Do GC/MS methods available for furan and alkylfurans in food provide comparable results? - An interlaboratory study and safety assessment of 2-pentylfuran in food.

A call for data on the occurrence of alkylfurans in food and feed from EFSA triggered the development of new methods to cover next to furan also 2- and 3-methylfuran, 2,5-dimethyl- and 2-ethylfuran as well as 2-pentylfuran. A significant variability was noticed when comparing analysis of 2-pentylfuran and furans in the same matrix performed by different laboratories. To assess the variability an interlaboratory study including eight laboratories was organised. The highest variabilities were observed when analysing cereals, with measurements of 2-pentylfuran indicating concentrations from 8 mg/kg up to more than 1000 mg/kg in the same sample. This study illustrates that the analysis of 2-pentylfuran requires special attention, and that additional method development would be necessary to ensure reliable and reproducible determination of 2-pentylfuran at contamination level. Moreover, a recent evaluation of the EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings indicates that concerns for genotoxicity, reason why it was grouped with the shorter alkylfurans, are now ruled out. We question the need and justification to include 2-pentylfuran in the analytical method as requested by EFSA, from both the analytical and the safety perspective.

The Longevity Protein Klotho: A Promising Tool to Monitor Lifestyle Improvements.

Aging is not a disease; it is a natural evolution of human physiology. Medical advances have extended our life expectancy, but chronic diseases and geriatric syndrome continue to affect the increasingly aging population. Yet modern medicine perpetuates an approach based on treatment rather than prevention and education. In order to help solve this ever-growing problem, a new discipline has emerged: lifestyle medicine. Nutrition, physical activity, stress management, restorative sleep, social connection, and avoidance of risky substances are the pillars on which lifestyle medicine is founded. The aim of this discipline is to increase healthspan and reduce the duration of morbidity by making changes to our lifestyle. In this review, we propose the use of klotho protein as a novel biomarker for lifestyle medicine in order to quantify and monitor the health status of individuals, as no integrative tool currently exists.

Interlaboratory Study to Evaluate a Testing Protocol for the Safety of Food Packaging Coatings.

According to European regulations, migration from food packaging must be safe. However, currently, there is no consensus on how to evaluate its safety, especially for non-intentionally added substances (NIAS). The intensive and laborious approach, involving identification and then quantification of all migrating substances followed by a toxicological evaluation, is not practical or feasible. In alignment with the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) and the European Union (EU) guidelines on packaging materials, efforts are focused on combining data from analytics, bioassays and in silico toxicology approaches for the risk assessment of packaging materials. Advancement of non-targeted screening approaches using both analytical methods and in vitro bioassays is key. A protocol was developed for the chemical and biological screening of migrants from coated metal packaging materials. This protocol includes guidance on sample preparation, migrant simulation, chemical analysis using liquid chromatography (LC-MS) and validated bioassays covering endocrine activity, genotoxicity and metabolism-related targets. An inter-laboratory study was set-up to evaluate the consistency in biological activity and analytical results generated between three independent laboratories applying the developed protocol and guidance. Coated packaging metal panels were used in this case study. In general, the inter-laboratory chemical analysis and bioassay results displayed acceptable consistency between laboratories, but technical differences led to different data interpretations (e.g., cytotoxicity, cell passages, chemical analysis). The study observations with the greatest impact on the quality of the data and ultimately resulting in discrepancies in the results are given and suggestions for improvement of the protocol are made (e.g., sample preparation, chemical analysis approaches). Finally, there was agreement on the need for an aligned protocol to be utilized by qualified laboratories for chemical and biological analyses, following best practices and guidance for packaging safety assessment of intentionally added substances (IAS) and NIAS to avoid inconsistency in data and the final interpretation.

Evaluation of a strategy for difficult embryo transfers from a prospective series of 2,046 transfers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate an embryo transfer strategy for difficult transfers (DiTs). DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized, observational, cohort study. SETTING: A hospital fertility center in France. PATIENTS: Data were collected on all embryo transfers conducted using the strategy between February 2014 and February 2020. INTERVENTIONS: Anatomical characteristics that could cause DiT were identified by transvaginal ultrasound and the catheter was adapted accordingly. Transfer was guided by transvaginal ultrasound. After passage through the cervix, a rest period was introduced to allow any contractions to stop before embryo deposition in the uterus. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary criterion was the percentage of pregnancies per transfer (P/T) after an easy transfer (EaT) or a DiT. The secondary criteria included the anatomical causes of DiT and the patients' levels of discomfort. RESULTS: Of 2,046 transfers, 257 (12%) were DiTs: minor difficulties (n = 152; 7.4%), major difficulties (n = 96; 4.7%), very significant difficulties (n = 7; 0.3%), or impossible (n = 2; 0.1%). The most common causes of DiTs were endocervical crypts (54%), tortuous cervical canal (36%), and marked uterine anteversions (30%). Several causes were often responsible for DiTs. There was no statistically significant difference in the P/T between the EaTs (n = 1,789, 41%) and all degrees of DiT (n = 257, 37%). In addition, there was no statistically significant difference between the level of patient-reported discomfort in the EaT and DiT groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that an adapted embryo transfer strategy, monitored by transvaginal ultrasound, led to similar pregnancy rates regardless of whether the transfer was easy or difficult.

Whey Versus Casein as a Protein Source during the Weaning Period: Impact on Growth and Later Adiposity and Glucose Homeostasis in a Rat Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction.

The impact of early life protein source (whey vs. casein) on short- and long-term glucose homeostasis and adiposity is unknown and was investigated in this study. At the end of the suckling period, non-IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) and IUGR pups were separated from dams and were randomized into four groups. From age 21-49 days, non-IUGR and IUGR pups were fed ad-libitum chow or a semi-synthetic diet (20% from protein; casein or whey) and from age 50-199 days, all groups were fed ad-libitum chow. Food intake, body composition, glucose, and insulin homeostasis were assessed. Among the chow groups, IUGR had slower growth and higher fasting glucose at age 42 days, as well as higher fasting and AUC glucose at age 192 days relative to non-IUGR. The whey IUGR group had a slower growth rate and higher fasting glycemia in early life (age 21-49 days) and higher HOMA-IR later in life (age 120-122 and 190-192 days) relative to casein IUGR. This study shows the potential advantage of casein relative to whey during weaning on short term energy intake, growth, and glucose homeostasis in an IUGR model and reveals, for the first time, its long term impact on insulin sensitivity, which may have implications for later metabolic health, particularly in small-for-gestational-age populations at risk of type 2 diabetes.

Mineral oil hydrocarbons in foods: is the data reliable?

The contamination of foods with mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) is a serious concern, requiring in most cases tedious mitigation measures that span across the whole food supply chain. A major issue today is the significant variability of the results generated by laboratories. This study was therefore designed to achieve a deeper insight into the analytical procedures used by commercial laboratories, identifying possible gaps and suggesting improvements that will enhance the reliability of the MOH data, an important prerequisite for risk assessment. In total six different food matrices, i.e. infant formula (IF), cocoa butter, cocoa powder, biscuits, fruit-based baby food containing biscuit and roast and ground coffee were subjected to comparative inter-laboratory studies, as well as one vegetable oil analysed within the frame of a professionally conducted proficiency test. The results indicate that on some matrices with possibly low amounts of MOH contamination, the current methodologies cannot reliably conclude whether or not a food sample is indeed contaminated with mineral oils (<10 mg/kg food). Urgently needed are: (i) an aligned and fully validated sample preparation strategy tested on a range of different food matrices; (ii) a confirmation of positive flame ionisation detection (FID) results by confirmatory methods such as mass spectrometry - in line with the CEN Standard and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) Guidance Document, (iii) a more detailed root-cause analysis in the reports of laboratories through the use of mineral oil markers, and (iv) a fully validated official method for the concerned foods with a limit of application <10 mg/kg food.

A Rapid Chemiluminescence Assay for Measurement of Folate in Small Volumes of Breast Milk.

Early life exposure to folate has long lasting effects on development and health. Newborns obtain part of their folate from maternal milk. Studies on health effects of milk folate require rapid, affordable and reliable measurements in large numbers of samples from cohort studies. Recently, a competitive chemiluminescence assay for quantification of folate has become available for automated diagnostic measurement of folate in human serum or plasma. We tested if this method ("FOLA" from Siemens Healthcare) could also be used for human milk. To minimize interference and matrix effects, samples had to be skimmed, diluted seven times with demineralized water, and heated for 5 min at 90 °C. Folate could thus be measured in a linear range between 8.4 and 111.7 nM, with recoveries for the most relevant form, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MeTHF), of 96%-107%. Results were comparable to those with a recently validated Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry method (Y = 0.998X - 0.2; R2 = 0.807). The FOLA method was subsequently used for samples from the LIFE Child cohort in Germany, providing first data of breast milk folate in this country (range: 6.2-100.7 nM). This technique could indeed prove useful for large cohorts with multiple samplings.

Stability study of veterinary drugs in standard solutions for LC-MS/MS screening in food.

A study on stability of veterinary drugs in standard solutions stored at -80°C and at -20°C was conducted over 1 year. Data were acquired on 152 individual stock standard solutions and also on 15 family mixes and 2 working standard solutions. All solutions were prepared, stored and compared 1 year later against freshly prepared ones by LC-MS/MS. A statistical analysis was performed to set the acceptability criteria, taking into account the variability of standard preparations. In individual stock standard solutions stored at -80°C (12 months) and -20°C (9 months), stability was demonstrated for 141 and 140 out of 152 compounds, i.e. for 92% and 93% of compounds, respectively. Drugs were even more stable when solubilised in either diluted family mixes or working standard solutions, with more than 99% and 94% of compounds found unaltered when stored at -80°C and at -20°C, respectively. In mixes, beta-lactams from the cephalosporin (cefadroxil and cephalexin) and penicillin (amoxicillin and ampicillin) families were found to be the least stable compounds when stored at -20°C (6 months), necessitating storage at -80°C to achieve a 1-year shelf life. The study also evidenced solubility issues for two sulfonamides (sulfadiazine and sulfamerazine) in methanol-based solutions. An independent stability study conducted by a second laboratory confirmed the 1-year stability of 3 family mixes-quinolones, sulfonamides and tetracyclines.

Validation of test portion pooling for Salmonella spp. detection in foods.

Pathogen monitoring programs play a crucial role in the verification of the effectiveness of implemented hygiene control measures. Sampling and testing procedures included in pathogen monitoring involve the analysis of multiple test portions where all samples must be negative for the presence of pathogens for a certain test portion size. Many food safety programs require increased testing due to the risks that a pathogen may be present. Analyzing more than one test portion could prove to be expensive and labor intensive. When more than one test portion for a specified food item is to be tested, the test portions could be combined to form a pooled test portion to reduce laboratory workload, costs of reagents and further confirmatory steps, but only when evidence is available that pooling does not affect on the number of false negative results for different matrices. This study has been performed to demonstrate the equivalence of test portion pooling for Salmonella detection with five different methods using cultural, ELISA and Real Time PCR technologies. Twenty-three (23) different food items including confectionary products, meal components, infant formula, pet food and powdered beverages were validated. Other complementary parameters like impact of minimum and maximum incubation time for pre-enrichment, temperature profile, pH and Salmonella concentration after the pre-enrichment and background flora have also been considered in the study. The results showed that pooling test portions up to 375g for Salmonella detection is valid for the methods that were tested. Relative level of detection (RLOD50) values for 22 of the food items tested were acceptable (i.e. lower than 2.5) when comparing the reference sample size (25g) against the alternative pooled sample size (375g), provided the enrichment broth was pre-warmed and maximum incubation time is respected.

Determination of Labeled Fatty Acids Content in Milk Products, Infant Formula, and Adult/Pediatric Nutritional Formula by Capillary Gas Chromatography: Collaborative Study, Final Action 2012.13.

A collaborative study was conducted on AOAC First Action Method 2012.13 "Determination of Labeled Fatty Acids Content in Milk Products and Infant Formula by Capillary Gas Chromatography," which is based on an initial International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-International Dairy Federation (IDF) New Work Item that has been moved forward to ISO 16958:2015|IDF 231:2015 in November 2015. It was decided to merge the two activities after the agreement signed between ISO and AOAC in June 2012 to develop common standards and to avoid duplicate work. The collaborative study was performed after having provided highly satisfactory single-laboratory validation results [Golay, P.A., & Dong, Y. (2015) J. AOAC Int. 98, 1679-1696] that exceeded the performance criteria defined in AOAC Standard Method Performance Requirement (SMPR(®)) 2012.011 (September 29, 2012) on 12 products selected by the AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula (SPIFAN). After a qualification period of 1 month, 18 laboratories participated in the fatty acids analysis of 12 different samples in duplicate. Six samples were selected to meet AOAC SPIFAN requirements (i.e., infant formula and adult nutritionals in powder and liquid formats), and the other Six samples were selected to meet ISO-IDF requirements (i.e., dairy products such as milk powder, liquid milk, cream, butter, infant formula with milk, and cheese). The fatty acids were analyzed directly in all samples without preliminary fat extraction, except in one sample (cheese). Powdered samples were analyzed after dissolution (i.e., reconstitution) in water, whereas liquid samples (or extracted fat) were analyzed directly. After addition of the internal standards solution [C11:0 fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and C13:0 triacylglycerols (TAG)] to the samples, fatty acids attached to lipids were transformed into FAMEs by direct transesterification using methanolic sodium methoxide. FAMEs were separated using highly polar capillary GLC and were identified by comparison with the retention times of pure analytical standards. Quantification of fatty acids was done relative to C11:0 FAME as internal standard and to instrument response factors (determined separately using calibration standards mixture). The performance of the method (i.e., transesterification) was monitored in all samples using the second internal standard, C13:0 TAG. RSDR values were summarized separately for labeled fatty acids in SPIFAN materials and ISO-IDF materials due to different expression of results. This method was applied to representative dairy, infant formula, and adult/pediatric nutritional products and demonstrated global acceptable reproducibility precision for all fatty acids analyzed (i.e., 46 individuals and/or groups) for these categories of products.

Proximal occlusion of hydrosalpinges by Essure(®) before assisted reproduction techniques: a French survey.

OBJECTIVES: To study the feasibility and results (live-birth and complication rates) of placement of Essure(®) microinserts before assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment of women with hydrosalpinx when laparoscopy should be avoided. Study design National survey of 45 French hospital centres providing ART reporting a retrospective analysis of 43 women with unilateral or bilateral hydrosalpinges and Essure(®) placement. The results of the following ART cycle were studied for 54 embryo transfers. RESULTS: The placement success rate reached 92.8% (65/70 tubes), and the mean number of visible intrauterine coils was 1.61 (range: 0-6). Pyosalpinx occurred in one case, and expulsion of the device into the uterus in two others. Of 43 women, 29 (67.4%) had a total of 54 fresh or frozen embryos transferred. The clinical pregnancy rate was 40.7% (22/54) and the live-birth rate 25.9% (14/54). The implantation rate was 29.3% (27/92). CONCLUSION: Essure(®) placement is an effective method for occlusion of hydrosalpinges before IVF. Monitoring the live-birth rate confirms that this option is the strongest in cases when laparoscopy is impossible or contraindicated.

Vitamin E and vitamin E acetate absorption from self-assembly systems under pancreas insufficiency conditions.

We determined the bioavailability of vitamin E from self-assembly structures in patients with diagnosed chronic pancreas insufficiency. Vitamin E solubilized in dispersed inverted bicontinuous cubic phase and in micellar formulation was delivered directly to the small intestine by tube-feeding. A cross-over study with randomization of 6 subjects and 2 treatments including a combined dose of 18 mg (27 IU) of vitamin E (RRR-[5,7-methyl-((2)H6)]-α-tocopherol) and 27 mg (27 IU) vitamin E acetate (RRR-[5-methyl-(2)H3]-α-tocopheryl acetate) was applied over a time period of 1 h. Plasma samples were collected for 56 h and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Appearance of labeled tocopherols originating from the treatment started at 25 h and reached Cmax (0.6-4.6 µM depending on subject) in the 7-9 h window. From the Tmax onwards, both forms of tocopherols diminished slowly to 30-50% of their maxima within 56 h. Strong inter-individual variation was observed in the plasma appearance curves (relative standard deviation varied between 38-45%). No significant discrimination was found between the absorption of free or acetylated forms of deuterated α-tocopherol confirming that application of acetylated α-tocopherol provides the same bioavailability as free α-tocopherol. This observation is valid in both dispersed inverted bicontinuous cubic phase and micellar formulations. Furthermore, since the area-under-the-curve values from cubic phase and from micellar formulations are similar, the cubic phase formulation could represent an alternative delivery system for lipophilic micronutrients in conditions or studies where polysorbate-based micelles cannot be generated.

Comparison of two oral probiotic preparations in a randomized crossover trial highlights a potentially beneficial effect of Lactobacillus paracasei NCC2461 in patients with allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: There is promising but conflicting evidence to recommend the addition of probiotics to foods for prevention and treatment of allergy. Based on previous studies with fermented milk containing Lactobacillus paracasei NCC2461, we aimed to compare the effect of a powder form of the latter probiotic with the effect of a blend of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC SD5221 and Bifidobacterium lactis ATCC SD5219 in patients with allergic rhinitis. METHODS: A double-blind, randomized, cross-over study, involving 31 adults with allergic rhinitis to grass pollen, was performed outside the grass pollen season (registration number: NCT01233154). Subjects received each product for 4-weeks in two phases separated by a wash-out period of 6 to 8 weeks. A nasal provocation test was performed before and after each 4-week product intake period, and outcome parameters (objective and subjective clinical symptoms; immune parameters) were measured during and/or 24 hours after the test. RESULTS: Out of the 31 subject enrolled, 28 completed the study. While no effect was observed on nasal congestion (primary outcome), treatment with NCC2461 significantly decreased nasal pruritus (determined by VAS), and leukocytes in nasal fluid samples, enhanced IL-5, IL-13 and IL-10 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in an allergen specific manner and tended to decrease IL-5 secretion in nasal fluid, in contrast to treatment with the blend of L. acidophilus and B. lactis. CONCLUSIONS: Despite short-term consumption, NCC2461 was able to reduce subjective nasal pruritus while not affecting nasal congestion in adults suffering from grass pollen allergic rhinitis. The associated decrease in nasal fluid leukocytes and IL-5 secretion, and the enhanced IL-10 secretion in an allergen specific manner may partly explain the decrease in nasal pruritus. However, somewhat unexpected systemic immune changes were also noted. These data support the study of NCC2461 consumption in a seasonal clinical trial to further demonstrate its potentially beneficial effect.

Benefits of structured and free monoacylglycerols to deliver eicosapentaenoic (EPA) in a model of lipid malabsorption.

In the present study, we used a preclinical model of induced lipolytic enzyme insufficiency, and hypothesized that the use of monoacylglycerols (MAG) will enhance their bioavailability and delivery to the tissues. Experimental diets containing 20% lipids were fed to rats for 21 days with or without Orlistat. The control diet of fish oil (FO), a source of EPA and DHA, was tested against: structured (A) vanillin acetal of sn-2 MAG (Vanil + O) and (B) diacetyl derivative of sn-2 MAG (Acetyl + O) and (C) free MAG (MAG + O). FA profiles with an emphasis on EPA and DHA levels were determined in plasma, red blood cells (RBC), liver, spleen, brain and retina. We observed significant reduction of lipid absorption when rats co-consumed Orlistat. As expected, the FO groups with and without Orlistat showed the biggest difference. The Vanil + O, Acetyl + O and MAG + O groups, demonstrated higher levels of EPA (5.5 ± 1.9, 4.6 ± 1.6 and 5.6 ± 0.6, respectively) in RBC compared with FO + O diets (3.3 ± 0.2, 2.6 ± 0.2). Levels of EPA incorporation, in plasma, were similar to those obtained for RBC, and similar trends were observed for the collected tissues and even with DHA levels. These observations with two MAG derivatives providing the fatty acid esterified in the sn-2 position, show that these molecules are efficient vehicles of EPA in malabsorption conditions which is in line with our hypothesis. Free MAG, characterized as having exclusively sn-1(3) isomers of EPA, demonstrated better absorption efficiencies and accretion to tissues when compared to structured MAG. The study demonstrated that structured and free MAG can be used efficiently as an enteral vehicle to supply bioactive fatty acids such as EPA and DHA in lipid malabsorption where diminished lipolytic activity is the underlying cause.

Immunomodulatory effects of dietary supplementation with a milk-based wolfberry formulation in healthy elderly: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Wolfberry (fruit of Lycium barbarum) has been prized for many years in China for its immunomodulatory property and its high specific antioxidant content. However, clear clinical evidence demonstrating the effect of wolfberry dietary supplementation is still lacking. After our earlier report showing that a proprietary milk-based wolfberry formulation (Lacto-Wolfberry) enhances in vivo antigen-specific adaptive immune responses in aged mice, the present study aimed at demonstrating the effect of dietary Lacto-Wolfberry supplementation on immune functions in the elderly, especially vaccine response known to decline with aging. A 3-month randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 150 healthy community-dwelling Chinese elderly (65-70 years old) supplemented with Lacto-Wolfberry or placebo (13.7 grams/day). Immune response to influenza vaccine was assessed in the study, along with inflammatory and physical status. No serious adverse reactions were reported during the trial, neither symptoms of influenza-like infection. No changes in body weight and blood pressure, blood chemistry or cells composition, as well as autoantibodies levels were observed. The subjects receiving Lacto-Wolfberry had significantly higher postvaccination serum influenza-specific immunoglobulin G levels and seroconversion rate, between days 30 and 90, compared with the placebo group. The postvaccination positive rate was greater in the Lacto-Wolfberry group compared to the placebo group, but did not reach statistical significance. Lacto-Wolfberry supplementation had no significant effect on delayed-type hypersensitivity response and inflammatory markers. In conclusion, long-term dietary supplementation with Lacto-Wolfberry in elderly subjects enhances their capacity to respond to antigenic challenge without overaffecting their immune system, supporting a contribution to reinforcing immune defense in this population.

The guinea pig as a model for metabolic programming of adiposity.

BACKGROUND: The human infant accumulates body fat during intrauterine life. The guinea pig shares this characteristic and is born with similar adiposity; thus, it may be a relevant model to study obesity programming. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate guinea pig adipose tissue (AT) development and the effect of a maternal high-fat diet on the offspring's body composition. DESIGN: In experiment 1, adipogenesis dynamics were evaluated at 3, 10, 21, and 136 d in epididymal and retroperitoneal AT with the use of (2)H(2)O labeling. In experiment 2, dams received a control or high-fat diet from mating to 21 d after delivery. The offspring received a high-fat diet from 22 to 105 d; adiposity was measured at 2, 21, 54, and 97 d. RESULTS: The fractional proliferation rate (FPR) of cells in epididymal AT was 25.2% of cells synthesized in 5 d at 3 d of age and decreased over time (P < 0.001). Age had no effect on retroperitoneal FPR (P = 0.179). In both depots, the fractional synthesis rate (FSR) of palmitate decreased extensively from day 3 to day 10, increasing by day 21 and declining by day 136 (P < 0.001). The FSR of triglycerides decreased with age (P < 0.001). A maternal high-fat diet increased the offspring's adiposity at 2 d and 21 d (P < 0.05) but had no effect on body composition later in life. CONCLUSIONS: Adipogenesis in the guinea pig is very active during early life and was altered by a maternal high-fat diet; thus, it is an adequate model for intrauterine fat deposition. However, there were no effects of maternal diet later in life.

Promoting the "3Rs" principle in developmental biology with early and convenient diagnosis of pregnancy in mice.

The 3Rs stand for Replacement of animals in experiments, Reduction in the number of experimental animals, and Refinement of experiments to minimize animal pain and stress. We propose to address Reduction and Refinement in the use of mice as experimental models in developmental research. This study focuses on the maternal percentage of weight increase at gestational day 8 (%WI(GD8)) to diagnose pregnancy early in BALB/c mice. We documented sensitivity, specificity, false positive and negative rates and probability of pregnancy associated with %WI(GD8). This predictive model of pregnancy allows for significant reduction in the number of mice to be sacrificed in developmental research. Reported observations and literature suggest that this model is independent of litter size and should be applicable to other mice strains. This procedure allows mice pregnancy detection before midgestation and proposes an ethically sound approach to experimental animal use by optimizing the number of mice used and refining animal manipulation.

The fat:carbohydrate energy ratio of the weaning diet programs later susceptibility to obesity in male sprague dawley rats.

Dietary fat intake, which is high during suckling, is markedly reduced when food and drinks are introduced into the diet. We investigated whether alterations in the fat:carbohydrate (CHO) content of the weaning diet influenced the later development of adiposity and insulin sensitivity. Three groups of male rats (24/group) were fed from age 16-37 d (phase I) with weaning diets varying in their fat:CHO energy (E) ratios, 10:70 low-fat, high-CHO (LFHC); 30:50 medium-fat, medium-CHO (MFMC), and 60:30 high-fat, high-CHO (HFLC), on an isocaloric basis. Then, all groups consumed ad libitum first a low-fat diet (13% fat E) for 30 wk (phase II) and subsequently a high-fat diet (45% fat E) for another 18 wk (phase III). At the end of phase I, the group fed the HFLC diet demonstrated higher plasma glucose and insulin responses to an oral glucose tolerance test (P < 0.05), but this effect was transient and did not persist into adulthood (phases II and III). By contrast, when challenged with a high-fat diet later in life (age 35.3-53.3 wk), the LFHC group had greater gains in weight (as percent initial weight) and body fat (as absolute and percent body weight) than the other 2 groups that had been weaned with diets higher in fat (P < 0.04 for all). These results provide evidence that metabolic programming by altering the dietary fat:CHO ratio can occur during the weaning period and emphasizes the importance of the fat:CHO ratio of the complementary diet and its relation to the susceptibility to develop adiposity later in life.

Plasma appearance and correlation between coffee and green tea metabolites in human subjects.

Coffee and green tea are two of the most widely consumed hot beverages in the world. Their respective bioavailability has been studied separately, but absorption of their respective bioactive phenolics has not been compared. In a randomised cross-over design, nine healthy subjects drank instant coffee and green tea. Blood samples were collected over 12 h and at 24 h to assess return to baseline. After green tea consumption, (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) was the major catechin, appearing rapidly in the plasma; (-)-EGC gallate (EGCg) and (-)-epicatechin (EC) were also present, but (-)-EC gallate and C were not detected. Dihydroferulic acid and dihydrocaffeic acid were the major metabolites that appeared after coffee consumption with a long time needed to reach maximum plasma concentration, suggesting metabolism and absorption in the colon. Other phenolic acid equivalents (caffeic acid (CA), ferulic acid (FA) and isoferulic acid (iFA)) were detected earlier, and they peaked at lower concentrations. Summations of the plasma area under the curves (AUC) for the measured metabolites showed 1.7-fold more coffee-derived phenolic acids than green tea-derived catechins (P = 0.0014). Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between coffee metabolites based on AUC. Inter-individual differences were observed, but individuals with a high level of CA also showed a correspondingly high level of FA. However, no such correlation was observed between the tea catechins and coffee phenolic acids. Correlation between AUC and maximum plasma concentration was also significant for CA, FA and iFA and for EGCg. This implies that the mechanisms of absorption for these two classes of compounds are different, and that a high absorber of phenolic acids is not necessarily a high absorber of catechins.