Journal of Food and Drug Analysis最新文献

Caffeine is a neurotransmitter, important to human health. This compound exists in many food products, has been added to soft drinks, pharmaceutical drugs. For many applications, a field deployable technique for quick detecting caffeine is attractive. In this paper, we report a selective optical fiber caffeine sensor using a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) membrane as a transducer. The membrane extracts/concentrate caffeine from sample solutions significantly improved sensor's sensitivity with a 95 times sensitivity improvement. The sensor achieved a detection limit of 2.0 μg/mL. This sensor was used to directly analyze caffeine in soft drink products without interference from sample matrix.

Cannabis sativa L. or hemp is a cosmopolitan, multi-purpose plant and area of its cultivation has been growing in recent years. Its public perception is influenced by potential to produce narcotic substances. However, hemp seed can be a valuable source of nutrients for humans and may be of particular interest in more sustainable food consumption patterns, including vegetarian and flexitarian diets. The paper presents benefits and risks of hemp seeds in case of their consumption in food. Low cannabinoids varieties are considered only. The biological activity of cannabinoids and related effects are considered out of scope of the study. Nutritional value of hemp seeds regarding content of amino acids is comparable to the value of egg whites and soya. Oil is a source of two essential fatty acids: linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid in a desirable ratio of 3:1. Hemp seeds are also a source of minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates, including fiber. The most characteristic hazardous properties of hemp are ability to accumulate toxic heavy metals and produce anti-nutritional substances. Breeding hemp to reduce the anti-nutritional compounds content may be promising in view of its growing popularity as a food source.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent bacterial infections that cause pruritus, erythema, xerosis and thickening. Cajanus cajan root extract prepared with 95% ethanol (EECR95) has been shown to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties in previous studies. This study aimed to evaluate EECR95's ability to improve AD by inhibiting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) growth and reducing inflammation. This study found EECR95 effectively inhibits MRSA growth (IC₅₀ = 103.74 μg/mL) and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine production in an MRSA-keratinocyte-macrophage model. LC/MS/MS analysis revealed the presence of active compounds-flavonoids, isoflavones, and flavonoid glycosides, highlighting EECR95's potential in improving atopic dermatitis in vitro.

Circadian rhythms regulate fundamental aspects of physiology and behavior. The disruption of circadian rhythms has been associated with metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and impaired immune function. Feeding behavior and gut microbiota represent two essential nodes within this regulatory network, as both are highly responsive to environmental cues such as diet composition and sleep-wake cycles. Research has shown that high-fat diets, excessive fructose, and chronic alcohol consumption perturb peripheral circadian rhythms and impair metabolic pathways, contributing to obesity and insulin resistance. Conversely, dietary interventions such as time-restricted feeding and macronutrient-specific entrainment can restore rhythmic gene expression and prevent metabolic pathologies. The gut microbiota plays a central role in mediating these effects through its diurnal oscillations in community composition and metabolite production, particularly short-chain fatty acids, which act as systemic cues for host circadian clocks. Disruption of microbial rhythmicity, whether through irregular eating schedules, jet lag, or environmental pollutants, can exacerbate circadian misalignment and metabolic dysfunction. Recent findings highlight a bidirectional relationship between the host circadian system and the microbiota, underscoring their interdependence in maintaining metabolic homeostasis and gastrointestinal integrity. Although preclinical models have produced mechanistic insights, the translation to humans remains limited by methodological variability and incomplete characterization of signaling pathways. This review synthesizes the current knowledge on diet-microbiota-circadian interactions and discusses potential therapeutic strategies, including dietary modulation and natural products, to mitigate circadian misalignment and its associated health risks.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) poses a severe threat to food safety due to its potent carcinogenicity. To address the need for rapid and on-site detection, this study developed a colorimetric biosensor based on an AFB1-responsive DNA aptamercross-linked sodium alginate hydrogel. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were encapsulated within the hydrogel as a visual signal reporter. The sensing mechanism relies on target-induced dissociation of aptamer crosslinkers, leading to hydrogel disintegration and release of AuNPs. The hydrogel formulation was optimized regarding sodium alginate concentration and crosslinking conditions. To enhance sensitivity, an Exonuclease I (Exo I)-triggered target recycling strategy was implemented, which amplifies hydrogel network disruption by cleaving the aptamer-target complex and recycling the aptamer. The sensor demonstrated a linear detection range of 0-50 μM, with a detection limit of 12.9 nM, and exhibited high selectivity towards AFB1. This work presents a sensitive, visually readable, and portable platform for mycotoxin detection in food safety applications.

Garambullo (Myrtillocactus geometrizans) is a Mexican wild fruit rich in phytochemicals. In this study, freeze-dried garambullo was subjected to in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and fermentation. The resulting fermented extract of garambullo (FEG) was evaluated for its effects on cell viability in HT-29 and SW480 CRC cell lines using MTT assays. After 24 h of treatment, FEG exhibited IC₅₀ values of 2985 μg/mL and 3200 μg/mL in HT-29 and SW480 cells, respectively, indicating a significant reduction in cell viability compared to the control group. This reduction was further confirmed by flow cytometry, which revealed increased late apoptosis and necrosis in HT-29 cells, and a pronounced increase of necrosis in SW480 cells treated with FEG. Molecular docking simulations further supported these findings, demonstrating that butyric acid, a metabolite identified in FEG, demonstrates energetically favorable interactions with Caspase-3 (ΔG: -5.41 kcal/mol) and RIPK1 (ΔG: -5.18 kcal/mol), suggesting potential multi-pathway involvement in apoptotic and necrosis-associated cell death. Furthermore, the colony-forming ability of these CRC cell lines was assessed using 3D culture assays. After 14 days, FEG reduced colony formation in SW480 cells, with complete suppression observed at 149 μg/mL. Notably, HT-29 cells exhibited greater sensitivity, as no colonies were detected at any of the tested concentrations (≥37 μg/mL). These findings indicate that FEG exerts significant anti-proliferative, proapoptotic, and anti-clonogenic effects in CRC cell lines, supporting its potential as a candidate for further investigation in therapeutic or preventive strategies.

The objective of this study is to determine the design space (DS) for a dissolution-enhanced gemifloxacin immediate-release (IR) tablet incorporating hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) for improved solubility, utilizing a quality by design (QbD) approach. Based on the preliminary studies, hardness, friability, disintegration time, assay, content uniformity, and dissolution rate were identified as the critical quality attributes (CQAs) for optimization. Through the initial risk assessment, crospovidone, main compression force, and the amount of granulating fluid were identified as factors influencing the CQAs, and a 2³ + 3 full factorial design of experiments (DoE) was conducted for optimization. According to the analysis of variance (ANOVA), both main compression force (p = 0.004) and the amount of granulating fluid (p = 0.001) significantly affected hardness. While the amount of granulating fluid was established as a primary factor influencing disintegration time (p = 0.001) and dissolution rate (p = 0.006). The other factors did not show a statistically significant impact on the remaining CQAs. The optimized ranges obtained from this study were as follows: crospovidone, 5.72-7.99%; main compression force, 1707.5-2372.3 kgf; and amount of granulating fluid, 5.36-6.12 mL. A 2³ + 3 full-factorial design of experiments (DoE) was applied to determine the relationship between independent and dependent variables, and a high-quality IR tablet meeting all predefined CQA criteria [hardness (18.0-22.0 kp), friability (≤0.5%), disintegration time (16.0-20.0 min), assay (95.0-105.0%), content uniformity (AV ≤ 5), and dissolution similarity (f₂ ≥ 50)] was developed through the systematic optimization of formulation and manufacturing processes.

Dietary strategies and plant-based fermented foods have attracted increasing interest for supporting gastrointestinal health, particularly under conditions of drug-induced mucosal stress. Soybean fermentation broth (SFB), a fermented soybean-derived product, may possess enhanced nutritional and functional properties through fermentation-associated generation of bioactive peptides and antioxidant metabolites. This study evaluated the gastroprotective effects of SFB in an indomethacin-induced gastric injury model in rats and investigated the underlying mechanisms. Indomethacin markedly induced gastric ulcer formation (16.61 ± 1.38 mm²), whereas SFB pretreatment significantly attenuated ulcer development in a dose-dependent manner, reducing ulcer area to 6.66 ± 0.98, 3.89 ± 0.63, and 1.46 ± 0.32 mm² in low-, medium-, and high-dose groups, respectively (p < 0.05 vs. Vehicle). Histopathological examination revealed that SFB preserved epithelial integrity and reduced submucosal edema. SFB pretreatment significantly decreased lipid peroxidation, restored gastric glutathione content, and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, including glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GRd), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT). Furthermore, SFB suppressed pro-inflammatory mediator expression and favorably modulated cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2 expression, accompanied by restoration of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production. These findings indicate that SFB protects gastric mucosa against indomethacin-induced injury through coordinated regulation of oxidative stress, inflammatory signaling, and prostaglandin-mediated mucosal defense, supporting its potential as a functional fermented soybean product.

Plant by-products, often considered as waste in various agricultural and food processing industries, have emerged as a valuable source of natural antidiabetic or antihyperglycemic compounds. These compounds, derived from plant materials that would otherwise be discarded, have the potential to mitigate the global burden of diabetes and offer sustainable solutions for glycemic control. Prominent groups of natural antidiabetic compounds found in plant by-products are polyphenols, as well as bioactive proteins and peptides. In addition, agro-industrial residues such as wheat bran, oat husks, and fruit peels are excellent sources of carbohydrates that can be incorporated into functional foods to help manage diabetes. In addition to their antidiabetic potential, plant by-products contribute to sustainability and waste reduction by turning materials that would otherwise be discarded into valuable resources. Furthermore, the utilization of natural antidiabetic compounds from waste materials promises to improve diabetes management and promote a more sustainable food industry. The paper will address the valorization of agro-industrial by-products as natural sources of antiglycemic compounds, including an economic analysis and exploration of different raw material sources. It will present both the advantages and the key challenges associated with the biological activity, metabolism, bioavailability, and toxicological profiles of these compounds, as well as their economic and environmental implications. Furthermore, the review will highlight the prospects for automating this process through the application of artificial intelligence (AI), which may facilitate greater standardization and efficiency in future development.

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen responsible for infections ranging from superficial mucosal disease to life-threatening systemic candidiasis, particularly in immunocompromised hosts. Its pathogenicity is enhanced by morphological plasticity, biofilm formation, and immune evasion, contributing to antifungal resistance. Limitations of existing antifungals have driven interest in emerging therapeutics. This review highlights strategies including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), host-directed therapies (HDTs), CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, and phytochemicals. MOFs offer high drug-loading capacity, controlled release, and enhanced penetration into biofilms, showing promise against drug-resistant strains. Selected phytochemicals demonstrate inhibitory effects on virulence traits such as hyphal formation and enzyme secretion. CRISPR-Cas9 enables functional genomic studies to identify and disrupt key pathogenicity genes, while HDTs aim to boost host immune responses. Additionally, the potential role of gut microbiota modulation in controlling C. albicans colonization is discussed. By integrating mechanistic insights with translational perspectives, this review provides a concise overview of emerging antifungal strategies, opportunities, and challenges with the potential to overcome current therapeutic limitations.