Use of microwave in chicken breast and application of different storage conditions: consequences on oxidation

Slices of chicken breast were subjected to microwave heating (750 W, 3 min) and further storage in different conditions (refrigeration at 4 °C and freezing at −18 °C combined with aerobic, vacuum, and modified atmosphere packaging). Evaluation of the intensity of the oxidation process was carried out. A 16-fold increment in the amount of cholesterol oxidation products (COP) was found as a consequence of microwave cooking (45.86 μg/g lipid after microwave and 2.88 μg/g lipid in raw samples). 7-ketocholesterol was the most affected COP by microwave, accounting for a 25% of the total COP. Storage of microwaved samples under aerobic refrigeration led to the highest oxidation status with the following values: peroxide 19.41 meqO2/kg lipid, TBA 0.32 ppm and COP 123.50 μg/g lipid. MAP refrigerated samples showed 50.94 μg/g lipid of total COP, an amount slightly higher than in vacuum conditions (46.81 μg/g lipid). Under frozen storage MAP and vacuum samples showed the lowest amounts of total COP (29.76 and 39.28 μg/g lipid, respectively)

Evaluation of the nutritional aspects and cholesterol oxidation products of pork liver and fish patés

A comparative study between traditional patés elaborated with pork liver and fish patés (salmon, anchovy and cod) was carried out. The nutritional value and their security related to cholesterol oxidation products (COP) content were evaluated. Salmon paté showed similar fat content (24-28%) and energetic value (300Kcal/100g) to pork liver patés, whereas patés made with anchovy and cod showed less fat (13-16%) and calories (200-236 Kcal/100g). PUFA/SFA ratios were much higher in all fish patés (1.55-4.95) than in liver pork patés (0.36-0.44). No great differences were found in ω-6/ω-3 ratio between salmon and pork liver patés (11.34-18.4), being even much higher this ratio in anchovy (32.32) and cod patés (62.77). EPA and DHA supply was around 0.63 for salmon, 0.21 for anchovy and 0.07 for cod patés. Cholesterol amounts were lower in fish patés (31-37mg/100g) than in pork liver patés (77-102mg/100g). Total COP ranged 0.38-2.83ppm, without clear differences between pork liver and fish patés

Preliminary study on health-related lipid components of bakery products.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of health-related lipid components, in particular trans fatty acids and sterol oxidation products, in four bakery products. Both types of components are known for their adverse biological effects, especially the increase of atherogenic risk, and therefore it is advisable to monitor their presence in food products. Trans fatty acids were determined by silver-ion thin-layer chromatography-gas chromatography, whereas sterol oxidation was assessed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry determination of 7-keto derivatives (tracers of sterol oxidation). The amount of trans fatty acids (0.02 to 3.13 g/100 g of product), sterols (34.9 to 128.3 mg/100 g of product), and 7-keto derivatives of sterols (1.88 to 3.14 mg/kg of product) varied considerably among samples. The supply of phytosterols (22.5 to 64.0 mg/100 g of product) was not significant, and the extent of oxidation of most phytosterols to its corresponding 7-keto derivative was low (0.29 to 0.84%), except for that of brassicasterol (2.01 to 3.11%). The quality of ingredients and raw materials seems to have greatly influenced the fatty acid profile, stability, safety, and quality of the final product; these ingredients should be chosen with extreme care to decrease their potential negative health effects and to increase safety of these products

Levels of phytosterol oxides in enriched and nonenriched spreads: application of a thin-layer chromatography-gas chromatography methodology

The content of phytosterol oxidation products (POPs) in enriched and nonenriched commercial spreads was evaluated by thin-layer chromatography-gas chromatography (TLC-GC). Oxides of beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol were produced by thermo-oxidation (7-hydroxy, 7-keto, and epoxy derivatives) and chemical synthesis (triol derivatives), which were then separated and identified by TLC-GC. Their identification was further confirmed by GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The total amounts of phytosterols found were 6.07 and 0.33 g/100 g of sample in phytosterol-enriched and nonenriched spread, respectively, whereas the total POPs contents were 45.60 and 13.31 mg/kg of sample in the enriched and nonenriched products. The main POPs found were the 7-keto derivatives of all phytosterols analyzed; 7-ketositosterol was the most abundant one (14.96 and 5.93 mg/kg of sample in phytosterol-enriched and nonenriched spread). No beta-epoxy and triol derivatives were detected in both types of samples. The enriched spread presented a lower phytosterol oxidation rate (0.07%) than the nonenriched one (0.41%)

Óxidos de colesterol en langostinos frescos y congelados, crudos y a la plancha

Los óxidos de colesterol (COPs) se relacionan con diferentes efectos tóxicos entre los que destacan su implicación en los procesos de aterosclerosis. Se estudió la presencia de óxidos de colesterol en langostinos comercializados en fresco y en congelación, tanto en crudo, como sometidos a una tecnología culinaria habitual (plancha). La determinación se realizó por cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas (CG-EM). En los langostinos frescos se detectaron todos los COPs analizados con excepción del 7-hidroxicolesterol, presentando una cantidad total de 33,15 μg COPs/g grasa. Por el contrario, en los langostinos comercializados congelados sólo se detectaron el 7-ketocolesterol y el 7-hidroxicolesterol, dando lugar a una cantidad total de 2,38 μg COPs/g grasa. Estos resultados indican la gran efectividad de la comercialización bajo condiciones de congelación de este tipo de alimentos en cuanto a ralentizar la formación de COPs. El tratamiento culinario incrementó el contenido de COPs en ambos tipos de langostinos, alcanzando 55,43 μg COPs/g grasa en los frescos y sólo 13,06 μg COPs/g grasa en los congelados.Cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) have been related to different toxic effects, being the atherosclerotic process one of the best known. The presence of cholesterol oxides in freshly and frozenly commercialised shrimps, both raw and grilled, was studied. The determination was made by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). Fresh shrimps showed significant amounts of all analysed COPs, except for 7-hydroxycholesterol, accounting in total for 33.15 μg COPs/g fat. In contrast, in frozen commercialised shrimps only 7-ketocholesterol and 7-hydroxycholesterol were detected. These results point out the great effectiveness of the commercialisation of this type of products under freezing, in terms of to the minimisation of the COPs formation. The cooking method (grilling) increased the COPs content in both types of shrimps, reaching 55.43 μg COPs/g fat in fresh shrimps and only 13.06 μg COPs/g fat in frozen ones

Óxidos de colesterol en alimentos cocinados con presencia habitual en nuestra dieta

Cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) have shown different toxic effects and are involved in the development of atherosclerosis. These compounds can be found in animal organisms, and inconsequence in animal origin foods, and they are susceptible to be absorbed from the diet. Their formation in foods would be increased by high temperatures and the presence of oxygen, as it is a chemical oxidation process. In this paper, an estimation of the presence of COPs in different types of foods treated by different cooking technologies are shown. Also different storage conditions are studied. The analysis was carried out by gas chromatography- mass spectrometry. Both fish (salmon and shrimps) and meat (hamburgers, breast chicken, pork loin and frankfurters) showed low COPs values in raw products (0.003-0.552 mg/100 g food), increasing significantly after the application of cooking technologies (up to 0.7 mg/100 g food). Microwave treatment leaded to the highest increase of COPs in comparison to frying, grilling and roasting. Vacuum storage dramatically decreased COPs formation with regard to aerobic storage. Freezing minimized COPs formation more efficiently than refrigeration.Los productos de oxidación del colesterol (COPs) poseen demostrados efectos tóxicos y están implicados en el desarrollo de aterosclerosis. Pueden estar presentes en organismos animales y por ende, en alimentos de origen animal, siendo susceptibles de ser absorbidos a través de la dieta. Su formación en los alimentos se favorecería, al tratarse de un proceso de oxidación química, por la elevación de la temperatura y la presencia de oxígeno. En este trabajo se presenta una estimación de la presencia de COPs en diferentes tipos de alimentos cocinados mediante diferentes tecnologías culinarias y almacenados mediante distintas modalidades de conservación. El análisis se llevó a cabo por cromatografía de gases-espectrometría de masas. Tanto pescados (salmón y langostinos) como carnes (hamburguesas, pechugas de pollo, lomo y salchichas tipo frankfurt) mostraron valores bajos de COPs en crudo (0.003-0.552 mg/100 g alimento), incrementándose significativamente tras el cocinado (hasta 0.7 mg/100 g alimento). El cocinado con microondas supuso el mayor incremento de COPs en comparación con la fritura, plancha y asado. El almacenamiento a vacío disminuyó drásticamente la formación de COPs respecto al almacenamiento en aerobiosis. La congelación ralentizó más eficazmente la formación de COPs que la refrigeración

Información de medicamentos a la población desde el Servicio de Farmacia a través de Internet

Objectives: To describe and discuss the work of a Pharmacy Department for the health-care portal www.viatusalud.com. Methods: Using a web portal, a Pharmacy Department develops and updates a vademecum on drugs, and answers enquiries by end-users. Results: On December 31, 2002 more than 750 records on drugs were available, and 3030 enquiries had been answered. Conclusions: With this drug information and online enquiry service, our Pharmacy Department helps meet the demand of health-care information posed by the community and by patients previously seen at Clínica Universitaria. In addition, it allows areas of improvement to be detected in the information to be offered to patients fron a Pharmacy Department, and represents a tertiary source of information for health-care professionals

Spanish Jurisprudential Decalogue on the Right of Access to Public Information

El número de reclamaciones que llegan al Consejo de Transparencia y Buen Gobierno derivadas de la negativa de las diferentes administraciones públicas a conceder el acceso a la información se ha incrementado notablemente en los últimos años. Esto ha dado lugar a un consecuente aumento de litigios que terminan resolviéndose en los tribunales, cuyos pronunciamientos han suscitado cuestiones de interés casacional sobre las que el Tribunal Supremo está construyendo su doctrina jurisprudencial. En este artículo se analiza el contenido más destacado de las últimas sentencias dictadas en casación junto a uno de los primeros pronunciamientos sobre reparto competencial del Tribunal Constitucional. El resultado final es un trabajo estructurado en torno a las principales aristas y vertientes del derecho de acceso a la información: ámbito material y temporal de la Ley de Transparencia, regímenes especiales, tramitación de las solicitudes de acceso, aplicación de los límites y operatividad de las causas de inadmisión. Todas ellas, son cuestiones de suma importancia para cuya interpretación resulta determinante el criterio de la jurisprudencia.In recent years, the number of complaints resolved by the Council for Transparency and Good Governance following the refusal of the different public administrations to grant access to information has increased notably. This has led to a consequent rise in case law rulings and cassation appeals. This article analyses the latest rulings of the Spanish Supreme Court and one of the first pronouncements of the Constitutional Court on the distribution of powers. The final result is a study structured around the main aspects of the right to access information: material and temporal scope of the Law of Transparency, special regimes, processing of requests for access and application of limits and grounds for inadmissibility. Case law is decisive for the interpretation of all these important issues