Reduced risk of oat grain contamination with fusarium langsethiae and HT-2 and T-2 toxins with increasing tillage intensity

Frequent occurrences of high levels of Fusarium mycotoxins have been recorded in Norwegian oat grain. To elucidate the influence of tillage operations on the development of Fusarium and mycotoxins in oat grain, we conducted tillage trials with continuous oats at two locations in southeast Norway. We have previously presented the content of Fusarium DNA detected in straw residues and air samples from these fields. Grain harvested from ploughed plots had lower levels of Fusarium langsethiae DNA and HT-2 and T-2 toxins (HT2 + T2) compared to grain from harrowed plots. Our results indicate that the risk of F. langsethiae and HT2 + T2 contamination of oats is reduced with increasing tillage intensity. No distinct influence of tillage on the DNA concentration of Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium avenaceum in the harvested grain was observed. In contrast to F. graminearum and F. avenaceum, only limited contents of F. langsethiae DNA were observed in straw residues and air samples. Still, considerable concentrations of F. langsethiae DNA and HT2 + T2 were recorded in oat grain harvested from these fields. We speculate that the life cycle of F. langsethiae differs from those of F. graminearum and F. avenaceum with regard to survival, inoculum production and dispersal

Effects of a guar/whey preload on gastric emptying and glycaemic responses to oral glucose in healthy older people

International audienceBackground and aims: A whey protein/guar preload (Omniblend Innovation) has been developed recently to reduce postprandial glycaemia. The preload comprises 5g guar, 20g (whey) protein and 3g lactose (total 90kcal) in a sachet, which is added to a ‘shake and take’ cup containing 150ml water. Our previous trial suggested that this supplement slowed gastric emptying (GE), but the latter was assessed using a stable isotope breath test technique which limits the capacity to discriminate between slowing of GE and a delay in intestinal absorption. Our aim was to determine the effects of this guar/whey protein preload on GE (using the ‘gold standard’ technique, scintigraphy), and the glycaemic/ insulinaemic responses to an oral glucose load in healthy older people. Materials and methods: Ten healthy older participants (6F, 4M; age: 74.0 ± 1.6 yr; BMI: 26.0 ± 0.7 kg/m2) with normal glucose tolerance underwent concurrent measurements of GE, plasma glucose and insulin for 180 min on two occasions. Participants were studied after an overnight fast, were seated with their back against a gamma camera and a cannula inserted into an antecubital vein for blood sampling. In random order, each received a test drink comprising 50g glucose made up to 300ml with water containing 20MBq 99mTc-calcium-phytate with or without the guar/whey protein preload (90kcal) made up to 150ml with water, ingested 15 min before the test drink. Blood samples were taken immediately before the preload, before the glucose test drink and at 15-30 min intervals thereafter until t=180 min. The early insulin secretory response was estimated by the ratio of the change in insulin (ΔI0-30) to that of glucose at 30 min (ΔG0-30) represented as ΔI0-30/ΔG0-30. Data are mean values ± SEM. Results: The guar/whey protein preload reduced both the iAUC0-120 (PConclusion: In healthy older people, the glucose-lowering effect of the whey protein/guar preload appears unrelated to changes in GE and may reflect increased insulin secretion and/or slowing of small intestinal absorption