Guadalupe Loarca-Piña

Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem in Mexico. In this study, childhoodspecific dietary patterns and their relationship with overweight-obesity prevalence, nutrient profiles and types of foods consumed were studied. A descriptive cross-sectional study of 724 randomly selected schoolchildren between 9 to 12 years old from Nayarit State, Mexico was performed. Data on anthropometric characteristics and food intake were recorded. Seven dietary patterns and three specific diets were identified by multivariate analysis. A dietary pattern characterized by high legume, snack and low beverage intake was negatively associated with weight and body mass index. The overall overweight and obesity prevalence was 20.2% and 20.6%, respectively. Diet type significantly influenced (p<0.05) protein, carbohydrates and fat intake but did not show correlation with the overweightobesity status. Simple sugars, candies, pastries and sweetened beverages appeared in all dietary patterns. Dietary patterns in countries with a wide gastronomic diversity should be considered to design preventive nutrition intervention programs.

Avocado peel is a high-value by-product rich in bioactive compounds; however, its structural and chemical integrity undergoes critical transitions during postharvest ripening. This study evaluated the influence of ripening stage (unripe, ripe, and overripe) on the chemical composition, color attributes, antioxidant capacity, and microstructural evolution of Hass avocado peel. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in proximate composition and color coordinates among ripening stages. Overripe peel exhibited the highest concentration of total phenolic compounds (168.02 ± 3.28 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant capacity, determined by ABTS•+ (410.25 ± 1.01 µM TE/g) and FRAP (782.84 ± 2.62 µM TE/g). Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed progressive degradation of cuticular layers and chlorophyll-containing cells during ripening. Surface fractal dimension texture (FDT) significantly decreased from 1.54 ± 0.02 in unripe peel to 1.47 ± 0.01 in overripe peel, indicating a reduction in surface structural complexity. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 99.0% of the total variance and revealed a clear association between FDT, chlorophyll fluorescence (λex = 450 nm), and color parameters, while total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were associated with advanced ripening stages. These findings demonstrate that FDT is a promising indicator of peel senescence and suggest that structural disassembly during ripening is closely associated with enhanced phenolic extractability and antioxidant potential. This work provides a comprehensive framework for monitoring postharvest quality and supports the valorization of avocado peel as a source of bioactive compounds for food applications.

Huitlacoche ( Ustilago maydis ) is a popular and widely consumed edible fungus that infects corn, inducing gall formation rich in phenolic compounds. During consumption, huitlacoche‐based phenolic compounds are affected by gastrointestinal conditions, thereby altering their bioaccessibility and, in turn, their prebiotic and chemopreventive potential. This study investigated the in vitro chemopreventive effects of cooked huitlacoche on human colon cancer cells (HT‐29) and its prebiotic potential. Cooked huitlacoche underwent in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, followed by colonic fermentation, to evaluate the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity at each stage. The prebiotic potential was monitored by Lactobacillus gasseri growth in the presence of the nondigestible fraction of huitlacoche (NDF‐H). Additionally, the chemopreventive effect of the colonic fermentation extract of huitlacoche (FE‐H) was evaluated on HT‐29 colon cancer cells. The cooking process increased ( p < 0.05) total dietary fiber (+9.60%) while reducing other micronutrients. The concentrations of selected phenolic compounds increase during the gastric phase (benzoic acid: 265‐fold; and 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid: 19.13‐fold). During in vitro human‐gut colonic fermentation, acetic, propionic, and butyric acids were detected (up to 3.06–7.08 mmol/L). FE‐H induced cytotoxic effects in HT‐29 cells (LC ₅₀ : 33.34% v/v) due to necrosis and caspase‐3/7 activation, without being cytotoxic in human non‐tumoral Hs 738 St./int. Moreover, digested huitlacoche promoted L. gasseri growth. Overall, cooked huitlacoche components are bioaccessible during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and suggest chemopreventive and prebiotic potential. Practical Applications: The consumption of cooked huitlacoche may have beneficial effects, supporting its classification as a functional food with chemopreventive and prebiotic properties. These properties stem from the dietary fiber content and antioxidant compounds.

Mexico harvests 30% of the world's avocados and its by-products, particularly the peel, is a major source of bioactive compounds such as dietary fiber (DF). The objective was to characterize the DF of 'Hass' avocado peel and associated bioactive compounds for application in gluten-free hot cakes flours. DF was extracted using two methods (alkaline (AM) and ultrasound-assisted (UM) with yields ranging from 72 to 83%. Significant differences were found in the concentration of TFC (47.21-58.68 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant capacity by FRAP method (399.86-548.24 µmol TE/ g), being UM significantly better. The DFs obtained by UM showed up to 20.2 and 44.2% higher water (5.00 g H₂O/g) and oil holding capacities (3.53 g oil/g), respectively. Gluten-free hot cake flours added with DF up to 4% were formulated, with no significant differences in the physical, chemical and techno-functional properties. The results suggest that DF extracted can be used as a functional ingredient.

Background: Treatments for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) are not universally effective, underscoring the need for new therapeutic alternatives. Extracts of Echeveria subrigida have demonstrated potent in vitro activities, such as antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects, as well as in vivo activities, including hypoglycemic, antihyperglycemic, immunomodulatory, and adaptogenic effects. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the antidiabetic mechanisms of ethanolic (EEEs) and methanolic (MEEs) extracts of E. subrigida, standardized for isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside (I3G), in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: The E. subrigida extracts, EEEs and MEEs, were obtained by maceration and standardized for the content of I3G. The antidiabetic effect was evaluated using STZ-induced diabetic rats, which were randomly allocated to experimental groups (n = 6). Isorhamnetin (ISO) and metformin (MET) treatments served as positive controls. Parameters were measured at least in triplicate, and means were compared using the Fisher test (P < 0.05). The following evaluations were conducted: Levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), leptin, and inflammatory-related cytokines in serum; expression of proteins in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathways; transcriptional expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) in liver tissue; and histology of the liver and pancreas. Results: All treatments, except ISO, demonstrated antidiabetic effects, with glucose levels in MET (183.75 ± 61.89 mg/dL) and MEEs (168.00 ± 48.10 mg/dL) rats comparable to healthy control (HC) rats (109.25 ± 6.11 mg/dL). Leptin levels decreased in diabetic control (DC) rats (0.17 ± 0.07 ng/mL), while levels in the EEEs (0.65 ± 0.06 ng/mL) and MEEs (0.77 ± 0.09 ng/mL) groups were similar to those of the HC group (0.71 ± 0.19 ng/mL). The levels (pg/mL) of cytokines (IL-10, IL-6, IFN-γ, and IL-4) were elevated in DC rats (72.26 ± 12.91, 36.72 ± 2.91, 4.56 ± 0.63, and 16.34 ± 2.06, respectively), but were effectively reduced in rats treated with EEEs (29.64 ± 2.86, 9.85 ± 2.92, 1.11 ± 0.24, and 6.71 ± 1.15, respectively) and MEEs (26.65 ± 5.31, 7.30 ± 1.89, 1.25 ± 0.28, and 5.55 ± 0.43, respectively). Liver histology showed nearly normal structures, although pancreatic histology revealed hypertrophied Langerhans islets across all DM2 groups. The Akt activation and inactivation of AS160 by phosphorylation were detected in the livers of EEEs and MEEs rats without AMPK activation. Additionally, these groups expressed the SREBP-1c mRNA. Conclusions: The EEEs and MEEs exhibited antidiabetic activity via the PI3K/Akt pathway, suggesting E. subrigida as a potential preventive or therapeutic agent for type 2 diabetes.

The formation of resistant starch type 5 (RS5), primarily associated with amylose–lipid complexes, is typically attributed to starches with high-amylose content due to their affinity for lipid interactions. Recently, studies have also investigated the potential of amylopectin-rich starches to form amylopectin–lipid complexes (ALCs), expanding RS5 sources. This study explores the capacity of waxy corn starch (WS), which is rich in amylopectin, to develop ALCs with oleic acid (10% w/w) under different thermal and mechanical conditions. Specifically, WS was treated at temperatures of 80 °C, 85 °C, and boiling, with stirring times of 0 and 45 min. Results demonstrated significant ALC formation, reaching a peak complexation index (CI) of 59% under boiling conditions with 45 min of stirring. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) identified a notable endothermic transition at 110 °C, indicating strong ALC interactions. FTIR spectra further evidenced starch–lipid interactions through bands at 2970 cm⁻¹ and 2888 cm⁻¹. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of orthorhombic nanocrystals in native WS, with ALC samples exhibiting a V-type diffraction pattern, supporting effective complexation. This study advances knowledge on starch–lipid interactions, suggesting ALCs as a promising RS5 form with potential food industry applications due to its structural resilience and associated health benefits.