SATgene dietary model to implement diets of differing fat composition in prospectively genotyped groups (apoE) using commercially available foods

esponse to dietary fat manipulation is highly heterogeneous, yet generic population-based recommendations aimed at reducing the burden of CVD are given. The APOE epsilon genotype has been proposed to be an important determinant of this response. The present study reports on the dietary strategy employed in the SATgenɛ (SATurated fat and gene APOE) study, to assess the impact of altered fat content and composition on the blood lipid profile according to the APOE genotype. A flexible dietary exchange model was developed to implement three isoenergetic diets: a low-fat (LF) diet (target composition: 24 % of energy (%E) as fat, 8 %E SFA and 59 %E carbohydrate), a high-saturated fat (HSF) diet (38 %E fat, 18 %E SFA and 45 %E carbohydrate) and a HSF-DHA diet (HSF diet with 3 g DHA/d). Free-living participants (n 88; n 44 E3/E3 and n 44 E3/E4) followed the diets in a sequential design for 8 weeks, each using commercially available spreads, oils and snacks with specific fatty acid profiles. Dietary compositional targets were broadly met with significantly higher total fat (42·8 %E and 41·0 %E v. 25·1 %E, P ≤ 0·0011) and SFA (19·3 %E and 18·6 %E v. 8·33 %E, P ≤ 0·0011) intakes during the HSF and HSF-DHA diets compared with the LF diet, in addition to significantly higher DHA intake during the HSF-DHA diet (P ≤ 0·0011). Plasma phospholipid fatty acid analysis revealed a 2-fold increase in the proportion of DHA after consumption of the HSF-DHA diet for 8 weeks, which was independent of the APOE genotype. In summary, the dietary strategy was successfully implemented in a free-living population resulting in well-tolerated diets which broadly met the dietary targets set.

Eliciting consumer preferences for certified animal-friendly foods: can elements of the theory of planned behavior improve choice experiment analysis?

Models used in neoclassical economics assume human behaviour to be purely rational. On the other hand, models adopted in social and behavioural psychology are founded on the ‘black box’ of human cognition. In view of these observations, this paper aims at bridging this gap by introducing psychological constructs in the well established microeconomic framework of choice behaviour based on random utility theory. In particular, it combines constructs developed employing Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour with Lancaster’s theory of consumer demand for product characteristics to explain stated preferences over certified animal-friendly foods. To reach this objective a web survey was administered in the largest five EU-25 countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Findings identify some salient cross-cultural differences between northern and southern Europe and suggest that psychological constructs developed using the Ajzen model are useful in explaining heterogeneity of preferences. Implications for policy makers and marketers involved with certified animal-friendly foods are discussed.

Hospital catering systems and their impact on the sensorial profile of foods provided to older patients in the UK

Impaired sensorial perception is very common in older people and low sensorial quality of foods is associated with decreased appetite and dietary intake. Hospital undernutrition in older patients could be linked to sensorial quality of hospital food if the quality were low or inappropriate for older people. The aim of this study was to examine changes in the sensorial quality of different foods that occur as a result of the food journey (i.e. freezing, regeneration, etc.) in the most common hospital catering systems in the UK. A trained sensory panel assessed sensorial descriptors of certain foods with and without the hospital food journey as it occurs in the in-house and cook/freeze systems. The results showed effects of the food journey on a small number of sensorial descriptors related to flavour, appearance and mouthfeel. The majority of these effects were due to temperature changes, which caused accumulation of condensation. A daily variation in sensorial descriptors was also detected and in some cases it was greater than the effect of the food journey. This study has shown that changes occur in the sensory quality of meals due to hospital food journeys, however these changes were small and are not expected to substantially contribute to acceptability or have a major role in hospital malnutrition.

Prebiotics in foods

A wealth of information has been gathered over the past 15 years on prebiotics through experimental, animal and human studies, with the aim to understand the mechanism of actions and elucidate their beneficial health effects to the human host. Significant amount of evidence exists for their ability to increase the bioavailability of minerals and stimulate the immune system, although there is less clear evidence so far for their prophylactic or therapeutic role in gastrointestinal infections. Moreover, the effect of the food delivery vehicle on the efficacy of prebiotics is an area that has been hardly investigated. Besides their beneficial effects, prebiotics influence the textural and organoleptic properties of the food products, such as dairy and baked products. To do this however, they need to be stable during food processing, in particular under conditions of high temperature and low pH.

Application of the BRAFO-tiered approach for benefit-risk assessment to case studies on natural foods

There is evidence that consumption of fish, especially oily fish, has substantial beneficial effects on health. In particular an inverse relationship of oily fish intake to coronary heart disease incidence has been established. These beneficial effects are ascribed to fish oil components including long chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. On the other hand it should be noted that oily fish also contains hazardous substances such as dioxins, PCBs and methylmercury. Soy consumption has been associated with potential beneficial and adverse effects. The claimed benefits include reduced risk of cardiovascular disease; osteoporosis, breast and prostate cancer whereas potential adverse effects include impaired thyroid function, disruption of sex hormone levels, changes in reproductive function and increased breast cancer risk The two cases of natural foods highlight the need to consider both risks and benefits in order to establish the net health impact associated to the consumption of specific food products. Within the Sixth Framework programme of the European Commission, the BRAFO project was funded to develop a framework that allows for the quantitative comparison of human health risks and benefits in relation to foods and food compounds. This paper describes the application of the developed framework to two natural foods, farmed salmon and soy protein. We conclude that the BRAFO methodology is highly applicable to natural foods. It will help the benefit-risk managers in selecting the appropriate dietary recommendations for the population.

Intakes and sources of isoflavones, lignans, enterolignans, coumestrol and soya-containing foods in the Norfolk arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Norfolk), from 7-day food diaries, using a newly updated database

Objective: A phytoestrogen-rich diet has been suggested to protect against a variety of common diseases but UK intake data on phytoestrogens or their food sources is sparse. This study aims to estimate the average intake of isoflavones, lignans, enterolignans and coumestrol from 7-day food diaries (7dFD), and to provide data on total isoflavone, lignan and phytoestrogen consumption by food group. Design: Development of a food composition database for twelve phytoestrogens and analysis of soya food and phytoestrogen consumption in a population-based study. Setting: Men and women, aged 40-79 years from the general population participating in EPIC-Norfolk between 1993 and 1997, with nutrient and food data from 7dFD. Subjects: A subset of 20 437 participants. Results: The median daily phytoestrogen intake for men was 1.20mg (interquartile range (IQR) 0.93-1.54 mg; mean 1.50 mg, SD 1.50 mg) and 0.89 mg for women (IQR 0.71-1.14 mg; mean 1.20 mg, SD 1.70 mg). In soya-consumers (SC), median daily intakes were higher: 2.86 mg in men (IQR – 1.30-7.27mg; mean 5.05 mg, SD 5.03 mg) and 3.14 mg in women (IQR – 1.09-7.33mg; mean 5.40 mg, SD 6.09 mg). In both men and women, bread made the greatest contribution to phytoestrogen intake – 40.7% and 35.7% respectively. In SC men and women, vegetable dishes and soya/goat’s/sheep’s milks were the main contributors – 42.6% and 18.9% in men and 38.8% and 29.1% in women, respectively. Conclusions: The ability to estimate phytoestrogen intake in Western populations more accurately will aid investigations into their suggested effects on health.

Variation in clonality and antibiotic-resistance genes among multiresistant Salmonella enterica serotype typhimurium phage-type U302 (MR U302) from humans, animals, and foods

Since 1990 multiresistant (MR) Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium definitive phage-type (DT) 104 (MR DT104) and closely related phage types have emerged as a worldwide health problem in humans and food animals. In this study the presence of the bla(CARB-2) (ampicillin), cmlA (chloramphenicol), aadA2 (streptomycin/spectinomycin), sul1 (sulphonamide), and tetG (tetracycline) resistance genes in isolates of one such phage type, U302, have been determined. In addition bla(TEM) I primers have been used for the detection of TEM-type beta-lactamases. Isolates have also been characterized by plasmid profile and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Thirty-three of 39 isolates were positive for blaCARB-2, cmlA, aadA2, sul1 and tetG, four for bla(TEM), aadA2 and sul1, one for aadA2 and sul1, and one for blaTEM only. bla(TEM)-mediated ampicillin resistance was transferred to Escherichia coli K12 from three isolates along with other resistance markers, including resistance to chloramphenicol, streptomycin, spectinomycin, sulphonamides, and tetracyclines. Strains carried up to 6 plasmids and 34 plasmid profiles were identified. Although the majority of strains (33/39) produced a PFGE profile identical to that predominant in MR DT104, six different patterns were generated demonstrating the presence of various clones within MR U302. The results show that the majority of the MR U302 strains studied possessed the same antibiotic resistance genes as MR DT104. However, isolates with distinctive PFGE patterns can have different mechanisms of resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulphonamides, and tetracyclines. Such resistance genes may be borne on transmissible plasmids.

Multiple stationary solutions of an irradiated slab

A mathematical model describing the heat budget of an irradiated medium is introduced. The one-dimensional form of the equations and boundary conditions are presented and analysed. Heat transport at one face of the slab occurs by absorption (and reflection) of an incoming beam of short-wave radiation with a fraction of this radiation penetrating into the body of the slab, a diffusive heat flux in the slab and a prescribed incoming heat flux term. The other face of the slab is immersed in its own melt and is considered to be a free surface. Here, temperature continuity is prescribed and evolution of the surface is determined by a Stefan condition. These boundary conditions are flexible enough to describe a range of situations such as a laser shining on an opaque medium, or the natural environment of polar sea ice or lake ice. A two-stream radiation model is used which replaces the simple Beer’s law of radiation attenuation frequently used for semi-infinite domains. The stationary solutions of the governing equations are sought and it is found that there exists two possible stationary solutions for a given set of boundary conditions and a range of parameter choices. It is found that the existence of two stationary solutions is a direct result of the model of radiation absorption, due to its effect on the albedo of the medium. A linear stability analysis and numerical calculations indicate that where two stationary solutions exist, the solution corresponding to a larger thickness is always stable and the solution corresponding to a smaller thickness is unstable. Numerical simulations reveal that when there are two solutions, if the slab is thinner than the smaller stationary thickness it will melt completely, whereas if the slab is thicker than the smaller stationary thickness it will evolve toward the larger stationary thickness. These results indicate that other mechanisms (e.g. wave-induced agglomeration of crystals) are necessary to grow a slab from zero initial thickness in the parameter regime that yields two stationary solutions.

Criteria for validation and selection of cognitive tests for investigating the effects of foods and nutrients.

This review is an output of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Europe Marker Initiative, which aims to identify evidence-based criteria for selecting adequate measures of nutrient effects on health through comprehensive literature review. Experts in cognitive and nutrition sciences examined the applicability of these proposed criteria to the field of cognition with respect to the various cognitive domains usually assessed to reflect brain or neurological function. This review covers cognitive domains important in the assessment of neuronal integrity and function, commonly used tests and their state of validation, and the application of the measures to studies of nutrition and nutritional intervention trials. The aim is to identify domain-specific cognitive tests that are sensitive to nutrient interventions and from which guidance can be provided to aid the application of selection criteria for choosing the most suitable tests for proposed nutritional intervention studies using cognitive outcomes. The material in this review serves as a background and guidance document for nutritionists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists interested in assessing mental health in terms of cognitive test performance and for scientists intending to test the effects of food or food components on cognitive function.