International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition最新文献

The production and diversity of the supply of food products has grown exponentially in recent decades, along with the increase in cardiovascular diseases associated with poor diet. Among the factors, one of the most important is the lack of information for the consumer when purchasing. The present work evaluates the impact of implementing the traffic light labelling of foods in reducing deaths due to Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD). Econometric techniques of two-way effects panel data from 21 Ecuadorian provinces taken from official sources for the analysis period 2010-2019. For Ecuador, a favourable impact was found in the reduction of the NCD mortality rate, especially in the last three years; in 2017, it was reduced by 0.129%, in 2018 by 0.305%, and in 2019 by 0.289%. An implication of economic policy is the advertising regulation of products that may affect health, strengthening surveillance and sanctioning companies that fail to comply with the regulation.

Immune system (IS) functionality is warranted by inter-dependent processes that balance body defences without exceeding in inflammation. An ideal nutraceutical approach should sustain the protective IS activity while controlling inflammation. The potential immunomodulatory activity of the food supplement (FS) AminoDefence was studied in resting macrophages RAW264.7 and following stimulation of bacterial- and viral-associated inflammation trough LPS and PolyI:C treatments, respectively. In unstimulated macrophages, the formulation exerted a dose-dependent immunostimulant activity by up-regulating NO, IL-6, TNF-α and MCP-1 release, while it dampened the aberrant release of these factors induced by pro-inflammatory stimuli. Exploring the contribution of single components Echinacea purpurea (E. purpurea) extract and quercetin, used at proportional concentrations than in whole formulation, a more pronounced immunostimulant effect was observed for E. purpurea, and an anti-inflammatory activity for quercetin. Hence, AminoDefence exerts an immunomodulatory activity in macrophages by effectively stimulating a protective inflammatory response and limiting it in cases of excessive inflammation.

Bitterness-receptor gene TAS2R38 is associated with taste sensitivity and dietary behaviour, and is known to play a critical role in adiposity. However, evidence regarding body composition from a large cohort is lacking. This study aimed to ascertain whether TAS2R38 rs10246939 C > T bitterness genetic variation is associated with body composition in Korean individuals. The TAS2R38 rs10246939 genotypes, anthropometric measurements, and body composition of 1,843 males and 1,801 females from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study were analysed. Findings suggested that there was a significant difference in body fat components by TAS2R38 genotype. Furthermore, the bitterness genotype exhibited a positive association with adiposity markers in females. The TT genotype showed greater body mass index, body fat percentage, and degree of obesity than those with the C allele. However, such an association was not observed in males. In conclusion, this study suggests that TAS2R38 rs10246939 is associated with fat tissue markers in Korean females.

Much evidence supports that the early introduction of allergenic foods in weaning is useful to prevent food allergies later in life. Real life is often different, with factors related to mothers and infants. Our study aimed to deepen the timing of introducing the foods responsible for most allergic reactions during the weaning and why parents delay their introduction. 110 mothers participated in the study, compiling a questionnaire. Exclusive breastfeeding was associated with a delayed introduction of allergenic foods at 4 months (r = 0.433, p < 0.01) and 1 year (r = 0.486, p < 0.01). Large-for-gestational age at birth was inversely associated with a delayed introduction of allergenic foods (r=-0.204, p < 0.05). This study demonstrates that introducing many allergens is delayed during the weaning. Parents with infants fed with exclusive breastfeeding could need more information about the correct time of introduction of potential allergens in the weaning.

This study compares two diets, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and a Low-Calorie Diet on Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels and gut microbiota. 120 obese adults were randomly allocated to these three groups: a low-calorie DASH diet, a Low-Calorie diet, or a control group for 12 weeks. Outcomes included plasma TMAO, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and gut microbiota profiles. After the intervention, the low-calorie DASH diet group demonstrated a greater decrease in TMAO levels (-20 ± 8.1 vs. -10.63 ± 4.6 μM) and a significant decrease in LPS concentration (-19.76 ± 4.2 vs. -5.68 ± 2.3) compared to the low-calorie diet group. Furthermore, the low-calorie DASH diet showed a higher decrease in the Firmicutes and Bactericides (F/B) ratio, which influenced TMAO levels, compared to the Low-Calorie diet (p = 0.028). The current study found the low-calorie DASH diet improves TMAO and LPS in comparison to a Low-Calorie diet.

The nutrient composition of plant-based burgers is a key factor when making their purchase/consumption decision to maintain a balanced diet. For this reason, ingredient list and nutritional information of burgers launched in the global market were retrieved from their labels. Products were classified based on the technology development, market position and region of the manufacturer. From the ingredient analysis, we observed a high heterogeneity in the ingredients used, a predominance of soy and wheat as main sources of proteins, and the increasing use of new protein sources (e.g. peas, other types of beans and pseudo-cereals). Oil was the most cited ingredient followed by salt. Nutritional composition varied mainly depending on the region with no clear pattern among countries. To less extent, technology development resulted in traditional products with lower amounts of protein and higher amounts of carbohydrates. Vegan and vegetarian products showed limited differences due to the high intra-heterogenicity.

An increased consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) leads to a rising prevalence of chronic noncommunicable diseases. This study aims to characterise the nutrient profile of white-label pre-packaged foods and bakery products available in a market leader Portuguese food retail chain, according to the extent of processing proposed by NOVA classification system. The nutrient profile (energy, sugar, total fat, saturated fat and sodium) according to processing degree was analysed using non-parametric tests. UPF were the most energy dense (278 kcal/100 g, p < .001) and the highest in sugar (15.9 g/100 g, p < .001). Processed foods were the highest in sodium (538 mg/100 g, p < .001). Processed and UPF showed significantly higher total (12.4 and 10.8 g/100 g, respectively) and saturated fat content (6.10 and 4.61 g/100 g, respectively) than unprocessed/minimally processed foods (p < .001). Regarding the variation of the nutritional value across the extent of processing, different results were observed for some categories suggesting the importance of a stratified analysis. The consumption of less processed foods and the manufacture of processed/UPF with better nutrient profile should be promoted.