Tânia Silva-Santos

Background: Excessive sodium intake is a major modifiable risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease and remains well above recommended levels globally. Although sodium reduction strategies have traditionally focused on individual behaviour change, food environments largely determine sodium consumption by shaping food availability, affordability, preferences, and purchasing options. However, no conceptual framework has specifically characterized food environments according to their capacity to promote excessive salt intake. Objectives: To introduces the concept of the salinogenic food environment and proposes a conceptual framework integrating environmental determinants of sodium exposure across food systems, dietary behaviors and cardiovascular health outcomes. Methods: A narrative conceptual review synthesized evidence from ecological health models, particularly the ANGELO framework, food environment research, sodium epidemiology, dietary behaviours, and cardiovascular health. Evidence from retail, out-of-home and institutional food settings, sociocultural and economic influences, and policy environments informed framework development. Results: The salinogenic food environment is defined as an environment that promotes high salt intake through the widespread availability of high-sodium foods and the reinforcement of salty taste preferences. The framework encompasses four interrelated domains: physical, economic, sociocultural, and policy/governance environments. Evidence indicates that processed and ultra-processed foods, restaurant and institutional meals, food pricing structures, cultural dietary practices, and insufficient regulatory measures collectively contribute to excessive sodium exposure. The framework highlights how these domains interact to shape sodium exposure, reinforce salty taste preferences, and contribute to socioeconomic inequalities in sodium intake. It also proposes approaches for operationalizing salinogenic environments through objective indicators, perceived environment measures, and composite indices. Conclusions: The salinogenic food environment framework reorients sodium reduction from an individual responsibility toward to a structural property of contemporary food systems. By providing a common conceptual language for research, surveillance and policy evaluation, it may facilitate the development of more effective multisectorial strategies to reduce sodium exposure and improve cardiovascular health.

Functional meals are emerging, encompassing complete meal systems designed to deliver physiological benefits through food synergy, interactions with the food matrix, and optimized release of bioactive compounds. This narrative review examines the role of bioactive compounds in functional meals, with particular emphasis on bioavailability, food matrix effects, technological approaches, and health implications. Bioactive compounds can contribute to cardiometabolic, anti-inflammatory, gastrointestinal, and neuroprotective effects. However, their biological efficacy depends not only on their concentration in foods but also on their release from the food matrix, stability during processing and digestion, intestinal absorption, microbiota-mediated transformation, and post-absorptive metabolism. Therefore, functional meals represent complex systems in which food structure, culinary preparation, processing intensity, co-ingested nutrients, and host-related factors determine the final physiological response. Emerging technologies, including microencapsulation and nanoencapsulation, offer promising strategies to improve the stability, bioaccessibility, targeted release, and sensory acceptability of bioactives. Future research should prioritize well-designed human studies, standardized methodologies, clinically relevant outcomes, personalized nutritional approaches, and sustainable food system integration to support the development of effective, evidence-based functional meal strategies.

Background: Excessive salt intake is a major modifiable risk factor of cardiovascular disease and contributes substantially to the global disease burden. Assessing individuals' perception of their salt intake is essential for designing effective reduction strategies. This study aimed to assess the association between self-perceived and estimated salt intake in a sample of workers from one public university. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 107 participants (51.4% women, mean age 47 ± 10 years) from the iMC Salt trial. Self-perceived salt consumption was assessed using the WHO STEPS questionnaire. Salt intake was estimated through 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. Factors associated with perception were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression models. The results are expressed as cumulative odds ratio (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 78.5% of participants exceeded the recommended daily sodium intake. Mean urinary sodium excretion was higher in men than in women (3862 mg/day vs. 2614 mg/day, P < .001). Most participants perceived their intake as “just the right amount” (43%). The correlation between perceived and estimated salt intake was weak and not statistically significant (ρ = 0.117, P = .229). In multivariable analysis, lower education level (OR = 6.17, 95% CI: 1.52–25.06) and absence of hypertension (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.15–0.96) were associated with a higher likelihood of perceiving salt consumption as low. Conclusion: These findings suggest a mismatch between perceived and estimated salt intake. Lower education and nonhypertensive status were associated with perceiving salt intake as low. Because salt intake perception may influence eating behavior, strategies to improve awareness and better align perception with intake are warranted.

The search for natural additives from underutilized halophytes and fruit by-products aligns with circular economy principles, addressing consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable alternatives to salt and synthetic antioxidants in foods. Salicornia ramosissima, a halophytic plant rich in minerals, and Malpighia emarginata (acerola), a fruit rich in bioactive compounds, were selected for their potential to enhance meat preservation while reducing reliance on conventional salt and chemical additives. This study evaluated the effects of replacing salt with S. ramosissima powder (1% and 2%) and adding acerola extract (0.3%) in Mertolenga D.O.P. beef hamburgers. Control, 1% salt, acerola, and salicornia formulations were analyzed over 10 days for the following: (1) microbial counts (mesophiles, psychrotrophics, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta, lactic acid bacteria, fungi, Salmonella spp., and E. coli); (2) physicochemical parameters (pH, a_w, and CIE-Lab color); and (3) sensory attributes (odor, color, and freshness). Higher Salicornia concentrations negatively affected color (lower a* values) and sensory perception (darker appearance). Acerola extract improved color stability and delayed the development of off-odors, contributing to higher freshness scores throughout storage. No significant differences in microbial counts were observed between treatments. Overall, acerola and low-dose Salicornia showed potential as natural ingredients for meat preservation, with minimal impact on physicochemical and microbiological quality. These findings support the use of halophytes and fruit extracts in sustainable meat preservation strategies.

Background: Cooking skills represent an important yet often overlooked form of social and cultural capital, influencing dietary quality and health outcomes. As modern societies face growing challenges related to unhealthy eating patterns and a loss of traditional food practices, understanding the societal role of culinary competence becomes critical. This study explored the association between culinary skills, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and nutritional intake. Methods: Baseline data from 111 adults (60 women; mean age 47.6 ± 10.5 years) participating in the iMC SALT randomized controlled trial (Portugal) were analyzed. Culinary skills were assessed using the Cooking Skills Score, while the dietary intake was evaluated with a Food Frequency Questionnaire and adherence to the Mediterranean diet through the alternative Mediterranean Diet (aMED) Score. Food and beverage processing levels were categorized using the NOVA classification, and the sodium/potassium intake was measured via 24 h urinary excretion. Results: Women demonstrated better culinary skills (5.1 ± 0.9 vs. 4.0 ± 1.1, p < 0.001) and greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet (5.1 ± 1.9 vs. 3.8 ± 1.8, p = 0.001) than men. Better culinary skills were associated with younger age, larger households, and increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Culinary skills significantly explained 27.2% of the variance in the Mediterranean diet adherence. Better culinary skills were linked to a greater energy and protein intake; but a lower sodium and potassium intake. Conclusion: These findings highlight culinary skills as a key societal factor shaping dietary behavior and nutritional intake. Promoting culinary education may offer a powerful strategy to address dietary inequalities, support cultural food heritage, and foster healthier, more resilient societies.

Introduction: Mediterranean diet features gastronomic heritage that includes rabbit dishes. Some food composition tables present scant information regarding the yield and edible parts of rabbit meat. Objectives: This study seeks to investigate how various cooking techniques impact the cooking loss and edible weight of different cuts of rabbit meat. Methodology: Six male rabbits were slaughtered and the carcasses were dissected: hind leg, ribs, belly, saddle loin, saddle hindquarter and front leg were analysed in duplicated (n=12). Cooking methods included boiling, oven-roasting, and frying until the internal temperature reached 75°C. Post-cooking, samples were cooled, deboned, and weighed to determine edible weight percentage and cooking loss. Results: Frying method was the quickest (from 4.8 to 13.6 minutes), while boiling method was the slowest (from 26.9 to 33.9 minutes). After cooking, the average edible weight was higher in saddle hindquarter (86.7; SD 12.4 g) and saddle loin (52.7; SD 10.1 g) and lower in hind leg (17.8; SD 2.8 g) and belly (13.5; SD 4.6 g). The boiling method presented lower cooking losses (28.2; SD 6.4%) and higher edible weight (51.7; SD 7.6%), and frying the higher cooking loss (36.0; SD 10.0%) and lower edible weight (47.0; SD 8.3%). Conclusions: Boiling demonstrated superior performance despite longer cooking times, while frying showed the least favourable outcomes. This study offers valuable insights for gastrotechnics and culinary management.

Background: Handgrip strength (HGS) is an indicator of muscular strength, used in the diagnosis of sarcopenia, undernutrition, and physical frailty as well as recovery. Typically, the maximum HGS value is used; however, recent evidence suggests the exploration of new indicators provided based on the force–time curve to achieve a more comprehensive assessment of muscle function. Therefore, the objective was to identify indicators of the HGS profile beyond maximum HGS, based on force–time curves, and to systematize knowledge about their applications to various types of samples, health issues, and physical performance. Methods: A systematic review was performed including studies whose participants’ HGS was assessed with a digital or adapted dynamometer. The outcome measures were HGS profile indicators calculated from the force–time curve. Results: a total of 15 studies were included, and the following indicators were identified: grip fatigue, fatigability index, fatigue rate, fatigue resistance, time to 80% maximal voluntary contraction, plateau coefficient of variability, time to maximum value, T-90%, release rate, power factor, grip work, average integrated area, endurance, cycle duration, time between cycles, maximum and minimum force–velocity, rate of grip force, final force, inflection point, integrated area, submaximal control, and response time. Conclusions: Various indicators based on the force–time curve can be assessed through digital or adapted dynamometers. Future research should analyze these indicators to understand their implications for muscle function assessment, to standardize evaluation procedures, to identify clinically relevant measures, and to clarify their implications in clinical practice.

Introduction: Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) had been associated with higher risk of non-communicable diseases (NCD) and NCD-promoting nutrient profile such as high sodium content and low potassium content. The objective of the study was to evaluate the level of food processing according to the NOVA classification and its relationship with sodium and potassium intake estimated by 24-hour urinary excretion. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Data collection included 107 workers from a public university (51.4% female; mean age 47 years) participating in an iMC Salt clinical trial). A 24-hour urinary collection was used to estimate sodium and potassium intake, validated by the creatinine coefficient. The corresponding 24-hour dietary recall was used to assess food intake and foods were categorized using the NOVA classification according to the degree and purpose of processing, into four groups. Nutri-score was also used to categorize UPF and provide more information about the nutritional quality of products. Results: The largest energy contribution came from the group of unprocessed or minimally processed foods (51.6%), followed by UPF (24%), processed foods (21.8%) and processed culinary ingredients (2.6%). Individuals with the lowest caloric contribution of the consumption of UPF had higher average values of potassium (K) intake (1438 vs 1136 mg/1000kcal; p=0.007), as individuals with the highest weight contribution of the consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods (1434 vs 1109 mg/1000kcal; p=0.010). For sodium (Na) intake no significant results were found between individuals with the lowest and the highest consumption of each NOVA group. Conclusions: Higher consumption of fresh or minimally processed foods and lower UPF intake were associated with higher K intake values. On the other hand, higher UPF intake was not associated with higher Na intake values. Funding: This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia by Grant POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029269) and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through NORTE 2020 (Northern Regional Operational Program 2014/2020) - NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-072687.

(1) Background: Excessive salt intake is associated with an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, so reducing it is critical. The main objective of this study was to verify whether one intervention to reduce added salt during cooking changed knowledge, attitudes and behavior (KAB) towards salt, and to analyze changes in the main sources of salt. (2) Methods: The intervention study was an 8-week randomized controlled trial with 97 workers from a public university. KAB in relation to salt were obtained through the WHO STEPwise questionnaire, and the main sources of salt were obtained by 24-h food recall and 24 h urinary sodium excretion over two days. (3) Results: After the intervention, participants in the intervention group reported a decrease in the addition of salt when cooking (p = 0.037), an increase in the percentage of subjects who avoided the consumption of processed foods (from 54.2% to 83.3%, p = 0.001), who looked for salt on food labels (from 18.8% to 39.6%, p = 0.013), and who bought low-salt food alternatives (from 43.8% to 60.4%, p = 0.039). However, there were no significant differences between the intervention group and the control group at baseline and post-intervention assessments. In the intervention group, after the intervention, the added salt decreased by 5%; food sources of salt such as the snacks and pizza group decreased by 7%, and the meat, fish and eggs group increased by 4%, but without statistical significance. (4) Conclusions: With innovative equipment for dosing salt when cooking, it is possible to change some dimensions of consumer behavior in relation to salt.

Background: This study aims to demonstrate the practical application of an innovative easy-to-use equipment to dosage cooking salt, and evaluate the effectiveness in reducing 30% of the added salt in meals and the impact on consumer’s satisfaction and food waste. Methods: Two canteens from one public university where randomized in one control arm and one intervention arm. The first step was to evaluate the salt added to food through atomic emission spectrophotometry in both canteens, and the second step was to perform gradual reductions of up to 30% of cooking salt in the intervention canteen using the Salt Control-C (SC-C) equipment. Consumer acceptability was assessed through satisfaction questionnaires and food waste was evaluated by weighing. Results: The intervention canteen achieved to a reduction of more than 30% of added salt in soup (−34.3% per 100 g), fish dish (−41.1% per 100 g) and meat dish (−48.0% per 100 g), except for the vegetarian dish (6.1% per 100 g). There was no decrease in consumer satisfaction, with a significant satisfaction increase of 15.7% (p = 0.044) regarding the flavor of the main dish. Also, no significant differences were found in food waste. Conclusions: SC-C seems to be effective in reducing 30% of added salt levels in canteen meals, and may be a good strategy to control and reach adequate levels of added salt in meals served outside-the-home, promoting benefits to the individual’s health.