Abstract Selenium (Se) is an essential yet globally scarce element, and microbial vectors offer an innovative method for augmenting Se bioavailability in crops. Trichoderma harzianum DEMf 1V and Тrichoderma citrinoviride DEMf: TR3 were grown in nutrient media with 2.5 and 5 mg Se l−1 to obtain Se-enriched biomasses. T. harzianum DEMf 1V accumulated the highest Se amount, 1262.50 µg g−1 DW. In a pot experiment, Se-enriched T. harzianum DEMf 1V used as a wheat biofertilizer, induced a 70% higher Se content than seedlings fertilized with Na₂SeO₃. The results verified the growth-promoting effects of T. harzianum DEMf 1V and Se-enriched T. harzianum DEMf 1V, whose application caused higher biomass production (47 and 55%, respectively) and chlorophyll content (23 and 42%, respectively) compared with the control. Fungal biochemical characteristics confirmed Se as a factor that modulates enzymatic profiles and volatile organic compounds production and stimulates auxin production, suggesting a potential synergistic interaction between Se enrichment and plant growth-promoting mechanisms. The presented results demonstrated that Se enrichment of T. harzianum produced a multifunctional biofertilizer that represents a source of Se and a potent tool for amplifying the plant growth-promoting effects of Trichoderma spp.

AbstractSelenium (Se) is an essential yet globally scarce element, and microbial vectors offer an innovative method for augmenting Se bioavailability in crops. Trichoderma harzianum DEMf 1V and Тrichoderma citrinoviride DEMf: TR3 were grown in nutrient media with 2.5 and 5 mg Se l−1 to obtain Se-enriched biomasses. T. harzianum DEMf 1V accumulated the highest Se amount, 1262.50 µg g−1 DW. In a pot experiment, Se-enriched T. harzianum DEMf 1V used as a wheat biofertilizer, induced a 70% higher Se content than seedlings fertilized with Na₂SeO₃. The results verified the growth-promoting effects of T. harzianum DEMf 1V and Se-enriched T. harzianum DEMf 1V, whose application caused higher biomass production (47 and 55%, respectively) and chlorophyll content (23 and 42%, respectively) compared with the control. Fungal biochemical characteristics confirmed Se as a factor that modulates enzymatic profiles and volatile organic compounds production and stimulates auxin production, suggesting a potential synergistic interaction between Se enrichment and plant growth-promoting mechanisms. The presented results demonstrated that Se enrichment of T. harzianum produced a multifunctional biofertilizer that represents a source of Se and a potent tool for amplifying the plant growth-promoting effects of Trichoderma spp.

Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria represent a sustainable solution to cope with phosphorus unavailability in agricultural soil. However, the success of their application is highly dependent on multiple environmental factors, and a novel approach is needed for bioformulations. The present study aimed to evaluate the suitability of the spray drying method for encapsulation of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria Azotobacter chroococcum F14/2, Bacillus megaterium 11/3, and Pseudomonas putida P1. Three strains were characterized, grown under optimal conditions, and encapsulated as a whole medium-cell system using the spray drying method and maltodextrin as carrier material. The described procedure provided encapsulates with an average particle size below 5 mu m, moisture content under 10%, and satisfactory powder properties. The cell viability of encapsulates (after storage) was in the following order: Bacillus megaterium 11/3 > Azotobacter chroococcum F14/2 > Pseudomonas putida P1. Additional protection during spray drying was most probably achieved by the presence of microbial exopolysaccharides, which opened the possibilities for further optimization of encapsulation procedures.

The escalation of ecological degradation, marked by climatic instability, precipitous biodiversity loss, and systemic chemical infiltration, necessitates a shift toward integrated biotechnological intervention. This analysis considers how the trajectory of diverse advanced methodologies, including environmental DNA (eDNA) surveillance, CRISPR-based genetic restitution, and synthetic biology-driven bioremediation, might be synthesized into a unified Planetary Health Framework. By exploring the convergence of high-precision genomic engineering, AI-augmented bioinformatic modeling, and the tenets of a circular bio-economy, we examine the capacity of technological intervention to ameliorate ecological stressors and restore critical ecosystems.

This study investigates the valorization of pumpkin leaves, an underutilized agricultural byproduct, to produce plant-based protein concentrate and apply this concentrate as a novel component for developing encapsulation matrices. Composite zein/pumpkin-leaf protein concentrate/alginate matrices were structured using a pH-driven method for folic acid (FA) encapsulation. This approach afforded spherical, compact, and uniform nanoparticles, which were formed via intermolecular hydrogen bonding. These nanoparticles successfully encapsulated FA with an encapsulation efficiency of 79.09 % and a loading content of 15.82 %. The thermal analysis of all nanoparticle formulations showed compatibility among their components. The antioxidant activity and storage stability of control nanoparticles were improved by encapsulating FA and increasing its content. Notably, the nanoparticles could release FA during simulated digestion. These results emphasize the potential of the developed nanoparticles as novel nutraceuticals or ingredients for use in functional food formulations.

This study aimed to encapsulate cold-pressed horseradish leaf juice within maltodextrin/alginate (MD/AL), maltodextrin/guar gum (MD/GG), and maltodextrin/gum Arabic (MD/GA) by spray-drying, to characterize the encapsulates, and to test their potential as mayonnaise oxidation-preventing ingredients. The encapsulates exhibited desirable physicochemical, morphological, structural, and thermal properties, highlighting MD/GAcontaining encapsulates, especially regarding high encapsulation yield (78.50 %). Also, encapsulates contained a significant amount of phenolics, which were stable during freezer storage. The encapsulates successfully delayed the mayonnaise oxidation: 31.91-38.94 % more than the synthetic antioxidant ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, especially highlighting MD/AL-containing encapsulates. Also, the encapsulates improved product quality with a higher pH and lower acidity after storage compared to the controls. Overall acceptability of encapsulates-containing mayonnaises and commercial mayonnaise did not differ significantly. This study contributes to sustainable development by providing new insights into the valorization of horseradish leaves, as a promising alternative to synthetic additives to prolong the oxidative stability and shelf-life of high-oil-containing foods.

The aim of this study was to develop a novel functional ingredient—goat’s skim milk enriched with Agrocybe aegerita (V. Brig.) Vizzini mushroom extract (ME/M)—using Central Composite Design (CCD). The optimized ME/M ingredient was evaluated for its physico-chemical, techno-functional, biological, and antimicrobial properties. Physico-chemical properties were analyzed using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The ingredient exhibited a polymodal particle size distribution and contained glucans, along with a newly formed polypeptide resulting from the selective cleavage of goat milk proteins. A 0.1% ME/M solution demonstrated good emulsifying and foaming properties. Additionally, ME/M showed strong antiproliferative effects on human cancer cell lines, particularly Caco-2 (colorectal) and MCF7 (breast) cancer cells. The ingredient also promoted HaCaT cell growth without cytotoxic effects, suggesting its safety and potential wound-healing properties. Furthermore, the addition of ME/M to HaCaT cells inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus resulted in reduced IL-6 levels compared to the control (without ME/M), indicating a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effect. The optimized ME/M ingredient also exhibited antibacterial, antifungal, anticandidal, and antibiofilm activity in one-fourth of MIC. These findings suggest that the formulated ME/M ingredient has strong potential for use in the development of functional foods offering both desirable techno-functional properties and bioactive benefits.

Plant oils are important not only for human nutrition, but also for cosmetic industry, pharmaceutical industry and alike. Within plant oils, there is an increasing interest for production and use of grape seed oil as a type of high-quality plant oil. Nevertheless, grape seed oil should be treated (through the process of encapsulation) in order to protect its active ingredients. Therefore, the goal of this research is to analyse the costs of a new and original approach to grape seed oil encapsulation, which is called submerged-nozzle dispersion (SND) for oil encapsulation in alginate. After determining necessary investments in equipment, total production costs were calculated (as well as average costs per unit of product). Authors also discussed fixed and variable costs per kilogram of encapsulates for different levels of capacity use. Risk analysis was performed by applying sensitivity analysis and assuming different scenarios for market prices of the most important inputs. It was determined that average production costs of encapsulates significantly vary depending on production level, while prices of grape seed oil and sodium alginate also play an important role. Costs also depend on some technological factors, such as encapsulation efficiency and load of active compound. The results offer an insight in the effects of future investments in food industry

The aim of this research is to investigate the potential of Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy as well as mathematical linear and non-linear models as a tool for the discrimination of different seed varieties of paprika, tomato, and lettuce species. After visual inspection of spectra, pre-processing was applied in the following combinations: (1) smoothing + linear baseline correction + unit vector normalization; (2) smoothing + linear baseline correction + unit vector normalization + full multiplicative scatter correction; (3) smoothing + baseline correction + unit vector normalization + second-order derivative. Pre-processing was followed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and several classification methods were applied after that: the Support Vector Machines (SVM) algorithm, Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), and Principal Component Analysis-Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (PCA-QDA). SVM showed the best classification power in both Raman (100.00, 99.37, and 92.71% for lettuce, paprika, and tomato varieties, respectively) and FT-IR spectroscopy (99.37, 92.50, and 97.50% for lettuce, paprika, and tomato varieties, respectively). Moreover, our novel approach of merging Raman and FT-IR spectra significantly contributed to the accuracy of some models, giving results of 100.00, 100.00, and 95.00% for lettuce, tomato, and paprika varieties, respectively. Our results indicate that Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy coupled with machine learning could be a promising tool for the rapid and rational evaluation and management of genetic resources in ex situ and in situ seed collections.

Nowadays, nanostructures made of biopolymers, such as proteins and polysaccharides, have gathered the growing attention of food scientists. In this study, pumpkin leaves from field crop side streams were processed to produce the protein isolate. The leaf protein isolate was investigated given the ability to encapsulate cobalamin (vitamin B12) in a blend with pullulan by electrospinning method. The starting blend solutions were characterized regarding the key factors that influence the formation of the fibers: viscosity, charge density carried by the jet, and surface tension. The results showed that the addition of the protein isolate (1% w/v) increased the conductivity of the pullulan solution (5% w/v), from 0.163 mS/cm to 1.420 mS/cm and the viscosity from 1.74±0.07 to 8.34±0.09 mPas. Cobalamin (at a concentration of 0.3 mg/mL) decreased the conductivity (0.978 mS/cm) and slightly increased the surface tension and viscosity of the final solution. SEM micrographs showed the formation of beads-on-fiber structures after the electro-hydrodynamic processing of the solutions. The protein caused the reduction of the beads compared to the beads obtained from neat pullulan (176.68 nm vs. 357.52 nm), while the mean fiber diameter was not affected (~22.5 nm). The combination of biopolymer pullulan and protein-rich pumpkin leaf extract has shown the properties of a potential carrier for the model vitamin.

Some essential oils (EOs) have exhibited high efficacy against Salmonella Typhimurium, suggesting that specific molecular structures within their constituents could inform the development of alternative antimicrobial agents, potentially addressing the rise of antibiotic resistance in this bacterium. Through feature permutation analysis on a dataset of 171 EO samples encompassing 682 molecular substructures, we identified ten key predictors of antibacterial activity against S. Typhimurium. These predictors were used to train a logistic regression-based machine learning model. Hydroxyl-substituted benzene rings characteristic of phenolic compounds - such as carvacrol, thymol and eugenol - emerged as strong predictors of antibacterial activity. In contrast, non-aromatic bicyclic structures present in monoterpenoids like alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and delta-3-carene were associated with a lack of efficacy against Salmonella. The molecular features identified align with existing research on the antimicrobial properties of phenolic compounds, thereby validating the use of machine learning approaches in guiding the discovery of naturally occurring antimicrobial agents.

Medicinal plants and mushrooms have been used for the prevention and treatment of various diseases since ancient times. For thousands of years, they have attracted significant interest due to their broad spectrum of biological activities and drug-like properties. Their continued use in traditional medicine has evolved alongside, and increasingly been supported by modern scientific research. Diabetes mellitus poses a serious global health, social and economic challenge and is among the most rapidly growing health issues of the 21st century. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which accounts for 90-95% of diabetes cases, is largely attributed to sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets and obesity. Herbal medicine has already played a key role in the development of antidiabetic drugs, as exemplified by the plant-derived origins of metformin. The development of new therapeutics or therapeutic adjuvants from natural sources offers several advantages over synthetic drugs, including improved safety profiles for long-term use, efficacy, affordability and reliance on renewable raw materials. This review highlights the potential of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants and mushrooms, discussing their mechanism of action, extraction techniques and their significance for the prevention, management and treatment of T2DM.

The current trend in food innovations includes developing products containing plant ingredients or extracts rich in bioactive compounds. This study aimed to prepare and characterize skimmed thermally treated goat’s milk powders enriched with lyophilized fruit extracts of Lycium ruthenicum Murray (GMLR) and Lycium barbarum L. (GMLB). Proximate analysis, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy using attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR), and electrophoretic analysis were assessed. Total phenolic content (TPC), total protein content, and antioxidant properties of enriched goat milk powders were determined spectrophotometrically, and prebiotic potential was evaluated by the broth microdilution method. A total of 25 phenolic compounds and 18 phenylamides were detected in the enriched goat milk powders. Electrophoretic analysis showed the absence of proteolysis in the prepared powders. The GMLR showed the highest TPC and displayed a ferric ion-reducing power, probably contributed by anthocyanins and some phenylamides. GMLR and GMLB had higher ABTS radical scavenging activity but lower ferrous ion-chelating capacity than control goat′s milk powder. GMLB and GMLR in a dose-dependent manner (0.3–5 mg/mL) showed a growth-promoting effect on probiotic strains. In summary, prepared goji/goat milk powders, primarily GMLR, might be used as prebiotic supplements or functional food additives.

The cold-pressed horseradish (Armoracia rusticana L.) root juice was used for spray-drying encapsulation within different biopolymeric carriers (maltodextrin/alginate, maltodextrin/guar gum, and maltodextrin/gum Arabic) to ensure easier handling and preservation of its bioactive compounds. The obtained encapsulates were added in mayonnaise formulations as potential substitutes for synthetic antioxidants. Physicochemical, spectrophotometric, and chromatographic analyses of the encapsulates showed the presence of various phenolic compounds and a pronounced antioxidant activity. The encapsulates were stable in terms of total phenolic content retention over 6 months of storage at -18 degrees C. The determination of the peroxide and p-anisidine values as well as the accelerated oxidation stability analysis showed that the horseradish encapsulates added to the mayonnaise were more potent in maintaining the oxidative stability of the mayonnaise than the synthetic antioxidant. The added encapsulates positively affected the pH and acid values of the mayonnaises. Also, mayonnaises with encapsulates were sensory acceptable. These results suggest that encapsulated horseradish root juice within various carriers could find useful application as a natural antioxidant in food products to prevent oxidation and prolong shelf-life.

This study aimed to assess pumpkin leaves as a protein source and determine the feasibility of these proteins to form complexes with alginate for the encapsulation of folic acid. Different isolation protocols, two based on isoelectric precipitation (one with thermal pretreatment and the other with alkali pre-extraction) and one based on stepwise precipitation with ammonium sulfate, were compared regarding the yield and structural properties of the obtained leaf protein concentrates (LPC). The highest purity of protein was achieved using the thermal-acid protocol and the salting-out protocol at 40% saturation. RuBisCO protein was detected by SDS-PAGE in all LPCs, except for the fractions obtained through salting-out at saturation level ≥ 60%. Complexation of the LPC solutions (1 mg/mL) and sodium alginate solution (10 mg/mL) was monitored as a function of LPC:alginate ratio (2:1, 5:1, and 10:1) and pH (2–8) by zeta-potential measurements and confirmed by FT-IR analysis. Based on the results, the strongest interaction between LPCs and alginate occurred at a pH between 2.20 and 2.80 and an LPC:alginate ratio of 10:1. Complexation resulted in particle yields of 42–71% and folic acid entrapment of 46–92%. The LPC-folic acid interactions elucidated by computational protein–ligand docking demonstrated the high potential of RuBisCO as a biocarrier material for folic acid. The in vitro release study in the simulated gastrointestinal fluids indicated that complexes would be stable in gastric conditions, while folic acid would be gradually released in the intestinal fluids.

This study characterizes oak (sessile and pedunculate oak) and alternative wood (black locust, Myrobalan plum, wild cherry, and mulberry) species as important sources of volatile compounds of aged spirits. Nowadays, their fragments are used to hasten the brandies? aging process. The ATR-FTIR spectra of analyzed wood samples are similar, only the mulberry FTIR spectrum contains unique peaks primarily due to its highest lignin content (40.93%). Using the untargeted GC-MS approach, a total of forty-one volatile compounds were identified in the wood extracts in a model spirit solution. The volatile profiles of alternative wood extracts in a model spirit solution were significantly different, both quantitatively and qualitatively, compared to those of oak. Coniferyl (23.14 ?g/g - 26.6 ?g/g) and sinapyl (23.56 ?g/g - 25.82 ?g/g) alcohols were the most abundant volatile compounds in investigated oak extracts. Resorcinol and coniferyl alcohol were the most abundant volatile compounds in black locust, sakuranin in wild cherry, while resorcinol and ?-resorcinaldehyde in mulberry wood. To the best of our knowledge, sakuranin has not been detected in wild cherry wood until now. Besides wood chemical characteristics, the technology used during the aging process strongly influences on volatile profiles of aged brandies, thus, these compounds are potential chemical markers for discrimination between wood species as well as aging technologies.

Beer is one of the most famous beverages in the world, produced using a standardized technology that includes barley malt, water, hops and brewer's yeast. However, consumers demand for innovative and authentic beer have been contributed to the development of microbreweries and the production of craft beer. In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the production of "functional" craft beers with unique sensory properties that contain non-cereal adjuncts. A particular challenge in the development of these craft beers is the manner and timing of the addition of adjuncts in the brewing process (wort boiling, fermentation, maturation or packaging) to ensure improved extraction of bioactive compounds and their distribution in the final product. The aim of this study was therefore to enrich hopped wort with grape seeds as a source of phenolic compounds, then sterilize it and analyze the composition of bioactive compounds (phenolic compounds and hop bitter acids) using the UHPLC Q-ToF MS technique. All compounds were identified based on m/z exact mass, typical MS fragments and available literature data. In total, 28 phenolic compounds and 21 hop acids were confirmed in the analyzed wort samples with/without grape seed. Phenolic compounds detected in control wort were originated from hops or malt and their total content was 961.46 µg/100mL. Total quantified phenolics in the wort enriched with grape seed was significantly higher compared to control wort, that is 6579.77 µg/100mL (2.5% GS) and 8138.02 µg/100mL (5.0% GS). The main detected phenolics were hydroxybenzoic acid, ellagic acid, flavan-3-ols and procyanidins, which are typical compounds for Prokupac grape seed. This means that most phenolic compounds are transferred from the seed to the wort during sterilization. (Iso)-a-acids were predominantly detected in the control wort, and the share of most identified acids was lower in the wort enriched with grape seeds. Sterilization of hopped wort contributes significantly to the extraction of phenolic compounds from grape seeds, and present the crucial step in the production of functional craft beer enriched with grape seed phenolics.

Herein we describe the antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing potential of aqueous and polysaccharide extracts from three widely appreciated mushrooms: Agrocybe aegerita, Laetiporus sulphureus and Agaricus bisporus. Moreover, we present their detailed phenolic, polysaccharide and protein profiles and ATR-FTIR spectra. The study found that polysaccharide extracts (PEs) from mushrooms had higher total and β-glucan levels than aqueous extracts (AEs), with A. aegerita showing the highest content. L. sulphureus had a higher total protein content, and A. aegerita AE had the highest phenolic content. Our results indicate that all the tested extracts have high potential regarding their bioactive properties, with A. aegerita being the most promising one. Namely, the antibacterial activity assay showed that the development of the skin-infection-causing agent, Staphylococcus aureus, was inhibited with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 4.00 mg/mL and minimal bactericidal concentration of 8.00 mg/mL, while the results regarding wound healing showed that, over the course of 24 h, the A. aegerita extract actively promoted wound closure in the HaCaT keratinocyte cell line model. The anti-inflammatory activity results clearly showed that when we used S. aureus as an inflammation-inducing agent and the A. aegerita aqueous extract in treatment, IL-6 levels reduced to the level of 4.56 pg/mL. The obtained data suggest that the tested mushroom extracts may serve as a source of bioactive compounds, with potential applications in the cosmeceutical, pharmaceutical and food industries. Furthermore, potential skin preparations carefully crafted with mushroom extract may help restore the skin’s barrier function, decrease the probability of staph infections and minimize skin irritation.

Immobilized yeast cells have significant potential for application in the fermentation of alcoholic beverages due to their technical and economic advantages over free-cell systems. Polysaccharide carriers have proven to be an effective solution for improving cell viability and protection during fermentation processes. This study aims to immobilize Saccharomyces pastorianus yeast cells using the lyophilization technique. Suspensions were prepared by mixing sodium alginate and maltodextrin (1.5%) with cells harvested during the early exponential growth phase. After lyophilization, the powders were analyzed for yield, cell viability, moisture content, particle size, and z potential. The microstructure of the carriers was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The moisture content and solubility of both types of carriers were similar, and the low moisture content indicates the microbiological stability of polysaccharide carriers, making them suitable for application in the food industry. The viability of immobilized cells in the carriers was significantly higher (>74.3%) compared to free cells (64.2%). The average particle diameter was 7.4 ± 0.2 µm for alginate and 7.2 ± 1.2 µm for maltodextrin. The surface charge of all samples was measured to confirm the physicochemical stability of the carriers, with negative charges observed in all samples. The low values in the control sample indicate the tendency of free cells to aggregate, highlighting the role of carriers in maintaining system stability. SEM micrographs demonstrated successful cell immobilization and reduced porosity in the carriers containing maltodextrin. These results confirm the effectiveness of polysaccharide carriers in cell immobilization and protection, as well as their potential for industrial use.