Nataša Nastić

Background/Objectives: Glutamine supplementation has been investigated across nutritional, clinical and preclinical settings, but the development and thematic structure of this literature have not been comprehensively mapped. This bibliometric study examined publication trends, leading contributors, citation patterns, international collaboration and thematic evolution. Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection was searched on 20 August 2026 using a title-based strategy targeting intervention-oriented glutamine research. The corpus comprised 1321 articles and reviews published during 1943–2025. Analyses were conducted in Python, including country co-authorship networks and author–keyword mapping. Co-occurrence and temporal analyses used author keywords from 925 publications (70.0%), with a 15-occurrence threshold for co-occurrence mapping and six thematic domains examined across four periods (1991–2025). Results: Publication output increased from the 1990s and peaked in 2014. The corpus spanned 512 sources and accumulated 42,356 citations (h-index 87). The United States, China and Brazil contributed the most publications, while the University of São Paulo was the leading institution. Clinical nutrition and critical illness, amino-acid metabolism, oxidative and inflammatory responses, intestinal function, exercise and oncology-related applications were represented. Clinical nutrition and critical illness decreased from 34.0% to 10.6% of keyword-bearing publications between the earliest and latest periods, while oxidative, inflammatory and immune responses increased from 16.0% to 21.1%. International co-authorship occurred in 17.3% of publications. Conclusions: The results demonstrate changing thematic representation and identify major contributors and collaboration patterns within intervention-oriented glutamine research. These descriptive findings do not establish clinical efficacy or the presence of substantive evidence gaps.

Growing demand for caffeine-free beverages and the valorization of fruit-processing residues has increased interest in roasted fruit seeds as coffee alternatives. This review evaluates seed composition, processing-induced transformations, antioxidant-assay responses, gastrointestinal bioaccessibility, biological evidence, sensory performance, and safety of beverages derived from date, açaí, baobab, avocado, tamarind, durian, snake fruit, papaya, ampalaya, and talisay. Fruit seeds contain diverse phenolic acids, flavonoids, procyanidins, tannins, tocopherols, phytosterols, lipids, and polysaccharides. However, their profiles vary markedly with species, cultivar, maturity, anatomical seed component (e.g., whole seed, seed coat, or kernel), and processing history. Roasting exerts bidirectional effects: it can degrade native phenolics and lipophilic antioxidants while enhancing the release of bound compounds and generating Maillard reaction products with antioxidant activity, including melanoidins. Simulated digestion and selected cell-based studies provide preliminary evidence of phytochemical release during digestion and cytoprotection, but efficacy in humans and long-term beverage safety remain insufficiently established. Future studies should quantify compounds and contaminants in standardized brews, report exposure per serving, distinguish chemical from biological endpoints, and integrate sensory acceptance with safety.

Vitamin D insufficiency remains widespread, intensifying interest in mushrooms as non-animal sources of vitamin D₂ and in their processing side streams as sustainable reservoirs of its precursor, ergosterol. This review evaluates the advanced recovery of ergosterol- and vitamin D₂-rich fractions from edible mushrooms, integrating feedstock preparation, extraction, UV photoconversion, process intensification, scale-up, environmental and economic performance, and patent activity. Although these approaches can improve recovery, selectivity, and processing efficiency, most evidence remains laboratory-based. Matrix properties, solvent use, energy delivery, light penetration, reactor design, and fractionation jointly determine product yield, stability, and scalability. The limited environmental and economic assessments currently available identify drying, electricity demand, solvent recovery, and purification as major feasibility constraints. Patent trends reveal a shift from simple mushroom irradiation toward integrated extraction–photoconversion–purification platforms, yet pilot-scale validation remains limited. Future research should prioritize complete process chains, specific solvent circularity, and integrated techno-economic and life-cycle assessment. Bridging these gaps is essential for translating mushroom-derived ergosterol and vitamin D₂ into scalable, nutritionally relevant, and sustainable food ingredients.

Frankincense is an aromatic oleo-gum resin obtained from Boswellia species and is widely used in traditional medicine, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, perfumery, and incense products. Its expanding trade has intensified concerns over species substitution, geographical mislabeling, adulteration, compositional variability, and inconsistent product quality. Authentication is complicated by an extensive overlap in volatile and non-volatile metabolites among commercially important species and by variation arising from provenance, environment, harvesting, storage, processing, and extraction. This review examines chemical profiling and authentication strategies for Boswellia resins and frankincense-derived products, focusing on volatile terpenes, diterpenoids, boswellic acids, methoxyalkanes, stereochemical signatures, and multivariate quality markers. The available evidence shows that single markers and nonspecific total-acid assays are insufficient for robust authentication, whereas orthogonal workflows integrating targeted quantification, chemical fingerprints, stereochemical information, and validated multivariate models provide substantially greater confidence. Future progress depends on authenticated reference collections, standardized sampling and analytical protocols, certified reference materials, expanded spectral libraries, interlaboratory validation, explainable machine learning, and traceable supply-chain metadata.

Background/Objectives: Glutamine has been proposed as a nutritional modulator of intestinal epithelial integrity, but its effects on intestinal barrier function in children remain uncertain. This scoping review mapped the available human evidence on glutamine in relation to pediatric intestinal permeability, mucosal injury, microbial translocation, and intestinal adaptation. Methods: The review followed Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidance. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection were searched. Eligible studies included participants aged <18 years and assessed glutamine supplementation or endogenous glutamine status in relation to predefined barrier-related outcomes. Data were charted using a standardized form and synthesized descriptively according to clinical population, study design, glutamine exposure, and barrier domain. Results: Of 598 records identified, 434 unique records were screened. Eighteen publications representing 15 distinct or partially overlapping studies/cohorts were included. Functional intestinal permeability was the most frequently investigated domain. Findings were heterogeneous, with favorable, partial, transient, and null effects reported across different pediatric populations. Evidence for microbial translocation was limited and showed no clear benefit. Positive findings related to intestinal adaptation were mainly derived from uncontrolled or combined interventions, limiting attribution to glutamine. Direct mechanistic evidence in children was sparse, and no consistent major safety signal emerged, although the available safety evidence was limited. Conclusions: Current evidence does not support a uniform beneficial effect of glutamine on pediatric intestinal barrier function. Observed effects vary across populations, intervention characteristics, and outcome assessment methods.

Aronia fruit dust, generated in the industrial environment during processing, is considered a by-product discharged as waste, but it still contains high amounts of bioactive compounds such as polyphenolics, particularly anthocyanins. For the efficient isolation of anthocyanins and other flavonoids from this type of material, ultrasound-assisted extraction, at previously established optimal conditions, with a temperature of 70 °C, extraction time of 80 min, and ultrasonic power of 206 W, was applied. The extraction solvent was acidified with organic acids (citric, malic, and ascorbic acids) at low concentrations (4% and 8%) prior to spray drying to investigate the effects of the liquid feed pH value on the quality of the obtained aronia powders. Three anthocyanins—cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside, and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside—along with the flavonoids rutin, hyperoside, and isoquercitrin were identified. The use of malic and citric acids in combination with maltodextrin produced aronia powders with a higher bulk density, smaller particle size, and more uniform particle size distribution compared to formulations containing ascorbic acid.

The increasing environmental and health concerns associated with conventional chemical coagulants have stimulated the search for natural, biodegradable, and renewable alternatives for water and waste-water treatment. This study investigated different cultivars of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) as potential sources of natural coagulants and evaluated the effects of cultivar, harvest year, extraction solvent, pH, and raw material origin on coagulation activity. Natural coagulants were obtained from 12 common bean cultivars by ultrasound-assisted extraction using distilled water and 0.5 mol/L NaCl. In addition, the feasibility of utilizing harvest and sorting residues of the Sremac cultivar as a source of natural coagulants was evaluated. Coagulation performance was assessed by jar tests using kaolin-based model water with an initial turbidity of 200 NTU at pH 6, 8, and 10. All investigated cultivars exhibited coagulation activity, although substantial differences were observed among the extracts. The highest activities were obtained from the Balkan, Gradistanac, and Maksa cultivars, with maximum coagulation activities of 95.4% ± 0.08%, 94.5% ± 0.22%, and 90.1% ± 0.08%, respectively. In general, pH 6 was the most favorable condition for coagulation, while extracts prepared using 0.5 mol/L NaCl frequently exhibited higher activities than those obtained using distilled water. The harvest year also affected coagulation performance, particularly for the Levac cultivar. Extracts obtained from bean sorting residues showed lower coagulation activities than those prepared from the corresponding cultivar, although their use may provide a means of valorizing an otherwise low-value waste material. Overall, the results demonstrate that common bean, particularly the Gradistanac, Balkan, and Maksa cultivars, represents a promising and readily available source of natural coagulants for water and wastewater treatment.

Propolis is an apicultural product known for its antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its composition varies with botanical sources, geography, season and bee species, complicating quality control and creating opportunities for adulteration, such as the addition of poplar bud extracts or non-propolis resins. This review synthesizes the latest primary studies and reviews addressing chemical markers identified through analytical platforms, such as TLC, HPTLC, HPLC, LC-MS, GC-MS, NMR, FTIR and ICP, often integrated with chemometrics and machine learning for authentication and standardization. Marker panels are linked to regional chemotypes, including poplar-type, Brazilian green, red and brown, Cuban variants, and stingless bee propolis. Fraud detection strategies using marker-based screening and spectral pattern recognition are also summarized. Multi-marker and chemometric approaches consistently differentiate botanical types, origins and commercial extracts. Common marker families include flavonoids (pinocembrin, chrysin, galangin), phenolic esters (CAPE, benzyl/allyl caffeates), prenylated cinnamates like artepillin C, lignans, and volatile terpenoids or benzenoids. Rapid screening by ATR-FTIR and NMR is often complemented with LC-MS for confirmatory quantitation. Propolis quality control is moving toward harmonized workflows combining FTIR/NMR/HPTLC screening with LC-MS verification and optional elemental or volatile profiling, paving the way for shared marker sets and international standards similar to those for honey.

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), a versatile crop in arid regions, offers immense potential beyond its edible fruit. Rich in compositions of carbohydrates, dietary fibers, proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants, dates are widely consumed, while other plant parts (seeds and leaves) are frequently overlooked. Traditionally discarded or repurposed to low-value uses like animal feed, these by-products possess untapped potential for high-value applications. Hence, this review presents comprehensive analysis of multifunctional applications of date palm resources, emphasizing their role in bioproduct developments as food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. A key innovation of this work lies in its holistic approach to date palm utilization, framed within the context of the circular bioeconomy. In addition to product-oriented applications, this review introduces a novel concept of using date palm as biomonitoring and bioremediation agent. The plant’s physiological responses to environmental pollutants and contaminants position it as a promising tool for environmental assessment and remediation. This dual-purpose role enhances the eco-logical and economic value of the date palm. This review also examines traditional and modern irrigation systems used in date palm cultivation, comparing their efficiency, adaptability, and sustainability. Furthermore, this review identifies research challenges, including the need for standardization of extraction and processing methods, as well as outlines future directions for enhancing the global impact of date palm-based biorefineries, particularly through the integration of precision irrigation and remote sensing. This review contributes original insights to the evolving discourse on sustainable resource utilization, positioning the date palm as a climate-resilient, low-waste innovation model crop.