International collaborative project to compare and track the nutritional composition of fast foods

Background: Chronic diseases are the leading cause of premature death and disability in the world with over-nutrition a primary cause of diet-related ill health. Excess quantities of energy, saturated fat, sugar and salt derived from fast foods contribute importantly to this disease burden. Our objective is to collate and compare nutrient composition data for fast foods as a means of supporting improvements in product formulation. METHODS/DESIGN: Surveys of fast foods will be done in each participating country each year. Information on the nutrient composition for each product will be sought either through direct chemical analysis, from fast food companies, in-store materials or from company websites. Foods will be categorized into major groups for the primary analyses which will compare mean levels of saturated fat, sugar, sodium, energy and serving size at baseline and over time. Countries currently involved include Australia, New Zealand, France, UK, USA, India, Spain, China and Canada, with more anticipated to follow. DISCUSSION: This collaborative approach to the collation and sharing of data will enable low-cost tracking of fast food composition around the world. This project represents a significant step forward in the objective and transparent monitoring of industry and government commitments to improve the quality of fast foods.E Dunford is supported by a Sydney Medical School Foundation scholarship and B Neal by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship.http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/559am201

Resistance to Pyrenopeziza brassicae (light leaf spot) in Brassica napus

Light leaf spot (caused by the hemibiotrophic Pyrenopeziza brassicae) is one of the most important diseases of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) in northern Europe, including the UK. In controlled environment and field experiments to study sources of genetic resistance against P. brassicae, R gene-mediated resistance introduced into B. napus slowed growth of P. brassicae, prevented asexual sporulation on living tissue, but did not prevent sexual sporulation on senescent tissue. The resistance did not operate in the manner typical of R gene-mediated resistance against hemibiotrophs. P. brassicae infected the resistant lines but did not elicit an immediate hypersensitive response preventing further fungal growth. Instead, it grew sparsely as sub-cuticular hyphae within green leaves, until a “dark flecking” phenotype associated with collapse of epidermal cells was observed approximately 10 days post inoculation. This resistance may be more durable than that of a typical R gene because it reduces secondary infection by splash-dispersed conidia but does not apply selection by preventing the pathogen from completing its life cycl

Investigating the phenotype of major gene-mediated resistance to Pyrenopeziza brassicae in Brassica napus

Pyrenopeziza brassicae causes light leaf spot on winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus), which is currently controlled through the use of fungicides and cultivars with quantitative resistance. Imola is a new oilseed rape cultivar, thought to contain at least one major resistance gene against P. brassicae. Previous work has shown that P. brassicae is unable to undergo asexual sporulation on cv. Imola and a “black flecking” phenotype (particularly apparent on leaf vein tissue) is instead observed after inoculation with P. brassicae conidia in controlled environment conditionsNon peer reviewe

Investigating the phenotype of a major gene-mediated resistance to Pyrenopeziza brassicae in Brassica napus

Non peer reviewe

Resistance to Pyrenopeziza brassicae (light leaf spot) in Brassica napus (winter oilseed rape)

Non peer reviewe

R gene-mediated resistance in Brassica napus that limits asexual sporulation but allows sexual sporulation by Pyrenopeziza brassicae (light leaf spot)

The phenotype of a form of Brassica napus (oilseed rape) R gene-mediated resistance against the hemibiotrophic plant pathogen Pyrenopeziza brassicae, cause of light leaf spot, was investigated. Using a doubled haploid B. napus mapping population that segregated for resistance against P. brassicae, development of visual symptoms was characterised and asymptomatic growth was followed using quantitative PCR and scanning electron microscopy on leaves of resistant/susceptible lines inoculated with suspensions of P. brassicae conidia. A new phenotype of resistance was observed in lines derived from B. napus cv. Imola. Initially, in controlled environment experiments growth of P. brassicae was unaffected; then from 8 days post-inoculation (dpi) some epidermal cells collapsed (‗black flecking‘) in green living tissue of cv. Imola and from 13 to 36 dpi there was no increase in amount of P. brassicae DNA and no asexual sporulation (acervuli/pustules). By contrast, during this period there was a 300-fold increase in P. brassicae DNA and extensive asexual sporulation in leaves of susceptible cv. Apex. However, when leaf tissues senesced, there was a rapid increase in amount of P. brassicae DNA in the resistant but not susceptible cultivar and sexual sporulation (apothecia) was abundant on senescent tissues of both. These results were supported by results of controlled environment and field experiments with lines from the mapping population that segregated for this resistance. Analysis of results of both controlled environment and field experiments suggested that the resistance was mediated by a single R gene located on chromosome A1.Non peer reviewe

Resistance to Pyrenopeziza brassicae (light leaf spot) in Brassica napus, in International Consultative Research Group on Rapeseed

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National Diet and Nutrition Survey : UK food consumption and nutrient intakes from the first year of the rolling programme and comparisons with previous surveys

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) is a cross-sectional survey designed to gather data representative of the UK population on food consumption, nutrient intakes and nutritional status. The objectives of the present paper were to identify and describe food consumption and nutrient intakes in the UK from the first year of the NDNS rolling programme (2008-09) and compare these with the 2000-01 NDNS of adults aged 19-64 years and the 1997 NDNS of young people aged 4-18 years. Differences in median daily food consumption and nutrient intakes between the surveys were compared by sex and age group (4-10 years, 11-18 years and 19-64 years). There were no changes in energy, total fat or carbohydrate intakes between the surveys. Children aged 4-10 years had significantly lower consumption of soft drinks (not low calorie), crisps and savoury snacks and chocolate confectionery in 2008-09 than in 1997 (all P Peer reviewe