enzyme was used to hydrolyze commercial bovine casein at 37 °C for 30 min, precipitating the peptide fraction with trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and centrifuged. To determine the anti-aging potential of the peptides in vitro, antioxidant activity was evaluated using the ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) radical. Additionally, the inhibitory capacity of the peptides against collagenase and elastase enzymes was also studied. To complement the in vitro results, the enzymatic hydrolysis of casein with actinidin was simulated. The binding energy (ΔG) of each of the hydrolysates with the collagenase and elastase enzymes was calculated using molecular docking to predict the peptide sequences with the highest probability of interaction. Results: Actinidin was extracted and purified exhibiting a molecular weight close to 27 kDa. The enzyme hydrolyzed the substrate by 91.6%, and the resulting hydrolysates showed moderate in vitro anti-aging activity: antioxidant (17.5%), anticollagenase (18.55%), and antielastase (28.6%). In silico results revealed 66 peptide sequences of which 30.3% consisted of 4–8 amino acids, a suitable size to facilitate interaction with structural targets. The sequences with the highest affinity were FALPQYLK and VIPYVRYL for collagenase and elastase, respectively. Conclusions: Despite the modest inhibition values, the use of a fruit-derived enzyme and a food-grade substrate is in line with current trends in sustainable and natural cosmetics. These findings highlight the great potential for laying the groundwork for future research into actinidin-derived peptides as multifunctional and eco-conscious ingredients for the development of next-generation anti-aging formulations. Full article

Rice (Oryza sativa), a crucial global staple, grapples with environmental stress and resource constraints, necessitating sustainable farming. This review explores the transformative role of transcription factors (TFs) in revolutionizing rice agriculture and their potential impact on global food security. It underscores TFs’ pivotal role in gene expression, particularly in responding to environmental stimuli, presenting a promising avenue for enhancing rice resilience. Delving into key TF families in rice, it highlights their multifaceted roles in abiotic stress responses, defense mechanisms, yield improvement, nutrient uptake, seed development, photosynthesis, and flowering regulation. Specific TFs, including DREB (Dehydration-Responsive Element-Binding), WRKY, NAC, MYB (Myeloblastosis), AP2/ERF (APETALA2/Ethylene Responsive Factor), and bHLH (basic Helix–Loop–Helix), are examined for their contributions to stress resilience, defense mechanisms, and yield enhancement. Concrete examples from cutting-edge research illustrate the tangible benefits of harnessing these molecular regulators. However, manipulating TFs presents challenges, necessitating innovative approaches such as predictive models, collaborative field testing, and transparent communication to navigate intricate regulatory networks and regulatory hurdles. Ultimately, a promising future emerges where manipulating rice TFs leads to the development of resilient, high-yielding, and nutritious varieties. Embracing research advancements and addressing existing challenges is imperative to unlock the full potential of these concealed regulators, ensuring sustainable food security for a growing global population. Full article

The livestock sector, a crucial source of revenue and global food security, is facing serious challenges due to climate change driven by global warming. This leads to serious effects on animal health and productivity, making it difficult for the livestock industry to meet the global demand and sustain the livelihoods of farmers. The main factor affecting livestock’s productivity is heat stress. However, animals develop various adaptive mechanisms to cope with the effects of heat stress. Cellular and molecular responses act as key defense mechanisms, enabling animals adapt to environmental changes. The recent advancements in molecular biology have opened up opportunities for extensive research on epigenetics, which has a key role in regulating gene expression in animals in response to environmental stimuli. Such studies have gained considerable attention regarding heat acclimation in animals due to the fact that epigenetic mechanisms have been recognized as key players in long-term adaptation to high temperatures in farm animals. This review summarizes the different mechanisms and methodologies used to assess heat stress-associated epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation, which is an extensively studied epigenetic regulatory mechanism in relation to gene expression. The review also highlights the mechanisms and regulation of adaptation to heat stress in animals and collates information related to various epigenetic markers to assess the heat stress response, thereby aiding in improving thermal resilience in animals. Full article

Plant-based beverages are a viable alternative for elderly consumers because of their practicality and sustainable appeal. The use of Brazil nuts for these beverages is relevant because of the added value given to the country’s agrobiodiversity and the nuts’ nutritional quality, including their high selenium content. This study aimed for the understanding and acceptance by elderly people of a vegetable beverage made from Brazil nuts and fruit. The investigation was divided into two parts: (1) development and sensory analysis of Brazil nut beverages, and (2) consumers’ perception, choice, and influencing factors for these beverages. In the first stage, four beverages were formulated with different fruit pulps. A total of 100 elderly individuals (>60 years; 69% female) evaluated the sensory acceptance and purchase intention of the beverages. In the second stage, an online questionnaire was applied to 220 elderly individuals (>60 years-old; 52.7% female), which consisted of a choice test of nut beverage packages, a food neophobia scale, and questions about vegetable beverage consumption. The study showed that the selenium claim was one of the most relevant factors in the choice, demonstrating that using Brazil nuts can boost beverage purchases. Further tests are still needed to improve the attributes, such as sweet taste and appearance. Despite this, the blend of Brazil nuts with fruits positively influenced the choice and acceptance of these products by elderly individuals. Full article

Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient for plants, playing a crucial role in various physiological and molecular processes. Excess Cu induces oxidative stress and disrupts cellular functions, while Cu deficiency causes chlorosis and poor pollen development, thereby reducing crop yields. However, the molecular and evolutionary mechanisms of Cu tolerance and homeostasis remain unclear in the plant kingdom. In this review, we discuss the uptake, transport, and detoxification of Cu through high-affinity Cu transporters (COPTs). Additionally, we update recent studies on maintaining Cu balance by mediating the root exudation of organic acids (e.g., citrate and proline), xylem/phloem loading, cell wall binding, vacuolar sequestration, redistribution, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (e.g., SOD, CAT, and APX). Furthermore, tissue-specific expression analyses reveal that COPT genes exhibit distinct spatial regulation in the roots and leaves, which are the primary sites of Cu transport and detoxification. Overall, our review highlights the critical roles of COPT gene families and detoxification pathways in maintaining Cu homeostasis in plants. Future research should focus on genetic engineering approaches to enhance Cu tolerance, optimize Cu distribution in grains, and mitigate soil contamination risks. By clarifying these mechanisms, we can develop strategies to sustain crop production under increasing Cu stress, thereby ensuring food security and human health. Full article

This paper examines the evolving role of social economy organisations (SEOs) in advancing sustainability and contributing to the green transition. While traditionally focused on social inclusion and local development, SEOs are increasingly integrating environmental objectives into their operations, particularly through circular economy (CE) practices, decarbonisation strategies, and short food supply chains (SFSCs). Based on qualitative research and the analysis of 16 good practices from five European countries, the study demonstrates how SEOs create blended social and environmental value by combining economic, social, and ecological goals. The findings show that SEOs foster environmental sustainability by reducing resource consumption and carbon emissions, creating green jobs, strengthening local cooperation, and raising environmental awareness within communities. Importantly, SEOs emerge not only as service providers but also as innovators and agents of change in local ecosystems. The paper concludes with policy recommendations to enhance the role of SEOs in the green transition and identifies directions for future research, particularly regarding the measurement of their long-term environmental impact and the conditions enabling effective collaboration with public and private sector actors. Full article

Crop distribution represents crucial information in agriculture, playing a key role in ensuring food security and promoting sustainable agricultural development. However, existing methods for crop distribution primarily focus on modeling temporal dependencies while overlooking the interactions and dependencies among different remote sensing features, thus failing to fully exploit the rich information contained in multisource satellite imagery. To address this issue, we propose a deep learning-based method named HyperVTCN, which comprises two key components: the ModernTCN block and the TiVDA attention mechanism. HyperVTCN effectively captures temporal dependencies and uncovers intrinsic correlations among features, thereby enabling more comprehensive data utilization. Compared to other state-of-the-art models, it shows improved performance, with overall accuracy (OA) improving by approximately 2–3%, Kappa improving by 3–4.5%, and Macro-F1 improving by about 2–3%. Additionally, ablation experiments suggest that both the attention mechanism(Time-Feature Dual Attention, TiVDA) and the targeted loss optimization strategy contribute to performance improvements. Finally, experiments were conducted to investigate HyperVTCN’s cross-feature and cross-temporal modeling. The results indicate that this joint modeling strategy is effective. This approach has shown potential in enhancing model performance and offers a viable solution for crop classification tasks. Full article

Fermentation has been a crucial process in the preparation of foods and beverages for consumption, especially for the purpose of adding value to nutrients and bioactive compounds; however, conventional approaches have certain drawbacks such as not being able to fulfill the requirements of the ever-increasing global population as well as the sustainability goals. This review aims to evaluate how the application of advanced fermentation techniques can transform the food production system to be more effective, nutritious, and environmentally friendly. The techniques discussed include metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, AI-driven fermentation, quorum sensing regulation, and high-pressure processing, with an emphasis on their ability to enhance microbial activity with a view to enhancing product output. Authentic, wide-coverage scientific research search engines were used such as Google Scholar, Research Gate, Science Direct, PubMed, and Frontiers. The literature search was carried out for reports, articles, as well as papers in peer-reviewed journals from 2010 to 2024. A statistical analysis with a graphical representation of publication trends on the main topics was conducted using PubMed data from 2010 to 2024. In this present review, 112 references were used to investigate novel fermentation technologies that fortify the end food products with nutritional and functional value. Images that illustrate the processes involved in novel fermentation technologies were designed using Adobe Photoshop. The findings indicate that, although there are issues regarding costs, the scalability of the process, and the acceptability of the products by the consumers, the technologies provide a way of developing healthy foods and products produced using sustainable systems. This paper thus calls for more research and development as well as for the establishment of a legal frameworks to allow for the integration of these technologies into the food production system and make the food industry future-proof. Full article

Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of croplands is crucial for guiding agricultural transformation, food security, and sustainable land use in Africa. This study employs 30 m resolution land cover data and multi-source datasets to examine the spatiotemporal changes in rainfed and irrigated cropland and their driving factors in Tanzania from 1990 to 2020 through multiple GIS spatial analysis methods. The results indicate a net increase in Tanzania’s total cropland area, primarily driven by the expansion of irrigated cropland that has offset the volatile decline of rainfed cropland. From 1990 to 2000, rainfed cropland showed intense bidirectional conversion with shrubland and forest; thereafter, the scale of this conversion continued to decrease. In contrast, irrigated cropland expansion exhibited phased fluctuations. Spatially, rainfed cropland dominates the central, lake, and western zones, while irrigated cropland is predominantly concentrated in the western and southern highland. Hotspots of rainfed cropland shifted from extensive expansion in the central and western zones during the 1990s to localized growth in mountainous areas by the 2010s. Concurrently, irrigated cropland hotspots evolved from a lakeside-concentrated pattern to contiguous development in the central and western zones. Both cropland types exhibit a northwest–southeast spatial orientation. The center of rainfed cropland shifted northwest before moving southeast, while that of irrigated cropland migrated southeastward and then stabilized. Rainfall is a key determinant of rainfed cropland distribution, whereas river network and road network density exert a growing influence on irrigated cropland. Full article

Active packaging supports sustainable development by extending food shelf life and reducing spoilage, contributing to global food security. In this study, cellulose dialdehyde was synthesized and blended with polyvinyl alcohol in varying ratios to produce composite films. The incorporation of dialdehyde cellulose into films tended to increase puncture strength and Young’s modulus, decrease elongation, reduce water solubility, and enhance resistance to water vapor transmission because of crosslinking. Carbon quantum dots were subsequently incorporated into composite films to enhance their antibacterial property. This represents a novel combination of a natural bio-based crosslinker and fluorescent nanomaterials in a single packaging system. Carbon quantum dots were synthesized by an electrochemical method and incorporated as functional agents. The addition of carbon quantum dots influenced the mechanical properties of the films due to interactions between polymers and carbon quantum dots. This interaction also slightly reduced the antibacterial effectiveness of the films, consisting of dialdehyde cellulose and PVA in ratios of 3:1 and 4:0. Nevertheless, the composite films maintained sufficient antimicrobial activity against common foodborne bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella Typhimurium. Overall, the findings demonstrate that multifunctional material made from dialdehyde cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, and carbon quantum dots are a promising alternative to conventional plastic packaging. Full article

Food safety management has evolved with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system serving as a global benchmark. However, conventional HACCP does not explicitly address environmental sustainability, leading to challenges such as excessive water use, chemical discharge, and energy inefficiency. Green HACCP extends traditional HACCP by integrating Environmental Respect Practices (ERPs) to fill this critical gap between food safety and sustainability. This study is presented as a conceptual paper based on a structured literature review combined with illustrative industry applications. It analyzes the principles, implementation challenges, and economic viability of Green HACCP, contrasting it with conventional systems. Evidence from recent reports and industry examples shows measurable benefits: water consumption reductions of 20–25%, energy savings of 10–15%, and improved compliance readiness through digital monitoring technologies. It explores how digital technologies—IoT for real-time monitoring, AI for predictive optimization, and blockchain for traceability—enhance efficiency and sustainability. By aligning HACCP with sustainability goals and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this paper provides academic contributions including a clarified conceptual framework, quantified advantages, and policy recommendations to support the integration of Green HACCP into global food safety systems. Industry applications from dairy, seafood, and bakery sectors illustrate practical benefits, including waste reduction and improved compliance. This study concludes with policy recommendations to integrate Green HACCP into global food safety frameworks, supporting broader sustainability goals. Overall, Green HACCP demonstrates a cost-effective, scalable, and environmentally responsible model for future food production. Full article

This study investigates the factors influencing green purchase behavior in emerging economies, focusing on Indonesian consumers’ preferences for organic food products. While sustainability awareness is growing globally, limited research has examined how environmental knowledge and trust interact with marketing efforts to shape green purchasing decisions in developing market contexts like Indonesia. The research model incorporates five constructs: environmental knowledge (awareness of ecological issues), green trust (confidence in environmental claims), green marketing mix (eco-oriented strategies for product, price, place, and promotion), green purchase intention (likelihood of buying eco-friendly products), and green purchase behavior (actual sustainable buying decisions). Data from 211 valid respondents were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that environmental knowledge directly influences green trust and the green marketing mix but not green purchase intention or behavior. Instead, it affects behavior indirectly through trust and intention. Contrary to expectations, green trust does not influence the green marketing mix, suggesting it may operate independently of marketing strategies. Similarly, the green marketing mix does not significantly influence green purchase intention or behavior, suggesting that marketing strategies alone may be insufficient in driving sustainable consumer choices. These findings highlight the important role of environmental knowledge in fostering consumer trust and indirectly guiding green purchasing behavior in emerging markets. By promoting sustainable consumption through knowledge and trust, this study offers insights into consumer behavior as a pathway to advancing planetary health. This study advances the Theory of Planned Behavior by integrating green trust and the green marketing mix to explain how trust and economic factors shape green purchasing behavior. Practical implications suggest that businesses should adopt targeted green marketing strategies, such as educational campaigns, eco-labeling, or certifications, to enhance environmental awareness, build consumer trust, and encourage sustainable purchasing decisions. This study contributes to the literature by examining how environmental knowledge indirectly influences green purchase behavior through the mediation of trust and intention within the context of an emerging market. Full article

Background: Fungicide resistance is one of the major factors threatening social and ecological sustainability. Many issues associated with the evolutionary processes and mechanisms of fungicide resistance in pathogens remain poorly understood, and better knowledge of these issues through experimentally observing the rise and fall of the resistance is critical for the development of effective management strategies to ensure food security and ecological health. Methods: An experimental evolution approach was used to continuously acclimate a series of Phytophthora infestans populations under different mancozeb conditions for 400 consecutive days. Results: We found that P. infestans developed mancozeb resistance after 200 days of acclimation. This resistance was associated with ABC transporters and endocytic proteins. Potentially due to fitness costs associated with aggressiveness, mancozeb resistance was reversible. And the pathogen exhibited comparable rates of resistance gain during acclimation and resistance loss during the reversal experiment. Conclusions: Our results suggest that this pathogen may also develop resistance to mancozeb. However, this type of resistance may not be persistent, implying the fungicides concerned could be reused in practice. These results provide new insights into the evolution of fungicide resistance and sustainable plant disease chemical management based on the fungicide dose chosen beyond that of potato blight, warranting further study on the resistance target gene. Full article