Association of nutrients intake during pregnancy with the risk of allergic disease in offspring:a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

To investigate the role of nutrients intake during pregnancy with longitudinal development of rhinitis,asthma,eczema,wheeze,and food allergy in offspring.The PubMed,Embase,and Cochrane library were searched for articles published throughout May 2022.The pooled effect estimate were presented using relative risk and calculated by the random-effects model.Twenty-three prospective cohort studies enrolling 210817 individuals were included.The risk of wheeze in offspring were lowered when high vitamin D,vitamin E,zinc,and milk intakes during pregnancy,whereas high meat intake during pregnancy could induce additional risk of wheeze in offspring.Moreover,highβ-carotene and magnesium intakes during pregnancy were related to lower eczema risk in offspring,whereas eczema risk in offspring was increased for pregnant women with high intake of butter and margarine.Finally,the asthma risk in offspring could protect against for pregnant women with high intake of vitamin D and apple,whereas high folic acid during pregnancy could produce excess asthma risk in offspring.This study provides the summary evidences regarding the role of nutrients intake during pregnancy and subsequent risk of rhinitis,asthma,eczema,wheeze,and food allergy,and further effective intervention strategies should be employed to improve childhood allergic diseases.

Molecular and Epidemiological Characterization of Infant Botulism in Beijing, China

Laboratory-based pathogen isolation, identification, and toxicity determination were performed on samples from a suspected case of infant botulism. Mice injected with cultures generated from the enema sample and ingested Powered infant formula （PIF） presented typical signs of botulism. Antitoxins to polyvalent botulinum neurotoxins （BoNTs） and monovalent BoNT type B antitoxin had protective effects. Clostridium botulinum isolated from the enema and residual PIF samples were positive for type B toxin. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis （PFGE） revealed that the two strains of C. botulinum isolated from the two samples produced indistinguishable pulsotypes. These findings confirmed this case of type B infant botulism associated with the ingestion of PIF contaminated bv type B C. botulinum spores.

A Methodology of Epidemiologic Study in the General Population Focusing on Food Allergy—China, 2020

Introduction:Adverse reactions to food(ARF)are a major worldwide public health and food safety problem.Among the various causes of ARF,food allergies(FA)are particularly serious as the immune response that is triggered can be fatal even at very low doses.However,the prevalence of ARF and FA in the general population in China is presently unclear.This study aims to determine the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for ARF and FA,which can be a basis for estimating thresholds for major food allergens.Methods:This is a multicenter,cross-sectional,epidemiologic survey with a case-control study nested among a selected population in China.Random individuals were recruited using stratified cluster random sampling;ARF and FA were comprehensively assessed using modified EuroPrevall FA Project questionnaires as well as structured interviews,sensitization testing,and double-blind placebocontrolled food challenges(DBPCFC).Results:This method of epidemiologic study on ARF and FA was a pilot application in Jiangxi Province from January 2020;among the total 21,273 children and adults that completed the questionnaire,5.8%reported ARF and 4.3%reported FA.ARF were determined to be associated with age,gender,and region.Animal-derived foods were the dominant offending foods,especially shrimp,and skin symptoms were the most commonly reported ARF.Discussion:This is the first multi-center,largescale,epidemiologic study on ARF and FA using standardized methods,including DBPCFC,in the Chinese general population.This study presents an important approach to assessing ARF and FA,provides significant insights about the prevalence of ARF and FA,and facilitates support for updating the list of allergenic food labels:which will be essential for improving ARF prevention and management in China.

Self-Reported Food Allergy Prevalence Among Elementary School Children—Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China, 2021

What is already known about this topic?The prevalence of food allergy(FA)among the general population has been increasing in recent decades,and seriously affects the physical and mental health and the quality of life of many people—especially children.What is added by this report?The survey estimated self-reported FA prevalence using a standardized FA questionnaire among school children in Nanchang City,Jiangxi Province,China in 2021.What are the implications for public health practice?Based on the local,epidemiological characteristics of food allergy,public policies on the prevention and management of FA should be developed and preventive practices should be promoted to decrease the overall prevalence of FA.

Surveillance and examination of microbial contamination in ice cream in China

This study investigated the microbial contamination of ice cream in China.A total of 2887 ice cream samples were collected from different regions of China.Contamination by the aerobic plate count(APC),coliforms,and three foodborne pathogens,Listeria monocytogenes(L.monocytogenes),Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus),and Salmonella spp.,was detected in the samples.L.monocytogenes isolates were further analyzed for antibiotic susceptibility and multi-locus sequence typing(MLST).The results showed that APC was more than 10^(5) colony forming units(CFU)/g in 6.10%(176/2887)and coliform was more than 10^(2) CFU/g in 15.69%(453/2887)of all samples.The positive rates of S.aureus,L.monocytogenes,and Salmonella spp.were 0.66%,0.62%,and 0.10%,respectively.Among these,S.aureus contamination was more than 102 CFU/g in two samples,and L.monocytogenes in the positive sample was in the range of 0.3-240 most probable number(MPN)/g.with a median of 4.3 MPN/g.The hygienic status of the packaged samples was much better than that of the bulk samples(P<0.05).Catering samples were more frequently and heavily contaminated than samples from retail and wholesale outlets(P<0.05).No significant differences were observed in samples bought from urban and rural areas(P>0.05).For 18 L.monocytogenes strains isolated from ice cream,the resistance rate of nine antibiotics was 5.56%(1/18).By MLST,the L.monocytogenes strains were classified into nine sequence types(STs),of which ST8 was the most common(six isolates).These results indicate that a potential health risk to the public may be caused by ice cream,particularly in susceptiblepopulations.

Exposure to Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in the Sixth Total Diet Study-China,2016-2019

Summary What is already known about this topic?Polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs)were widely used in many industrial and commercial materials as flame retardants,and its related exposure threatens human health.What is added by this report?The Sixth Total Diet Study(TDS)indicated that the dietary intake of PBDEs was unlikely to pose significant health risks for the general Chinese people using the margin of exposure(MOE)approach recommended by the European Food Safety Authority(EFSA).What are the implications for public health practice?This study highlights the necessity of continuous national monitoring of the dietary intake and strict legislation of PBDEs in China.