From ancient times, honey has been used for treating gastrointestinal disorders. Several varieties of honey have been shown to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, honey contains carbohydrates as non-digestible oligosaccharides, which suggests that some types of honeyexhibit prebiotic potential. Therefore, there is growing awareness in modulating the gut microbiota to achieve a more beneficial balance, thereby promoting health through diet. Recent studies show that specific types of honey can reduce the presence of the most frequent enteropathogens in the gut, such as Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., Shigella spp., and Clostridium difficile, while promoting the growth of beneficial species (Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacteria spp.). This review aims to offer a brief overview of recent studies on the synergistic benefits of probiotics and honey, focusing on enhancing the immune system, improving gut microbiome health, and promoting overall wellness.
This research focuses on evaluating the usefulness of aquatic macroinvertebrates asbioindicators for detecting changes in water quality associated with anthropogenic disturbances, as well as understanding the influence of biotic and abiotic factors on their communities. The potential of indices based on the presence or absence of these organisms for low-cost biomonitoring will be highlighted, emphasizing the need to expand their application in regions with limited knowledge such as Venezuela. This work focused on the review of the most recent literature to support the application of macroinvertebrates as bioindicators both nationally and internationally and to point out the lack of information in the area. It will also address the different methodologies applied in the studies, the explanation and usefulness of these biotic indices to reflect tolerance to disturbance, the limitations and challenges that the use of macroinvertebrates as bioindicators addresses.
This study investigated the production and characterization of fungal biomass andexopolysaccharides (EPS) from the indigenous edible wild-type mushroom Lentinus squarrosulus (L.squarrosulus) grown in submerged fermentation. This mushroom is widely consumed in ruralcommunities but remains underexplored for industrial development of bioproducts. Two nutrient media, Potato dextrose broth (PDB) and Yeast extract broth (YEB) were used for cultivation over 21 days. The biomass yield, EPS concentration and pH changes were measured at intervals of 3 days. The highest EPS (0.46 ± 0.01 mg/mL) and biomass (6.83 ± 0.043 mg/mL) production was achieved on day 9 in PDB compared to lesser production with YEB. The nature of EPS was determined by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy that indicated the presence of characteristic functional groups of polysaccharide β-glycosidic bonds. Functional analysis revealed high water solubility (54.55 ± 0.80%) and water absorbing capacity (91.40 ± 1.20%), antioxidant assay showed highly active radical scavenging properties (87.41 ± 1.05% equivalent to 0.415 ± 0.004 mg/mL gallic acid). Protein and carbohydrate profiles indicated that EPS was predominantly carbohydrate (62.26 ± 0.16%). These results show that EPS from L. squarrosulus possess favourable structural and bioactive attributes that strongly support its potential use in food-based applications.
Fermentation, besides being a preservation method and of major economic importance, could also reflect a growing focus on the environment. It offers solutions to reduce waste by producing novel types of protein, lipids, and carbohydrates, and to increase global food production. This mini-review aims to address specific issues related to the lactic fermentation of fruits and vegetables, as well as the nutritional and health benefits of their consumption. The industrial revolution in fermentation should include an emerging understanding of the synergies between microorganisms throughout their life cycle. Fermented fruits and vegetables are a natural source of probiotics and bio-preservatives, making them valuable to the food industry for supporting human health. Moreover, modern fermentation technology involves processes designed to produce specific compounds using selected microbial strains, which generate useful metabolites (such as lactic acid, bacteriocins, etc.). However, further paraclinical and clinical studies are still necessary to evaluate the in vivo effects of consuming fermented fruits and vegetables.
Four meals were produced with sorghum cultivar (WadAhmed), defatted pumpkin seed pulp (PSP), and wheat flour to test the effect of component ratios, fermentation, and/or cooking on some nutritional qualities. Chemical compositions, total calories, minerals, anti-nutrients, and in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) were assessed for ingredients before formulation and meals before and after processing. The sorghum cultivar was greater in carbohydrate (75.71%), phosphorus (296.55 mg/100 g), and calories (368.82 kcal) than wheat and PSP, and had significantly more antinutrients (tannin and phytate). Wheat had a greater IVPD than other components, but PSP was rich in ash (8.67%), protein (63.15%), fiber (7.09%), calcium (48.08 mg/100 g), and iron (26.37 mg/100 g). The addition of wheat and PSP flour decreased carbohydrate and antinutrient levels while improving ash, protein, fiber, fat, total and extractable minerals, and IVPD. Fermentation significantly reduced antinutrient levels (p ≤ 0.05) and created high-quality meals with excellent IVPD. Cooking the fermented dough revealed even more considerable improvement. Cooking had a significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on chemical composition, resulting in a decrease in tannin and phytate and an increase in IVPD and mineral extractability. Organoleptically, the produced meals were highly accepted than the control meal (p ≤ 0.05). The formulation with 10% wheat and 20% PSP flour (M3) was shown to be the most nutrient-dense and accessible meal.
