The Effect of Irradiation and Heat Treatment on Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Culinary Herbs and Spices — A Review

Besides the positive effects, γ-irradiation and heat treatment of foods usually lead to changes in their structure or composition, thus influencing their quality. In view of the fact that herbs and spices are important source of antioxidants in a human diet, any kind of treatment can have an impact on their antioxidant status, as well. In this contribution, we review the effects of γ-radiation and heat treatment on some constituents and antioxidant properties of culinary herbs and spices. Both methods of treatment result in some common qualitative changes in herbs and spices, mostly in the content of polyphenols or volatile components. The results of antioxidant testing assays are sometimes contradictory in observed effect or trends, in dependence on the manner of treatment and character of spice matrix. Based on this review, the effects of γ-radiation or heat processing on antioxidants, or the vitamin content in herbs and spices is still lacking, which makes the direct assessment of the effect of treatment on the antioxidant status of herbs and spices practically impossible. However, the changes in composition that have been observed to date suggest that they have only a small effect on the behavior of herbs and spices in a real food matrix.     

Mycotoxins in spices and herbs–An update

Spices and herbs have been used since ancient times as flavor and aroma enhancers, colorants, preservatives, and traditional medicines. There are more than 30 spices and herbs of global economic and culinary importance. Among the spices, black pepper, capsicums, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, saffron, coriander, cloves, dill, mint, thyme, sesame seed, mustard seed, and curry powder are the most popular spices worldwide. In addition to their culinary uses, a number of functional properties of aromatic herbs and spices are also well described in the scientific literature. However, spices and herbs cultivated mainly in tropic and subtropic areas can be exposed to contamination with toxigenic fungi and subsequently mycotoxins. This review provides an overview on the mycotoxin risk in widely consumed spices and aromatic herbs.     

The Impact of Dietary Interventions on the Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review

Diet may be a successful part of the treatment plan for improving outcome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aimed to systematically review all published clinical trials evaluating the effects of a regular diet on symptoms of IBD. Three medical databases were searched for clinical trials evaluating an intervention that involved dietary manipulation using a regular diet on adults with IBD whose symptoms were objectively measured before and after the intervention. The most common types of regular diet interventions that we observed in the literature fell into the following three categories: low residue/low fiber diets, exclusion diets, or other specific diets. Of all included studies, the few that were of higher quality and that observed a statistically significant improvement in symptoms in the diet group compared to the control group fell under the exclusion diet group or the other specific diet group. We were able to identify several high quality clinical trials evaluating dietary manipulations on symptoms of IBD. Exclusion diets and the low FODMAP diet are two areas identified in this review that show promise for having therapeutic benefits for patients with IBD.     

Is a vegan or a vegetarian diet associated with the microbiota composition in the gut? Results of a new cross-sectional study and systematic review

Abstract

It is assumed that diet influences the composition of gut microbiota, which in turn may affect human health status. This systematic review aimed to summarize associations of a vegan or vegetarian diet with the composition of microbiota. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Embase for eligible human studies with vegan or vegetarian diets as an exposure and microbiota composition as an outcome in healthy adults. Furthermore, data from our cross-sectional study with vegan participants were included. Out of sixteen included studies, six investigated the association between gut microbiota composition in both vegans and in vegetarians, six in vegans and four studies in vegetarians compared to omnivores, respectively. Among 5 different phyla, 28 families, 96 genera and 177 species, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium and Prevotella were the most reported genera, followed by the species Prevotella copri, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Escherichia coli in all diets. No consistent association between a vegan diet or vegetarian diet and microbiota composition compared to omnivores could be identified. Moreover, some studies revealed contradictory results. This result could be due to high microbial individuality, and/or differences in the applied approaches. Standardized methods with high taxonomical and functional resolutions are needed to clarify this issue.     

The effect of carbohydrates on nutritional preference and development of Mediterranean flour mouth,Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

In this study, the effect of different carbohydrates on food consumption, growth and development duration of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera:Pyralidae) larvae was investigated. 13 diets containing different carbohydrates were prepared. Control diet did not contain carbohydrates. The 8 diet contains 3% concentration of glucose, galactose, maltose, starch, arabinose, mannose, sucrose or fructose. 2 of the diets contains 10% or 30% starch. 2 of the diets contain a mixture of carbohydrates (2 Glucose: 1Fructose; 2 Fructose: 1 Glucose). According to the results, only the increase in food consumption does not indicate that a carbohydrate is a feeding stimulus. The conversion of carbohydrates is also important. Although the dietary consumption of arabinose is high, pupa dry weight, pupa lipid and pupa protein are not high. Conversely, although the consumption of the glucose-containing diet is low, the pupa dry weight and pupa lipid content are high. The glucose-fructose mixture is stimulant for E. kuehniella larvae. G2-F1 diet is the diet with high food consumption and growth performance. In addition, it was determined that as the starch concentration in the diet increased, the amount of consumption increased but the pupa dry weight, which is an indicator of fecundity, decreased. It is important result that the amount of pupa protein does not differ in diets except carbohydrate free diet and G2-F1 diet.     

Date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera Linn): an emerging medicinal food

Date palm is one of the oldest trees cultivated by man. In the folk-lore, date fruits have been ascribed to have many medicinal properties when consumed either alone or in combination with other herbs. Although, fruit of the date palm served as the staple food for millions of people around the world for several centuries, studies on the health benefits are inadequate and hardly recognized as a healthy food by the health professionals and the public. In recent years, an explosion of interest in the numerous health benefits of dates had led to many in vitro and animal studies as well as the identification and quantification of various classes of phytochemicals. On the basis of available documentation in the literature on the nutritional and phytochemical composition, it is apparent that the date fruits are highly nutritious and may have several potential health benefits. Although dates are sugar-packed, many date varieties are low GI diet and refutes the dogma that dates are similar to candies and regular consumption would develop chronic diseases. More investigations in these areas would validate its beneficial effects, mechanisms of actions, and fully appreciate as a potential medicinal food for humans all around the world. Therefore, in this review we summarize the phytochemical composition, nutritional significance, and potential health benefits of date fruit consumption and discuss its great potential as a medicinal food for a number of diseases inflicting human beings.     

Controlled fermentation of kimchi using naturally occurring antimicrobial agents

Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented food. Since it ferments continuously during distribution and storage, the extension of shelf life by preventing over-acidification is a major concern in the kimchi industry. One of the most frequently attempted ways to delay fermentation is to add naturally occurring antimicrobial agents. Many researchers have investigated ways to delay over-acidification by adding minor ingredients, fruits or fruit seed extracts, extracts of medicinal herbs, culinary herbs and spices, and other miscellaneous substances to kimchi. The addition of naturally occurring antimicrobial agents may enhance the acceptability of kimchi to consumers over a longer period of time but may also have a disadvantage in that it may cause changes in sensory quality, especially if added in large amounts. To avoid undesirable sensory changes, application of hurdle technologies (i.e., multifactor preservative systems) which involve using combinations of low amounts of various naturally occurring antimicrobial agents as ingredients should be explored with the goal of controlling fermentation. If synergistic or additive antimicrobial effects can be achieved using small amounts of a combination of natural agents, changes in sensory qualities will be minimized, thereby prolonging shelf life. Research findings summarized in this review provide a basis for developing effective hurdle technologies using naturally occurring antimicrobial agents to extend shelf life of kimchi and perhaps other types of traditional fermented foods.     

Rationalization of school nutrition

The paper briefs age-specific features of schoolchildren, and nature of the present-day education with emphasis on the necessity of providing the children with rational diet to ensure harmonious development of the personality, health strengthening and improving school results. A list is presented of foods and culinary articles of high biological value developed by the Institute of Nutrition in cooperation with enterprises of food, meat and milk, and fishing industry and some other institutes of the country. A number of organizational measures required for providing schools with foods enumerated are offered and the necessity of developing differentiated diets for schoolchildren of varying age is stressed.     

Goat milk feeding causes an increase in biliary secretion of cholesterol and a decrease in plasma cholesterol levels in rats

The hypocholesterolemic effect of goat milk with respect to cow milk observed in a previous study led us to examine the influence of goat and cow milk in the diet on certain aspects of biliary physiology in normal rats. The fat content in all diets was 10% but the lipid quality was varied: the standard diet was based on virgin olive oil, and the other 2 diets included fat obtained from lyophilized cow milk and goat milk. We characterized the bile secretion, including biliary phospholipid, cholesterol, and bile acid outputs, the interrelation between bile acids and bile lipids, and the lithogenic index. The consumption of goat milk in the diet, compared with that of cow milk, caused an increase in the biliary secretion of cholesterol together with a decrease in plasma cholesterol concentration, whereas values for bile phospholipids, biliary acid concentrations, and the lithogenic index remained normal. Moreover, consumption of this type of milk decreased plasma triglyceride concentration and therefore had a positive effect, similar to that of olive oil (standard diet), on the lipid metabolism; hence, it may be recommended for consumption by the general population.     

Nutrition in the genomics era: cardiovascular disease risk and the Mediterranean diet

The effect of dietary changes on phenotypes (i.e., plasma lipid measures, body weight and blood pressure) differs significantly between individuals. This phenomenon has been more extensively researched in relation to changes in dietary fat and plasma lipid concentrations for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to other pathological conditions. Although common knowledge associates low fat diets with reductions in total and plasma LDL cholesterol, the clinical evidence shows dramatic inter-individual differences in response that are partially due to genetic factors. The discovery of the cardioprotective and other healthy properties of the Mediterranean diet has popularized the consumption of Mediterranean products such as olive oil. Molecular, clinical, and epidemiological studies have begun to shed some light about how various components of this diet may protect the cardiovascular system and to decrease the risk of other diseases such as cancer. However, it is also possible that the right combination of genetic, cultural, socioeconomic factors is needed to achieve full benefit. It has been proposed that the Mediterranean diet may be closer to the ancestral foods that were part of human development and our metabolism may have evolved to work optimally on such a diet rather than with the current diets richer in saturated fat and highly refined and processed foods. Therefore, it is possible that alleles that are associated with increase disease risk may be silenced in the presence of that more ancestral and traditional diet and lifestyle. This knowledge may provide the basis for successful public health as well individual approaches for disease prevention.     

Policy interventions to promote healthy eating: a review of what works, what does not, and what is promising

Unhealthy diets can lead to various diseases, which in turn can translate into a bigger burden for the state in the form of health services and lost production. Obesity alone has enormous costs and claims thousands of lives every year. Although diet quality in the European Union has improved across countries, it still falls well short of conformity with the World Health Organization dietary guidelines. In this review, we classify types of policy interventions addressing healthy eating and identify through a literature review what specific policy interventions are better suited to improve diets. Policy interventions are classified into two broad categories: information measures and measures targeting the market environment. Using this classification, we summarize a number of previous systematic reviews, academic papers, and institutional reports and draw some conclusions about their effectiveness. Of the information measures, policy interventions aimed at reducing or banning unhealthy food advertisements generally have had a weak positive effect on improving diets, while public information campaigns have been successful in raising awareness of unhealthy eating but have failed to translate the message into action. Nutritional labeling allows for informed choice. However, informed choice is not necessarily healthier; knowing or being able to read and interpret nutritional labeling on food purchased does not necessarily result in consumption of healthier foods. Interventions targeting the market environment, such as fiscal measures and nutrient, food, and diet standards, are rarer and generally more effective, though more intrusive. Overall, we conclude that measures to support informed choice have a mixed and limited record of success. On the other hand, measures to target the market environment are more intrusive but may be more effective.     

Phytosterols as anticancer compounds

Phytochemicals have been proposed to offer protection against a variety of chronic ailments including cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. As for cancer protection, it has been estimated that diets rich in phytochemicals can significantly reduce cancer risk by as much as 20%. Phytosterols are specific phytochemicals that resemble cholesterol in structure but are found exclusively in plants. Phytosterols are absorbed from the diet in small but significant amounts. Epidemiological data suggest that the phytosterol content of the diet is associated with a reduction in common cancers including cancers of the colon, breast, and prostate. The means by which dietary phytosterols may be achieving these effects is becoming clearer from molecular studies with tumorigenic research models. Phytosterols affect host systems potentially enabling more robust antitumor responses, including the boosting of immune recognition of cancer, influencing hormonal dependent growth of endocrine tumors, and altering sterol biosynthesis. In addition, phytosterols have effects that directly inhibit tumor growth, including the slowing of cell cycle progression, the induction of apoptosis, and the inhibition of tumor metastasis. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding the anticancer effects of phytosterols.     

膳食纤维与肠道微生物互作调节食物过敏的研究进展

食物过敏的发病率逐步上升,遗传之外的影响因素如饮食受到密切关注.其中,高膳食纤维的食物摄入可能通过与肠道菌群互作和调节肠道黏膜免疫的方式来诱导口服耐受和降低食物过敏发生率.本文在阐述膳食纤维、肠道菌群和食物过敏三者的联系及研究现状的基础上,重点讨论膳食纤维通过调节肠道菌群影响食物过敏的发病机制,旨在为研究过敏人群的合理...     

Maillard reaction indicators in diets usually consumed by adolescent population

Contents of some indicators of the Maillard reaction (MR) in two diets adjusted to the adolescent requirements are compared: the A-diet, usually consumed by the adolescent population containing their preferred foods cooked by the culinary techniques more frequently chosen; and the B-diet, with the same foods, except those industrially processed and with high content of Maillard reaction products (MRP), cooked in softer processes to minimise the MR. Aliquots of a lunch-dinner (LD) and breakfast-afternoon (BA) snack pools separately from both diets were ground and lyophilised. Fluorescence associated to MRP, CIELAB colour parameters, furosine, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), carboxymethyllysine (CML) and sugar contents were investigated in the samples. Significant losses of lightness were manifested in A samples compared to the B ones. Fluorescence intensity was significantly higher in the LD and BA samples from the A-diet. Furosine measured in the A-diet was similar to that found in the B-diet. However, HMF content was significantly higher in the A-diet, as well as CML. Data showed significant higher levels of advanced MRP in the usual diet. Thus, MRP intake associated to alimentary pattern in the adolescence population might be studied in order to assess the health implications of the MRP consumption and its possible synergic effect with endogenous advanced glycation endproducts.     

Iron Nutrition in Adolescence

Adolescence is an important period of nutritional vulnerability due to increased dietary requirements for growth and development. Iron needs are elevated as a result of intensive growth and muscular development, which implies an increase in blood volume; thus, it is extremely important for the adolescent's iron requirements to be met. Diet, therefore, must provide enough iron and, moreover, nutrients producing adequate iron bioavailability to favor element utilization and thus be sufficient for needs at this stage of life. Currently, many adolescents consume monotonous and unbalanced diets which may limit mineral intake and/or bioavailability, leading to iron deficiency and, consequently, to ferropenic anemia, a nutritional deficit of worldwide prevalence. Iron deficiency, apart from provoking important physiological repercussions, can adversely affect adolescents’ cognitive ability and behavior. Accordingly, promoting the consumption of a varied, adjusted, and balanced diet by adolescents will facilitate iron utilization, benefiting their health both at present and in adulthood. This review discusses how physiological changes during adolescence can cause iron requirements to increase. Consequently, it is important that diet should contribute an appropriate amount of this mineral and, moreover, with an adequate bioavailability to satisfy needs during this special period of life.     

Brown Rice Versus White Rice: Nutritional Quality,Potential Health Benefits,Development of Food Products,and Preservation Technologies

Obesity and chronic diet‐related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancers, and celiac are increasing worldwide. The increasing prevalence of these diseases has led nutritionists and food scientists to pay more attention to the relationship between diet and different disease risks. Among different foods, rice has received increasing attention because it is a major component of billions of peoples’ diets throughout the world. Rice is commonly consumed after polishing or whitening and the polished grain is known a high glycemic food because of its high starch content. In addition, the removal of the outer bran layer during rice milling results in a loss of nutrients, dietary fiber, and bioactive components. Therefore, many studies were performed to investigate the potential health benefits for the consumption of whole brown rice (BR) grain in comparison to the milled or white rice (WR). The objective of this work was to review the recent advances in research performed for purposes of evaluation of nutritional value and potential health benefits of the whole BR grain. Studies carried out for purposes of developing BR‐based food products are reviewed. BR safety and preservation treatments are also explored. In addition, economic and environmental benefits for the consumption of whole BR instead of the polished or WR are presented. Furthermore, challenges facing the commercialization of BR and future perspectives to promote its utilization as food are discussed.     

百合属植物化学成分及其生物活性的研究进展

百合属植物药食兼用、营养丰富,近年来已成为天然产物化学的研究热点。目前国内外对百合的研究仍较 薄弱,一方面已开展研究的种较少,仍有许多种未被研究;另一方面百合研究主要集中于验证生物活性阶段,后续功 能成分的分离、功能性食品和药品的开发方面也应继续加强。本文综述了百合属植物化学成分,包括多糖、皂苷、生 物碱、酚类和甾类糖苷的研究进展,及其作为食品和药品的传统用途及生物功能,并对未来的研究方向进行展望。     

100% citrus juice: Nutritional contribution,dietary benefits,and association with anthropometric measures

Citrus juices such as 100% orange (OJ) and grapefruit juice (GJ) are commonly consumed throughout the world. This review examines the contributions of OJ and GJ to nutrient intake, diet quality, and fruit intake, and supports citrus juices as nutrient-dense beverages. This review also explores the research examining associations between OJ and GJ intake and anthropometric measures. Citrus juices are excellent sources of vitamin C and contribute other key nutrients such as potassium, folate, magnesium, and vitamin A. OJ intake has been associated with better diet quality in children and adults. OJ intake has not been associated with adverse effects on weight or other body measures in observational studies in children and adults. In adults, some observational studies report more favorable body mass index or body measure parameters in OJ consumers compared to nonconsumers. Intervention studies in adults report no negative impacts of OJ or GJ consumption on anthropometric measures, although these measures were typically not the primary outcomes examined in the studies. Moderate consumption of citrus juices may provide meaningful nutritional and dietary benefits and do not appear to negatively impact body weight, body composition, or other anthropometric measures in children and adults.     

Composition of flavonoids in fresh herbs and calculation of flavonoid intake by use of herbs in traditional Danish dishes

Many herbs are known as excellent sources of natural antioxidants, and consumption of fresh herbs in the diet may therefore contribute to the daily antioxidant intake. The present study was performed in order to quantify flavonoids in commonly eaten fresh herbs. Fifteen fresh herbs (basil, chives, coriander, cress, dill, lemon balm, lovage, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, spearmint, tarragon, thyme, and watercress) were analysed by HPLC and mass spectrometry. Five major flavonoid aglycones were detected and quantified by HPLC after acid hydrolysis: apigenin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, luteolin, and quercetin. The highest levels of flavonoids were found in parsley (510–630 mg apigenin /100 g), lovage (170 mg quercetin/100g), mint (18–100 mg apigenin/100 g), and dill (48–110 mg quercetin/100 g). Mass spectrometric detection, using atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI), was used to verify the presence of flavonoids in the hydrolysed extracts of herbs. Some traditional Danish dishes contain herbs, particularly parsley, dill, cress and chives, and the contribution to the flavonoid intake by consumption of these dishes was calculated.     

Gastroprotective effects of herbal medicines (roots)

Herbal medicines are now commonly used all over the world and this has increased global demand. Quality, safety, and efficacy of these drugs have become a serious concern. This review presents the medicinal plants cited in folklore that are used to treat gastrointestinal ulcers. Electronic databases, that is, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched to identify the gastroprotective effects of each plant. Ethnopharmacological studies have reported various botanical products with antiulcer activities, but there has been limited scientific research, presenting clinical data to validate the efficacy and safety of medicinal herbs as gastroprotective agents. Most studies centered on pharmacological properties of medicinal herbs as used animals models. This information has prompted us to compile a list of the medicinal herbs cited in folklore with gastroprotective activity.