Traditional sourdough is obtained using a mixture of flour and water stored at room temperature until acidification. Therefore, adding lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can improve the quality and safety of sourdough bread. Faced with this problem, four drying techniques—freeze-drying, spray-drying, low-temperature drying, and drying at low humidity—have been applied. Our goals were to isolate LAB strains with antifungal potential against Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi. The antifungal capacity was evaluated with agar diffusion, co-culture in overlay agar, and a microdilution susceptibility assay. In addition, the antifungal compounds generated in sourdough were analyzed. As a result, dried sourdoughs were prepared with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum TN10, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum TF2, Pediococcus pentosaceus TF8, Pediococcus acidilactici TE4, and Pediococcus pentosaceus TI6. The minimum fungicidal concentrations ranged from 25 g/L versus P. verrucosum and 100 g/L against A. flavus. A total of 27 volatile organic compounds were produced. Moreover, the lactic acid content reached 26 g/kg of dry product, and the phenyllactic concentration was significantly higher than the control. The P. pentosaceus TI6 exhibited a higher antifungal capacity in vitro and demonstrated a higher production of antifungal compounds compared to the other strains; therefore, further studies will evaluate the impact of this sourdough in bread manufacture.

The escalating environmental and health concerns regarding conventional meat consumption have intensified the global search for sustainable dietary alternatives. Plant-based foods and meat substitutes have emerged as promising solutions. These products aim to replicate the sensory and nutritional attributes of meat while mitigating ecological impacts. This review examined the current scenario of plant-based foods and meat substitutes, focusing on their environmental footprints, health implications, innovative ingredient developments, consumer acceptance, and the use of analytical tools in quality control. Life cycle assessments indicate that plant-based foods and meat substitutes significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption compared to animal-based products. These alternatives offer benefits like lower saturated fat. However, they still struggle to match the amino acid composition of meat. Consumer acceptance is influenced by factors including taste, texture, and cultural perceptions, and still requires sensory improvement. Innovations in ingredient sourcing, like the use of legumes, mycoproteins, and fermentation-derived components, are enhancing product quality and diversity. Furthermore, analytical tools such as electronic noses, electronic tongues, spectroscopy, and chemometric methods ensure product consistency and fulfill consumer expectations. By synthesizing interdisciplinary insights, this review offers an integrated perspective to guide future research and development in the field of meat alternatives.

Plant sterols (PS) may improve cardiovascular risk biomarkers, beyond their cholesterol-lowering effects. Following PRISMA guidelines, 37 clinical trials e

Although plant sterols (PS) lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) in normal-weight individuals; their efficacy in obesity is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of PS supplementation on LDL cholesterol (primary outcome) and on body composition, other biochemical, lifestyle, and sarcopenia parameters (secondary and exploratory outcomes) in individuals with overweight or class I to III obesity and mild hypercholesterolemia. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial was conducted in 23 participants (body mass index: 36.4 ± 4.2 kg/m²). Participants consumed a food supplement with 2 g/d of PS or a placebo for 8 wk per phase, with a 6-wk washout period. LDL cholesterol did not differ between PS and placebo (P = 0.632): the change from baseline was +0.1 mg/dL [95% confidence interval (CI): -7.1, 7.3 mg/dL] after PS compared with +3.9 mg/dL (95% CI: -7.6, 15.4 mg/dL) after placebo. No difference was found between PS and placebo in any other lipid parameter, in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, or in the glucose regulation parameters, and no between-treatment difference in body composition, sarcopenia, or lifestyle parameters remained significant after correction for multiple testing. In individuals with overweight or class I to III obesity, 2 g/d of PS did not reduce LDL cholesterol compared with placebo, and no effect was found on any other cardiometabolic parameter. This may reflect reduced PS efficacy in this population. The trial was powered only for LDL cholesterol. Therefore, the secondary findings are exploratory and require confirmation in adequately powered trials. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT06481020.

The unsustainable trajectory of global meat consumption continues to create an urgent need for alternatives or to rethink livestock systems. While plant-based options are available, consumer acceptance remains limited due to sensory shortcomings and neophobia. In contrast, cultured meat has the potential for theoretical biological equivalence to conventional meat; however, the development of cultured meat is currently constrained by unresolved biological and technical challenges. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool for addressing these limitations. This systematic review evaluates the potential for AI to optimize the efficiency of cultured meat production, enhance sustainability, and accelerate market introduction. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and included 28 studies. Key findings are presented across several critical domains. Computational modeling can compensate for data scarcity by simulating industrial scenarios where experimental data are limited. AI algorithms are also shifting media development from trial-and-error approaches to predictive optimization, enabling the identification of cost-effective plant-based alternatives to animal serum. In tissue engineering, strategies vary between optimizing biological efficiency and digitally reconstructing the architecture of conventional meat. These production advances are supported by quality control systems that combine non-invasive visual monitoring with predictive safety analysis for real-time hazard detection. AI also extends to consumer intelligence, moving from passive sentiment analysis to active engagement that addresses misinformation and presents cultured meat as a transparent, personalized nutrition option. Overall, this review establishes a foundational framework that synthesizes fragmented research. Additionally, this review reveals critical economic constraints that may have previously been obscured by technical optimism. Moreover, this review identifies strategic priorities that emphasize systemic integration, open data ecosystems, and consumer-aligned value propositions, all of which are essential to translating laboratory achievements into commercial reality.