Study of the effects of pasteurization and selected microbial starters on functional traits of fermented table olives.

Table olives are one of the most known fruit consumed as fermented food, being a fundamental component of the Mediterranean diet. Their production and consumption continue to increase globally and represent an important economic source for the producing countries. One of the most stimulating challenges for the future is the modernization of olive fermentation process. Besides the demand for more reproducible and safer production methods that could be able to reduce product losses and potential risks, producers and consumers are increasingly attracted by the final product characteristics and properties on human health. In this study, the contribution of microbial starters to table olives was fully described in terms of specific enzymatic and microbiological profiles, nutrient components, fermentation-derived compounds, and content of bioactive compounds. The use of microbial starters from different sources was tested considering their technological features and potential ability to improve the functional traits of fermented black table olives. For each fermentation assay, the effects of controlled temperature (kept at 20 °C constantly) versus not controlled environmental conditions (oscillating between 7 and 17 °C), as well as the consequences of the pasteurization treatment were tested on the final products. Starter-driven fermentation strategies seemed to increase both total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity. Herein, among all the tested microbial starters, we provide data indicating that two bacterial strains (Leuconostoc mesenteroides KT 5-1 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BC T3-35), and two yeast strains (Saccharomyces cerevisiae 10A and Debaryomyces hansenii A15-44) were the better ones related to enzyme activities, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. We also demonstrated that the fermentation of black table olives under not controlled environmental temperature conditions was more promising than the controlled level of 20 °C constantly in terms of technological and functional properties considered in this study. Moreover, we confirmed that the pasteurization process had a role in enhancing the levels of antioxidant compounds.

Bioactive compounds and biological activity in edible insects: A review.

New strategies to combat hunger are a current and urgent demand. The increase in population has generated a high demand for products and services that affect food production, cultivation areas, and climate. Viable and sustainable alternative sources have been sought to meet food quality requirements. In this context, edible insects are a good source of macro-nutrients, and bioactive compounds confer biological properties that improve their nutritional aspects and benefit human health. This review aims to present the benefits and contributions of edible insects from the point of view of the biological contribution of macronutrients, and bioactive compounds, as well as consider some anti-nutritional aspects reported in edible insects. It was found that insects possess most of the macronutrients necessary for human life and are rich in bioactive compounds commonly found in plants. These bioactive compounds can vary significantly depending on the developmental stage, diet, and species of edible insects. However, they also contain phytochemicals in which anti-nutrients predominate, which can adversely affect humans with allergenic reactions or reduced nutrient viability when consumed in high amounts or for prolonged periods. Hydrocyanide, oxalates, soluble oxalate, and phytate are the most studied anti-nutrients. However, the doses at which they occur are far below the limits in foods. In addition, anti-nutrient levels decrease significantly in processing, such as oven-drying and defatting methods. However, there are few studies, so more trials are needed to avoid generalizing. Therefore, edible insects can be considered complete food.

Thermosonication as a pretreatment of raw milk for Minas frescal cheese production.

Minas frescal cheese is extremely popular in Brazil, with high perishability and acceptability. Among emerging technologies, ultrasound stands out for its satisfactory results regarding microbiological safety and technological and sensory aspects. The combined mild temperature application, called thermosonication, can generate even more promising results. In this study, a high-intensity ultrasound system combined with thermal heating (TS, thermosonication) was applied for the treatment of raw milk to produce Minas Frescal cheese. US energy was delivered to raw milk samples using a probe operating at a 20 kHz of frequency and nominal power of 160, 400, and 640 W. The TS system was compared with conventional pasteurization (HTST, high-temperature short-time pasteurization) at 72 to 75 °C and 15 s. Soft cheeses were prepared with different samples: (a) raw milk (control), b)conventionally pasteurized milk (HTST), and c) TS treat milk in different nominal power (TS160, TS400, and TS640). The produced cheeses were evaluated for microbiological behavior, rheology, color parameters, and bioactive compounds. TS treatment in milk resulted in higher microbial inactivation and stability during storage, improved color parameters (higher lightness (L*), and whiteness index (WI). TS treatment also showed a higher generation of bioactive compounds (higher antioxidant, and inhibitory activities of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and angiotensin-converting enzymes) than HTST. The impact of TS on rheological properties was similar to HTST, resulting in more brittle and less firm products than the cheese produced with raw milk. The positive effects were more prominent using a nominal power of 400 W (TS400). Therefore, TS proved to be a promising process for processing milk for Minas Frescal cheese production.

Chemical Composition of Essential Oils of Aromatic and Medicinal Herbs Cultivated in Greece-Benefits and Drawbacks.

The current study investigated and determined the major compounds of six essential oils derived from different plant species cultivated in Greece (Lavandula angustifolia, Origanum vulgare, Pistacia lentiscus var. chia, Citrus reticulata, Citrus limon and Crithmum maritimum). The results proved that all these essential oils have a high potential for use as food preservatives, since among the compounds determined were sabinene, b-myrcene, a-pinene, carvacrol and limonene, all of which were responsible for the strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. However, the amounts of some compounds, such as linalool and citral, were at high levels, and this can be a danger for some sensitive population groups due to allergic reactions. The essential oil compounds which were identified using GC-MS and quantified through GC-FID represented more than 95% of the total essential oils of the investigated plant species. Finally, all essential oils provided high phenolic content.

Antibiosis to Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in chickpea genotypes.

Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) belong to the Fabaceae family and are one of the most grown crops in the world and an important source of protein for humans. Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest that causes significant crop damage. The objective of this study was to examine antibiosis to S. frugiperda in chickpea genotypes. The following genotypes were studied: Jamu 96 and Blanco Sinaloa 92 (Mexico); Nacional 29 (Cuba); BG 1392 (Spain), and BRS Kalifa, BRS Cristalino, BRS Toro, Nacional 27, 004UP, 003UP, BRS Cícero, and BRS Aleppo (Brazil). The chickpea genotypes influenced the biological parameters of S. frugiperda, of which larval period, larval weight, and pupal period were most affected. Nacional 29 caused high mortality in the larval and pupal stages of S. frugiperda. The larvae on BRS Aleppo had the longest larval stage, lowest weight, and longest pupal stage. The genotypes Nacional 29, Nacional 27, and BRS Cícero showed antibiosis resistance to S. frugiperda. These genotypes could be used as a source of resistance to S. frugiperda in conjunction with other methods of pest control in integrated pest management programs for chickpea crops. These resistant genotypes could also be used as donor sources in breeding programs for insect resistance.

Fermented Cereal-based Products: Nutritional Aspects, Possible Impact on Gut Microbiota and Health Implications.

Fermentation, as a process to increase the security of food supply, represents an integral part of food culture development worldwide. Nowadays, in the evolving functional food era where new sophisticated technological tools are leading to significant transformations in the field of nutritional sciences and science-driven approaches for new product design, fermentation technology is brought to the forefront again since it provides a solid foundation for the development of safe food products with unique nutritional and functional attributes. Therefore, the objective of the present review is to summarize the most recent advances in the field of fermentation processes related to cereal-based products. More specifically, this paper addresses issues that are relevant to nutritional and health aspects, including their interrelation with intestinal (gut) microbiome diversity and function, although clinical trials and/or in vitro studies testing for cereal-based fermented products are still scarce.

Plantain flours as potential raw materials for the development of gluten-free functional foods.

Plantain flour (Musa ssp., group AAB, sub-group clone Harton) was modified by acetylation, carboxymethylation, methylation, oxidation and phosphation, in order to determine which of these modifications produce a material with potential for the development of gluten-free products with improved nutritional properties. The structural, rheological and nutritional properties of the modified flours were investigated. The phosphated plantain flour, cross-linked with sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP), had a lower in vitro digestibility rate associated with resistant starch (RS) types RS2, RS4 and RS5. This latter was confirmed by the formation of the amylose-lipid complex as determined by XRD. All the flours tested had a C-type structure with the exception of the methylated plantain flour which produced a large quantity of reaction by-product (BaSO4). The phosphated plantain flour represents a raw material with great potential for the development of gluten-free food (bread and cookie) with functional properties, i.e. health benefits.

Surface and nutraceutical properties of edible films made from starchy sources with and without added blackberry pulp.

The surface and nutraceutical properties have been poorly studied on edible films. The aim of this study was to investigate the surface properties and potential health effects in terms of in vitro digestibility and anti-inflammatory activity. The materials were developed from native plantain starch and pre-gelatinized plantain flour with and without added blackberry pulp using casting methodology. Thermogravimetric analysis, contact angle, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, resistant starch, in vitro digestibility, cell viability, reactive oxygen species, anti-inflammatory activity and sensory evaluation were the tests carried out in this study. Films containing blackberry pulp had more compact and smooth morphologies, which were related to the lower in vitro digestibility rate and the higher resistant starch content. In addition, these materials had higher anti-inflammatory activity, higher cell viability, and better acceptance by the panelists, thus suggesting potential health effects of consumers with special feeding regimes such as obese, diabetics and celiacs.

Formation of oxysterols during thermal processing and frozen storage of cooked minced meat.

BACKGROUND: Cholesterol is susceptible to oxidation and the formation of oxysterols, which could have a negative health effect. The formation and distribution of oxysterols was investigated in meatloaves prepared under different baking regimes with an increased temperature or prolonged time. The effect of frozen storage and marjoram addition on the level of oxysterols was also investigated. RESULTS: The effect of baking regime on the content and distribution of oxysterols was determined. Temperature was the most important factor affecting 7-ketocholesterol formation in baked meatloaf. Its content was significantly higher after baking at 250 °C compared to at 180 °C. The content of 7-ketocholesterol increased from the centre (87 µg kg-1 ) to the surface (122 µg kg-1 ) of baked meatloaves prepared under standard conditions. The level of α-tocopherol and its distribution was also affected by the baking regime. A higher level of 7-ketocholesterol was found in baked meatloaves after their frozen storage. The addition of marjoram did not change this level. CONCLUSION: Inadequate culinary conditions used for preparation of baked meat can contribute to an increased oxysterol intake in the diet. Frozen storage did not stop oxysterol formation. The inhibition effect of marjoram on sterols oxidation was not confirmed. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Potential impacts of bioprocessing of sweet potato: Review.

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is among the major food crops in the world and is cultivated in all tropical and subtropical regions particularly in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. Asia and Africa regions account for 95% of the world's production. Among the root and tuber crops grown in the world, sweet potato ranks second after cassava. In previous decades, sweet potato represented food and feed security, now it offers income generation possibilities, through bioprocessing products. Bioprocessing of sweet potato offers novel opportunities to commercialize this crop by developing a number of functional foods and beverages such as sour starch, lacto-pickle, lacto-juice, soy sauce, acidophilus milk, sweet potato curd and yogurt, and alcoholic drinks through either solid state or submerged fermentation. Sweet potato tops, especially leaves are preserved as hay or silage. Sweet potato flour and bagassae are used as substrates for production of microbial protein, enzymes, organic acids, monosodium glutamate, chitosan, etc. Additionally, sweet potato is a promising candidate for production of bioethanol. This review deals with the development of various products from sweet potato by application of bioprocessing technology. To the best of our knowledge, there is no review paper on the potential impacts of the sweet potato bioprocessing.

Palliative Care Considerations for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer With Children at Home.

Adult patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer (HNC) who may have contact with children in the home setting are at risk of experiencing distress because of embarrassing and challenging oral symptoms often associated with an HNC diagnosis and the side effects of required treatments. This article features a case study involving a patient diagnosed with HNC and details how oncology nurses can provide patients with HNC and their caregivers with resources and support.

Improving Awareness, Identification, and Management of Sarcopenic Obesity in Cancer Survivors: An Evidence-Based Toolbox.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenic obesity, the dual condition of decreased muscle mass with increased fat mass, can affect morbidity, mortality, and quality of life in adult cancer survivors. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this project was to determine the effects of the use of an educational toolbox on advanced practice nurses' (APNs') confidence in identifying and managing adult cancer survivors at risk for sarcopenic obesity. METHODS: APNs in an outpatient practice who care for adult cancer survivors received an educational toolbox with strategies to identify and manage adult cancer survivors at risk for sarcopenic obesity. FINDINGS: APNs reported being more confident in their ability to identify adult patients with cancer at risk for sarcopenic obesity and in their ability to manage these patients compared to prior to the intervention. Educational resources provided an effective tool for identifying and managing patients at risk for sarcopenic obesity.

Fatigue and interleukin-6 - a multi-faceted relationship.

Many connective tissue diseases are characterized by fatigue, which is described in the literature as prostration, weakness, lassitude or asthenia. In many other diseases (autoimmune, neurologic or metabolic) fatigue impinges on daily activities and thus influences the quality of life. Different molecular backgrounds are involved in the development of fatigue. Not only does the immunosuppressive treatment of autoimmune diseases reduce fatigue, but also selective nutritional components may have an effect on secretion of cytokines which are responsible for development of the sensation of tiredness (e.g. secretion of interleukin-6). The beneficial influence of selected food components (such as polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, nutritional antioxidants or adequate fat intake with the diet) on proinflammatory cytokine secretion has been demonstrated in many studies. In this review, the biochemical, neurological and nutritional aspects of fatigue in autoimmune diseases are underlined.

Comparison of polymerase chain reaction ribotyping, toxinotyping and nutritional aspects of toxin production of Clostridium difficile strains.

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is the leading cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals worldwide. Enterotoxin A (TcdA) and cytotoxin B (TcdB), have been identified as the main virulence factors of C. difficile. In China, data on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ribotypes and abilities of hospital-derived C. difficile isolates to produce TcdA and TcdB are sparse. In this study, we identified 40 C. difficile isolates from the Taizhou hospital and investigated their PCR ribotypes based on the 16S-23S rRNA gene intergenic spacer region. The ability of different ribotypes to produce TcdA and TcdB was determined by immunochromatography and cytotoxicity assays, respectively. The effects of the nutritional status on the production of these toxins were also investigated.

Evaluation of a breast and colon cancer survivorship program.

This article describes a cancer survivorship program that addressed quality of life (QOL) changes related to chemotherapy. The program focused on adult breast and colon cancer survivors at a community oncology practice in the southeastern United States, and consisted of an educational visit designed to identify and address QOL changes that occurred as a result of chemotherapy. The QOL of Cancer Survivors (QOL-CS) survey administered before and after the visit analyzed QOL metrics, which were combined with program evaluation data to assess physical, psychosocial, social, and spiritual well-being changes that may have occurred as a result of program participation. Differences in QOL-CS scores did not represent statistically significant changes in QOL for program participants. However, program evaluation responses identified perceived changes in QOL as a result of participating in cancer treatment and a subsequent cancer survivorship program, which demonstrated clinical significance for program participants. Physical, psychosocial, social, and spiritual well-being measures were affected by program participation. Improvement in distress related to the initial cancer diagnosis and family distress were the most significant reported changes, and male gender and advanced age were associated with improved psychosocial well-being.

Manejo nutricional na alergia à proteína do leite de vaca / Nutritional management of cow´s milk protein allergy in infants and young children

A alergia à proteína do leite de vaca vem ocupando demais o raciocínio dos pediatras nos últimos anos. Muito provavelmente isso se deve à dificuldade em se reconhecer o quadro clínico e principalmente em estabelecer o melhor tratamento para as crianças acometidas. Um fator agravante é o número enorme de novas fórmulas lácteas que vêm sendo apresentadas ao mercado, sem que o médico consiga acompanhar e avaliar as características de cada uma e muito menos adquirir experiência com o seu uso. Considerando que o princípio básico do tratamento da APLV é a terapia nutricional, esta revisão expõe de maneira bastante prática como deve ser o manejo nutricional dessa patologia. Nunca é demais lembrar que as alterações nutricionais que essas crianças apresentam e podem apresentar devem ser consideradas como emergência nutricional.

Utilization of pomace from apple processing industries: a review.

In large scale apple juice industry, about 75% of apple is utilized for juice and the remaining 25% is the by-product, apple pomace. In India, total production of apple pomace is about 1 million tons per annum and only approximately 10,000 tons of apple pomace is being utilized. Generally, apple pomace is thrown away, which causes environmental pollution. As the pomace is a part of fruit, it has potential for being converted into edible products. Apple pomace is a rich source of carbohydrate, pectin, crude fiber, and minerals, and as such is a good source of nutrients. This paper reviews the work done to utilize this precious resource, which can prove useful for setting up of small scale industries.

Tratamento da doença renal crônica: estratégias para o maior envolvimento do paciente em seu auto-cuidado / Chronic kidney disease treatment: strategies for increasing the patient’s participation in self-care

A identificação de pacientes portadores de doença renal crônica (DRC) ou em risco para o seu desenvolvimento pode ser feita por meio de testes simplesna rotina clínica. A importância do diagnóstico precoce da DRC está na possibilidade de instituição de intervenções clínicas que contribuem para o retardo da progressão da doença, postergando o início da terapia renal substitutiva e, portanto, trazem ganhos para a qualidade de vida do paciente, contribuindo com redução de custos do sistema público de saúde. No entanto, uma parcela importante dos pacientes é encaminhada tardiamente ao nefrologista. Mesmo com o encaminhamento tardio, o tratamento da doença permite o controle da condição clínica do paciente. As diversas complicações que ocorremao longo da evolução da DRC chamam atenção para a importância do tratamento especializado e multifacetado, realizado por equipe interdisciplinar. A baixa adesão dos pacientes ao tratamento de doenças crônicas reforça a importância desse tipo de abordagem. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho tem como objetivos apresentar estratégias que possam envolver mais os pacientes no seu auto-cuidado, aumentar a adesão ao tratamento e otimizar o trabalhoda equipe interdisciplinar.

Simple and cost-effective laboratorial parameters can be used by the clinical practitioner for screening and diagnosing chronic kidney disease (CKD). The importance of diagnosing CKD, still in early stages, lies in the possibility of delaying progression of the disease, postponing the beginning of renal replacement therapy, and therefore, improving the patient’s quality of life and lowering costs of the public health care system. In addition, early detection of CKD allows for better control of the disturbances commonly developed as renal function decreases. However, an important proportion of patients are referred to the nephrologists only when the kidney function is markedly decreased. Even considering this late referral, treatment before the beginning of renal replacement therapy allows for better control of the patient’s overall clinical state. Such treatment can achieve better results when a multidisciplinary team is present. This is particularly important when considering multiple aspects of CKD and the low adherence of the patients to the treatment of chronic diseases in general. Accordingly, this study proposes a series of strategies to enhance the patient’s adherence to the treatment and, ultimately, improve the results and patient outcome.

Estudos sobre a resistência ao jejum e aspectos nutricionais de Cavernicola lenti Barrett & Arias, 1985 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) / Studies on the resistance to fasting and nutritional aspects of Cavernicola lenti Barret & Arias, 1985 (Hemiptera, Reduviida, Triatominae)

In order to widen the present knowledge on the biology of this species, a study on the resistance to starvation was carried out among all nymphal stages and the adult stage (male and female). All evolutive stages were weighed on precision scale in three different nutritional situations: fed, non-fed and death registered after starvation. This procedure has allowed us to calculate the amount of blood taken in each stage and during the whole cycle, the average loss of weight during starvation and its relations with the initial weight. The insects were fed on mice and after eclosion or ecdisis they were isolated for observation of the starving period. Throuhout the whole experiment they were kept in a B. O. D./DOB incubator (28ºC and 90%R.U.). The resistance to starvation of the insects has grown from the first stage on (average of 15.5 days) to the fifth stage (average of 75.64 days); on the adult stage, the resistance period was equal to the third stage with an average of 41.76 for the males and 44.82 for the females. The amount of ingested blood was greater at the fifth stage worth 34.14 mg, corresponding to 2,04 times its initial weight. The average weight loss during the starvation was greater at the adult stage (23.95 mg), corresponding to 61.52% of the total weight.