Current Nutrition & Food Science - Volume 14, Issue 4, 2018

The babassu palm is one of the most important representatives of the palm family in Brazil. The almond and mesocarp are the edible parts of the babassu, used in human food, animal and as medicine. Due to the fact that the babassu mesocarp is rich in starch and other nutrients, the objective of this work was to carry out a technological survey on the use of the mesocarp of babassu in the elaboration of food products such as biscuits, breads and cereal bars. The search for deposited patents was carried out in the databases of the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), the European Patent Convention (EPO), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The database for the search for scientific articles was the Web of Science. When the "babassu and mesocarp" combinations were searched, seven patents were deposited with INPI. Among articles related to keywords, only one article was related to human food. In general, these results demonstrate a perspective of the technological application of the babassu mesocarp in the elaboration of food products, being a promising area.

Background: Consumers’ awareness of how diet is affecting the health and their demand for healthy foods has encouraged the food industry to produce healthy food products. Thus, functional ingredients including probiotics and prebiotics have been introduced to industry in order to develop these types of food products. Objective: The aim of this article was to review β-glucan structure, its applications as a prebiotic and its healthful benefits as well as its effects on physiochemical, rheological and sensory characteristics of dairy products. Methods: This was a literature research using the keywords “β-glucan”, “dairy products”, “dietary fiber”, “physiochemical properties”, “prebiotic”, “sensory properties” in Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed. Results: It was described that β-glucan, as a soluble dietary fiber has many desirable biological activities and health benefits. Moreover, it has specific physical properties including gelling capacity, stabilizer, emulsifying and thickening agent that make it suitable for using in foods, medicines and cosmetics industries. In dairy products it can be used as a prebiotic, texturizer and fat replacer. Conclusion: β-glucan can be used in dairy products in order to enhance the viability of probiotics as well as improving texture and sensory properties of these products. However, an appropriate level of this compound should be incorporated into the products based on the type of β-glucan and dairy product.

Purpose: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is correlated with a group of diseases related to the metabolism of glucose that is increasingly affecting the population, being considered a public health problem. Exercise increases absorption of glucose by the muscles during, pre- and post- periods of effort, therefore, it is an excellent treatment strategy to maintain the glycemic control of diabetic patients. Caffeine intake enhances Ca2+ concentration in β pancreatic cells, affecting insulin secretion. Materials and Methods: Systematic review with a sample of six scientific papers published in academic journals. Only studies involving soccer players (professionals and amateurs, except goalkeepers) were included in this review. Results and Conclusion: Studies included in this review concluded that caffeine might act in several ways in glucose metabolism; however, more researches are necessary to elucidate the real effects of this compound in the organism.

Background: Studies of phytochemicals, antioxidant vitamins and minerals in foods have shown that the chemical compounds in foods are effective in the prevention or treatment of cancer and other diseases. Alternative cancer treatments have also been tried by many cancer patients treated with conventional therapies. Amygdalin therapy is used in many alternative treatments and has been claimed to be effective. The aim of this review is to evaluate the studies that examine the reliability and the efficacy of amygdalin use in the protocol for cancer patients. Methods: All the studies related to amygdalin found by a search with the keywords, amygdalin, leatrile and cancer. in databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, ScienceDirect and BioMed between 1975-2017 were examined. Results: Two epidemiological studies, two case reports, three animal studies and five in vitro studies were obtained by the search. In epidemiological studies and case reports, amygdalin was not determined to have positive effects on cancer treatment. While one of the animal studies found a positive effect, no positive effects were detected by the other two. In vitro studies have shown that amygdalin has protective effects in the treatment of cancer. Conclusion: This review concluded that there is no convincing evidence that amygdalin has positive effects on cancer patients.

Background: The recent food-borne microbial outbreaks in the world have led to the search for more innovative ways to inhibit microbial growth in foods that will maintain their quality, freshness, and safety. One of the options that provide an increased margin of safety and quality in food products is the use of antimicrobial packaging. Antimicrobial packaging is a form of active packaging, which interacts with the product or the headspace between the package and the food system, to obtain a desired outcome. Methods: Different research papers, review papers, books, book chapters and other relevant literature were used for writing this comprehensive review paper. The idea from these bibliographic databases provides enough valuable information for writing this paper. Results: More than 90 research articles were used to provide the enough information related to antimicrobial food packaging technologies. Many papers described the types of antimicrobial packaging and their properties. Various papers were described to assist the role antimicrobial packaging technologies in extending the shelf-life of foods and reduce the risk from pathogens. Various types of antimicrobial substances such as organic acids and their salts, enzymes, bacteriocins, and miscellaneous compounds (triclosan, silver, and fungicides) have been used in synthetic polymers and edible films which were described by number of bibliographic databases. Conclusion: The findings of this review confirmed the importance of different types of antimicrobial food packaging systems that could be constructed by using antimicrobial packaging materials and/or antimicrobial agents inside the package space or inside foods that could inhibit the growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, and contribute to the improvement of food safety and the extension of shelf-life.

Background: The first civilian nuclear power plant in the Eastern Region of Arabian Desert, and specifically in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will be operating four reactors between (2018- 2020). Before the construction of any regulated nuclear facility, it is essential to investigate the environmental background radiation level in the country. Objective: Establish the first research effort in the (UAE) to build a database of agricultural topsoil radioactivity concentrations established using standard sampling and analytical procedures. Method: This study determines the primordial radionuclides concentrations obtained from 145 soil samples collected from multiple agriculture farms in the UAE. Collected soil samples were analyzed to establish radioactivity concentration levels associated with 226Ra, 232Th and 40K. The Highresolution gamma-ray spectrometry measured the activity concentrations. Results: The results indicate that the mean specific activity concentrations (in BqKg-1) were 15.34±2.80, 4.18±1.40 and 310.74 ± 63.90 for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K, respectively. Conclusion: All study collected sample activities and radiation parameters were found to be below maximal admissible values established in various international recommendations and standards.

Background: Foods supplemented with probiotics enhance athletes' immune system functions, improve body health and consequently decreases athlete's health maintenance costs. Probiotics improve immune system function against pathogens via affecting innate immune system, humeral immunity and cytokines. Objective: In this research, the effects of consumption of Iranian native probiotic of Bifidobactrium bifidum (BIB2) were evaluated on athletes' immune system functions. Methods: Fifty-six male sprint athletes aged 21 ± 3 years with weights of 78 ± 5 kg were divided into two groups, one of them received fruit juice supplemented with Bifidobactrium bifidum (BIB2) probiotic and the other group had only fruit juice as control. Blood samples were collected after fasting, then once a month, 24 h after 100 meters running the Immunoglobulin A (IgA), Immunoglobulin M (IgM), monocytes, lymphocytes and CD4 (T-helper cells) positive cells count were measured using ELISA kit, cell counter and flow cytometry, respectively. Results: The results showed that studied immune system factors were significantly different between test and control groups, so that IgA, IgM, lymphocyte and monocytes percentage and CD4 counts of test group were higher than control (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The Bifidobacterim bifidum (BIB2) probiotic consumption significantly (P< 0.05) increased the immune system factors in sprint athletes with a positive association with time of consumption.

Background: Nano size emulsion of astaxanthin has been successfully developed. However, its bioavailability enhancement benefit in form of concentration absorbed and tissue distribution has not been elucidated yet. Objective: This study investigated the relationship between globule size and tissue distribution of different types of astaxanthin formulation namely macro, nano and oil solution. Methods: Twenty male rats were divided into four groups and orally fed with the formulations for seven days. The first, second, and third group of rats were fed with nano emulsion, macro emulsion and oil solution, respectively. The final group was used as negative control. The lungs, spleen, kidney, heart and liver were isolated for tissue distribution study. Results: It was found that the nano size emulsion of astaxanthin contained the highest distribution in all organs studied. Meanwhile, the highest concentration of astaxanthin was found in the spleen for each type of formulation. Conclusion: Nano sized emulsion improved tissue distribution and enhanced the bioavailability of astaxanthin.

Background: Grape juice is a rich source of nutritive compounds, antioxidants and phenolic compounds and could be a potential substrate for the production of probiotic grape juice. In this study, the effect of probiotic incorporation, fermentation and carbonation on antioxidant activity in grape beverage was determined. Methods: The pasteurized persi (commercial concentrated grape juice) was inoculated with three species of lactic acid bacteria (L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus and L. casei). The samples were subjected to non-fermented and fermented conditions and CO2 was injected into all aseptic bottles. Antioxidant activity and total phenol content were measured during the storage time by DPPH and Folin-Ciocâlteu method, respectively. Results: The results obtained showed that the presence of probiotic and fermentation caused an increase in antioxidant activity and phenol content however; carbonation had no significant effect on the antioxidant activity of the product. Probiotic bacteria degrade tannins and can produce compounds with high free hydroxyl groups which lead to an increase in the total phenol content and antioxidant activity. CO2 can not hydrolyze large phenol contents to the small ones and therefore increase the antioxidant activity. Conclusion: Fermented probiotic grape beverage is a safe product with high antioxidant activity.

Background: Weight management and adequate nutrition are complex issues for people with disabilities due to their impairments. This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of people with disabilities in Kaniyambadi block, a rural area in Tamil Nadu, India. Methods: People with disabilities were administered Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scale to assess their nutritional status. Their level of disability was assessed using the Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO DAS version 2.0). Anthropometric measures taken were height, weight, demi-arm span, knee height, mid-arm circumference, calf circumference and abdominal circumference. Results: A total of 300 people with disabilities were interviewed. As per the MNA scale, 8.3% of people with disabilities were malnourished and 51.7% of them were at risk for malnutrition. Factors which were significantly associated with malnutrition and at risk for malnutrition were, the presence of more than one type of disability (Adjusted odds ratio 2.127, 95% CI 1.093-4.136, p value 0.026) and severe disability (Adjusted odds ratio 6.106, 95% CI 3.194-11.67, p value 0.001). Negative correlation was observed between the scores of MNA scale and WHO DAS 2.0. Increase in severity of disability was correlated with reduced nutritional status, r = -0.647 and p value 0.01. Conclusion: More than half the study population were either malnourished or were at risk of malnutrition. Severe disability is associated with malnutrition. Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) proved to be a useful and simple tool for assessment of nutritional status among people with disabilities. Nutrition assessment and nutritional therapy could be made a part of rehabilitation in persons with disabilities.

Background: Beetroot is reported as an important source of polyphenols as well as betalains, which are compounds that possess high antioxidant effect and radical scavenging capacity. Objective: The present study aimed at identifying the most suitable extracting parameters to attempt maximizing the recovery of phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity in beetroot. Methods: Grounded beetroot was used to perform extractions with different aqueous solutions (ethanol at 50% and acetone at 60%), for different times (15 and 60 min), using different volumes of the extraction solution (25 and 50 ml). For each of the combinations three successive extraction steps were performed and in each extract were quantified the Total Phenolic Compounds (TPC), the anthocyanins (ANT) and the antioxidant activity (AOA), all by spectrophotometric techniques. Results: The results indicated the usefulness of using three successive extraction steps over the same sample besides clearly indicating clearly that an extraction time of 15 min was sufficient. It was further observed that 50 ml of extraction solvent were preferable than 25 ml and the best solution was acetone at 60%. The TPC in the fresh beetroot varied from 1.45 to 2.70 mg GAE/g, the ANT from 0.23 to 0.77 mg Mv3G/g and the AOA from 13.9 to 19.9 μmol TE/g. Conclusion: It was concluded that the method of using three successive extraction steps of 15 minutes each was appropriate to increase the recovery of phenolics with antioxidant activity from beetroot.

Aim: This study aims to determine the adverse effect of furan in terms of oxidative stress parameters, DNA damage and the formation of micronucleus (MN) on experimental diabetic and nondiabetic rat's blood and protective potency of the lycopene. Methods: In the current study, fifty six adult wistar albino male rats were divided into eight groups of seven rats in each. 28 days after the application, biochemical (SOD, CAT, GPx, MDA) changes with trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DNA damage and formation of MN as well as membran structure of erythrocytes in the blood tissue samples were studied. Leucocytes were used for DNA damage with comet assay. Results: Furan has been adverse effect on antioxidant enzyme systems and MDA level of erythrocytes and leucocytes, decreased TEAC and FRAP values, increased DNA damage, MN and deteriorated cells' morphology in non-diabetic rat's blood. These changes were seen in diabetes treatment groups, too. The results shown that the administration of lycopene could have a harmful efficiency against treatment with furan in the diabetic and non-diabetic rat's blood. Conclusion: It was seen that antioxidant enzymes activities, TEAC and FRAP values increased, the levels of MDA, tail DN%, mean tail length and MN decreased and improved membrane structure in the blood cells. Also, these data shown that the lycopene has more protective effects in erythrocytes and leucocytes of non-diabetic groups than diabetic groups.