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Objective: This study aims to investigate the nutritional composition and rumen fermentation attributes of the tithonia plant (Tithonia diversifolia) treated with Lactobacillus bulgaricus bacteria at different fermentation durations and doses. Materials and Methods: In this research, an experimental approach employed a factorial pattern with two factors as treatments with three replications using a complete randomized design. The primary factor was the dose of L. bulgaricus inoculum, with concentrations at 2% and 3%. The secondary factor examined during the study revolved around the duration of fermentation, offering three time frames of 1 day, 3 days, and 5 days for analysis. The inoculum of L. bulgaricus contained 65 × 1015 CFU/ml. Results: The use of L. bulgaricus bacteria on tithonia plants (T. diversifolia) with different inoculum doses and fermentation times demonstrated a highly significant effect and significant disparities (p < 0.05). In phytic acid content, nutrient content (crude protein (CP), crude fiber, crude fat, and dry matter (DM)), and in vitro digestibility, which includes DM, organic matter (OM), CP, volatile fatty acids (VFA), NH3, and gas production. However, it did not show any significant interaction between pH and OM content. Conclusion: The optimal results of nutrient profiling and in vitro digestibility, including DM, OM, CP, rumen pH, VFA, NH3 (ammonia), and gas production, were observed when the tithonia plant (T. diversifolia) was fermented using L. bulgaricus with 3% inoculum doses and a fermentation time of 5 days.

Objectives: The current research aimed to determine the optimal broiler size for consumers using an integrated approach encompassing carcass characteristics, physical properties, nutritional profiles, sensory evaluation, and microbial load in meat. Materials and Methods: A total of 45 broiler birds were chosen and categorized into three groups: 1.0–1.5 kg, 1.5–2.0 kg, and 2.0–2.5 kg. Each group consisted of 15 birds. Carcass characteristics and several physical properties, including drip loss, pH, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, and marinade retention, were measured. The following were assessed during the nutritional analyses: moisture, crude protein, ether extract, and ash. Additionally, microbial loads in meat, including TVC (Total Viable Count) and TCC (Total Coliform Count), were determined. Results: All the carcass characteristics, such as the weight of breast, drumstick, thigh, wings, and dressing percentage, differed significantly among the three weight groups. The 2.0–2.5 kg group achieved the highest dressing percentage (72.42%), eviscerated weight (1.91 ± 0.10 kg), and breast yield (596.58 ± 67.44 gm). The physical and nutritional properties showed non-significant differences among the groups. In the sensory evaluation, broilers weighing 2.0–2.5 kg were preferred over the alternative options. Microbiological studies indicated that the TVC and TCC ranged from 5.54 to 5.89 CFU/gm and 4.56 to 4.95 CFU/gm, respectively, across all categories, indicating acceptable levels for food safety. Conclusions: Broilers weighing 2.0–2.5 kg showed superior carcass yield, consumer appeal, and economic viability.

To evaluate the nutritional profile of cancer patients treated at an oncology center in South Brazil. This is a descriptive, exploratory and sectional study that was developed in a process that involved 100 patients aged between 18 and 75 years old, suffering from cancer. The anthropometric variables studied were weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI), arm circumference (AC), arm muscle circumference (AMC), triceps skinfold (TSF) and corrected arm muscle area (cAMA). For subjective nutritional assessment, we used the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Nearly half of the patients evaluated had a critical need for nutritional intervention. There was a statistically significant association between cAMA and marital status, age and gender; between AC and age, gender and staging; between AMC and staging; between BMI and marital status and age; and between TSF and marital status. Patients diagnosed with IV stage had the lowest values for nutritional variables. There was no significant association between nutritional status of patients obtained by the PG-SGA instrument and sociodemographic characteristics. Malnutrition should be diagnosed as soon as possible, aiming at early intervention and improving survival and quality of life. Therefore, early nutritional assessment in cancer patients is required, combining subjective and objective methods.

Macroalgae are rich in bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic applications, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and nutritional properties. In this study, the biochemical composition of three seaweed species—Ulva sp., Gracilaria multipartita, and Sargassum muticum—was analysed, focusing on their mineral content and macronutrient profile. The ash, protein, fibre, lipid, and carbohydrate contents ranged from (dw) 26.56 to 33.53 g/100 g, 10.13 to 18.43 g/100 g, 0.11 to 0.19 g/100 g, 5.83 to 10.88 g/100 g, and 42.48 to 53.27 g/100 g, respectively. The findings indicate that the species studied are excellent sources of essential minerals, particularly magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, and trace elements, such as iron, zinc, copper, and manganese. Sargassum muticum exhibited the highest mineral content and thus holds significant promise for further exploration in biomedical and therapeutic contexts. FTIR, FT-RAMAN, and FT-NIR analysis highlight the presence of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, including cell wall phycocolloids, and phenolic compounds. These results underscore the potential of macroalgae as natural sources of bioactive compounds for health-related applications, highlighting their value beyond traditional dietary supplementation.

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), a nutritious leguminous cool tolerant crop, is widely cultivated throughout the world. China, Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, Australia, and France are the main producers of faba beans. In recent years, interest has been growing in health and nutritional benefits of faba beans and developments of different foods enriched with biomolecules with improved functionality, nutrition value, and health benefits. Faba beans are rich source of lysine rich proteins, carbohydrate, minerals, vitamins, and numerous bioactive compounds. It is also a good source of l‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (L‐DOPA), which is a precursor of dopamine and can be potentially utilized for Parkinson's disease treatment. The seeds of faba beans can be consumed dry, roasted, soaked, cooked, frozen, or canned. However, a number of antinutritional factors such as phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors, saponins, vicin and convicine (favism‐inducing compounds), lectins, and condensed tannins negatively affect the biological value of faba beans resulting in its underutilization. For expanding the utilization of faba beans in human nutrition, the removal of these antinutrients is necessary. A number of methods including dehulling, soaking, germination, fermentation, and heat processing (cooking, boiling, extrusion, and autocalving) have been used individually or in combination to eliminate or destroy the antinutritional factors in faba beans. This comprehensive review covers global production, nutritional profile, and processing of faba beans and its utilization in various product developments.

Cheese is a dairy product with high nutritional value and continues to experience increasing consumption in Indonesia. Innovation in the development of functional processed cheese cubes (PCC) made from natural ingredients is needed to increase nutritional value and health benefits. Moringa oleifera (MO) is a source of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, phenolics, beta carotene, and macro and micro nutrients that have the potential to improve the functional quality of food products. This study aims to encourage the effect of the addition of nano moringa extract (NME) on the content of carbohydrates, protein, fat, crude fiber, and antioxidant activity in processed cheese cubes. MO was extracted using the maceration method, then converted into nano form through spray drying techniques to increase the bioavailability and stability of active compounds. PCC formulations were made with the addition of NME at concentrations of 0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6%. The results showed that the addition of NME significantly affected all tested parameters. Carbohydrate content increased in the 0.2% and 0.4% treatments, with the highest value of 18.71% at 0.4% NME, but decreased at 0.6% due to nanoparticle aggregation that hindered dispersion homogeneity. The highest protein content was found at 0.2% NME at 7.46%, while higher concentrations showed a decrease due to the dilution effect and potential protein denaturation during the nanoencapsulation process. Fat content decreased with increasing NME concentration, with the lowest value of 27.54% at 0.4% NME, influenced by the activity of bioactive compounds that play a role in binding lipids. Crude fiber content tended to decrease at high concentrations due to degradation of the fiber fraction and protein-polysaccharide interactions. Antioxidant activity increased significantly, marked by the lowest ICso value of 7.98 ug/mL at 0.6% NME which is included in the very strong category.

Germination was explored in this study as a natural method of increasing the nutritional and functional content of foxnut (Euryale ferox) seeds. Germination resulted in significant increases in the nutritional content of the seeds. Protein levels were found to rise from 11.09% in the non-germinated seeds to 11.5% in the germinated seeds, reflecting greater amino acid availability. Fiber content also increased marginally from 0.67% to 0.69%, aiding improved digestive health, with ash content rising considerably from 0.46% to 2.78%, indicating improved mineral bioavailability. Moisture content, however, declined from 10.26% to 7.4%, extending shelf life and minimizing spoilage risk. There was a pronounced decrease in anti-nutritional factors with added antioxidant activity, as evidenced by increased DPPH activity and higher levels of phenolics and flavonoids. Functional analysis was found to improve water absorption capacity from 6.16 to 14.13 (%g/g), while oil absorption capacity decreased from 14.50 to 6.16 (%g/g). Structural analysis attested to higher digestibility and functional properties for germinated seeds. In conclusion, the data show that germinated foxnuts possess great value as low-cost, value-added ingredients for use in functional foods and nutraceuticals.

In our endeavor to identify salt-tolerant plants with potential veterinary uses in ruminants’ production strategies, we focused on Cladium mariscus L. Pohl (sawgrass), due to its high total phenolic and tannin content, anti-radical properties, and ethnomedicinal uses. Aerial parts were collected along the year in Southern Portugal and evaluated for the nutritional profile and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), aiming for its use as feed. Acetone extracts were appraised for total contents in phenolics (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), and tannins (CTC), as well as the chemical composition by HPLC-DAD and in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, targeting its exploitation as phytotherapeutic products. Sawgrass biomass has a limited nutritive value, due to its high neutral detergent fiber (NDF; 596–690 g kg−1 dry matter (DM)) and acid detergent fiber (ADF; 330–418 g kg−1 DM) contents, low crude protein (51.8–87.3 g kg−1 DM) and IVOMD (172–317 g kg−1 organic matter (OM)). Despite differences among seasons, the mineral profile was adequate. The extracts were rich in TPC (88–112 mg g−1 ), CTC (115–169 mg g−1 ), and TFC (18.5–20.2 mg g−1 ), and displayed significant antioxidant capacity, particularly in summer and autumn, whilst no seasonal influence was detected for anti-inflammatory properties (30% reduction of nitric oxide production). Eleven phenolics were quantified: chlorogenic, ferulic, and syringic acids were the most abundant, especially in the autumn sample. Overall, despite the low nutritional interest, sawgrass extracts hold the potential as a source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phenolic compounds.

Lentil is one of the most important food legumes consumed widely throughout the world. Lentils are produced in diverse agroecological regions, such as Asia, North and South America, Africa, and Oceania. During the last two decades (2001–2020), world production of lentils increased by 107%, from 3.15 to 6.54 million metric tons. Canada leads lentil producing countries (with 44% share of the global output), followed by India and Australia having 18% and 8% share, respectively. Being a rich source of protein, complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and folic acid, lentils are considered a healthy food nutritionally. Lentils also contain a number of bioactive phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, total phenolics, phytate, saponins, and tannins. Dehulling and splitting of lentils are the most‐commonly used basic processing methods. Additional value‐added operations include milling of whole or dehulled lentils and isolating fractions that are rich in protein and starch that can be used as ingredients in diverse food applications. Lentils are aligned well with the changing consumer trends towards meat alternatives, plant‐based diets, and healthy food options. Furthermore, due to increased environmental concerns for the production of meat, consumers are minimizing or even excluding meat consumption and opting for non‐meat foods produced in a sustainable manner. This review article provides an overview of lentil's production/trade, consumption trends, nutritional profile, value‐added processing, emerging research and development trends, and the role of lentil production in environmental sustainability.

Main conclusionThis review discusses the Finger millet's rich nutritional profile, bioactive potential, and industrial applications, combined with its climate resilience, which make it a promising crop for enhancing food security and promoting sustainable agriculture. This review also highlights its significant potential to address malnutrition and mitigate climate change impacts.The emergence of Finger millet from “poor man’s staple food” to “a nutrient rich cereal” has encouraged the need to explore this crop at a wider scale. It is a highly significant crop due to its rich nutritional and bioactive profile, diverse biological activities, and promising industrial applications, along with the high climate resilience. This comprehensive review evaluates its nutritional composition by comparing favorably with other cereals and millets and emphasizing its potential to address malnutrition and enhance food security. Furthermore, it explores the phytochemical/bioactive potential and strategies to enhance their bioavailability followed biological activities of Finger millet by highlighting its various health-promoting properties. The review also discusses industrial potential of finger millet including its role in nutraceutical and functional food production, as well as bioenergy generation. In addition, role of Finger millet as a climate-resilient crop; specifically, the available genetic resources and identification of genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with major stress tolerance traits have also been discussed. By providing a comprehensive synthesis of existing knowledge, this study offers valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders engaged in efforts to promote sustainable agriculture, enhance food and nutrition security, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.