Prebiotics are a group of biological nutrients that are capable of being degraded by microflora in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), primarily Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. When prebiotics are ingested, either as a food additive or as a supplement, the colonic microflora degrade them, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which are simultaneously released in the colon and absorbed into the blood circulatory system. The two major groups of prebiotics that have been extensively studied in relation to human health are fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS). The candidature of a compound to be regarded as a prebiotic is a function of how much of dietary fiber it contains. The seeds of fruits such as date palms have been reported to contain dietary fiber. An increasing awareness of the consumption of fruits and seeds as part of the daily diet, as well as poor storage systems for seeds, have generated an enormous amount of seed waste, which is traditionally discarded in landfills or incinerated. This cultural practice is hazardous to the environment because seed waste is rich in organic compounds that can produce hazardous gases. Therefore, this review discusses the potential use of seed wastes in prebiotic production, consequently reducing the environmental hazards posed by these wastes.

Africa bears the largest burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases globally, yet it contributes only about 1 % of global research output, partly because of inaccessibility and low maintenance of medical data. Data is widely recognized as a crucial tool for improvement of population health. Despite the introduction of electronic health data systems in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) to improve data quality, some LMICs still lack an efficient system to collect and archive data. This study aims to examine the underlying causes of data archive inaccessibility and poor maintenance in LMICS, and to highlight sustainable mitigation measures. Authors conducted a comprehensive search on PubMed, Google scholar, organization websites using the search string "data archive" or "medical data" or "public health statistics" AND "challenges" AND "maintenance" AND "Low Middle Income Countries" or "LMIC". to Identify relevant studies and reports to be included in our review. All articles related data archive in low and middle income countries were considered without restrictions due to scarcity of data. Medical data archives in LMICs face challenges impacting data quality. Insufficient training, organizational constraints, and limited infrastructure hinder archive maintenance. To improve, support for public datasets, digital literacy, and technology infrastructure is needed. Standardization, cloud solutions, and advanced technologies can enhance data management, while capacity building and training programs are crucial. The creation and maintenance of data archives to facilitate the storage of retrospective datasets is critical to create reliable and consistent data to better equip the development of resilient health systems and surveillance of diseases in LMICs.

Plant‐derived polysaccharides have emerged as sustainable biopolymers for fabricating nanoparticles (polysaccharide‐based nanomaterials [PS‐NPs]), presenting unique opportunities to enhance food functionality and human health. PS‐NPs exhibit exceptional biocompatibility, biodegradability, and structural versatility, enabling their integration into functional foods to positively influence gut microbiota. This review explores the mechanisms of PS‐NPs interaction with gut microbiota, highlighting their ability to promote beneficial microbial populations, such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, and stimulate the production of short‐chain fatty acids. Key synthesis and stabilization methods of PS‐NPs are discussed, focusing on their role in improving bioavailability, stability, and gastrointestinal delivery of bioactive compounds in food systems. The potential of PS‐NPs to address challenges in food science, including enhancing nutrient absorption, mitigating intestinal dysbiosis, and supporting sustainable food production through innovative nanotechnology, is critically evaluated. Barriers such as enzymatic degradation and physicochemical stability are analyzed, alongside strategies to optimize their functionality within complex food matrices. The integration of PS‐NPs in food systems offers a novel approach to modulate gut microbiota, improve intestinal health, and drive the development of next‐generation functional foods. Future research should focus on bridging knowledge gaps in metagenomic and metabolomic profiling of PS‐NPs, optimizing their design for diverse applications, and advancing their role in sustainable and health‐promoting food innovations.

The date palm holds immense significance in the socio-economic fabric of the countries where it is extensively cultivated.

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) possess distinctive rheological and physicochemical properties and innovative functionality. This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical, bioactive, and rheological properties of an EPS secreted by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis C15. EPS-C15 was found to have an average molecular weight of 8.8 × 10⁵ Da and was identified as a hetero-EPS composed of arabinose, xylose, mannose, and glucose with a molar ratio of 2.0:2.7:1.0:21.3, respectively. The particle size and zeta potential represented 311.2 nm and − 12.44 mV, respectively. FITR exhibited that EPS-C15 possessed a typical polysaccharide structure. NMR displayed that EPS-C15 structure is → 3)α-d-Glc^vi (1 → 3)α-d-Xyl^v (1 → 6)α-d-Glc^iv(1 → 4)α-d-Glc(1 → 3)β-d-Man(1 → 2)α-d-Glcⁱ(1 → . EPS-C15 scavenged DPPH and ABTS free radicals with 50.3% and 46.4% capacities, respectively. Results show that the antiproliferative activities of EPS-C15 revealed inhibitions of 49.7% and 88.1% against MCF-7 and Caco-2 cells, respectively. EPS-C15 has antibacterial properties that inhibited Staphylococcus aureus (29.45%), Salmonella typhimurium (29.83%), Listeria monocytogenes (30.33%), and E. coli O157:H7 (33.57%). The viscosity of EPS-C15 decreased as the shear rate increased. The rheological properties of the EPS-C15 were affected by changes in pH levels and the addition of salts. EPS-C15 is a promising biomaterial that has potential applications in various industries, such as food, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare.