This study analyzed total fatty acids and their sn-2 positional distribution in triacylglycerol in breast milk from three lactational stages in five regions of China, and their association with the type of edible oil consumed by lactating mothers.

This study aims to evaluate the reproducibility and validity of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ) developed for vegetarians and omnivores in Harbin, China. Participants (36 vegetarians and 64 omnivores) administered SQFFQ at baseline (SQFFQ1) and six months later (SQFFQ2) to assess the reproducibility. The 24 h recalls (24 HRs) for three consecutive days were completed between the administrations of two SQFFQs to determine the validity. For reproducibility, Pearson correlation coefficients between SQFFQ1 and SQFFQ2 for vegetarians and omnivores were 0.45~0.88 and 0.44~0.84, respectively. For validity, unadjusted Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.46~0.83 with an average of 0.63 and 0.43~0.86 with an average of 0.61, respectively; energy-adjusted Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.43~0.82 with an average of 0.61 and 0.40~0.85 with an average of 0.59, respectively. Majority of the correlation coefficients for food groups and macronutrients decreased or remained unchanged after energy adjustment. Furthermore, all correlations were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Bland–Altman plots also showed reasonably acceptable agreement between the two methods. In conclusion, the SQFFQ developed in this study has reasonably acceptable reproducibility and validity.

Plant and animal proteins can provide beneficial synergistic effects in compensating for their structural and nutritional inadequacies. In this study, oat protein (OP) was combined with whey protein (WP) and were subjected to ultrasonic treatment to produce a dual-protein gel. This investigation systematically analysed the changes in protein aggregation state, conformation, and properties of OP-WP gels with varying protein ratios (OP, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7 and WP) and ultrasonic power treatments (power 0, 200, 400 and 600 W), and explored the underlying formation mechanism. It was revealed that both increased whey protein content and moderate ultrasonic power significantly reduced the particle size of protein aggregates. Meanwhile, this increased the conversion rate from α-helix to β-sheet and reduced the amount of random coil structures, and decreased the content of free sulfhydryl groups. At 400 W ultrasonic power, the dual-protein gel with an OP:WP ratio of 3:7 exhibited excellent textural properties, rheological behavior, gel strength (147.96 gf) and water-holding capacity (50.96 %). Disulfides and hydrophobic interactions were enhanced by a tight and uniform gel framework. Furthermore, excessive sonication (600 W) disrupted protein conformation by increasing α-helix to 12.90 % and random coiling to 12.99 %, causing a decline in fluorescence intensity and weakening of structural stability of OP-WP gel. This research offers new insights and technical references for the adoption of ultrasonic processing in dual-protein gel systems and the exploitation of novel high-protein food.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe gastrointestinal disease that primarily affects premature infants. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the potential roles of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and probiotics in the prevention and treatment of NEC. In this study, a neonatal rat NEC model was established to evaluate the protective effects of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus 1.0320 combined with 3-FL and 3′-SL. The results demonstrated that 1.0320FS improved the macroscopic manifestations of NEC, reduced clinical disease scores, and improved histopathological alterations. Moreover, 1.0320FS modulated intestinal inflammatory responses by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway and reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Meanwhile, it activated the Nrf2/NQO1 antioxidant pathway, increased the activities of GSH, SOD, and CAT, reduced MDA levels, and alleviated oxidative stress-induced intestinal damage. In addition, 1.0320FS promoted the expression of tight junction proteins, thereby restoring intestinal barrier integrity. The combined intervention also reshaped gut microbiota composition, characterized by an increased abundance of Firmicutes and a decreased abundance of Proteobacteria, enrichment of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus, and suppression of harmful bacteria including Proteus. Furthermore, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels were significantly elevated. In summary, L. rhamnosus 1.0320 combined with 3-FL and 3′-SL alleviated intestinal injury in NEC through multiple mechanisms, including regulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, intestinal barrier function, immune balance, and gut microbiota homeostasis.