Applicability of sericulture in the food industry and medicine

The prevalence of constipation is increasing, one of the causes being the adverse reaction to morphine administration. Besides drug therapy and alternative remedies (yoga, phytotherapy, acupuncture etc.), another method is a change of lifestyle, including diet. The aim of this study is to assess the applicability of sericin in food research and development for special nutritional requirements, including the prevention and treatment of constipation. The study was carried out comparatively with standard food and bovine lactoferrin, in Wistar rats that were administered morphine in order to induce constipation. Of the two glycoproteins analyzed, sericin was the most efficient in improving constipation. Feces with highest deformation, pH, refractometric soluble dry matter were obtained in the group on sericin-supplemented food. No biochemical changes in urine were noted

Sustenabilitatea alimentației și conexiunile cu mediul ambiant

Introducere. Alimentația sustenabilă este în strânsă conexiune cu mediul ambiant și cu sănătatea consumatorilor din areal. Mâncarea, consumată dintr-o varietate de motive precum nutriție, experiență/plăcere senzorială sau în scopuri culturale, reprezintă baza stilului de viață, a sistemului economic și social. Legăturile dintre serviciile ecosistemice, biodiversitatea și sănătatea globală cuprind multifațete și se manifestă la diferite scale temporale. Prin urmare, abordările ecosistemice sunt absolut relevante pentru conceptul One Health, care îmbrățișează interconexiunea dintre oameni, fauna sălbatică și ecosisteme. Impactul acestor schimbări ecosistemice afectează relațiile interdependente ale schimbărilor climatice, cu efecte rezultate, cum ar fi epuizarea stratului de ozon, emisii acide, poluare și ecotoxicitate, poluarea aerului, apei și solului, epuizarea resurselor și/sau pierderea biodiversității și a funcțiilor ecosistemice ale acesteia. Amenințările asupra sănătății fiind impuse de determinanții ecologici, care rezultă din interacțiunea unui agent cu gazda în triada epidemiologică sau ecologică a bolii cu dilemele care provoacă pericolele pentru mediu, trebuie abordate în colaborare. Impactul factorilor de ecomediu asupra sănătății populaţiei sunt elucidate împreună cu recomandări din implicaţia folosirii gândirii ecologice şi abordări pentru intervențiile de sănătate publică și educație pentru contracararea problemelor apărute sub aceste amenințări ecologice. Scopul. Dezvoltarea în România de programe de intervenție nutrițională adecvate sustenabilității nutriționale și promovării sănătății populaționale prin colaborarea continuă în echipe multidisciplinare. Material și metode. Evaluarea sistemelor de sustenabilitate și de intervenție la nivel european și adaptarea acestora la specificul național. Pentru o nutriție mai bună, specialiștii din domeniul medical (nutriționiști, dieteticieni, medici de familie sau alte specialități aferente, psihologi, antrenori de fitness, ingineri din industria alimentară etc.) pot reprezenta un suport viabil pentru populație în adoptarea unei alimentații adecvate, variate și sustenabile în aceeași măsură, pe baza unor protocoale. Rezultate. Promovarea managementului sistemic, multidimensional, poate evidenția și susține eficient conexiunile dintre mediu, nutriția durabilă și dimensiunile ecologice, sociale și economice, dar mai ales cele care țin de sănătate. Aceasta se poate face prin crearea unor sisteme și etape succesive de aplicare a unor protocoale la nivel regional și național, prin implicarea autorităților din diverse domenii (medical, farmaceutic, protecția consumatorului, agențiile de protecție a mediului, industria alimentară și de suplimente alimentare, rețeaua agricolă, domeniul financiar sau sisteme sociale și de învățământ). Concluzii. Oricât de complexă este evaluarea continuă a sustenabilității și durabilității resurselor alimentare, fiecare regiune și țară are nevoie de un program de evaluare și de intervenție propriu, adaptat nivelului cultural alimentar, economic, dar și de sănătate nutrițională. Orice specialist din domeniu, în calitate de expert și de consumator, poate contribui activ la dezvoltarea sustenabilă a sistemului de nutriție, modelând obiceiurile nutriționale individuale și comunitare într-un mod durabil

Food behavior, social aspects and nutritional status in Romania

George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology, Targu Mures, Romania, CI&DETS/CERNAS Research Centres, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Campus Politécnico, Viseu, PortugalIntroduction. Health status is directly linked with nutritional status, life style and food behaviour. There are 4 Health Indicators: Health Conscience, Health Information Orientation, Health-Oriented Beliefs, and Healthy Activities. People who are health conscious have a positive attitude towards preventive measures such as healthy eating. Health information refers to the extent to which an individual is willing to seek health information. At the cognitive level, health orientation is manifested in the field of health beliefs, which refers to the specific cognitions held by individuals about health behaviors. Also, health-oriented individuals are more likely to engage in healthy activities than other people in the population. The four aspects of the health orientation mentioned suggest the differences between individuals in the context of their sources of information in the health field. Our aim was to evaluate connections between social characteristics, nutritional status data and food behaviour, in a Romanian population sample. Material and methods. We followed a qualitative cross-sectional study based on screening of 751 Romanian adults from different regions of our country, which was carried out in 2018. We used a validated questionnaire from an international project, based on 26 specific questions, filled in online, regarding their nutritional and social data completed by their attitudes and information towards food behaviour. In our group, 68.7% were women, one quarter had over 50 years old, 82.3% were from urban areas and almost 2/3rds were higly educated. Results. We obtained a positive correlation between demographic parameters and the BMI, also healthy food behaviors were more frequent at women versus man. On the opposite, the confidence of men upon the information about healthy eating from the internet was higher than that of women. The number of hours/day spent watching TV or in front of the computer was positively correlated with age and also with their BMI. A high education level was significantly positively associated with healthier choices regarding nutrition practices. Health status in relation with nutritional status showed us that the most concerned group for their diet was those who suffered from different pathologies especially cardiovascular disorders. We obtained no significant associations among BMI, environment, current professional activity, responsibility for eating, and physical activity. Conclusions. Nutritionists, specialists in medicine, and food stakeholders should promote healthy diets through adequate sources of information aimed at target groups. Multidisciplinary teams should develop a more efficient strategy to motivate people to make healthy eating choices and improve population food behavior

Algoritmi posibili pentru determinarea reacțiilor adverse cauzate de suplimentele alimentare în România

Introduction. The advertising of food supplements on various media channels or in specialty stores with natural products and other places, as well as the lack of informative and educational programs for the population upon side effects and the interaction of food supplements with food and drugs, have led to the development of uncontrolled marketing of these products. Material and methods. PubMed, ResearchGate and EUR-Lex databases were analyzed during 2015-2021, based on search criteria based on: adverse reactions, ingredient new food, food supplements, algorithms. Results. Certain dietary supplements can cause multiple side effects, such as: impaired platelet function by decreased platelet aggregation, gastrointestinal side effects (diarrhea, vomiting), decreased wound healing/epithelialization, bacterial or fungal sepsis, most common in patients older. Herbal resources such as Aloe vera, Matricaria recutita, Taraxacum officinale and others, can cause dermatological side effects and inhibit the elimination of dermatological drugs metabolised by cytochrome P-450 (e.g. terbinafine). Matricaria recutita, Allium sativum, Mentha piperita L. and others, inhibit the enzyme CYP2C9. Another enzyme with a role in the metabolism of dermatological drugs and which is inhibited by plant resources is CYP3A4. Conclusions. It is imperative to legislate the reporting of adverse reactions caused by food supplements, including their interaction with food or drugs.Introducere. Promovarea suplimentelor alimentare în diverse surse media sau de către unele magazine, în special de cele specializate în comercializarea produselor naturale, precum și lipsa programelor informative și educaționale pentru populație cu privire la efectele secundare și interacțiunea suplimentelor alimentare cu alimentele și medicamentele, au dus la dezvoltarea comercializării necontrolate a acestor produse. Material si metode. Bazele de date PubMed, Research Gate și EUR-Lex au fost analizate în perioada 2015-2021, pe baza criteriilor de căutare: reacții adverse, ingrediente alimentare noi, suplimente alimentare, algoritmi. Rezultate. Anumite suplimente alimentare pot provoca efecte secundare multiple, cum ar fi: afectarea funcției trombocitelor prin scăderea agregării plachetare, efecte secundare gastrointestinale (diaree, vărsături), scăderea vindecării/epitelizării rănilor, sepsis bacterian sau fungic, atestate cel mai frecvent la pacienții cu vârstă înaintată. Resursele vegetale precum Aloe vera, Matricaria recutita, Taraxacum officinale și altele, pot provoca reacții adverse dermatologice și inhiba eliminarea medicamentelor dermatologice metabolizate de citocromul P-450 (de exemplu terbinafină). Matricaria recutita, Allium sativum, Mentha piperita L. și altele, inhibă enzima CYP2C9. O altă enzimă cu rol în metabolismul medicamentelor dermatologice și care este inhibată de resursele vegetale este CYP3A4. Concluzii. Este imperativ să se reglementeze raportarea reacțiilor adverse cauzate de suplimentele alimentare, inclusiv interacțiunea acestora cu alimentele sau medicamentele

Possible algorithms for determining adverse reactions caused by food supplements in Romania

George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, Romania, Richter Pharmacy no 7, Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaIntroduction. The advertising of food supplements on various media channels or in specialty stores with natural products and other stores, as well as the lack of informative and educational programs for the population on side effects and the interaction of food supplements with food and drugs, have led to the development of uncontrolled marketing of these products. Through this paper we want to present the algorithms that can be applied to determine the side effects caused by food supplements in Romania, the need to initiate a legislative project on reporting these side effects and educating the population on the consumption of food supplements. Material and methods. PubMed, ResearchGate and EUR-Lex databases (online portal providing access to EU legislation) were analyzed between 2015-2021, based on search criteria: adverse reactions, ingredient new food, food supplements, algorithms. Results. Dietary supplements concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances with a beneficial nutritional or physiological effect intended to supplement a normal diet. They can be sold as capsules, dragees, tablets, sachets or in bottles. Certain dietary supplements can cause multiple side effects, such as: impaired platelet function by decreased platelet aggregation, gastrointestinal side effects (diarrhea, vomiting), decreased wound healing/epithelialization, bacterial or fungal sepsis, most common in patients older. Probiotics that can cause human sepsis, generally in elderly patients and those suffering from chronic diseases, are Lactobacilli (strains of L. rhamnosis, due to its high translocation potential), Lactobacillus sp. bacteremia which is sometimes fatal, infectious endocarditis caused by L. rhamnosus, L. casei, L. acidophilus, L. jensenii, L. plantarum and L. paracasei. They can cause anaphylactic response in patients who have undergone cardiovascular surgery or localized infection in diabetes associated with old age and liver transplantation. Side effects have also been found with mineral supplements, omega 3 / fish oil, soy protein, soy protein, plant nutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, supplements for weight loss or bodybuilding, various botanical supplements. Multi-skeletal distortion, fatigue, pain and gastrointestinal symptoms and hepatic adverse events have been reported with the nutraceutical ingredient RYR (red rice yeast) at the doses recommended by EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). With the exception of "classic" foods (hazelnuts, nuts, eggs, etc.) known to cause certain side effects such as allergies, the development of the food industry has led to the emergence of foods eaten especially by teenagers, such as energy drinks. Frequent consumption of this type of drink was significantly associated with asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis, high stress, lack of sleep, poor school performance and suicide attempts in Korean adolescents. Conclusions. It is imperative to legislate the reporting of adverse reactions caused by food supplements, including their interaction with food or medicine. The veracity of the practical applicability of the legislation and the existence of an educational program of the population, make this action not to become null and void. Using the algorithms applied to analyze the severity - causality of adverse reactions caused by drugs, in Romania, nutrivigilence can be implemented for the health and safety of the population

Sustainable Prebiotic Dessert with Sericin Produced by Bombyx mori Worms

(1) Background: The processing of silk threads secreted by the silkworm Bombyx mori leads to large amounts of sericin as textile waste. Its biochemical and medical properties open a new perspective for its use in the food industry and its authorization as a new food ingredient in the European Union, by the European Commission and the European Food Safety Authority. (2) Methods: Experimental and physico–chemical analyzes were carried out to obtain a sustainable prebiotic dessert with low energy value, containing Sericin produced by Bombyx Mori, which does not contain sugar and can be consumed both by people who want a healthy diet and people who need food for special nutritional conditions, such as diabetes, dysphagia or inflammatory diseases. (3) Results: The sustainable jelly was made from depectinized apple juice, pectin, sericin, lactoferrin, stevia and pectin. This dessert is natural and can be certified organic and HALAL. (4) Conclusions: Sericin can be used in the manufacture of a very wide range of foods. Being a glycoprotein, it can also be used to obtain jelling foods with low energy value, including foods for patients with dysphagia. This represents an important sustainable resource of essential amino acids for the normal homeostasis of the human body

THE LINK BETWEEN FOOD, PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AND SUFFERING

The quality of life of each individual is reflected in his/her well-being state, capacity of copig, satisfaction and happiness. Health is a complex notion involving physical, psychological and social wellbeing and a balance beween the aspirations and the achievements of each person. To this, one should ad biological factors: morphological, functional homeostasy as well as the psychological factors: emotions, cognitions and behavioral factors. By specific physyiological processes, food and its ingestion is also very important in maintaining the health and a high quality of life. The quality of the animal food eaten depends on its production procedures including feeding and treating the animals. The value of vegetal food depends on the geographic provenance and also on production style: intensive or biological. The consumption of the food and its perception depend on the palatability of the meals. The eating environement is also important: eating alone or with the family, in the presence of music or noise, in hurry or not etc. Mass-media has an important role in the development of eating behaviors. Listening to music or even by music sung or played by a certain performer, or association of drinks may improve hedonistic expectancies. This is a review on the connection between food, psychosocial factors and disease

Research and Development of a New Sustainable Functional Food under the Scope of Nutrivigilance

Background: The New Global Economy is represented by a series of major features, such as the use of green energy, the reduction of the carbon footprint in all industrial and civil fields, as well as finding alternative food resources. Our main objective was the research of a sustainable food product with a special nutritional purpose in the vision of nutrivigilance, developed in Romania, as an adjuvant in the repair of gastric mucosa. Methods: The materials used in the research and development of the new food are the following: inulin, lactoferrin, sericin, and sodium bicarbonate. The new adjuvant food product in the repair of the gastric mucosa was added to certain foods in order to prevent the patients from being satiated by a single food from a sensory point of view. The resulting food products were organoleptically and physico-chemically analyzed. Results: The new food is sustainable and has versatile uses. It can be hydrated with water, non-carbonated drinks, mixed with cottage cheese, or with fruit puree and oatmeal. It is stable under normal storage conditions and microbiologically safe. Conclusions: Through its versatile use, the new food product for special nutritional conditions represents a worldwide novelty. Through the development of forestry for the cultivation of white or black mulberry (Morus alba and Morus nigra), the raising of silkworms (Bombyx mori), the processing of fibroin to obtain natural silk and the processing of sericin resulting as a residue in the textile industry, the new food product developed actively contribute to the global economy II