Antioxidant and phenolic compounds in sweet potato peels and leaves: food applications and health benefits

Tese de doutoramento, Ciências Biotecnológicas (Biotecnologia Alimentar), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2014

Blue leaf: Una alternativa diferente de alimentación saludable

Blue Leaf es un proyecto de emprendimiento que consiste en la elaboración y venta directa de bebidas naturales a base de frutas a través de un food truck en la ciudad de Bogotá. Tras revisar algunas tendencias actuales como la cultura Fitness y el Juicing, y tras identificar un problema sobre los hábitos de alimentación desordenados que llevan muchas personas, nace Blue Leaf como una alternativa de alimentación saludable, natural, práctica y diferente. El negocio contará inicialmente con un portafolio de 12 bebidas divididas en tres categorías. Primero, las bebidas alimenticias cuentan con altos contenidos nutricionales y sirven como fuente de alimento práctico y saludable; segundo, las bebidas funcionales, están diseñadas para ofrecer beneficios específicos de salud como desintoxicar, ayudar a bajar de peso o fortalecer las defensas; por último, las bebidas fuente de energía, cuentan con altos niveles de vitaminas y minerales que le permiten a los consumidores recargar energías rápidamente y continuar con sus actividades diarias. Adicionalmente, Blue Leaf ofrecerá la oportunidad a los consumidores de hacer su propia bebida, dándoles la posibilidad de elegir de entre más de 50 ingredientes entre bases, frutas, verduras, hierbas, semillas, adiciones y endulzantes. El proyecto es liderado por Paola Higuera Rodríguez y David Santiago Soto, ambos estudiantes de la Escuela de Administración de la Universidad del Rosario

Dietary intake in post-menopausal women

Si has been suggested as an essential element, and may be important in optimal bone, skin and cardiovascular health. However, there are few estimates of dietary Si intakes in man, especially in a UK population. Following the development of a UK food composition database for Si, the aim of the present study was to investigate dietary intakes of Si amongst healthy women aged over 60 years and to identify important food sources of Si in their diet. Healthy, post-menopausal female subjects (>60 years of age; n 209) were recruited from the general population around Dundee, Scotland as part of an unrelated randomised controlled intervention study where dietary intake was assessed using a self-administered, semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire at five time-points over a 2-year period. Food composition data on the Si content of UK foods was used to determine the Si content of food items on the food-frequency questionnaire. Mean Si intake was 18·6 (sd 4·6) mg and did not vary significantly across the 2 years of investigation. Cereals provided the greatest amount of Si in the diet (about 30%), followed by fruit, beverages (hot, cold and alcoholic beverages combined) and vegetables; together these foods provided over 75% about Si intake. Si intakes in the UK appear consistent with those reported previously for elderly women in Western populations, but lower than those reported for younger women or for men.

A parent-based intervention to promote healthy eating and active behaviours in pre-school children: evaluation of the MEND 2-4 randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of studies evaluating targeted obesity prevention interventions in pre-school children. OBJECTIVES: We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a parent-based obesity prevention intervention for pre-schoolers - MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition … Do It!) 2-4 on child diet, eating habits, physical activity/sedentary behaviours, and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Parent-child dyads attended 10 weekly 90-min workshops relating to nutrition, physical activity and behaviours, including guided active play and healthy snack time. Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 6 and 12 months post-intervention; child intake of vegetables, fruit, beverages, processed snack foods, fussiness, satiety responsiveness, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and neophobia were assessed via parent proxy report. Parent and child height and weight were measured. RESULTS: Two hundred one parent-child dyads were randomized to intervention (n = 104) and control (n = 97). Baseline mean child age was 2.7 (standard deviation [SD] 0.6) years, and child BMI-for-age z-score (World Health Organization) was 0.66 (SD 0.88). We found significant positive group effects for vegetable (P = 0.01) and snack food (P = 0.03) intake, and satiety responsiveness (P = 0.047) immediately post-intervention. At 12 months follow-up, intervention children exhibited less neophobia (P = 0.03) than controls. CONCLUSION: Future research should focus on additional strategies to support parents to continue positive behaviour change. ACTRN12610000200088.

Consumer interpretation of ready to drink orange juice and nectar labelling

The aim of this study was to evaluate consumers' use and interpretation of ready to drink orange juice and nectar label information and its influence on the purchase decision. One hundred and sixty-seven consumers of ready to drink orange juice and nectar were interviewed. The labels were analysed to evaluate their conformance to Brazilian legislation. The manufacturing and shelf life date were the information most often checked, followed by health related issues. Brand, price and flavour were the most important factors for purchase decision. Brand and flavour showed significant association with consumer age. For most interviewed, 'nectar', 'whole' and 'natural' or '100% natural' were not well understood; they were not in accordance with the Brazilian legislation. 'Nectar', 'whole' and 'natural' or '100% natural' received a positive interpretation, whereas 'reconstituted juice' was considered a negative expression. Nevertheless, none of the labels completely conformed to the specific nutritional labelling legislation. © 2013 Institute of Food Science and Technology.

Análise isotópica da variabilidade natural do carbono-13 e análise energética em suco, néctar e refrigerante de maçã (malus domestica, borkh)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação físico-química e sensorial de fermentado de acerola

Fruit processing for beverage production purposes is a way of adding value to the raw material and of raising the farmer s income by increasing the demand. Thus the objective of this work was the production of fermented West Indian cherry beverages and their physicochemical and sensory evaluation. The beverages were produced based on the Brazilian legislation for fermented fruit beverages and wine. The fermented beverages were produced from West Indian cherry pulp (pulper) and juice (press) and sweetened with sugar to obtain three types of beverage: dry, semidry and sweet. The beverages were submitted to the following physicochemical analyses: pH, alcohol, reducing sugars, total reducing sugars, total acidity, volatile acidity, fixed acidity, dry extract, reduced dry extract, alcohol to reduced dry extract ratio, free sulphur dioxide, total sulphur dioxide and turbidity. In the sensory analysis, the beverages were assessed using a 9-point hedonic scale, evaluating the attributes of appearance, odour, flavour and overall assessment. The chemical and sensory results were submitted to an analysis of variance and the means compared using Tukey s test (5%). Both the raw materials (pulp and juice) and the different sugar concentrations (dry, semidry and sweet) interfered in the sensory and physicochemical parameters of the fermented West Indian cherry beverages, the tasters showing preference for the sweetened beverages.

Isotopic analysis method (δ13C) in apple-flavoured soft drinks

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Shots de fruits et légumes : avantages et inconvénients [Fruit and vegetable beverages: advantages and disadvantages]

En Suisse, les recommandations de fruits et légumes sont de 600 g par jour. En réalité, la consommation moyenne se situe à 60% des recommandations, c'est-à-dire à 380 g par jour. L'utilisation de produits tels que des shots de fruits et légumes pourrait réduire l'écart en facilitant la consommation de ces aliments. Cependant, ils ne peuvent pas remplacer à cent pour cent les aliments frais car leurs teneurs en fibres et vitamines C sont plus faibles, et ils interfèrent avec la physiologie de la prise alimentaire (satiété). Ces produits peuvent donc faire partie d'une alimentation variée en prenant la place d'une portion de fruits et légumes. Un autre aspect non négligeable en est le coût puisque si l'on consommait ces produits sur une semaine à la place d'aliments frais la différence serait d'environ CHF 30.- de plus. In Switzerland, fruits and vegetables recommendations are of 600 gr per day. In reality, the average intake is about 60% of these recommendations, it means 380 gr per day. The use of products like fruits and vegetables shots could reduce the gap by making drinking easier. However, they cannot replace one hundred percent fresh food for their content in fibers and vitamin C are lower and they interfere with the physiology of the food intake (satiety). These products can have their importance in a various supply by taking the place of one fruit or vegetable portion. Another non negligible aspect is the price as if we consume these products over one week instead of fresh food, the difference would be of about CHF 30.- more

Supplementation with fruit and vegetable soups and beverages increases plasma carotenoid concentrations but does not alter markers of oxidative stress or cardiovascular risk factors

This study was aimed at determining whether an increase of 5 portions of fruits and vegetables in the form of soups and beverages has a beneficial effect on markers of oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease risk factors. The study was a single blind, randomized, controlled, crossover dietary intervention study. After a 2-wk run-in period with fish oil supplementation, which continued throughout the dietary intervention to increase oxidative stress, the volunteers consumed carotenoid-rich or control vegetable soups and beverages for 4 wk. After a 10-wk wash-out period, the volunteers repeated the above protocol, consuming the other intervention foods. Both test and control interventions significantly increased the % energy from carbohydrates and decreased dietary protein and vitamin B-12 intakes. Compared with the control treatment, consumption of the carotenoid-rich soups and beverages increased dietary carotenoids, vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol, potassium, and folate, and the plasma concentrations of alpha-carotene (362%), beta-carotene (250%) and lycopene (31%) (P < 0.01) and decreased the plasma homocysteine concentration by 8.8% (P < 0.01). The reduction in plasma homocysteine correlated weakly with the increase in dietary folate during the test intervention (r = -0.35, P = 0.04). The plasma antioxidant status and markers of oxidative stress were not affected by treatment. Consumption of fruit and vegetable soups and beverages makes a useful contribution to meeting dietary recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption.

Instrumental Colour Evaluation and Visual Consumer Study of Commercial Beverages Made with Fruit Juice and Milk

Análisis del color de bebidas formuladas con leche y frutas mediante análisis de imagen y estudio de la aceptación del color por los consumidores

Beverages and their adulteration; origin, composition, manufacture, natural, artificial, fermented, distilled, alkaloidal and fruit juices,

Mode of access: Internet.

The manufacture of preserved foods and sweetmeats; a handbook of all the processes for the preservation of flesh, fruit, and vegetables, and for the preparation of dried fruit, dried vegetables, marmalades, fruit-syrups, and fermented beverages, and of all kinds of candies, candied fruit, sweetmeats, rocks, drops, dragées, pralines, etc.,

Mode of access: Internet.