Increasing the folate content of tuber based foods using potentially probiotic lactic acid bacteria.

It is known that certain lactic acid bacterial (LAB) strains can produce folates, a B-group vitamin that cannot be synthesized by humans and must be exogenously obtained. The aim of this study was to select folate-producing LAB and evaluate their probiotic characteristics in order to obtain a tuber-based food with elevated folate content. Several LAB strains were isolated from a traditional Andean fermented potato product tocosh and cultured in folate-free culture medium. Five folate-producing strains (29-138 ng/mL) were selected to ferment three Andean tubers (potato S. tuberosum spp. andigena, oca Oxalis tuberosa and papalisa Ullucus tuberosus). Sterile purees were inoculated and samples were collected at 0, 6 and 24 h of fermentation and after 28 days of cold storage. Cell growth, pH and total folate were determined. All selected strains were able to grow and produce folates in the substrates and two Lactobacillus sakei strains, CRL 2209 and CRL 2210, produced the highest folate concentrations (730-1484 ng/g after 24 h fermentation). These strains were selected to ferment potato substrates supplemented with amaranth (Amaranthus caudathus) and chia (Salvia hispanica) flour to increase the nutritional value. This addition increased folate synthesis in 89-95%. Furthermore, the ability to survive under simulated gastrointestinal conditions was evaluated and cell counts of the 5 strains remained above the recommended for a probiotic candidate (8.0 log CFU/mL). In conclusion, the selected LAB could be considered potentially probiotic strains and could be used to produce novel tuber based products with elevated folate concentrations. These products could also be used as novel food matrixes for the delivery of probiotic microorganisms.

Dietary nutritional profile and phenolic compounds consumption in school children of highlands of Argentine Northwest.

The objective of this work was to assess dietary patterns and consumption of phenolic compounds from fruits and vegetables byschoolchildren of high altitude regions from northwest of Argentina. A nutritional survey including food-frequency consumption, 24-h dietary recall and anthropometric measurements was applied to 241 children from 6 to 12years old. The amounts of the different classes of phenolic compounds were established from Food Composition Tables available in phenol-explorer website. Statistics analyses were performed using IBM SPSS 20.0. Nutritional status assessment showed underweight (2.2%), low weight (12.7%), overweight (12.7%) and obesity (7.4%). Mean intake of phenolic compounds was 412mg/day. Most consumed foods were infusions and sugar products, consumption of vegetables, fruits and dairy products were low compared to recommendations for this age. Considering that polyphenols have protective health effects, its low consumption could be a risk of development of chronic non communicable diseases.

Nutritional improvement of corn pasta-like product with broad bean (Vicia faba) and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa).

In this study, the nutritional quality of pasta-like product (spaghetti-type), made with corn (Zea mays) flour enriched with 30% broad bean (Vicia faba) flour and 20% of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) flour, was determined. Proximate chemical composition and iron, zinc and dietary fiber were determined. A biological assay was performed to assess the protein value using net protein utilization (NPU), true digestibility (TD) and protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS). Iron and zinc availability were estimated by measuring dialyzable mineral fraction (%Da) resulting from in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Nutritionally improved, gluten-free spaghetti (NIS) showed significantly increased NPU and decreased TD compared with a non-enriched control sample. One NIS-portion supplied 10-20% of recommended fiber daily intake. Addition of quinoa flour had a positive effect on the FeDa% as did broad bean flour on ZnDa%. EDTA increased Fe- and ZnDa% in all NIS-products, but it also impaired sensorial quality.

Validation of a sampling plan to generate food composition data.

A methodology to develop systematic plans for food sampling was proposed. Long life whole and skimmed milk, and sunflower oil were selected to validate the methodology in Argentina. Fatty acid profile in all foods, proximal composition, and calcium's content in milk were determined with AOAC methods. The number of samples (n) was calculated applying Cochran's formula with variation coefficients ⩽12% and an estimate error (r) maximum permissible ⩽5% for calcium content in milks and unsaturated fatty acids in oil. n were 9, 11 and 21 for long life whole and skimmed milk, and sunflower oil respectively. Sample units were randomly collected from production sites and sent to labs. Calculated r with experimental data was ⩽10%, indicating high accuracy in the determination of analyte content of greater variability and reliability of the proposed sampling plan. The methodology is an adequate and useful tool to develop sampling plans for food composition analysis.

Prevalence and determinants of the dual burden of malnutrition at the household level in Puna and Quebrada of Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to identify households in which overweight and underweight coexisted (dual burden of malnutrition) and explore the factors that could be contributing to the dual burden of malnutrition at the household level in this population. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional nutritional survey. METHODS: After applying the exclusion criteria, 136 households were included. Mothers were classified as normal weight or overweight/obese based on body mass index (BMI) cut-off points and children and adolescents were classified as stunted or not based on height-for-age z-score. Households with an obese mother and a stunted children or adolescent were categorized as dual burden households. RESULTS: The prevalence of dual burden household was 12%. Compared with other households, dual burden households tended to have more people living in the house, and the educational level of the head of household was lower. Individuals living in dual burden households showed overall lower energy intakes and were more likely to have inadequate intakes of calcium and iron. CONCLUSIONS: The nutrition transition in this community might be one of the leading causes of the observed dual burden of malnutrition. The results presented here indicate the need to consider whether programs that focus on only one type of nutritional problem come might actually exacerbate the other.

El objetivo del presente estudio fue identificar los hogares en los que coexisten el sobrepeso y bajo peso (doble carga de malnutrición) y explorar los factores que podrían contribuir a la doble carga de malnutrición en los hogares de esta población. Después de aplicar los criterios de exclusión, se incluyeron 136 hogares. Las madres fueron clasificadas como de peso normal o con sobrepeso/ obesidad basado en puntos de corte del índice de masa corporal (IMC), los niños y adolescentes fueron clasificados según z­score de la talla para la edad, si tenían o no retraso en el crecimiento (Stunted). Los hogares con una madre obesa y niños o adolescentes con retraso en el crecimiento fueron clasificados como hogares de doble carga. La prevalencia de hogares con doble carga fue del 12 %. En comparación con los otros hogares, en los hogares con doble carga de malnutrición habitan un mayor número de personas en la casa, y el nivel de educación del jefe de familia fue menor. Las personas que viven en hogares de doble carga mostraron ingestas de energía global más bajas y eran más propensos a tener una ingesta insuficiente de calcio y hierro. Una de las principales causas de la doble carga de malnutrición observada en esta comunidad podría ser la transición nutricional. Los resultados presentados aquí indican la necesidad de considerar a los programas que se centran en un solo tipo de problema nutricional y que en realidad podrían exacerbar el otro.

Effect of extrusion conditions on physicochemical and sensorial properties of corn-broad beans (Vicia faba) spaghetti type pasta.

Corn-broad bean spaghetti type pasta was made with a corn/broad bean flour blend in a 70:30 ratio, through an extrusion-cooking process (Brabender 10 DN single-screw extruder with a 3:1 compression ratio). The effect of temperature (T=80, 90 and 100°C) and moisture (M=28%, 31% and 34%) on the extrusion responses (specific consumption of mechanical energy and pressure) and the quality of this pasta-like product (expansion, cooking-related losses, water absorption, firmness and stickiness) was assessed. The structural changes of starch were studied by means of DSC and XRD. The extrusion-cooking process, at M=28% and T=100°C, is appropriate to obtain corn-broad bean spaghetti-type pasta with high protein and dietary fibre content and adequate quality. The cooking characteristics and resistance to overcooking depended on the degree of gelatinisation and formation of amylose-lipid complexes. The critical gelatinisation point was 46.55%; beyond that point, the quality of the product declines.

Folate content and retention in selected raw and processed foods / Contenido de folatos y retención en determinados alimentos crudos y procesados

Adequate intake of folate reduced the risk of abnormalities in early embryonic brain development such as the risk of malformations of the embryonic brain/spinal cord, collectively referred to as neural tube defects (NTDs). Folate is extremely sensitive to destruction by heat, oxidation and UV light. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of different extraction procedures and enzymatic treatment to determine folate concentrations in variety of foods using a microbiological assay (MA) with Lactobacillus rhamnosus as the test organism. This study also aimed to evaluate the retention of folate in foods after using different cooking processes. Nine of the most commonly consumed foods in Argentina and that contain folate were analyzed: broccoli, spinach, potato, lentil, soy (raw and boiled); hen whole egg and yolks (raw, boiled and fried); beef liver (raw and cooked); strawberry (raw) and white bread. For this study, rat plasma (RP) and human plasma (HP) conjugases together with acetate and phosphate buffers were tested. In extraction step for all analyses, RP conjugase was selected since it was easily available in our laboratory and small quantities were required. The acetate buffer was chosen since better growth and more reproducible results were obtained in the different conditions assayed. The results allowed the foods to be grouped into a) rich sources of folate: hen eggs, yolks, spinach, soybean (raw) and strawberry (100 and 350mg/100g fresh weight (FW); b) good sources of folate: broccoli (raw), soybean (boiled), lentils (raw) and potato (56 to 83mg/100g FW) and c) moderate sources of folate: broccoli, lentils (boiled), white breads, onions and beef liver (15 to 30mg/100g FW). The folate retention was in the range 14-99% according to both type of food and method of processing. Contents and losses of folate vary widely according to type of food and cooking method.

La ingesta adecuada de folatos reduce el riesgo de las anormalidades en el desarrollo temprano del cerebro embrionario, tales como el riego de malformaciones en el cerebro/médula espinal, conocidas en conjunto como defectos del tubo neural (NTDs). Los folatos son extremadamente sensibles al tratamiento con calor, la oxidación y la luz UV. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el uso de diferentes procedimientos de extracción y de tratamientos enzimáticos para determinar el contenido de folato en distintos alimentos empleando un método microbiológico que utiliza el microorganismo Lactobacillus rhamnosus. En este trabajo se evaluó también la retención de folatos en alimentos sometidos a diferentes procesos de cocción. Se analizaron 9 de los alimentos que contienen folatos y más comúnmente consumidos en Argentina: brócoli, espinaca, papa, lente ja, soja (crudos y cocidos): huevo entero de gallina y yema (crudo, hervido y frito). Bife de hígado vacuno (crudo y cocido); frutillas (crudas) y pan: blanco. Se probó para este estudio conjugasas de plasma de rata (PR) y de plasma humano (PH) conjuntamente con buffers fosfato y acetato. En la extracción para todos los análisis se escogió la conjugasa de PR por ser accesible para nuestro laboratorio y por que se utiliza en pequeñas cantidades. El buffer acetato fue elegido debido a que se obtuvo resultados más reproducibles y un mejor crecimiento en las diferentes condiciones ensayadas. Los resultados permitieron agrupar los alimentos en: a) fuente rica de folatos: huevo y su yema, espinaca, soja (cruda) y frutilla (100 a 350mg/100g peso fresco); b) fuente buena de folatos: brócoli (crudo), soja (hervidas), lentejas (cruda) y papa (cruda y hervida) (56 a 83mg/100g peso fresco) y c) fuente moderada de folatos: brócoli y lentejas (hervidos), bife de hígado, pan blanco y cebollas (15 a 30mg/100g peso fresco). La retención de folato estuvo en el rango de 14-99% de acuerdo al tipo de alimento y el método de procesado. El contenido de folato y sus perdidas fueron muy variables dependiendo del alimento y del método de cocción empleados.

Folate content and retention in selected raw and processed foods.

Adequate intake of folate reduced the risk of abnormalities in early embryonic brain development such as the risk of malformations of the embryonic brain/spinal cord, collectively referred to as neural tube defects (NTDs). Folate is extremely sensitive to destruction by heat, oxidation and UV light. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of different extraction procedures and enzymatic treatment to determine folate concentrations in variety of foods using a microbiological assay (MA) with Lactobacillus rhamnosus as the test organism. This study also aimed to evaluate the retention of folate in foods after using different cooking processes. Nine of the most commonly consumed foods in Argentina and that contain folate were analyzed: broccoli, spinach, potato, lentil, soy (raw and boiled); hen whole egg and yolks (raw, boiled and fried); beef liver (raw and cooked); strawberry (raw) and white bread. For this study, rat plasma (RP) and human plasma (HP) conjugases together with acetate and phosphate buffers were tested. In extraction step for all analyses, RP conjugase was selected since it was easily available in our laboratory and small quantities were required. The acetate buffer was chosen since better growth and more reproducible results were obtained in the different conditions assayed. The results allowed the foods to be grouped into (a) rich sources of folate: hen eggs, yolks, spinach, soybean (raw) and strawberry (100 and 350 microg/100 g fresh weight (FW); (b) good sources of folate: broccoli (raw), soybean (boiled), lentils (raw) and potato (56 to 83 microg/100 g FW) and c) moderate sources of folate: broccoli, lentils (boiled), white breads, onions and beef liver (15 to 30 microg/100g FW). The folate retention was in the range 14-99% according to both type of food and method of processing. Contents and losses of folate vary widely according to type of food and cooking method.