JOURNAL OF NUTRITION SCIENCES & FOOD TECHNOLOGY
Year:2016 | Volume:11 | Issue:1|Papers Count:18

Background & Objectives: Recent evidence suggests that antioxidants and synbiotics intake due to the effect on inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress may affect the glycemic control and blood lipids of diabetic patients. The aim of study was to investigate the effect of synbiotic Gaz fortified with beta-carotene consumption on metabolic profile among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).Materials and Methods: This randomized double-blinded cross-over controlled clinical trial was conducted among 51 patients with T2D aged 35-70 y. After a 2-wk run-in period, the individuals were randomly assigned to consume either a synbiotic Gaz fortified with beta-carotene (n=51) or control food (n=51) for 6 weeks. A 3-week washout period was applied; then the subjects were crossed over to the alternate treatment arm for an additional 6 weeks. The synbiotic Gaz fortified with beta-carotene contained a probiotic viable and heat-resistance strain Lactobacillus sporogenes (1×107 CFU), 0.15 g inulin as prebiotic and 0.04 g betacarotene. The control food (the same substance without probiotic bacteria, prebiotic inulin and beta-carotene) was packed in identical 7-gram packages. The patients were asked to consume the synbiotic or control Gaz three times a day. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and after 6-wk phase of intervention to measure the metabolic profile.Results: After 6 weeks of intervention, synbiotic Gaz fortified with beta-carotene consumption compared with the control Gaz has resulted in a significant decrease in serum insulin (changes from baseline: -1.00±7.90 vs. +3.68±6.91 mIU/mL, P=0.002), HOMA-IR (-0.73±3.96 vs. +1.82±4.09, P=0.002), HOMA-B (-0.52±19.75 vs. +8.71±17.15, P=0.01), triglycerides (-2.86±49.53 vs. +20.14±50.10 mg/dL, P=0.02), VLDL-cholesterol (-0.57±9.90 vs. +4.03±10.02 mg/dL, P=0.02) and total-/HDL-cholesterol ratio (-0.01±1.08 vs. +0.64±0.81, P=0.001).Conclusion: In conclusion, consumption of the synbiotic Gaz fortified with beta-carotene for 6 weeks among the T2D patients compared with the control Gaz had beneficial effects on the serum insulin concentrations, insulin resistance, triglycerides, VLDL-cholesterol, and total-/HDL-cholesterol, but not on other biochemical profiles.

Background and Objectives: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disease with gastrointestinal disorders with serious effects on the quality of life. Recent investigations enumerated IBS among the complications of vitamin D deficiency. We investigated the effect of supplementation of vitamin D on improving the symptoms of IBS.Materials and Methods: Sixty six patients who referred to the gastroenterology clinics and were diagnosed with IBS were invited to participate in this study. At the beginning of the study, the blood tests were done for all of them after fasting for about 12 to 14 hours. If the 25(OH)D serum level was lower than 30 ng/mL, these patients with IBS were eligible to enter to the study. At the beginning of the study, they were asked to prepare a 3-day (a holiday and two working days) note of their 24-hour food intakes. Then the clinical symptoms and quality of life questionnaire were filled out for them. Using the Stratified Blocked Randomization method, each person was devoted to receive either the vitamin D3 supplement or placebo. The intervention period in this research was 8 weeks. The patients in the test group took one 50000 IU dose of vitamin D3 weekly (as a pill), and people in the control group received a placebo (containing rice flour) weekly. Both groups received the same dietary recommendations.Results: According to our results, vitamin D supplementation in patients with IBS may lead to a significant increase in 25(OH)D serum level (with a mean difference of less at the end of the study: -23/24±14), and significant reduction in the severity of clinical symptoms (p-value<0.05).Conclusion: It seems that taking a dose of vitamin D used in this study (50000 IU weekly) may be effective in improving IBS symptoms.

Background and Objectives: Emerging data suggest an association between low serum concentrations of 25(OH)D and central obesity. This study aimed to investigate the effect of daily intake of vitamin D-fortified yogurt drink (doogh) on central obesity indicators in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and the possible modulation of this effect by vitamin D receptor (VDR)-Cdx-2 genotypes.Materials and Methods: Sixty T2D subjects were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either plain doogh (PD; n=29, containing 170 mg calcium and no vitamin D/250 mL) or vitamin D3-fortified doogh (FD; n=31, containing 500 IU/250 mL) twice a day for 12 weeks. 25(OH)D, glycemic and adiposity indicators were evaluated before and after the intervention. VDR genotypes in the extended number of T2D subjects were determined in the FD group (n=60).Results: After 12 weeks, in the FD compared to the PD group, serum 25(OH)D increased (+35.4 nmol/L vs. -4.8 nmol/L, p<0.001) and mean changes of waist circumference (WC; -1.3 vs. +1.6 cm, p=0.02), body fat mass (FM; -5.1 vs. +0.60 %, p<0.001), truncal fat (TF; -1.1 vs. 0.13%, p=0.003) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT; -0.80 vs. +0.37 a.u., p<0.001) decreased significantly. Circulating 25(OH)D was raised only in AA group (34.8 nmo/L in the AA group vs. -6.4nmol/L in the AG and -1.6nmol/L in the GG groups, p<0.001). This difference was accompanied by a significant decrease in the changes of WC (p=0.004), FM% (p<0.001) and TF% (p<0.001) in AA genotype.Conclusions: Daily intake of 1000 vitamin D-fortified doogh for 12 weeks improved the central obesity indices in the T2D subjects, and the improvement was more pronounced in the carriers of the AA genotype of VDR-Cdx-2.

Background and Objective(s): Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that results in a chronic, systemic inflammation. Food insecurity is defined as the limited or uncertain availability of enough food for an always active and healthy life. Due to the impact of food insecurity in chronic diseases as stressor and its impact on food intake, this study aimed to assess the association between food insecurity as well as some other socio-economic factors and rheumatoid arthritis in newly diagnosed patients.Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis admitted to the clinics of Shariati and Imam Khomeini Hospitals in Tehran as cases, and 60 healthy individuals without rheumatoid arthritis as controls while age and sex were matched. Generally, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and food insecurity status were compared. Diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis was according to the medical records by a specialist, food insecurity was according to the 18-item USDA household food insecurity questionnaire, and socio-economic characteristics were collected through general information questionnaires. Data were analyzed with SPSS IBM20 software. The relationship between rheumatoid arthritis and food insecurity was evaluated using logistic regression, and mean quantitative data analyzed with t-test. The difference between qualitative variables was analyzed with Chi-square test.Results: In this study, the positive association between rheumatoid arthritis and food insecurity was found. The prevalence of food insecurity among patients was 82%, and in healthy subjects it was 47% (P<0.001). With increasing the severity of food insecurity, the risk of rheumatoid arthritis increased. Economic level, marital status and education correlated with rheumatoid arthritis. However, after multiple conditional logistic regression, food insecurity and marriage were significantly associated to rheumatoid arthritis (P<0.05). The severity of food insecurity was significantly associated with the severity of disease, morning stiffness of joints inflammation. In addition, food insecurity points was significantly associated with pain score in the patients with food insecurity (p<0.001).Conclusion: This study demonstrates the high prevalence of food insecurity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and a significant positive association between the severity of food insecurity with pain score and signs of rheumatoid arthritis.

Background and Objectives: One of the important objectives of physiological investigations is to find substances involved in pain relieving. This study investigated the effects of dietary virgin olive oil on acute and chronic pain and morphine analgesia in male mice using formalin test.Materials & Methods: 24 male NMRI mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, 6 animals in each group (n=6): 1) Sham group, consumption of standard diet during experiment, 2) Experimental group I, consumption of standard diet with olive oil but without receiving morphine, 3) Control group, consumption of standard diet and received morphine, and 4) Experimental group II, consumption of standard diet with olive oil and receiving morphine. Oral treatment period was 4 weeks. 10% olive virgin oil was added to standard diet, and morphine (10 mg/kg body weight), as standard drug, was injected subcutaneously. Pain was evaluated by using the formalin test.Results: Oral administration of virgin olive oil could decrease neurogenic pain (the first phase of the formalin test) (p<0.001) and inflammatory pain (the second phase of the formalin test) (p<0.001). Furthermore, edible virgin olive oil somewhat increased the analgesic effect of morphine in the chronic pain phase significantly (p<0.001).Conclusion: Oral administration of virgin olive oil has analgesic properties, and increases morphine’s analgesic effect. In fact, morphine in animals that have consumed edible virgin olive oil in their diet has more pain-relieving effect.

Background and Objectives: The health belief model (HBM) is one of the cognitive models that try to explain health-related behaviors such as weight reduction intention. The present research aims to examine the role of health belief model in predicting behavioral intention of weight reduction in a sample of university female students in Shiraz.Materials and Methods: A total of 218 undergraduate students were recruited from the University of Shiraz using convenience sampling. The participants completed a questionnaire developed based on the health belief model, and consisted of the items on the behavioral intention of weight reduction and health beliefs model. The HBQ included six components (perceived benefit, perceived barrier, perceived threat, action cues, exercise self-efficacy, and diet regimen self-efficacy). The reliability and validity of the HBQ were confirmed in the present study. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha and multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 16.Results: The findings showed that 14.7% of the participants fall in underweight, 58.7% in normal weight and 26.6% in overweight or obesity range. The results also indicated that components of HBM explained 27 % of the variance of the behavioral intention of weight reduction. Three independent variables including Body Mass Index (BMI) (p<0.01), action cues (p<0.01), and exercise self-efficacy (p<0.01) significantly predicted the behavioral intention of weight reduction. Other components of health belief model did not predict the behavioral intention of weight reduction.Conclusion: The present study showed that female students with a higher BMI were more likely to have weight reduction intention. Furthermore, exercise self-efficacy and action cues had a significant role for considering weight reduction intention.

Background and Objectives: Orange peel extract has been used in Iranian traditional medicine since the long past. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of methanol extract of orange peel, Sangynla species, on the microorganisms of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans as an alternative for conventional chemical preservatives.Materials and Methods: In this study, the effect of 31 mg/ml orange peel extracts was investigated by using disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Also the effect of orange peel extract on the biochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics of milk was studied during 7 days in 4 ,25 & 37oC. The controls were milk samples without extract.Results: The research showed that orange peel extract has an antimicrobial effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. In MIC method, the growth inhibitory activity of the extract on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was more than on Candida albicans. At 0.15 g/ml concentration of orange peel extract, the growth of all microorganisms in the milk was reduced at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours. There was a significant correlation between temperature and growth of Candida albicans. In comparison, the orange peel extract is more effective on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus than on Escherichia coli.Results and Conclusion: In this research, the inhibitory effect of orange peel extract on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans has been proven; therefore, it can be used as a herbal combination to inhibit the growth of pathogens in milk. According to the research results, in addition to the orange peel extract, pH and temperature have more bacterial inhibitory activity simultaneously.

Background and Objectives: Salicornia is a genus of halophyte (salt tolerant). In this study, the structure and physicochemical properties of Salicornia Persica Akhani (sub sp. rudshurensis Akhani) oil were investigated.Materials and Methods: Soxhlet method was used to extract Salicornia oil, and the obtained oil was evaluated by using gas chromatography. Then its fatty acids profile and physicochemical properties were evaluated. Finally, the oxidative stability of oil was determined based on rancimat test and peroxide value.Results: Maximum oil content extraction from plant Salicornia Persica Akhani was 9.3%. Gas chromatography analysis identified 10 types of fatty acids in the extracted oil. Palmitic acid among the saturated fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid among the polyunsaturated fatty acids was predominant. Refractive index (oC), Iodine Value (IV), density, Saponification number and combustion heat (DHC) were 1.4704, 150.34 g I2/m gr oil, 0.927 gr/cm3, 196.8 mg KOH/g oil, 12.4 and 9428 Cal/g, respectively. Oxidative stability index (OSI) at 110oC was 8.5 hours, and the peroxide value after 8 days storage at 50oC was 5 meq active oxygen per kg of oil.Conclusion: The analysis revealed that the oil extracted from Salicornia Persica Akhani contained about 70% unsaturated fatty acids, and its dominant fatty acid was alpha-linonenic acid. In addition, the extracted oil had proper oxidative stability compared to other edible oils used in the food industry.

Background and Objectives: Slip melting point (SMP) is one of the most important qualitative and functional properties of fats. However, the common melting point determination methods are generally time-consuming. Therefore, in this research, regression models were developed for description of the SMP of interesterified fats as a function of fatty acid composition.Materials and Methods: Blends of soybean oil and palm stearin were subjected to chemical interesterification, and the fatty acid composition and SMP of the products were determined. SMP of the interesterified fats was modeled as a function of fatty acid composition using regression analysis. Goodness of fit of different models was evaluated, and finally, the best model for SMP prediction was determined.Results: The SMP of blends decreased after interesterification significantly (p<0.05). A good Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r>0.99) was observed between SMP and all fatty acids (p<0.01). Accordingly, the following strategies were used for SMP modeling: as a multiple function of palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids; as a multiple function of total saturated and unsaturated fatty acids; as a function of saturated fatty acids. The proposed models for prediction of the SMP of interesterified soybean oil and palm stearin blends showed a correlation coefficient (between the experimental and predicted data) of greater than 0.99, and a mean absolute error lower than 0.52oC, indicating the high prediction power of the models.Conclusions: The results of model validation showed that the model describes SMP as a multiple function of total saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and the Gompertz model describes SMP as a function of total saturated fatty acids could predict the SMP of different interesterified fats in the best way. The models may be useful in the design and development of new interesterified fat formulations.

Background and Objectives: Date syrup is a valuable secondary product of dates. It is full of natural sugar and is useful for diabetics. The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of producing sponge cake by complete or partial substitution of sucrose with date syrup.Materials and Methods: Cake batter properties such as specific gravity, cake characteristics such as volume, apparent density, porosity, moisture and water activity, crust color and textural firmness were determined.Results: The results showed that increasing the concentration of date syrup significantly (p<0.05) reduced specific gravity and viscosity. Complete substitution of sucrose with date syrup gave lower cake volume, apparent and solid densities, porosity and symmetry compared to those of control. Samples prepared with different concentrations of date syrup had moisture and water activity higher than those of control. The highest firmness values were observed in the samples containing higher concentrations of date syrup. The samples prepared with date syrup had darker crust color compared to control.Conclusion: Sponge cake prepared by 25% date syrup had similar quality characteristics to those of control cake.

Background and Objectives: Synthetic colorants are very important class of food additives. They are widely used all over the world in food and feed industries due to their low price, high effectiveness and excellent stability. In this research, a simple, rapid and sensitive method termed as “dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction” combined with spectrophotometry determination is proposed for determining the trace amounts of carmoisine in food samples.Materials and Methods: Several factors influencing the extraction efficiency of carmoisine including the type and amount of extraction solvent and disperser solvent, pH, ionic strength, and amount of ion-pairing reagent were studied and optimized. The proposed method was validated by high performance liquid chromatography technique.Results: Under the optimal conditions, a good linear behavior over the investigated concentration ranges (10-2000 mg/L) with good correlation of determination, R2> 0.9993, was obtained. The relative standard deviation (RSD) based on six replicate determinations at 250 mg/L level of carmoisine was 6%. The extraction percent was 90%, and the limit of detection (LOD) of the proposed approach was 2.0 mg/L. Conclusion: Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method coupled with spectrophotometric has good accuracy (spike recoveries greater than 95%) for determining the trace amounts of carmoisine (mg/L).

Background and Objectives: The National Food and Nutrition Surveillance (FNS), with the aim of providing information for policy makers, was established in Iran since 2014. For the first couple of years, it focused on the problem of vitamin D deficiency. The scope of this paper is to translate information about the vitamin D status to policy.Materials and Methods: In total, 667 apparently healthy children aged 5-18 years were randomly selected from six regions of Iran (West Azerbaijan, Semnan, Lorestan , South Khorasan, Khozestan, and Fars). Blood samples were obtained after an overnight fasting in two seasons (winter and summer).Results: About 93% and 72% of the children had undesirable vitamin D status (25(OH)D<50 nmol/L) in winter and summer, respectively. In all provinces, the mean serum 25(OH)D increased in summer significantly, with the highest rise in West Azerbaijan.Conclusions: Repeatedly reported high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D has made the policy makers to urgently implement a high-dose supplementation program (50’000 IU/mo) in schools. By this means, it can be expected that calcidiol concentrations increase about 42 to 50 nmol/L, and then during summer, the prevalence of deficiency would return to the baseline (~72%). Based on our findings, in summer, the highest concentrations of 25(OH)D will reach to the range of 85-103 nmol/L that even with 2SD, the peak concentration will still be far from toxic levels. Continuation of vitamin D supplementation for children during summer is, therefore, recommended.

Background and Objectives: Malt extract (because of specific sensory and nutritional properties) is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. Enrichment of beverages with functional ingredients such as prebiotics as a substitutive of sucrose can be used to improve public health practice. So, the aim of this research is production of prebiotic malt extract in laboratory scale by replacing sucrose with inulin and investigating its physicochemical properties.Materials & Methods: Malt with Razak and inulin alone or in combination with sucrose with specific ratios (inulin 3%, inulin 1.5%, sucrose 1.5%, and sucrose 3%) were prepared, and after pasteurization, maintained at 4 and 25oC for every 2 months (4 months). Then physical and chemical tests (including pH, Brix, pH and color) were done on the samples.Results: The Brix of samples correlated with the amount of inulin. The samples with maximum and minimum levels of Brix were inulin 3% and control, respectively. Also addition of inulin, and consequently, reducing the amount of sucrose led to decreasing the samples’ pH during storage (p-value³0.05). At the beginning, pH in the samples containing inulin was the highest, which was decreased during the storage time. In all cases, the pH levels were not changed significantly but in the samples with inulin 3%compared to inulin1.5%, the pH levels were less decreased. Moreover, the reducing amount of inulin caused increasing the acidity of the samples. According to investigations, the increased amount of inulin was correlated with increasing the color and turbidity of the samples because of reducing light scattering. The changes of color during storage at 4 and 25oC were not significant (p-value³0.05).Conclusion: The results showed that addition of inulin to malt extract had no significant adverse effect on the physicochemical properties of the product. However, it could improve the nutritional characteristic of the product by production of a probiotic beverage, and thus have health effects on the public health and be an effective suitable alternative of sucrose.