Giving Food a Fiber Boost: Adding High Beta-Glucan Ingredient from Barley to Everyday Foods

Lack of dietary fiber contributes to many health issues, particularly chronic vascular diseases. Mixed linkage β-1.3 - 1.4 beta-glucan (beta-glucan, in this paper) is a confirmed beneficial ingredient for the human diet through reduction of cholesterol and the glycemic index. Barley contains the highest beta-glucan content of all the grains, and in this study, a percentage of flour from two high beta glucan lines was, each, added to an array of wheat-based food products to measure how it impacted total dietary fiber. Results showed that beta-glucan content was higher in all the products containing the added high beta-glucan flour, along with increased total dietary fiber content. Protein content in the food products is also increased with the higher protein in the barley flours added. Beta-glucan content in the barley-added products increased to 1.2% - 4.0% versus 0.2% - 0.5% in the pure wheat products, while the dietary fibers increased to 3.5% - 24.4% versus 2.1% - 9.1% in pure wheat product controls. This research provided experimental evidence that using a high beta-glucan barley ingredient in food can increase dietary fiber to benefit health.

Using the Delphi method to propose foods for special medical purposes health effect evaluation indicators

Objective:The Delphi method was used to propose health effect evaluation indicators to assess foods for special medical purposes(FSMPs).This lays the foundation for the formation of a big data model for human health testing,as well as a big data platform for the health and safety evaluation of special medical foods.Methods:The Delphi method was used to conduct two rounds of expert consultation on the constructed FSMP health effect evaluation indicators.Results:Ten major items were identified after two rounds of expert consultation.Among these,there were 10 primary entries,32 secondary entries,50 tertiary entries,and 28 quaternary entries.Conclusion:The complete list of evaluation indicators contains 10 entries,which can comprehensively and systematically monitor adverse reactions to the use of FSMPs.The present findings lay the foundation for a big data platform to evaluate the health and safety of special foods.

Healthier Food of Animal Origin and Prevention of Campylobacteriosis

Campylobacter species belong to the most important foodborne bacteria which cause gastroenteritis in humans in both developed and developing countries. Applied hygienic measures result only partially efficient, as demonstrated by the high number of reported cases in the human population. Alternative strategies to prevent the disease though a direct action at primary production level have been explored. Preliminary data showed that cattle and pigs fed with bamboo and olive by-products, respectively, were free from Campylobacter, suggesting potential sustainable prevention strategy. In addition, biochemical analysis showed high levels of unsaturated fatty acids in red meat and meat products, adequate for the application of health claims in line with EU food law.

Simultaneous Determination of Catechins and Caffeine in Green Tea-Based Beverages and Foods for Specified Health Uses

Catechins in green tea have various useful features including antioxidant activity and preventive effects on metabolic syndrome. Various beverages that are enriched with tea catechins are marketed as Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU) in Japan. However, recent reports have indicated that excessive consumption of green tea extracts as a dietary supplement are associated with adverse health effects such as liver disorders. Various catechins and caffeine are constituents of FOSHU tea-based beverages. The amount of catechins in FOSHU products is displayed on labels as total catechin content, but the content of individual catechins are not provided. Although health hazards of FOSHU products have rarely been reported, precise information about the content and types of catechins in FOSHU products is needed to ensure safety. We used high-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array (HPLC/PDA) to simultaneously identify and quantify catechins and caffeine in green tea-based popular beverages and FOSHU beverages. This technique allowed simultaneous quantitation of five types of catechins and caffeine in green tea without complicated sample preparation. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epigallocatechin EGC were the main catechins in various FOSHU beverages and the concentrations of almost all catechins were higher in FOSHU, than in popular green tea-based beverages. The concentrations of EGCG in green tea-based popular beverages and in FOSHU beverages were 5.4 - 7.3 and 10.2 - 41.9 mg/100mL, respectively, with the highest concentration being in a product named Healthya (approximately 147 mg/bottle). The simultaneous determination of compounds such as catechins and caffeine in FOSHU beverages can help to estimate beneficial and adverse effects to prevent deleterious effects on health and the excessive consumption of FOSHU beverages containing high concentrations of tea catechins should be avoided.

Health-promoting microbes in traditional Vietnamese fermented foods:A review

Vietnam has a long history of numerous traditional fermented products that contain a range of microorganisms with favorable technological,preservative,and organoleptic properties for food processing as well as other functional properties.This review emphasizes the most common traditional Vietnamese fermented foods and their beneficial indigenous bacteria having health-promoting effects.

Targeting gut microbiota in osteoporosis:impact of the microbial based functional food ingredients

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disorder,characterized by low bone mineral density and microarchitectural deterioration of the bone tissue,which increases the susceptibility to fracture.In the past decade,emerging research findings reported the implication of gut microbiota on bone health and osteoporosis pathology.Osteoporotic patients or individuals with a lower bone mineral density exhibit an alteration of the gut microbiota at several taxonomic levels.Additional reports demonstrate that gut microbiota regulates bone metabolism through the modulation of the gut function(mineral availability and absorption,gut integrity),the immune system,and the endocrine system.Thus,based on the vital role of gut microbiota on bone health,it has emerged as a novel therapeutic target for the prevention of bone loss and the treatment of osteoporosis.Microbial-based functional food ingredients,such as probiotics,prebiotics,synbiotics,and fermented foods,have been developed to alter the gut microbiota composition and function and thus,to provide benefits to the host bone health.Despite promising initial results,microbial-based therapies are still under investigation.Moreover,additional animal studies and clinical trials are needed to understand the interactions between gut microbiota and bone metabolism before further applications.

Trends and hotspots of global ultra-processed food research(2010-2023):A scientometric study

Background:Recently,ultra-processed foods(UPFs)have attracted considerable attention,leading to numerous studies worldwide.Scientometrics is currently gaining popularity among scientific communities,offering advantage of providing critical references to scholars of specific fields.Methods:This scientometric study aimed to analyze trends and hotspots of UPF research using English articles or reviews related to UPFs retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection on March 5,2023.Two independent researchers selected the identified records on titles,abstracts,and author’s keywords,and the data were analyzed using R-bibliometrix,CiteSpace,and VOSviewer.Results:A total of 1018 publications(901 articles and 117 reviews)published from 2010 to 2023 were included.The result showed a significant increase in UPF publications over the past decades.Brazil published the highest number of papers(n=473),with over half of the top 10 active institutions were located in Brazil.The University of São Paulo contributed the most publications(n=206)and the 10 most productive authors belonged to this institution,with Monteiro CA and Levy RB contributing the most publications.The main research foundations included the NOVA system,the definition of UPFs,the prevalence of UPFs,and the impact of UPFs on dietary quality and health status.The main research frontiers included topics such as“systematic review,”“NOVA food classification,”“COVID-19,”“diabetes,”“pregnancy,”“food addiction,”“warning labels,”“plant-based diet,”and“commercial determinants of health”.Conclusions:This study provided a comprehensive overview of development trends and research hotspots of global UPF studies.

Motives Underlying Organic Food Consumption in Turkey： Impact of Health, Environment, and Consumer Values on Purchase Intentions

Raising ecological awareness and health concerns create question marks about healthiness and sustainability of conventional foods in customers＇ minds. Due to augmented mass media coverage of environmental problems, health concerns related to consumption of genetically modified food and/or chemical contaminants in food, and consumers＇ increasing interest in healthy nutrition and environmental protection, there is a growing interest for organic foods in all over the world. Growing interest for organic foods, and increasing production and demand in organic food market has made organic food consumption a significant topic of research. Although organic food market and demand for organic foods have also been growing in Turkey, literature regarding organic food consumption is not very extensive. Therefore, this study aims to understand the underlying motives for organic food consumption in Turkey, and to explore the factors affecting Turkish consumers＇ attitudes towards organic foods and the behavioral intention of Turkish consumers to purchase organic food by the help of the theory of reasoned action （TRA）. The results of 622 successful surveys used for this empirical research indicate that Turkish consumers＇ attitudes towards organic foods are determined by perception of organic foods, consumer values, and price perception, while their purchase intention is determined by health consciousness, perception of organic foods, consumer values, price perception, and environmental concerns.

BIOLOGICAL EXPERIMENT AND CLINICAL TESTS ON MAMMOTROPIC ACTION OF MUYINGLE -A NEW TYPE OF HEALTHFOOD PREPARED FROM MARINE ORGANISMS

Muyingle is a new type of health food prepared from marine organisme. The mammotropic action ofMuyingte was investigated by studying its effect on mammary glands and pituitary glands of lactating miceand the survival rate of suckling mice. The results showed that the mammotropic action of Muyingle wasvery effective.The survival rates of suckling mice were 92.90% for the treated group and 0 for the controlgroup (p【0.01). The weights of mammary gland were 163±51.1mg/10g (weight of mouse)for the treatedgroup and 98.5±18.4 mg/10g for the control group (p【0.01). Histological examinations suggestal thatmammary glands from the treated group were at the secreting stages, while those from the control groupwere at the resting stages. Clinical tests also demonstrated that Muyingle was highly effective in promotinglactation and improving the quality of the puerpera’s milk. The efficiency was up to 86.7%.

Food Is Security: The Nexus of Health Security in Fragile and Failed States

Global food security is a major development challenge dictated by state stability, resilience to geopolitical and economic shocks and is linked to health security. Fragile and failed nation-states are at risk of extreme poverty and lead to war and conflict. Fragile states experience, corrupt financial regimes and are influenced by skewed global market systems and reduced equitable market access that decrease food and health security. This qualitative review describes the critical cross sections of food security, the influence of global market systems and state stability and institutions that form the nexus of global health security. We outline how the manipulation of free market systems and decreased state capacity not only decrease food and health security but also contribute to state fragility and failure. Improved public health policy mechanisms, decreased dependence on foreign financial structures and extractive mechanisms are crucial to improving food and health security at present, and to further increase state stability in the future.

An exploratory study of food safety and food handling: Examining ready-to-eat foods in independent delicatessen operations

The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2009) reports that each year 76 million cases of foodborne illness occur with over 300,000 people hospitalized and 5000 deaths. This study, phase I of a continuing study, identifies key areas for food safety improvement. This study is designed as an exploratory evaluation of independently owned and operated delicatessen operations, using Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as indicators to assess food handling and the public’s risk for pathogenic contamination from commonly served ready-to-eat/take-away foods. The analysis consisted of a comprehensive strategy of laboratory testing of samples for pathogenic contamination, informal field observation of food handling procedures, and the examination of the most recent health inspection reports for each of the 18 operations visited. The deli turkey, cream cheese and lettuce were tested using bacteria indicator plates. The results showed widespread levels of contamination. Of the 54 samples tested for Escherichia coli, 26 showed positive results which are ~45% for E. coli contamination. Of the 54 samples tested for Staphy-lococcus aureus, 31 showed positive results which are ~57% for S. aureus contamination. One issue discovered while conducting the study was the lack of consistent uniform international standards of contamination tolerance levels. The informal field observations and health report analyses revealed widespread temperature violations and numerous instances of poor food handling. The study offers independent practitioners a strategy designed to improve their health inspections scores, food handling, and mitigation of operator liability. Independent operators traditionally do not enjoy the resources of centralized supervision and expert on-staff training;yet in aggregate they account for significant volume in both dollars and the quantity of product served. This study adds needed scrutiny to this important food niche.

Effectiveness of traffic light system on Brazilian consumers perception of food healthfulness

Front-of-package(FOP)nutrition labelling schemes were developed to improve consumer’s comprehension about the food nutrients associated with non-communicable diseases(NCDs).Several FOPs have already been developed,and Brazil is in the process of evaluating a scheme to introduce in the products.The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of TLS,the scheme proposed by the food industry,on the product healthfulness perception.A study with 141 participants was carried out.A conjoint task was designed considering three categories and levels:types of dairy products(light yogurt,prato cheese,and chocolate flavoured milk),Traffic Light System(yes vs.no)and brand(well-known vs.unknown).The effect of TLS on perceived healthfulness was evaluated using a 9-point scales(1:not healthy;9:very healthy).Results showed that the inclusion of TLS did not influence the perceived healthfulness of the products by consumers,even among consumers with higher interest in healthy eating.These findings suggest that the proposal supported by the food industry does not seem to be the most appropriate,being recommended the development of further studies to compare the efficacy of TLS and other FOP schemes.

The Animal Health Law-Regulation EU 2016/429 and the Future of Food Safety and Free Commerce in Europe

The aim of this study was to analyze the contents of Reg.(EU)No.429/2016,and to assess its role in guaranteeing the efficient application of the disease prevention and control rules into member state.Furthermore,the authors evaluated the impact of the abovementioned Regulation on the legislation on public health and food safety already in force in Europe(Regulations EC No.178/2002,No.882/2004,No.853/2004)and considered the global impact of the new rules on the effective functioning of the internal market.The study pays attention also to the TFEU(treaty of lisbon on the functioning of the European union)procedure to delegate to the commission the power to adopt non-legislative acts of general application that supplement or amend certain non-essential elements of a legislative act.

The Way Food, Diet, and Exercise Are Communicated in Women’s Health Magazine: From a Critical Perspective

Women’s Health Magazine creates a fantasy world for many women,in which they can attach themselves to the ideal beauty standards,and work towards reaching those ideals by engaging in diet and exercise.The advertisements in this magazine mostly give value to the Western ideal of white beauty,which is about the slenderness of the feminine physical body.However,the white beauty ideal makes women in different cultures such as the Turkish and Latin women to resemble this ideal by changing their darker hair colors to blonde,changing their darker eye colors to blue,and changing their curvy body types to slim;even though,their curviness represents sexual desire in their specific culture,and thus it leads these women to lose their cultural characteristics that make them more feminine(Mendible,2007,pp.3-8).In other words,the white ideal beauty causes many women in other cultures to have some kind of cultural assimilation in terms of their own beauty standards,and instead cause them to embrace an international standard of beauty that is Western,and many women such as the Turkish and Hispanic,as well as,the Korean,Chinese,and Japanese,undergo some kind of a process of cultural assimilation related to their cultural body characteristics,as a result(Yan&Bissell,2014,p.197).In other words,these women lose their indigenous body characteristics and they instead try to resemble the slender ideal body of the West with the spread of globalization,which has a major influence on that(Hoskins,2014,p.110).The aim of this paper is to show how the Women’s Health Magazine,a popular contemporary magazine,crates a discourse on food,diet,and exercise,which have a major influence in shaping and assimilating the body type of Turkish women from a critical perspective.

Lotus Seed Health Food

Hunan lotus seed, produced in Xiangtan City, Hunan Province. is a famous product of the province. It has a white colour, a sweet taste and thick pulp. The seed can be eaten as a food or a medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, the lotus seed is good for the spleen and the heart and can be used in the treatment of a weak spleen, diarrhea, emission and leukorrhea. It contains 16-17% protein. 2% fat and 66% carbohydrate. One hundred grams of seeds contain 100mg of calcium. 220mg of phosphate, and 5-6mg of iron. as

A Weight-Loss and Healthy Living Program for Men Delivered in Swedish Football and Ice-Hockey Clubs(ViSiT):Results from the ViSiT Feasibility Study

Background: Men appear less interested than women in engaging in health-promoting programs. We investigated the feasibility and proof of concept of a novel intervention program targeting male supporters of professional sports clubs. Methods: Our intervention is called ViSiT and the target population in this study was overweight male supporters aged 35 - 65 years with a body mass index ≥ 28 kg/m2, recruited through one football and one ice-hockey club. The participants (n = 22) participated in a 12-week lifestyle intervention with a 52-week follow-up. Body fat was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results: The retention rate was high with 21 participants completing the 12-week program and 17 attending at least 10 of 12 sessions. Mean (standard deviation) body weight and fat reduction after 12 weeks was 8.2 (4.6) kg and 6.6 (3.6) kg, respectively. At 52 weeks, body weight and fat reduction were maintained at 6.4 (6.7) kg and 4.5 (6.5) kg. Even after 52 weeks follow-up, the participants appreciated most components of the ViSiT program and perceived the ViSiT program to have high impact on most health-related aspects investigated. Conclusions: The ViSiT program demonstrated a successful retention rate and clinically relevant weight reduction in Swedish overweight men. The maintenance of bodyweight reduction and positive experience after 1 year indicate a long-term effect of the ViSiT concept.

药食同源产品开发思路探讨

目的 为药食同源产品的开发提供思路。方法 采用计算机检索关于中药保健食品相关专利及药食同源相关文献,分析近年来中药保健食品和药食同源产品的相关政策、研发现状及市场前景。结果 药食同源产品可发挥中医药治未病的独特优势,药食同源产业是“健康中国”战略中不可或缺的一环。国家卫生部门发布了102种药食同源的中药材,提供了基于这102种药食同源目录中药材开发的药食同源产品具有保健功效的可能性依据。药食同源产品的开发,应基于性味归经及功效,遵循中医药调理配伍原则,现代生理功效相结合的组方原则,以及产品开发与市场需求紧密结合的开发原则,可从肿瘤类、不孕不育类、糖脂代谢类疾病及增强免疫力4个方面开发产品,还需注意产品体感与功效相结合。结论 基于102种药食同源目录中药材的药食同源产品是对中药保健食品的极大补充,也是中医药大健康产品的关键所在。

食品中益生菌的功能与安全性研究进展

益生菌在人类的食品生产和生活中有着悠久的使用历史,随着对益生菌功能研究的逐步深入,益生菌对人体的多种营养功能和健康功效也逐渐明确。现有研究表明益生菌具有调节肠道菌群、提高免疫力等功效,甚至能够改善一些疾病的症状,因此在食品行业中,益生菌从传统的发酵食品中的应用到功能性食品中的添加使用变得越来越广泛。然而食品中益生菌的大规模使用也提升了潜在的安全性风险,如感染、生物毒素和耐药性基因转移等,益生菌在使用的过程中必须充分考虑其安全性问题。欧洲的安全资格认证(Qualified Presumption of Safety,QPS)和美国的公认安全(Generally Recognized as Safe,GRAS)体系是目前比较成熟的微生物安全性评价体系,近年来我国也通过相关立法规范益生菌的使用从而保障食品安全。该研究综述了目前对于益生菌营养功能和食品中益生菌应用的国内外研究进展,阐述了益生菌目前面临的安全性问题与安全性评价体系,以期为食品中益生菌的安全应用提供一定的参考。

浅析食品微生物检验技术在食品安全中的应用

随着分子生物学、生物信息学和纳米技术等现代科技的发展,食品微生物检验技术正朝着更高的灵敏度、更快的检测速度迅速发展,大幅提高了食品安全监管的效率,为食品工业的可持续发展提供了技术支撑。基于此,本文分析了食品微生物检验技术在食品安全中的应用,以供参考。