Sugar Content and Sources in Commercial Infant Cereals in Spain

Instant infant cereals reconstituted with infant formula are the first complementary food for most Spanish infants. The main aim is to provide information on sugars in the formulation of infant cereals. Product information was collected from department stores, supermarkets, and pharmacies and completed with data from brand websites. A portion of the samples was selected for total sugars determination using the HPLC and Luff-Schoorl methods. The information regarding a total of 120 milk-free instant infant cereals marketed in Spain from 12 companies was summarized. The mean of total sugars was 23 +/- 9 g/100 g (25-42%), providing 24% of the calories. Most of porridges are prepared with partially hydrolyzed flours providing free sugars (glucose and maltose). The most commonly added sugar is sucrose. A total of 43.3% of products contain added sucrose, and 16.7% contain fruits. Infant cereals analyzed with added sugars can have a sugar content similar to that found in products without added sugars. Consistent differences were found in sugars content between assayed methods and this label information. Although the European legislation of infant cereals establishes values for added sugars, the labeling reflects the content of total sugars, but not that of added sugars

Una aproximación jurídica al estudio del principio del “in dubio pro consumidor”

El sistema arbitral de consumo, se presenta como uno de los sistemas más eficaces para la resolución extrajudicial de resolución de conflictos. Principios administrativos y procesales se unen para conformar un proceso híbrido, fácil y sencillo, no exento de complejidades. En este proceso, el ciudadano pasa sin solución de continuidad de administrado a enjuciable, siendo por tanto posible la aplicación de principios procesales algunos de ellos sin experiencia dogmática en este campo como el principio in dubio pro consumidor. De este modo, este principio se convierte en referente obligado para aquellos que por distintas causas tienen la obligación de operara y resolver asuntos que peses a su posible sencillez necesitan de una aporte jurídico que les de salida a los distintos supuestos. El beneficio de la duda debe ser aplicado sin paliativos, siendo pocos los pronunciamientos judiciales que se basan en este principio para alcanzar la soluci

Grape Seeds Proanthocyanidins: An Overview of In Vivo Bioactivity in Animal Models

Over the last decade, proanthocyanidins (PACs) are attracting attention not only from the food industry but also from public health organizations due to their health benefits. It is well-known that grapes are a good source of PACs and for that reason, the industry is also focused on grape by-products identification and bioactivity evaluation. Grape seeds extract (GSPE) is a rich source of PACs, mainly composed of monomeric catechin and epicatechin, gallic acid and polymeric and oligomeric proanthocyanidins. Thus, this review encompasses the state-of-art structure and the most recent evidence about the impact of GSPE on chronic diseases, with a focus on oxidative stress, inflammation and metabolic syndrome (MeS)-related disorders such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular risk disease in vivo to offer new perspectives in the field that allow further research. Despite the controversial results, is undeniable that PACs from grape seeds are highly antioxidants, thus, the capacity of GSPE to improve oxidative stress might mediate the inflammation process and the progress of MeS-related pathologies. However, further well-design animal studies with standardized dosages and GSPE composition are necessary to shed light into the cause-effect relationship in a more accurate way to later allow a deeper study of the effect of GSPE in humans

The Impact of Plant-Based Dietary Patterns on Cancer-Related Outcomes: A Rapid Review and Meta-Analysis

The authors would like to acknowledge Dafina Petrova for her contributions in editing and proofreading the manuscript.Long-term cancer survivors represent a sizeable portion of the population. Plant-based foods may enhance the prevention of cancer-related outcomes in these patients. We aimed to synthesize the current evidence regarding the impact of plant-based dietary patterns (PBDPs) on cancer-related outcomes in the general population and in cancer survivors. Considered outcomes included overall cancer mortality, cancer-specific mortality, and cancer recurrence. A rapid review was conducted, whereby 2234 original articles related to the topic were identified via Pubmed/Medline. We selected 26 articles, which were classified into studies on PBDPs and cancer outcomes at pre-diagnosis: vegan/vegetarian diet (N = 5), provegetarian diet (N = 2), Mediterranean diet (N = 13), and studies considering the same at post-diagnosis (N = 6). Pooled estimates of the associations between the aforementioned PBDPs and the different cancer outcomes were obtained by applying random effects meta-analysis. The few studies available on the vegetarian diet failed to support its prevention potential against overall cancer mortality when compared with a non-vegetarian diet (e.g., pooled hazard ratio (HR) = 0.97; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88–1.06). The insufficient number of studies evaluating provegetarian index scores in relation to cancer mortality did not permit a comprehensive assessment of this association. The association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cancer mortality reached statistical significance (e.g., pooled HR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.79–0.89). However, no study considered the influence of prognostic factors on the associations. In contrast, post-diagnostic studies accounted for prognostic factors when assessing the chemoprevention potential of PBDPs, but also were inconclusive due to the limited number of studies on well-defined plant-based diets. Thus, whether plant-based diets before or after a cancer diagnosis prevent negative cancer-related outcomes needs to be researched further, in order to define dietary guidelines for cancer survivors.CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Publica CIBERES

New Insight on Phenolic Composition and Evaluation of the Vitamin C and Nutritional Value of Smoothies Sold on the Spanish Market

Fruits and vegetables are a source of a wide range of nutrients, including bioactive compounds. These compounds have great biological activity and have been linked to the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases. Currently, the food industry is developing new products to introduce these compounds, whereby smoothies are becoming more popular among consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality and the polyphenol and vitamin C content of smoothies available on the Spanish market. An evaluation of the nutritional information and ingredients was carried out. The phenolic compounds were determined by HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS; the vitamin C content was quantified using HPLC-UV/VIS; and the antioxidant activity was analyzed by DPPH and FRAP. Among all of the ingredients of the smoothies, coconut and banana have shown a negative impact on the polyphenol content of the smoothies. In contrast, ingredients such as orange, mango, and passion fruit had a positive correlation with the vitamin C content. Moreover, apple and red fruits showed the highest positive correlations with most of the phenolic acids, flavonoids, total phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activities. In addition, a clustering analysis was performed, and four groups were clearly defined according to the bioactive composition determined here. This research is a precious step for the formulation of new smoothies and to increase their polyphenol quality.SHEALTHY project from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program 81793

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Moringa Leaves Grown in Spain Versus 28 Leaves Commonly Consumed in Pre-Packaged Salads

Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) evaluated by ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, ABTS, DPPH, and Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay, and total polyphenol content (TPC) by Folin–Ciocalteu were determined in Moringa oleifera leaves (MO) grown in Spain, and compared with 28 different vegetable leaves pre-packaged for consumption as a salad. Total carotenoids, flavonoids, and chlorophylls were also determined in the samples with highest TAC. Two different extraction procedures were applied to obtain the methanolic fraction and the lipophilic and hydrophilic fractions. The highest TAC and TPC contents were found in MO. High values were also found in red chicory, “lollo rosso”, and oak lettuce. The lowest TAC and TPC values were obtained in iceberg lettuce. The correlations between the extraction procedures and methods assayed were high and statistically significant. In the light of these results, we suggest the addition of MO to the existing range of fresh-cut salad foods would increase their antioxidant content by up to six times.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness RTI2018-099835-A-I0

Comprehensive metabolite profiling of Solanum tuberosum L.(potato) leaves by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS

The objective of this work was to study the non-targeted metabolite profiling of potato leaves using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS). The mass accuracy, true isotopic pattern in both MS and MS/MS spectra provided by QTOF-MS made possible the tentative identification of 109 compounds present in potato leaves, including organic acids, amino acids and derivatives, phenolic acids, flavonoids, iridoids, oxylipins and other polar and semi-polar compounds. Among them, 32 compounds have been found for the first time in potato leaf and in the Solanaceae family. Quinic acid and its derivatives represented more than 45% of the bioactive compounds quantified in the extract. Derivatives of hydroxybenzoic acid and gentisic acid were also founded at considerable concentrations. This study shed light on the composition of potato leaf extract and will serve as a base for further research into activities of the various compounds found in this matrix which has demonstrated a potential use as functional ingredients

Oxidative Balance Scores (OBSs) Integrating Nutrient, Food and Lifestyle Dimensions: Development of the NutrientL-OBS and FoodL-OBS

This research was co-funded by the Health Research Found (FIS), Accion Estrategica en Salud (AES), of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, grant number PI12/00002, and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).Oxidative Balance Scores (OBS) are tools that allow us to assess the individual's antioxidant state by ranking both antioxidant and pro-oxidant components of dietary and lifestyle factors. Our aim was to develop novel OBSs accounting for either the global supply of nutrient antioxidants in the diet, or the intake of antioxidant-rich foods, in combination with lifestyle factors. Pro-oxidant factors were also considered. Within two centers of the Spanish European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, EPIC-Granada and EPIC-Gipuzkoa (N = 14,756 participants), we developed the Nurient, Food and Lifestyle OBS (NutrientL-OBS and FoodL-OBS), and their simplified versions (solely with dietary or lifestyle factors, the Nutrient-OBS, Food-OBS and L-OBS). Their antioxidant potential was evaluated considering their relationship with: (i) 20 scores of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD); and, (ii) 25 biomarkers of antioxidant nutrients (ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, etc.), inflammation (CRP, TNF-alpha, etc.) and oxidative stress (uric acid), among 210 participants. Spearman correlation and multivariate linear regression analyses were applied to analyze these associations. Some statistically significant relationships were encountered between the NutrientL-OBS and the FoodL-OBS with the MD scores, and with ascorbic acid (per one-unit increase in OBS: beta = 0.012 and 0.015; p = 0.022 and 0.008, respectively) and CRP (per one-unit increase in both OBS: beta = -0.02; p = 0.02); the latter appeared to be restricted to the OBS ' s lifestyle components. In conclusion, the NutrientL- and FoodL-OBSs and their sub-versions are related to antioxidant-rich dietary patterns and to biomarkers of antioxidant nutrient intake and inflammation, supporting that these tools are valid to assess the individual ' s oxidative/antioxidant status.Health Research Found (FIS), Accion Estrategica en Salud (AES), of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness PI12/00002European Commissio

Characterizing Meat- and Milk/Dairy-like Vegetarian Foods and Their Counterparts Based on Nutrient Profiling and Food Labels

Vegetarian foods are plant-based (PB) foods, often perceived as healthier foods than animalbased (AB) foods. The objective of this study was to analyze the nutritional quality of a set of PB foods (meat, milk and dairy products) marketed in Spain, and to compare their nutrient profiles with respect to some AB counterparts. Nutritional information per 100 g or mL, ingredients, and nutritional declarations, as well as the Nutri-Score, NOVA, and Eco-Score of each food were collected from Open Food Facts. Differences in the nutrient compositions between PB foods and their counterparts, and between the different groups of PB foods, were assessed at a 5% significance level. A total of 544 PB foods and 373 AB foods were identified. Overall, PB foods had a higher median content of fiber and carbohydrates, but a lower amount of proteins (except PB “meat” analogues: 14 g) and saturated fats (except PB “cheese alternatives”: 12.5 g), than the AB counterparts (p < 0.05). PB “milk alternatives”, particularly oat “milk”, showed a higher median content of total carbohydrates (8 g) and sugars (5.5 g) compared to cow milks (4.7 g carbohydrates/sugars, on average; p < 0.001). PB “meat alternatives” also had a significantly higher value of carbohydrates (9 g) than AB meats (2 g, on average; p < 0.001). PB foods were mostly classified as Nutri-Score A and B (86%). However, more than half of them were of NOVA groups 3 and 4. Thus, there is a great diversity of PB meat and milk/dairy product alternatives on the Spanish market. Despite being products of good nutritional quality compared to AB foods, they also carry drawbacks that could have an impact on nutritional health

Mathematical modelling of drying kinetics of avocado peels and its influence on flavan-3-ols content and antioxidant activity

This study was supported by project RTI2018-099835-A-I00 financed by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER “Una manera de hacer Europa”, and by the project Proyectos I + D + i del Programa Operativo FEDER 2020 cod. B-AGR-506-UGR20.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada / CBUAAvocado peel is one of the main by-products of avocado processing and is considered a promising source of phenolic compounds with various bioactivities. The drying step is essential for its storage at the industrial level, and it is the first step in the strategy of transforming by-products into functional ingredients. Therefore, this research evaluates the effect of the convective air-drying of avocado peels at three different temperatures (40, 60 and 80 ◦C) and airflows (0, 0.8 and 1.6 m/s) on the flavan-3-ols content and antioxidant activity. Moreover, the mathematical modelling of its drying kinetic was developed. A decrease in the flavan-3-ol and antioxidant content was found with increasing temperatures. However, a high impact of the airflow reducing the drying time and limiting the decrease in interesting compounds was found. Among the tested mathematical models, the Page model reported the highest values of R2 (from 0.9907 to 0.9973) and the lowest errors for most of the tem- peratures and airflows tested. However, at 80 ◦C with airflow, the Lewis model seemed to fit better (R2 = 0.9982). Finally, the drying conditions that showed the lowest decrease in procyanidin and antioxidants were 40 ◦C and an airflow of 1.6 m/s for 105 min.MCIN/AEI/FEDER "Una manera de hacer Europa" RTI2018-099835-A-I00Project Proyectos I + D + i del Programa Operativo FEDER 2020 B-AGR-506-UGR2