BACKGROUND: Root systems are key contributors to plant health, resilience, and, ultimately, yield of agricultural crops. To optimize plant performance, phenotyping trials are conducted to breed plants with diverse root traits. However, traditional analysis methods are often labour-intensive and invasive to the root system, therefore limiting high-throughput phenotyping. Spectral electrical impedance tomography (sEIT) could help as a non-invasive and cost-efficient alternative to optical root analysis, potentially providing 2D or 3D spatio-temporal information on root development and activity. Although impedance measurements have been shown to be sensitive to root biomass, nutrient status, and diurnal activity, only few attempts have been made to employ tomographic algorithms to recover spatially resolved information on root systems. In this study, we aim to establish relationships between tomographic electrical polarization signatures and root traits of different fine root systems (maize, pinto bean, black bean, and soy bean) under hydroponic conditions.
RESULTS: Our results show that, with the use of an optimized data acquisition scheme, sEIT is capable of providing spatially resolved information on root biomass and root surface area for all investigated root systems. We found strong correlations between the total polarization strength and the root biomass ( R 2 = 0.82 ) and root surface area ( R 2 = 0.8 ). Our findings suggest that the captured polarization signature is dominated by cell-scale polarization processes. Additionally, we demonstrate that the resolution characteristics of the measurement scheme can have a significant impact on the tomographic reconstruction of root traits.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showcase that sEIT is a promising tool for the tomographic reconstruction of root traits in high-throughput root phenotyping trials and should be evaluated as a substitute for traditional, often time-consuming, root characterization methods.

Pulses are considered superfoods for the future world due to their properties, but they require processing to reduce antinutritional factors (ANFs) and increase bioactivity. In this study, bean flour (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was fermented under different conditions (addition of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CRL 2211 and/or Weissella paramesenteroides CRL 2182, temperature, time and dough yield) to improve its nutri-functional quality. Fermentation for 24 h at 37 °C with the mixed starter increased the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population, acidity, polyphenol content (TPC) and ANF removal more than spontaneous fermentation. Statistical and rep-PCR analysis showed that fermentation was mainly conducted by Lp. plantarum CRL 2211. Metabolic modeling revealed potential cross-feeding between Lp. plantarum and W. paramesenteroides, while the molecular docking and dynamic simulation of LAB tannases and proteinases involved in ANF removal revealed their chemical affinity to gallocatechin and trypsin inhibitors. Fermentation was better than soaking, germination and cooking for enhancing bean flour properties: it increased the free amino acids content by 50% by releasing glutamine, glutamic acid, arginine, leucine and lysine and modified TPC by increasing gallic acid and decreasing caffeic, ferulic and vanillic acids and quercetin-3-glucoside. The combination of experimental and simulation data may help us to understand fermentation processes and to design products with desirable features.

BACKGROUND: Costa Rica is experiencing a fast demographic aging. Healthy diets may help to ameliorate the burden of aging-related conditions.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association of a traditional dietary pattern and 2 of its major components (beans and rice) with all-cause mortality among elderly Costa Ricans.
METHODS: The Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Aging Study (CRELES), a prospective cohort study of 2827 elderly Costa Ricans (60+ y at baseline), started in 2004. We used a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess usual diet. We calculated dietary patterns using principal component analysis. Multivariate energy-adjusted proportional-hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
RESULTS: Over a 15-y follow-up, encompassing 24,304 person-years, 1667 deaths occurred. The traditional Costa Rican dietary pattern was more frequent in rural parts of the country, and it was inversely associated with all-cause mortality. Subjects in the fifth quintile of intake had 18% lower all-cause mortality than those in the first quintile (HR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.98; P-trend = 0.01), particularly among males (HR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.95). Bean intake was associated with lower all-cause mortality among all subjects (HR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.91, highest compared with lowest tertile) and in sex-stratified analysis. Rice consumption was inversely associated with all-cause mortality solely among males (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.94, highest compared with lowest tertile).
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that a traditional Costa Rican rural dietary pattern is associated with lower all-cause mortality in elderly Costa Ricans. Beans, a major component of this traditional dietary pattern, was also associated with lower all-cause mortality. These findings could have important implications for public health, given the nutritional transition and the reduction of intake of traditional diets in Latin American countries.

Legumes are widely appreciated for their abundant reserves of insoluble dietary fiber, which are characterized by their high fiber content and diverse bioactive compounds. Insoluble dietary fiber in leguminous crops is primarily localized in the structural cell walls and outer integument and exhibits strong hydrophilic properties that enable water absorption and volumetric expansion, resulting in increased food bulk and viscosity. This contributes to enhanced satiety and accelerated gastrointestinal transit. The benefits of legume insoluble dietary fiber extend to its notable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties, as well as its ability to modulate the composition of the intestinal microbiota, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria while suppressing the proliferation of harmful pathogens, thereby promoting optimal intestinal health. It is highly valued as a valuable thickening agent, stabilizer, and emulsifier, contributing to the texture and stability of a wide range of food products.

We evaluated the effect of diets low in energy density (1 kcal/g) and high in either potatoes (Potato) or pulses (Bean) on blood glucose control in participants with insulin resistance. We hypothesized that the Potato and Bean diets would have equivalent effects. This was an 8-week randomized, parallel design, controlled feeding study comparing Potato and Bean diets (50-55% carbohydrate, 30-35% fat, 15-20% protein). Equivalence was prespecified as the mean change in the blood glucose concentration for Potato that was within ±20% of the Bean diet. Thirty-six participants (age: 18-60 years, body mass index: 25-40 kg/m2) with insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR] >2) were enrolled. Body weight was measured, and subjects underwent a mixed meal tolerance test at baseline and after 8 weeks. Intent-to-treat (ITT) and completer analyses were conducted. Equivalence between the two diets in the area under the curve for serum glucose was attained within ±10%, but the reduction from baseline was not statistically significant. For the Bean diet, insulin (area under the response curve: -2136.3 ± 955.5 mg/[dL∙min], P = .03) and HOMA-IR (-1.4 ± 0.6, P = .02) were lower compared with baseline. ITT and completer analyses were similar, except that HOMA-IR was also reduced by the Potato diet (-1.3 ± 0.6, P < .05). Compliance with the diets was 87-88%, and body weight was reduced in both diets (Potato: -5.6% ± 0.6%; Bean: -4.1% ± 0.6%, P < .001) with no significant difference between the two diets. Potato and Bean diets low in energy density were equally effective in reducing insulin resistance and promoting weight loss in individuals with impaired blood glucose control. Clinical Trial: The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04203238.

Practical risk reduction strategies are needed to address cardiovascular disease. Beans can decrease LDL cholesterol; however, research into different daily amounts and varieties is warranted.
To examine the effects of canned beans (daily rotation of black, navy, pinto, dark red kidney, white kidney) in 1-cup (1CB, 180 g) and ½-cup (½CB, 90 g) daily amounts compared with a 1-cup white rice (WR) control on serum lipid and glycemic biomarkers in adults with elevated LDL cholesterol.
Adults [n = 73, mean ± SD age: 48.1 ± 14.2 y; BMI (in kg/m2): 25.9 ± 4.22; fasting serum LDL cholesterol: 3.0-5.0 mmol/L] consumed 1CB, ½CB, and WR for 4-wk treatment periods separated by ≥4-wk washouts in a multicenter, randomized, crossover study. Fasting serum LDL cholesterol (primary outcome) and other lipids and glycemic biomarkers (secondary outcomes) were measured on study days 1 and 29 of each treatment period with study day 29 values compared using repeated-measures ANCOVA, including study day 1 values as covariates.
Treatment completion was n = 66 for 1CB, n = 68 for ½CB, and n = 64 for WR. Total cholesterol on study day 29 was lower for 1CB (P = 0.04) but not ½CB (P = 0.77) compared with WR (-5.46%, -2.74%, -0.65% changes from study day 1, respectively) and did not differ between 1CB and ½CB (P = 0.17). LDL cholesterol on study day 29 was also lower for 1CB (P = 0.002) but not ½CB (P = 0.30) compared with WR (-8.08%, -3.84%, +0.49% changes from study day 1, respectively) and did not differ between 1CB and ½CB (P = 0.11). Other lipids and glycemic biomarkers did not differ among treatments.
Consumption of 1 cup (180 g) of canned beans of multiple varieties decreased total and LDL cholesterol in adults with elevated LDL cholesterol, supporting a practical strategy for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03830970.

An inverse association has been shown between dietary fiber intake and several noncommunicable diseases. However, evidence of this effect remains unclear in the Asian population.
We examined the association between dietary fiber intake and all-cause and cause-specific mortality, as well as the association between fiber intake from dietary sources and all-cause mortality.
We conducted a large-scale population-based cohort study (Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study). A validated questionnaire with 138 food items was completed by 92,924 participants (42,754 men and 50,170 women) aged 45-74 y. Dietary fiber intake was calculated and divided into quintiles. HR and 95% CI of total and cause-specific mortality were reported.
During the mean follow-up of 16.8 y, 19,400 deaths were identified. In multivariable adjusted models, total, soluble, and insoluble fiber intakes were inversely associated with all-cause mortality. The HRs of total mortality in the highest quintile of total fiber intake compared with the lowest quintile were 0.77 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.82; Ptrend <0.0001) in men and 0.82 (95% CI: 0.76, 0.89; Ptrend <0.0001) in women. Increased quintiles of dietary fiber intake were significantly associated with decreased mortality due to total cardiovascular disease (CVD), respiratory disease, and injury in both men and women, whereas dietary fiber intake was inversely associated with cancer mortality in men but not women. Fiber from fruits, beans, and vegetables, but not from cereals, was inversely associated with total mortality.
In this large-scale prospective study with a long follow-up period, dietary fiber was inversely associated with all-cause mortality. Since intakes of dietary fiber, mainly from fruits, vegetables, and beans were associated with lower all-cause mortality, these food sources may be good options for people aiming to consume more fiber.

This work applies kinetic and thermodynamic compensation to evaluate the kinetics of hydration of faba beans. A mechanism was proposed, consisting of a zero-order adsorption step followed by a first-order desorption step, with both reactions going through a transition state with a previous equilibrium stage. The kinetic constants were obtained from a previous study for pHs 3, 6, 9 and 12 and at temperatures of 20, 35, 50 and 65 °C. From these kinetic constants, the equilibrium constants were calculated using the Eyring equation for each pH value and temperature. The kinetic constants were fitted to the Arrhenius equation and the set of pair estimates for lnk0 and the activation energy followed the straight lines that cause the kinetic compensation, with isokinetic temperatures of -10.3 °C found for the zero-order adsorption step and 8.4 °C for the first-order desorption step. The equilibrium constants were fitted to the Van\'t Hoff equation and the set of pair estimates for the activation enthalpy and the activation entropy followed the straight lines that cause thermodynamic compensation. The isoequilibrium temperatures were obtained as -11.4 °C for the zero-order adsorption step and 7.5 °C for the first-order desorption step. As expected, the isokinetic and the isoequilibrium temperatures were very close for each step. The mechanism was concluded to be the same for the ranges of pH and temperature studied. Since all the isokinetic and isoequilibrium temperatures were lower than the working temperature values, the control was concluded to be entropic for all cases. Statistical compensation could be discarded for the zero-order adsorption step but for the first-order desorption step, the compensation was concluded to be as significant as the experimental propagation of errors.

Iron deficiency is a major public health problem worldwide, with the highest burden among children. The objective of this randomized efficacy feeding trial was to determine the effects of consuming iron-biofortified beans (Fe-Beans) on the iron status in children, compared to control beans (Control-Beans). A cluster-randomized trial of biofortified beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L), bred to enhance iron content, was conducted over 6 months. The participants were school-aged children (n = 574; 5⁻12 years), attending 20 rural public boarding schools in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Double-blind randomization was conducted at the school level; 20 schools were randomized to receive either Fe-Beans (n = 10 schools, n = 304 students) or Control-Beans (n = 10 schools, n = 366 students). School administrators, children, and research and laboratory staff were blinded to the intervention group. Iron status (hemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin (SF), soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), total body iron (TBI), inflammatory biomarkers C-reactive protein (CRP) and -1-acid glycoprotein (AGP)), and anthropometric indices for individuals were evaluated at the enrollment and at the end of the trial. The hemoglobin concentrations were adjusted for altitude, and anemia was defined in accordance with age-specific World Health Organization (WHO) criteria (i.e., Hb <115 g/L for <12 years and Hb <120 g/L for 12 years). Serum ferritin concentrations were adjusted for inflammation using BRINDA methods, and iron deficiency was defined as serum ferritin at less than 15.0 µg/L. Total body iron was calculated using Cook\'s equation. Mixed models were used to examine the effects of Fe-Beans on hematological outcomes, compared to Control-Beans, adjusting for the baseline indicator, with school as a random effect. An analysis was conducted in 10 schools (n = 269 students) in the Fe-Beans group and in 10 schools (n = 305 students) in the Control-Beans group that completed the follow-up. At baseline, 17.8% of the children were anemic and 11.3% were iron deficient (15.9%, BRINDA-adjusted). A total of 6.3% of children had elevated CRP (>5.0 mg/L), and 11.6% had elevated AGP (>1.0 g/L) concentrations at baseline. During the 104 days when feeding was monitored, the total mean individual iron intake from the study beans (Fe-bean group) was 504 mg (IQR: 352, 616) over 68 mean feeding days, and 295 mg (IQR: 197, 341) over 67 mean feeding days in the control group (p < 0.01). During the cluster-randomized efficacy trial, indicators of iron status, including hemoglobin, serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, and total body iron concentrations improved from the baseline to endline (6 months) in both the intervention and control groups. However, Fe-Beans did not significantly improve the iron status indicators, compared to Control-Beans. Similarly, there were no significant effects of Fe-Beans on dichotomous outcomes, including anemia and iron deficiency, compared to Control-Beans. In this 6-month cluster-randomized efficacy trial of iron-biofortified beans in school children in Mexico, indicators of iron status improved in both the intervention and control groups. However, there were no significant effects of Fe-Beans on iron biomarkers, compared to Control-Beans. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03835377.

Pulses are nutrient-rich ingredients used as interventions in clinical trials to determine their effect on lowering blood lipids, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Acceptability of these foods is critical for compliance by participants in clinical trials as well as regular consumption by those eating them for their health benefit. Commercialisation of foods that prove positive for health is required to make them available to the general population. Since the target for commercialisation would be products that will be procured by as many people as possible, the research question becomes whether or not testing is required by the clinical trial participants, by consumer acceptability testing in a sensory unit, or by both to ensure acceptability. The objective of this study was to determine the acceptability of pulse-based soups and casseroles destined for a clinical trial by both the participants in the clinical trial and by consumer participants not in the clinical trial. Neither group received any training regarding sensory analysis. Acceptability of aroma, appearance, flavor, texture, overall acceptability, and the frequency of eating the samples of five formulations fortified with either peas or beans was measured. Groups differed in their acceptability of foods for different attributes with the clinical trial participants providing less discrimination among the sensory attributes for their acceptability. Influential factors could include motivation for healthy eating, age, number of times the product was consumed, amount of the product consumed, and where it was consumed. In conclusion, acceptance measures from both groups are required in order to gain as much information as possible regarding acceptability of attributes for commercialisation of pulse-fortified foods that provide a health benefit.