A low-fat yoghurt supplemented with a rooster comb extract on muscle joint function in adults with mild knee pain: a randomized, double blind, parallel, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of efficacy.

Preliminary results suggested that oral-administration of rooster comb extract (RCE) rich in hyaluronic acid (HA) was associated with improved muscle strength. Following these promising results, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of low-fat yoghurt supplemented with RCE rich in HA on muscle function in adults with mild knee pain; a symptom of early osteoarthritis. Participants (n = 40) received low-fat yoghurt (125 mL d(-1)) supplemented with 80 mg d(-1) of RCE and the placebo group (n = 40) consumed the same yoghurt without the RCE, in a randomized, controlled, double-blind, parallel trial over 12 weeks. Using an isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex System 4), RCE consumption, compared to control, increased the affected knee peak torque, total work and mean power at 180° s(-1), at least 11% in men (p < 0.05) with no differences in women. No dietary differences were noted. These results suggest that long-term consumption of low-fat yoghurt supplemented with RCE could be a dietary tool to improve muscle strength in men, associated with possible clinical significance. However, further studies are needed to elucidate reasons for these sex difference responses observed, and may provide further insight into muscle function.

Human dietary exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances in Catalonia, Spain. Temporal trend.

In this study, we assessed the levels of 18 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the most widely consumed foodstuffs in Catalonia, Spain, as well as the total dietary intake of these compounds. Forty food items were analysed. Only perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), perfluorohexadecanoic acid (PFHxDA) and perfluorooctanoicdecanoic acid (PFOcDA) were not detected in any sample. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the compound found in the highest number of samples (33 out of 80), followed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (PFDS). Fish and shellfish was the food group in which more PFASs were detected and where the highest PFAS concentrations were found. The highest dietary intakes corresponded to children, followed by male seniors, with values of 1787 and 1466ng/day, respectively. For any of the age/gender groups of the population, the Tolerable Daily Intakes (TDIs) recommended by the EFSA were not exceeded. In general terms, PFAS levels found in the current study are lower than the concentrations recently reported in other countries.

Human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using data from a duplicate diet study in Catalonia, Spain.

In this study, the dietary intake of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by the population of Tarragona County (Catalonia, Spain) was assessed using the duplicate diet approach. Duplicate diet samples, prepared as per consumption, were collected during September 2010 in various restaurants offering a variety of daily menus (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). For analysis of PAHs, a total of 90 composite samples were prepared. Analytical procedure of PAHs was performed by means of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Intake calculations were made for the standard male adult population. The highest intakes corresponded to acenaphthylene (12.7 µg/day), acenaphthene (12.4 µg/day), and fluorene (11.9 µg/day), while the lowest intake corresponded to dibenz[a,h]anthracene (0.12 µg/day), being also comparatively low those of pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene+benzo[j]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[ghi]perylene (0.13 µg/day in all cases). The results were compared with data from previous total diet studies (TDS) recently performed in the same geographical area. In the present study, the estimated mean dietary intake for a standard male adult living in Catalonia was 59.2 µg/day, a value notably higher than that found in our recent TDS (6.72 µg/day). However, it is essential to remark that important methodological differences exist between both surveys, reflecting that calculation methods should be similar when the purpose is to compare results from different surveys. In general terms, we conclude that for PAHs, duplicate diet studies may be a good alternative to total diet studies, especially when there are important economical limitations to perform a suitable TDS. The costs associated to the former may be notably lower, as they do not require such an extensive number of samples for chemical analysis. Moreover, a duplicate diet approach may even be more realistic, as cooked foodstuffs are used for dietary exposure assessment.

Human exposure to arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead from foods in Catalonia, Spain: temporal trend.

The main purpose of this study was to establish the temporal trend in the daily dietary intake of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) by the population of Catalonia, Spain. Concentrations of these elements were determined in samples of a number of food items widely consumed in that country. The dietary intake of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb was then estimated for various age-gender groups of population: children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. In the present study, the dietary intakes of As, inorganic As, Cd, Hg, methylmercury, and Pb were 328.37, 16.22, 19.47, 11.39, 10.25, and 101.47 µg/day, respectively, while in a previous (2006) survey, the dietary intakes of As, inorganic As, Cd, Hg, methylmercury, and Pb were 261.01, 33.17, 9.80, 12.61, 11.35, and 45.13 µg/day, respectively. The estimated intakes of Cd, Hg, and Pb are still notably lower than the respective PTWIs, while that of inorganic As is also lower than its BMDL(01). In summary, the results of this study indicate that, currently, the dietary intakes of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb should not mean additional health risks for the consumers.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in foods and estimated PAH intake by the population of Catalonia, Spain: Temporal trend.

The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were determined in various foodstuffs randomly purchased in Catalonia (Spain) during November and December of 2008. Dietary intake of PAH was subsequently estimated according to age and sex for the general population of Catalonia. The current results were compared with those of previous studies performed in 2000 and 2006. The highest PAH levels corresponded to phenanthrene (18.18 microg/kg), naphthalene (13.31 microg/kg), and pyrene (8.46 microg/kg), whereas the lowest concentrations were those of dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (0.89 microg/kg), indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene (0.94 microg/kg), and benzo[k]fluoranthene (1.00 microg/kg). With respect to the contribution of total carcinogenic PAH, benzo[a]pyrene contributed 47.77% or 48.22%, depending on the TEF value used. By food groups, the current highest levels of total PAH were detected in meat and meat products (38.99 microg/kg), followed by oils and fats (18.75 microg/kg), and dairy products (7.57 microg/kg). The highest contribution to PAH dietary intake corresponded to the group of meat and meat products (4.75 microg/day). The estimated mean dietary intake for a standard male adult (70-kg body weight) was 6.72 microg/day, a lower value than those found in our 2000 (8.42 microg/day), and 2006 surveys (12.04 microg/day). With regard to the results of other recent studies, the current PAH concentrations were comparatively lower.