Key Foods selection using data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016– 2018) / 한국영양학회지

Purpose@#Key Foods refers to foods that have a high contribution in the nutrient intake of individuals, and exert important effects on their health. This study was undertaken to identify Korean Key Foods, using data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES). @*Methods@#The data source for the extraction of Key Foods was the 24-hour dietary survey data obtained from the 7th KNHNES (2016–2018), and 21,271 subjects were evaluated. A total of 17 nutrients were selected as the key nutrients for identifying the Key Foods, including energy, carbohydrates, protein, lipid, dietary fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, cholesterol, and sugars. The nutrient consumption approach was applied to generate a list of potential Key Foods. Foods included in 85% of the cumulative intake contribution from one or more key nutrients, were subsequently selected as Key Foods. @*Results@#Of the 1,728 foods consumed by survey respondents, we extracted 728 Key Foods. These Key Foods explained 94% key nutrient intakes of the subjects. Based on the contribution rate to key nutrient intake, the top 10 Key Foods identified were multigrain rice (5.32%), plain white rice (4.23%), milk (3.3%), cabbage kimchi (2.82%), grilled pork belly (1.56%), apples (1.52%), fried eggs (1.49%), cereal (1.36%), instant coffee mix (1.21%), and sweet potatoes (1.12%). These 10 foods accounted for 23.93% total key nutrient intake of the survey respondents. @*Conclusion@#Seven hundred and twenty-eight foods were extracted and identified as the 2020 Korean Key Foods. These Key Foods can be considered the priority foods to be analyzed for establishing a national nutrient database.

Analysis of the consumer perception and related education effect on the reduction of sugar for elementary school students in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do / 한국영양학회지

Purpose@#This study examined the effects of nutritional education related to sugar in elementary school children on nutritional knowledge, attitude, and dietary behavior. @*Methods@#A questionnaire survey on the knowledge, attitudes, and intake related to sugar was conducted on 572 students in grades 4–5, who were attending five elementary schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. @*Results@#Among the survey subjects, 270 (49.8%) were cognitive in education, and 302 (50.2%) were non-cognitive. The sugar-related knowledge score was 3.67 points in the cognitive education group, which was significantly higher than the 3.55 points in the non-cognitive group. The rate of checking the sugar content in the nutrition label was 31.2% in the cognitive education group, which was significantly higher than in the non-cognitive group, 15.4%. The cognitive education group had a higher intake frequency of unsweetened candy, jelly, and raw fruits, and higher sugar intake of unsweetened bread, white milk, and raw fruits than the non-cognitive group. In the case of the cognitive education group, the total knowledge score showed a positive correlation with the food behavior scores, and a negative correlation with the frequency of purchasing snacks after school, and the average sugar intake per day. In the cognitive education group only, the education of nutrition teachers was analyzed as a factor to reduce the total sugar intake. The cognitive group of sugar education tried to eat foods with a lower sugar content than the non-cognitive group, and nutrition education was an important factor affecting the sugar intake. @*Conclusion@#To reduce the sugar intake of elementary school students, it will be necessary to practice oriented-nutrition education by nutrition teachers continuously. In addition, it is important to develop and disseminate various types of nutrition education materials related to sugar that can be utilized easily by nutrition teachers.

Effect of administration of synbiotics mixture containing Bifidobacterium longum and xylooligosaccharide on fecal microbiota and defecation characteristics in healthy volunteers / 한국영양학회지

Purpose@#The effect of prebiotics intake after administration of a synbiotics mixture (a probiotic, Bifidobacterium longum, and a prebiotic, xylooligosaccharide containing sugar [XOS]) on human intestinal microflora and defecation characteristics was investigated in a randomized controlled trial. @*Methods@#Twenty-five healthy young volunteers (11 males and 14 females) were randomly assigned to 2 groups (BL2XO2 and BL2XO6). The synbiotics mixture was orally administered to both groups for 2 weeks, and the prebiotics were subsequently administered to the BL2XO6 group for 4 additional weeks. The daily dose of the synbiotics mixture comprised 1010 colony-forming unit of Bifidobacterium longum and 10 g of XOS, and during the prebiotics period, the daily dose of prebiotics comprised only 10 g of XOS. The fecal pH, microflora, and defecation characteristics were analyzed at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, 4, and 6. @*Results@#The counts of B. longum and Bifidobacterium spp. in the BL2XO6 group exhibited a steady, increasing trend during the synbiotics and prebiotics periods, whereas those of the BL2XO2 group exhibited considerable variation in each week of the study period. Although there was no significant difference, the counts of fecal Bifidobacterium in the BL2XO6 group tended to be higher than those of the BL2XO2 group at week 6. The growth of Lactobacillus spp. exhibited a time-dependent variation, peaking at week 6 in both groups. Low counts of Clostridium spp. were observed after treatment with the synbiotics and prebiotics in the BL2XO6 group (p < 0.05) throughout the study, whereas the inhibitory effect on Clostridium spp. was maintained only during the synbiotics period in the BL2XO2 group. The defecation characteristics did not differ between the two groups. @*Conclusion@#Administration of XOS after a synbiotics mixture containing B. longum and XOS can exert a prebiotic effect in healthy young volunteers by stimulating Bifidobacteriun spp.growth and inhibiting growth of Clostridium spp.

Study on relationship between caffeine intake level and metabolic syndrome and related diseases in Korean adults: 2013 ~ 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study examined the relationship between caffeine intake and metabolic syndrome in Korean adults using the 2013 ~ 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (KNHANES). METHODS: The caffeine database (DB) developed by Food and Drug Safety Assessment Agency in 2014 was used to estimate the caffeine consumption. The food and beverage consumption of the 24 hr recall data of 2013 ~ 2016 KNHANES were matched to items in the caffeine DB and the daily caffeine intakes of the individuals were calculated. The sample was limited to non-pregnant healthy adults aged 19 years and older, who were not taking any medication for disease treatment. RESULTS: The average daily caffeine intake was 41.97 mg, and the daily intake of caffeine of 97% of the participants was from coffee, teas, soft drinks, and other beverages. Multivariate analysis showed that the caffeine intake did not affect metabolic syndrome, hypertension, low HDL-cholesterol, and abdominal obesity. Diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia, however, were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.63 ~ 0.93), and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.77 ~ 0.98) in third quintile (Q3), and 0.66 (95% CI: 0.53 ~ 0.82) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73 ~ 0.94) in fourth quintile (Q4) compared to Q1, respectively. Therefore, caffeine intake of 3.66 ~ 45.81 mg per day is related to a lower risk of diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia. CONCLUSION: The study showed that adequate caffeine intake (approximately 45 mg) was associated with a lower prevalence of diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia. Therefore, it can be used as a guideline for the adequate level of caffeine intake for maintaining health.

Socioeconomic burden of sugar-sweetened beverages consumption in Korea

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Excessive sugar consumption may increase the risk for development of several diseases. Although average dietary sugar intake of Koreans is within the recommended level, an increasing trend has been found in all age groups. This study aimed to evaluate the population attributable fractions (PAF) to dietary sugar for disease and death in Korea, and to estimate the socioeconomic effects of a reduction in dietary sugar. MATERIALS/METHODS: The prevalence of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) overconsumption (≥ 20 g of sugar from beverages) was analyzed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015. Disease-specific relative risks of excessive SSB consumption were obtained through reviewing previous studies. Using the prevalence of SSB overconsumption and each relative risk, PAFs for morbidity and mortality were calculated. Socioeconomic costs of diseases and death attributable to SSB overconsumption were estimated by using representative data on national medical expenditures, health insurance statistics, employment information, and previous reports. RESULTS: Disease-specific PAF to SSB consumption ranged from 3.11% for stroke to 9.05% for obesity and dental caries, respectively. Costs from disease caused by SSB overconsumption was estimated at 594 billion won in 2015. About 39 billion won was estimated to be from SSB consumption-related deaths, and a total of 633 billion won was predicted to have been saved through preventing SSB overconsumption. CONCLUSIONS: Sugars overconsumption causes considerable public burdens, although the cost estimates do not include any informal expenditure. Information on these socioeconomic effects helps both health professionals and policy makers to create and to implement programs for reducing sugar consumption.

Survey on utilization and demand for national food composition database / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the utilization of a current national Food Composition Database (FCDB) and to investigate demand for nutrients that should be added or supplemented in order to expand the national FCDB. METHODS: Surveys were constructed based on the utilization of FCDB, use of a food and nutrition analysis program, utilization and importance of nutritional ingredients, and nutritional ingredients desired to be supplemented in the national FCDB. Self-administered surveys were obtained from 349 food and nutrition specialists, including dietitians, nutrition teachers, food industry workers, professors, and researcher. RESULTS: Exactly 73.6% of respondents used the FCDB, and 90.5% experienced using various food and nutrition analysis programs. Professors and researchers frequently utilized protein, carbohydrate, and lipid nutrients in the FCDB. Among vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin D were frequently used. Among minerals, sodium and calcium were highly used. Among the subjects, 17.4% of subjects have used phytochemical DB. Carotenoids, anthocyanins, and isoflavones among phytochemicals were frequently used, in that order. Respondents desired an additional data on sugars, vitamin D, folic acid, selenium, iodine, dietary fiber, vitamin B12, and carotenoids in the FCDB. CONCLUSION: The survey results indicate that the current FCDB is actively used for various purposes, although it is necessary to construct a national nutrition database with additional nutrients.

Comparing the effects of intake of sugar containing different levels of D-ribose in sugar on glycemic index and blood glucose response in healthy adults / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: To compare the extent to which three different levels of D-ribose in sugar reduce the glycemic index (GI) and blood glucose response in healthy adults. METHODS: Healthy adults (eight male and six female participants, n = 14) fasted for 14~16 h after eating the same dinner. Participants were then randomized to receive glucose, sucrose, sucrose containing 5% D-ribose (RB5), sucrose containing 10% D-ribose (RB10), or sucrose containing 14% D-ribose (RB14) every week on the same day for 10 weeks (repeating the sample twice). Blood samples were collected by finger prick before and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after starting to eat. RESULTS: We observed a decreased glycemic response to sucrose containing D-ribose. GIs for sucrose, RB5, RB10, and RB14 were 67.39, 67.07, 47.57, and 45.62, respectively. GI values for sucrose and RB5 were similar to those for foods with a medium GI, and GI values for RB10 and RB14 were similar to those for foods with a low GI. The postprandial maximum blood glucose rise (Cmax) with RB14 was the lowest among the test foods. Cmax values for RB10 and RB14 were significantly lower than that for sucrose. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that sucrose containing D-ribose has an acute suppressive effect on GI and Cmax. In addition, D-ribose active elements in sugar may be effective in preventing blood glucose spikes induced by sucrose intake.

Anti-inflammatory effect of lycopene in SW480 human colorectal cancer cells

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Although the antioxidative effects of lycopene are generally known, the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory properties of lycopene are not fully elucidated. This study aimed to examine the role and mechanism of lycopene as an inhibitor of inflammation. METHODS/MATERIALS: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated SW 480 human colorectal cancer cells were treated with 0, 10, 20, and 30 µM lycopene. The MTT assay was performed to determine the effects of lycopene on cell proliferation. Western blotting was performed to observe the expression of inflammation-related proteins, including nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), inhibitor kappa B (IκB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 (p38 MAP kinase). Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to investigate the mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: In cells treated with lycopene and LPS, the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, iNOS, and COX-2 were decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The concentrations of PGE2 and NO decreased according to the lycopene concentration (P < 0.05). The protein expressions of NF-κB and JNK were decreased significantly according to lycopene concertation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Lycopene restrains NF-κB and JNK activation, which causes inflammation, and suppresses the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS in SW480 human colorectal cancer cells.

Effect of xylobiose-sugar mixture on defecation frequency and symptoms in young women with constipation / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of xylobiose-sugar mixture intake on defecation frequency and constipation symptoms in 31 young women with constipation. METHODS: Thirty-one subjects were assigned to two groups, and subjects in each group were administered 10 g of a 7% xylobiose-sugar mixture (Experiment 1: XBS, n = 15) or 10 g of a 7% xylobiose-sugar mixture containing coffee mix (Experiment 2: XBS coffee mix, n = 16) twice per day for 6 weeks. During the study, clinical efficacy was assessed by a daily diary record. The subjects recorded their defecation frequency and fecal characteristics. RESULTS: During pretreatment week, mean defecation frequency of XBS subjects was 2.13 times/week, whereas that of XBS coffee mix subjects was 1.56 times/week. The mean defecation frequencies of XBS and XBS coffee mix subjects increased significantly to 3.73 times/week (p < 0.05) and 3.56 times/week by week 6 (p < 0.05), respectively. After treatment with either XBS or XBS coffee mix, patients presented significant improvements in their amounts of stool, feelings of residual stool leftness, and abdominal pain symptoms (p < 0.05). The total constipation scoring system (CSS) for diagnosing constipation symptoms significantly decreased in the XBS group (10.53 score vs 7.22 score) and in the XBS coffee mix group (10.75 score vs 6.51 score) after 6 weeks. Improvement due to intake of 7% xylobiose-containing sugar seemed to last during the experimental period. CONCLUSION: The addition of approximately 7% xylobiose to commercially available sweeteners has been shown to improve constipation.

Selection of key foods for the systematic management of a food and nutrient composition database

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Food composition databases are necessary for assessing dietary intakes. Developing and maintaining a high quality database is difficult because of the high cost of analyzing nutrient profiles and the recent fast-changing food marketplace. Thus, priorities have to be set for developing and updating the database. We aimed to identify key foods in the Korean diet to set priorities for future analysis of foods. SUBJECTS/METHODS: modified the US Department of Agriculture's key food approach. First, major foods were analyzed, contributing to 75%, 80%, 85%, or 90% of each nutrient intake. Second, the cumulative contributions to nutrient intakes were compared before and after excluding the foods least commonly consumed by individuals. Third, total nutrient score for each food was calculated by summing all percent contributions times 100 for nutrients. To set priorities among the foods in the list, we sorted the score in descending order and then compared total percent contributions of foods, within the 100, 90, 85, 80, and 75 percentiles of the list. Finally, we selected the minimum list of foods contributing to at least 90% of the key nutrient intake as key items for analysis. RESULTS: Among the 1,575 foods consumed by individuals, 456 were selected as key foods. Those foods were chosen as items above the 80 percentile of the total nutrient score, among the foods contributing at least 85% of any nutrient intake. On an average, the selected key foods contributed to more than 90% of key nutrient intake. CONCLUSIONS: In total, 456 foods, contributing at least 90% of the key nutrient intake, were selected as key foods. This approach to select a minimum list of key foods will be helpful for systematically updating and revising food composition databases.

Effect of varying levels of xylobiose in sugar on glycemic index and blood glucose response in healthy adults / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of three different levels of xylobiose containing sucrose on glycemic indices based on oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and blood glucose response in healthy adults. METHODS: Healthy adults (six male and five female participants, n = 11) underwent 14~16 hr of fasting. Subsequently, all participants took 50 g of available carbohydrates from glucose, sucrose containing 7% xylobiose (XB 7), sucrose containing 10% xylobiose (XB 10), or sucrose containing 14% xylobiose (XB 14) every week on the same day for 8 weeks. Finger prick blood was taken before and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after starting to eat. RESULTS: We observed reduction of the glycemic response to sucrose containing xylobiose. The glycemic indices of XB 7, XB 10, and XB 14 were 57.0, 53.6, and 49.7, respectively. The GI values of XB 7 were similar to those of foods with medium GI, and the GI values of XB 10 and XB 14 were similar to those of foods with low GI. The postprandial maximum blood glucose rise (Cmax) of XB 14 was the lowest among the test foods. XB 7, XB 10, and XB 14 showed significantly lower areas under the glucose curve (AUC) for 0~30 min, 0~60 min, 0~90 min and 0~120 min compared to glucose. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that sucrose containing xylobiose has an acute suppressive effect on GI and postprandial maximum blood glucose rise. In addition, levels of xylobiose in sugar may allow more precise assessment of carbohydrate tolerance despite lower glycemic responses in a dose-dependent manner.

Food and nutrient intake status of Korean elderly by degree of cognitive function / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the relationship among cognitive function, nutrition screening initiative (NSI) score, and food intake status. METHODS: A total of 409 subjects aged over 60 years were recruited from the Yongin dementia prevention and control center. Mini Mental State Examination Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS) method was used to assess the cognitive function of the subjects. Information on health related behaviors and food intake was collected by face to face interview using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaires included the NSI DETERMINE checklist, food intake sheets by 24 hr recall method and by semi-quantified food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Subjects were divided into low cognitive or normal groups according to the MMSE-DS result. The prevalence of low cognitive function in the subjects was 25.7%. The low cognitive group exercised less and had higher nutritional health risk than the normal group. The low cognitive group had lower consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acid and higher tendency of thiamin, riboflavin, and iron deficiency. The low cognitive group had less frequency of eating mackerel, pepper, tangerine, and watermelon and higher frequency of eating white rice and cookies than the normal group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study imply that the cognitive function of elderly is related to exercise behavior, nutritional health risk, and food and nutrient intake status.

Effect of xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture on defecation frequency and symptoms in young women with constipation: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of the intake of xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture (XOS) on defecation frequency and symptoms in 56 young women (mean age of 22.1 years old) with constipation. METHODS: Two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, a randomized double-blind study was performed to evaluate the effect of 6 weeks' intake of 10 g sucrose containing 7% xylooligosaccharide or 10 g sucrose on constipation. In experiment 2, 24 g coffee mixture containing 12.8 g plant cream and 11.2 g xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture was consumed by the subjects. During the study, the clinical efficacy was assessed by using a daily diary. The subjects indicated the number of frequencies they defecated in a day and the clinical symptom scores. RESULTS: In experiment 1, the mean frequency of defecations was 2.07 in the pretreatment week and increased significantly to 4.05, 4.42, 4.84, 4.84, and 4.05 in weeks 2 to 6 of XOS intake, in comparison with the 3-3.67 with sucrose intake (sucrose, SUC). In experiment 2, the mean frequency of defecations significantly increased from 2.47 in the pretreatment week to 4.11-5.67 in weeks 1-6 of XOS intake. The occurrence of very loose or loose stools in the XOS group was significantly increased in weeks 5 and 6, compared with the pretreatment week and SUC group. XOS intake significantly alleviated the abdominal displeasure and feeling of residual stool leftness in weeks 2, 3, 5, and 6, while SUC did so in weeks 4 and 6 (p < 0.05). The coffee mixture containing xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture reduced the abdominal displeasure and feeling of residual stool leftness from week 3 until the end of the experiment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture intake was effective, without adverse effects, for the alleviation of constipation in the young women in this study.

Comparing the anti-inflammatory effect of nanoencapsulated lycopene and lycopene on RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: We developed a method to load lycopene into maltodextrin and cyclodextrin in an attempt to overcome the poor bioavailability and improve the anti-inflammatory effect of this polyphenol METHODS: Nanosized lycopenes were encapsulated into biodegradable amphiphillic cyclodextrin and maltodextrin molecules prepared using a high pressure homogenizer at 15,000~25,000 psi. Cell damage was induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in a mouse macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. The cells were subjected to various doses of free lycopene (FL) and nanoencapsulated lycopene (NEL). RT-PCR was used to quantify the tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxigenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA levels, while ELISA was used to determine the protein levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6. RESULTS: NEL significantly reduced the mRNA expression of IL-6 and IL-1beta at the highest dose, while not in cells treated with FL. In addition, NEL treatment caused a significant reduction in IL-6 and TNF-alpha protein levels, compared to cells treated with a similar dose of FL. In addition, mRNA expression of iNOS and COX-2 enzyme in the activated macrophages was more efficiently suppressed by NEL than by FL. CONCLUSION: Overall, our results suggest that lycopene is a potential inflammation reducing agent and nanoencapsulation of lycopene can further improve its anti-inflammatory effect during tissue-damaging inflammatory conditions.

Effect of different levels of xylooligosaccharide in sugar on glycemic index and blood glucose response in healthy adults / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of sucrose containing 2 different levels of xylooligosaccharide on the glycemic index (GI) and blood glucose response in healthy adults. METHODS: Healthy adults (4 male participants and 6 female participants, n = 10) were randomized to receive glucose, sucrose, sucrose containing 7% xylooligosaccharide active elements (Xylo 7), or sucrose containing 10% xylooligosaccharide active elements (Xylo 10). Each participant was administrated one of these materials once a week for 8 weeks and an oral glucose tolerance test was performed. RESULTS: We found a reduction in the glycemic response to sucrose that included xylooligosaccharide active elements (Xylo 7 and Xylo 10). The glycemic indices of sucrose, Xylo 7 and Xylo 10 were 68.9, 54.7, and 52.5, respectively. The GI values of Xylo 7 and Xylo 10 were similar to that of foods with low GI. The percentage reduction of GI value caused by sucrose containing xylooligosaccharide active elements was significantly different and dose-dependent as compared to that caused by sucrose alone (p < 0.05). The reduction in the glycemic response to Xylo 7 and Xylo 10 was 21% and 24%, respectively, as compared to the glycemic response to sucrose. The attenuation of the glycemic response to Xylo 10 tended to be higher than that for Xylo 7 when the percentage of body fat was increased. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that xylooligosaccharide active elements may be effective in protecting humans against overconsumption of sucrose.

Fermented soybeans by Rhizopus oligosporus reduce femoral bone loss in ovariectomized rats

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Soy isoflavones are structurally similar to estrogen and bind to estrogen receptors, suggesting that they exhibit estrogenic activities; therefore, they are referred to as phytoestrogens. Fermentation may affect the bioavailability of isoflavones altering soy isoflavone glycosides in the form of aglycones. Thus, this study investigated the effects of fermented soybeans by Rhizopus oligosporus on bone metabolism in both young rats as a pilot test and in ovariectomized (ovx) old rats as a model of menopause. MATERIALS/METHODS: In the pilot test, a total of 24 seven-week-old female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed one of three diets for a period of four weeks: casein, unfermented soybean product, or fermented soybean product by R. oligosporus. In the ovx rat model, 20-week-old SD rats weighing 260-290 g underwent either sham-operation (n = 10) or bilateral ovariectomy (n = 30) and were then fed the AIN-93M diet for one week. Thereafter, rats were fed sham-casein, ovx-casein, ovx-soybean, or ovx-fermented soybean diet for five weeks. After decapitation, femoral bones were isolated and preserved in 9% formalin for assessment of bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), and bone-breaking strength (BBS). RESULTS: Ovx rats showed significantly increased weight gain and decreased uterine wet weight. Of particular interest, ovx rats fed fermented soybeans showed increased uterine wet weights compared to control rats. Fermented soybean diet caused a significant increase in plasma 17-beta estradiol concentrations in young rats, and 17-beta estradiol levels were enhanced in ovx rats to match those of sham-operated ones. Significantly lower femoral BMD and BMC were observed in ovx rats compared to sham-operated controls, whereas bone areas did not differ statistically among the groups. In addition, BBS tended to be increased in ovx rats fed soybeans and fermented soybeans. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation of fermented soybeans could have preventive and therapeutic effects against osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Effect of green tea extract microencapsulation on hypertriglyceridemia and cardiovascular tissues in high fructose-fed rats

The application of polyphenols has attracted great interest in the field of functional foods and nutraceuticals due to their potential health benefits in humans. However, the effectiveness of polyphenols depends on their bioactivity and bioavailability. In the present study, the bioactive component from green tea extract (GTE) was administrated orally (50 mg/kg body weight/day) as free or in a microencapsulated form with maltodextrin in rats fed a high fructose diet. High fructose diet induced features of metabolic syndrome including hypertriglyceridemia, hyperuricemia, increased serum total cholesterol, and retroperitoneal obesity. In addition, myocardial fibrosis was increased. In rats receiving high fructose diet, the lowering of blood triglycerides, total cholesterol, non esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and uric acid, as well as the reduction in final body weight and retroperitoneal fat weight associated with the administration of GTE, led to a reversal of the features of metabolic syndrome (P < 0.05). In particular, the administration of microencapsulated GTE decreased myocardial fibrosis and increased liver catalase activity consistent with a further alleviation of serum NEFA, and hyperuricemia compared to administration of GTE. Taken together, our results suggest that microencapsulation of the bioactive components of GTE might have a protective effect on cardiovasucular system by attenuating the adverse features of myocardial fibrosis, decreasing uric acid levels and increasing hepatic catalase activity effectively by protecting their bioactivities.

Perception of environment-friendly foods and satisfaction with school meals among students, their parents, and nutrition teachers at elementary schools in the Jindo area, Jeonnam / 한국영양학회지

The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of students, their parents, and nutrition teachers regarding environment-friendly foods (EFF) and the satisfaction with school meals at elementary schools. Questionnaires were sent to nutrition teachers at five elementary schools located in the Jindo area, Jeonnam province, and were distributed to students and their parents. A total of 351 questionnaires from students and 334 from parents were collected from March to April, 2013. In addition, 43 nutrition teachers/dietitians working at elementary schools in the Jindo area responded to questionnaires. Nutrition teachers primarily recognized the classification and certification standards of EFF, and verified the certification mark of EFF when they purchased foods. However, 13.4% of students and 38.6% of parents replied as 'know well' regarding the classification and certification standards of EFF and they verified the mark of EFF less often than the nutrition teachers (p < 0.001). Most of the nutrition teachers and parents indicated 'safety' as the main advantage of EFF. The students and parents were satisfied with EFF at home and school meals because of the safety and favorable effect on health. The results showed that EFF compromised 20~40% of monthly food costs for 51.1% of nutrition teachers. The overall score for satisfaction with school meals for students was 3.88 based on a 5-point Likert scale; however, that of the parents was 3.72. The nutrition teachers realized that the parents were more interested in EFF and satisfied with EFF than the students. The major barriers to using EFF in school meals were 'lack of information about EFF' and 'unstable supply.' Therefore, the above results suggested that there should be improvement in the supply of EFF to include more EFF in school meals and efforts should be made to provide students and parents with more information for understanding EFF.

A comparison of anti-inflammatory activities of green tea and grapefruit seed extract with those of microencapsulated extracts

We compared the effects of grapefruit seed extract (GFSE), green tea extract (GT) and their microencapsulated extract on anti-inflammatory activities in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages cell line. In order to protect the bioactive compounds in the extracts, they were microencapsulated with maltodextrin and H2O. Nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression and thiobarbiturate reactive substances (TBARS) were analyzed in LPS activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The green tea extract at the range of 100-600 microg/mL inhibited NO, PGE2 production and iNOS protein expression without cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. Grapefruit seed extract had strong inhibitory effects on NO and PGE production and iNOS protein expression at the range of 5-20 microg/mL without cytotoxicity. Microencapsulation of green tea extract had further inhibitory effects on NO and PGE2 production and on iNOS protein expression, whereas microencapsulated GFSE did not show any further inhibitory effects on these parameters. Taken together, our results suggest that GSFE might be a promising candidate for preventing inflammation related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer or diabetes, and the microencapsulation of green tea extract could improve its bioactivity.

The antihypertensive effect of ethyl acetate extract of radish leaves in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is a cruciferous vegetable, and its leaves have antioxidant and anticancer properties. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of ethyl acetate extracts from radish leaves on hypertension in 11-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The SHRs were randomly divided into 3 groups of 6 rats each on the basis of initial systolic blood pressure (SBP) and were treated with oral administration of radish leaf extract (0, 30, or 90 mg/kg body weight [bw], respectively) for 5 weeks. Six Wistar rats were used as normotensive controls. The amount of the radish leaf extract had no effect on body weight. The SBP of the SHRs showed a decreasing trend with the consumption of the radish leaf extract. In the third week, the SBP of the group fed 90 mg extract/kg bw reduced from 214 mmHg to 166 mmHg and was significantly lower than that of the normotensive and hypertensive controls. The extract did not show a significant effect on the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in the serum, kidney, and lung. The extract increased the concentration of NO in serum and the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase and catalase in red blood cells (RBCs). The serum concentrations of Na+ and K+ were not significantly different between all groups. However, the fecal concentrations of Na+ and K+ increased; the fecal concentrations of Na+ and K+ for the normotensive and hypertensive controls were not different. Urinary excretion of Na+ was higher in the normotensive Wistar rats than in the SHRs, while that of K+ was not significantly different. These findings indicate that consumption of radish leaves might have had antihypertensive effects in SHRs by increasing the serum concentration of NO and fecal concentration of Na+ and enhancing antioxidant activities.