JOURNAL OF NUTRITION SCIENCES & FOOD TECHNOLOGY
Year:2016 | Volume:11 | Issue:3|Papers Count:12

Background and Objectives: The association between dietary acid load and cardiovascular disease risk has not been examined among patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). The purpose of the present study was to assess the association between dietary acid load based on potential renal acid load (PRAL) and protein: potassium ratio scores, and cardiovascular disease risk in patients with DN.Materials & Methods: In the present cross-sectional study, 547 DN patients were enrolled. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the dietary intake. Standard methods were also employed to assess the biochemical and anthropometric measures.Results: The results showed that the low PRAL group had lower hemoglobin (Hb) A1c (5.7%±0.5% versus 7.8%±0.5%; P=0.01), triacylglycerols (246.9±2.3 mg/dL versus 257.4±2.3 mg/dL; P=0.006), systolic blood pressure (103.6±0.7 mmHg versus 106.1±0.7 mm Hg; P=0.03), creatinine and fasting blood sugar than the high PRAL group.Pro: K was positively related to HbA1c (5.8%±0.5% versus 7.6%±0.5%; P=0.03); however it was inversely associated with low-density lipoprotein and waist circumference.Conclusion: Both PRAL and Pro: K were positively related to HbA1c in patients with DN. However, biochemical and kidney-related markers depended on the Pro: K and PRAL status.

Background and Objectives: Depression and anxiety are the major public health problems worldwide، which may act synergistically. Type 2 diabetes can cause and aggravate mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. Saffron as a medicinal plant may attenuate mixed depression and anxiety (MDA).Materials & Methods: A total of 54 outpatients with mild to moderate MDA diagnosed by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) were assessed by Beck and Hamilton’s depression and anxiety questionnaires. The patients، in this randomized triple-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial، randomly received 15 mg saffron extract or placebo capsules twice a day for 8 weeks.Results: After the intervention، depression، anxiety and MDA were significantly (P<0.05) attenuated in the saffron group (18، 30 and 25% in Beck and 19، 36 and 24% in the Hamilton measures، respectively) while changes in the placebo group were not significant. In addition، dietary intakes and physical activity of the patients of the two groups did not change significantly during the intervention.Conclusion: The study results suggest that saffron shows attenuating effect on mild to moderate MDA in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background and Objectives: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have a wide range of biological activities that are influenced by childhood obesity. Therefore the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 8 weeks of vitamin C intake and regular aerobic exercise on serum BDNF and IGF-1 levels in obese girls.Materials & Methods: In this quasi-experimental research, 28 obese girls were selected and randomly divided into four equal groups as follows: control, exercise, vitamin C, and combined. Aerobic exercise was carried out at 50% to 70% maximal heart rate and 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks. The vitamin C and combined groups consumed 500mg vitamin C tablets 3 times per week. Fasting blood samples were collected before and 48 hours after the last interventions. Serum BDNF and IGF-1 levels were measured by ELISA and enzyme immunoassay methods, respectively.Results: For the vitamin C, exercise and combined intervention groups, the levels of BDNF after 8 weeks were increased and the IGF-1 levels were reduced. Furthermore, all the three interventions were associated with significantly greater percent changes in the BDNF and IGF-1 levels than in the control group, but the effect of combined intervention on IGF-1 percent changes was only greater in comparison to the other interventions (p<0.05).Conclusion: The favorable effects of the independent and combined interventions of aerobic exercise and vitamin C intake may be partly mediated by the impact of these interventions in regulation of the growth factors‘ (BDNF and IGF-1) levels. But the combined intervention could further reduce IGF-1 levels in comparison to other interventions.

Background and Objectives: The possible role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) genotypes in association with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations between MetS and T2D with the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene in Iranian subjects with T2D.Materials & Methods: 730 Iranian subjects (372 T2D and 358 controls) were enrolled in this case-control study. FokI, Bsm I, Apa I and Taq I SNPs of the VDR gene were genotyped using the restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The statistical difference in genotype distribution among the groups was assessed by the c2 test. Logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratios for the association of the genotype frequencies between different groups with risk of MetS and T2D.Results: The most common genotypes for the Bsm I, Apa I, and Taq I SNPs were Bb, Aa, and TT, respectively, whereas for Fok I, they were FF. Adjusted c2 test revealed no difference between the groups in the genotypes frequencies of 4 VDR polymorphisms in T2D subjects. T2D patients with Tt genotype presented a significantly higher FBS (p=0.009) than those with TT and tt genotypes in Taq I polymorphism. Logistic regression showed no association between MetS risk and VDR genotypes.Conclusion: In conclusion, no evidence was found showing that VDR gene polymorphisms have a role in the risk of T2D and MetS in Iranian subjects. Further examination should be carried out on large prospective cohort studies, which apply genome wide association to evaluate the direct effect of these polymorphisms on T2D.

Background and Objectives: The prevalence of mental disorders in the developing countries is estimated between 20 to 50%. Behavioral problems in people suffering from hunger are 2 to 3 times higher than others. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between household food insecurity and adjustment of adolescents.Materials & Methods: This case-control study was conducted among 246 high school age adolescents and their mothers in 2015. Adjustment Inventory for School Students (AISS) and physical activity questionnaire were completed by the adolescents. Household food insecurity, socio-demographic information and health related quality of life (SF-12) were obtained by asking from the students' mothers. The relationship between food insecurity and adjustment status was assessed by using logistic regression.Results: The prevalence of food insecurity in the case group was 62.6% and in the control group was 36.6%. There was a significant association between poor adjustment in students and their physical activity, maternal age and mental and physical health (P-value<0.05). Based on logistic regression modeling, the adolescents in food insecure family without hunger had poor adjustment (OR=1.83, p=0.04). If the food insecurity be along with hunger, this relationship will be more (OR=7.15.84, p<0.001). The observed relationship remained significant after adjusting for physical activity, maternal age, maternal physical and mental age, fathers’ education and home status (OR=4.84, p=0.002).Conclusion: Food insecurity can be accounted as an independent risk factor in behavioral problems, especially emotional, social and educational adjustment.

Background and Objectives: In this research, the effects of addition of different probiotic strains (L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. reuteri, L. fermentumor L. plantarum) as well as initial pH values (4.3 or 4.8) on the biochemical and microbiological characteristics of non-alcoholic beer drink were studied during 21 days in the refrigerated storage (5°C).Materials and Methods: Probiotics identification and incubation were done with gram staining and MRS-broth medium, respectively. pH and redox potential values were measured by pH-meter. Titrable acidity value was determined by titration with 0.1 N NaOH. Probiotic bacteria were enumerated using MRS-agar medium.Results: The highest biochemical changes were observed in treatments with L. casei and L. acidophilus. The second 7-day interval showed the highest amount of biochemical changes in the treatments with initial pH of 4.3 along with L. casei, L. fermentumand L. reuteri throughout the 21 days of storage; however, other species showed such characteristics only at pH=4.8. The viability of probiotic strains in all treatments, especially in those with initial pH of 4.3, decreased dramatically during the refrigerated storage.L. acidophilus and L. fermentum showed the lowest viability during refrigerated storage. While the highest viability belonged to L. reueri in the treatments with initial pH of 4.3 and to L. plantarum in those with pH=4.8.Conclusion: The results showed that different initial pH values as well as different types of inoculated probiotic strains in non-alcoholic beer drink had effects on the amount of the biochemical changes and the viability of probiotic strains in non-alcoholic beer drink; therefore, non-alcoholic beer drink can be a good choice for growth of probiotic.

Background and Objectives: Osmotic dehydration is recommended as preliminary process in food drying. Using of sucrose and glucose sugars, as osmotic agent, may lead to lower nutritional quality in final product. In this study, the effects of replacement of these conventional sugars with sorbitol and fructose, that have higher nutritional quality, on osmotic dehydration efficiency and quality properties of dried Shahroodi grape (raisin) were investigated.Materials and Methods: In this research, in first, all samples (15 treatments at three replicates) coated with carboxymethyl cellulose based solution (1%). Five types of osmotic solutions (including sucrose, glucose sorbitol fructose and fructose- sorbitol) in different concentrations (55, 45 and 35%) were used to select the optimum osmotic solutions based on the maximum water loss and dehydration efficiency coefficient and minimum solid gain. The control and pretreated samples were then dried in the oven (air temperature of 80 °C and air velocity of 1.5 m/s) and the effects of coating and osmotic dehydration pre-treatments on the quality of raisins, including shrinkage, rehydration ratio, color, textural properties, vitamin C, salt and acid contents, were investigated.Results: The fructose based osmotic solution showed significantly higher osmotic dehydration efficiency. In addition, using fructose and sorbitol osmotic solutions caused to higher maintaince of vitamin C and lower total color change in comparison to glucose and sucrose based osmotic solutions. However, there were not significant differences in texture hardness and rehydration properties among samples treated by different osmotic solutions Conclusions: The result of this study shows that osmotic solution of fructose and fructose- sorbitol can be successfully used in osmotic dehydration of Sharoodi grapes.

Background and Objectives: Application of biopolymers-based films because of disadvantages such as poor mechanical and barreir properties han been limited in the packaging. One of the solutions to overcome this problem is production of nanocomposites. In this way, inorganic and organic fillers can be used. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of organic celloluse nanocrystal (CNC) and inorganic nanoclay (NC) on the properties of the whey protein isolate (WPI) film.Materials & Methods: CNC and NC (sepiolite) were extracted from oat husk and mines in Yazd, respectively, and incorporated to the WPI film forming blend in various loading contenets (2, 4 and 6 wt%). Then their effect on mechanical properties, water vapor permeability (WVP), solubility and transparency of the films was investigated.Results: Both of these nano-particles decreased the WVP of the films, but in this case, CNC showed better performance. The CNC increased solubility in water of the fimls due to the hydrophilic nature, but addition of NC decreased solubility in water due to disc structure. The tensile strength (TS) and modulus of elasticity (E) of the nanocomposite films containing CNC increased. However, NC had no significant effect on TS, and only in concentration of 4% increased significantly on E. Elongation at break and transpareny of films were decreased by both of CNC and NC.Conclusion: Organic CNC, in addition to its ability to make a fully renewable and natural nanocomposites, may also improve the mecanical and barreir properties of protein-based polymers compared to inorganic NC fillers.

Background and objective: Recently, silver nanoparticles have attracted a growing attention in food processing due to their antimicrobial activities. In this study, antimicrobial effect of silver nanoparticles in rainbow trout fillet packaging' s was investigated.Materials & Methods: Two samples of nanofilms containing silver nanoparticles covered on titanium dioxide were prepared. First, the quality of 3 and 5% nanofilms was assessed by SEM electron microscope. Following the preparation of nanofilms and a bacterial suspension of E.Coli, the antibacterial activity of nanofilms was measured according to 10900 standard. Rainbow trout fillet was packed in nanofilms and stored for 0, 7, 14 and 21 days in a 4°C refrigerator, and total bacterial count was compared with the samples without nanofilms.Results: The inhibitory effect of 3% and 5% nanofilms on mesophilic bacteria was significant till 7 days, and no considerable change was observed in the following days. The 3% nanofilm had no significant effect on the growth rate of psychrophilic bacteria whereas the effect of 5% nanofilm on the growth rate of pschrophilic bacteria was significant for 7 days.Conclusion: According to the results, utilization of nanofilm containing silver nanoparticles increases the shelf life of rainbow trout fillet.

Background and Objectives: The non-dairy probiotic products with valuable nutritional and therapeutic properties are novel issues in the field of industry, nutrition and medicine. The aim of this study is investigation of the effects of encapsulation on the survival of probiotic bacteria by emulsification method during heat the pasteurization process of orange juice.Materials and Methods: In this research, L. acidophilus bacterium was used as probiotic genus in the orange juice.The probiotic bacteria were inoculated into orange juice in four forms: free, uncoated, monolayer coating and multilayer coating. Encapsulation of the probiotic bacteria was carried out by emulsification method by calcium alginate. The enumeration of probiotic microorganisms were carried out as pure plate in the culture medium of MRS Agar under the aerobic conditions at 37oC for 48-72h. Statistical analysis was performed by factorial arrangement based on completely randomized design (CRD) in 0.05% confidence level.Results: The results indicated that the viability loss of L. acidophilus bacteria undergoing pasteurization process was about 5 logarithmic cycles in free form whereas in the orange juice contained uncoated, monolayer and multilayer bacteria, this value was much lower (reported as about 3.33, 2.90 and 2.50 logarithmic cycles, respectively).Conclusion: Orange juice is an appropriate raw material to provide the growth of L. acidophilus bacteria, and could be considered as a carrier for transferring the probiotic bacterium to the host body.