Mixed nut consumption improves brain insulin sensitivity: a randomized, single-blinded, controlled, crossover trial in older adults with overweight or obesity

Background: Improving brain insulin sensitivity, which can be assessed by measuring regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) responses to intranasal insulin, may prevent age-related metabolic and cognitive diseases. Objective: This study aimed to investigate longer-term effects of mixed nuts on brain insulin sensitivity in older individuals with overweight/obesity. Methods: In a randomized, single-blinded, controlled, crossover trial, […]

Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in dried fruits from Morocco: Monitoring, regulatory aspects, and exposure assessment.

The present study aims to investigate the presence of Aflatoxins (AF) in 180 samples dried fruits and Ochratoxin A (OTA) in 210 samples dried fruits and grape juices collected in Morocco. Mycotoxins were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to fluorescence detection and immunoaffinity columns (IAC) cleanup. Contamination levels were compared with the […]

Land Suitability Assessment for Pistachio Cultivation Using GIS and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making: A Case Study of Mardin, Turkey

Site selection for pistachio orchards is an important issue for sustainable agricultural policies, crop productivity, agricultural planning, and communities. This study aims to investigate suitable places for pistachio in the Mardin Province (SE Turkey) by considering several variables, such as meteorological data, topographic conditions, economic factors, and soil characteristics, using Geographic Information System (GIS) and […]

Citrin: a novel food allergen in citrus seeds and citrus-derived pectin that shows cross-reactivity with cashew and pistachio

Background: Patients exquisitely sensitive to cashew/pistachio are at risk for allergic reactions to citrus seeds and pectin. Objective: In this study, we sought to examine whether pectin is contaminated with citrus seeds, to identify a culprit antigen in citrus seeds, and to assess for cross-reactivity among allergens in citrus seeds, citrus pectin, and cashew/pistachio. Methods: […]

Valorization of pistachio industrial waste: Simultaneous recovery of pectin and phenolics, and their application in low-phenylalanine cookies for phenylketonuria

This study introduces a sustainable approach to simultaneously produce pectin and phenolic compounds from pistachio industrial waste and applies them in the formulation of low-phenylalanine cookies. The co-optimization process was performed using the microwave-assisted technique and a Box-Behnken design, considering four variables and two responses: pectin yield and total phenolic content (TPC). The co-optimized condition […]

An environmentally friendly approach for industrial wastewater treatment and bio-adsorption of heavy metals using Pistacia soft shell (PSS) through flocculation-adsorption process

In this research, the potential application of Pistacia soft shell (PSS) was investigated as a novel bio-based flocculant for pulp and paper wastewater (PPWW) treatment. In line with this, after characterization of the PSS, the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity and heavy metals (Cu2+ and Pb2+) from PPWW were investigated with different dosage […]

Effect of drought stress and subsequent re-watering on the physiology and nutrition of Pistacia vera and Pistacia atlantica

Arid and semi-arid regions are characterised by extreme conditions including drought stress and salinity. These factors profoundly affect the agricultural sector. The objective of this work is to study the effect of drought and re-watering on leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and mineral nutrition in Pistacia vera and Pistacia atlantica. Water stress was applied to […]

Dietary Fibers of Tree Nuts Differ in Composition and Distinctly Impact the Fecal Microbiota and Metabolic Outcomes In Vitro

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of dietary fibers (DFs) of commercially important tree nuts (almond, cashew, hazelnut, pistachio, and walnut) on gut microbiota in vitro. Microbial compositions and short-chain fatty acids were determined using 16S rRNA sequencing and gas chromatography (GC), respectively. Neutral and acidic monosaccharides were analyzed using GC/MS and […]