Lycopene isomerisation takes place within enterocytes during absorption in human subjects

Lycopene in fruits and vegetables occurs mostly (80-97%) in the all-E configuration, whereas a considerable proportion of lycopene in the human body is present as Z-isomers. The Z-isomers offer potentially better health benefits and show improved antioxidant activity in vitro when compared with the all-E-isomer. The absorption of dietary lycopene is a complex process involving transfer of the carotenoid from the food matrix into micelles, uptake by enterocytes, packaging into chylomicrons and finally secretion into plasma. Isomerisation could take place at any of these individual steps. By exploiting in vitro and in vivo models, we traced lycopene isomerisation during absorption using various methods to mimic gastric and duodenal conditions, incorporation into mixed micelles, absorption and metabolism by various Caco-2 cell clones, and performed a postprandial study in human subjects to identify the profile of lycopene isomers in plasma chylomicrons. We demonstrate that all-E-lycopene remains unchanged during its passage in the gastrointestinal tract, including its incorporation into mixed micelles. The key site of lycopene isomerisation is inside the intestinal cells resulting in 29% of lycopene as Z-isomers. Lycopene isomerisation in the various Caco-2 cell clones is consistent with that observed in human chylomicrons formed in a postprandial state. There is no selection in the release of lycopene isomers from enterocytes. Although there is a huge inter-individual variability of total lycopene absorption reported both in in vitro intestinal cell lines as well as in human chylomicrons, the lycopene isomer profile is quite simila

The proportion of lycopene isomers in human plasma is modulated by lycopene isomer profile in the meal but not by lycopene preparation

Dietary lycopene consists mostly of the (all-E) isomer. Upon absorption, (all-E) lycopene undergoes isomerisation into various (Z)-isomers. Because these isomers offer potentially better health benefits than the (all-E) isomer, the aim of the present study was to investigate if the profile of lycopene isomers in intestinal lipoproteins is affected by the profile of lycopene isomers in the meal and by the tomato preparation. Six postprandial, crossover tests were performed in healthy men. Three meals provided about 70% of the lycopene as (Z)-isomers, either mainly as 5-(Z) or 13-(Z), or as a mixture of 9-(Z) and 13-(Z) lycopene, while three tomato preparations provided lycopene mainly as the (all-E) isomer. Consumption of the 5-(Z) lycopene-rich meal led to a high (60%) proportion of this isomer in TAG-rich lipoproteins (TRL), indicating a good absorption and/or a low intestinal conversion of this isomer. By contrast, consumption of meals rich in 9-(Z) and 13-(Z) lycopene isomers resulted in a low level of these isomers but high amounts of the 5-(Z) and (all-E) isomers in TRL. This indicates that the 9-(Z) and 13-(Z) isomers were less absorbed or were converted into 5-(Z) and (all-E) isomers. Dietary (Z)-lycopene isomers were, therefore, differently isomerised and released in TRL during their intestinal absorption in men. Consuming the three meals rich in (all-E) lycopene resulted in similar proportions of lycopene isomers in TRL: 60% (all-E), 20% 5-(Z), 9% 13-(Z), 2% 9-(Z) and 9% unidentified (Z)-isomers. These results show that the tomato preparation has no impact on the lycopene isomerisation occurring during absorption in human

Occurrence and levels of selected compounds in European compost and digestate samples

This report describes work conducted by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in the context of an Administrative Arrangement between DG Environment and the JRC. This work aimed at the generation, within a limited timeframe, of a large amount of analytical data, with high scientific and statistical value, for a number of compost and digestate types (afterwards referred to as COMDIG samples), to help provide a general overview and estimation of that possible variability within and between different COMDIG materials. The report includes the results of a targeted and independent screening of typical European situations of COMDIG materials with regard to the occurrence and levels of compounds of concern, many of which have never been assessed at a pan-European level. In total, 139 samples, mostly taken as grab samples and originating from 15 countries, were assessed for 22 minor and trace elements and 92 organic compounds including ingredients of personal care products and pharmaceuticals. The underlying analytical methods are carefully documented with regard to their performance characteristics. Where available, the so-called “horizontal” standards were followed. The results obtained are assessed statistically. Although the analysed single samples are insufficient to make any statement on the performance of the treatment processes leading to COMDIG samples, this collective of data provide a glimpse of the pan-European situation as regards the studied compounds.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

A roadmap to improve the quality of atrial fibrillation management:proceedings from the fifth Atrial Fibrillation Network/European Heart Rhythm Association consensus conference

At least 30 million people worldwide carry a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF), and many more suffer from undiagnosed, subclinical, or 'silent' AF. Atrial fibrillation-related cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, including cardiovascular deaths, heart failure, stroke, and hospitalizations, remain unacceptably high, even when evidence-based therapies such as anticoagulation and rate control are used. Furthermore, it is still necessary to define how best to prevent AF, largely due to a lack of clinical measures that would allow identification of treatable causes of AF in any given patient. Hence, there are important unmet clinical and research needs in the evaluation and management of AF patients. The ensuing needs and opportunities for improving the quality of AF care were discussed during the fifth Atrial Fibrillation Network/European Heart Rhythm Association consensus conference in Nice, France, on 22 and 23 January 2015. Here, we report the outcome of this conference, with a focus on (i) learning from our 'neighbours' to improve AF care, (ii) patient-centred approaches to AF management, (iii) structured care of AF patients, (iv) improving the quality of AF treatment, and (v) personalization of AF management. This report ends with a list of priorities for research in AF patients

Quantification of 1,3-olein-2-palmitin (OPO) and Palmitic Acid in <i>sn</i>-2 Position of Triacylglycerols in Human Milk by Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry

This study describes the identification and quantification of fatty acids in the sn-2 position of triacylglycerols (TAG) and of the most abundant TAG regioisomers in human milk by liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS). Over 300 individual TAG species were observed and 1,3-olein-2-palmitin (OPO) was identified as the most abundant TAG regioisomer. Validation of the HPLC-HRMS method showed repeatability and intermediate reproducibility values ranging from 3.1 to 16.6% and 4.0 to 20.7%, respectively, and accuracy ranging from 75 to 97%. Results obtained by the HPLC-HRMS method were comparable to results from the ISO 6800 method for the quantification of palmitic acid in the sn-2 position of TAG (81.4 and 81.8 g 100 g&#8722;1 total palmitic acid, respectively). Processing the data obtained with the HPLC-HRMS method is extremely time consuming and, therefore, a targeted method suitable for the quantification of OPO in human milk samples by ultra-performance (UP) LC coupled with triple quadrupole (QQQ) MS was developed and validated. OPO identification and quantification by UPLC-QQQ were based on nominal mass and a fragmentation pattern obtained by multiple reaction monitoring experiments. The method was validated in terms of accuracy and precision by analyzing different aliquots of the same human milk sample over time and comparing the results with values obtained by HPLC-HRMS. Intermediate reproducibility was &lt;15% and trueness comparable to HPLC-HRMS. Quantification of OPO in human milk samples collected at 30, 60 and 120 days postpartum showed that OPO content varies between 333 &#177; 11.8 and 383 &#177; 18.0 mg 100mL&#8722;1

Temporal Changes of Human Breast Milk Lipids of Chinese Mothers

Fatty acids (FA), phospholipids (PL), and gangliosides (GD) play a central role in infant growth, immune and inflammatory responses. The aim of this study was to determine FA, PL, and GD compositional changes in human milk (HM) during lactation in a large group of Chinese lactating mothers (540 volunteers) residing in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Suzhou. HM samples were collected after full expression from one breast and while the baby was fed on the other breast. FA were assessed by direct methylation followed by gas chromatography (GC) analysis. PL and GD were extracted using chloroform and methanol. A methodology employing liquid chromatography coupled with an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) and with time of flight (TOF) mass spectrometry was used to quantify PL and GD classes in HM, respectively. Saturated FA (SFA), mono-unsaturated FA (MUFA), and PL content decreased during lactation, while polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and GD content increased. Among different cities, over the lactation time, HM from Beijing showed the highest SFA content, HM from Guangzhou the highest MUFA content and HM from Suzhou the highest n-3PUFA content. The highest total PL and GD contents were observed in HM from Suzhou. In order to investigate the influence of the diet on maternal milk composition, a careful analyses of dietary habits of these population needs to be performed in the future