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Buckwheat (Fagopyrum sp.) is increasingly favoured for its nutritional composition and overall health benefits in Sweden. However, buckwheat cultivation in Sweden is low. This project evaluated the cultivation of four cultivars of common buckwheat in Scandinavian cropping conditions over two years, employing standard sowing methods and harvesting techniques. The results showed that a seeding rate of 200 seeds per m² was sufficient to achieve a yield comparable with other studies. There were no significant differences in germination rate and number of plants per m² between buckwheat cultivars, while significant differences were observed in maturation time and yield. The average yield of buckwheat (common or Tartary) varied from 724 kg ha-1 (“Darja”) to 3 276 kg ha-1 (“Panda”) in 2021, and from 2 587 kg ha-1 (“Kora”) to 3 133 kg ha-1 (“Tartary buckwheat”) in 2022. All buckwheat cultivars had a protein content in the seeds of approximately 110 g kg-1 of dry matter and were composed of a well-balanced amino acid profile. Our results indicate that the Swedish geographic latitude and meteorological conditions were suitable for achieving high buckwheat yields for some cultivars.

This study investigated Portulaca oleracea (purslane) as a potential antioxidant supplement in cooked sausages, focusing on its effects on lipid oxidation, fatty acid composition, and antioxidant activity. The fatty acid profile of the sausages enriched with 1.2% purslane powder revealed a 1.3-fold increase in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid. Improved oxidative stability during refrigerated storage was observed, with peroxide values of 10.9 meq/kg in the sausages with purslane by day 10 compared with 12.5 meq/kg in the control sausages. The thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values, reflecting lipid peroxidation, were also significantly lower in the sausages with purslane. The antioxidant capacity of the sausages containing purslane was significantly enhanced, demonstrating a ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of 13.5 mg GAE/g, whereas the control sausages showed undetectable FRAP levels. Additionally, the DPPH radical-scavenging activity in the sausages with purslane was 21.70% compared with 13.73% in the control. These findings suggest that purslane improves the nutritional profile of meat products by increasing beneficial fatty acids while providing substantial protection against oxidative spoilage. Purslane offers a promising natural alternative to synthetic antioxidants, enhancing the shelf life and quality of processed meats.

Tempeh is a fermented soybean food with high nutritional value, culinary versatility, and palatability. Its popularity is rising because it aligns with the trend towards sustainable and healthy plant-based diets. However, consumers have exhibited a strong preference for local ingredients over soy. Faba bean is a promising raw material in Scandinavia due to its high protein, dietary fiber, and phytochemical content. In this study, we evaluated the effects of soaking media (vinegar, water and sodium bicarbonate with or without lactic acid bacteria (LAB)) on boiling time and physicochemical properties of faba bean-based tempeh. We demonstrated that sodium bicarbonate, with and without LAB, significantly reduces the boiling time of faba beans (7–8 min), while beans soaked in vinegar and water with and without LAB require longer boiling times for tempeh production (>16 min). Texture analysis has revealed notable variations among the samples, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) observed across the majority of the measured attributes. Our study has demonstrated that faba beans are suitable for tempeh production and expand the sources of possible raw materials. However, further studies are needed to investigate consumers’ preferences and expectations towards faba bean-based tempeh.

Currently, there is an increase in the use of preparations from collagen-containing raw materials in the production of meat products. The high functional and technological properties of such preparations make it possible to significantly improve the rheological properties of food products, as well as organoleptic indicators, and enrich meat products with dietary fibers. The aim of this study was to study the effect of an emulsion of 5% protein hydrolysate and 1% purslane powder on herodietic boiled sausages for the elderly. The results showed that the experimental samples of boiled sausages contained 15.44% protein, 6.6% fat, 4.2% carbohydrates and 71.1% moisture; this shows that boiled sausage with the addition of protein hydrolysate contains optimal chemical composition for dietary nutrition, a certain moisture index confirms the excellent consistency of boiled sausage. The change in the peroxide number was studied for 7 days. The results showed that the peroxide number did not change significantly from 2.0 meq/kg to 4.6 meq/kg. Thus, the addition of purslane with antioxidant properties helps to slow down the oxidation of fats and thereby increases the shelf life of boiled herodietic sausage. The results of the study of color characteristics showed stable color formation, which was influenced by an emulsion of collagen and purslane. It was found that products using emulsions from collagen-containing raw materials are characterized by a higher concentration of tyrosine due to the action of proteolytic enzymes (pepsin and trypsin)—from 728.1 mcg/mL (during the first three hours of hydrolysis) to 392.5 mcg/mL (during 6 h of hydrolysis)—which indicates a higher degree of protein digestibility these products. Thus, the addition of an emulsion of 5% protein hydrolysate and 1% purslane powder can be recommended for the production of boiled sausages with improved nutritional and taste properties.

Cet article fait le point sur les connaissances relatives aux besoins nutritionnels des porcs mâles non castrés chirurgicalement, dans la perspective de mieux valoriser leur potentiel de croissance pour une meilleure efficience alimentaire, tout en veillant à maintenir un faible risque d’odeurs de verrat et à préserver les qualités de la carcasse et de la viande. Les raisons pour lesquelles une alimentation à volonté des mâles entiers doit être privilégiée, plutôt qu’un rationnement alimentaire, avec des aliments plus concentrés en acides aminés, sont présentées, notamment pour optimiser leur potentiel de développement de la masse protéique. Elles s’appliquent également aux porcs mâles immuno-castrés, qui peuvent être nourris comme les mâles entiers jusqu’à la deuxième vaccination contre les odeurs de verrat. Au-delà, leurs besoins en acides aminés essentiels sont nettement inférieurs à ceux des mâles entiers et les apports peuvent être diminués. Le risque d’odeurs de verrat de la viande est un problème crucial pour l’aval qui doit être maîtrisé en amont dans la production de mâles entiers. À cette fin, les impacts de l’incorporation de divers ingrédients alimentaires susceptibles de réduire les teneurs en scatol sont discutés, tant pour ce qui concerne leur efficacité que les mécanismes mis en œuvre. Avec une très faible adiposité de carcasse, les mâles entiers présentent une teneur en lipides intramusculaires inférieure à celle des femelles et des mâles castrés chirurgicalement, ce qui pénalise la qualité organoleptique de la viande. Par ailleurs, les acides gras du tissu adipeux des mâles entiers peuvent être fortement insaturés, ce qui modifie l’aptitude technologique au séchage des produits. La prise en compte de ces critères dans les cahiers des charges peut orienter les recommandations alimentaires.

Recent studies suggest that a diet rich in sugars significantly affects the gut microbiota. Adverse metabolic effects of sugars may partly be mediated by alterations of gut microbiota and gut health parameters, but experimental evidence is lacking. Therefore, we investigated the effects of high intake of fructose or galactose, with/without fructooligosaccharides (FOS), on gut microbiota composition in rats and explored the association between gut microbiota and low-grade systemic inflammation. Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 6/group) were fed the following isocaloric diets for 12 weeks (% of the dry weight of the sugars or FOS): (1) starch (control), (2) fructose (50%), (3) galactose (50%), (4) starch+FOS (15%) (FOS control), (5) fructose (50%)+FOS (15%), (6) galactose (50%)+FOS (15%), and (7) starch+olive (negative control). Microbiota composition in the large intestinal content was determined by sequencing amplicons from the 16S rRNA gene; 341F and 805R primers were used to generate amplicons from the V3 and V4 regions. Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Tenericutes, and Cyanobacteria composition differed between diets. Bifidobacterium was significantly higher in all diet groups where FOS was included. Modest associations between gut microbiota and metabolic factors as well as with gut permeability markers were observed, but no associations between gut microbiota and inflammation markers were observed. We found no coherent effect of galactose or fructose on gut microbiota composition. Added FOS increased Bifidobacterium but did not mitigate potential adverse metabolic effects induced by the sugars. However, gut microbiota composition was associated with several metabolic factors and gut permeability markers which warrant further investigations.

Background: Food is considered the predominant source of human exposure to chlorinated and brominated persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Exposure and potential sources of these compounds are less studied in adolescents. We aimed to investigate blood serum levels of chlorinated and brominated POPs in Swedish adolescents and to investigate associations with breastfeeding and food consumption. Methods: A national representative sample of adolescents (three age groups with mean age of 12, 15 and 18 years) (N=1096) were recruited between September 2016 and May 2017 in the study Riksmaten adolescents 2016-17. Diet was assessed using a web-based 24-h dietary recall method and frequency questions. Chlorinated POPs (including ten polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE)) and three polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) were analysed in blood serum using gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) analysis. Associations between breastfeeding duration during infancy and consumption of five food groups (i.e. fish and shellfish, dairy products, eggs, meat, fats and oils) and serum POP concentrations were investigated. Results: HCB, p,p'-DDE, and CB118, 138, 153, 170, 180 and 187 were detected in most samples while the other analysed POPs were below limit of quantification in ≥60% of the samples. Longer breastfeeding time was associated with higher concentrations of p,p'-DDE, CB118, and CB138-187 (i.e. sum of CB138, 153, 170, 180, 187). Consumption of fish and shellfish was positively associated with concentrations of HCB and CB118. Consumption of dairy products was positively associated with concentrations of HCB and CB138-187. Egg consumption was positively associated with p,p'-DDE. Conclusion: Serum concentrations of HCB, p,p'-DDE and PCBs in Swedish adolescents are comparable to concentrations in other European adolescent populations. Breastfeeding, fish, dairy products, and eggs are probable sources of chlorinated POP exposure in Swedish adolescents.