Fortification of foods with nano-iron: Its uptake and potential toxicity: Current evidence, controversies, and research gaps

Iron fortification is a very popular practice in several countries, particularly in countries in which a large proportion of the population is suffering from iron deficiency, as in lower-middle-income countries. Food fortification with iron salts is a difficult operation, because most iron complexes (ferrous sulfate, ferrous chloride) are water soluble, which can cause undesirable alterations to the sensory properties of the food carriers. On the other hand, insoluble iron salts (eg, ferric pyrophosphate) do not have an unpleasant taste or color, but their bioavailability is low. These issues can be addressed with iron nanoparticles. The small particle size has been shown to have a significant impact on iron absorption. Iron nanoparticles with smaller particle sizes have more surface area, which improves their solubility in gastric juice and leads to better bioavailability. When compared with water-soluble iron complexes, nano-sized iron compounds generate negligible organoleptic alterations in food carriers. As a result, iron nanoparticles could be potentially used in food fortification to minimize iron-deficiency anemia. This review focuses on the absorption pathway and the toxicity of various forms of iron nanoparticles. In vitro cell studies and animal studies indicate that nano-sized iron particles can be taken up either by the Divalent Metal Transporter 1 pathway or the endocytic pathway. Nano-sized ferric phosphate and iron(III) oxo hydroxide show the most promising results, based on recent studies on fortification. To date, there are insufficient studies on the maximum intake level and potential adverse effects. Further extensive work is essential before introducing nano-iron compounds as food fortificants

In Vitro Assessment Methods for Antidiabetic Peptides from Legumes: A Review

Almost 65% of the human protein supply in the world originates from plants, with legumes being one of the highest contributors, comprising between 20 and 40% of the protein supply. Bioactive peptides from various food sources including legumes have been reported to show efficacy in modulating starch digestion and glucose absorption. This paper will provide a comprehensive review on recent in vitro studies that have been performed on leguminous antidiabetic peptides, focusing on the α-amylase inhibitor, α-glucosidase inhibitor, and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor. Variations in legume cultivars and methods affect the release of peptides. Different methods have been used, such as in sample preparation, including fermentation (t, T), germination (t), and pre-cooking; in protein extraction, alkaline extraction, isoelectric precipitation, phosphate buffer extraction, and water extraction; in protein hydrolysis enzyme types and combination, enzyme substrate ratio, pH, and time; and in enzyme inhibitory assays, positive control type and concentration, inhibitor or peptide concentration, and the unit of inhibitory activity. The categorization of the relative scale of inhibitory activities among legume samples becomes difficult because of these method differences. Peptide sequences in samples were identified by means of HPLC/MS. Software and online tools were used in bioactivity prediction and computational modelling. The identification of the types and locations of chemical interactions between the inhibitor peptides and enzymes and the type of enzyme inhibition were achieved through computational modelling and enzyme kinetic studies

Molecular Recognition Patterns between Vitamin B12 and Proteins Explored through STD-NMR and In Silico Studies

Ligand–receptor molecular recognition is the basis of biological processes. The Saturation Transfer Difference–NMR (STD–NMR) technique has been recently used to gain qualitative and quantitative information about physiological interactions at an atomic resolution. The molecular recognition patterns between the cyanocobalamin (CNBL)/aqua cobalamin (OHBL) and different plant and animal proteins were investigated via STD–NMR supplemented by molecular docking. This study demonstrates that myoglobin has the highest binding affinity and that gluten has the lowest affinity. Casein also shows a higher binding affinity for cyanocobalamin when compared with that of plant-based proteins. STD–NMR results showed the moderate binding capability of casein with both CNBL and OHBL. Computer simulation confirmed the recognition mode in theory and was compared with the experiments. This work is beneficial for understanding the binding affinity and biological action of cyanocobalamin and will attract researchers to use NMR technology to link the chemical and physiological properties of nutrients

The efficiency of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of cyanocobalamin is greater than heat extraction

Cyanocobalamin, like other water-soluble vitamins, is susceptible to degradation due to exposure to heat, UV, oxygen and pH. Built on our previous finding, this study aimed to assess the extraction efficiency of cyanocobalamin from dietary supplements. Particularly, cyanocobalamin extraction in a 100 °C water bath was compared with ultrasonic-assisted extraction, with and without the addition of 1 mg/L sorbitol, xylitol and erythritol. Ground defatted samples of supplement tablets were initially treated for 15 min, centrifuged and filtered before quantitative HPLC analysis. Addition of sorbitol and xylitol significantly minimised the thermal degradation during extraction in a 100 °C water bath, as shown in measured cyanocobalamin (~145 μg/tablet) that was higher than the control (100 μg/tablet, p 0.05). Overall, mean cyanocobalamin in sonicated samples was higher than heat-extracted counterparts, suggesting that extraction in a 100 °C water bath was likely to cause thermal degradation. It was possible that ultrasonic-assisted extraction had no effect on cyanocobalamin stability and would lead to a higher extraction efficiency. Therefore, 15 min extraction in an ultrasonic bath can be suggested to be adequate to release cyanocobalamin before its quantitative determination

Aroma characteristics of lupin and soybean after germination and effect of fermentation on lupin aroma

Greater human consumption of Australian sweet lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) and other legume products such as soybean (Glycine max) is often limited due to undesirable beany flavor. The impacts of germination of lupin and soybean seeds and fermentation of lupin flour on aroma profiles were compared by gas chromatography olfactometry using trained sensory assessors. Untreated soybean compared to untreated lupin had significantly higher concentrations of volatiles commonly associated with beany flavor in legumes; (E)-2-hexanal, (E)-2-octenal, 1-octen-3-one, 1-hexanol and 1-heptanol. After germination of lupin and soybean, 2-methylbutanal was the most abundant volatile, increasing meaty and brothy odor characteristics. Germination of lupin and soybean also increased sweet, woody, mushroom and baked aroma notes. Fermentation of lupin increased mushroom, soil, green and nutty aroma characteristics, however beany odor did not decrease. Germination and to a lesser extent fermentation, may be successful strategies to increase the acceptability of legume flavor

A cultural adaptation and validation of a child eating behaviour measure in a low- And middle-income country

Objective: The Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ), a widely used instrument that has been validated mostly in high-income countries, has limitations in its factorial validity when used among different cultures. This study examines whether the CEBQ instrument is culturally appropriate and valid to be used in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) in a setting where child undernutrition remains prevalent.Design: The study employed a qualitative process to validate the content of items relative to the culture and setting, which was followed by a survey to test the psychometric properties of the instrument. Tests of factorial validity, convergent validity and reliability were performed.Setting: Three different socio-economic settings of Yogyakarta, Indonesia.Participants: The participants of this study were mothers of children aged 25-60 months. In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-four mothers and the questionnaire validation process involved 238 mothers in the survey.Results: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis model with eight subscales provided the best fit (root-mean-square error of approximation = 0·048 (90 % CI 0·040, 0·057); Comparative Fit Index = 0·95 and Tucker Lewis Index = 0·95) after three new items and eight items from the original CEBQ were removed. Convergent validity with child's weight was found for two subscales, slowness in eating and satiety responsiveness. Reliability measured using Cronbach's alpha provided values between 0·62 and 0·78.Conclusion: The original eight-factor structure of the CEBQ showed adequate content validity and provided factorial, discriminant and convergent validity with mothers of preschool children living in a LMIC where child nutrition remains a significant public health issue

Validation of a measurement instrument for parental child feeding in a low and middle-income country

Background: Parental child feeding practices (PCFP) are a key factor influencing children's dietary intake, especially in the preschool years when eating behavior is being established. Instruments to measure PCFP have been developed and validated in high-income countries with a high prevalence of childhood obesity. The aim of this study was to test the appropriateness, content, and construct validity of selected measures of PCFP in a low and middle-income country (LMIC) in which there is both undernutrition and obesity in children. Methods: An expert panel selected subscales and items from measures of PCFP that have been well-tested in high-income countries to measure both "coercive" and "structural" behaviors. Two sequential cross-sectional studies (Study 1, n = 154; Study 2, n = 238) were conducted in two provinces in Indonesia. Findings of the first study were used to refine subscales used in Study 2. An additional qualitative study tested content validity from the perspective of mothers (the intended respondents). Factorial validation and reliability were also tested. Convergent validity was tested with child nutritional status. Results: In Study 1, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model with 11 factors provided good fit (RMSEA = 0.045; CFI = 0.95 and TLI = 0.95) after two subscales were removed. Reliability was good among seven of the subscales. Following a decision to take out an additional subscale, the instrument was tested for factorial validity (Study 2). A CFA model with 10 subscales provided good fit (RMSEA = 0.03; CFI = 0.92 and TLI = 0.90). The reliability of subscales was lower than in Study 1. Convergent validity with nutrition status was found with two subscales. Conclusions: The two studies provide evidence of acceptable psychometric properties for 10 subscales from tested instruments to measure PCFP in Indonesia. This provides the first evidence of the validity of these measures in a LMIC setting. Some shortcomings, such in the reliability of some subscales and further tests of predictive validity, require further investigation

Surveillance mammography for detecting ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence and metachronous contralateral breast cancer: a systematic review

Peer reviewedPostprin

Probiotic-loaded microcapsule system for human in situ folate production: Encapsulation and system validation

This study focused on the use of a new system, an alginate | -poly-l-lysine | alginate | chitosan microcapsule (APACM), able to immobilize a folate-producing probiotic, Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris (LLC), which provides a new approach to the utilization of capsules and probiotics for in situ production of vitamins. LLC is able to produce 95.25 ± 26 g·L 1 of folate, during 10 h, and was encapsulated in the APACM. APACM proved its capacity to protect LLC against the harsh conditions of a simulated digestion maintaining a viable concentration of 6 log CFU·mL 1of LLC. A nutrients exchange capacity test, was performed using Lactobacillus plantarum UM7, a high lactic acid producer was used here to avoid false negative results. The production and release of 2 g·L 1 of lactic acid was achieved through encapsulation of L. plantarum, after 20 h. The adhesion of APACM to epithelial cells was also quantified, yielding 38% and 33% of capsules adhered to HT-29 cells and Caco-2 cells, respectively.Fundacão para a Ciência e Tecnologia, POPH-QREN and FSE (FCT, Portugal) through grants, SFRH/BD/80800/2012 and SFRH/BPD/101181/2014, respectively. The authors thank the FCT Strategic ProjectPEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013 and the project “BioInd—Biotechnology and Bioengineering for Improved Industrial and Agro-Food Processes”, ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000028 co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2–O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER