Effects of Defatting Pretreatment on Polysaccharide Extraction from Rambutan Seeds Using Subcritical Water: Optimization Using the Desirability Approach.

Rambutan seeds are by-products generated from fruit-processing factories; the leftover seeds are buried in landfills, generating methane emissions. This work aimed to extract polysaccharides (POLS) from rambutan seeds by using subcritical water extraction (SWE). The effects of defatting pretreatment and operating parameters in SWE were investigated using a Box-Behnken design. The results show that defatting pretreatment significantly enriched the POLS yield, while it had no significant effect on the total sugar content. Using the desirability approach, the suitable feedstock for SWE was defatted rambutan seeds. The maximum desirability of 0.86 was found at a temperature range of 145-150 °C, an extraction time of 15 min, and a liquid-solid ratio of 10:1. The POLS yield and total sugar content were in the range of 52.33-55.63 g/100 g feedstock and 83.37-87.45 g/100 g POLS, respectively. The extracted POLS had an equivalent molecular weight of 413.70 kDa that could be used as an extender in plant-based products. In conclusion, the defatting pretreatment of rambutan seeds not only improved the POLS yield obtained via SWE but also generated additional lipids that could be utilized as an unconventional source of specialty fat.

Dietary Sugar and Anthropometrics among Young Children in the Guelph Family Health Study: Longitudinal Associations.

Purpose: Our understanding of the influence of sugar intake on anthropometrics among young children is limited. Most existing research is cross-sectional and has focused on sugar-sweetened beverages. The study objective was to investigate longitudinal associations between young children's total, free, and added sugar intake from all food sources at baseline with anthropometric measures at baseline and 18 months.Methods: The Guelph Family Health Study (GFHS) is an ongoing randomized controlled trial and a family-based health promotion study. Food records and anthropometric data were collected at baseline (n = 109, 55 males; 3.7 ± 1.1 y, mean ± SD) and 18 months (n = 109, 55 males; 5.1 ± 1.1 y) of the GFHS pilots. Associations between sugar intakes and anthropometrics were estimated using linear regression models with generalized estimating equations adjusted for age, sex, household income, and intervention status.Results: Total sugar intake was inversely associated with body weight at 18 months (P = 0.01). There was no effect of time on any other associations between total, free, and added sugar intakes and anthropometrics.Conclusions: Early life dietary sugar intakes may not relate to anthropometric measures in the short term. Further investigation into potential associations between dietary sugar intakes and anthropometric variables over longer time periods is warranted.

Exploring the Benefits of Nutritional and Chemical Characteristics of Touriga Nacional and Arinto Varieties (Vitis vinifera L.).

Environmental degradation leads to an unsustainable food system. In addition to this issue, the consumption of foods that improve people's health and well-being is recommended. One of the alternatives is undoubtedly the use of by-products of winemaking, namely in the form of grape pomace flour (GPF). To verify the benefits of using the Touriga Nacional and Arinto (Vitis vinifera L.) flour varieties, analytical determinations were made to identify and quantify different components. In terms of nutritional characterization, the Touriga Nacional GPF showed results that indicate better nutritional quality than the Arinto GPF. The Touriga Nacional and Arinto samples had protein contents of 10.13% and 8.38%, polyunsaturated fatty acids of 6.66% and 5.18%, soluble dietary fiber of 14.3% and 1.7%, and insoluble dietary fiber of 55.1% and 46.4%, respectively. The anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and flavonols presented in samples were detected by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS. Atomic absorption spectrometry revealed elevated concentrations of certain elements in Touriga Nacional compared to Arinto, with the former showing higher levels of aluminum (130 mg/kg) and iron (146 mg/kg) against the latter's Al (120 mg/kg) and Fe (112 mg/kg) content. GPF could become a valuable ingredient due to its nutritional quality and high content of various polyphenols.

Physiological and molecular changes of onion (Allium cepa L.) seeds under different aging conditions.

BACKGROUND: Onion seeds have limited storage capacity compared to other vegetable seeds. It is crucial to identify the mechanisms that induce tolerance to storage conditions and reduce seed deterioration. To address this goal, an experiment was conducted to evaluate changes in germination, biochemical, physiological, and molecular characteristics of onion seed landraces (Horand, Kazerun landraces and Zargan cultivar) at different aging levels (control, three-days and six-days accelerated aging, and natural aging for one year). RESULTS: The findings suggest that there was an increase in glucose, fructose, total sugar, and electrolyte leakage in the Horand (HOR), Kazerun (KAZ) landraces, and Zarghan (ZAR) cultivar, with Kazerun exhibiting the greatest increase. The percentage and rate of germination of Kazerun decreased by 54% and 33%, respectively, in six-day accelerated aging compared to the control, while it decreased by 12% and 14%, respectively, in Horand. Protein content decreased with increasing levels of aging, with a decrease of 26% in Kazerun landrace at six days of aging, while it was 16% in Horand landrace. The antioxidant activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase decreased more intensively in Kazerun. The expression of AMY1, BMY1, CTR1, and NPR1 genes were lower in Kazerun landraces than in Horand and Zargan at different aging levels. CONCLUSIONS: The AMY1, BMY1, CTR1, and NPR1 genes play a pivotal role in onion seed germination, and their downregulation under stressful conditions has been shown to decrease germination rates. In addition, the activity of CAT, SOD, and GPx enzymes decreased by seed aging, and the amount of glucose, fructose, total sugar and electrolyte leakage increased, which ultimately led to seed deterioration. Based on the results of this experiment, it is recommended to conduct further studies into the molecular aspects involved in onion seed deterioration. More research on the genes related to this process is suggested, as well as investigating the impact of different priming treatments on the genes expression involved in the onion seed aging process.

Comparing the differences of physicochemical properties and volatiles in semi-dry Hakka rice wine and traditional sweet rice wine via HPLC, GC-MS and E-tongue analysis.

This study aimed to explore effects of indica rice addition, rice soaking time and rice soup addition on total sugar and alcohol content of semi-dry Hakka rice wine (HRW) and compare its difference in physicochemical properties and volatiles with traditional sweet rice wine (TSRW) via HPLC, GC-MS and E-tongue. The optimal fermentation conditions of semi-dry HRW were 50 % indica rice addition, 12 h rice soaking time and 85 % rice soup addition. The total sugar (16.13 mg/mL) of semi-dry HRW was significantly lower than that of TSRW (135.79 mg/mL), especially the trehalose, glucose, sucrose and maltose. Its alcohol content was significantly higher than that of TSRW. There were significant differences in volatile components between semi-dry HRW and TSRW, especially esters, alcohols and ketones, but no significant differences in organic acids and amino acids. Results obtained could provide reference data for improving the fermentation process and quality of semi-dry HRW.

Dietary Sugar Intake Associated with a Higher Risk of Dementia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: We have limited evidence for the relationship of high sugar intake with dementia risk. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether high sugar intake is associated with an increased risk of dementia in community-dwelling older adultsMethods:This study included 789 participants of the Rush Memory and Aging Project (community-based longitudinal cohort study of older adults free of known dementia at enrollment), with annual clinical assessments and complete nutrient data (obtained by validated food frequency questionnaire). Clinical diagnosis of dementia is based on the criteria of the joint working group of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association. We used Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: 118 participants developed dementia during 7.3±3.8 years of follow-up. Those in the highest quintile of total sugar intake were twice as likely to develop dementia than those in the lowest quintile (Q5 versus Q1:HR=2.10 (95% CI: 1.05, 4.19) when adjusted for age, sex, education, APOEɛ4 allele, calories from sources other than sugar, physical activity, and diet score. Higher percent calories from sugar were positively associated with dementia risk (ß=0.042, p = 0.0009). In exploratory analyses, the highest versus lowest quintile of fructose and sucrose in the diet had higher dementia risk by 2.8 (95% CI: 1.38, 5.67) and 1.93 (95% CI: 1.05, 3.54) times, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A higher intake of total sugar or total calories from sugar is associated with increased dementia risk in older adults. Among simple sugars, fructose (e.g., sweetened beverages, snacks, packaged desserts) and sucrose (table sugar in juices, desserts, candies, and commercial cereals) are associated with higher dementia risk.

Effects of Climate Change and Fencing on Forage Nutrition Quality of Alpine Grasslands in the Northern Tibet.

How climate change and fencing will affect forage nutrition quality of alpine grasslands is still unknown in the Northern Tibet. Here, we reported the effects of climate change and fencing on forage nutrition quality (i.e., CP: crude protein, ADF: acid detergent fiber, NDF: neutral detergent fiber, Ash: crude ash, EE: ether extract and DTS: dissolvable total sugar) in alpine grasslands across the Northern Tibet based on a transect survey dataset from 2018. Over the whole survey transect, fencing reduced the NDF content by 5.15% and the EE content by 15.79%, but did not affect forage nutrition quality (R2 = 0.04, p = 0.389). Air temperature and precipitation explained 24% and 8% of variation in the CP content under the fencing conditions, respectively. Precipitation explained 22% of variation in the NDF content under the fencing conditions. The CP content decreased and increased exponentially with increasing air temperature under the fencing and grazing conditions, respectively. The NDF content showed logarithmic and negative relationships with precipitation under the fencing and grazing conditions (-8.45 vs. -6.68lnNDF). The response of the CP content to fencing showed negative relationships with temperature and the response of AGB to fencing, but showed a positive relationship with precipitation. The CP and DTS contents showed negative relationships with AGB under the fencing and grazing conditions. In contrast, the ADF content showed a positive relationship with AGB. The response of AGB, SR and community composition to fencing explained 11%, 56% and 35% of variation in the response of forage nutrition quality to fencing, respectively. Therefore, climate change may not always have adverse effects on forage nutrition quality, whereas fencing may not always have favorable effects on forage nutrition quality. Fencing and climate change can have an interactive effect on forage nutrition quality. Fencing can alter the temperature and precipitation sensitivities of forage nutrition quality. In colder and wetter regions, the forage nutrition quality may be more responsive to fencing. There may be a trade-off between forage nutrition quality and quantity. Compared to the change in AGB caused by fencing, the changes in species α-diversity and community composition caused by fencing can have greater effects on the response of forage nutrition quality to fencing. Local climate conditions and the trade-offs between forage nutrition quality and biomass should be considered when evaluating the effects of fencing on the restoration of degraded grassland plants.

The Association between Dietary Sugar Intake and Nephrolithiasis: Results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2018.

BACKGROUND: Dietary sugar intake is gradually considered a risk factor for many diseases. A sugary diet was positively associated with risk of nephrolithiasis, but the specific relationships remain undefined. OBJECTIVES: To determine associations between risk of nephrolithiasis and dietary sugar intake. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 21,590 participants based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2018. Amounts of dietary sugar intake (g/d) were the main exposure, including total sugar intake, added sugar intake, and food sources. Associations were analyzed by logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines using complex weighted designs. RESULTS: Weighted mean intake [standard error] of total sugar and added sugar were 111.2 [2.0] g/d and 73.7 [1.9] g/d in participants with nephrolithiasis, respectively. In the fully adjusted regression model, compared to those in quartile 1, the population in quartile 4 of total sugar intake showed a significant risk of nephrolithiasis [odds ratio (OR): 1.23; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-1.51]; OR for added sugar intake was 1.56 (95% CI: 1.25-1.94). The risks of nephrolithiasis increased steadily when total sugar and added sugar intake exceeded ∼150 g/d and 63 g/d in restricted cubic spline analyses, respectively. The highest sugar intake from beverages was associated with an increased risk of nephrolithiasis (OR for total sugar: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.07-1.72; OR for added sugar: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.09-1.73). Added sugar intake from meat, egg, and oil was significantly associated with risk of nephrolithiasis (quartile 4, OR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.02-1.47), whereas total sugar intake from dairy products was in reverse (quartile 4, OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.54-0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Total and added sugar intake, sugar intake from beverages, and added sugar intake from meat, egg, and oil were associated with an increased risk of nephrolithiasis, whereas total sugar intake from dairy products was negatively associated.

Associations between Total and Added Sugar Intake and Diabetes among Chinese Adults: The Role of Body Mass Index.

Sugar intake has been linked to the global rise in diabetes. However, the unique diabetogenic effect of sugar, independent of weight gain, remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the associations between total and added sugar intake and diabetes status, and to test whether the sugar-diabetes associations were moderated or mediated by the body mass index (BMI). We performed a nationwide cross-sectional study on 12,889 Chinese adults who were enrolled in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 2011. The data for the total and added sugar intake were measured using three consecutive 24 h recalls, and determined based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (SR28), the Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) 2015-2016, and the labeled ingredients and nutrient contents. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyze the associations between the total and added sugar intake and diabetes. A nutrient density model was used to adjust for the total energy intake. A mediation analysis for significant sugar-diabetes associations shown in multivariable logistic analysis (p < 0.05), and a subgroup analysis according to the BMI category were performed, to examine the mediating and moderating effects of the BMI on the sugar-diabetes association, respectively. We included 12,800 individuals, with a mean age of 50.5, in the final analysis. The means of the total and added sugar intake, total sugar (%E), and added sugar (%E) were 28.2 ± 0.2 g/d, 5.0 ± 0.1 g/d, 6.0 ± 0.0%, and 1.0 ± 0.0%, respectively. The overall prevalence of self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes was 4.0%. A significant association between the total sugar intake and an increased risk of diabetes was found (odds ratio [OR] =1.008, 95% CI 1.001-1.016). The mediation analysis showed a significant mediation effect through the BMI of the effect of the total sugar on diabetes status (p < 0.001), where 11.7% (95% CI: 4.7-35.7%) of the effect of the total sugar on diabetes was mediated through the BMI. The total sugar intake had a significant direct effect on diabetes around the BMI (estimated coefficient = 0.0004, p < 0.001). The overall total-sugar-intake-diabetes association remained significant in normal-weight participants in the subgroup analysis (OR =1.012, 1.000-1.024). In conclusion, although the BMI moderated and mediated the association between the total sugar intake and diabetes, the total sugar still showed some unique weight-independent diabetogenic effects. Our findings call for efforts to prevent and control diabetes by reducing sugar intake, and losing weight appropriately.

Botanical Origin Influence on Some Honey Physicochemical Characteristics and Antioxidant Properties.

Five types of honey (multifloral, sunflower, linden, rapeseed, and acacia), from Southern Romania, were classified using chemometrics methods coupled with IR spectroscopy. The botanical origin's effect on the physicochemical characteristics of honey was studied to highlight the most valuable plant source of honey. Except for antioxidant activity, the moisture, ash, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, free acidity (FA), total sugar content (TSC), hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), total phenolic (TPC), tannin (TTC), and flavonoid content (TFC) were significantly influenced by the botanical origin of the honey. The results showed that sunflower honey had the highest moisture (15.53%), free acidity (16.67 mEq kg-1), electrical conductivity (483.92 µS cm-1), phenolics (167.59 mg GAE 100 g-1), and flavonoids (19.00 mg CE 100 g-1), whereas multifloral honey presented the highest total sugar content (69.64 g Glu 100 g-1). The highest HMF content was found in linden honey (33.94 mg kg-1). The HMF contents of all tested honey were within the standard recommended limit, and they confirmed that the tested honey was free of any heat treatment. All five types of tested honey presented a safe moisture content for storage and consumption (12.21-18.74%). The honey's free acidity was in the range of 4.00 to 25.00 mEq kg-1; this indicated the freshness of the samples and the absence of any fermentation processes in the tested honey. Honey with a total sugar content over 60% (except for linden honey, with 58.05 g glucose 100 g-1) showed the characteristic of nectar-derived honey. The elevated antioxidant activity of honey was correlated with its high moisture, flavonoids, and HMF, whereas the tannins and HMF were positively correlated with ash and electrical conductivity. The higher content of phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins was correlated with higher free acidity. The chemometric method, coupled with ATR-FTIR spectra, revealed a clear separation between linden honey from acacia, multifloral, and sunflower honey.

On-line monitoring of total sugar during kombucha fermentation process by near-infrared spectroscopy: Comparison of linear and non-linear multiple calibration methods.

Kombucha is widely recognized for its health benefits, and it facilitates high-quality transformation and utilization of tea during the fermentation process. Implementing on-line monitoring for the kombucha production process is crucial to promote the valuable utilization of low-quality tea residue. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, together with partial least squares (PLS), backpropagation neural network (BPANN), and their combination (PLS-BPANN), were utilized in this study to monitor the total sugar of kombucha. In all, 16 mathematical models were constructed and assessed. The results demonstrate that the PLS-BPANN model is superior to all others, with a determination coefficient (R2p) of 0.9437 and a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.8600 g/L and a good verification effect. The results suggest that NIR coupled with PLS-BPANN can be used as a non-destructive and on-line technique to monitor total sugar changes.

Different Sources of Sugar Consumption and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults: Data From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014.

OBJECTIVES: Excess sugar consumption, particularly in sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), has been linked to poor cognitive performance. We aimed to assess the association of consumption of total sugar, as well as the consumption of SSBs, solid desserts, and 100% fruit juice with cognitive performance among older adults. METHODS: Consumption of total sugar, SSBs, solid desserts, and 100% fruit juice were obtained from the 24-hr recall interview. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease word list, the Animal Fluency Test, and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test. Binary logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between consumption of sugar (total and from different sources) and cognitive performance. RESULTS: A total of 1,938 participants aged 60 years or older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014 were included. Compared to the lowest tertile, the highest tertile of total sugar consumption was independently associated with higher odds of low memory performance (odds ratio [OR] = 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00; 3.50, p = .049). Consumption of SSBs was associated with higher risk of low memory (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.11; 2.25, p = .014), whereas consumption of solid desserts was associated with lower risk of low verbal fluency performance (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.41; 0.95, p = .032). DISCUSSION: Higher consumption of total sugars and SSBs was associated with lower memory performance, while consumption of solid desserts was associated with higher verbal fluency performance.

The nutritional profile of plant-based meat analogues available for sale in Australia.

AIM: To assess the nutritional quality of plant-based meat analogues in Australia, compared to equivalent meat products, and to assess levels of micronutrient fortification in meat analogues. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used nutrition composition data for products collected in 2021 from major supermarkets in Australia. Nutritional quality was assessed using the Health Star Rating, energy (kJ), protein (g), saturated fat (g), sodium (mg), total sugars (g), and fibre content (g) per 100 g, and level of food processing using the NOVA classification. Proportion of products fortified with iron, vitamin B12 and zinc were reported. Differences in health star rating and nutrients between food categories were assessed using independent t-tests. RESULTS: Seven hundred ninety products (n = 132 plant-based and n = 658 meat) across eight food categories were analysed. Meat analogues had a higher health star rating (mean 1.2 stars, [95% CI: 1.0-1.4 stars], p < 0.001), lower mean saturated fat (-2.4 g/100 g, [-2.9 to -1.8 g/100 g], p < 0.001) and sodium content (-132 mg/100 g, [-186 to -79 mg/100 g], p < 0.001), but higher total sugar content (0.7 g/100 g, [0.4-1.1 g/100 g], p < 0.001). Meat analogues and meat products had a similar proportion of ultra-processed products (84% and 89%, respectively). 12.1% of meat analogues were fortified with iron, vitamin B12 and zinc. CONCLUSION: Meat analogues generally had a higher health star rating compared with meat equivalents, however, the nutrient content varied. Most meat analogues were also ultra-processed and few are fortified with key micronutrients found in meat. More research is needed to understand the health impact of these foods.

Prenatal Caffeine Exposure Is Linked to Elevated Sugar Intake and BMI, Altered Reward Sensitivity, and Aberrant Insular Thickness in Adolescents: An ABCD Investigation.

Prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE) has been positively associated with elevated body mass index (BMI) in children. Why this association occurs is unclear, but it is possible that PCE alters the in utero development of brain structures associated with food preference, leading to more total sugar intake (TSI, grams) later in childhood. To test this hypothesis, we investigated if PCE (daily/weekly/ 0.01) of excessive PCE (vs. no exposure) with elevated BMI (daily/weekly/daily limit; consistent in boys and girls), increased TSI (daily) and insular thickness (daily/weekly), as well as low middle frontal cortex (MFC) activation (daily). Our sub-analysis revealed an association of daily/weekly PCE (vs. no exposure) with increased gram sugar intake from soft drinks. We also identified a positive relationship of excessive PCE with elevated TSI and increased insular thickness (a key gustatory region), while in a Sobel test, reward sensitivity (reduced brain reactivity to reward anticipation in MFC; tracks reward outcomes) mediated (Test statistic = 2.23; p = 0.02) the PCE-linked BMI changes in adolescents. Our findings suggest that excessive PCE might be detrimental to frontal lobe development and altered reward sensitivity to food, thereby increasing risk for elevated TSI and obesity. Our results support recommendations to limit caffeine intake during pregnancy.

Effects of monosaccharide composition on quantitative analysis of total sugar content by phenol-sulfuric acid method.

Phenol-sulfuric acid method is one of the most common methods applied to the analysis of total sugar content during polysaccharides study. However, it was found that the results obtained from the phenol-sulfuric acid method was generally lower than the real total sugar content, especially when acidic monosaccharides were contained in the polysaccharides samples. Therefore, the present study focused to unveil the proposed problem. Based on the optimization of colorimetric conditions, such as optimal wave length of absorption, linearity range, color reaction time and temperature, it indicated that the phenol-sulfuric acid method was a convenient and accurate way for the total sugar content analysis. In addition, the color-rendering capabilities of 10 common monosaccharides were systematically analyzed to obtain a relative correction factor for each monosaccharide relative to glucose, which was proved to be the main reason for the deviation in the detection of total sugar content. Moreover, the key points during the application of phenol-sulfuric acid method were suggested. This study provides a scientific theoretical basis and a reliable experimental research method for the accurate determination of total sugar content by the phenol-sulfuric acid method, and which will also promote the application of this convenient method in the polysaccharides study.

Online prediction of total sugar content and optimal control of glucose feed rate during chlortetracycline fermentation based on soft sensor modeling.

In the process of chlortetracycline (CTC) fermentation, no instrument can be used to measure the total sugar content of the fermentation broth online due to its high viscosity and large amount of impurities, so it is difficult to realize the optimal control of glucose feed rate in the fermentation process. In order to solve this intractable problem, the relationship between on-line measurable parameters and total sugar content (One of the parameters that are difficult to measure online) in fermentation tank is deeply analyzed, and a new soft sensor model of total sugar content in fermentation tank and a new optimal control method of glucose feed rate are proposed in this paper. By selecting measurable variables of fermentation tank, determining different fermentation stages, constructing recursive fuzzy neural network (RFNN) and applying network rolling training method, an online soft sensor model of total sugar content is established. Based on the field multi-batch data, the change trend of the amount of glucose feed required at each fermentation stage is divided, and the online prediction of total sugar content and the optimal control strategy of glucose feed rate are realized by using the inference algorithm of expert experience regulation rules and soft sensor model of total sugar content. The experiment results in the real field demonstrate that the proposed scheme can effectively predict the total sugar content of fermentation broth online, optimize the control of glucose feed rate during fermentation process, reduce production cost and meet the requirements of production technology.

Total and Added Sugar Intakes Are Increasing among Children and Adolescents in China: Findings from CHNS 1997-2011.

A high level of sugar intake has been linked to poor dietary quality and a wide range of chronic diseases. However, data on sugar intake are still scarce in China. This study aimed to provide time trends in the total and added sugar intakes among Chinese children and adolescents from 1997 to 2011. A nationwide ongoing open prospective cohort study of Chinese children and adolescents aged 3−17 years (n = 13,212) was conducted by using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 1997−2011 (six 1-year cycles). An individual dietary intake was collected from three consecutive 24-h recalls during randomly allocated home visits. Data for total and added sugar contents were determined based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (SR28), the Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) 2015−2016, and the labeled ingredients and nutrient contents. General linear regression was used to estimate time trends. Over the 15-year period, total sugar and added sugar intakes increased among all age groups studied (3−17 years: total sugar increased from 11.2 ± 0.3 g/d to 28.1 ± 0.5 g/d, added sugar increased from 1.0 ± 0.1 g/d to 7.2 ± 0.3 g/d; 3−6 years: 9.5 ± 0.6 g/d to 25.1 ± 0.9 g/d, 1.3 ± 0.2 g/d to 6.9 ± 0.4 g/d; 7−12 years: 11.4 ± 0.5 g/d to 28.1 ± 0.8 g/d, 0.9 ± 0.1 g/d to 7.1 ± 0.5 g/d; 13−17 years: 11.8 ± 0.4 g/d to 31.4 ± 1.1 g/d, 1.0 ± 0.2 g/d to 7.6 ± 0.6 g/d) (all p for trend < 0.001). Adolescents aged 13−17 years had the highest total sugar intake, and children aged 3−6 years had the highest added sugar intake, except for 2011. Children and adolescents living in urban areas and who were overweight had much higher total and added sugar intakes than those residing in rural areas and of non-overweight/obesity. Furthermore, the dietary sources of total and added sugars have become more diverse over the study period. In conclusion, we observed a notable rise in total and added sugar intakes among children and adolescents across all age groups, both genders, both urban and rural areas, and all BMI categories, with dietary sources of total and added sugars becoming more diverse in China over 15 years.

Modulation of plant growth and antioxidative defense system through endophyte biopriming in cotton (Gossypium spp.) and non-host crops.

Seed biopriming is very promising in improving seed health by mitigating various biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, the effect of biopriming with cotton endophytes on seed germination and other growth parameters in host and non-host crops like wheat, sorghum, cowpea and chick pea was examined. The endophytes were antagonistic to cotton pathogens Corynespora cassiicola and Fusarium solani under in vitro. Among the eight endophytes, CFR-1 and CEL-48 were highly efficient with inhibition rates of 66.16% and 64.24% respectively against C. cassiicola, whereas CFL-34 was efficient against F. solani with more than 50% inhibition. Seed biopriming enhanced seed germination in cotton and non-host crops whereas seed vigor index was highest in bio-primed cotton. Moreover, growth promotion parameters were also enhanced upon endophyte biopriming. Total sugar content ranged from 5.46 to 7.54 mg/g F.W in cotton and highest was found in CFL-34 treated wheat (8.64 mg/g FW). There was an increase of 10-30% soluble protein in bioprimed cotton over control. Interestingly, the antioxidant potential in all the bio-primed crops was improved with increased catalase and peroxidase activity. Specific activity of catalase ranged from 0.42 to 1.90 µmol/min/mg protein in cotton, while highest activity was reported in CEL-48 primed wheat. The findings of this investigation emphasizes seed biopriming with endophytes for sustainable plant health management.

Phycoremediation of milk processing wastewater and lipid-rich biomass production using Chlorella vulgaris under continuous batch system.

This study compiles the results of phycoremediation of milk processing wastewater (MPWW) and production of lipid-rich Chlorella vulgaris biomass using a continuous batch system operated for 12-wks. After a 4-wks interval, a new MPWW was loaded photobioreactor to provide appropriate nutrient supply to algae. Results indicated that MPWW supported the algal growth efficiently and the maximum algal growth was recorded in the ranges of 400.36 to 421.58 mg L-1 during 4-wk's of the cultivation cycle. Average reduction in total nitrogen, TN (45.82-69.18%); nitrate, NO3 (93.32-94.54%); total ammonium nitrogen, TAN (92.94-94.54%); sulphate, SO4-2 (85.13-87.34%); total phosphorus (75.09-78.78%); and biochemical oxygen demands, BOD (89.53-92.40%) was recorded during 12-wks phycoremediation of MPWW. Harvested algal biomass (dry weight basis, DW) exhibited a significant content of total sugar (45.5%) and total lipid (39.7%). The lipid profiling results indicated the presence of palmitic acid (39.9%), oleic acid (21.08%), linoleic acid (13.13%), and other C18 compounds in algal biomass, suggesting the suitability of MPWW for Chlorella vulgaris cultivations. Algal biomass exhibited a high heating value (MJ/Kg of DW) in the range of 17.3 to 25.1, comparable to other lignocellulose biomass to be used for bioenergy purposes. Results of this study indicate that MPWW could be utilized as a valuable medium for Chlorella vulgaris cultivation under a circular economy approach: wastewater treatment and bioenergy feedstock production. The effect of controlled environmental conditions on algal growth behavior and lipid composition in biomass, while using MPWW as a medium, could be investigated in future studies.

Advancement of fermentable sugars from fresh elephant ear plant weed for efficient bioethanol production.

Bioethanol is considered one of the most promising next-generation automotive fuels, as it is carbon neutral and can be produced from renewable resources, like lignocellulosic materials. The present research investigation aimed to utilize the elephant ear plant, a hazardous plant (weed) also considered an invasive species, as a font of non-edible lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production. The freshly collected elephant ear plant (leaves and stalk) was chopped into small pieces (1-2 cm) and then homogenized to a paste using a mechanical grinder. The sample pretreatment was done by flying ash for three different time durations (T1 = 0 min, T2 = 15 min, and T3 = 30 min) with 3 replications. All treatment samples were measured for total sugar and reducing sugar content. The concentration of reducing sugar archived was T1 = 0.771 ± 0.1 mg/mL, T2 = 0.907 ± 0.032 mg/mL, and T3 = 0.895 ± 0.039 mg/mL, respectively. The results revealed that the chemical composition was different among treatments. The hydrolysis was performed using cellulase enzymes at 35 °C for the hydrolysis process. The hydrolysate was inoculated with 1% of S. cerevisiae and maintained at room temperature without oxygen for 120 h. Bioethanol concentration was measured by using an ebulliometer. The efficient ethanol percentage was 1.052 ± 0.03 mg/mL achieved after the fermentation. Therefore, the elephant ear plant invasive weed could be an efficient feedstock plant for future bioethanol production.