Food frontiers最新文献

{"title":"Food for Thought: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Ultra-Processed Foods on Cognition in Children and Adolescents","authors":"Lan Nguyen,&nbsp;Jared Walters,&nbsp;Bernadette Spies,&nbsp;Amelia Coppus,&nbsp;Jenaya Massie,&nbsp;Thamiris Penteado Bertonha","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70064","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fft2.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In the current economic climate, rising costs of unprocessed and organic foods have driven many families toward more affordable alternatives—particularly processed and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) such as sugar-sweetened beverages, instant noodles, sweet/salty snacks, and processed meats. Despite their convenience, UPFs provide minimal nutritional value, which may hinder cognitive development, particularly in childhood and adolescence. Given the recent surge of studies within this field, this systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized existing research to evaluate the link between UPF consumption and cognitive development in youths (children and adolescents). A comprehensive search identified 35 relevant studies encompassing 84,062 participants. Increased UPF consumption was consistently associated with poorer cognitive performance in both children and adolescents across most cognitive domains, including attention, executive functioning, fluid intelligence, language, and visuospatial ability. No significant associations were found between UPF consumption and both memory and processing speed, potentially due to a limited number of studies exploring these outcomes, thereby warranting further investigation. Moreover, consumption of energy drinks, salty snacks, and a combination of UPFs (food and drinks) consistently yielded the strongest negative mean effect sizes across most cognitive domains, indicating that these UPFs are linked with poorer cognitive performance in youths. These findings emphasize the need for dietary interventions aimed at reducing UPF consumption to support optimal cognitive development in children and adolescents. Additionally, the results provide valuable insights to inform public health policies, highlighting the importance of promoting healthier dietary choices and implementing education campaigns to mitigate the cognitive risks associated with UPF consumption.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1838-1866"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70064","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of Subcritical Water Extraction and Enzymatic Hydrolysis as a Combination Green Extraction Technique for Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) Peel Polyphenol","authors":"Qiuming Liu,&nbsp;Qingyu Ma,&nbsp;Jiao Li,&nbsp;Liping Sun,&nbsp;Yongliang Zhuang,&nbsp;Yuanlong Tang","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70057","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fft2.70057","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study aimed to develop a green and efficient technique for extracting rambutan peel polyphenols, while systematically evaluating chemical components, the water solubility, storage stability, in vitro antioxidant activity, and digestive enzyme inhibitory potential of the extracts. Subcritical water (SW) alone and SW followed by enzymatic hydrolysis (SW-EH) were employed to extract rambutan peel polyphenols. The optimal conditions of SW extraction were temperature of 130°C, time of 30 min, and liquid–solid ratio of 80:1 mL/g, which yielded a total phenol content (TPC) of 226.54 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry weight powder. A total of 39 phenolics were identified with ellagic acid as the predominant compound. SW-EH extract maintained similar phenolic profiles but contained less soluble dietary fiber compared to SW extract. The transmittance and polyphenol solubility of SW-EH extract were higher than those of SW extract in the concentration range of 5 to 100 mg/mL. The ellagic acid content in the SW and SW-EH extracts decreased by 19.05% and 1.71%, respectively, after 40 days of storage. Both extracts demonstrated comparable antioxidant activities superior to ascorbic acid, while EH treatment greatly enhanced α-glucosidase inhibitory activity compared to SW extract. With superior water solubility, storage stability, antioxidant activity, and digestive enzyme inhibitory potential, SW-EH extract is a promising product for a wide range of applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 5","pages":"2345-2358"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://iadns.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70057","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145038365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the Combination Effect of Cellulase Hydrolysis and Lactobacillus plantarum P-8 Fermentation on the Textural Properties of Whole Brown Rice","authors":"Shiyi Lu,&nbsp;Kaige Li,&nbsp;Qi Su,&nbsp;Yangyang Wen,&nbsp;Hongyan Li,&nbsp;Jing Wang,&nbsp;Baoguo Sun","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70049","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fft2.70049","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Brown rice arouses great attention due to the enriched nutrients, but the unpleasant texture caused by bran layer limits consumer acceptance. To date, although individual enzyme or fermentation treatment has been developed to modify the rice bran, the feasibility of the combination method and co-effects on whole brown rice have not been investigated. In this study, brown rice treated with cellulase and <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> P-8 together (CAF-BR) was compared with samples individually treated with cellulase (E-BR) or fermentation (F-BR), in terms of cellulase activity, textural attributes, and variations in the main component of brown rice. The results showed CAF-BR had higher cellulase activity and less glucose in the hydrolysate than E-BR, reflecting a cooperative effect on rice bran hydrolysis. Moreover, CAF-BR showed a significantly lower hardness and higher stickiness, compared to E-BR and F-BR. This was consistent with the most ruptured bran of CAF-BR observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the correspondingly highest amount of water absorption ratio, which possibly explained the decreased hardness of CAF-BR. In addition, the leachates from CAF-BR possessed the most starch content and the highest content of large molecular weight amylopectin among all samples, which was highly associated with an increased stickiness. Ultimately, this study extends the knowledge about the feasibility of combining enzymatic treatment with fermentation for modifying the wholegrain brown rice, providing a theoretical basis of the cooperative effects on improving the textural properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1903-1912"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70049","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative Mass Spectroscopy Profiling of Masala Spices: Unveiling Direct and Remote Antimicrobial Effects of Nonvolatile and Aroma Metabolites via Biochemometric Tools and Molecular Networking","authors":"Mai E. Hussein,&nbsp;Mostafa H. Baky,&nbsp;Radwa H. El-Akad,&nbsp;Mariam Hassan,&nbsp;Rupesh Deshmuk,&nbsp;Mohamed A. Farag","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70055","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fft2.70055","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Herbal spices are widely used as food additives not only for their distinct aroma and flavor but rather for their health-promoting properties. In this study, the chemical profiles of four major masala spices—chaat (CMP), pav-bhaji (PMP), sambhar (SMP), and tandoori (TMP)—were analyzed using advanced multiplex-mass spectrometry techniques (HS-SPME–gas chromatography (GC)–MS and UPLC–MS/MS). A total of 45 aroma compounds were identified, with aldehydes emerging as the dominant constituents in PMP and CMP masalas at 74.7% and 56.1%, respectively, compared with 22.1% in SMP and 21.7% in TMP. Notably, cinnamaldehyde was the major compound, present at 70.1% in PMP, 48.5% in CMP, and 10.7% in SMP. Furthermore, 98 secondary metabolites were annotated, spanning nitrogenous compounds, gingerols, diarylheptanoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and saponins. Molecular networking highlighted five key clusters of bioactive compounds, including gingerols, capsaicin derivatives, piper alkaloids, and steroidal saponins. The antimicrobial properties of the masalas were evaluated using vapor phase (VP) and direct assays, revealing broad-spectrum activity, and PMP exhibited the strongest antibacterial effect with the lowest VP minimum inhibitory concentration (VP-MIC) values, attributed to cinnamaldehyde richness. The partial least squares (PLS) of identified metabolites against all tested microorganisms indicated that PMP was the most correlated to antimicrobial effect. These findings highlight the potential of masala spices not only as flavoring agents but also as food additives with antimicrobial properties. However, factors, such as batch variations, geographic origin, and processing methods, may affect their consistency and application. Future studies should correlate other biological effects, that is, antioxidant, using same model developed in this study for these species.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1926-1953"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70055","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alleviating Effects of Citrus Polymethoxyflavones on Autoimmune Thyroiditis via IL-17 Signaling Pathway","authors":"Manxi Wu,&nbsp;Han Yang,&nbsp;Yuhao Wu,&nbsp;Yuanxiao Yin,&nbsp;Junhao Li,&nbsp;Yongfu Ge,&nbsp;Cui Sun,&nbsp;Jinping Cao,&nbsp;Dengliang Wang,&nbsp;Yixiong Zheng,&nbsp;Yue Wang,&nbsp;Chongde Sun","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70053","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fft2.70053","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), characterized by chronic thyroid inflammation and autoantibody production, currently lack targeted therapies, highlighting the need for natural immunomodulators. This study systematically investigated the immunomodulatory effects of citrus flavonoids, particularly polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), on AITDs. Flavonoid extracts from six citrus varieties were screened on Nthy-ori3-1 cells. Extracts from Ougan, Eureka lemon, and Newhall sweet orange significantly reduced thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) levels by 25%–34% (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), demonstrating potential anti-AITDs activity. High-performance liquid chromatography identified and quantified thirteen flavonoids, among which eight representative compounds were further evaluated. Tangeretin exhibited the strongest activity, lowering TPO-Ab levels by 64% (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.0001) and downregulating interleukin 1 beta (IL1B), interleukin 6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) by 1.9-fold–2.5-fold in an AITDs cell model. Mechanistically, PMFs, specifically tangeretin and nobiletin, alleviated AITDs by modulating the IL-17 signaling pathway, regulating key regulators such as TNF receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3), TRAF3-interacting protein 2 (Act1), nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1 (NFKB1), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). In a NaI-induced murine AITDs model, oral tangeretin administration (20 and 100 mg/kg/day body weight) for 8 weeks significantly reduced serum TPO-Ab levels (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), thyroid follicular destruction, and lymphocyte infiltration. Notably, this study is the first to systematically evaluate the immunoregulatory effects of citrus PMFs in AITDs, demonstrating their potential as natural, food-derived therapeutic agents. These findings provide valuable insights into PMFs as novel immunomodulators, paving the way for food-based interventions in autoimmune diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1887-1902"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70053","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Critical Overview of Common Foodborne Toxicants and Methods for Their Reliable Detection","authors":"Betty Bowe Acquah,&nbsp;John-Lewis Zinia Zaukuu","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70046","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fft2.70046","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Food is an essential commodity for human health. However, toxicants such as mycotoxins, heavy metals, acrylamide, and pesticides can be present in food either naturally or through processing, packaging, or some anthropogenic activities. A thorough review of carefully selected studies revealed that climate change and pandemics have led to an increase in food intoxication that present both long-term and short-term toxicity with potentials of resulting in fertility issues, heart diseases, allergic reactions, and immune system risks. Consequently, regulatory bodies have set permissible limits for the ingestion of these toxicants. Therefore, analytical techniques are employed to detect and quantify these toxicants ensuring that they are within safe limits for consumption. This article critically outlines causes of emerging toxicants in food, their impact on consumer health as well as recent advances (novel approaches) in analytical methods and principles behind their selection, operation, and application for food toxicant determination. Chromatographic techniques, spectroscopy, biosensors, and vision systems are among the most used techniques for toxicant determination due to their sensitivity, but spectroscopy presents additional advantages of non-invasive analysis with cost-effective benefits. The use of algorithms, such as neural networks in emerging techniques such as vision systems and spectroscopy enhance data processing, results in improved outputs for different tasks. These analytical techniques play crucial roles in ensuring that food toxicant levels remain within permissible limits, thereby directly contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) which is good health and well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1658-1700"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70046","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuroprotective Properties of Wild Mango (Mangifera caloneura Kurz) Leaves on Alleviating Urban Air Pollutant Toxicity: Insights From Transcriptome Analysis of a Human Neuronal Cell Model","authors":"Parinee Kittimongkolsuk,&nbsp;Suporn Sukjamnong,&nbsp;Sakawrat Janpaijit,&nbsp;Panthakarn Rangsinth,&nbsp;Sawarin Chumpolphant,&nbsp;Kamonwan Chaikhong,&nbsp;George Pak-Heng Leung,&nbsp;Valerie W. Hu,&nbsp;Tewarit Sarachana,&nbsp;Anchalee Prasansuklab,&nbsp;Tewin Tencomnao","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70052","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fft2.70052","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Exposure to urban air pollution, particularly particulate matter (PM), has been correlated with an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, notably Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between urban air pollution and neurodegenerative diseases remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the toxic effects and underlying mechanisms of urban dust on SH-SY5Y cells using high-throughput transcriptomic sequencing. In addition, we explored the neuroprotective potential of an ethanol extract of wild mango (<i>Mangifera caloneura</i>) leaves (MCE) against urban dust-induced neurotoxicity. Our results demonstrated that urban dust significantly induced intracellular reactive oxygen species generation, reduced nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation, and decreased both mitochondrial membrane potential and adenosine triphosphate production. Transcriptomic analysis revealed altered expression of several genes associated with oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases, compared to control cells. Notably, co-treatment with MCE reversed the detrimental effects caused by urban dust, particularly by enhancing Nrf2 nuclear translocation, increasing sirtuin 1 and superoxide dismutase 1 levels, and normalizing the altered gene expression patterns. In summary, MCE shows potential as an alternative therapeutic agent for preventing oxidative stress associated with air pollution-induced neurodegenerative diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1987-2010"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70052","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physicochemical and Nutritional Properties of Functional Fresh Pasta With Free and Microencapsulated Olive Pomace Extract","authors":"Giuseppe Natrella,&nbsp;Mariana Miccolis,&nbsp;Giusy Rita Caponio,&nbsp;Alessandro Di Michele,&nbsp;Lilia Zago,&nbsp;Carla Di Mattia,&nbsp;Graziana Difonzo","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70047","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fft2.70047","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The increased demand of consumers for healthy foods has generated interest among researchers and food producers in developing functional foods. Olive pomace (OP) can be used to obtain high-added value products, being a valuable source of phenols. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of incorporating OP extract, as free lyophilized (F-OPE) and as microencapsulated (M-OPE), on the physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory properties of fresh pasta “cavatelli.” Pasta samples with M-OPE were characterized by a higher yellow color and had higher total phenolic compounds content compared to samples with F-OPE (on average 0.43 vs. 0.39 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) g⁻¹ of fresh sample), showing that the microencapsulation technique preserved polyphenols during pasta manufacturing. The experimental samples had lower moisture (on average 29% vs. 31.14%) and <i>a_w</i> compared to the control pasta (CP), but still complied with Italian law, according to which fresh pasta must have at least 24% moisture and <i>a_w</i> not higher than 0.97. Microencapsulation proved to be useful in retaining volatile organic compounds, as well as enhancing antioxidant activity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that samples with F-OPE had more porous and spongy structures. On the other hand, the gluten network was lost in pasta sample with the highest content of M-OPE. The intensity of odor and taste linked with raw cereal was more intense in CP, than in experimental ones. Bitterness and astringency were perceived most in samples with F-OPE, especially at high concentration. Indeed, considering the overall acceptability, all the samples gained a positive score, except for the sample with the highest F-OPE content.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"2035-2051"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70047","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals the Selenium-Regulatory Metabolism in Rare Yeast Kazachstania unispora KU2","authors":"Furong Wang,&nbsp;Jiadi Zhang,&nbsp;Yilei Xiao,&nbsp;Zeyu Hu,&nbsp;Xian Wang,&nbsp;Yuqi Gao,&nbsp;Kewei Feng,&nbsp;Yahong Yuan,&nbsp;Tianli Yue","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70014","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fft2.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Selenium (Se)-enriched yeast is the best Se source to address Se deficiency–related health issues. <i>Kazachstania unispora</i> (<i>K. unispora</i>) is a rare yeast that effectively bioaccumulates organic Se. However, the Se enrichment mechanism of <i>K. unispora</i> remains poorly characterized. This study explored the characteristic differences between Se-enriched <i>K. unispora</i> KU2 and non-enriched counterpart via integrated genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics analysis. A total of 138 metabolites and 1561 genes exhibited significant alternations during Se enrichment. Joint analysis revealed unique Se-regulatory pathways, predominately arginine biosynthesis, the TCA cycle, glutathione metabolism, and selenocompound metabolism. Among them, seven differentially expressed genes, including <i>glnA</i>, <i>E1.2.1.88</i>, <i>DLD</i>, <i>acnA</i>, <i>GPT</i>, <i>metH</i>, and <i>CTH</i>, were identified as key Se-regulatory genes in <i>K. unispora</i> KU2. These findings provide useful knowledge for targeting Se levels in <i>K. unispora</i> and new insights into commercial application of <i>K. unispora</i> as a probiotic to promote human health.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1913-1925"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70014","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Lactobacillus fermentum GKF3 on Reducing Smoking and Brain Neurotransmitter Levels: Findings From Animal and Human Studies","authors":"You-Shan Tsai,&nbsp;Shan Lin,&nbsp;Chin-Chu Chen,&nbsp;Chun-Hung Chiu,&nbsp;Mei-Chin Mong,&nbsp;Shu-Ling Hu,&nbsp;Chi-Hao Wu","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70033","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fft2.70033","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The efficacy of smoking cessation therapies primarily relies on modulating brain dopamine levels. Given the ability of psychobiotics to modulate neurotransmitter release via the gut-brain axis, this study investigated the potential of <i>Lactobacillus fermentum</i> GKF3 supplementation to reduce smoking in adults. A preliminary physical restraint study in ICR mice demonstrated that 4 weeks of GKF3 gavage significantly elevated brain dopamine and serotonin levels, suggesting potential efficacy in smoking reduction. Subsequently, a randomized, single-blind, crossover study was conducted with 45 habitual smokers. Each participant provided informed consent and received either a placebo or GKF3 capsule (2.0 × 10¹⁰ colony-forming units [CFU]/day) for 4 weeks, followed by a 2-week washout period and crossover to the alternate treatment arm for an additional 4 weeks. The primary outcome was daily tobacco exposure, estimated by measuring nicotine and its metabolites (cotinine and <i>trans</i>-3′-hydroxycotinine) in urine using LC–MS/MS. Results showed that the GKF3 group had a significantly greater reduction rate (67%, 30/45) in nicotine and its metabolite levels compared to the placebo group (36%, 16/45, <i>p</i> = 0.0031). No significant differences were observed between groups in oxidative stress parameters before or after the intervention (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation with <i>L. fermentum</i> GKF3 effectively reduces smoking, potentially through the modulation of monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain. This study provides initial evidence supporting the use of probiotics as a complementary therapy for smoking cessation.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"2065-2075"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70033","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}