A global perspective on a new paradigm shift in bio-based meat alternatives for healthy diet.

A meat analogue is a casserole in which the primary ingredient is something other than meat. It goes by various other names, such as meat substitute, fake meat, alternative meat, and imitation meat. Consumers growing interest in improving their diets and the future of the planet have contributed to the move towards meat substitutes. This change is due to the growing popularity of low-fat and low-calorie diets, the rise of flexitarians, the spread of animal diseases, the loss of natural resources, and the need to cut down on carbon emissions, which lead to greenhouse effects. Plant-based meat, cultured meat, algal protein-based meat, and insect-based meat substitutes are available on the market with qualities like appearance and flavor similar to those of traditional meat. Novel ingredients like mycoprotein and soybean leg haemoglobin are mixed in with the more traditional soy proteins, cereals, green peas, etc. Plant-based meat is currently more popular in the West, but the growing interest in this product in Asian markets indicates the industry in this region will expand rapidly in the near future. Future growth in the food sector can be anticipated from technologies like lab-grown meat and its equivalents that do not require livestock breeding. Insect-based products also hold great potential as a new source of protein for human consumption. However, product safety and quality should be considered along with other factors such as marketability and affordability.

Immunomodulatory Role of Diospyros peregrina Fruit Preparation in Breast Cancer by Utilizing Macrophage Mediated Antigen Presentation and T Helper Cell (Th) Differentiation.

BACKGROUND: Diospyros peregrina is dioecious plant native to India and belonging to the family of Ebenaceae, is largely utilized in treatment of various ailments. Little has been known about the antitumor activity of Diospyros peregrina with only 1 previous study on Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma in mice. Therefore, it prompted us to extensively explore the immunomodulatory effect in various cancer forms. The focal point of this study revolves around breast cancer, which is the second most common cancer in the world. In view of the increasing demands for noninvasive treatments, natural plant-based agents open up promising applications in cancer immunotherapy METHODS: CD4+ lymphocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of breast cancer patients and normal donor blood samples using magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) and cultured separately. Utilizing the plastic surface adherence property, the macrophages were isolated from CD4 negative lymphocytes of both breast cancer patients and normal donors. For the presentation of tumor antigens invitro, macrophages were pulsed with breast tumor associated antigen (BTAA) in presence or absence of Diospyros peregrina fruit preparation (DFP). Differentially pulsed and irradiated macrophages were co-cultured with autologous and allogenic lymphocytes. Supernatants hence collected from CD4+ lymphocytes were utilized for cytokine profiling using ELISA and proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) generated from CD4 negative lymphocytes culture (2 × 105) was incubated with MCF-7 (2 × 104) to check cytotoxicity using LDH release assay. CD4+ lymphocytes were treated in presence or absence of DFP, were analyzed using immunoblotting and RT-qPCR, to check DFP mediated T helper (Th) cell differentiation through investigation of signatory cytokines and transcription factors. RESULTS: It was found that DFP elevated the proliferation of CD4+ T lymphocytes (Th) in response to BTAA. DFP also helped in presenting BTAA pulsed macrophages directing in the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte mediated immune response. Results indicated that DFP preferentially highlighted Th1 commitment with type-1 specific cytokines IFN-g and IL-12 and was indifferent in Th2 manifestation. DFP was not only involved in the upregulation of Tbet mounted type-1 mediated immune response and activation of STAT1 but also it downregulated STAT6 and GATA3, the functional activators and regulators of type-2 immune response. Moreover, it was observed that DFP inhibited the tumor-promoting environment modulated through Tregs by downregulating Foxp3 and STAT5. Further, it was detected that DFP directs Th1 bias and results in attainment of better suppression of breast tumor CONCLUSION: The results collectively pointed out that DFP favored cell-mediated immune response from BTAA antigen presentation on macrophages and also helping in the robust proliferation of an entire spectrum of T helper lymphocytes which furthermore strengthen the underlying immune responses, hence, fencing the body, of the progression of breast cancer.

Microbe-fabricated nanoparticles as potent biomaterials for efficient food preservation.

In recent years, cutting-edge nanotechnology research has revolutionized several facets of the food business, including food processing, packaging, transportation, preservation, and functioning. Nanotechnology has beginning to loom large in the food business as the industry's demand for biogenic nanomaterial grows. The intracellular and extracellular synthesis of metal, metal oxide, and other essential NPs has recently been explored in a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, yeasts, microalgae, and viruses. These microbes produce a variety extracellular material, exopolysaccharides, enzymes, and secondary metabolites which play key roles in synthesizing as well as stabilizing the nanoparticle (NPs). Furthermore, genetic engineering techniques can help them to improve their capacity to generate NPs more efficiently. As a result, using microorganisms to manufacture NPs is unique and has a promising future. Microbial-mediated synthesis of NPs has lately been popular as a more environmentally friendly alternative to physical and chemical methods of nanomaterial synthesis, which require higher prices, more energy consumption, and more complex reaction conditions, as well as a potentially dangerous environmental impact. It is critical to consider regulatory measures implemented at all stages of the process, from production through refining, packaging, preservation, and storage, when producing bionanomaterials derived from culturable microbes for efficient food preservation. The current review discusses the synthesis, mechanism of action, and possible food preservation uses of microbial mediated NPs, which can assist to minimize food deterioration from the inside out while also ensuring that food is safe and free of contaminants. Despite the numerous benefits, there are looming debates concerning their usage in food items, particularly regarding its aggregation in human bodies and other risks to the environment. Other applications and impacts of these microbe-fabricated NPs in the context of future food preservation prospects connected with regulatory problems and potential hazards are highlighted.

Overview of the risks of Staphylococcus aureus infections and their control by bacteriophages and bacteriophage-encoded products.

Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of secondary infections in hospitals and a challenging pathogen in food industries. Decades after it was first reported, ß-lactam-resistant S. aureus remains a subject of intense research owing to the ever-increasing issue of drug resistance. S. aureus bacteriophages (phages) or their encoded products are considered an alternative to antibiotics as they have been shown to be effective in treating some S. aureus-associated infections. In this review, we present a concise collection of the literature on the pathogenic potential of S. aureus and examine the prospects of using S. aureus phages and their encoded products as antimicrobials.

Cost Effectiveness of PD-L1-Based Test-and-Treat Strategy with Pembrolizumab as the First-Line Treatment for Metastatic NSCLC in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: Pembrolizumab, a monoclonal antibody against programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), is approved by several regulatory agencies for first-line treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 50% and no epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase genomic tumor aberrations. This study was conducted from the perspective of the Hospital Authority in Hong Kong and aimed to evaluate the cost effectiveness of a biomarker (PD-L1) test-and-treat strategy (BTS), in which patients with a TPS ≥ 50% received pembrolizumab and other patients received platinum doublet chemotherapy versus all patients receiving platinum doublet chemotherapy. METHODS: The model used a partitioned survival approach to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) expressed as the cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. The clinical efficacy, utility and safety data were derived from the KN024 trial. Costs and health outcomes were projected over a 10-year time horizon and discounted at 3% per year. Costs for drug acquisition, PD-L1 testing, drug administration and disease management were used. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of results. RESULTS: The BTS approach led to an increase of 0.29 QALYs at an additional cost of Hong Kong dollars (HK$) 249,077 (US$31,933) compared with platinum doublet chemotherapy, resulting in an ICER of HK$865,189 (US$110,922) per QALY gained. This is lower than the World Health Organization cost-effectiveness threshold of three times the 2016 gross domestic product (GDP) per capita for Hong Kong of HK$1017,819 (US$130,490). Probabilistic sensitivity analyses showed a 59.4% chance that the ICER would be below this threshold. CONCLUSION: First-line treatment with pembrolizumab in a BTS to identify patients with NSCLC with PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50% can be considered cost effective in Hong Kong compared with platinum doublet chemotherapy based on a three-times GDP per capita threshold. However, local data on clinical efficacy and safety were not available to estimate overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) specific to patients with NSCLC in Hong Kong. Further, uncertainty is inherent in the survival projections/extrapolation of PFS and OS beyond the trial period, and future research may help to further inform these parameters.