Development of a healthy food and nutrition plan (Malaysia Healthy Food Plan Basket [MHFPB]) for lower-income households in Peninsular Malaysia

The food assistance program is used to help lower-income households get a nutritious diet. Many developed countries have developed food program to provide nutritional safety for households or individuals to promote good health but not in Malaysia. Thus, the aim of this study was to establish and develop a healthy food and nutrient plan called Malaysia Healthy Food Plan Basket [MHFPB] for lower–income households in Peninsular Malaysia. The development process of this food basket have several stages namely 1) Reference family definition; 2) Food group and serving selection based on Malaysian Dietary Guidelines; 3) Draft of food basket based on the food intake survey; 4) Nutrient analyses and food quantity specification to meet Recommended Nutrient Intake; 5) Definition of food outlet; 6) Food products selection for pricing; 7) Calculation method for MHFPB; 8) Validation of the MHFPB. The results showed that a total of 35 types of foods were included in the MHFPB with 20 types of fresh produce and 15 types of dried produce for reference family members of five. The nutrient content ranged between 88-113% of energy, while for micronutrients, it was quite difficult to achieve 100% of the recommendation, but most of the micronutrient targets for all family members were more than 65%. The weekly cost of foods in MHFPB was RM320.33, with the highest food price was anchovies (RM25.00/kg) and the cheapest food was watermelon (RM1.90/kg). The market survey shows that the increment of 1.5% to 3.3% for two consecutive months, with the price of fish and vegetable groups increase slightly. In conclusion, the food and nutrient plan can be used to supply healthy foods for lower-income households in Peninsular Malaysia, where the price of this plan was considered to be minimum cost to get healthy foods and assumed to be affordable for lower-income families, with a condition that a government give incentives to help this group to buy food. The social food protection program are needed to ensure that nutritious foods can be consumed by lower-income families in Peninsular Malaysia

Dietary Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Omega-3- Essential Fatty Acid Intake and Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Selected Australian Population

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the dietary intakes of lutein, zeaxanthin (L + Z) and omega-3-essential fatty acid(EFA) among a selected population of Australian based adults and to examine the effect of specified risk factors for age-related macular degeneration(AMD) on those levels. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 70 adults aged 19–52 years was carried out. Demographic data were obtained using an online self-administered questionnaire while dietary intakes were estimated using USDA's 24 hours recall questionnaire, the Victorian Cancer Council(Australia) food frequency questionnaire and anthropometric characteristics were obtained using a body composition analyzer. Dietary intakes of lutein, zeaxanthin, omega-3-EFA and anthropometric indices against the risk of AMD were established using descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation. Results The mean age of the population was 29.9 ± 8.1years with 51% men and 49% women. Women had a higher intake of L + Z (1908.6 μg/day versus 1032.8 μg/day) and alpha-linolenic acid(ALA) compared to men(1.7 ± 1.1 g/day versus 1.6 ± 1.2 g/day). Men consumed more omega-3-EFA than women (433 ± 397.1 mg/day versus 365 ± 210.7 mg/day). L + Z levels were higher among people of Middle Eastern and South Asian origin (>4000 μg/day) in the 19–25years age group. People of Middle Eastern, South East Asian and South Asian had the highest intake of omega-3-EFA(>500 mg/day) at ages 19–25, 26–32 and 34–52years respectively. Women aged 34–52years with a family history of AMD had higher levels of L + Z(>2500 μg/day) while women aged 26–32years with a family history of AMD had higher levels of ALA(>3 g/day). Ethnicity and L + Z were correlated (P = −0.456, P 4000 μg/day) were seen in participants aged 34–52years with a 5–10years residence in Australia. Participants who had less than 5–10years of residency had higher levels of omega-3-EFA(>500 mg/day) for ages 26–32years while those aged 34–52years who had less than 5years of residency had higher ALA(>4 g/day). Conclusions Intake levels for L + Z vary significantly among participants. Culturally specific dietary habits could feasibly influence the levels of intake of L + Z. Intake levels of omega-3-EFA were met. This study provides detailed intake levels of L + Z and omega-3-EFA for the ‘at-risk’ AMD group. Funding Sources No funding source

Effect of biscuit baking conditions on the stability of microencapsulated 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid and their physical properties

Among the folate compounds, 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid (5-CH3THF) is regarded as one of the most bioactive forms of folate. It is regarded as the better source of folate to humans as compared to folic acid, a synthetic form of folate, which is used for fortifying foods to prevent the incidence of neural tube defects in the new born babies. The use of 5-CH3THF as an alternative fortificant, in place of folic acid, has been explored by various researchers. However, fortification of 5-CH3THF is problematic due to its lower stability. This study investigated the stability of microencapsulated 5-CH3THF in biscuits baked at various temperatures and times as well as changes in their physical properties. Microcapsule with pectin and alginate ratio of 80:20, prepared by spray drying, gave the highest retention (68.6%) of the 5-CH3THF, therefore, chosen for fortification. The encapsulated and unencapsulated 5-CH3THF were mixed separately with flour and biscuit ingredients and baked at 180°C, 200°C and 220°C, each for 5, 9 and 12 min. The inclusion of encapsulated and unencapsulated 5-CH3THF in the biscuit formulation and subsequent baking at various temperatures and times resulted in retention of 5-CH3THF from 19.1% to 1.7%. Microencapsulation of 5-CH3THF slightly improved the retention of 5-CH3THF over unencapsuated biscuits at 180°C for 5 min, but almost no such effect was achieved under baking temperatures of 200°C and 220°C. Physical analysis showed darker colour, harder texture and lower moisture content for biscuits baked at higher test temperatures. It seems intense heating condition that caused “over baking” of the biscuit likely to be responsible for the loss of the vitamin as well as less desirable physical properties of the biscuits

Dietary Intakes, Scores and Serum Lutein and Zeaxanthin Levels in Selected Adult Australian Population

Objectives Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness in Australia and globally. Many studies have reported dietary and non-dietary risk associated factors to AMD, but few studies have focused on the dietary intakes and relative bioavailability of serum lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z). This study aimed to assess the dietary intakes, scores and serum L and Z levels in a selected Australian Adult population. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 33 healthy adults aged 19–29 and 30–52 years was carried out. Background demographic information on all participants was obtained using an online self-administered questionnaire while diet intakes were obtained using the USDA's 24 hours recall questionnaire, the Victorian Cancer Council (Australia) food frequency questionnaire. Serum L and Z levels were determined using HPLC. Dietary intakes, scores against serum L, Z, and L + Z were established using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression. Results Mean serum concentration of L + Z were higher in older vs younger adults (49.0 ± 10.0 μg/dL vs 43.0 ± 14.0 μg/dL) whereas dietary intakes were lower (15.7 μg/100 g vs 18.7 μg/100 g). Percentage (%) dietary scores were slightly higher among the older age group (43.0% vs 41.3%). Among women vs men, women had higher scores, dietary intakes of L + Z (19.3 μg/100 g vs 15.0 μg/100 g) and % dietary scores (43.9% vs 40.1%). There was no observed gender difference in serum L + Z levels (46.0 ± 12.0 μg/dL). Serum L + Z levels correlated more with the ethnic group of African descent (P = 0.357, P 10 years) (P = 0.348, P = 0.025). About 59% of participants had L/Z ratio of either 3 : 1 or 4 : 1. Multivariate regression identified percentage dietary scores, ethnicity, age as major predictors of serum L + Z concentrations (R2 = 0.837). Conclusions Established age-specific reference range for dietary intakes and serum L + Z levels is required to determine populations at risk of AMD. Women are making better food choices than men. This was apparent in dietary intakes, scores. Ethnicity and longer residency status in Australia correlated with serum L + Z concentrations. Funding Sources None

Evaluating Interventions With Special Fortified Products and Complementary Feeding Recommendations to Best Achieve the Nutrient Adequacy in Filipino Complementary Diets

Objectives The objective of this study was to predict the intervention scenarios that best fulfil the nutrient adequacy in Filipino complementary diets in rural settings using linear programming (LP) analyses of special fortified foods, alone or in combination with complementary feeding recommendations (CFRs). Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the municipality of Mercedes, Camarines Norte Province. Dietary intakes of breastfed children 6–8, 9–11 and 12–23 months of age (n = 297) were assessed using a multi-pass 24-hour recall method with 7-day food consumption frequency. Optifood, an LP tool was used to formulate age-specific CFRs and determine the extent to which special fortified foods, namely micronutrient powder (MNP), small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS-SQ) and fortified blended food with micronutrient powder (FBF + MNP), can contribute towards nutrient adequacy in complementary diets. Results LP analyses show that for 6–8 and 9–11-month-old infants, requirements for iron will be difficult to meet even with four serves of MNP per week, while for 9–11 and 12–23-month-old young children, calcium adequacy would remain a challenge even with daily serves of LNS-SQ per week. Adequacy for 11 modelled micronutrients could only be achieved if CFRs that modify current dietary patterns were fully adopted along with supplementation of LNS-SQ 5–7 times per week. Conclusions Adoption of food-based CFRs with special fortified products is necessary to best fulfil the gaps of essential micronutrients in the diets of rural Filipino children aged 6–23 months. The findings provide insight into the current program in the Philippines. The MNP supplementation with the usual ration of MNP 3 to 4 times per week would not be sufficient to ensure adequacy for iron in 6–8 and 9–11-month-old infants unless the frequency is increased to 5 times per week. Empirical intervention studies are needed to confirm the LP simulations and feasibility of the CFRs. Funding Sources The authors received no funding for this work

An exploratory study of visual aids using life-sized photographs of serve/portion sizes of foods and their effectiveness in recording dietary intakes

The aim of the present study was to develop life-sized food photographs as a tool for dietary intake assessment. This was an experimental study and used weighed record method to measure the dietary intake of subjects and a one-day 24-hour recall method was used to compare with the weighed record method. A total of fifteen subjects of Universiti Putra Malaysia staff with monthly household income below than MYR2300 (low income) were selected. From a hundred and sixteen food items were photographed, eleven of them were chosen for validation. A paired samples t-test showed that the percent weight differences between weighed record and 24-hour recall methods was between -10.7 to 5.3%, and foods that had definitive shape and form couldn't be estimated by the subjects. A correlation analyses between the two methods shows that there was a significant correlation (p<0.01) between these two methods. Nutrient intake analyses show that macronutrient intakes differed between 8.1 to 11%, while for other nutrients the differences were between -2.0 to 3.1%. Findings showed that there was no significant difference between both methods for nutrients (p≥0.05), while vitamin A and C (p≤< 0.01) and iron (p≤0.05) hadpositive correlation. An accurate estimation of micronutrient intakes for 24-hour recall method shows that these photographs can be used in dietary intake assessment to reduce the error and increase the accuracy in food and nutrient intakes estimation

Vitamin D3 and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 Content of Retail White Fish and Eggs in Australia

Dietary vitamin D may compensate for inadequate sun exposure; however, there have been few investigations into the vitamin D content of Australian foods. We measured vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) in four species of white fish (barramundi, basa, hoki and king dory), and chicken eggs (cage and free-range), purchased from five Australian cities. Samples included local, imported and wild-caught fish, and eggs of varying size from producers with a range of hen stocking densities. Raw and cooked samples were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array. Limits of reporting were 0.2 and 0.1 µg/100 g for vitamin D3 and 25(OH)D3, respectively. The vitamin D3 content of cooked white fish ranged from &lt;0.1 to 2.3 µg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 µg/100 g. The vitamin D3 content of cooked cage eggs ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 µg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.4 to 1.2 µg/100 g. The vitamin D3 content of cooked free-range eggs ranged from 0.3 to 2.2 µg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.5 to 0.8 µg/100 g. If, as has been suggested, 25(OH)D3 has five times greater bioactivity than vitamin D3, one cooked serve (100 g) of white fish, and one cooked serve of cage or free-range eggs (120 g) may provide 50% or 100%, respectively, of the current guidelines for the adequate intake of vitamin D (5 µg) for Australians aged 1-50 years

Folates in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum): Influence of cooking and malting

Effects of processing on the contents of five folate vitamers in quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat were analysed using a trienzymatic extraction method followed by LC–MS/MS. Total folate (TF) content, corresponding to the sum of folic acid (FA), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) and 10-formyltetrahydrofolate (10-CHOTHF) expressed as folic acid equivalent, in raw quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat were 309 ± 8.07, 228 ± 24.2 and 153 ± 12.4 μg/100 g dw, respectively, being dominantly 5-MTHF. Boiling and steaming reduced the TF in amaranth by 58% and 22%, respectively, whereas up to a 10–15% increase was observed in quinoa. Boiling and steaming did not significantly alter the TF content in buckwheat although significant changes were observed in some individual folate vitamers. Malting, on the other hand significantly increased TF content in amaranth by 21% (276 ± 14.2 μg/100 g dw) and buckwheat by 27% (193 ± 20.0 μg/100 g dw), whereas no significant change in quinoa was observed. Based on the EFSA recommendations, a portion of amaranth and quinoa (either boiled, steamed or malted) may contribute up to more than 25% of the dietary reference value for folates, whereas buckwheat may contribute only 14% when cooked and 19% when malted. Results demonstrate that quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat are good sources of folates, regardless of processing.The scientific work was funded by the Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) under the scope of the strategic project UID/EMS/00667/2013. The analytical work has been financially supported by Project ELEMENTARIA funded by the Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, I.P. Lisbon, Portugal (2013DAN850) and PRO-METROFOOD project, funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 739568.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 content of retail white fish and eggs in Australia

Dietary vitamin D may compensate for inadequate sun exposure; however, there have been few investigations into the vitamin D content of Australian foods. We measured vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) in four species of white fish (barramundi, basa, hoki and king dory), and chicken eggs (cage and free-range), purchased from five Australian cities. Samples included local, imported and wild-caught fish, and eggs of varying size from producers with a range of hen stocking densities. Raw and cooked samples were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array. Limits of reporting were 0.2 and 0.1 μg/100 g for vitamin D3 and 25(OH)D3, respectively. The vitamin D3 content of cooked white fish ranged from <0.1 to 2.3 μg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 μg/100 g. The vitamin D3 content of cooked cage eggs ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 μg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.4 to 1.2 μg/100 g. The vitamin D3 content of cooked free-range eggs ranged from 0.3 to 2.2 μg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.5 to 0.8 μg/100 g. If, as has been suggested, 25(OH)D3 has five times greater bioactivity than vitamin D3, one cooked serve (100 g) of white fish, and one cooked serve of cage or free-range eggs (120 g) may provide 50% or 100%, respectively, of the current guidelines for the adequate intake of vitamin D (5 µg) for Australians aged 1–50 years. View Full-Text Keywords: food composition data; vitamin D3; 25-hydroxyvitamin D3; fish; eggsSample purchase, preparation and analysis was funded by the Western Australia Department of Health. L.J.B is funded by a Curtin University Research Fellowship; R.M.L is funded by a NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship

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