Food Science & Nutrition最新文献

{"title":"Plant Part-Specific Differences in Ashwagandha (<i>Withania somnifera</i>): A Comparative Evaluation of Root and Leaf Evidence for Safety and Regulation.","authors":"Abhijit Dutta, Jang Bahadur Gupta","doi":"10.1002/fsn3.72364","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.72364","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ashwagandha (<i>Withania somnifera</i>) is a key herbal product traditionally used as a root-based rejuvenative. Leaf and whole-plant preparations have also become increasingly available, for which dedicated safety characterization remains limited. European risk assessments and the Danish ban have raised safety concerns for \"ashwagandha\" without consistently distinguishing plant parts. We conducted a structured narrative review with a regulatory focus, integrating traditional sources, phytochemical and pharmacologic studies, human clinical trials, pharmacovigilance data, quality/adulteration investigations, and national and international risk assessments. Electronic databases and gray literature sources (including AYUSH, DTU, RIVM, and FSA) were searched through 31 March 2026, and evidence was synthesized qualitatively along the axes of traditional use, phytochemistry, efficacy, safety, quality and regulation, explicitly contrasting root and leaf. Root consistently shows a profile dominated by withanolide A, D, and glycol-withanolides, whereas leaf is richer in withaferin A and related electrophilic withanolides. Multiple randomized controlled trials and a 12-month study of standardized root extracts demonstrate clinically relevant reductions in stress, anxiety, and insomnia, with generally favorable safety and no reproducible serious organ toxicity. Human data for leaf are sparse and confounded, while preclinical leaf studies emphasize the high withaferin A content and anticancer and immunomodulatory effects and theoretical toxicity concerns. European risk opinions have extrapolated mixed plant-part data to all ashwagandha preparations, even as analytical surveys document adulteration of root materials with leaves and stems. Current evidence supports greater confidence in authenticated, standardized root preparations for systemic use, while evidence for leaf remains limited and requires indication-specific development and dedicated safety evaluation. These findings support plant-part specificity in regulatory frameworks, including analytical authentication to detect leaf adulteration, plant-part- and product-specific risk assessment, and re-assessment of plant-part-agnostic safety conclusions as higher-quality evidence emerges. Future research should prioritize comparative trials of root versus leaf and whole-plant extracts and long-term safety studies of standardized leaf preparations.</p>","PeriodicalId":12418,"journal":{"name":"Food Science & Nutrition","volume":"14 10","pages":"e72364"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13635981/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Thermal Pretreatment and Spontaneous Fermentation on the Quality Characteristics of Okara Flour.","authors":"Abdul-Aziz Bawa, Fortune Akabanda, Newlove Akowuah Afoakwah","doi":"10.1002/fsn3.72453","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.72453","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Okara is a nutrient-rich soybean-processing byproduct whose food use is limited by undesirable beany-flavor and variable functional properties. This study examined the individual and interactive effects of thermal pretreatment and the duration of spontaneous fermentation on the sensory, physicochemical, compositional, phytochemical, and functional characteristics of okara flour. Wet okara was either left untreated or heated at 90°C-100°C for 5 min, then spontaneously fermented at 25°C ± 3°C for 0, 12, 24, 36, or 48 h in a randomized 2 × 5 factorial design with three independent processing replicates. Data were analyzed by blocked two-factor analysis of variance followed by Tukey's HSD test. Fermentation duration affected beany-flavor intensity (<i>p</i> < 0.001), whereas thermal pretreatment and the interaction were not significant. Thermally pretreated okara fermented for 12 h recorded the lowest beany-flavor intensity (2.24 ± 1.10), while scores exceeded 6.6 after 24-48 h. Sensory color and texture were not significantly affected (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Significant thermal pretreatment × fermentation duration interactions occurred for pH, titratable acidity, and water absorption capacity (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Crude protein ranged from 24.54 to 29.84 g/100 g and was affected by thermal pretreatment (<i>p</i> = 0.049) and fermentation duration (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Fermentation duration also affected total phenolics, phytate, and tannins (<i>p</i> < 0.001), whereas Hausner ratio and Carr's index remained unchanged. Among the treatment combinations evaluated, the thermally pretreated 12-h sample had the lowest observed beany-flavor intensity while retaining the broader compositional and functional characteristics assessed. This treatment-level observation should be interpreted descriptively because the thermal pretreatment × fermentation-duration interaction for beany-flavor intensity was not significant.</p>","PeriodicalId":12418,"journal":{"name":"Food Science & Nutrition","volume":"14 10","pages":"e72453"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13635481/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physicochemical, Bioactive, Sensory, and Microbial Evaluation of Functional Drinking Yoghurt Fortified With Beetroot and Orange Juice.","authors":"Md Masudul Islam Khan, Md Noitik Ali, Ayshee Tabassum, Devpriya Bhattacharjee, Shahin Alam, Md Shahedul Islam","doi":"10.1002/fsn3.72452","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.72452","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to formulate and quality-characterize drinking yoghurt with beetroot pulp, abundant in antioxidants, rich in betalains and phenolic compounds and to enhance its nutritional, bioactive, and sensory attributes by adding orange juice. In this study, three different mixtures of beetroot pulp and orange juice were used: Sample A: 240 g yoghurt, 30 g beetroot pulp, and 30 mL orange juice; Sample B: 225 g yoghurt, 45 g beetroot pulp, and 30 mL orange juice; and Sample C: 255 g yoghurt, 15 g beetroot pulp, and 30 mL orange juice. Formulation-dependent differences were observed in the measured bioactive parameters. Sample B showed the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity at 800 ppm (56.1% ± 2.1%) and the lowest estimated IC₅₀ (429.4 ppm), together with the highest TPC (51.4 ± 1.5 mg GAE/100 g) and TFC (14 ± 1 mg CE/100 g). The sensory analysis showed that sample A achieved the highest mean sensory scores across the evaluated attributes, whereas Sample C received the lowest taste score. During 0-35 days of refrigerated storage, no coliforms or <i>Escherichia coli</i> were detected in any sample, that is, < 1 CFU/mL yoghurt, whereas the pH of all drinking yoghurt samples remained relatively stable, ranging from 4.0 to 4.5, with sample B demonstrating the highest pH and sample C the lowest. The findings demonstrate formulation-dependent differences in sensory and bioactive characteristics and support further investigation of beetroot-orange fortified drinking yoghurt using independently replicated production batches and broader shelf-life assessment.</p>","PeriodicalId":12418,"journal":{"name":"Food Science & Nutrition","volume":"14 10","pages":"e72452"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13635476/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Plucking Standards and Processing Methods on the Quality Characteristics of Summer Tea Leaves.","authors":"Jinlong Luo, Siyu Liao, Fengjiao Ding, Yuqiao Dai, Zhongying Liu, Tuo Zhang, Ting Yang, Qin Li, Shimao Fang, Yan Li, Wanping Fang, Qiang Shen","doi":"10.1002/fsn3.72445","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.72445","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To improve the utilization value of summer tea resources, fresh summer tea leaves with different plucking standards were processed into four tea types (green, yellow, white, and black teas) to elucidate the effects of plucking maturity and processing methods on tea quality. Sensory evaluation, physicochemical analysis, electronic tongue, and metabolomics were employed to comprehensively characterize tea quality attributes. The tea samples made from one bud and one leaf showed superior sensory quality, especially in aroma, freshness, and sweetness. Processing significantly shaped flavor profiles: black tea reduced bitterness, white and yellow tea enhanced sweetness and umami, and green tea exhibited stronger umami and astringency characteristics. White and black tea processing also promoted key metabolite accumulation. Based on TAV (taste activity value) and rOAV (relative odor activity value), 10 key taste compounds (e.g., Asp, Glu, Thea, EGCG) and 10 key volatile metabolites (e.g., geraniol and dihydro-2-methyl-3(2H)-furanone) were identified, providing insights into the chemical mechanisms underlying tea quality development. The differential accumulation of taste compounds influenced taste characteristics, while variations in volatile metabolitescontributed to aroma diversity induced by different processing methods.</p>","PeriodicalId":12418,"journal":{"name":"Food Science & Nutrition","volume":"14 10","pages":"e72445"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13635480/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Hyaluronic Acid Molecular Weight on Physicochemical and Rheological Properties of Ice Cream.","authors":"Rutvi Joshi, Mahmoud E A Hamouda, Prafulla Salunke","doi":"10.1002/fsn3.72444","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.72444","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study evaluated the effect of hyaluronic acid (HA) with different molecular weights on the physicochemical and rheological properties of ice cream. Ice cream formulations were prepared using a consistent base mix, with treatments including a control sample containing 0.3% commercial stabilizer-emulsifier blend (IC-C) and 4 HA-treated samples with 0.3% HA at molecular weights of 320 kDa (IC-1), 980 kDa (IC-2), 1550 kDa (IC-3), and 2550 kDa (IC-4). Analyses were performed on both the ice cream mix and final ice cream to assess functional properties. Overrun, hardness, adhesiveness, and melting rate were evaluated in ice cream samples, while creaming stability (expressed as creaming index) and rheological properties (G', G″, and viscosity) were assessed in the mix. The experiment was replicated three times. Results showed that HA treatments had no significant effect (<i>p</i> > 0.05) on overrun. However, HA significantly influenced textural and rheological properties depending on molecular weight. IC-3 and IC-4 exhibited significantly higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) hardness and lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05) melting rates compared to IC-1 and the control. Creaming stability improved with increasing HA molecular weight, as indicated by lower creaming index values over 21 days. Rheological analysis showed increases in storage modulus, loss modulus, and viscosity with increasing HA molecular weight. Overall, higher molecular weight HA (1550 and 2550 kDa) improved several measured ice cream properties under the conditions of this study and shows potential as a structuring ingredient. However, as the control formulation contained both stabilizers and emulsifiers, these results do not demonstrate full replacement of conventional stabilizer-emulsifier systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":12418,"journal":{"name":"Food Science & Nutrition","volume":"14 10","pages":"e72444"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13633558/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genotype × Year Interaction Dominates Mineral Variation in Berry Fractions of Eight <i>Vitis labrusca</i> Cultivars.","authors":"Besim Karabulut, Yahya Uray, Hüseyin Çelik, Bülent Köse, Cafer Kose, Metin Turan, Ozkan Kaya","doi":"10.1002/fsn3.72438","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.72438","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The mineral composition of grape berries is shaped simultaneously by genotype and by growing season, yet the relative contribution of each source, and of their interaction, is rarely quantified within a single experimental framework. We determined 13 macro- and micronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Mn, Fe, Zn, B, Cu, Na, and Cl) in four berry fractions (seed, skin, pulp, and juice) of eight <i>Vitis labrusca</i> cultivars (Concord, Niagara, Steuben, Rizessi, Rizpem, Rizellim, Ülkemiz, and Çeliksu) grown under a uniform, nonirrigated, and non-fertilized regime at a single site over two consecutive growing seasons (2024 and 2025). Data were analyzed within each fraction using a factorial model containing block, year, cultivar, and the year × cultivar interaction, with false-discovery-rate correction applied across all tests. The year × cultivar interaction was significant for 49 of 52 fraction × element combinations and accounted for the largest single share of total variance (mean 39%), exceeding the contributions of cultivar (32%) and year (14%); the interaction was strongest in the pulp (43%) and juice (44%) fractions and reached 74% for pulp manganese. Cultivar effects within a season were significant in 93 of 104 tests. Interannual change was directionally coherent for several elements: all 16 significant changes in iron and all 20 in zinc were increases in 2025, whereas 17 of 19 significant manganese changes and 13 of 14 phosphorus changes were decreases. Cultivars differed substantially in compositional stability between seasons, with Niagara varying least (median 1.75-fold change across elements and fractions) and Concord most (2.87-fold); Niagara and Rizpem were particularly stable in the pulp and juice. Harvest maturity, expressed as soluble solids concentration, was not associated with mineral concentration in any fraction. After cultivar, year, and block effects were removed, 186 of 312 elemental pairs remained significantly correlated, indicating associations that are not merely a reflection of cultivar or seasonal differences. These findings identify genotype × environment interaction, rather than genotype alone, as the principal determinant of mineral variation in <i>V. labrusca</i> berries and suggest that compositional stability is itself a trait that differs among cultivars. Absolute concentrations reported here should be regarded as provisional, because analytical validation data for the present dataset were not available.</p>","PeriodicalId":12418,"journal":{"name":"Food Science & Nutrition","volume":"14 10","pages":"e72438"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13633620/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Aloe vera</i>-Honey Edible Coating Prolongs Shelf Life and Preserves Quality of Refrigerated Fresh-Cut Mango (<i>Mangifera indica</i>).","authors":"Tupura Khatun, Md Asaduzzaman","doi":"10.1002/fsn3.72447","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.72447","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Postharvest deterioration of fresh-cut mangoes limits shelf life, marketability, and nutritional quality, creating a need for safe, sustainable preservation strategies. This study investigated the effectiveness of edible coatings formulated from <i>Aloe vera</i> gel and mixed flower honey in preserving the quality and extending the refrigerated shelf life of fresh-cut local mangoes (<i>Mangifera indica</i>) from Bangladesh. Fresh-cut mango cubes were coated with six formulations comprising an uncoated control, 100% <i>Aloe vera</i> gel, 100% mixed flower honey, and different binary combinations of <i>Aloe vera</i> gel and honey, and stored at below 4°C for 20 days. We evaluated physicochemical attributes, antioxidant compounds, color, firmness, microbial quality, and spoilage at 5-day intervals. Compared with the uncoated control, the coatings significantly reduced moisture loss, microbial proliferation, and fruit spoilage while preserving firmness, color, vitamin C, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content. However, contrary to the hypothesis that honey would synergistically enhance <i>Aloe vera</i>'s preservative effects, 100% <i>Aloe vera</i> gel consistently outperformed all honey-containing formulations. Among all treatments, the 100% <i>Aloe vera</i> coating exhibited the highest preservation efficiency, reducing weight loss by approximately 48% and spoilage by 50% after 20 days of storage while maintaining the lowest microbial counts and the greatest retention of antioxidant compounds and physicochemical quality. Principal component and correlation analyses further confirmed that reduced moisture loss was strongly associated with improved firmness and antioxidant retention. These findings demonstrate that <i>Aloe vera</i>-based edible coatings, particularly 100% <i>Aloe vera</i> gel, provide an effective, environmentally friendly, and biodegradable approach for extending the shelf life and maintaining the quality of fresh-cut mangoes. This technology offers promising potential for commercial postharvest preservation of fresh-cut mangoes and other climacteric fruits while reducing postharvest losses and reliance on synthetic preservatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":12418,"journal":{"name":"Food Science & Nutrition","volume":"14 10","pages":"e72447"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13633574/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149105828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review on Gelling and Foaming Agents in Food: Mechanism and Applications","authors":"Messenbet Geremew Kassa,&nbsp;Desye Alemu Teferi,&nbsp;Neela Satheesh,&nbsp;Aynadis Molla Asemu","doi":"10.1002/fsn3.72437","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fsn3.72437","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Food texture and structural stability are critical determinants of consumer acceptance and overall product quality in the food industry. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of gelling and foaming mechanisms, focusing on traditional hydrocolloids (pectin and gelatin) alongside emerging plant-based alternatives, such as aquafaba (chickpea cooking water). For gelling systems, we examine the molecular networks driving matrix formation, highlighting how processing variables and natural source variability complicate texture control in clean-label formulations. For foaming systems, the mechanisms of surface tension reduction, gas incorporation, and interfacial stabilization are analyzed against critical environmental factors, including pH, temperature, and surfactant concentration. The key findings underscore a growing industrial shift toward sustainable, plant-derived texturizers that mimic the viscoelastic properties of animal proteins. Ultimately, this review bridges the gap between fundamental macromolecular behavior and practical applications, offering actionable insights for food scientists aiming to innovate clean-label formulations, optimize structural stability, and enhance the sensory profiles of aerated and gelled matrices.</p>","PeriodicalId":12418,"journal":{"name":"Food Science & Nutrition","volume":"14 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13633557/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Meat Freshness Monitoring in the Modern Supply Chain: Analytical Advances, Smart Packaging, and Digital Integration.","authors":"Md Abu Rayhan, Md Hassan Bin Nabi, Tamanna Rahman, Md Suhel Mia, Wahidu Zzaman","doi":"10.1002/fsn3.72450","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.72450","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Monitoring meat freshness across the modern supply chain remains challenging because meat quality changes dynamically with fluctuating cold-chain, packaging, and logistics conditions. Conventional assessment methods, sensory inspection, physicochemical indices, and microbiological testing remain essential reference tools but are destructive, retrospective, and poorly suited to real-time decision-making. Growing research attention has therefore focused on sensor-based systems, intelligent packaging, spectroscopic and imaging techniques, and digitally enabled monitoring platforms. However, many technologies that perform well in the laboratory do not scale into robust solutions under realistic supply-chain variability. This review takes a translation-oriented approach, reframing meat spoilage pathways in terms of their analytically detectable signals rather than their mechanistic biochemistry. Conventional freshness indices are critically assessed to explain their structural inability to operate under real logistics dynamics. Emerging technologies are evaluated not on analytical novelty alone, but on their capacity to integrate multiple spoilage signals, function under variable conditions, and support actionable freshness management, with particular attention to sensor arrays, data-fusion schemes, IoT connectivity, machine-learning-based prediction, and smartphone-assisted interpretation. This review provides a critical, criteria-based synthesis to guide the development of robust, scalable, and decision-oriented freshness monitoring systems capable of reducing waste, improving food safety, and strengthening supply-chain resilience.</p>","PeriodicalId":12418,"journal":{"name":"Food Science & Nutrition","volume":"14 10","pages":"e72450"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13633619/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Pediococcus acidilactici</i>PA53 Supplementation Improves Stool Form and Modulates Gut Microbiota and Inflammatory Responses in Adults With Functional Constipation: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.","authors":"Yuhan Xia, Yongmei Cai, Yongwei Zhang, Rui Cai, Hanshu Liu, Zhiwen Qiang","doi":"10.1002/fsn3.72370","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.72370","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of <i>Pediococcus acidilactici</i> (<i>P. acidilactici</i>) PA53 in adults with functional constipation. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 87 adults with functional constipation were assigned to receive either <i>P. acidilactici</i> PA53 (3.0 × 10¹⁰ CFU/day) or a dextrin placebo in a 1:1 ratio for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was improvement in constipation symptoms, assessed by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). Secondary outcomes included spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs), quality of life, serum biomarkers of intestinal function, inflammatory markers, and gut microbiota composition via 16S rRNA sequencing. At week 8, the PA53 group showed a significantly higher BSFS score than placebo (2.76 ± 0.93 vs. 2.03 ± 0.85, <i>p</i> = 0.004) and a significant within-group improvement from baseline (<i>p</i> = 0.001), indicating stool softening. The proportion of participants achieving 4-6 SBMs/week increased significantly in the PA53 group (from 16.7% to 38.1%, <i>p</i> = 0.028), but the between-group difference was not significant (<i>p</i> = 0.144). Within the PA53 group, motilin and interleukin-10 increased, while somatostatin and interleukin-6 decreased (all <i>p</i> < 0.05); however, no between-group differences were significant for any biomarker. Gut microbiota analysis revealed marked enrichment of <i>Pediococcus</i> and changes in microbial diversity in the PA53 group. PA53 was well tolerated with no adverse events. Overall, <i>P. acidilactici</i> PA53 safely improved stool form and was associated with beneficial changes in gut microbiota and inflammatory markers in adults with functional constipation. Effects on bowel movement frequency were not significant between groups and warrant further investigation. <b>Clinical Trial Registration:</b> NCT06761443 (ClinicalTrials.gov).</p>","PeriodicalId":12418,"journal":{"name":"Food Science & Nutrition","volume":"14 10","pages":"e72370"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13628159/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}