Salivary iodide concentration (SIC) has emerged as a promising non-invasive alternative for assessing iodine status (1) . However, the influence of saliva collection method on biomarker reliability remains unclear. This study compared unstimulated and stimulated saliva collection methods and evaluated their associations with urinary iodine indices to identify the most reliable approach for iodine quantification. Twenty-nine healthy adults provided unstimulated and stimulated saliva samples two hours post-evening meal, alongside a 24-hour urine sample. The 24-h urinary iodine concentration (24 h UIC; µg/L) was measured and corrected for creatinine (24 h UI/Cr; µg/gCr). The SIC (µg/L) and protein (mg/mL) were analysed, and from these, secretion rates (µg/min; mg/min) and the protein-normalised iodide ratio (SI/P; µg/g) were calculated. Within-subject repeatability was assessed in a subgroup (n=8) across three non-consecutive days using the coefficient of variation (%CV). Unstimulated saliva showed higher median iodide (94.4 vs 59.4 µg/L; p < 0.001), protein (2.36 vs 1.90 mg/mL; p < 0.001), and SI/P (35.99 vs 29.45 µg/g; p = 0.046) concentrations than stimulated saliva, whereas flow rate was significantly higher under stimulation (1.78 vs 1.14 mL/min; p < 0.001). Despite these concentration differences, total iodide and protein secretion per minute were comparable between methods (iodide: 0.10 vs 0.10 µg/min; protein: 3.58 vs 2.94 mg/min; both p > 0.1). For unstimulated saliva, both SIC and SI/P correlated significantly with 24 h UIC (r = 0.403, p = 0.033; r = 0.429, p = 0.020, respectively) and 24 h UI/Cr (r = 0.584, p = 0.001; r = 0.592, p < 0.001).For stimulated saliva, both also correlated significantly with 24 h UI/Cr (r = 0.475, p = 0.012; r = 0.404, p = 0.041) and 24 h UIC before correction (r = 0.417, p = 0.027), but this association was no longer significant after correction (r = 0.357, p = 0.068). Across both methods, correlations with 24 h urinary iodine excretion (24 h UIE) ranged from r = 0.20 to 0.33 and were not significant, except for the salivary iodide secretion rate, which was associated significantly with 24 h UIE under stimulated conditions only (r = 0.488, p = 0.009). Across 3-days, stimulated saliva showed lower %CV than unstimulated for SIC (31.6% vs 39.0%), SI/P (34.0% vs 44.9%), and iodide secretion rate (33.1% vs 47.9%), with variability comparable to urinary biomarkers (UIC = 30.4%; UIE = 34.7%). Overall, although total iodide secretion was comparable between methods, stimulated saliva showed stronger methodological performance, supporting its use as the preferred protocol for reliable salivary iodine assessment. Both methods demonstrated moderate correlations with 24 h UIC and 24 h UI/Cr; however, for stimulated saliva, the association with 24 h UIC was significant only before protein correction. The stimulated, swab-based method yielded greater sample volume and lower intra-individual variability, and notably, the salivary iodide secretion rate under stimulated conditions was the only parameter to correlate significantly with 24 h UIE.

Bread is a staple food consumed globally (1) ; yet, refined wheat bread has high glycaemic index values, which may contribute to postprandial hyperglycaemia and long-term metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes) (2) . Legume flours contain higher protein, fibre, and resistant starch levels, which are able to dampen glycaemic (1) . This review aims to assess the effectiveness of legume wheat flour combinations in bread on glucose control within the postprandial setting, insulin responses, and related metabolic outcomes. A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines (3) . Comprehensive searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane databases (studies published 2000 - 2025). Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs), involving healthy adults or adolescents consuming bread made from legume wheat flour blends compared with wheat-only bread. Outcomes included postprandial glucose, insulin responses, glycaemic index (GI), satiety, and sensory acceptability. Sixteen RCTs conducted using crossover designs (n = 353 participants) were included. The level of legume flour substitution ranged from 15% to 100%, incorporating chickpea, pea, lentil, soy, lupin, fenugreek, and kidney bean flours. Data were synthesised and compared across studies, showing that partial substitution with legume flours (typically 15–60%) considerably lowered the postprandial glucose and insulin responses compared with wheat control breads. Substitution with 30% and 60% chickpea flour produced the most pronounced and highly significant reductions in postprandial glucose (p < 0.05). Incorporating chickpea flour into composite blends (e.g., with guar gum) further enhanced glycaemic control compared with wheat bread. 40% lupin, 15% chickpea, and 25%-50% mix of kidney bean and chickpea flour formulations were associated with marked reductions in postprandial insulin responses (p < 0.05). Several formulations achieved a “low glycaemic index” classification, those containing a 25%-50% mix of kidney bean and chickpea flour, 25–50% soybean flour and 10% fenugreek. Satiation was considerably enhanced with soybean, lupin, as well as pea breads. Sensory acceptability of most formulations proved to be good, regardless of slight compromises in texture with higher levels of substitution. Evidence from studies indicates that partial replacement of wheat flour (15–60%) with legume flours improves postprandial glycaemic and insulinemic responses. Further long-term RCTs involving at-risk populations (e.g., people with diabetes) are warranted to confirm optimal substitution levels and assess metabolic sustainability, while considering the substitution levels that may affect consumer acceptability and bread texture.

Given the central role of phosphorus in key metabolic processes, including glucose phosphorylation, ATP synthesis, insulin signalling, and energy metabolism, dietary phosphorus availability may influence postprandial metabolic responses. This systematic review evaluates the effects of inorganic phosphorus supplementation on diet-induced thermogenesis, postprandial glycaemia, and postprandial lipidemia in healthy adults. A systematic search of PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) was conducted. Only experimental intervention studies assessing phosphorus supplementation as the primary exposure and postprandial metabolic outcomes as primary endpoints were included. Eligible participants were healthy adults aged 18-64 years. Secondary outcomes included changes in body weight, energy intake, and satiety. Ten randomised crossover trials met inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 225 participants. Three out of four studies reported a significant positive association between phosphorus supplementation and diet-induced thermogenesis (P < 0.05). Evidence regarding the effects of phosphorus on postprandial glycaemia and lipidemia was inconsistent. An inverse association was observed between phosphorus intake and weight gain (P < 0.001) and energy intake (P < 0.01), alongside a positive association with satiety (P < 0.05). While these findings indicate potential metabolic benefits of dietary phosphorus, particularly in relation to thermogenesis and energy regulation, interpretation is tempered by the small number of available studies, modest sample sizes, and methodological heterogeneity. These limitations restrict causal inference and generalizability. Further rigorously designed, adequately powered clinical trials are therefore warranted to substantiate these associations and to clarify the effects of phosphorus on postprandial glycaemic and lipid outcomes.

Increasing food insecurity (FIS) in the UK presents a major challenge to public health. Universal Credit (UC) claimants are disproportionately impacted by FIS but research on socio-demographic factors and consequent nutritional security is limited. A cross-sectional online survey (September 2021 - April 2022) assessed FIS in UC claimants (males and females, n = 328) (USDA 10 question module), dietary intake (females, n = 43; 3–4 × 24-hour dietary recalls) and coping strategies. Binary logistic regression tested sociodemographic variables influencing the odds of food insecurity. Diets ofUC were compared with national diet and nutrition survey (NDNS) participants and thematic analysis conducted for drivers and impacts of FIS. FIS was experienced by 84.8

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Effective cleaning is required to remove food allergen contamination and prevent unintended or undeclared food allergen presence in products. Limited information is available regarding the efficacy of cleaning methods to remove food allergens and the effects on stability, retention or detection of food allergens in food processing environments. This research aims to evaluate the capability of established commercial warewashing processes to remove food allergen soil containing sesame protein from differing food contact materials and containers, monitoring the impact of wash cycles, temperature and material surface characteristics on allergen stability, retention and detection. This study demonstrates that after applying current commercial warewashing procedures all studied materials retained varying amounts of food allergen soil (1.6 - >10.0 mg/kg total sesame protein), despite appearing visually clean, and that warewashers can readily transfer food allergens to subsequent wash cycles and onto food contact surfaces in them (>10.0 mg/kg total sesame protein). This research identified polypropylene plastic as the hardest food contact material to clean and glass jars as the easiest container material to clean. Analytical results were compared to action levels calculated with reference doses based on ED01, ED05 and rounded from ED05, identifying that minimum or maximum levels for products contained in all container types post-washing had risk ratios >= 1, presenting potential health risks to consumers with food allergy. Further research is required to develop capable, hygienically designed and easily cleanable automatic cleaning processes and reusable food contact materials and containers to support robust scientifically validated cleaning procedures to remove food allergens.

With advancing age, achievement of dietary adequacy for all nutrients is increasingly difficult and this is particularly so for minerals. Various factors impede mineral acquisition and absorption including reduced appetite, depressed gastric acid production and dysregulation across a range of signalling pathways in the intestinal mucosa. Minerals are required in sufficient levels since they are critical for the proper functioning of metabolic processes in cells and tissues, including energy metabolism, DNA and protein synthesis, immune function, mobility, and skeletal integrity. When uptake is diminished or loss exceeds absorption, alternative approaches are required to enable individuals to maintain adequate mineral levels. Currently, supplementation has been used effectively in populations for the restoration of levels of some minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium, but these may not be without inherent challenges. Therefore, in this chapter we review the current understanding around the effectiveness of mineral supplementation for the minerals most clinically relevant for the elderly.

Plant-based product replacements are gaining popularity. However, the long-term health implications remain poorly understood, and available methods, though accurate, are expensive and burdensome, impeding the study of sufficiently large cohorts. To identify dietary transitions over time, we examine anonymised loyalty-card shopping records from Co-op Food, UK. We focus on 10,626 frequent customers who directly replaced milk with alternative milk. We then use product nutritional information to estimate weekly nutrient intake before and after the transition. 83% who converted to alternative milk saw a fall in iodine (44%), calcium (30%) and vitamin B12 (39%) consumption, with 57% reducing iodine purchase by more than 50%. The decline is even higher for those switching dairy and meat products. Our findings suggest that dietary transitions - such as replacing milk with alternative milk - could lead to nutritional deficiencies, notably iodine, which, if not addressed, may represent a significant public health concern, particularly in countries which do not mandate salt iodisation.

Growing recognition of the potential vulnerabilities of major crop systems has spurred a growing interest in the potential of alternative crops which may be resilient to climate change and also help mitigate its effects. In Indonesia, such issues are particularly pertinent given that country's particular vulnerability to climate change impacts high dependence on agricultural livelihoods and varied topographies and growing conditions. Cyrtosperma merkusii (giant swamp taro) is a wetland plant which has historically formed part of food systems in the eastern Pacific. The plant has the potential to be cultivated as a source of starch on marginal coastal land and on peatlands with high water tables. The aim of this paper was therefore to determine site conditions that promote growth of C. merkusii and the macro and micronutrient status of the corms. Naturally, the size of the plants varied substantially among sites, with a neutral pH, and low redox and conductivity being strong edaphic predictors of corm size. Despite substantial differences in the soil properties of the different study sites, there were no significant differences in the macro and micronutrient content of the corms. Field trials showed that although the plants grew under dry land conditions, the plants grew bigger and yielded corms with greater concentrations of Fe, Mn and K under waterlogged conditions, indicating that a high-water table is the best cultivation environment for C. merkusii. The nutrient content of the corms suggests that, although primarily a starch crop, C. merkusii could also increase the intake of Fe in populations where Fe deficiency is pervasive. We conclude that the wetland plant C. merkusii has considerable potential as a paludiculture crop in low-lying areas of SE Asia as it was tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions and performed well when cultivated under waterlogged conditions without additional fertilisation.

Iodine is a trace element required to produce the thyroid hormones, which are critical for development, growth and metabolism. To ensure appropriate population iodine nutrition, convenient and accurate methods of monitoring are necessary. Current methods for determining iodine status either involve a significant participant burden or are subject to considerable intra-individual variation. The continuous secretion of iodide in saliva potentially permits its use as a convenient, non-invasive assessment of status in populations. To assess its likely effectiveness, we reviewed studies analysing the association between salivary iodide concentration (SIC) and dietary iodine intake, urinary iodide concentration (UIC) and/or 24-h urinary iodide excretion (UIE). Eight studies conducted in different countries met the inclusion criteria, including data for 921 subjects: 702 healthy participants and 219 with health conditions. SIC correlated positively with UIC and/or UIE in four studies, with the strength of relationship ranging from r = 0·19 to r = 0·90 depending on sampling protocol, age, and if salivary values were corrected for protein concentration. Additionally, SIC positively correlated with dietary intake, being strongest when saliva was collected after dinner. SIC varied with external factors, including thyroid function, use of some medications, smoking and overall health status. Evidence provided here supports the use of SIC as a viable, low-burden method for determining iodine status in populations. However, small sample sizes and high variability indicates the need for more extensive analyses across age groups, ethnicities, disease states and dietary groups to clarify the relative accuracy and reliability in each case and standardise procedure.

Consumers have wide access to global food and drink products online and in store that require food allergen information and labelling. Frequent food and drink product recalls occur UK and worldwide due to incorrect labelling of food allergens and their unintended or undeclared presence. This research aims to evaluate the accuracy and compliance of information and labelling of substances or products causing allergies or intolerances in prepacked food and drink products imported from Asia and purchased online in the UK. The current study assessed 768 randomly selected prepacked products classified into 16 separate product categories, representative of items from 12 countries in Asia, sourced from 8 UK retailers. When screened for precautionary allergen labelling (PAL), 173 (22.5%) items provided PAL, with 24 phrasings being identified. Upon comparing food allergen information on pack and online, 36 products (36.0%) transferred inconsistencies on pack to online pages and 15 (15.0%) were not consistent. Additionally, laboratory studies were performed to detect milk and peanut allergens in a sub-group of 77 products. Following analysis, 24 (31.2%) contained unintended food allergens, with levels ranging from 0.2 to 6780.0 mg/kg. Of these items, 9 products (37.5%) had a risk ratio ≥1 exceeding action levels produced with the VITAL® 3.0 ED01 reference doses, recommending PAL, though 7 (29.2%) were found without PAL. A further 10 products (13.0%) overused PAL and 2 products (2.6%) used PAL correctly. This research indicates further refinement of policies to ensure adequate, accurate, clear and current food allergen information and labelling of products.

Introduction & Background The level of food insecurity in England is widening, with low-income families requiring more support to reduce income inequalities. The government have introduced policies to address these issues with targeted subsidies on healthy food on programs such as the Healthy Start Scheme. Despite this, national uptake of the Healthy Start Scheme remains lower than the government target. Objectives & Approach Our study aims to predict uptake and take up discrepancies at a local authority level and understand the measures contributing to the prediction using anonymised supermarket loyalty card data records for over 4 million customers, deprivation and food insecurity measures. We used a machine-learning approach utilising transactional data, ONS Index of Deprivation datasets, neighbourhood statistics, and NHS Healthy Start Scheme uptake data. Regression prediction models were used to evaluate and predict the outcomes, whilst feature importance tools were used to evaluate the variables weighing within the model. Relevance to Digital Footprints This study leverages transaction data from a UK retailer to understand lifestyle factors at a local authority level and assesses their usefulness in predicting the scheme’s uptake. Loyalty card transactional data can provide valuable insight into purchase behaviour linked to health and nutrition. Results The Linear and Ridge Regression models performed better than other prediction models. Analysis of measures revealed that whilst deprivation and population-related measures had a high contribution to the prediction model, findings from transactional data measures provided valuable insight into shopping behavioural characteristics that contribute to the model performance. Results suggested that areas with higher spending on fruits and vegetables and high-calorie food were associated with higher uptake prediction in test data but the converse for high spend on fish. Conclusions & Implications Our study indicates that shopping data measures such as spend on fruits and vegetables, high-calorie food, fish and products bought can be utilised for prediction models for uptake and take-up discrepancy of the Healthy Start Scheme. This study highlights the complexity of understanding factors influencing public policy effectiveness and the need for tailored approaches in diverse urban contexts.

Rationale: Iodine is a trace element required to produce thyroid hormones, which are important for body growth and metabolism. A key public health issue is ensuring appropriate population iodine nutrition using convenient and accurate indicators of iodine status. Salivary glands contain sodium-iodide symporter, which allows iodine to be transported from the circulation, and saliva collection is a simple, more sanitary, and rapid way than 24-hour urine collection or blood-based biochemical analysis. Therefore, a search strategy was developed to identify studies that analysed the association between salivary iodine concentration (SIC) and dietary iodine intake or SIC and urinary iodine concentration (UIC) or/and 24-h urinary iodine excretion (UIE) in different population groups to evaluate whether an iodide saliva measurement can be a biomarker of the nutritional status of iodine. We additionally included studies that measured diurnal SIC fluctuations and those that compared the salivary iodine concentration in healthy people with those with different statuses, i.e., health and intake statuses. Methods: This review was performed according to the most recent checklist of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. Relevant literature was identified by searching the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and NUsearch databases up to January 10, 2023, using specific keywords. Results: Six studies conducted in different countries met the inclusion criteria. Four were conducted on adults and two on school-aged children. Collectively, the six studies included data for 682 subjects: 595 healthy participants and 87 with different health conditions. Four studies collected samples for one day, one collected samples for three consecutive days, and one collected samples for ten days. SIC was found to correlate positively with UIC and/or UIE in three studies, with the strength of relationship ranging from r = 0.27 to r = 0.90 depending on sampling protocol, age, and if salivary values were corrected for protein concentration. Also, the concentration of iodine in saliva was found to correlate positively with dietary intake in three studies, with a strong correlation when saliva was collected after dinner, however, of the 456 participants providing both dietary data and SIC, almost all (452) were children with values for only 4 adults. Iodine concentration in saliva can vary depending on several factors, including an individual's iodine intake, thyroid function, use of some medications, and overall health status. Conclusion: SIC may serve as a biomarker for determining a person's iodine level, and the best time for obtaining saliva samples is after lunch and before or after dinner. However, current data on saliva samples as a means of estimating iodine concentration for determining population iodine intake are insufficient and show the need for further investigations. More studies are required to create a reference range for SIC as a biomarker of iodine nutrition, determine the effect of different health issues on SIC, and determine the role of iodide secretion in saliva. Disclosure of Interest: None declared

N6 -methyladenosine (m 6 A) in mRNA regulates almost every stage in the mRNA life cycle, and the development of methodologies for the high-throughput detection of methylated sites in mRNA using m 6 A-specific methylated RNA immunoprecipitation with next-generation sequencing (MeRIPSeq) or m 6 A individual-nucleotide-resolution cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (miCLIP) have revolutionized the m 6 A research field. Both of these methods are based on immunoprecipitation of fragmented mRNA. However, it is well documented that antibodies often have nonspecific activities, thus verification of identified m 6 A sites using an antibody-independent method would be highly desirable. We mapped and quantified the m 6 A site in the chicken β-actin zipcode based on the data from chicken embryo MeRIPSeq results and our R NA- E pimodification D etection and Ba se- R ecogniti on (RedBaron) antibody-independent assay. We also demonstrated that methylation of this site in the β-actin zipcode enhances ZBP1 binding in vitro, while methylation of a nearby adenosine abolishes binding. This suggests that m 6 A may play a role in regulating localized translation of β-actin mRNA, and the ability of m 6 A to enhance or inhibit a reader protein's RNA binding highlights the importance of m 6 A detection at nucleotide resolution.

Summary The production and use of kiwifruit, and their derived products, has seen rapid growth in the food industry with some 4 467 099 tonnes produced in 2021. A key area of development has been the increased use of kiwifruit waste streams to support sustainable food production systems. However, kiwifruit is emerging as a common elicitor of food allergy worldwide. Therefore, the present research focuses on summarising the current literature on kiwifruit‐induced human food allergy. Of the available information, a total of 7098 titles were found and 107 articles were included in the current study following full‐text screening. Most research concentrated on the prevalence of allergenicity and was performed within Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania. Food allergy to kiwifruit ranged from oral allergy syndrome to anaphylaxis in humans. Few studies considered the need for labelling or public education. Given the increased usage of kiwifruit across a range of food streams, further research is required due to the greater focus on utilisation of these products in the food industry.

The use of seaweed and algal derived products in the food industry has grown rapidly in recent times. Major areas of expansion have been in Western countries where algae derived commodities are being utilised as edible foods or sources of high value ingredients. However, studies focused on potential allergenicity attributed to these food items, prevalence of allergenicity, and public health awareness are limited. Therefore, the current research summarises the existing literature focused on algal induced allergy in humans. Of the available literature, a total of 937 titles were identified, and 33 articles underwent subsequent full-text screening. Most research focused on prevalence and were derived from studies conducted in Europe (58%), North America and Canada (33%), and the remainder Australia and South Korea (9%). No studies addressed the need for public education or labelling of algal products. Our review reports that the available evidence identified points to algal derived products as being potential sources of allergens in the human food chain. Several components have been characterised that are shown to induce allergic responses in humans. Few studies have assessed the prevalence of algal allergenicity in the general population and as such further research is warranted given the increased usage of these products in the food industry.

Introduction & Background The shift towards plant-based diets remains on the rise. Several observational studies have suggested that adopting these diets can result in some fundamental nutrient deficiencies, such as iodine deficiency. This can be especially harmful to a developing fetus, leading to growth impairment and, in extreme cases, cretinism. Nonetheless, understanding of long-term health consequences of this shift remains a challenge, particularly regarding nutritional impact at broader population scales. Objectives & Approach Our study focuses on the effects of transitioning to plant-based diets on the purchasing and assumed intake of essential nutrients like iodine, calcium, and vitamin B12. We analysed anonymized shopping records of 10,626 loyal customers who switched from regular milk to alternative milk products. By matching the transaction data with nutritional information, we estimated the weekly nutrient purchases before and after the transition. Our data was collected from a national food retailer across the UK. Relevance to Digital Footprints Loyalty-card transactional logs held by retailers reflect a valuable lens into nutritional intake data. This data can provide insight into the potential impact of purchasing behaviours, such as the potential health effects of dietary changes at scale. Our approach leverages AI modelling accompanied by rigorous variable importance methods to uncover potentially hidden insights on the impact of nutritional shifts to plant-based goods. Results Results indicate that 83% of individuals deemed regular customers, who switched to plant-based milk, experienced a decrease in their purchases of iodine (44%), calcium (30%), and vitamin B12 (39%) from their normal purchase patterns at the retailer. Additionally, 57% of these individuals decreased their iodine purchases by more than 50%. The reduction in these nutrients is even more significant for those who switch to plant-based dairy and meat products. Conclusions & Implications Our research indicates that dietary changes, such as switching from purchasing regular milk to alternative milks, may lead to insufficient intake of essential dietary nutrients such as iodine. This represents a significant potential health concern for the public if not remediated, especially in countries that do not require salt to be fortified with iodine.

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AbstractReduction in dietary vitamin B6 intake is associated with an increased relative risk of diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis and cognitive dysfunction. The current research has assessed vitamin B6 intakes and PLP concentrations as a marker of vitamin B6 status among the UK adult (≥ 19 years) population. This study was carried out using a cross-sectional analysis of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (NDNS) (2008–2017). The impacts of lifestyle factors, including type of diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and commonly used medications grouped by therapeutic usage, were determined, and data were analysed using IBM SPSS®. Results are expressed as medians (25th–75th percentiles), with P values ≤ 0·05 considered statistically significant. Among UK adults, the median intakes of total population of dietary vitamin B6 met the reference nutrient intake and median plasma PLP concentrations were above the cut-off of vitamin B6 deficiency; however, we found an association between reduction in vitamin B6 intake and plasma PLP concentration and age group (P < 0·001). Smokers had significantly lower plasma PLP concentrations than non-smokers (P < 0·001). Moreover, regression analysis showed some commonly used medications were associated with plasma PLP levels reduction (P < 0·05). Taken together, we report on a tendency for dietary vitamin B6 intake and plasma PLP concentrations to decrease with age and lifestyle factors such as smoking and medication usage. This information could have important implications for smokers and in the elderly population using multiple medications (polypharmacy).