Introduction: Dairy products near or beyond the end of their recommended shelf life form a stream of food waste, yet their processing is hampered by compositional variability and different degrees of degradation. Existing valorization schemes, including fat separation, fermentation, anaerobic digestion, and drying, are mainly designed for homogeneous streams and do not sufficiently account for the specific features of mixed dairy systems, which limits the evidence-based selection of an appropriate processing route.

Purpose: To identify critical degradation parameters of mixed dairy systems near or beyond the end of their recommended shelf life and to develop algorithmic principles for an intelligent sorting system that supports the selection of a rational processing route.

Materials and Methods: The study objects were cream, sour cream, kefir, and their 50:50 binary mixtures, with fat contents ranging from 2.5 to 15% and stored for 90–120% of the manufacturer-recommended shelf life. A full-factorial accelerated storage experiment was conducted at (32 ± 1) °C, with sampling after 0, 72, and 144 h. The following parameters were determined: pH, titratable acidity, apparent viscosity, lactose content, fat-phase characteristics (peroxide value, acid value, and fatty acid composition), and organic acid profile. The Arrhenius model was used to extrapolate the results to storage at 5 °C, while regression and cluster analyses were applied to group and standardize raw material streams.

Results: The degradation rate was determined by the initial matrix and the proportion of fermented components. The most pronounced changes were observed in cream and cream-containing mixtures: the titratable acidity of cream increased from 16 to 136 °T (degrees of titratable acidity used in Russian dairy practice), pH decreased by 2.9 units, and apparent viscosity increased more than 100-fold, indicating acid coagulation and gel formation. Sour cream showed the greatest stability, whereas kefir was characterized by high initial acidity and pronounced acid accumulation. In the fat phase, the peroxide value increased to 5.1–6.6 meq O₂/kg and the acid value to 1.7–2.2 mg KOH/g. The regression models made it possible to predict changes in these parameters as a function of mixture composition and storage time. Lactic acid accumulation in the presence of residual lactose indicates the potential for lactic acid valorization, whereas a volatile fatty acid content above 1000 mg/L may serve as a criterion for redirecting the raw material, after fat separation, to anaerobic digestion. Cluster analysis based on fatty acid composition identified four stable sample groups suitable for batch standardization.

Conclusion: Degradation changes in dairy products near or beyond the end of their recommended shelf life can be interpreted as a set of critical biomarkers that relate the condition of the raw material to a rational processing route. The proposed approach can be used for intelligent sorting, preliminary assessment, and routing of dairy products withdrawn from standard circulation at the stages of storage, logistics, and processing. This creates a basis for evidence-based valorization of heterogeneous dairy streams and for reducing losses of valuable components.

Background: Despite growing consumer interest in functional smoothies, most existing formulations rely on fresh or frozen ingredients, which limits logistics and shelf life. The use of dry instant formats based on enzyme-hydrolyzed pumpkin purée to enhance β-carotene bioavailability remains underexplored. Furthermore, systematic data on the synergistic combination of enzyme-hydrolyzed pumpkin with processed products of Siberian wild berries (sea buckthorn and lingonberry) in instant beverages are currently lacking. This study addresses this gap by scientifically substantiating the formulation of instant smoothies that integrate nutritional value, a resource-efficient approach, and targeted sensory characteristics.

Purpose: To develop formulations for instant smoothie-type beverages based on dried enzyme-hydrolyzed pumpkin purée (EHP), enriched with extracts and pomace of sea buckthorn and lingonberry, aiming to achieve high sensory quality, ensure target levels of β-carotene, and evaluate the techno-functional and synergistic effects of plant-based ingredient combinations.

Materials and Methods: The research objects included: dried EHP; dried sea buckthorn and lingonberry extracts; and powders obtained from sea buckthorn and lingonberry pomace. Physicochemical parameters (moisture content, polyphenols, β-carotene, acidity) and functional-technological properties (water-holding capacity, fat-holding capacity, wettability, bulk density) were determined. Sensory analysis was performed using the profile method (n=10) on a 5-point scale with weighting coefficients. Statistical processing was carried out using ANOVA, Tukey's test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Spearman's rank correlation analysis (p < 0.05).

Results: The optimal concentration of EHP in the ready-to-drink beverage was substantiated at 12% (60 g per 100 g of dry mix), providing a thick consistency and β-carotene content of 1.32 mg per serving (26.4% of the daily requirement). Six formulation variants were developed. The highest comprehensive sensory score (4.88) was obtained for the sample combining sea buckthorn and lingonberry extracts. The β-carotene content in the samples ranged from 0.53 to 1.03 mg/100 g, providing 26.6–51.6% of the daily requirement per serving. A strong positive correlation was identified between polyphenol content and sensory evaluation (ρ = 0.81; p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The formulation of an instant smoothie (based on EHP, sea buckthorn extract, and lingonberry extract) with high sensory properties and nutritional value has been substantiated. The feasibility of utilizing both wild berry extracts and their secondary processing products (pomace) for creating functional beverages has been demonstrated. The product is recommended for optimizing the nutritional status of the population, including those residing in extreme climatic conditions.

Introduction: The potential of food biotechnology for creating functional ingredients, dietary supplements, and specialized food products has been widely discussed in the literature of the past decade. Far fewer works, however, do not merely enumerate the accumulated data but appraise them in terms of the validity of the underlying evidence.

Purpose: To systematize the key directions of food biotechnology and to determine which of them rest on reproducible experimental data and which remain at the level of declarations, drawing on publications from 2015 to 2025.

Materials and Methods: A total of 130 full-text publications from the RSCI, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases were analyzed. The material was grouped into four thematic blocks: genetic and cell engineering; biocatalytic processing of raw materials; fermentation for allergenicity reduction and the creation of functional products; and fortification of microorganisms. For each block, the scale of experiments, the availability of independent confirmation, and systematic gaps were assessed.

Results: Biocatalytic processing of grain raw material proved to be the only direction in which laboratory data are supported by industrial practice. In the three remaining directions, the volume of laboratory work markedly exceeds the volume of data on safety, bioavailability, and clinical efficacy. The most pronounced gap between the declared potential and the available evidence was found in genetic and cell engineering and in claims about the antitumor properties of fermented products.

Conclusion: The evidence base of food biotechnology is asymmetric: against a substantial volume of laboratory data, systematic studies of safety, scalability, and clinical efficacy remain fragmentary. The priority for further work appears to be not the multiplication of new objects but the validation of those already proposed, namely the transition to pilot scale, safety studies, and controlled in vivo trials.

Background: Animal fats and vegetable oils are often framed as uniformly harmful and uniformly beneficial, respectively. This dichotomy has been challenged by a recent commentary advocating a reassessment of lard in glucose homeostasis.

Purpose: To critically appraise current evidence on lard, other animal fats, and vegetable oils in relation to type 2 diabetes, lipid disorders, blood pressure, liver disease, cardiovascular events, and mortality.

Materials and Methods: A critical review with a structured PubMed/MEDLINE search and reference-list checking covered publications from 1 January 2021 to 4 July 2026. Randomized controlled trials, prospective cohorts, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were prioritized. Animal studies were analysed separately as hypothesis-generating evidence.

Results: Direct human evidence on lard is limited to two 12-week controlled feeding trials in healthy adults comparing lard, soybean oil, and a 1:1 blend. The blend, but not pure lard, was associated with larger decreases in blood pressure or aminotransferase activity; no between-group differences were observed for glucose or blood lipids. These studies do not establish antidiabetic or cardioprotective effects of lard. Animal experiments are directionally inconsistent and depend on the model, dietary fat percentage, and comparator oil. For vegetable oils, the most consistent evidence concerns replacement of saturated fats with unsaturated fats rather than plant origin per se.

Conclusion: The relevant analytical unit is the isocaloric replacement model, the specific fatty-acid profile, culinary use, and the overall dietary pattern.

Introduction: Adulteration of dairy products, including the addition of cow’s milk to goat milk, remains a relevant issue affecting product authenticity, safety, and consumer protection. This type of adulteration is of particular concern due to the potential risks for individuals sensitive to cow’s milk proteins. Under these conditions, molecular genetic methods are considered a more promising approach for the detection of species adulteration in milk, as they are based on the analysis of species-specific DNA regions that are less susceptible to the effects of technological processing and biological factors compared with protein-based and physicochemical indicators.

Purpose: To conduct a comprehensive analysis of the current state of application of molecular genetic methods for the detection of species adulteration in dairy products in the context of preventing food fraud and ensuring high-quality products in the food industry.

Materials and Methods: The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR protocol. Publications were searched in Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect using keywords focused on PCR analysis, DNA, goat and cow milk, and dairy product adulteration. The main inclusion criterion was the availability of data on the species identification of goat and cow milk using molecular genetic methods. During the analysis, information was extracted on the authors, year of publication, country of study, research object, animal species, methodology used, and key findings.

Results: A total of 7,437 records were identified through the screening process. After duplicate removal, 1,038 sources were retained for further analysis. During title and abstract screening, 937 publications that did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded. Following full-text assessment of 101 articles, an additional 42 studies were excluded. Ultimately, 59 publications were included in the review. Analysis of the selected studies demonstrated that molecular genetic analytical methods are the most promising tool for species identification of milk and dairy products due to their high sensitivity and specificity. However, the effectiveness of detecting cow’s milk adulteration in goat milk largely depends on the type of sample matrix, the degree of technological processing, the selected genetic target, and the DNA amplification and detection method used. Real-time PCR and digital PCR demonstrated the highest sensitivity and reproducibility, whereas the lack of standardized approaches to target selection and analytical protocols remains a major limitation for the practical implementation of these methods in routine authenticity control of dairy products.

Conclusion: The main application of the findings of the present review may be the expansion of the scientific knowledge base on molecular genetic methods for confirming the authenticity of dairy product composition, providing approaches to address species adulteration and to protect consumer interests and health. The obtained data may facilitate the effective implementation of modern analytical methods for detecting cow’s milk adulteration in a wide range of products derived from non-traditional milk species. Practical implementation of the proposed approaches may contribute to improving the reliability of species identification of dairy raw materials, reducing the risk of economically motivated adulteration, and establishing reproducible protocols for testing laboratories, manufacturers, and regulatory authorities.