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Aging population is a global issue that presents a significant challenge to humanity. Declining organ function with aging can lead to gastrointestinal and nutritional shortages, eating difficulties, and other health issues. The healthy eating habits and adequate nutrition play a key role in lowering the prevalence of non-communicable diseases. As prospective food development tool for the elderly, additive manufacturing technology, commonly known as 3D printing technology, provides the advantages of personalization, customization, and digitization. However, the application of 3D printing technology to produce food for elderly has not been thoroughly examined. This paper discusses the application of 3D printing technology for the development of functional foods for elderly with eating difficulties, anorexia, malnutrition, and sensory degeneration. Also, the application of 3D printing technology in developing special medical foods that are easy to chew and swallow is discussed. Moreover, this paper analyzes the issues and future development trend of 3D printing technology in the development of functional foods and special medical foods for elderly. Overall, 3D printing technology has a wide range of applications in elderly food development. This paper provides new ideas for the future application of 3D printing technology in the development of elderly food.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplementations are thought to improve essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) as well as reduce inflammation in Cystic Fibrosis (CF), but their effectiveness in clinical studies remains unknown. The aim of the study was to determine how the medical food containing docosahexaenoic acid monoglyceride (MAG-DHA) influenced erythrocyte fatty acid profiles and the expression levels of inflammatory circulating mediators. We conducted a randomized, double blind, pilot trial including fifteen outpatients with Cystic Fibrosis, ages 18–48. The patients were divided into 2 groups and received MAG-DHA or a placebo (sunflower oil) for 60 days. Patients took 8 × 625 mg MAG-DHA softgels or 8 × 625 mg placebo softgels every day at bedtime for 60 days. Lipid analyses revealed that MAG-DHA increased docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels and decrease arachidonic acid (AA) ratio (AA/DHA) in erythrocytes of CF patients following 1 month of daily supplementation. Data also revealed a reduction in plasma human leukocyte elastase (pHLE) complexes and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression levels in blood samples of MAG-DHA supplemented CF patients. This pilot study indicates that MAG-DHA supplementation corrects erythrocyte AA/DHA imbalance and may exert anti-inflammatory properties through the reduction of pHLE complexes and IL6 in blood samples of CF patients. Trial registration: Pro-resolving Effect of MAG-DHA in Cystic Fibrosis (PREMDIC), NCT02518672.

The scoping review aimed to characterise the role of selected essential elements (Zn, Cu, Se, Fe, Mn) in food for special medical purposes (FSMPs) aimed at oncology patients. The scope review was conducted using Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science to find published references on this subject. Data from the reviewed literature were related to the physiological functions of the element in the body, and the effects of deficiencies and excesses, referring to the latest ESPEN and EFSA guidelines, among others. Important dietary indices/parameters based on the literature review are provided for each element. On the basis of the literature, data on the level of elements in patients with cancer were collected. The content of these elements in 100 mL of FSMPs was read from the manufacturers’ declarations. The literature has been provided on the importance of each element in cancer. Our findings show that the essential elements (Zn, Cu, Se, Fe, and Mn) of FSMPs for cancer patients are not adequately treated. We suggest solutions to ensure the safe use of FSMPs in oncology patients.

Specialized products can be needed to help meet the nutrition requirements of vulnerable populations, including infants and young children, those who are ill, and older adults. Laws and regulations delineate distinct categories for such products including medical foods or formulated liquid diets, foods for special dietary use (FSDUs), infant formulas, and natural health products (NHPs). Yet, the literature is limited regarding the role and importance of functional and sustainable packaging for specialized products. This perspective review describes these unique product categories and the role of packaging as well as regulatory considerations. Furthermore, reviewed are how waste reduction strategies and emerging legislative/regulatory policies in the United States and Canada may not adequately address the functional packaging requirements for specialized products. The paper concludes by offering perspectives for emerging innovations and policy development for sustainability.

Mycotoxins, as prevalent contaminants in the food chain, exhibit diverse toxicological effects on both animals and humans. Chronic dietary exposure to mycotoxin-contaminated foods may result in the bioaccumulation of these toxins, posing substantial public health risks. This review systematically examines the contamination patterns of mycotoxins across major food categories, including cereals and related products, animal-derived foods, fruits, and medical food materials. Furthermore, we critically evaluated two methodological frameworks for assessing mycotoxin exposure risks: (1) dietary exposure models integrating contamination levels and consumption data and (2) human biomonitoring approaches quantifying mycotoxin biomarkers in biological samples. A key contribution lies in the stratified analysis of exposure disparities among population subgroups (adults, teenagers, children, and infants). Additionally, we summarize current research on the relationship between human mycotoxin biomonitoring and associated health impacts, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and infants. By elucidating the challenges inherent in existing studies, this synthesis provides a roadmap for advancing risk characterization and evidence-based food safety interventions.

There are many factors causing T2DM; thus, it is difficult to prevent and cure it with conventional treatment. In order to realize the continuous intervention of T2DM, the treatment strategy of combining diet therapy and traditional medication came into being. As a natural product with the concept of being healthy, konjac flour and its derivatives are popular with the public. Its main component, Konjac glucomannan (KGM), can not only be applied as a food additive, which greatly improves the taste and flavor of food and extends the shelf life of food but also occupies an important role in T2DM. KGM can extend gastric emptying time, increase satiety, and promote liver glycogen synthesis, and also has the potential to improve intestinal flora and the metabolic system through a variety of molecular pathways in order to positively regulate oxidative stress and immune inflammation, and protect the liver and kidneys. In order to establish the theoretical justification for the adjunctive treatment of T2DM, we have outlined the physicochemical features of KGM in this article, emphasizing the advantages of KGM as a meal for special medical purposes of T2DM.

Blautia wexlerae ( B. wexlerae ) is a strong candidate with the potential to become a next-generation probiotics (NGPs) and has recently been shown for the first time to exhibit potential in modulating host metabolic levels and alleviating metabolic diseases. However, the factors affecting the change in abundance of B. wexlerae and the pattern of its abundance change in the associated indications remain to be further investigated. Here, we summarize information from published studies related to B. wexlerae ; analyze the effects of food source factors such as prebiotics, probiotics, low protein foods, polyphenols, vitamins, and other factors on the abundance of B. wexlerae ; and explore the patterns of changes in the abundance of B. wexlerae in metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and other diseases. At the same time, the development potential of B. wexlerae was evaluated in the direction of functional foods and special medical foods.

Synaptic loss is a major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Disturbed organisation of large-scale functional brain networks in AD might reflect synaptic loss and disrupted neuronal communication. The medical food Souvenaid, containing the specific nutrient combination Fortasyn Connect, is designed to enhance synapse formation and function and has been shown to improve memory performance in patients with mild AD in two randomised controlled trials. To explore the effect of Souvenaid compared to control product on brain activity-based networks, as a derivative of underlying synaptic function, in patients with mild AD. A 24-week randomised, controlled, double-blind, parallel-group, multi-country study. 179 drug-naïve mild AD patients who participated in the Souvenir II study. Patients were randomised 1∶1 to receive Souvenaid or an iso-caloric control product once daily for 24 weeks. In a secondary analysis of the Souvenir II study, electroencephalography (EEG) brain networks were constructed and graph theory was used to quantify complex brain structure. Local brain network connectivity (normalised clustering coefficient gamma) and global network integration (normalised characteristic path length lambda) were compared between study groups, and related to memory performance. THE NETWORK MEASURES IN THE BETA BAND WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT BETWEEN GROUPS: they decreased in the control group, but remained relatively unchanged in the active group. No consistent relationship was found between these network measures and memory performance. The current results suggest that Souvenaid preserves the organisation of brain networks in patients with mild AD within 24 weeks, hypothetically counteracting the progressive network disruption over time in AD. The results strengthen the hypothesis that Souvenaid affects synaptic integrity and function. Secondly, we conclude that advanced EEG analysis, using the mathematical framework of graph theory, is useful and feasible for assessing the effects of interventions. Dutch Trial Register NTR1975.

Background Rice bran is a functional food that has shown protection against major chronic diseases (e.g. obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer) in animals and humans, and these health effects have been associated with the presence of bioactive phytochemicals. Food metabolomics uses multiple chromatography and mass spectrometry platforms to detect and identify a diverse range of small molecules with high sensitivity and precision, and has not been completed for rice bran. Results This study utilized global, non-targeted metabolomics to identify small molecules in rice bran, and conducted a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed literature to determine bioactive compounds. Three U.S. rice varieties (Calrose, Dixiebelle, and Neptune), that have been used for human dietary intervention trials, were assessed herein for bioactive compounds that have disease control and prevention properties. The profiling of rice bran by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) identified 453 distinct phytochemicals, 209 of which were classified as amino acids, cofactors & vitamins, and secondary metabolites, and were further assessed for bioactivity. A scientific literature search revealed 65 compounds with health properties, 16 of which had not been previously identified in rice bran. This suite of amino acids, cofactors & vitamins, and secondary metabolites comprised 46% of the identified rice bran metabolome, which substantially enhanced our knowledge of health-promoting rice bran compounds provided during dietary supplementation. Conclusion Rice bran metabolite profiling revealed a suite of biochemical molecules that can be further investigated and exploited for multiple nutritional therapies and medical food applications. These bioactive compounds may also be biomarkers of dietary rice bran intake. The medicinal compounds associated with rice bran can function as a network across metabolic pathways and this metabolite network may occur via additive and synergistic effects between compounds in the food matrix.