Detailed faecal fat analysis using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: Exploring the possibilities.

OBJECTIVES: Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic determination of faecal fat is a simple and elegant alternative for the classical Van De Kamer approach. Besides quantification of the total amount of fat, analysis of the lipase hydrolysis efficiency (fatty acid/triglyceride ratio), fatty acid chain length and trans-unsaturated fatty acids could provide a better monitoring of dietary treatment. DESIGN AND METHODS: Stool samples (26 routine samples and 36 cystic fibrosis patients) were analysed with the Perkin Elmer Spectrum Two® spectrometer (3500-450cm-1). Fatty acid/triglyceride ratio was calculated using the absorbance ratio at 2855:1746cm-1. To estimate lipase hydrolysis efficiency, sample ratios were compared with the ratio of butter and pure free fatty acids. Mean fatty acid chain length was calculated using the absorbance ratio at 2855:1709cm-1. The absorbance at 966cm-1 was used to trace the presence of trans-type unsaturated fatty acids. RESULTS: Butter showed a low fatty acid/triglyceride ratio (1.21) and pure free fatty acids a high fatty acid/triglyceride ratio (6.76). Mean fatty acid/triglyceride ratio of routine stool samples was 4.16±1.01. The applicability of fatty acid/triglyceride ratios was also tested in cystic fibrosis patients under treatment with a mean of 4.92±0.98. Relative absorbance contribution per carbon atom was 0.06 (ratio 1.06 for C18 standard, 0.91 for C16 standard). The mean ratio of the stool samples was 1.12 (mean acyl chain length of C19), with values ranging from 0.73 (C12) to 1.68 (C28). The presence of traceable amounts of trans-unsaturated fatty acids was also demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: For the analysis of faecal material, FTIR provides unique information, difficult to obtain using other techniques. These findings offer perspectives for diet monitoring in patients with (non-)pancreatic malabsorption.

Characterization of oils and fats by 1H NMR and GC/MS fingerprinting: classification, prediction and detection of adulteration.

The correct identification of oils and fats is important to consumers from both commercial and health perspectives. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) fingerprinting and chemometrics were employed successfully for the quality control of oils and fats. Principal component analysis (PCA) of both techniques showed group clustering of 14 types of oils and fats. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) using GC/MS data had excellent classification sensitivity and specificity compared to models using NMR data. Depending on the availability of the instruments, data from either technique can effectively be applied for the establishment of an oils and fats database to identify unknown samples. Partial least squares (PLS) models were successfully established for the detection of as low as 5% of lard and beef tallow spiked into canola oil, thus illustrating possible applications in Islamic and Jewish countries.

The effect of a mixture of dairy-based feed ingredients, vegetable fats, and yeast cell walls on performance and innate immunity of weaned piglets.

Positive effects of yeast concentrate on immunity and performance of weaned piglets have been reported. However, the effects on innate immunity were not examined. Natural antibodies (NAb) are part of innate immunity and have been related to health and survival in fish, poultry, rodents, and man. Yeast cell walls may also affect innate immunity of weaned piglets. We studied the effect of Nuklospray ProHealth containing a spray dried blend of dairy-based feed ingredients, vegetable fats, and processed yeast cell walls as protein source on NAb levels and performance of weaned piglets. A total of 120 piglets weaned at 28 d of age were assigned 2 treatments comprising a control diet and an experimental diet with the test product. Piglets were housed in groups of 6 during the first 4 weeks after weaning. Blood samples of 20 healthy nonmedicated piglets per treatment were taken at days 0, 14, and 28 after weaning and analyzed for NAb levels binding keyhole limpet hemocyanin by an indirect ELISA procedure. Performance parameters also were determined. Overall, the experimental diet tended to improve feed intake (574 vs. 522 g/d; P < 0.1), ADG (449 vs. 412 g/d; P < 0.1), and final BW (21.4 vs. 20.3 kg; P = 0.08) compared to the control diet. No differences were found in feed conversion ratio or fecal score. At day 0, no differences in NAb levels were found, but on day 14 after weaning, NAb levels of piglets fed the experimental diet were significantly higher than of piglets fed the control diet (2.05 vs. 1.70; P < 0.05). On day 28 after weaning no differences were found. These results indicate that day 14 postweaning levels of NAb as a parameter of innate immunity were improved and indicate a tendency for improvement of postweaning performance of piglets fed diets supplemented with Nuklospray ProHealth.

Fat intake and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

The varied effects of different classes of dietary fatty acids on carcinogenesis suggest that fatty acid composition is an important determining factor in tumor development. In the present study, we investigated the association between dietary n-3 and n-6 fatty acid intake and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (SCC). Data were taken from a population-based case-control study of skin SCC in Southeastern Arizona. Our data show a consistent tendency for a lower risk of SCC with higher intakes of n-3 fatty acids [p (for trend) = 0.055]. The adjusted odds ratios for increasing levels of n-3 fatty acids were 0.85 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.56-1.27] and 0.71 (95% CI = 0.49-1.00) compared with the lower level as the referent. For the ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty acids, the odds ratios in successively higher levels were 0.88 (95% CI = 0.59-1.32) and 0.74 (95% CI = 0.51-1.05), suggesting a tendency toward decreased risk of SCC with increased intake of diets with high ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty acid. More studies are clearly needed to elucidate the function of dietary fatty acids so that recommendations can be made to alter the human diet for cancer prevention, particularly in light of the increasing incidence of SCC of the skin.

Utilizacao de medidas antropometricas para a determinacao da distribuicao de gordura corporal / Anthropometric measures using to determine body fat distribution

Esse estudo tem por objetivo descrever os metodos antropometricos que indicam a distribuicao de gordura corporal,uma vez que a mesma esta associada a disturbios metabolicos e a doencas cardiacas.O metodo mais comum e a relacao das medidas de circunferencia de cintura e quadril(CC/Q).Por sua vez,a medida de circunferencia de cintura)tronco)nao possui um unico local de mensuracao entre os autores consultados,demosntrando a necessidade de padronizar sua aplicacao.De acordo com os estudos apresentados,para a medida da regiao do tronco,e aditado com maior frequencia o pnto medio entre a ultima costela e a crista iliaca ou o ponto em nivel da cicatriz umbilical.Ambas regioes fornecem local de facil identificacao e tambem podem melhor representar a quantidade de tecido adiposo visceral,enquanto que para a regiao de quadril,o ponto de referencia situado na maior extensao das nadegas e adotado pela grande maioria dos pesquisadores.as medidas de espessura de dobras cutaneas(EDC)tambem sao uteis na determinacao da distribuicao de gordura corporal,no entento e necessario estabelecer os grupos de medidas que melhor a representa.Mesmo demonstrando menor interesse quando comparao com a relacao CC/Q,verifica-se que as medidas de EDC de tronco mais empregadas sao a asubescapular(SB),suprailiaca)S) e abdominal(AB)enquanto as mediadas de extremidades foram triceps(TR),biceps(BC)e perna medial(PM)

Development of a supercritical fluid extraction method for determination of lipid classes and total fat in meats and its comparison with conventional methods.

A method has been developed for the determination of total fat and lipid classes in meat using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The results agreed well with results from the conventional Bligh and Dyer and Schmid, Bondzynski and Ratzlaff extraction methods. SFE has advantages compared to the latter methods of a low consumption of hazardous organic solvents and shorter extraction time. After investigation of several different conditions, the most rapid extraction was achieved by adding 1 ml of cyclohexane to a 0.5-g sample mixed with 1 g Hydromatrix in a 7-ml thimble. The optimized SFE parameters were: 370 bar, 50 degrees C, 8% ethanol modifier, 4 ml/min dynamic flow for 30 min and collection with a tube leading to a vial.

Clasificacion y rendimiento de la canal de bovinos Nelore y Holstein / Classification and value of Nelora and Holstein bovines

Con el objeto de conocer los resultados de la clasificacion y rendimiento a la canal en bovinos Nelore y Holstein se realizo el engorde intensivo de 20 animales en Okinawa II (CETABOL). De esto se seleccionaron 5 de cada raza, la clasificacion in-vivo se realizo en los corrales del matadero FRIDOSA, la tipificacion de las canales se hizo en la sala de oreo, tanto la clasificacion in vivo como la tipificacion de las canales se hizo el sistema de clasificacion de Montgomery, las cuales son excelente, superior, selecto y comercial; los animales del grupo Nelore se clasificaron como superior, el grupo Holstein como selecto. El rendimiento promedio de las carcasas para el grupo Nelore fue del 57,5 por ciento, 54,1 por ciento para el grupo Holstein (P<0,05). Despues de cinco horas de oreo las canales fueron introducidas a la camara frigorifica a 4oC. por un tiempo de veinticuatro horas, las perdidas por enfriamiento dieron una media de 0,10 por ciento en el grupo Nelore y 0,09 por ciento en el grupo Holstein.

The new food label, type of fat, and consumer choice. A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine how frequently lay consumers evaluate both the front label of a product package and other nutritional information on the back label of the package; whether the nutritional descriptors on the front label that concern fat affect consumer choice; to what degree information on the back label redirects this choice; and how well consumers understand the percent daily value on the new food label. DESIGN: Preliminary cross-sectional survey. SETTING: General community and university setting. PARTICIPANTS: Volunteer sample of 200 men and women. METHODS/RESULTS: Participants were first asked to choose between two fabricated cookie packages, one with a "low fat" and the other with a "no saturated fat" front label. Eighty-four percent of participants made their product choice without turning the package to view the back label. Thirty-six percent chose the product with the low fat front label, while 64% chose the product with the no saturated fat front label. In contrast, when respondents were subsequently presented with two cake products that contained no front-label descriptors (which resulted in 100% of subjects turning the package to view the back label), 53% chose the product with a label indicating 6 g of total fat (none saturated), while 47% chose the product with a label indicating 4 g of total fat (all saturated). Thirty-two of the 94 respondents who chose the no saturated fat cookie (only viewing the front label and giving fat content as the reason for their choice) chose a cake product in which the fat was all saturated, based on back-label nutrition information. Finally, 56% of participants could not accurately use the new percent daily value component to calculate saturated fat content. CONCLUSIONS: The data from this pilot study suggest that consumers make product choices based on only viewing the front-label information; health claims on the front label that are related to fat do affect product choice; a choice made based on the information on the front label is potentially altered once the back label is viewed; and approximately one half of our population could not clearly understand the percent daily value. We conclude that current consumer choice may be overly influenced by industry-directed claims placed on the front of a product package.