Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of the GenPE biobank was conducted on primigravid women with full-term pregnancies recruited between 2000 and 2012. Serum samples were collected at delivery, stored at -80°C, and analyzed for folic acid using a chemiluminescent assay. Levels below 4 ng/mL were considered low by WHO standards.

Results: Among 1,299 pregnant women from seven Colombian cities, mostly of mixed ethnicity and low socioeconomic status, only 19% continued folic acid supplementation into the third trimester. Median folate levels were 5.8 ng/mL, with no significant difference between supplement users and non-users. Cartagena showed the lowest levels. Folic acid correlated positively with HDL and inversely with homocysteine. Notably, 18.5% of participants presented with critically low levels (<3 ng/mL), indicating potential metabolic and public health risks.

Discussion: High folic acid deficiency in healthy pregnant women indicates supplementation failures. However, relevant metabolic correlations are limited by the cross-sectional design and the absence of detailed information on dosage and duration.

Conclusion: These findings revealed a high prevalence of folic acid deficiency among healthy pregnant Colombian women, highlighting a persistent public health concern that aligns with global trends in similar economic contexts and emphasizing the need for strengthened, contextspecific intervention strategies.

Aims: This study aims to explore athletes' perceptions of probiotics and prebiotics concerning their digestive health and physical performance, addressing the existing gap in the literature regarding their specific impact on athletic populations.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 425 athletes from various sports disciplines in Saudi Arabia. Participants completed a structured questionnaire assessing their consumption habits, awareness levels, beliefs about the effects of probiotics and prebiotics, and experiences with digestive health.

Results: The findings revealed a mean frequency of consumption of probiotics at 3.93 (SD = 1.62) and prebiotics at 4.22 (SD = 0.95), with awareness levels of 2.89 (SD = 2.23) for probiotics and 2.88 (SD = 2.12) for prebiotics. Males reported significantly higher beliefs in the impact of probiotics (mean: 4.14, p = .0103) and prebiotics (mean: 4.23, p < .0001) on physical performance compared to females. Significant differences in awareness were noted based on competitive level, with professionals exhibiting the highest awareness scores (probiotics: 4.07, prebiotics: 4.44, p < .0001).

Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of personalized nutrition strategies for athletes, highlighting the need for tailored probiotic and prebiotic interventions to optimize digestive health and enhance performance.

Methods: Standard Protein health mix was fortified with fermented moringa seeds, named Proteinoxi, and compared to the original mix. Both formulations were further developed into three product variants: porridge, nutribar, and crackers. Developed product variants from the formulations that underwent sensory evaluation, nutritional and antioxidant profiling, including protein, dietary fibre, omega fatty acids, micronutrients, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, and total polyphenols. Statistical analysis, including Chi-square and ANOVA, was conducted to find out significant differences in sensory evaluation conducted with 30 participants for both formulations.

Results: Moringa seed fortified crackers received the highest acceptability than the nutribar and porridge variants. Standard Protein nutribar and porridge had lower acceptability than Protein crackers. Proteinoxi crackers exhibited significantly higher nutritional value, including enhanced protein, dietary fibre, omega fatty acids, and micronutrients, along with superior antioxidant activity. Microbial testing confirmed that the microbial load is within the permissible limits.

Discussion: Incorporating fermented moringa seeds into ready-to-eat snacks presents a sustainable, nutrient-dense, and economical alternative to commercial foods, addressing nutritional deficiencies in vulnerable populations and contributing to global food security and sustainability.

Conclusion: Overall, this study highlights that fermented moringa seed is a promising food fortifying agent, which is nutritionally dense and sensory-appealing dietary supplement.

Methods: Four cereal-based milk alternatives were developed, including samples made from red rice, red sorghum, white sorghum, and rice bran. In addition, a commercially available rice milk was included as a reference sample. The study employed a cross-sectional study design with a total of 135 participants (mean age 29.8 ± 10.1 years) who participated to evaluate the sensory profiles of the cereal-based milk samples using CATA (Check-All-That-Apply). In addition, the acceptance of each sample was also assessed.

Results: The results indicate that all the cereal-based milk alternative samples exhibited distinct sensory profiles, which may influence consumers' acceptance. Among the samples, milk alternatives made from red rice and white sorghum were significantly preferred (p < 0.001), whereas the sample made from rice bran was the least preferred (p < 0.001).

Discussion: The sensory attributes of cooked rice aroma, nutty aroma, nutty taste, vanilla aroma, sweet aroma, sweet taste, and violet-like visual color of violet-like were associated with consumer liking. In contrast, attributes of rancid, uncooked taste, bran taste, bitter taste, and sandy texture may be associated with disliking.

Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of red rice and sorghum as promising ingredients for developing plant-based milk products, which serve as a foundation for further research and product development in the growing market of dairy alternatives.