Intramammary gland infections can affect milk quality, with changes in composition, biochemical characteristics, and antioxidant properties. Total bacterial count (TBC) and somatic cell count (SCC) are key determinants to define the appropriate quality of raw milk and must meet specific requirements established by the European regulation. Our interest was to examine if the microbiological safety window may hide differences regarding the nutritional value of milk approved for commercialization. Therefore, we investigated microRNA (miRNA) content, fatty acid (FA) profile, and antioxidant activity in relation to SCC and TBC in microbiologically safe dairy milk. Our data show that even minor variations in SCC and TBC induced by the bacterial presence are correlated to changes in milk miRNA content, FA profile, and antioxidant properties of raw milk. This pilot study suggests that the legislative microbiological safety window can hide a range of milks, which differ for their nutritional and antioxidant values that ultimately may have effects on the consumer’s health, also via epigenetic mechanisms.

Single-molecule measurements show that many proteins, lacking any redox cofactors, nonetheless exhibit electrical conductance on the order of a nanosiemen over 10 nm distances, implying that electrons can transit an entire protein in less than a nanosecond when subject to a potential difference of less than 1 V. This is puzzling because, for fast transport (i.e., a free energy barrier of zero), the hopping rate is determined by the reorganization energy of approximately 0.8 eV, and this sets the time scale of a single hop to at least 1 μs. Furthermore, the Fermi energies of typical metal electrodes are far removed from the energies required for sequential oxidation and reduction of the aromatic residues of the protein, which should further reduce the hopping current. Here, we combine all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of non-redox-active proteins (consensus tetratricopeptide repeats) with an electron transfer theory to demonstrate a molecular mechanism that can account for the unexpectedly fast electron transport. According to our MD simulations, the reorganization energy produced by the energy shift on charging (the Stokes shift) is close to the conventional value of 0.8 eV. However, the non-ergodic sampling of molecular configurations by the protein results in reaction-reorganization energies, extracted directly from the distribution of the electrostatic energy fluctuations, that are only ∼0.2 eV, which is small enough to enable long-range conductivity, without invoking quantum coherent transport. Using the MD values of the reorganization energies, we calculate a current decay with distance that is in agreement with experiment.

Biodegradable food packaging is an important area to be focused on in preserving food. A biopolymer-based film was prepared with hybrid nanoparticles (TiO2 + ZnO) mixed with pomegranate peel powder (PPP) electrospin-coated over an aluminum foil. Morphological analysis of the hybrid nanoparticles along with PPP was performed using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The diffuse reflectance spectroscopy study exemplified that the coated film was UV-protective. Cooked chapattis were stored in coated and noncoated Al foil. Experimental rancidity and hydroperoxide (6th day: 2.85 ± 0.14) values exemplified that chapatti in the coated film lasted for four more days compared to that in the noncoated film. The antioxidant and antibacterial effects of the active mixture over chapattis were analyzed using thiobarbituric acid reactive substance and 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assays. The effective reduced bacterial load on chapattis stored in the coated film on the 6th day was estimated to be 3.1 × 103 cfu/mL and observed to be minimal. The present work establishes a novel active mixture that could be used as a coating in active food storage.

Food processing and storage cause natural food color to diminish, leading to the addition of synthetic dyes by the industry. Unfortunately, these dyes have potential health risks, such as accumulation in blood plasma and interaction with human serum albumin (HSA). To address this issue, the present study utilized spectroscopic techniques and in silico calculations to report the biophysical profile of the HSA:Amaranth and HSA:New coccine interactions. The study showed that the HSA:Dye interaction is spontaneous (ΔG° < 0) and driven by enthalpy (ΔH° ≈ −12 kJ mol–1) and entropy (ΔS° ≈ 0.05 kJ mol–1 K–1). These interactions perturb the secondary structure of HSA weak to moderately. Furthermore, the binding of the dyes to HSA is moderate (KSV ≈ 104 M–1), and the dyes interact with site I. Importantly, this site is the binding region for anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory drugs, such as warfarin, dicoumarol, diflunisal, and naproxen, suggesting that Amaranth and New coccine may negatively impact the pharmacokinetics of these medicines.

Development of high-value products has emerged as a potential solution to increase the value of underutilized fish species. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of producing high-value pickled silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) by evaluating the quality of the pickles during storage at ambient (25 ± 5 °C) and refrigerated (4 ± 1 °C) temperatures for 28 and 60 days, respectively. The proximate composition, biochemical, microbiological, and sensory qualities of the pickles were monitored throughout the storage periods. The results showed that the quality of the pickled silver carp declined over time, with faster deterioration observed at ambient temperature than in a refrigerator. A significant correlation (p < 0.01) was found between biochemical and microbiological parameters, and linear regression analysis showed a significant relationship between quality parameters and storage days. These findings suggest that pickled silver carp has potential as a high-value product that could offer consumers a convenient and nutrient-rich alternative to fresh fish.

Spoiled food, especially seafood, poses a huge challenge to food safety and human health, which should be addressed through early monitoring and warning of freshness. Despite the fact that several food colorimetric sensors have been reported recently, only a small number of them can match the demands of easy manufacturing, high sensitivity, and satisfactory reliability. Herein, we report a type of dual-color ratiometric composites as fluorescent sensors (DUCS) with good processability, which offers the superior real-time and visual detection of seafood spoilage. A visually detectable colorimetric sensitivity under portable UV light irradiation has been achieved for seafood stored at room temperature for 4–6 h (response time variable with different food ingredients). Moreover, the ease and versatility of our formulation, composed of organic fluorophores, polymers, and additives as composites, has enabled facile processing, including drop-coating and stamp-patterning, which would facilitate a broad scope of applications for food sensing and beyond.

Bioinformatic analysis of the Delta SARS-CoV-2 genome reveals a single nucleotide mutation (G15U) in the stem-loop II motif (s2m) relative to ancestral SARS-CoV-2. Despite sequence similarity, unexpected differences between SARS-CoV-2 and Delta SARS-CoV-2 s2m homodimerization experiments require the discovery of unknown structural and thermodynamic changes necessary to rationalize the data. Using our reported SARS-CoV-2 s2m model, we induced the G15U substitution and performed 3.5 microseconds of unbiased molecular dynamics simulation at 283 and 310 K. The resultant Delta s2m adopted a secondary structure consistent with our reported NMR data, resulting in significant deviations in the tertiary structure and dynamics from our SARS-CoV-2 s2m model. First, we find differences in the overall three-dimensional structure, where the characteristic 90° L-shaped kink of the SARS-CoV-2 s2m did not form in the Delta s2m resulting in a “linear” hairpin with limited bending dynamics. Delta s2m helical parameters are calculated to align closely with A-form RNA, effectively eliminating a hinge point to form the L-shape kink by correcting an upper stem defect in SARS-CoV-2 induced by a noncanonical and dynamic G:A base pair. Ultimately, the shape difference rationalizes the migration differences in reported electrophoresis experiments. Second, increased fluctuation of the Delta s2m palindromic sequence, within the terminal loop, compared to SARS-CoV-2 s2m results in an estimated increase of entropy of 6.8 kcal/mol at 310 K relative to the SARS-CoV-2 s2m. The entropic difference offers a unique perspective on why the Delta s2m homodimerizes less spontaneously, forming fewer kissing dimers and extended duplexes compared to SARS-CoV-2. In this work, both the L-shape reduction and palindromic entropic penalty provides an explanation of our reported in vitro electrophoresis homodimerization results. Ultimately, the structural, dynamical, and entropic differences between the SARS-CoV-2 s2m and Delta s2m serve to establish a foundation for future studies of the s2m function in the viral lifecycle.

The Hohenberg–Kohn theorem of density-functional theory (DFT) is broadly considered the conceptual basis for a full characterization of an electronic system in its ground state by just the one-body particle density. Part I of this review aims at clarifying the status of the Hohenberg–Kohn theorem within DFT and Part II at different extensions of the theory that include magnetic fields. We collect evidence that the Hohenberg–Kohn theorem does not so much form the basis of DFT, but is rather the consequence of a more comprehensive mathematical framework. Such results are especially useful when it comes to the construction of generalized DFTs.

The influence of organic and inorganic anions on the Maillard reaction (MR) in glucose–glycine systems at 100 °C and pH close to neutrality was analyzed. The progress of MR markers was followed at the intermediate and final stages by spectrophotometric, pH changes, and colorimetric measurements. Two different trends were found depending on the nature of the anion. Systems with anions displaying basic properties showed an exponential correlation between the MR kinetic constants and their basicity constant values. On the other hand, systems containing anions with no acid–base properties exhibited a linear correlation between water dissolution enthalpies of their sodium salts and MR constants, indicating both a zwitterionic glycine–anion interaction catalytic effect and a relationship with their Jones–Dole viscosity constants. Finally, at a given heating time, the present anion defined the chromatic aspects of the samples, provided that the rest of the compositional variables were constant.

Microencapsulation facilitates incorporating bioactive volatile compounds into products throughout the food, health, and cosmetics industries. To minimize the number of ingredients when microencapsulating volatile oils, we examined surfactant-free encapsulation of d-limonene in cross-linked alginate microcapsules (CLAMs) via in situ cross-linking during spray drying. Surfactant-free CLAMs (SF-CLAMs) were prepared by forming a Pickering d-limonene emulsion stabilized by calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CaCO3-NPs), combining with alginates, and then spray drying. CaCO3-NPs served as both the emulsifier and the reservoir of alginate cross-linking agent. SF-CLAMs, with a volatile retention of 73.1 ± 4.7% and total limonene content of 13.6 ± 8.6% (w/w, d.b.), exhibited core–shell morphology where CaCO3-NPs surrounded large emulsion cores (∼5 μm) encased in densely cross-linked alginate shells. Limonene was fully retained for up to 4 h in SF-CLAMs in water at 37 °C. Moreover, microencapsulation in SF-CLAMs minimized release in simulated gastric fluid (2.2 ± 0.3% in 2 h) while fully releasing in simulated gastric fluid at 37 °C.

The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and muscle loss inhibitory effects of mealworm protein were investigated. Mealworm protein hydrolysate (MPH) was obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis and fractionated based on the molecular size. Although the protein content decreased with hydrolysis, it increased with an increase in size. Upon hydrolysis, essential and branched-chain amino acids decreased while free amino acids increased but decreased with an increase in size. The antioxidant activity increased upon hydrolysis and with an increase in molecular size. The anti-inflammatory effects were highest for MPH > 10 kDa and were similar to whey protein isolate (WPI), for IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Size fractionation did not significantly affect the anti-inflammatory effects. The MPH > 10 kDa (1.19-fold of control) resulted in the lowest myostatin expression in C2C12 muscle cells with and without LPS, which was similar to WPI (1.23-fold). Consequently, MPH may be a potential alternative to WPI.

Rapid and accurate testing of pathogenic Salmonella enterica in dairy products could reduce the risk of exposure to the bacterial pathogens for consumers. This study aimed to reduce the assessment time needed for enteric bacteria recovery and quantification in food using the natural growth properties of Salmonella enterica Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) in cow’s milk and efficiently using rapid PCR methods. Over 5 h of 37 °C enrichment, culture and PCR methods measured increases in the non-heat-treated S. Typhimurium concentration at similar rates, with an average increase of 2.7 log10 CFU/mL between the start of enrichment and 5 h. In contrast, no bacteria were recovered by culture after S. Typhimurium in milk received heat treatment, and the number of gene copies of heat-treated Salmonella detected by PCR did not increase with the enrichment time. Thus, comparing culture and PCR data over just 5 h of enrichment time can detect and differentiate between replicating bacteria and dead bacteria.

Cosmeceuticals have emerged as health and beauty aid products that integrate active ingredients from natural sources. Phytochemicals have prevailed in this market as an effective alternative toward different skin conditions. This is mainly due to the increasing demand for natural products that overcome the side effects of conventional treatments. Alopecia, acne, and skin aging are prevalent skin-related conditions worldwide. These conditions are characterized by high levels of inflammatory biomarkers and oxidative stress conditions. Oleanolic and ursolic acids are two biologically active pentacyclic triterpenoid isomeric compounds. They have shown strong potential for the prevention and treatment of diverse skin-related conditions through their effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity. This review presents the latest available information on the biological potential of oleanolic and ursolic acids, highlighting their cosmeceutical potential. In the pursuit of a better understanding of their potential as natural ingredients of dermatological relevance, graphical analysis is provided to propose the molecular mechanisms involved in the effects of each skin-related condition.

Much attention has been paid to the dynamics of both activated gas-phase bimolecular reactions, which feature monotonically increasing integral cross sections and Arrhenius kinetics, and their barrierless capture counterparts, which manifest monotonically decreasing integral cross sections and negative temperature dependence of the rate coefficients. In this Perspective, we focus on the dynamics of gas-phase bimolecular reactions with submerged barriers, which often involve radicals or ions and are prevalent in combustion, atmospheric chemistry, astrochemistry, and plasma chemistry. The temperature dependence of the rate coefficients for such reactions is often non-Arrhenius and complex, and the corresponding dynamics may also be quite different from those with significant barriers or those completely dominated by capture. Recent experimental and theoretical studies of such reactions, particularly at relatively low temperatures or collision energies, have revealed interesting dynamical behaviors, which are discussed here. The new knowledge enriches our understanding of the dynamics of these unusual reactions.

Eight Hibiscus sabdariffa extracts at different concentrations, solvents, and decoction processes were encapsulated by spray-drying. Two carrying agents, maltodextrin (MD) and gum arabic (GA), in a relationship of 90:10 and 80:20, were used in aqueous and ethanolic media. The phenolic compounds (PC) were released under pH-controlled media simulating gastric and intestine conditions. FTIR assessed molecular interactions and the influence of morphology of the encapsulates by SEM imaging. The controlled PC release in aqueous media showed a lower release rate than ethanolic treatments for intestinal conditions. All the treatments showed a gradual release of PC, indicating the presence of strong molecular interactions between the carrying agents and PC from Hibiscus and the formation of encapsulates with PC on the particle surface. The formulation of encapsulates and the conditions used to obtain them may prove helpful in developing nutraceutical products.

Early identification of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk factors prevents its consequences. Fecal volatile organic compounds (FVOCs) can serve as disease biomarkers. The objective was to compare nutritional condition, feeding habits, and FVOCs into low-risk and high-risk (HR) T2DM developed in the Mexican population. A cross-sectional study was conducted in healthy adult volunteers between 18 and 59 years of age from Tepic, Nayarit, México. The FVOCs p-cresol and acetic, propionic, butyric, and valeric acids were evaluated. The values of body mass index (BMI), body fat, visceral fat index, metabolic age, and basal metabolic rate were higher in the HR group. In addition, high total calorie intakes and high macronutrient calorie intakes were found in the HR group. Both groups showed the same values for the evaluated FVOCs. Through principal component analysis, it was found that when BMI, metabolic age, weight, and visceral fat index increase, adults will be more likely to be at high risk for developing T2DM.

Plant polyphenols’ antibacterial capabilities are just beginning to be applied in the environment. In this study, solvent recovery and concentration techniques were used to achieve zero-waste extraction of pineapple peel polyphenol (PPP) powder on an industrial scale. For environmental sterilization, PPP antibacterial agents (PAAs) were created. Their physicochemical and antibacterial qualities were examined, and technical and financial analysis was done. The results showed that (1) among the major PPP components, protocatechuic acid content was the highest (48.90 mg/L), followed by quercetin dihydrate (17.56 mg/L); (2) PAA sprays passed the tests for physicochemical properties like pH and heat resistance; (3) at the 8 mg/mL concentration, PAA achieved 100% bacterial inhibition below 40 °C; and (4) the production cost of 8 mg/mL PAA spray was only $273.41/t at 100,000 t industrial scale. These findings might offer an application prospect in the development of renewable bacteriocins from fruit and vegetable waste materials.

This study aimed to investigate the changes in the pecan kernel color, carotenoids, polyphenols, and physicochemical properties during five months of storage at room temperature for five different pecan varieties. The results showed that the pecan kernel color darkened with a shift toward more red and less yellow during the storage. Additionally, the dorsal side of the kernel had a lighter color than the ventral side. Total carotenoids deceased from 92.0–118.8 to 45.2–101.9 μg/100 g of whole kernel, while total polyphenols had no significant differences (18.1–27.0 mg of GAE (gallic acid equivalent)/g of whole kernel) commonly. Three phenolics (gallic acid, catechin, and ellagic acid) were of 6.7–9.6, 31.4–46.7, and 11.7–16.2 mg/100 g of whole kernel and increased during storage. The pecan kernel moisture loss was significant, while the total lipids remained unchanged. Five texture parameters (hardness, toughness, slope, fracturability, and break) showed irregular changes. Genotypic variation was observed in all five varieties, although the storage was the main factor affecting the compositions.

Hempseed (Cannabis sativa L.) is currently being investigated for its health-promoting properties acting as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. Here, we present a modified protein isolation method of producing hempseed protein isolate from industrial hempseed hearts (HPI-12) using pH 12. In addition, bromelain was used to hydrolyze HPI-12 (BHPI-12) to determine the effect on functionality and bioactivity. HPI-12 is a rich source of essential amino acids with low protein solubility, effective in reducing 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals without oxygen radical antioxidant capacity (ORAC). Further, HPI-12 reduced pro-inflammatory IL-6 and TNF-α cytokines in lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in THP-1 macrophages. Upon hydrolysis, protein solubility was improved accompanied by modified water- and oil-holding capacities. BHPI-12 was more effective at quenching DPPH radicals with improved ORAC. BHPI-12 showed an improved ability to reduce IL-6. We report for the first time the ability of both HPI-12 and BHPI-12 as potential functional food ingredients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

Food safety is a basic necessity and has emerged as a global issue. The significant aspects of ensuring the food safety are sharing data, facts and figures, and standards to improve preventive control measures. The digitalization of data provides a vast amount of information regarding food safety that benefits public health. This review comprehensively covered categorizing existing food safety databases with the focus to provide data-driven knowledge of existing food safety-related sources/repositories, regulations/policy frameworks, and their potential uses concerning data access/analysis to drive informative consensus. These databases facilitate insights into hazard identification, enhancing decision-making, and develop risk evaluation-based strategies. More importantly, this information can help to improve the quality of the products and services in the global food supply chain in a timely manner. Therefore, it is critical to keep refining the databases so that updated information support handling safety issues for providing reliable and accurate data on food safety.