Eating Behavior of Students at the Technical University of Moldova during the Isolation Period

Appetizing peculiarities are formed from childhood and can vary throughout life. Although they are conditioned by genetic factors, over time, the internal regulation of eating behaviors is reduced, being influenced by a complex interaction of various external factors. According to the Behavioral Susceptibility (BST) Theory of Obesity, Food Sensitivity in Response to Food Stimuli (such as Food Sight and Smell) and Satiety Responsiveness (i.e. the ability to adjust diet in response to internal feelings of satiety) contribute to individual differences in terms of energy intake and weight status. The present research intended to assess the eating patterns and behavior of Moldovan students, especially those from Technical University of Moldova during the social isolation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted, based on the questionnaires (AEBQ—Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire), on a group of 602 students from Technical University of Moldova. Participation in the survey was entirely voluntary, did not involve any invasive procedure, nor did it induce changes in participants’ food patterns. The obtained results could contribute to the formation of the database for the study of the behavioral phenotype associated with the risk of obesity, but also for the study of eating behavior in crises. The questionnaire was distributed, in the form of a link, on the corporate emails of all TUM students. Respondents completed the questionnaire on the Google platform between 13.10.2021 - 25.11.2021, and the final database has been downloaded as a Microsoft Excel file. It was established a positive correlation between, Emotional Over-Eating and Emotional Under-Eating. Nervousness and anger were the most incriminating emotions of students that would cause both overeating and under eating. The results of the AEBQ questionnaire appear to be largely in line with previous studies, and the collected data present interest, in particular to prevent the risk of obesity.

Development of Lactose Free Yogurt Technology for Personalized Nutrition

Due to the widespread use of antibiotics, the bad ecological situation, fermented milk drinks are gaining more and more popularity because of associating with an array of health benefits. Fermented milk products contain a unique in its kind disaccharide of animal origin lactose, which has the ability to stimulate the development of lactic acid microorganisms that suppress the vital activity of pathogenic microflora in the human intestine, promoting the absorption of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. A significant part of the world’s population suffers from lactose intolerance, linked to a genetically determined deficiency of the β-galactosidase enzyme, which is one of the main reasons for the decrease in demand for dairy products among consumers suffering from primary or acquired intolerance to milk sugar. Lactose is a natural disaccharide contained in dairy products. Lactase deficiency is a variant of fermentopathy caused by the inability to break down lactose due to the activity decrease of lactase—the parietal digestion enzyme in the small intestine. Lactose intolerance in the gastrointestinal tract of a person suffering from hypo- and alactasia leads to dispersion, diarrhea and other undesirable phenomena. For the successful prevention and treatment of these diseases, it is necessary to reduce or completely eliminate the lactose intake. A technology for lactose-free milk production was developed using fermentation technology. On the basis of lactose-free milk, a range of lactose-free yoghurts was developed of animal origin of the following types: natural, enriched and fortified. Flax seeds, sesame seeds and chia seeds, which are rich in vitamins, were used to produce a range of enriched yogurts. To obtain fortified yoghurts, the mineral iron was used, which prevent the development of anemia and oncological pathologies. Experimental assortment of lactose-free yoghurts was assessed by physicochemical and organoleptic methods. All developed samples meet the standards of technical documentation for this type of food product. The organoleptic characteristics were highly appreciated. Developed lactose-free products are an opportunity for many people to return to a normal healthy diet.