Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture最新文献

{"title":"Synergistic healing: harnessing snail mucus enriched with carob extract for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant therapy in ulcerative colitis.","authors":"Khaoula Gharbi, Slimen Selmi, Soumaya Wahabi, Ala Ayari, Karima Tlili, Stefano D'allacqua, Hichem Sebai","doi":"10.1002/jsfa.14305","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14305","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including ulcerative colitis, are characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches. This study explores the therapeutic potential of snail mucus derived from snails fed different concentrations of carob (SSCS) and compares its efficacy to aqueous carob extracts (AECS). Both SSCS and AECS are rich in bioactive compounds with potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and tissue-regenerative effects.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Snail mucus was found to be rich in collagen and allantoin, which are crucial for tissue repair and cell regeneration, whereas carob extracts contained high levels of phenolics, tannins and flavonoids, contributing to their antioxidant properties. In a rat model of acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis, pretreatment with SSCS, AECS or sulfasalazine significantly alleviated colonic damage. The SSCS30% group exhibited the strongest protective effects, comparable to sulfasalazine, in reducing mucosal injury, inflammation and immune activation. Biochemical analyses demonstrated that SSCS30% effectively decreased systemic inflammation markers (CRP), pancreatic stress indicators (amylase) and liver enzyme levels (AST, ALT, ALP), while enhancing antioxidant defenses and preserving colonic sulfhydryl content.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of snail mucus, particularly from snails fed a 30% carob-enriched diet, as a promising natural therapy for IBD. Its potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and tissue-regenerative properties suggest that the use of SSCS30% could serve as an innovative approach for managing ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory disorders. These findings suggest that carob-enriched snail mucus could serve as a complementary therapy for ulcerative colitis patients, though clinical validation remains necessary. While these preclinical results are promising, further clinical studies are needed to validate the therapeutic potential of this natural combination in human ulcerative colitis. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":17725,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144029628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the separation and purification of flavonoids extracted from foxtail millet, with an in-depth study on its functions in alleviating metabolic syndrome through suppressing lipid absorption.","authors":"Xiaoqin La, Xiaoting He, Jingyi Liang, Zhaoyan Zhang, Zhuoyu Li","doi":"10.1002/jsfa.14295","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14295","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Rising living standards alongside high-fat diets (HFDs) have fueled the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), posing a significant health challenge with limited effective therapies. Foxtail millet is recognized as a health food with rich flavonoids. The objective of this work is to isolate and purify flavonoids from foxtail millet, which have the potential to alleviate MetS and to clarify their mechanism.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our research combined single-factor experiments and a Box-Behnken design to optimize the extraction processes for millet whole-grain flavonoids (MWGFs) followed by the purification using D101 resin. Components were eluted using varied alcohol concentrations. Additionally, the investigation revealed that MWGF30 notably decreased triglyceride (TG) levels, mitigated lipid uptake in Caco-2 cells induced by free fatty acids, and suppressed lipid absorption in HFD mice while modulating TG, high‑ and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol levels. Further investigation uncovered that MWGF30 achieved this lipid uptake reduction ability by downregulating the CD36 protein level.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Collectively, MWGF30 demonstrated a potent ability to regulate blood lipids and curb lipid absorption, enhancing our comprehension of millet's benefits and furnishing a scientifically grounded dietary approach for MetS. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":17725,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144020512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Purification and characterization of two non-starch polysaccharides from bulbils of Dioscorea opposita Thunb. 'Tiegun' and their antioxidant and hypoglycemic activity.","authors":"Li Wang, Yu-Peng Yang, Yi Tian, Shu-Cheng Huang, Yuan Ruan, Chun-Nan Wen, Miao Liu, Bing-Ji Ma","doi":"10.1002/jsfa.14296","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14296","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Dioscorea opposita Thunb. cv. 'Tiegun' has substantial agricultural and economic value. Its underground tubers are used widely in food and traditional medicine but the bulbils - small globular structures in the leaf axils - are frequently overlooked and discarded. This wastes biological resources and reduces overall plant productivity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>To address this, subcritical water extraction was applied to extract substances from the bulbils, followed by separation and purification. As a result, two non-starch polysaccharide components, DBP1 and DBP2, were obtained, with extraction rates of 2.25% and 0.85% respectively. Subsequent research on their properties and activity showed that DBP1 (21.9 kDa) was a neutral polysaccharide mainly made of Gal and Glc, and DBP2 (109.8 kDa) was an acidic polysaccharide composed of GalA and Gal. Due to the higher yield of DBP1, its structure was studied in greater depth. Methylation experiments indicated that its main chain consisted of 1,4-Galp and 1,4,6-Glcp glycosidic bonds with branch points, consistent with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) results. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that DBP1 and DBP2 had distinct filamentous structures yet similar spherical morphologies. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis were used to study their functional groups and thermal stability. In activity tests, DBP1 and DBP2 both showed antioxidant activity and could inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase, demonstrating hypoglycemic activity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In conclusion, DBP1 and DBP2, two non-starch polysaccharides, showed good antioxidant and hypoglycemic effects. They can be used as raw materials for functional foods and drugs and merit further development. Maximizing bulbil utilization promotes green, sustainable agriculture and prevents resource waste. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":17725,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143975418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Imbalance between boron and phosphorus supply influences boron deficiency symptoms in Brassica napus L.","authors":"Zhe Zhao, Sheliang Wang, Youqiang Wang, Fangsen Xu","doi":"10.1002/jsfa.14304","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14304","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The occurrence of boron (B) deficiency in Brassicaceae crops has increased in recent years. Inappropriate application of B with other nutrients often exacerbates symptoms of B deficiency. The aim of this study was to explore the interactive effects of B and phosphorus (P) on the B deficiency symptoms of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). Two rapeseed cultivars ('W10' and 'ZS11') were treated with two B application rates (low and high B) and three P application rates (low, medium, and high P), and the growth parameters (root morphology, B absorption and distribution, and the P/B ratio) were examined in pot and hydroponic experiments.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Under low B conditions, plants showed severely reduced root and shoot growth but it was greatly improved when supplemented with medium P supply. Further analysis revealed that high P combined with low B decreased the B concentration of newly initiated leaves and seeds, and increased the P/B ratio in plants compared with the medium P and low B combination, resulting in the aggravation of B deficiency of rapeseed. In comparison with the B-inefficient cultivar 'W10', the B-efficient cultivar 'ZS11' had superior growth and seed yield under low B conditions. Furthermore, 'W10' and 'ZS11' displayed significant differences in the response of the interaction between B and P to plant P/B ratio and root morphological parameters, which may reflect distinct genotype characteristics.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings emphasize the importance of interactions between B and P in the growth and yield formation of rapeseed in B-deficient soils, as imbalanced B and P supply can exacerbate B deficiency symptoms in rapeseed. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":17725,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143989455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A two-level approach to geospatial identification of optimal pitaya cultivation sites using multi-criteria decision analysis.","authors":"Serdar Selim, Bekir Taner San, Dilek Koc-San, Ceren Selim","doi":"10.1002/jsfa.14297","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14297","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pitaya, also known as dragon fruit, is one of the most popular and expensive fruits in the world. It has been commercially produced since the early 20th century. This plant requires a specific growing environment and ecological conditions, so it is typically cultivated under greenhouse conditions in Türkiye. However, there is a clear need for a comprehensive assessment of outdoor adaptation and/or outdoor growing areas for sustainable yield at the regional scale.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study presents a multi-criteria decision-making analysis-based geographical information system (GIS) study to identify and evaluate the suitability of outdoor growing areas for pitaya. In this study, eight crucial factors were identified for outdoor pitaya cultivation: temperature, rainfall, soil pH, soil depth, land use capability, altitude, slope and aspect. An analytical hierarchy process was conducted to determine the weights for each parameter, followed by a weighted overlay analysis using GIS tools. The range of weight values was obtained between 0.2748 and 0.0319. The area of the best places for pitaya cultivation was calculated to be 9245.7 ha (11.7%). It was determined that 32.63%, 37.57% and 18.1% of the locations were moderately suitable, less appropriate and unsuitable, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The selection of comparable production sites will be guided by the study. Such suitable site selection studies are extremely significant since the cultivation of the pitaya plant, which has a high commercial value for economically developing countries, will be crucial to the growth of agricultural employment in these nations. Future research will be guided by this study's methodology and analysis strategies. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":17725,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143989312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of the effect of 2450 MHz and 915 MHz microwave heating on the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium in large-scale peanut butter processing.","authors":"Hun-Gu Sagong, Won-Jae Song, Dong-Hyun Kang","doi":"10.1002/jsfa.14306","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14306","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study investigated the effectiveness of 2450 MHz and 915 MHz microwave treatments for inactivating foodborne pathogens during large-scale peanut butter processing (400 g batches). Peanut butter samples inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium were exposed to either 2450 MHz or 915 MHz microwave heating. After treatment, the acid and peroxide values and color changes were assessed to determine the impact of the process.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>As treatment time increased, pathogen populations showed a corresponding decrease. The 915 MHz microwave treatment for 90 s achieved a reduction of 3.73 to 4.95 log CFU g^-1. The 2450 MHz treatment for 160 s resulted in a smaller reduction, ranging from 1.59 to 3.24 log CFU g^-1. The 915 MHz microwave treatment did not impact the acid, peroxide, or color values of the peanut butter. In contrast, the 2450 MHz treatment led to higher acid and peroxide values and caused noticeable changes in the color of the peanut butter.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings indicate that 915 MHz microwave processing could be an effective method for the food industry to use in peanut butter pasteurization as it achieves pathogen reduction without compromising product quality. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":17725,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144026845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Postharvest jasmonic acid and methyl jasmonate dip treatments alleviate chilling injury and maintain quality of cold-stored 'Black Amber' and 'Tegan Blue' Japanese plums (Prunus salicina Lindell).","authors":"Mahmood Ul Hasan, Zora Singh, Lochlan Buckham, Eben Afrifa-Yamoah, Peter D Petracek, Steven McArtney","doi":"10.1002/jsfa.14285","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14285","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chilling injury (CI) in Japanese plums (Prunus salicina Lindell) is a critical cold storage constraint that adversely impacts fruit quality and marketability. Jasmonic acid (JA) and its methyl derivative 'methyl jasmonate' (MeJA) are widely studied phytohormones for the mitigation of CI in several fruit crops, whereas their efficacy in Japanese plums remains unexplored. Freshly harvested 'Black Amber' and 'Tegan Blue' plums were dipped for 1 min in 0 (control), 25, 75 or 250 ppm of aqueous solutions/emulsion of jasmonic acid (JA), methyl jasmonate' (MeJA) and the ethylene precursor aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), and cold stored for 14 and 28 days followed by 1 and 2 days under shelf conditions. Fruits were evaluated for CI incidence, CI index, relative electrolyte leakage (REL) and other physicochemical quality attributes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>JA and MeJA treatments significantly reduced CI in both cultivars. In 'Black Amber' plums, MeJA 250 ppm decreased CI incidence to 16.6% compared to control (56.7%). In 'Tegan Blue' plums, 250 ppm JA and 25 ppm MeJA lowered CI incidence to 35% compared to 81.7% in control. REL was significantly reduced in JA and MeJA treatments. The flesh firmness remained higher in 'Tegan Blue' plums treated with all three concentrations of MeJA dip treatment. The soluble solids content (SSC) and SSC:titratable acidity (TA) ratio was significantly increased in 'Black Amber' plums dipped in an aqueous solution of ACC (250 ppm). The percentage of TA was not significantly affected by JA, MeJA and ACC treatments.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This is the first study to show that the application of MeJA and to a lesser extent JA alleviated CI in both cultivars of plum fruit without compromising fruit quality. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":17725,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144000897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mediation of crop heavy metal uptake by root exudates in an intercropping system of heavy metal contaminated soils.","authors":"Li Zou, Qiuyao Shang, Zhixian Li, Zhenan Xing, Guoliang Chen, Zhang Chen, Jianlin Zhou, Xiling Liu","doi":"10.1002/jsfa.14298","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14298","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Intercropping emerged as an agricultural technique exhibiting remarkable potential and benefits in promoting safe crop cultivation in heavy metal contaminated soils. In the present study, we set up five treatments of maize monoculture, soybean monoculture, Sedum Alfredii monoculture, maize/Sedum Alfredii and soybean/Sedum Alfredii intercropping and revealed the mechanism of intercropping on the yield of maize and soybean, as well as on the uptake of manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), from the perspective of root exudates by a randomized block test in the field.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results showed that intercropped maize yield increased by 16.35% compared to monoculture maize in the maize/Sedum alfredii system. Meanwhile, the contents of Mn, Cd and Pb in the rhizosphere soil of intercropped maize were lower than those of monoculture maize, with significant reductions in acid-soluble and reducible Mn and Cd. By contrast, the soybean/Sedum Alfredii intercropping system, showed no significant differences in soybean yield, heavy metal accumulation in organs, or rhizosphere soil concentrations between intercropped and monoculture soybeans. Further analysis of the maize rhizosphere microenvironment revealed that citric acid and malic acid, as secreted by intercropped maize roots, were key factors influencing the morphological transformation of Mn and Cd in the soil. These acids also reduced the absorption and accumulation of Mn and Cd in intercropped maize.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings of the present study provide critical insights into heavy metal uptake mechanisms in intercropping systems and offer a novel strategy for the sustainable remediation and utilization of heavy metal-contaminated farmland. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":17725,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144042316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lipid-lowering effect of mangiferin through the inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity.","authors":"Shuang Wang, Yuan Qin, Yashi Liu, Rui Jiao, Rui Lin, Zongxiang Yuan, Zouyan He","doi":"10.1002/jsfa.14301","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14301","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity to reduce dietary lipid absorption is an effective strategy to combat obesity. Mangiferin, a bioactive flavonoid derived from Mangifera indica, exhibits potent lipid-lowering potential. However, although its in vitro inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase has been identified, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Direct in vivo evidence of its impact on dietary lipid absorption is also lacking. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism of mangiferin's inhibition of pancreatic lipase through in vitro inhibitory kinetics assays and in silico molecular docking analysis. Its effects on dietary lipid absorption were also evaluated in a mouse model of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Inhibitory kinetics assays demonstrated that mangiferin inhibited pancreatic lipase in a reversible, non-competitive manner, with a half- maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 82.31 μmol L^-1. Molecular docking showed that mangiferin bound to the enzyme's allosteric site through hydrogen bonds with Glu-188, Arg-191, Gln-22, and Val-21 residues, consistent with non-competitive inhibition. In vivo studies revealed that administration of 200 mg kg^-1 body weight of mangiferin alleviated HFD-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, and hyperlipidemia significantly. Notably, mangiferin increased fecal lipid excretion by 52.5%, which was significant, indicating reduced dietary lipid absorption.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest that mangiferin is a promising pancreatic lipase inhibitor, which may reduce dietary lipid absorption, contributing, at least partially, to its lipid-lowering effects. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":17725,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143971290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Forage cactus and the growth of pathogenic microorganisms in ruminants.","authors":"Juliana Silva de Oliveira, Hilario Cuquetto Mantovani, Arlan Araujo Rodrigues, Igor Machado Ferreira, Edson Mauro Santos","doi":"10.1002/jsfa.14266","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14266","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Forage cactus is a major food grown in arid and semiarid regions, and serves as a nutraceutical for humans and a nutrient source for ruminants. However, high inclusion in ruminant diets may cause nutritional disorders like diarrhea. This review examines the chemical traits, sugars and microbiota of forage cactus and their link to pathogenic microbes in ruminants. Recent studies have linked diarrhea in animals to contamination of forage cactus with pathogenic microorganisms. This is attributed to the chemical characteristics of the plant, such as high moisture content and neutral detergent-soluble carbohydrates (NDSCs). These characteristics make forage cactus a suitable substrate for the development of Escherichia coli and other pathogens in animal feed. Additionally, its high passage rate can favor the growth of pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms in the small and large intestines of ruminants, causing diarrhea. To mitigate these nutritional disorders, especially under smallholder management, the inclusion of cactus in the diet must be balanced. Practices such as using larger particle sizes, including a food source with lower NDSCs and higher fiber content, and ensiling can reduce the incidence of nutritional disorders in animals fed diets containing forage cactus. Complementary measures, such as improved hygiene and reducing the exposure time of crushed cactus to air, are crucial to further minimize risks. These practices enable the safe inclusion of higher proportions of forage cactus in ruminant diets, ensuring animal health and productivity. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":17725,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143971506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}