13 research outputs found
Would Functional Agricultural Foods Improve Human Health?
Concern over diet-health relationships has moved to the forefront of public health concerns in the UK and much of the developed world. It has been estimated, for example, that obesity costs the UK National Health Service up to ÂŁ6b per year (Rayner and Scarborough, 2005), but if all consumers were to follow recommended healthy eating guidelines there would be major implications for food consumption, land use and international trade (Srinivasan et al, 2006). This is unlikely to happen, at least in the short term, but it is realistic to anticipate some dietary adjustment toward the recommendations, resulting in an improvement in diet quality (Mazzocchi et al, 2007). Although consumers are reluctant to make major changes to their diets, they may be prepared to substitute existing foods for healthier alternatives. Three of the most prominent nutritional recommendations are to consume more fruit and vegetables, which contain phytochemicals beneficial to health, reduce consumption of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and increase intake of long-chain n-3 fatty acids (FA). In the first case, consumption of fruit and vegetables has been stable at around three 80 g portions per person per day according to the Health Survey for England. It is estimated that 42,200 deaths per year could be avoided in England and 411,000 Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) could be saved if fruit and vegetable consumption were increased to the recommended 5 portions per day (Ofcom 2006). As well as continuing to encourage people to eat more, it could be desirable to âintensifyâ the beneficial phytochemical content of existing fruit and vegetables.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Industrial Organization,
AnĂĄlise de pesticidas, aflatoxinas e anĂĄlise de macro e microminerais de polpa cĂtrica peletizada comercial
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Detection of transgenic DNA and protein, in rumen fluid, duodenal digesta, milk, blood and faeces of lactating dairy cows
The objective was to determine the presence or absence of transgenic and endogenous plant DNA in ruminal fluid, duodenal digesta, milk, blood, and feces, and if found, to determine fragment size. Six multiparous lactating Holstein cows fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas received a total mixed ration. There were two treatments (T). In T1, the concentrate contained genetically modified (GM) soybean meal (cp4epsps gene) and GM corn grain (cry1a[b] gene), whereas T2 contained the near isogenic non-GM counterparts. Polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to determine the presence or absence of DNA sequences. Primers were selected to amplify small fragments from single-copy genes (soy lectin and corn high-mobility protein and cp4epsps and cry1a[b] genes from the GM crops) and multicopy genes (bovine mitochondrial cytochrome b and rubisco). Single-copy genes were only detected in the solid phase of rumen and duodenal digesta. In contrast, fragments of the rubisco gene were detected in the majority of samples analyzed in both the liquid and solid phases of ruminal and duodenal digesta, milk, and feces, but rarely in blood. The size of the rubisco gene fragments detected decreased from 1176 bp in ruminal and duodenal digesta to 351 bp in fecal samples
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Differential Effects of Two Fermentable Carbohydrates on Central Appetite Regulation and Body Composition
Background: Obesity is rising at an alarming rate globally. Different fermentable carbohydrates have been shown to reduce obesity. The aim of the present study was to investigate if two different fermentable carbohydrates (inulin and ĂÂČ-glucan) exert similar effects on body composition and central appetite regulation in high fat fed mice. Methodology/Principal Findings: Thirty six C57BL/6 male mice were randomized and maintained for 8 weeks on a high fat diet containing 0% (w/w) fermentable carbohydrate, 10% (w/w) inulin or 10% (w/w) ĂÂČ-glucan individually. Fecal and cecal microbial changes were measured using fluorescent in situ hybridization, fecal metabolic profiling was obtained by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), colonic short chain fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography, body composition and hypothalamic neuronal activation were measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and manganese enhanced MRI (MEMRI), respectively, PYY (peptide YY) concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay, adipocyte cell size and number were also measured. Both inulin and ĂÂČ-glucan fed groups revealed significantly lower cumulative body weight gain compared with high fat controls. Energy intake was significantly lower in ĂÂČ-glucan than inulin fed mice, with the latter having the greatest effect on total adipose tissue content. Both groups also showed an increase in the numbers of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus-Enterococcus in cecal contents as well as feces. ĂÂČ- glucan appeared to have marked effects on suppressing MEMRI associated neuronal signals in the arcuate nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamus, paraventricular nucleus, periventricular nucleus and the nucleus of the tractus solitarius, suggesting a satiated state. Conclusions/Significance: Although both fermentable carbohydrates are protective against increased body weight gain, the lower body fat content induced by inulin may be metabolically advantageous. ĂÂČ-glucan appears to suppress neuronal activity in the hypothalamic appetite centers. Differential effects of fermentable carbohydrates open new possibilities for nutritionally targeting appetite regulation and body composition
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Post-genomics approaches towards monitoring changes within the microbial ecology of the gut
The human gut microbiota, comprising many hundreds of different microbial species, has closely co-evolved with its human host over the millennia. Diet has been a major driver of this co-evolution, in particular dietary non-digestible carbohydrates. This dietary fraction reaches the colon and becomes available for microbial fermentation, and it is in the colon that the great diversity of gut microorganisms resides. For the vast majority of our evolutionary history humans followed hunter-gatherer life-styles and consumed diets with many times more non-digestible carbohydrates, fiber and whole plant polyphenol rich foods than typical Western style diets today
Would Functional Agricultural Foods Improve Human Health?
Concern over diet-health relationships has moved to the forefront of public health concerns in
the UK and much of the developed world. It has been estimated, for example, that obesity costs
the UK National Health Service up to ÂŁ6b per year (Rayner and Scarborough, 2005), but if all
consumers were to follow recommended healthy eating guidelines there would be major implications
for food consumption, land use and international trade (Srinivasan et al, 2006). This is
unlikely to happen, at least in the short term, but it is realistic to anticipate some dietary adjustment
toward the recommendations, resulting in an improvement in diet quality (Mazzocchi et
al, 2007). Although consumers are reluctant to make major changes to their diets, they may be
prepared to substitute existing foods for healthier alternatives.
Three of the most prominent nutritional recommendations are to consume more fruit and vegetables,
which contain phytochemicals beneficial to health, reduce consumption of saturated fatty
acids (SFA) and increase intake of long-chain n-3 fatty acids (FA). In the first case,
consumption of fruit and vegetables has been stable at around three 80 g portions per person per
day according to the Health Survey for England. It is estimated that 42,200 deaths per year
could be avoided in England and 411,000 Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) could be saved
if fruit and vegetable consumption were increased to the recommended 5 portions per day (Ofcom
2006). As well as continuing to encourage people to eat more, it could be desirable to âintensifyâ
the beneficial phytochemical content of existing fruit and vegetables