Hasil untuk "Nutrition. Foods and food supply"

L'âge moderne jusqu'en

Mehmet Zahid Malasli

Since cherries are a seasonal product, it is not possible to obtain them at all times of the year. Due to their high moisture content, they cannot be stored for long periods of time. For these reasons, the drying of sweet cherries is of great importance in preventing product losses and preserving market value. In this study, cherries were dried with different solar energy using passive (without fan; P1), active (with three fan speed; F1, F2, F3) and open (exposed to the sun) methods in order to extend the shelf life and provide access in all seasons. The kinetics of the drying processes, energy consumption parameters, thermophysical properties and their effects on color parameters were investigated. Drying rate in drying processes changed in the range of 6.09–13.98 × 10−4 g moisture/g dry matter min. It was determined that effective moisture diffusion values ranged between 1.43 × 10−8–9.62 × 10−9 m2/s. The highest average specific heat, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific mass of the dried samples were obtained at activated type-F1 fan speed. The dry product closest to fresh according to all color values was determined in the open drying method. According to the results, it is recommended that solar drying at a single fan speed (F1) be prioritized as a promising approach for sweet cherry drying in future applications and studies, while further optimization of active systems can improve specific moisture extraction rate (SMER) and specific energy consumption (SEC) performance.

Juan B. García Martínez, Jeffray Behr, Joshua Pearce et al.

Ameni Abdi, Emna Gatri, Pasquale Filannino et al.

In the original publication [...]

Xiao-Li Ren, Wei Chen, Ya Chen et al.

Abstract Background Immune-inflammatory deregulation in depression may contribute to elevated risk of subsequent mortality. While dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are known to confer neuroprotective effects for their anti-inflammatory properties, population-based evidence regarding their survival benefits and underlying mechanisms in depression remain scarce. This study aimed to investigate association between dietary omega-3 PUFAs and mortality risk in depressed individuals and identify immune-inflammatory mediation underlying mortality reductions. Methods Totally, 6,782 depressed individuals aged 20 years and above in 10 cycles (1999–2018) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. Omega-3 PUFAs intake (total and individual) was assessed through 24-hour dietary recalls. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for morality risk across omega-3 PUFA quartiles. Quantile-based g-computation model determined individual PUFA contributions, while mediation analysis evaluated the role of Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) and Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) in mortality reductions. Results Over the follow-up period of 679,294 person years, 1,281 deaths were documented. The HRs for the highest versus lowest quartile of omega-3 PUFAs were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.62, 0.94) for total mortality, 0.72 (95% CI: 0.50, 1.02) for CVD mortality, 0.82 (95% CI: 0.50, 1.35) for cancer mortality, and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.59, 1.00) for other-cause mortality. DPA showed the strongest association (58.40% weight for total mortality reduction, P = 0.002; 59.80% for other causes, P = 0.011), while EPA contributed most to cardiovascular mortality reductions (60.4%, P = 0.046). Mediation analysis revealed GNRI accounted for 8.1% of PUFA-mortality association (10.5% for DPA), with SII mediating 6.9% of DPA-specific benefit. Conclusion Higher intake of omega-3 PUFAs, predominantly EPA and DPA, were associated with a lower mortality risk in depressed individuals, partially mediated by immune-nutritional pathways. These findings underscore omega-3 PUFAs as potential dietary adjuncts for improving survival in depression through immunomodulation. Further long-term clinical studies are warranted to validate the survival benefits of omega-3 PUFAs in patients with depression.

Eduard Baladia, Manuel Moñino, Martina Miserachs et al.

Introduction: Perceptions and practices of healthcare professionals regarding the nutritional and dietary value of yogurt can play a crucial role in developing effective strategies to promote healthier and more sustainable dietary patterns. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions, attitudes, and practices of nutrition professionals regarding yogurt and its role in a healthy diet. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 355 nutrition professionals in Spain was conducted. The survey was administered online and explored professionals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding yogurt. Statistical analysis included descriptive and correlational techniques, with a significance level set at p < 0,05 to validate observations. Results: The study revealed that 62,8% of participants recognized yogurt as a key food in a healthy diet, while 31,8% adopted a neutral position. In addition to its nutritional contribution, over 80% associated yogurt consumption with the prevention or treatment of some health outcomes. The most important factors for recommending yogurt consumption were its nutritional value and demonstrated health benefits (96,1% and 70,1%, respectively). Knowledge about yogurt was significantly associated (p < 0,05) with a greater willingness to include it in the diet, and a positive attitude correlated with more intensive recommendation practices. Conclusions: The study unveils a predominantly positive attitude towards yogurt among nutrition professionals, supported by knowledge of its nutritional value and health benefits. The need for specific national guidelines and greater ongoing education to guide professionals and the population towards healthier and more sustainable practices was highlighted. Additionally, there is a future interest in considering the environmental sustainability of yogurt as an important factor for decision-making. Funding: This research has been funded by DANONE. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The research protocol was registered on the platform Open Science Framework (OSF): https://osf.io/ef97b

Peihua Ma, Si Chen, Wenfan Su et al.

This study explores the application of GPT models for automating consumer food survey analysis, focusing on Chinese consumers' acceptance of plant-based foods, cultured meat, insect-based proteins, and microbial proteins. Traditional survey analysis methods face limitations in handling large-scale, open-ended responses, whereas GPT's natural language processing capabilities offer efficient, bias-reduced alternatives. Employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), we investigate how food technophobia (FTN) and food values (FV) affect perceived benefits (PB) and perceived risks (PR), ultimately influencing consumer acceptance. Results show that acceptance is highest for plant-based foods and lowest for cultured meat, with PB positively and PR negatively impacting consumer willingness to these foods. Mediation analysis reveals that PR and PB mediate the effects of FTN and FV on acceptance, indicating that attitudes toward food safety, naturalness, and production processes shape consumer choices. The findings underscore the value of using GPT for comprehensive, real-time survey analysis and suggest marketing strategies and policies that emphasize product safety, environmental benefits, and consumer education to enhance acceptance of alternative proteins.

Yihang Wang, Chunsen Wu, Guodong Liu et al.

BackgroundCompared to common rice, soft rice is characterized by low amylose content, soft and elastic texture, and low retrogradation of cold rice. However, the differences of quality deteriorate during aging between soft rice and common rice are still unclear.MethodsIn this study, representative soft rice varieties (NJ9108 and NJ46) were chosen as research subjects, and YJ7081 and HD5 were chosen as control. The changes of their components and quality during aging were comprehensively investigated.ResultsDuring aging, the total starch, fat, and protein content of soft rice decrease, while the amylose content increases. The short-range ordered structure of soft rice starch and the secondary structure of proteins gradually degrade with the extension of aging time. In addition, the relative crystallinity of soft rice starch gradually decreases during the aging process. After aging for 24 M, the average taste value of soft rice decreased by 14.86, and the average 2-AP content decreased by 167.82 ng/g. The average taste value of common rice decreased by 12.52, and the average 2-AP content decreased by 140.42 ng/g.ConclusionCompared to common rice, the component contents and the starch short-range ordered structure characteristics of soft rice exhibited more pronounced changes, leading to increased deterioration of cooking, eating, and aroma qualities during aging.

Alice Sharples, Rob Duffield, Jarrod Wade et al.

Introduction Rugby league is a physically demanding sport that necessitates considerable nutritional intake, focusing on quality and type, in order to optimize training and competition demands. However, rugby league athletes are reported to have inadequate nutrition intake to match these demands. Some factors that may determine an athlete’s nutrition intake have been reported in other sports, including (but not limited to, knowledge, time, cooking skills, food costs, income, belief in the importance of nutrition, body composition goals, and family/cultural support). However, these potential factors are relatively unexplored in rugby league, where a range of personal (age, body composition) or social (ancestry) influences could affect nutritional intake. Further exploration of these factors is warranted to understand the knowledge, attitudes and behavior underlying rugby league athletes’ nutritional intake that can provide practitioners with a more detailed understanding of how to approach nutrition behaviors and attitudes in rugby league athletes.Objectives The primary aim was to describe the nutrition behaviors and knowledge of rugby league athletes. A secondary aim was to compare nutrition knowledge and behavior based on age, body composition and self-identified ancestry.Methods Fifty professional rugby league athletes anonymously completed a seventy-six-question online survey. The survey consisted of three sections : 1) sports nutrition knowledge, 2) attitudes toward nutrition on performance , and 3) nutrition behaviors. All participants completed the online survey without assistance using their own personal device, with data entered via REDCap during pre-season. Nutrition knowledge was compared based on age (years), body composition (body fat percentage (%)) and ancestral groups (Pasifika, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) and Anglo- European).Pearson correlation was used for the relationship between nutrition knowledge, age and body composition. An Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to determine nutrition knowledge differences between ancestral groups with age and body composition as covariates. Attitudes and behaviors were compared based on age groups (<20, 20–24 and >25 y), ancestry and body composition. Attitudes and behaviors were analyzed by Pearson correlation for body composition, one-way ANOVA for age groups and ANCOVA for ancestry with covariates age and body composition.Results Overall athletes’ nutrition knowledge score was reported as 40 ± 12% (overall rating “poor”). Nutritional behaviors were significant for body composition, as those with lower body fat percentage had higher intakes of vegetables and dairy products (p = 0.046, p = 0.009), and ate more in the afternoon (lunch p = 0.048, afternoon snack p = 0.036). For ancestry, after adjustment for both age and body composition, Pasifika athletes were more inclined to miss breakfast and lunch compared to their Anglo-European (p = 0.037, p = 0.012) and ATSI (p = 0.022, p = 0.006) counterparts and ate more fruit than Anglo-Europeans (p = 0.006, p = 0.016). After adjustment for body composition, ATSI athletes also viewed the impact of nutrition on mental health and well-being significantly lower than Pasifika (p = 0.044).Conclusion These findings suggest differences exist within rugby league athletes based on ancestral backgrounds and body composition for nutrition attitudes, behaviors and knowledge. Such outcomes could be used when designing nutrition education interventions, with consideration given to these factors to optimize long-term positive behavior change.

Fan Zhang, Xue-de Wang, Ke Li et al.

This study developed a novel and green method to produce fragrant sesame oil using microwaves and subcritical extraction (SBE). Sesame seeds were microwaved at 540 W for 0–9 min before subcritical propane extraction at 40 °C and 0.5 MPa. SBE caused less deformation to the cellular microstructure of sesame cotyledons while dramatically improving oil yield (96.7–97.1 %) compared to screw processing (SP) (53.1–58.6 %). SBE improved extraction rates for γ-tocopherol (381.1–454.9 μg/g) and sesame lignans (917.9–970.4 mg/100 g) in sesame oil compared to SP (360.1–443.8 μg/g and 872.8–916.8 mg/100 g, respectively). Microwaves generated aroma-active heterocyclics and phenolics faster than hot-air roasting in sesame oil with a better sensory profile. SBE had a higher extraction rate for aroma-active terpenes, alcohols, and esters while reducing the concentrations of carcinogenic PAHs and HCAs in sesame oil. The novel combination process of microwaves and subcritical extraction is promising in producing fragrant sesame oil with superior qualities.

Senoveva Mauli, Anne-Marie Thow, Georgina Mulcahy et al.

Malnutrition and food insecurity have significant social and economic impacts in small island developing states, such as the Solomon Islands. Enhancing the domestic supply of fish, the main source of local protein, can contribute to improved nutrition and food security. This research aimed to improve understanding of the policy interface between the fisheries and health sectors and identify opportunities to strengthen fish supply chain policy to improve domestic (particularly urban) access to fish in the Solomon Islands. The study design drew on theories of policy learning and policy change and analysed policies using a consumption-oriented supply chain approach. Interviews were conducted with 12 key informants in the Solomon Islands, and 15 policy documents were analysed. Analysis of policy documents and interview data indicated that there were strengths as well as opportunities in the existing policy context. In particular, community-based fisheries management approaches and explicit recognition of the links between fisheries and nutrition were key strengths. Challenges included gaps in implementation, variations in capacities across government actors and communities, and limited attention to domestic monitoring and enforcement. Improving the effectiveness of resource management efforts may result in sustainable outcomes for both livelihoods and health, which will accomplish priorities at the national and sub-national levels and support the achievement of the Solomon Islands’ commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Zhiyuan Bo, Zhiyuan Bo, Ziyan Chen et al.

BackgroundSarcopenia has a remarkable negative impact on patients with liver diseases. We aimed to evaluate the impact of preoperative sarcopenia on the short-term outcomes after hepatectomy in patients with benign liver diseases.MethodsA total of 558 patients with benign liver diseases undergoing hepatectomy were prospectively reviewed. Both the muscle mass and strength were measured to define sarcopenia. Postoperative outcomes including complications, major complications and comprehensive complication index (CCI) were compared among four subgroups classified by muscle mass and strength. Predictors of complications, major complications and high CCI were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Nomograms based on predictors were constructed and calibration cures were performed to verify the performance.Results120 patients were involved for analysis after exclusion. 33 patients were men (27.5%) and the median age was 54.0 years. The median grip strength was 26.5 kg and the median skeletal muscle index (SMI) was 44.4 cm2/m2. Forty-six patients (38.3%) had complications, 19 patients (15.8%) had major complications and 27 patients (22.5%) had a CCI ≥ 26.2. Age (p = 0.005), SMI (p = 0.005), grip strength (p = 0.018), surgical approach (p = 0.036), and operation time (p = 0.049) were predictors of overall complications. Child-Pugh score (p = 0.037), grip strength (p = 0.004) and surgical approach (p = 0.006) were predictors of major complications. SMI (p = 0.047), grip strength (p &lt; 0.001) and surgical approach (p = 0.014) were predictors of high CCI. Among the four subgroups, patients with reduced muscle mass and strength showed the worst short-term outcomes. The nomograms for complications and major complications were validated by calibration curves and showed satisfactory performance.ConclusionSarcopenia has an adverse impact on the short-term outcomes after hepatectomy in patients with benign liver diseases and valuable sarcopenia-based nomograms were constructed to predict postoperative complications and major complications.

Kunio Miyake, Sayaka Horiuchi, Ryoji Shinohara et al.

BackgroundAnimal studies have shown that maternal low-fiber diets during pregnancy may impair brain development and function in offspring, but this has not been validated by epidemiological studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the link between maternal dietary fiber intake during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental delay in offspring using a large birth cohort.MethodsA total of 76,207 mother-infant pairs were analyzed using data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, a nationwide prospective cohort study. Maternal dietary fiber intake was estimated using the food frequency questionnaire in mid-pregnancy. Maternal dietary fiber intake was adjusted for energy and classified into quintiles. Developmental delay was assessed in five domains using the Japanese version of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition at the age of 3 years. The logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the link between dietary fiber intake during pregnancy and developmental delay at the age of 3 years.ResultsThe lowest intake group of total dietary fiber had a higher risk of delayed communication [adjusted OR (aOR), 1.51; 95% CI, 1.32–1.74], fine motor (aOR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.32–1.61), problem-solving (aOR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.32–1.61), and personal-social skills (aOR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.12–1.50) than did the highest intake group. An analysis that excluded the effects of insufficient folic acid intake during pregnancy also showed a similar trend.ConclusionThis study showed that maternal dietary fiber deficiency during pregnancy might influence an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay in offspring.

Mavra Ahmed, Alyssa Schermel, Jennifer J Lee et al.

Objectives Traditional methods for creating food composition databases struggle to cope with the large number of products and the rapid pace of turnover in the food supply. This paper introduces Food Label Information Program (FLIP), a big data approach to the evaluation of the Canadian food supply and presents the latest methods used in the development of this database. Methods The Food Label Information Program (FLIP) is a database of Canadian food and beverage package labels by brand name. The latest iteration of the FLIP, FLIP 2020, was developed using website “scraping” to collect food labeling information (e.g., nutritional composition, price, product images, ingredients, brand, etc.) on all foods and beverages available on seven major Canadian e-grocery retailer websites between May 2020 and February 2021. Results The University of Toronto's Food Label Information Program (FLIP) 2020 was developed in three phases: Phase 1, database development and enhancements; Phase 2, data capture and management of food products and nutrition information; Phase 3, data processing and food categorizing. A total of 74,445 products available on websites of seven retailers and 2 location-specific duplicate retailers were collected for FLIP 2020. Of 57,006 food and beverage products available on seven retailers, nutritional composition data were available for about 60% of the products and ingredients were available for about 45%. Data for energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat, sugar, sodium and saturated fat were present for 54–65% of the products, while fiber information was available for 37%. Food products were classified under multiple categorization systems, including Health Canada's Table of Reference Amounts, Health Canada's sodium categories for guiding benchmark sodium levels, sugar-focused categories and categories specific to various global nutrient profiling models. Conclusions FLIP is a powerful tool for evaluating and monitoring the Canadian food supply environment. The comprehensive sampling and granularity of collection provides power for revealing analyses of the relationship between nutritional quality and marketing of branded foods, timely observation of product reformulation and other changes to the Canadian food supply.

F. Simmance, P. Cohen, C. Huchery et al.

Food system is a powerful concept for understanding and responding to nutrition and sustainability challenges. Food systems integrate social, economic, environmental and health aspects of food production through to consumption. Aquatic foods are an essential part of food systems providing an accessible source of nutrition for millions of people. Yet, it is unclear to what degree research across diverse disciplines concerning aquatic foods has engaged food systems, and the value this concept has added. We conducted a systematic review of fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic food literature (2017–2019) to determine the following: the characteristics of this research; the food systems components and interrelations with which research engaged; and the insights generated on nutrition, justice, sustainability and climate change. Sixty five of the 88 reviewed articles focussed on production and supply chains, with 23 considering human nutrition. Only 13% of studies examined low- and middle-income countries that are most vulnerable to undernutrition. One third of articles looked beyond finfish to other aquatic foods, which illuminated values of local knowledge systems and diverse foods for nutrition. When aggregated, reviewed articles examined the full range of food system drivers—biophysical and environmental (34%), demographic (24%) and socio-cultural (27%)—but rarely examined interactions between drivers. Future research that examines a diversity of species in diets, system-wide flows of nutrients, trade-offs amongst objectives, and the nutritional needs of vulnerable social groups would be nudging closer to the ambitions of the food systems concept, which is necessary to address the global challenges of equity, nutrition and sustainability.

Jingli Xie

Buket Akcan, Asim Örem, Yahya Altinkaynak et al.

Background and ObjectiveDue to the frequency of meal ingestion, individuals spend the majority of the day, ~18 h, in a status of post-prandial (PP) stress. Remnant-like lipoprotein particles (RLPs) are predominant in PP phase playing an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been suggested to play a role in vessel wall homeostasis and in reducing atherosclerosis. However, there is no information about peripheral blood EPCs number following PP stress. We investigated the association between circulating EPCs levels and extent of PP lipemia in healthy subjects following a high-fat meal.Materials and MethodsA total of 84 healthy subjects (42 men, 42 women) aged 17–55 years were included in the study. PP lipemic response of subjects was determined by Oral Fat-Loading Test (OFLT). All the subjects were classified on the basis of their plasma TG levels after PP lipemic stressors in categories 1 (low), 2 (moderate), and 3 (high). Circulating EPCs numbers were measured by the flow cytometry method.ResultsThere was a significant difference in terms of lipid parameters between men and women: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly lower in men than in women (p &lt; 0.001). Total cholesterol (TC) (p = 0.004), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (p &lt; 0.001), triglyceride (TG) (p &lt; 0.001), and TG-AUC (p &lt; 0.001) were significantly higher in men than in women. There was no significant difference between the genders in terms of CD34+KDR+ and CD34+KDR+CD133+cell number and MMP-9 levels. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were significantly higher in men than women (p = 0.004). TC, LDL-C, and TG were significantly higher in the 3rd category than 1st and 2nd categories (p &lt; 0.001) in women. Age, body mass index (BMI), fat rate, TG, TC, and LDL-C were significantly higher in the 3rd category than 1st category (p &lt; 0.001, p = 0.002, p = 0.002, p = 0.01, p = 0.007, p = 0.004; respectively), in men. Circulating numbers of EPCs in men were significantly higher in the PP hyperlipidemia group than in the low TG levels category, independently from age (p &lt; 0.05). Circulating EPC levels showed a positive correlation with OFLT response in men (r = 0.414, p &lt; 0.05). Also, OFLT response showed a strong positive correlation with fasting TG levels (r = 0.930, p &lt; 0.001). EPC levels in categories of women were not different.ConclusionIncreased EPCs levels in subjects with different PP hyperlipidemia may be associated with a response to endothelial injury, related to increased atherogenic remnant particles at the PP phase.

Jun Ding, Qi Liu, Ze Liu et al.

BackgroundEpidemiological studies have investigated the associations of dietary iron, copper, and selenium level with metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, their results are conflicting. This meta-analysis of observational study was, therefore, employed to investigate the associations above.MethodsA comprehensive literature search was employed using PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus database up to October 2021 (no restriction was set for the initiate time). The pooled relative risk (RR) of MetS for the highest vs. lowest dietary iron, copper, and selenium level was estimated, respectively.ResultsA total of 14 observational studies (55,131 participants) were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. Specifically, 7 studies were related to the dietary iron level. The overall multivariable adjusted RR demonstrated that the dietary iron level was positively associated with MetS (RR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.12–1.44; p &lt; 0.001). With regard to the dietary copper level, 7 studies were included for meta-analysis. The overall multivariable adjusted RR showed that the dietary copper level was inversely associated with MetS (RR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.78–0.93; p &lt; 0.001). In addition, 4 studies were specified for the dietary selenium level. The overall multivariable adjusted RR indicated that the dietary selenium level was inversely associated with MetS (RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.63–0.95; p = 0.01) as well.ConclusionOur results suggest that the dietary iron level is positively associated with MetS, whereas a negative association between the dietary copper and selenium level and MetS is obtained. Further large well-designed prospective cohort studies are warranted to elaborate on the issues examined in this study.

Kirsten M. Wright, Janis McFerrin, Armando Alcázar Magaña et al.

Botanical products are frequently sold as dietary supplements and their use by the public is increasing in popularity. However, scientific evaluation of their medicinal benefits presents unique challenges due to their chemical complexity, inherent variability, and the involvement of multiple active components and biological targets. Translation away from preclinical models, and developing an optimized, reproducible botanical product for use in clinical trials, presents particular challenges for phytotherapeutic agents compared to single chemical entities. Common deficiencies noted in clinical trials of botanical products include limited characterization of the product tested, inadequate placebo control, and lack of rationale for the type of product tested, dose used, outcome measures or even the study population. Our group has focused on the botanical Centella asiatica due to its reputation for enhancing cognition in Eastern traditional medicine systems. Our preclinical studies on a Centella asiatica water extract (CAW) and its bioactive components strongly support its potential as a phytotherapeutic agent for cognitive decline in aging and Alzheimer's disease through influences on antioxidant response, mitochondrial activity, and synaptic density. Here we describe our robust, scientific approach toward developing a rational phytotherapeutic product based on Centella asiatica for human investigation, addressing multiple factors to optimize its valid clinical evaluation. Specific aspects covered include approaches to identifying an optimal dose range for clinical assessment, design and composition of a dosage form and matching placebo, sourcing appropriate botanical raw material for product manufacture (including the evaluation of active compounds and contaminants), and up-scaling of laboratory extraction methods to available current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) certified industrial facilities. We also address the process of obtaining regulatory approvals to proceed with clinical trials. Our study highlights the complexity of translational research on botanicals and the importance of identifying active compounds and developing sound analytical and bioanalytical methods for their determination in botanical materials and biological samples. Recent Phase I pharmacokinetic studies of our Centella asiatica product in humans (NCT03929250, NCT03937908) have highlighted additional challenges associated with designing botanical bioavailability studies, including specific dietary considerations that need to be considered.

Clara Medina-García, Clara Medina-García, Sharmada Nagarajan et al.

Literatures on social innovation, collective agency and multi-actor collaboration stress the importance of action research and joint problematization to research ongoing processes of collaboration and transformation to advance both theory and practice in these fields. In this paper we analyze our experience building a transdisciplinary action research (TAR) trajectory between 2020 and 2021 to investigate socially innovative multi-actor collaborations (IMACs) and urban governance innovation trajectories in the city of Leuven (Belgium). We specifically focus on (1) how we involved a wide array of researchers, stakeholders and practitioners in the TAR trajectory; (2) how we enacted joint problematization and action, ensuring that all facilitative leadership roles were taken care of; (3) the challenges that the specific COVID context posed on TAR and the innovative tools and approaches we took to adapt under such circumstances; and (4) how our TAR contributed to the ongoing IMACs in Leuven. Discussing our experience in relation to issues raised in action research literature, we summarize key dimensions, roles and tasks necessary in TAR to enable facilitative leadership and multi-actor collaboration and successfully drive joint problematization and transformative change. We conclude that our TAR trajectory in Leuven became a case study of IMAC in itself, and so learnings from our TAR directly dialogue with and inform our empirical analysis of the performance of IMACs too. Through this realization and the analysis of our experience, we get to broader question the role of action research and researchers in urban governance innovation.