COMPUESTOS FUNCIONALES DE LA LECHE MATERNA

Newborns have special nutritional requirements due to the incomplete development of their organic systems, which will diminish once the organs acquire full functionality. In the complete development of the infant organism, not only the correct nutrition of the child has a great contribution, but also many other functional compounds naturally present in breast milk such as Hormones, growth factors, neuropeptides, anti-inflammatory agents and immunomodulator agents. A thorough review of the scientific literature regarding the properties and occurrence of such functional compounds in breast milk has been carried out due to their importance in the elaboration of infant food. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to give enough scientific evidence for the use of these compounds as functional ingredients in the production of infant formulas. In general, infant formulas lack in these bioactive compounds, hence their supplementation with bioactive compounds as ingredients might increase the nutritional value of the infant formulas achieving the same positive effects that human milk has on infants.Los recién nacidos poseen unas necesidades nutritivas especiales debido al incompleto desarrollo de sus sistemas de órganos, que irán abandonando conforme estos sistemas vayan adquiriendo su completa funcionalidad. Al correcto desarrollo del organismo infantil va a contribuir no sólo la correcta nutrición del niño, sino también la acción de muchos compuestos funcionales presentes en la leche materna, entre los que destacan: hormonas, factores de crecimiento, neuropéptidos, agentes antiinflamatorios y agentes inmunomoduladores. Debido a la importancia que tienen estos compuestos en la alimentación infantil hemos realizado una revisión bibliográfica sobre sus diferentes propiedades y su presencia en la leche materna, con el objetivo de poder justificar el empleo de estos productos como ingredientes funcionales en la elaboración de las fórmulas infantiles. En general, dichas fórmulas son deficitarias en estos compuestos bioactivos, por lo que su adición como ingrediente podría incrementar la calidad nutricional de las fórmulas infantiles consiguiendo los mismos efectos positivos que sobre el niño tiene la lactancia materna

An opinion paper: emphasis on white muscle development and growth to improve farmed fish flesh quality

Due to rapid depletion of wild stocks, the necessity to cultivate fish is eminent. Current fish farming practices seek to improve flesh quality. The notion that white muscles are the main target of the fishing industry is emphasized. A novel approach is suggested based on the development of white muscles in wild fish from eggs to adults. A compilation of facts about white muscle structure, function and ontogeny is followed by an account of the changes in swimming behaviour and performance related to the use of white muscle during growth from larva to adult. Ecological data narrate early swimming performance with white muscle development and growth, unveiling some of the important natural selection factors eliminating weak swimmers and poor growers from the breeding stock. A comparison between fish culture practise and natural conditions reveals fundamental differences. New approaches following wild breeding processes promise several important advantages regarding the quality of white muscle

Mutation increasing β-carotene concentrations does not adversely affect concentrations of essential mineral elements in pepper fruit

<div><p>Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are prevalent in human populations throughout the world. Vitamin A deficiency affects hundreds of millions of pre-school age children in low income countries. Fruits of pepper (<i>Capsicum annuum</i> L.) can be a major dietary source of precursors to Vitamin A biosynthesis, such as β-carotene. Recently, pepper breeding programs have introduced the orange-fruited (<i>of</i>) trait of the mutant variety Oranzheva kapiya, which is associated with high fruit β-carotene concentrations, to the mutant variety Albena. In this manuscript, concentrations of β-carotene and mineral elements (magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur, potassium, zinc, calcium, manganese, iron and copper) were compared in fruit from P31, a red-fruited genotype derived from the variety Albena, and M38, a genotype developed by transferring the orange-fruited mutation (<i>of</i>) into Albena. It was observed that fruit from M38 plants had greater β-carotene concentration at both commercial and botanical maturity (4.9 and 52.7 mg / kg fresh weight, respectively) than fruit from P31 plants (2.3 and 30.1 mg / kg fresh weight, respectively). The mutation producing high β-carotene concentrations in pepper fruits had no detrimental effect on the concentrations of mineral elements required for human nutrition.</p></div

Comparative study of the functional properties of three legume seed isolates: adzuki, pea and soy bean

The aim of this work was to compare functional properties including solubility, emulsifying and foaming properties of native and thermally treated adzuki, soy and pea protein isolates prepared under the same conditions. These functional properties were tested at four pH values: pH 3.0, pH 5.0, pH 7.0 and pH 8.0. The lowest solubility at all pH values were obtained for isolate of adzuki whereas isolates of soybean had the highest values at almost all pHs. Thermal treatment reduced solubility of soy and pea isolates at all pH values, whereas solubility of adzuki isolate was unchanged, except at pH 8. Native isolate of adzuki had the best emulsifying properties at pH 7.0 whereas at the other pH values some of native pea and soybean protein isolates were superior. After thermal treatment, depending on tested pH and selected variety all of three species could be a good emulsifier. Native soy protein isolates formed the most stable foams at all pHs. Thermal treatment significantly improved foaming properties of adzuki isolate, whereas reduced foaming capacity of soy and pea isolates, but could improve foam stability of these isolates at specific pH. Appropriate selection of legume seed as well as variety could have great importance in achievement of desirable functional properties of final products. All three tested species could find specific application in wide range of food products

Fish under exercise

Improved knowledge on the swimming physiology of fish and its application to fisheries science and aquaculture (i.e., farming a fitter fish) is currently needed in the face of global environmental changes, high fishing pressures, increased aquaculture production as well as increased concern on fish well-being. Here, we review existing data on teleost fish that indicate that sustained exercise at optimal speeds enhances muscle growth and has consequences for flesh quality. Potential added benefits of sustained exercise may be delay of ovarian development and stimulation of immune status. Exercise could represent a natural, noninvasive, and economical approach to improve growth, flesh quality as well as welfare of aquacultured fish: a FitFish for a healthy consumer. All these issues are important for setting directions for policy decisions and future studies in this area. For this purpose, the FitFish workshop on the Swimming Physiology of Fish (http://www.ub.edu/fitfish2010) was organized to bring together a multidisciplinary group of scientists using exercise models, industrial partners, and policy makers. Sixteen international experts from Europe, North America, and Japan were invited to present their work and view on migration of fishes in their natural environment, beneficial effects of exercise, and applications for sustainable aquaculture. Eighty-eight participants from 19 different countries contributed through a poster session and round table discussion. Eight papers from invited speakers at the workshop have been contributed to this special issue on The Swimming Physiology of Fish

Short- and Long-Term Biomarkers for Bacterial Robustness: A Framework for Quantifying Correlations between Cellular Indicators and Adaptive Behavior

The ability of microorganisms to adapt to changing environments challenges the prediction of their history-dependent behavior. Cellular biomarkers that are quantitatively correlated to stress adaptive behavior will facilitate our ability to predict the impact of these adaptive traits. Here, we present a framework for identifying cellular biomarkers for mild stress induced enhanced microbial robustness towards lethal stresses. Several candidate-biomarkers were selected by comparing the genome-wide transcriptome profiles of our model-organism Bacillus cereus upon exposure to four mild stress conditions (mild heat, acid, salt and oxidative stress). These candidate-biomarkers—a transcriptional regulator (activating general stress responses), enzymes (removing reactive oxygen species), and chaperones and proteases (maintaining protein quality)—were quantitatively determined at transcript, protein and/or activity level upon exposure to mild heat, acid, salt and oxidative stress for various time intervals. Both unstressed and mild stress treated cells were also exposed to lethal stress conditions (severe heat, acid and oxidative stress) to quantify the robustness advantage provided by mild stress pretreatment. To evaluate whether the candidate-biomarkers could predict the robustness enhancement towards lethal stress elicited by mild stress pretreatment, the biomarker responses upon mild stress treatment were correlated to mild stress induced robustness towards lethal stress. Both short- and long-term biomarkers could be identified of which their induction levels were correlated to mild stress induced enhanced robustness towards lethal heat, acid and/or oxidative stress, respectively, and are therefore predictive cellular indicators for mild stress induced enhanced robustness. The identified biomarkers are among the most consistently induced cellular components in stress responses and ubiquitous in biology, supporting extrapolation to other microorganisms than B. cereus. Our quantitative, systematic approach provides a framework to search for these biomarkers and to evaluate their predictive quality in order to select promising biomarkers that can serve to early detect and predict adaptive traits

Phenolic-rich juice prevents DNA single-strand breakage and cytotoxicity caused by tert-butylhydroperoxide in U937 cells: the role of iron chelation.

The antioxidant potential of phenolic compounds is generally linked to their ability to scavenge free radicals. However, in addition to their radical-scavenging activity, phenolic compounds can chelate metal ions, such as iron, to prevent their participation in Fenton-type reactions, which lead to the formation of free radicals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of a phenolic-rich juice made from grapes, cherries and berries to protect human myeloid leukemia (U937) cells from oxidative stress caused by tert-butylhydroperoxide (tB-OOH). Preincubation of cells with extracts of the phenolic-rich juice at different concentrations (0-200 mu M ferulic acid equivalents) for 3 h partially prevented cell death and abolished the DNA cleavage induced by tB-OOH. Moreover, when preincubating cells with the 100-mu M juice extract (the dose that diminished cell death by around 50%), the partial prevention of tB-OOH-induced formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening was observed. The radical scavenger antioxidant N,N-diphenyl-1,4phenylene-diamine (DPPD) and the intracellular iron chelator o-phenanthroline (o-Phe) were also tested to know whether protective effects depended on radical-scavenging or iron-chelating activities. o-Phe prevented cell death, DNA cleavage and ROS generation, whereas DPPD only prevented cell death, suggesting that phenolics in the juice afforded protection against induced oxidative stress, most probably by means of an iron-chelating mechanism

Mice exposed to infant formula enriched with polyamines: impact on host transcriptome and microbiome

Previous studies using a BALB/cOlaHsd model have shown the impact that the supplementation of infant formula with polyamines has on the modulation of microbial colonization and immune system development. To contribute to deciphering and identifying new complex interactions underlying the host response to polyamines, a systems biology approach integrating data from microbiota along the gastrointestinal tract, lymphocyte populations and immune system gene expression analysis of a lactating mice model fed different diets was carried out. The study design included four different dietary regimens including the following: mice fed by normal lactation; early weaned mice given commercial infant formula; and early weaned mice fed with infant formula enriched with two different concentrations of polyamines. Cluster analysis by principal component analysis and heat map demonstrated that the bacterial communities and immune system status differed between groups. The assessment of the relationship between immune system development, microbiota succession and polyamine supplementation in a global manner proved that the supplementation of infant formula with polyamines promotes similar microbial communities along the whole gastrointestinal tract, and results in similar lymphocyte populations and expression of immune related-genes to those with the normal lactated milk and the results differ from those with the infant formula without polyamines. Further studies should be conducted in human subjects to verify the current results, as the supplementation of polyamines may resemble the effect of natural breastfeeding practices in the gastrointestinal microbiota and immune system development in a mouse model