Characterization of texturized meat analogues containing native lupin flour and lupin protein concentrate/isolate.

Lupin is a nutritious, yet undervalued grain used as a fodder and food crop. In the present study, native lupin flour (LF), lupin protein concentrate (LPC), and lupin protein isolate (LPI) were combined (70% LPI:LPC blend ratios [30:70, 50:50, and 70:30] and 30% LF constant fraction), extruded at high moisture (45-55%), and shaped with a long cooling die (800 mm) to obtain texturized meat analogues (TMAs) with fibrous structures. The characteristics of TMAs (e.g., hardness, water hydration capacity) depended heavily on water content, blend ratios (LPI:LPC), and to a lesser extent, the long cooling die temperature. Color changes (i.e., L*, b*) were mostly attributed to variations in blend ratios (LPI:LPC). Microstructure analysis showed that TMAs with higher water content (55%) were more likely to have thinner walls and smaller void thickness. Fluorescence imagery revealed that TMAs with lower LPI content presented more homogeneous structures. These findings show that reasonable amounts (30% d.m.) of native lupin flour can be incorporated into meat analogues by maintaining a sufficiently high protein content (>50% d.m.) to trigger the formation of fibrous structures.

Functionality of oat fiber concentrate and faba bean protein concentrate in plant-based substitutes for minced meat.

Oat has been recognized for its health-promoting fiber, ß-glucan, while protein-rich faba bean has remained underutilized in Nordic countries despite its good nutritional quality. This research investigated the functionality of oat fiber concentrate and faba bean protein concentrate in plant-based substitutes for minced meat (SMs). The resulting product aimed at mimicking the mechanical and physicochemical characteristics of beef minced meat (BM) and its applications (i.e., fried and burger patty). In this regard, the mechanical properties (e.g., chewiness, Young's modulus) of original/fried SMs were comparable to or higher than those of original/fried BM. SM patties (45% SMs) were structurally weaker than beef burger patties (100% BM). The rheological analysis showed that the presence of oat fiber concentrate increased the gel-like properties of the blend, which correlated with the overall strength of original SMs (e.g., Young's modulus). The results suggested that SMs could be used as BM for the preparation of vegetarian meat-like products.

FDG-PET and MRI in the Evolution of New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: New-onset refractory status epilepticus is a clinical condition characterized by acute and prolonged pharmacoresistant seizures without a pre-existing relevant neurologic disorder, prior epilepsy, or clear structural, toxic, or metabolic cause. New-onset refractory status epilepticus is often associated with antineuronal antibodies and may respond to early immunosuppressive therapy, reflecting an inflammatory element of the condition. FDG-PET is a useful diagnostic tool in inflammatory and noninflammatory encephalitis. We report here FDG-PET findings in new-onset refractory status epilepticus and their correlation to disease activity, other imaging findings, and outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients who met the criteria for new-onset refractory status epilepticus and who had FDG-PET and MR imaging scans and electroencephalography at a single academic medical center between 2008 and 2017 were retrospectively identified. Images were independently reviewed by 2 radiologists specialized in nuclear imaging. Clinical characteristics and outcome measures were collected through chart review. RESULTS: Twelve patients underwent 21 FDG-PET scans and 50 MR imaging scans. Nine (75%) patients were positive for autoantibodies. All patients had identifiable abnormalities on the initial FDG-PET in the form of hypermetabolism (83%) and/or hypometabolism (42%). Eight (67%) had medial temporal involvement. All patients (n = 3) with N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor antibodies had profound bilateral occipital hypometabolism. Initial MR imaging findings were normal in 6 (50%) patients. Most patients had some degree of persistent hyper- (73%) or hypometabolism (45%) after immunosuppressive therapy. FDG-PET hypometabolism was predictive of poor outcome (mRS 4-6) at hospital discharge (P = .028). CONCLUSIONS: Both FDG-PET hypometabolism and hypermetabolism are seen in the setting of new-onset refractory status epilepticus and may represent markers of disease activity.

Production of folate in oat bran fermentation by yeasts isolated from barley and diverse foods.

AIMS: The focus of the research was to identify yeasts from barley kernels in order to study their folate production capability while maintaining high viscosity caused by soluble fibres in oat bran fermentation. METHODS AND RESULTS: The 65 isolated yeasts were characterized by API carbohydrate utilization tests, and assays for extracellular enzyme activities were the following: amylase, beta-glucanase, cellulase or CMCase, lipase, protease and xylanase. Yeasts were identified by partial DNA sequencing of the 25S D1/D2 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 regions. They belonged to the genera Aureobasidium, Cryptococcus, Pseudozyma and Rhodotorula. Folate production was determined from supernatant and cells grown in a rich laboratory medium or directly from oat bran solution inoculated with the appropriate yeast. Food yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida milleri, Kluyveromyces marxianus and Galactomyces geotrichum, were used for comparison. Most of the yeasts isolated from barley destroyed the solid, viscous structure of the oat bran solution, indicating that they degraded the viscosity-generating soluble fibres, considered to be nutritionally advantageous. The best folate producers were S. cerevisiae, followed by Pseudozyma sp., Rhodotorula glutinis and K. marxianus. The yeasts maintaining high viscosity were used together with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Streptococcus thermophilus or Lactobacillus rhamnosus to ferment oat bran solution. None of the yeasts isolated from barley, contrary to S. cerevisiae and C. milleri, produced together with LAB significant amounts of folate. CONCLUSIONS: Fermentative yeasts together with LAB are potential for use in developing novel high folate content healthy foods and snacks from oat bran. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: High soluble fibre content and high natural folate content but low energy content food and snack products with pleasant fermentation aroma provide possibilities for new developments in the food industry.

Oxidation of oat ß-glucan in aqueous solutions during processing.

The study investigated carbonyl group formation along the chain and the chain cleavage of cereal ß-glucan during heat treatments, high pressure homogenisation, cold storage and ascorbic acid treatment of aqueous solutions of this soluble dietary fibre. The carbonyl group content and its distribution along the chain were simultaneously determined with the chain cleavage using a HPSEC/labelling method, originally developed for water-insoluble cellulose. Ascorbic acid treatment resulted in a relatively high degree of carbonyl content and extensive degradation of ß-glucan, even in concentrations typically found in foods. The thermal oxidation of the ß-glucan was considerable at 120°C in a ß-glucan solution with co-extracted compounds from oat ingredient, and in the highly purified solutions in presence of ferrous ions. Oxidation also probably contributed to the molecular properties during high pressure homogenisation, even thou the main degradation mechanism is the hydrolysis caused by mechanical energy. In addition to the cleavage of the ß-glucan chain, the formation of compact, high molar mass species or molecule clusters were obtained in the study after ascorbic acid, heat (120°C) and homogenisation treatments.

The effect of beta-glucan on the glycemic and insulin index.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of oat products with increasing beta-glucan content on the glycemic (GI) and insulin indexes (II) of oat products, and to establish the effect of physical properties of beta-glucan on these physiological responses. DESIGN: Test group (n=10) randomly attended to three glucose tolerance tests and glycemic response tests for four oat bran products. SETTINGS: Functional Foods Forum and the Department of Food Chemistry, University of Turku, and the Department of Food Technology, University of Helsinki. SUBJECTS: One male and nine female volunteers were recruited from university students and staff, and all completed the study. INTERVENTIONS: GI and II of different products were calculated for each subject using the average of parallel glucose tolerance tests and the subsequent glycemic/insulinemic responses for each product. Average indexes for products were calculated according to the individual data. RESULTS: The glycemic responses to oat products with increasing amounts of beta-glucan had lower peak values than the reference glucose load. The amount of extractable beta-glucan had a high correlation between the glycemic and insulinemic response. CONCLUSION: In addition to the total amount of beta-glucan in oat products, the amount of extractable beta-glucan in oat products explains the magnitude of the decrease in glycemic responses to carbohydrate products.

Comparison of EORTC quality of life core questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-C30) and gastrointestinal quality of life index (GIQLI) in patients undergoing elective colorectal cancer resection.

BACKGROUND: EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaires and GIQLI questionnaires are used to evaluate post-operative quality of life (QoL). It was not clear whether results of both instruments are comparable. Therefore, the level of agreement between both QoL questionnaires was evaluated in patients undergoing elective colorectal cancer resection. METHODS: Pre-operatively, 7 and 30 days after surgery 116 patients answered the EORTC-QLQ-C-30 and the GIQLI questionnaires in random order. Individual questions with similar content from each questionnaire were compared. Data for global QoL, physical (PF), emotional (EF) and social function (SF) were linearly transformed to fit a scale from 0 to 100. Data from the two instruments were correlated and the level of agreement between them was calculated according to the method of Bland and Altman. RESULTS: A total of 308 data sets [(pre-op. n=116; 7th pod n=101; 30th post-operative day (pod) n=91)] were evaluated. Both instruments detected a reversible reduction of QoL after surgery and gave inferior results for patients with conditions known to impair QoL. EORTC-QLQ-C30 was more sensitive than GIQLI. The correlation between the two questionnaires for global QoL, PF and EF was good ( r=0.53-0.66, p<0.01), but no correlation for SF was detected ( r=-0.44, p=0.44). Linearly transformed scores from the two instruments differed considerably from -13 (95%CI -51 to 24) points (QoL) to 10 (-38 to 58) points (PF). CONCLUSION: Although EORTC-QLQ-C30 scores and GIQLI scores from patients undergoing elective colorectal cancer surgery did correlate well, the level of agreement between the two instruments was quite low. Perioperative QoL data from the two instruments cannot be compared with each other.