Prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility test and associated factors of Salmonella and Shigella in ready-to-eat fruit juices and salads in Mekelle, northern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Food borne diseases is a challenging problem nowadays. Salmonella and Shigella species are great concern of food-born outbreaks. Thus, this study was aimed to assess the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility test and associated factors of Salmonella and Shigella species in fruit juices and salads. METHODS: A community based cross sectional study design was carried out on 50 juice houses from December to March 2020 in Mekelle. One hundred fifty samples were collected aseptically from the juice houses for laboratory analysis. Information related to risk factors was obtained using a structured questionnaire. In the laboratory, samples were homogenized using peptone water and incubated overnight for enrichment. Then, Salmonella and Shigella species were isolated on Salmonella-Shigella agar and Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar. Disc diffusion method was used to perform antimicrobial susceptibility test. Using SPSS (version 22) package, descriptive statistics and Chi square test (χ2) were used to analyze the data, and p < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULT: The overall prevalence of Salmonella and Shigella species was 41/150 (27.33%; 95% CI: 20.20 - 34.46) with 33 (22%) Salmonella spp. and 8(5.33%) Shigella spp. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests of both Salmonella and Shigella spp.showed high resistance against ampicillin (100%), tetracycline (63.6 and 62.5%, respectively) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (100%). Accessibility of fruits to flies and dust had statistical association (p = 0.021) with occurrence of Salmonell a and/or Shigella spp. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of Salmonella and Shigella spp. was found to be significant. The resistant rate of isolates against ampicillin, tetracycline and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was high. Storage sites for fruits should be inaccessible to flies and dust. Therefore, routine monitoring of juice houses should be promoted and regular evaluation of bacterial resistance pattern should be done for selective antimicrobial therapy. Furthermore, consistent training of juice makers on food safety and hygiene should be implemented by the concerned body.

Dilute-and-shoot ICPMS quantification of V, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Ag, Cd, Ba, and Pb in fruit juices based on matrix overcompensation calibration.

Analysis of V, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Ag, Cd, Ba, and Pb in fruit juices was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) after simple 50-fold dilution in 1% (v/v) HNO3-0.5% (v/v) HCl-5% (v/v) ethanol. Ethanol was added to overwhelm native organic components and dominate matrix effects. A universal calibration curve was built based on a likewise treated reagent standard series. This new matrix overcompensation calibration (MOC) strategy was developed to effectively compensated for matrix effects of carbon origin and achieved quantitative (92.5-118.8%) recoveries comparable to those by standard addition calibration (92.1-117.8%) and microwave-aided digestion (99.3-116.8%). The LODs were 0.528, 0.204, 0.195, and 2.07 ng mL-1 for toxic elements As, Cd, Pb, and Ni, respectively, adequate for their regulatory monitoring. Ge, Rh, Tb, and Ir were used as internal standards. MOC renders a calibration curve universally applicable to any clear fruit juices of diversified crop, geographic, and manufacturer origins resulting in cost saving and enhanced productivity.

Influence of consuming coffee and other beverages in adolescence on risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Dietary strategies for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) prevention have mainly focused on solid foods and nutrients. Emanating evidence suggests that beverage consumption in adulthood may also influence T2DM development, whereas the role of beverages during adolescence remains unknow. OBJECTIVE: To examine adolescent beverages consumption, and their changes from adolescence to adulthood in relation to T2DM risk in adulthood. METHODS: This prospective cohort study, conducted within the Nurses' Health Study II (NHS II), enrolled 41,317 women who completed a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) regarding their diet in high school and had no diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer at baseline (1997). Beverage consumption including coffee, tea, regular or diet soda, fruit juice or milk, was assessed using the FFQ. Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for the association between beverage consumption in adolescence and risk of incident type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in adulthood, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: During 725,650 person-years of follow-up, 2,844 participants developed T2DM. After adjustment for demographic, lifestyle and dietary risk factors, comparing ≥ 1 serving/day with non-consumers, adolescent coffee [HR, 0.86 (95% confidence interval: 0.75 to 0.98); P-trend = 0.02)] and orange juice [HR, 0.83 (0.71 to 0.96); P-trend = 0.0008)] consumption was associated with lower T2DM risk, whereas, regular soda [HR, 1.37 (1.20 to 1.57); P-trend < 0.0001)] and iced tea [HR, 1.41 (1.21 to 1.65); P-trend < 0.0001)] intake was associated with higher T2DM risk. Increased coffee intake from adolescence to adulthood in 1991 was associated with a lower T2DM risk [HR, 0.70 (0.61 to 0.80); P-trend < 0.0001), comparing ≥ + 3 servings/day with no change], whereas the opposite was observed for increased regular soda [HR, 1.20 (1.06 to 1.35); P-trend = 0.004), comparing ≥ + 1 or more servings/week with no change)] and diet soda consumption [HR, 1.59 (1.41 to 1.80); P-trend = 0.0002), comparing ≥ + 2 servings/day with no change]. CONCLUSION: Adolescent consumption of coffee or orange juice intake was associated with a lower risk of T2DM, whereas the opposite was observed for intake of regular soda or iced tea. In addition, increased coffee intake was associated with a lower diabetes risk, whereas the opposite was observed for regular or diet soda intake. These data highlight a potentially important role of beverage intake at early life in the etiology of diabetes during adulthood.

Magnitude of Fruit Juice-Drug Interactions Due to Osmolality-Dependent Fluid Secretion: Differences among Apple, Orange, and Grapefruit Juices.

We recently reported that the gastrointestinal (GI) fluid volume is influenced by the solution osmolality, and proposed that this effect may play a role in beverage-drug interactions. Here, we investigated whether osmolality-dependent fluid secretion can explain the difference in the magnitudes of fruit juice-drug interactions depending on the type of fruit juice (grapefruit juice (GFJ), orange juice (OJ), and apple juice (AJ)). The osmolality of GFJ, OJ, and AJ used in this study was found to be 552, 686, and 749 mOsm/kg, respectively. Measurements of intestinal fluid movement following beverage administration by the in situ closed-loop technique revealed the following rank order for fluid volume in rat ileum: AJ > OJ > GFJ > purified water, suggesting that water movement is dependent on the osmolality of these beverages. Such changes in GI fluid volume are expected to alter the luminal drug concentration, potentially contributing to the magnitude of beverage-drug interactions. Indeed, in vivo pharmacokinetic study in rats revealed that the plasma concentration of atenolol, a low-permeability drug, was the highest after oral administration in purified water, followed by GFJ and OJ, and was the lowest after administration in AJ. In contrast, antipyrine, a high-permeability drug, showed no significant difference in plasma concentration after administration in purified water and fruit juices, suggesting that the absorption of high-permeability drugs is less affected by solution osmolality. Our findings indicate that differences in the magnitude of beverage-drug interactions can be at least partly explained by differences in the osmolality of the beverages ingested.

Current perspectives and challenges in the estimation of fruit juice consumption across the lifecycle in Europe.

Fruit juice (FJ) is typically low in energy, contains natural sugars, important amounts of micronutrients and is not permitted to have added sugars/sweeteners. However, its role in a healthy diet is under scrutiny partly due to the wider adoption of the definition for free sugars in nutrition policy. This review aimed to identify data on FJ consumption from national food consumption surveys across Europe, to examine current intakes, percent consumers and its contribution to intakes of energy, total sugars, free sugars, vitamin C, folate and potassium. Data were extracted on the population mean intake of FJ and its contribution to nutrient intakes across the lifecycle and crude estimates of population mean intakes across countries were reported for the total population and for consumers only. This review highlighted significant gaps/challenges regarding the availability of country-specific national food consumption surveys across Europe and specifically data on FJ consumption (including complexities surrounding categorisations). Nonetheless, using a comparable/homogenous definition, the mean intake of FJ among consumers was approximately 1 × 150 ml glass/day for adults/older adults, with lower intakes among infants (86 g/d), children (108 g/d) and teenagers (112 g/d). FJ made important contributions to intakes of vitamin C while making little contribution to energy intakes but also contributed 2-14 % of free sugars intake (which may be considered modest compared to other sources). The complexity of collating and interpreting data on FJ intake as elucidated in this review raises questions surrounding the categorisation of FJ in research and presents significant challenges for policymakers with respect to dietary guidance for FJ.

Pyrococcus furiosus argonaute based Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestrsis detection in fruit juice.

Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris is the major threat to fruit juice for its off-odor producing characteristic. In this study, Pyrococcus furiosus Argonaute (PfAgo), a novel endonuclease with precise DNA cleavage activity, was used for A. acidoterrestrisdetection, termed as PAD. The partially amplified 16 S rRNA gene of A. acidoterrestris can be cleaved by PfAgo activated by a short 5'-phosphorylated single strand DNA, producing a new guide DNA (gDNA). Then, PfAgo was activated by the new gDNA to cut a molecular beacon (MB) with fluorophore-quencher reporter, resulting in the recovery of fluorescence. The fluorescent intensity is positively related with the concentration of A. acidoterrestris. The PAD assay showed excellent specificity and sensitivity as low as 101 CFU/mL, which can be a powerful tool for on-site detection of A. acidoterrestris in fruit juice industry in the future, reducing the economic loss.

Anticancer and chemopreventive potential of Morinda citrifolia L. bioactive compounds: A comprehensive update.

Morinda citrifolia L., commonly known as Noni, has a longstanding history in traditional medicine for treating various diseases. Recently, there has been an increased focus on exploring Noni extracts and phytoconstituents, particularly for their effectiveness against cancers such as lung, esophageal, liver, and breast cancer, and their potential in cancer chemoprevention. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of in vitro and in vivo studies assessing Noni's impact on cancer, alongside an exploration of its bioactive compounds. A systematic review was conducted, encompassing a wide range of scientific databases to gather pertinent literature. This review focused on in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as clinical trials that explore the effects of Noni fruit and its phytoconstituents-including anthraquinones, flavonoids, sugar derivatives, and neolignans-on cancer. The search was meticulously structured around specific keywords and criteria to ensure a thorough analysis. The compiled studies highlight Noni's multifaceted role in cancer therapy, showcasing its various bioactive components and their modes of action. This includes mechanisms such as apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, antiangiogenesis, and immune system modulation, demonstrating significant anticancer and chemopreventive potential. The findings reinforce Noni's potential as a safe and effective option in cancer prevention and treatment. This review underscores the need for further research into Noni's anticancer properties, with the hope of stimulating additional studies and clinical trials to validate and expand upon these promising findings.

Warning labels for sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice: evaluation of 27 different labels on health effects, sugar content, energy and exercise equivalency.

OBJECTIVES: Front-of-pack warning labels may reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, potentially mitigating negative health outcomes. Comparisons between different warning label types to inform future research and policy directions are lacking. This study compared 27 warning labels across six message types for their potential to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. DESIGN AND METHODS: A national sample of regular soda (n = 2578) and juice (n = 1048) consumers aged 14-60 years participated in an online survey. Participants evaluated randomly allocated labels; one from each of six warning label sets (health-graphic, sugar-pictogram, sugar-text, exercise equivalents, health-text, energy information) on four measures of perceived effectiveness (PE: overall effectiveness, discourage from drinking, emotional response, persuasive potential). Participants could also provide open comments. A general linear model compared differences in mean scores across label sets for each measure of PE. RESULTS: PE ratings differed significantly between label sets. Labels clearly quantifying sugar content (sugar-teaspoons) received consistently high PE ratings, whereas 'high in sugar' labels did not. Health-graphic labels were rated highly across all PE measures except persuasive potential. Exercise labels only rated highly on persuasive potential. Health-text results were mixed, and energy labels were consistently low. CONCLUSIONS: Simple, factual labels were easily interpreted and perceived as most effective. Labels quantifying sugar content were consistently high performers and should be advanced into policy to help decrease overconsumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

Stability of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity in Rosehip Juice (Rosa spp.).

Rosehip fruits, characterized by their high concentrations of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity (AA), have been traditionally used to make jams, infusions, and juices. Thus, the objective of this research was to evaluate the stability of rosehip juice by determining the concentrations of bioactive compounds and total phenols and the AA using chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. The stability of the juice was evaluated with three treatments and different storage conditions, namely, unpasteurized-refrigerated, pasteurized-room temperature, and pasteurized-refrigerated, and measurements were taken for eight months. Individual and total phenolic compounds, evaluated by chromatographic methods, reported differences until the end of this study. The total phenolic compounds by Folin-Ciocalteu method presented an average decrease of 57% in the three treatments in relation to the initial conditions. On the other hand, the ascorbic acid content decreased considerably, disappearing at week six. Furthermore, for the unpasteurized-refrigerated and pasteurized-refrigerated samples, a correlation was found between flavonols, total phenols, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant activity determined by the TEAC method. For the pasteurized-room temperature samples, correlations were found between the levels of several flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acid, total phenols, and ascorbic acid and the antioxidant activity determined by the CUPRAC method. The stability of the compounds was mainly correlated with the storage conditions of the juice and not with pasteurization. The highest stability was observed for the unpasteurized-refrigerated and pasteurized-refrigerated samples. Although the concentrations of the compounds evaluated decreased during this study, significant levels of AA persisted, providing beneficial characteristics for consumer health.

Statistical versus neural network-embedded swarm intelligence optimization of a metallo-neutral-protease production: activity kinetics and food industry applications.

An integrated approach involving response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network-ant-colony hybrid optimization (ANN-ACO) was adopted to develop a bioprocess medium to increase the yield of Bacillus cereus neutral protease under submerged fermentation conditions. The ANN-ACO model was comparatively superior (predicted r2 = 98.5%, mean squared error [MSE] = 0.0353) to RSM model (predicted r2 = 86.4%, MSE = 23.85) in predictive capability arising from its low performance error. The hybrid model recommended a medium containing (gL-1) molasses 45.00, urea 9.81, casein 25.45, Ca2+ 1.23, Zn2+ 0.021, Mn2+ 0.020, and 4.45% (vv-1) inoculum, for a 6.75-fold increase in protease activity from a baseline of 76.63 UmL-1. Yield was further increased in a 5-L bioreactor to a final volumetric productivity of 3.472 mg(Lh)-1. The 10.0-fold purified 46.6-kDa-enzyme had maximum activity at pH 6.5, 45-55 °C, with Km of 6.92 mM, Vmax of 769.23 µmolmL-1 min-1, kcat of 28.49 s-1, and kcat/Km of 4.117 × 103 M-1 s-1, at 45 °C, pH 6.5. The enzyme was stabilized by Ca2+, activated by Zn2+ but inhibited by EDTA suggesting that it was a metallo-protease. The biomolecule significantly clarified orange and pineapple juices indicating its food industry application.

The emulsifying capacity and stability of potato proteins and peptides: A comprehensive review.

The potato has recently attracted more attention as a promising protein source. Potato proteins are commonly extracted from potato fruit juice, a byproduct of starch production. Potato proteins are characterized by superior techno-functional properties, such as water solubility, gel-forming, emulsifying, and foaming properties. However, commercially isolated potato proteins are often denatured, leading to a loss of these functionalities. Extensive research has explored the influence of different conditions and techniques on the emulsifying capacity and stability of potato proteins. However, there has been no comprehensive review of this topic yet. This paper aims to provide an in-depth overview of current research progress on the emulsifying capacity and stability of potato proteins and peptides, discussing research challenges and future perspectives. This paper discusses genetic diversity in potato proteins and various methods for extracting proteins from potatoes, including thermal and acid precipitation, salt precipitation, organic solvent precipitation, carboxymethyl cellulose complexation, chromatography, and membrane technology. It also covers enzymatic hydrolysis for producing potato-derived peptides and methods for identifying potato protein-derived emulsifying peptides. Furthermore, it reviews the influence of factors, such as physicochemical properties, environmental conditions, and food-processing techniques on the emulsifying capacity and stability of potato proteins and their derived peptides. Finally, it highlights chemical modifications, such as acylation, succinylation, phosphorylation, and glycation to enhance emulsifying capacity and stability. This review provides insight into future research directions for utilizing potato proteins as sustainable protein sources and high-value food emulsifiers, thereby contributing to adding value to the potato processing industry.

Fruit juice and childhood obesity: a review of epidemiologic studies.

Childhood obesity is a national epidemic, and many efforts have been made to understand its risk factors. The purpose of this review was to provide an updated account of the observational studies evaluating the relationship between 100% fruit juice intake and obesity in children and adolescents, and to highlight the major risk factors that may impact this relationship. PubMed and Scopus were searched for terms related to fruit juice and childhood obesity, and studies assessing 100% fruit juice intake in participants ≤ 19 years old, with obesity-related outcomes (BMI or adiposity), and published before March 9, 2021 were included. There were 17 prospective cohort and 14 cross-sectional studies included in the analysis. Overall, the evidence does not support a relationship between 100% fruit juice intake and measures of obesity in most children. There is some evidence to suggest a minor positive association in some overweight or very young children, but due to fundamental differences and limitations in methodology, further investigation is required. Significant gaps in literature on this topic exist particularly in regards to randomized clinical trials in children, and in studies in racially diverse populations.

Laboratory evaluation of the efficacy of deltamethrin-laced attractive toxic sugar bait formulation on Anopheles stephensi.

BACKGROUND: Attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) is a promising "attract and kill"-based approach for mosquito control. It is a combination of flower nectar/fruit juice to attract the mosquitoes, sugar solution to stimulate feeding, and a toxin to kill them. Selecting an effective attractant and optimizing concentration of toxicant is significant in the formulation of ATSB. METHODS: Current study formulated an ATSB using fruit juice, sugar and deltamethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid. It was evaluated against two laboratory strains of Anopheles stephensi. Initial studies evaluated comparative attractiveness of nine different fruit juices to An. stephensi adults. Nine ASBs were prepared by adding fermented juices of plum, guava, sweet lemon, orange, mango, pineapple, muskmelon, papaya, and watermelon with 10% sucrose solution (w/v) in 1:1 ratio. Cage bioassays were conducted to assess relative attraction potential of ASBs based on the number of mosquito landings on each and the most effective ASB was identified. Ten ATSBs were prepared by adding the identified ASB with different deltamethrin concentrations (0.015625-8.0 mg/10 mL) in 1:9 ratio. Each ATSB was assessed for the toxic potential against both the strains of An. stephensi. The data was statistically analysed using PASW (SPSS) software 19.0 program. RESULTS: The cage bioassays with nine ASBs revealed higher efficacy (p < 0.05) of Guava juice-ASB > Plum juice-ASB > Mango juice-ASB in comparison to rest of the six ASB's. The bioassay with these three ASB's ascertained the highest attractancy potential of guava juice-ASB against both the strains of An. stephensi. The ATSB formulations resulted in 5.1-97.9% mortality in Sonepat (NIMR strain) with calculated LC30, LC50, and LC90 values of 0.17 mg deltamethrin/10 mL, 0.61 mg deltamethrin/10 mL, and 13.84 mg deltamethrin/10 mL ATSB, respectively. Whereas, 6.12-86.12% mortality was recorded in the GVD-Delhi (AND strain) with calculated LC30, LC50, and LC90 values of 0.25 mg deltamethrin/10 mL, 0.73 mg deltamethrin/10 mL and 10.22 mg deltamethrin/10 mL ATSB, respectively. CONCLUSION: The ATSB formulated with guava juice-ASB and deltamethrin (0.0015625-0.8%) in 9:1 ratio showed promising results against two laboratory strains of An. stephensi. Field assessment of these formulations is being conducted to estimate their feasibility for use in mosquito control.

Fruit, vegetable, and fruit juice consumption and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis : List of all authors.

BACKGROUND: Fruit, vegetable, and fruit juice intake is associated with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, the conclusion is limited and conflicted. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the association between fruit, vegetable, and fruit juice consumption and the risk of GDM. METHODS: To find relevant studies, we searched PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Ovid, EBSCO, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP for the report on prospective cohort studies published from inception to April 8, 2022. Summary relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (Cis) were estimated using a random-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 12 studies with 32,794 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Total fruit consumption was associated with a lower risk of GDM (RR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.86-0.99). Whereas an increasing the consumption of vegetable, including all vegetable (RR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.87-1.03), starchy vegetable (RR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.82-1.26), and fruit juice (RR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.91-1.04) was not associated with a reduction in the risk of GDM. In a dose‒response analysis of eight studies, a 3% reduction in risk of GDM for a 100 g/d increase in fruit consumption (RR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.96-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that higher fruit consumption may reduce the risk of GDM, with a 3% reduction in the risk of GDM for every 100 g/d increase in fruit intake. Higher-quality prospective studies or randomized clinical trials are required to validate the effect of different variations of fruits, vegetables, and fruit juice consumption on the risk of GDM.

Associations of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Artificially Sweetened Beverages, and Pure Fruit Juice With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to test the associations of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), artificially sweetened beverages (ASB), and pure fruit juice (PJ) consumption with the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: Data for 136 277 UK Biobank participants who completed the dietary questionnaire and did not have a history of liver disease were included. Logistic regression was used for the cross-sectional setting where NAFLD was defined by a fatty liver index (FLI) ≥60. Cox proportional hazard regression was used for the longitudinal setting where hospitalized NAFLD was defined as hospital admission with Internationl Classification of Diseases-10 codes K76.0 and K75.8. RESULTS: Compared with 0 L/wk for corresponding beverages, multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for NAFLD in consumption ≤1, 1 to 2, and >2 L/wk were 1.06 (1.02-1.10), 1.24 (1.19-1.29), and 1.42 (1.35-1.49) for SSB; 1.43 (1.37-1.50), 1.73 (1.65-1.82), and 2.37 (2.25-2.50) for ASB, and 0.87 (0.84-0.89), 0.91 (0.88-0.94), and 1.07 (1.02-1.13) for PJ, respectively. Consumption of SSB and ASB were both positively correlated with FLI (P for line < .001). During a median follow-up of 10.2 years, 1043 cases of hospitalized NAFLD were recorded. ASB consumption of 1 to 2 and >2 L/wk was associated with a 22% (0.99-1.50) and 35% (1.11-1.65) increased risk of hospitalized NAFLD, respectively (P for trend = .002). However, the associations of SSB and PJ with the risk of hospitalized NAFLD were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of SSB, ASB, and PJ were all related to the risk of NAFLD. Excessive consumption of ASBs was associated with an increased risk of incident hospitalized NAFLD.

One-pot fabrication of magnetic adsorbent based on polymeric ionic liquid/aminated carbon nanotubes composite for efficient capture of synthetic auxins in complex samples prior to chromatographic analysis.

Efficient enrichment is a challenging and indispensable step in the quantification of polar synthetic auxins in complex samples. In the current study, a new magnetic adsorbent based on polymeric ionic liquid/aminated carbon nanotube composite was fabricated with a one-pot precipitation copolymerization strategy and employed as the extraction phase of magnetic solid phase extraction of synthetic auxins. Various characterization techniques were utilized to inspect the morphology, structure, magnetic property, and functional groups of the prepared adsorbent. Under the optimal conditions, the obtained adsorbent displayed satisfactory capture performance towards studied auxins through multiple interactions. Adsorption studies evidenced that the adsorption procedure of the developed method towards analytes was fit for the Freundlich adsorption model and pseudo-second-order kinetics. Combining with high-performance liquid chromatography, sensitive and reliable method for the identification and quantification of trace synthetic auxins in environmental water and fruit juice samples was developed. The obtained limits of detection for water and fruit juice samples located in the ranges of 0.0059-0.013 and 0.018-0.031 µg/L, respectively. Recoveries in actual samples with different fortified contents varied from 82.2% to 117%, with satisfactory reproducibility. The results will evidence that the introduced extraction technique is a useful alternative for the entrapment of trace synthetic auxins from complex samples.

Vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent-based ferrofluid for extraction and detection of myclobutanil.

A vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (VA-DLLME) procedure using hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent-based ferrofluid (HDES-FF) as an extractant was established. The developed sample preparation method coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was applied to the pretreatment and determination of myclobutanil (MYC) in fruit juice. Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent, synthesized by n-decanoic acid and DL-menthol, was as a carrier and combined with magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@OA) to form HDES-FF as an extractant with high extraction capacity. The synthesized materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Parameters affecting extraction efficiency were optimized using single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken design via response surface methodology (BBD-RSM). Parallel tests were performed three times under the optimal conditions predicted by the model, yielding an actual mean recovery of 94.77% with RSD of 2.7% (n = 3) and an enrichment factor of 41.8 ± 0.98 (mean value ± SD, n = 3). Under the optimal conditions, the linear range was 1.0-100.0 µg·mL-1; the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.25 and 0.80 µg·mL-1, respectively. The average spiked recoveries in the samples ranged from 98.2 to 100.5% with intra-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.2-3.5% (n = 3) and inter-day RSDs of 1.1-3.8% (n = 3). Finally, the method was successfully applied to the determination of MYC antimicrobial agent in different fruit juice samples. The proposed HDES-FF-VA-DLLME/HPLC-DAD method was verified to widely apply to the extraction of triazole fungicides.

Dual-functional lanthanide-MOF probe nanocomposite based on hydroxyapatite nanowires as fluorescent sensor for ascorbic acid.

A dual-functional lanthanide-MOF nanocomposite probe was designed and constructed for the detection of ascorbic acid (AA). The magnetically functionalized hydroxyapatite nanowires are selected as the carriers and simultaneously loaded with ciprofloxacin (CIP) and terbium metal organic framework to form the internal reference fluorescence probe nanocomposite (Fe3O4-HAPNWs-Tb/MOF-CIP). This dual-functional lanthanide-MOF probe not only combines the respectively unique fluorescence properties of lanthanide MOFs and CIP, but also takes full advantage of the rapid separation properties of the magnetic component. Structural and spectroscopic characterization results have demonstrated the successful synthesis of probe material and the fluorescence mechanism. At a suitable excitation wavelength (295 nm), the probe can simultaneously emit characteristic fluorescence of CIP (445 nm) and Tb3+ (543 nm). In the presence of AA, the ratio of I543/I445 decreases rapidly with increasing of AA concentration. The linear range of determination is 0.3-40 µM with a detection limit of 20.4 nM. The contents of AA in vitamin C tablets and four fruit juice samples were detected by the composite probe. The spiked recoveries ranged from 82.6 to 104.2% with relative standard deviations (RSD) less than 2.1%, revealing the practical application value of the developed sensor in healthcare and food fields. A novel internal reference fluorescence sensor (Fe O -HAPNWs-Tb/MOF-CIP) was constructed for detecting ascorbic acid by solvothermal and self-assembly techniques, showing excellent selectivity and sensitivity based on the different responses of Tb/MOF and CIP to the target.

Dispersive solid phase extraction using a hydrophilic molecularly imprinted polymer for the selective extraction of patulin in apple juice samples.

A molecularly imprinted polymer with a specific selectivity for patulin was successfully synthesized. The molecularly imprinted material was prepared using the two functional monomers dopamine and melamine and formaldehyde as the cross-linker. The resulting material possessed a large number of hydrophilic groups, such as hydroxyls, imino groups, and ether linkages. For the first time, uric acid was used as a dummy template for its structural similarity to patulin. Comprehensive characterization and detailed studies of the adsorption process were carried out via adsorption isotherms, while the rate-limiting steps were investigated using adsorption kinetics. Separation, determination, and quantification of patulin were achieved by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with both photodiode array detection and tandem mass spectrometry. The latter was applied to patulin confirmation in the analysis of real samples. The methodology was validated in 20 apple juice samples. The results showed that the developed hydrophilic molecularly imprinted polymer had high selectivity and specific adsorption towards patulin, with mean recoveries ranging between 85 and 90% and a relative standard deviation lower than 15%. The developed molecularly imprinted polymer exhibited good linearity in the range 1-100 ng mL-1 with coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.99. The limit of detection was 0.5 ng mL-1, and the limit of quantification was 1 ng g-1. The developed method showed a good purification capacity for apple juices due to its hydrophilic nature and the polar interactions established with the target analyte.

An integrative analytical framework to identify healthy, impactful, and equitable foods: a case study on 100% orange juice.

To identify healthy, impactful, and equitable foods, we combined health scores from six diverse nutrient profiling systems (NPS) into a meta-framework (meta-NPS) and paired this with dietary guideline adherence assessment via multilevel regression and poststratification. In a case-study format, a commonly debated beverage formulation - 100% orange juice (OJ) - was chosen to showcase the utility and depth of our framework, systematically scoring high across multiple food systems (i.e. a Meta-Score percentile = 93rd and Stability percentile = 75th) and leading to an expected increase of US dietary fruit guideline adherence by ∼10%. Moreover, the increased adherence varies across the 300 sociodemographic strata, with the benefit patterns being sensitive to absolute or relative quantification of the difference of adherence affected by OJ. In sum, the adaptable, integrative framework we established deepens the science of nutrient profiling and dietary guideline adherence assessment while shedding light on the nuances of defining equitable health effects.