Dietary replacement of maggot meal for soybean meal: implication on performance indices, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen utilisation and carcass characteristics of grower rabbits.

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with maggot meal (MM) in growing rabbits' diets on their performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass characteristics. In the 56 days feeding trials, sixty unsexed mixed breeds (New Zealand White x California) rabbits were allotted on a weight equalization basis into five dietary treatments where a standard corn-soybean meal based diet (0% of maggot meal) (MM0 diet) served as the while other diets had soybean meal replaced with MM at graded levels of 25, 50, 75 and 100% to give MM25, MM50, MM75, and MM100 diets respectively. Each treatment comprises of four replicates having three rabbits each (12 rabbits per treatment). Growth performance parameters were monitored and recorded weekly, carcass and organ weights evaluation was conducted on day 56. Nutrient digestibility commenced on the 56th day and lasted for 6 days. Feed and water were offered to the rabbits ad-libitum throughout the experimental period. All the performance parameters were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by MM inclusion in the diet of rabbits. Rabbits fed MM100 diet had the highest (P < 0.05) final weight (FW), total weight gain (TWG), and the best feed conversion ratio (FCR). The feed cost reduced (P < 0.05) with inclusion of MM in rabbit's diet. Feed cost per kg live weight (FC/LW) (1110.79 ₦/kg) and feed cost per kg weight gain (FC/WG) (1110.62 ₦/kg) was lowest (P < 0.05) for rabbits fed MM100 diet. Crude protein digestibility (CPD) (74.05%) was highest (P < 0.05) for rabbits fed the MM100 diet. The feeding of MM75 and MM100 diets to rabbits resulted in increased (P < 0.05) dry matter digestibility (DMD) (68.22 and 69.34%), nitrogen free extract digestibility (NFED) (65.52 and 65.22%) and neutral detergent fibre digestibility (NDFD) (70.05 and 69.58%). The highest (P < 0.05) nitrogen retained (NR) (2.10 g/d) occurred in rabbits fed the MM100 diet. The dressing percentage (DP) (71.01%) increased (P < 0.05) for rabbits fed the MM100 diet. The weight of forelimbs (10.48 and 10.45%) and hind limbs (17.42 and 18.07%) were highest (P < 0.05) for rabbits fed MM50 and MM100 diets respectively. Total gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and liver weight were highest (P < 0.05) for rabbits fed MM0 and MM100 diets respectively. It was concluded that MM can conveniently replace SBM in the diets of rabbits up to 100% for improved growth performance and increased nutrient digestibility. In addition, it can enhance DP and increase the carcass yield of rabbits.

Nucleic acid-extracted torula yeast from the paper industry as a protein feed for ruminants: A comparison with soybean meal.

We compared nucleic acid-extracted torula yeast (NTY) with soybean meal (SBM) to evaluate NTY as a potential protein feed for ruminants in a metabolic trial using four castrated male goats. NTY was replaced isonitrogenously with SBM at a 25% crude protein (CP) level on a dry matter (DM) basis. NTY has 55% CP and 74% total digestive nutrients on DM. Absorbed N was lower on the NTY diet, but since the urinary N excretion was lower on the NTY diet, no significant between-diet difference in retained N was observed. The efficiency of N utilization (retained N/absorbed N) was significantly higher on the NTY diet. The Lys and Met contents (presumed limiting amino acids for dairy cattle) were higher in NTY than SBM, which may be why N utilization efficiency was higher for the NTY diet. Ruminal ammonia-N and blood serum N were lower on the NTY diet, suggesting that NTY has more rumen undegradable protein than SBM. There was no significant between-diet difference in the visceral disorder indicators or antioxidant activities. Our results indicate that NTY is a safe protein feed with a high CP ratio and high-quality amino acid profile for ruminants that is equivalent to SBM.

Ultrasensitive detection of zearalenone based on electrochemiluminescent immunoassay with Zr-MOF nanoplates and Au@MoS2 nanoflowers.

In this work, an effective competitive-type electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor was constructed for zearalenone determination by using Zr-MOF nanoplates as the ECL luminophore and Au@MoS2 nanoflowers as the substrate material. Zr-MOF have an ultra-thin sheet-like structure that accelerates the transfer of electrons, ions and co-reactant intermediates, which exhibited strong and stable anodic luminescence. The three-dimensional Au@MoS2 nanoflowers would form a thin film modification layer on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). And its good electrical conductivity and higher specific surface area utilization further improving the sensitivity of the ECL immunosensor. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed immunosensor exhibited satisfactory stability, sensitivity and accuracy, and its ECL signal was proportional to the logarithm of ZEN concentration (0.0001-100 ng/mL) and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.034 pg/mL. In addition, the results of recovery experiment acquired for wheat flour and pig urine samples further proved the feasibility of the immunosensor for the detection of real samples, indicating its potential for ultrasensitive detection of ZEN.

Folding during sheeting improved qualities of dried noodles through gluten network proteins.

The texture properties after cooking for 12 min were selected to optimize the sheeting parameters, and the results were verified using the comprehensive quality of dried noodles. The distribution of water, characteristics of gluten protein, and interaction between gluten network and starch were analyzed to clarify the mechanism of the quality of dried noodles. Results showed that the optimal folding angle was 45°, under this condition, the largest anti-extension displacement perpendicular to the rolling direction and the smallest cooking loss were obtained. The hardness and smoothness of cooked noodles increased by about 14% to 17%. Further, the transverse relaxation time of strongly bound water significantly decreased, while the relative content and binding strength increased. The hydrogen bonds and α-helix contents increased by about 68.8% and 53.1%, respectively. Folding and sheeting enhanced the combination of starch granules and gluten network causing, decreased in the average length and porosity of the gluten network. It is depicted from the results that the method of optimizing the sheeting process based on the texture of dried noodles cooked for 12 min was feasible. And the 45° folding and sheeting could help to improve the quality of dried noodles.

Fermented Corn-Soybean Meal Improved Growth Performance and Reduced Diarrhea Incidence by Modulating Intestinal Barrier Function and Gut Microbiota in Weaned Piglets.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of fermented corn-soybean meal mixed feed (FMF) on growth performance, intestinal barrier function, gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in weaned piglets. A total of 128 weaned piglets [Duroc×(Landrace×Yorkshire), male, 21-day-old] were randomly allocated to four groups. Piglets were fed a control diet (CON) or the control diet supplemented with 10%, 50% or 100% FMF (FMF-10, FMF-50 or FMF-100, respectively) for 14 d. The results showed that the FMF-100 group had higher average daily gain and average daily feed intake and lower diarrhea incidence than the CON group (p < 0.05). The FMF-50 and FMF-100 groups had greater villus height in the duodenum and jejunum, and the FMF-10 and FMF-100 groups had higher villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in the duodenum and jejunum than the CON group. Additionally, the FMF-100 group had higher protein expression of duodenal, jejunal and ileal ZO-1 and jejunal claudin-1; higher mRNA expression of duodenal and ileal TJP1 and jejunal CLDN1 and IL10; and lower jejunal IL1B mRNA expression (p < 0.05). The FMF-50 group showed higher jejunal ZO-1 and claudin-1 protein levels, higher mRNA expression levels of IL10 and TJP1 and lower levels of TNF in the jejunum; the FMF-10 group had higher mRNA expression levels of IL10 and lower levels of TNF in the jejunum than the CON group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the FMF-10 and FMF-50 groups had higher colonic Lactobacillus abundance and butyrate levels; the FMF-100 group had higher abundance of colonic butyrate, Lactobacillus and Faecalibacterium than the CON group (p < 0.05). Collectively, our results suggest that FMF could improve intestinal mucosal barrier function, gut microbiota and their metabolites, thereby enhancing average daily gain and reducing diarrhea incidence in weaned piglets.

Impact of Brewers' Spent Grain-Containing Biscuit on Postprandial Glycaemic Response in Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome: A Crossover Randomised Controlled Trial.

Brewers' spent grain (BSG) is a fibre and protein-rich by-product of beer-brewing. Fermenting BSG with Rhizopus oligosporus can further increase its content of soluble fibre, protein and certain antioxidants. Since nutrients rich in BSG can improve postprandial glycaemic response, this study assessed the postprandial glucose response (PPGR) and postprandial insulin response (PPIR) controlling effect of consuming 30% wheat flour substituted biscuits with autoclaved BSG (ABSG) or fermented BSG (FBSG) in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The effect on postprandial lipid panel, breath hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) concentration and subjective appetite response was also examined. Fifteen subjects with MetS participated in this crossover randomised controlled trial, and blood was collected at 9 time-points for 4 h after consumption of control biscuits (Control), ABSG and FBSG. A significant interaction effect was observed (Pinteraction = 0.013) for the glucose time-points concentration. At 180 min, the glucose concentration was lowered after the consumption of ABSG (p = 0.010) and FBSG (p = 0.012) compared to the Control. Moreover, the FBSG resulted in a significantly lower glucose incremental area under curve (iAUC) compared to the Control (p = 0.028). Insulin level was also lowered at 180 min after the ABSG (p = 0.010) and FBSG (p = 0.051) consumption compared to the Control. However, no difference was noted for postprandial lipid panel, breath H2 and CH4 concentration and subjective appetite response. In conclusion, the consumption of BSG-incorporated biscuits can attenuate PPGR, and fermented BSG incorporation conferred a further PPGR controlling benefit.

Behavior of endo-xylanases on wheat milling products in relation with variable solid loading conditions.

To investigate the incubation conditions encountered by enzymes in cereal-based product transformation processes, this study aims to provide comprehensive information on the effect of low (18 %) to high (72 %) solid loading on the behavior of bacterial and fungal xylanases towards wheat grain fractions, i.e. white flour, ground whole grain and bran. Both enzymes are effective from 30 % water content. A water content of 50 % appears as the threshold for optimal arabinoxylan solubilisation. The specificity of enzymes was influenced by low hydration conditions, particularly in wheat bran, which contains arabinoxylan with diverse structures. Especially the bacterial xylanase became more tolerant to arabinose substitution as the water content decreased. Time Domain-NMR measurements revealed four water mobility domains in all the fractions. The water populations corresponding to 7.5 nm to 15 nm pores were found to be the most restrictive for enzyme activity. These results define the water content limits for the optimal xylanase action in cereal products.

Effects of germination time on the structure, functionality, flavour attributes, and in vitro digestibility of green Altamura lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.) flour.

There has been an increase in the use of adoptable bioprocessing methods for the development of high-quality leguminous ingredients. The potential use of germinated green Altamura lentils as a food ingredient is closely related to the resulting properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of three germination times - 0 (C), 24 (G) and 48 (H) hours - on the physicochemical, microstructural, flavour, functional, and nutritional features of lentil flour samples (CF, GF and HF). Lentil flour samples were obtained by grinding both whole green seeds (C) and germinated seeds (G and H), and then sifting them to obtain a particle size < 300 µm. The germinated samples - GF (24 h) and HF (48 h) - exhibited differences (P < 0.05) in the physicochemical and bioactive properties of CF (control). Similarly, compared with those in the control sample, the total starch, amylose and total phenolic contents in the GF and HF samples decreased, while the protein content increased (p < 0.05). A decrease in the presence of intact starch granules was observed via SEM in the germinated samples. The germination time had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the colour indices, L*, a*, and b* of the samples. Flavour attributes were significantly influenced by the germination time. Overall, a total of 14 (CF) and 17 (GF and HF) aromatic compounds were identified. The technological characteristics of the CF, GF and HF dough samples were studied using a Brabender farinograph. Germination time affects the flour properties, leading to a significant decrease in farinographic parameters such as water absorption (WA), dough development time (DT), and dough stability (DS) and an increase in the degree of dough weakening (DOS). Differential scanning calorimetry was employed to examine the gelatinization transition of the samples. Germination strongly influenced all the thermal properties of the samples. It also had a significant impact on the in vitro starch digestibility, starch fraction and glycaemic index (eGI) of the samples. In particular, the eGI of germinated lentils was lower than that of the CF. In conclusion, the germination time could be a key factor modulating some crucial lentil flour properties.

Important roles of coarse particles in pasting and gelling performance of different pulse flours under high-temperature heating.

Dehulled pea, lentil, and faba bean grains were milled into flours with 0.5- to 2.5-mm sieves. As the particle size decreased, damaged-starch contents of the flours from the same pulse crop increased. At a holding temperature of 95 °C in RVA, peak and final viscosities and gelling ability of the flours generally increased as the particle size decreased. When the holding temperature increased from 95 to 140 °C, pasting viscosities of pea and lentil flours and gel hardness of lentil flours gradually decreased. In contrast, pasting viscosities and gel hardness of faba bean flours reached the highest values at 120 °C. The comparison of the pulse flours varying in particle size across the three market classes revealed that coarse particles comprising agglomerated starch, protein, and dietary fiber (i.e., particles of the second peak in the bimodal particle-size distribution curves) showed significant correlations with certain important functional properties of pulse flours.

Large flour aggregates containing ordered B + V starch crystals significantly improved the digestion resistance of starch in pretreated multigrain flour.

The starch digestibility of flour is influenced by both physicochemical treatment and flour particle size, but the interactive effect of these two factors is still unclear. In this study, the effect of pullulanase debranching, combined with heat-moisture treatment (P-HMT), on starch digestibility of multi-grain flours (including oat, buckwheat and wheat) differing in particle size was investigated. The results showed that the larger-size flour always resulted in a higher resistant starch (RS) content either in natural or treated multi-grain flour (NMF or PHF). P-HMT doubled the RS content in NMFs and the large-size PHF yielded the highest RS content (78.43 %). In NMFs, the cell wall integrity and flour particle size were positively related to starch anti-digestibility. P-HMT caused the destruction of cell walls and starch granules, as well as the formation of rigid flour aggregates with B + V starch crystallite. The largest flour aggregates with the most ordered B + V starch were found in large-size PHF, which contributed to its highest RS yield, while the medium- and small-size PHFs with smaller aggregates were sensitive to P-HMT, resulting in the lower ordered starch but stronger interactions between starch and free lipid or monomeric proteins, eventually leading to their lower RS but higher SDS yield.

Development of starch-rich thermoplastic polymers based on mango kernel flour and different plasticizers.

This work reports on the development of starch-rich thermoplastic based formulations produced by using mango kernel flour, avoiding the extraction process of starch from mango kernel to produce these materials. Glycerol, sorbitol and urea at 15 wt% are used as plasticizers to obtain thermoplastic starch (TPS) formulations by extrusion and injection-moulding processes. Mechanical results show that sorbitol and urea allowed to obtain samples with tensile strength and elongation at break higher than the glycerol-plasticized sample, achieving values of 2.9 MPa of tensile strength and 42 % of elongation at break at 53 % RH. These results are supported by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) micrographs, where a limited concentration of voids was observed in the samples with sorbitol and urea, indicating a better interaction between starch and the plasticizers. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows that urea and sorbitol increase the thermal stability of TPS in comparison to the glycerol-plasticized sample. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic-mechanical-thermal analysis (DMTA) verify the increase in stiffness of the sorbitol and urea plasticized TPS and also illustrate an increase in the glass transition temperature of both samples in comparison to the glycerol-plasticized sample. Glass transition temperatures of 45 °C were achieved for the sample with sorbitol.

Thermomechanical transitions of meat-analog based fried foods batter coating.

This study aimed to characterize the thermomechanical transitions of meat-analog (MA) based coated fried foods. Wheat and rice flour-based batters were used to coat the MA and fried at 180 °C in canola oil for 2, 4 and 6 min. Glass-transition-temperature (Tg) of the coatings were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry, directly after frying or after post-fry holding. Mechanical texture analyzer and X-ray microtomography were employed to assess textural attributes and internal microstructure, respectively. Batter-formulation substantially impacted the Tg of fried foods coating i.e., crust. Tg of fried foods crust were ranged between -20 °C to -24 °C. Tg was positively correlated with frying time and internal microporosity (%), whereas negatively correlated with moisture content. Internal microstructure greatly influenced the textural attributes (hardness, brittleness, crispiness). Post-fry textural stability considerably impacted by Tg. Negative Tg value explains post-fry textural changes (hard-to-soft, brittle-to-ductile, crispy-to-soggy) of MA-based coated products at room-temperature (25 °C) and under IR-heating (65 °C).

Effects of different thawing methods on physical and physicochemical properties of frozen dough and quality of corresponding steamed bread.

The thawing method is critical for the final quality of products based on the frozen dough. The effects of ultrasound thawing, proofer thawing, refrigerator thawing, water bath thawing, ambient thawing, and microwave thawing on the rheology, texture, water distribution, fermentation characteristics, and microstructure of frozen dough and the properties of steamed bread were investigated. The results indicated that the ultrasound thawing dough had better physicochemical properties than other doughs. It was found that ultrasound thawing restrained the water migration of dough, improved its rheological properties and fermentation capacity. The total gas volume value of the ultrasound thawing dough was reduced by 21.35% compared with that of unfrozen dough. The ultrasound thawing dough displayed a thoroughly uniform starch-gluten network, and an enhanced the specific volume and internal structure of the steamed bread. In conclusion, ultrasound thawing effectively mitigated the degradation of the frozen dough and enhanced the quality of steamed bread.

Effects of freeze-thaw cycles on the quality of Hot-dry noodles: From the moisture, starch, and protein characteristics.

Freeze-thaw cycles (FTC) could cause damage to food during storage. The effects of different FTC on Hot-dry noodles (HDN) in terms of quality, moisture, starch, and protein characteristics were studied. This study showed that FTC decreased the texture properties and water absorption of HDN. Meanwhile, cooking loss was significantly increased after FTC. The water content of HDN was decreased and water migration was increased during FTC. In addition, results showed that FTC destroyed the order structure and increased the crystallinity of starch in HDN. Under FTC, the disulfide bond of HDN was broken, the free sulfhydryl group was increased, and the electrophoretic patterns confirmed the protein depolymerization. The microstructure also showed that the gluten network became incomplete and starch was exposed outside the substrate. This study expounded the mechanism of HDN quality deterioration during FTC, which laid a foundation for the development and improvement of frozen and freeze-thaw noodles.

Rhubarb powder: Potential uses as a functional bread ingredient.

As a traditional staple food, bread lacks several nutrients such as fiber and minerals. In this study, the possibilities of using rhubarb powder to enrich wheat bread were investigated. Rhubarb powder was replaced with wheat flour at the ratios of 0%, 4%, 8%, and 12%. In order to reveal effects of rhubarb powder on quality properties of bread, color, moisture, total protein, fat content, antioxidant activity, textural, and sensory analysis were conducted. As the rhubarb powder ratio increased, the fiber (10.60 ± 0.55), ash (4.34 ± 0.13), and fat content (2.17 ± 0.55) of bread samples increased significantly (p < 0.05). Antioxidant activity (19.61% ± 0.53%) and total phenolic contents (916.38 ± 2.69) of bread samples also increased significantly (p < 0.05). The colors of the enriched breads were relatively dark. The breads containing 12% rhubarb powder had the highest ash content (4.34 ± 0.13). The samples containing 4% rhubarb powder took the highest sensory scores from the sensory panel in terms of odor, flavor, and overall impression. However, as the ratio of rhubarb powder increased, the sensory values of bread samples decreased. According to the results of this study, rhubarb powder could be used up to 4% to produce acceptable breads in terms of sensory properties with improved nutritional quality.

Mild steam treatment: Enhancing the rehydration performance of instant rice noodles by changing the physicochemical properties and gel structure of rice starch.

The "instant" quality of instant rice noodles is significantly affected by slow rehydration during cooking. This happens as a result of the native rice starch's low ability to gelatinize as well as the high shear and pressure utilized in industries during the widely used extrusion molding process. In order to address this issue, the rice flour was pretreated with mild steam (MS) technology. The results revealed that the rehydration qualities of the rice noodles that were extruded from the steam-treated flour significantly improved. There was a reduction of 25.5% in the rehydration time, from 443 to 330 s. The MS-treated rice starch's peak viscosity increased to 4503 from 4044 mPa/s. Decreases in gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) and short-range ordering also suggest a reduction in difficulty in accomplishing starch gelatinization. Scanning electron microscopy studies showed particle aggregation increased as the treatment duration lasted longer. In conclusion, our findings indicate that we successfully addressed the issue of slow rehydration in instant rice noodles while presenting a novel approach for their manufacturing in the manufacturing sector.

Improvement of sorghum-wheat blended flours by E-beam irradiation: Physicochemical properties, rheological behavior, microstructure, and quality properties.

To enhance the processing suitability of blended flours, this study used 4 kGy E-beam irradiated (EBI) sorghum flour in different ratios blended with wheat flour and further verified the improvement mechanism of the processed products under the optimal ratios. The results suggested that the EBI can mitigate the deterioration of the blend flour farinograph properties while enhancing the gas release during dough fermentation. Under the same addition ratio, the irradiated blend flours showed higher expansion height, gas release, cavitation time, and gas retention coefficient than the control flours. Also, irradiated blend flours retained a gluten network at a higher addition rate (20 %). Moreover, the irradiated blend flours were optimized at 10 % as its pasting and thermal properties were improved. Notably, this ameliorating effect promotes a decrease in hardness and chewiness and an increase in cohesion of the bread cores, presenting better textural attributes and delaying the aging rate during storage. The findings are instructive for applying EBI technology in the manufacture and quality improvement of mixed grain breads and open a new research avenue for processing sorghum staple foods.

Precision in wheat flour classification: Harnessing the power of deep learning and two-dimensional correlation spectrum (2DCOS).

Wheat flour is a ubiquitous food ingredient, yet discerning its various types can prove challenging. A practical approach for identifying wheat flour types involves analyzing one-dimensional near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) data. This paper introduces an innovative method for wheat flour recognition, combining deep learning (DL) with Two-dimensional correlation spectrum (2DCOS). In this investigation, 316 samples from four distinct types of wheat flour were collected using a near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer, and the raw spectra of each sample underwent preprocessing employing diverse methods. The discrete generalized 2DCOS algorithm was applied to generate 3792 2DCOS images from the preprocessed spectral data. We trained a deep learning model tailored for flour 2DCOS images - EfficientNet. Ultimately, this DL model achieved 100% accuracy in identifying wheat flour within the test set. The findings demonstrate the viability of directly transforming spectra into two-dimensional images for species recognition using 2DCOS and DL. Compared to the traditional stoichiometric method Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS_DA), machine learning methods Support Vector Machines (SVM) and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and deep learning methods one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1DCNN) and residual neural network (ResNet), the model proposed in this paper is better suited for wheat flour identification, boasting the highest accuracy. This study offers a fresh perspective on wheat flour type identification and successfully integrates the latest advancements in deep learning with 2DCOS for spectral type identification. Furthermore, this approach can be extended to the spectral identification of other products, presenting a novel avenue for future research in the field.

Use of Bacillus spp. as beneficial fermentation microbes in baking.

The development of minimally processed baked goods is dependent on new "clean label" functional ingredients that allow substitution of additives without compromising quality. We investigated the use of fermentation with Bacillus spp. as a novel approach to improve bread quality. Bacillus velezensis FUA2155 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Fad WE ferments were prepared using white wheat flour, wheat bran or buckwheat, and were added at a level of 2.5-20 % to bread dough. Ropy spoilage of bread was controlled by sourdough addition at a level of 10 or 20 %. The volume of white wheat bread and wheat bran bread increased by 47.4 and 62.5 % respectively with 2.5 % Bacillus ferments. Bread shelf-life was prolonged by the Bacillus ferment only at higher dosages that also reduced bread volume. The use of unfermented or sourdough fermented buckwheat improved bread volume and delayed mould spoilage. The characterization of water-soluble polysaccharides from sourdoughs and Bacillus ferments revealed that solubilization of arabinoxylans contributed to the increase in volume after fermentation of wheat but not after fermentation of buckwheat. In conclusion, Bacillus fermentation can be used to improve bread quality, adding to the diversity of microbes that are suitable for baking applications.

Diet with different concentrations of lychee peel flour modulates oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant activity in zebrafish.

The agri-food industry generates substantial waste, leading to significant environmental impacts. Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonnerat), which is rich in bioactive compounds in its peel, pulp, and seeds, offers an opportunity for waste use. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementing a high-carbohydrate diet with varying levels of lychee peel flour on lipid metabolism biomarkers and oxidative stress in a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model. A total of 225 zebrafish, approximately four months old, were divided into five groups: control, high-carbohydrate (HC), HC2%, HC4%, and HC6%. The study did not find significant differences in the growth performance of zebrafish in any group. However, the HC6% group exhibited a significant decrease in glucose and triglyceride levels compared with the HC group. Furthermore, this group showed enhanced activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), along with reduced levels of malondialdehyde (MDA). Increased antioxidant activity was also evidenced by DPPH-, ABTS+, and ß-carotene/Linoleic acid assays in the HC6% group. A positive correlation was identified between SOD/CAT activity and in vitro antioxidant assays. These findings suggest that dietary supplementation with 6% lychee peel flour can significantly modulate glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and antioxidant activity in zebrafish.