Lysine fortification: past, present, and future

Fortification with lysine to improve the protein value of human diets that are heavily based on cereals has received support from the results of these recent studies [1,2]. Support also comes from examination of average food and nutrient availability data derived from food balance sheets. Whereas nutritional status is influenced by the nutrient content of foods consumed in relation to need, the requirements for protein and amino acids are influenced by many additional factors [10, 12, 14, 28, 29]. These include age, sex, body size, physical activity, growth, pregnancy and lactation, infection, and the efficiency of nutrient utilization. Even if the immune response was influenced by the added lysine, adequate water and basic sanitation would remain essential. Acute and chronic undernutrition and most micronutrient deficiencies primarily affect poor and deprived people who do not have access to food of adequate nutritional value, live in unsanitary environments without access to clean water and basic services, and lack access to appropriate education and information [30]. A further variable is the possible interaction between protein and food energy availability [31]. This could affect the protein value of diets when food energy is limiting to a significant degree. Thus, the additional effects of food energy deficiency on protein utilization could well be superimposed on the very poorest. The improvement of dietary diversity must be the long-term aim, with dietary fortification considered only a short-term solution. The former should take place as wealth improves and the gaps between rich and poor diminish. Although such changes are taking place, they are highly uneven. Over the last several decades, increases have occurred in the availability of food energy, total protein, and animal protein for both developed and developing countries. However, for the very poorest developing countries over the same period, changes have been almost nonexistent, and the values for some nutritional indicators have even declined. For estimated lysine value, the developed countries showed increases in per capita availability from 5,400 to 6,167 mg per day and the developing countries from 2,400 to 3,454 mg per day, while in contrast, the very poorest countries remained static at about 2,400 to 2,500 mg per day. Thus, although lysine fortification may be theoretically only a short-term solution, in the very poorest countries changes in wealth such that dietary diversity and lysine availability may increase by natural progression remain remote. If we can justify using lysine to fortify animal feed in the rich regions of the world for economic gain, perhaps we should now consider adding lysine to the flour consumed by the deprived people in the poorest regions of the world to improve both their nutrition and their resistance to disease.     

Nitrogen metabolism in the rumen

Nitrogen metabolism is reviewed with emphasis on methods for quantitating various nitrogen-transactions in the rumen of animals on a variety of diets. Ammonia kinetics, microbial cell synthesis, the inputs of endogenous nitrogen, degradation of dietary protein, and availability to the animal of dietary bypass protein are discussed. The efficiency of microbial protein from the rumen is discussed in relation to the ratio of protein to energy in the nutrients available to meet the requirements of the animal. The ratio is determined largely by the maintenance requirements of microbes and the breakdown of microbial materials, which result in the recycling of microbial nitrogen in the rumen. Emphasis is placed on the role of rumen protozoa in decreasing the ratio of protein to energy in absorbed nutrients in ruminants on diets that are marginally deficient in protein. Recent studies of the dynamics of protozoa in the rumen and their contribution to microbial protein outflow are summarized.     

水溶性膳食纤维Fibersol-2

由于人们对膳食纤维与人体机能关系的认识不断深入，膳食纤维的重要性被世界所承认。在许多国家除了糖、蛋白质、脂肪、维他命、矿物质之外，膳食纤维被称为第六营养素。但是，随着许多结构的变化，生活节奏的加快，饮食习惯和食物构成的改变，现代人的饮食生活出现膳食纤维不足现象。[Fibersol-2]不仅是水溶性食物纤维的纤维源，而且具有各种各样的生理机能，能满足人们的健康需要，对形形色色健康食品的开发有关极其广泛的应用前景。     

红小豆老年食品配方优化及营养评价

利用线性规划法优化以红小豆为主要原料的老年食品配方,并通过动物实验对其营养学进行评价。以红小豆、薏米、燕麦等杂粮为主要原料,根据老年食品的营养要求,在总能量、蛋白质、膳食纤维、钙、碳水化合物、脂肪等营养素组成和最低成本的约束条件下,建立数学模型进行优化。结果表明,红小豆82.5%、薏米5%、燕麦1%、大豆蛋白6.7%、天门冬氨酸钙2.8%、脱脂奶粉2%组成的老年食品,营养价值符合"四足四低"要求,而且成本最低,动物实验结果表明食用后血糖、血脂无明显差异,蛋白质和钙消化率提高。     

Dietary assessment of refugees living in camps: a case study of Mae La Camp, Thailand

This study presents data on consumption patterns, methods of food procurement, and adequacy of dietary intake among Burmese refugee camp households living along Thailand's border with Burma. Households established for one or more years and with children under 15 years of age were sampled. A questionnaire was used to determine economic, food-consumption, and dietary intake patterns; foods consumed were weighed and measured using a 24-hour recall for the household unit; and nutritional status was determined by a Microtoise tape and digital standing scales. In total, 182 households containing 1,159 people were surveyed. The average household energy and protein intakes were 96.6% and 111.4%, respectively, of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for healthy Thais. Twelve percent of protein was derived from animal sources. Carbohydrate, protein, and fat accounted for 84%, 9%, and 7% of total energy, respectively. The intake of vitamins A, B1, B2, and C and of calcium ranged from 24.2% to 53.1% of the RDA. Iron intake was 85.3% of the RDA, derived mainly from rice, fermented fish, mung beans, green leafy vegetables, and eggs. Ration foods supplied 60.5% to 98.18% of all nutrients consumed in the households, with the exception of vitamins A and C. Among children under five years of age, 33.7% were underweight, 36.4% were studied, and 8.7% were wasted. Although the refugees were able to procure some nonration foods by foraging, planting trees and vegetables, raising animals, and purchasing and exchanging ration foods for other items, the quantity and quality were not sufficient to compensate for the nutrients that were low or lacking in the ration. The overwhelming majority of dietary nutrients were provided by ration foods, and although the ration and the overall diet may be adequate for short-term subsistence, they do not suffice for long-term survival and optimal growth, especially for younger children.     

动物源性食品中非法使用药物残留检测方法的研究进展

动物性食品可为人类提供丰富的蛋白质、脂肪、矿物质和维生素,是人类饮食中不可缺少的部分。随着人类生活水平的逐步提高,人们对动物源性食品的安全问题也越来越重视,而非法使用药物残留也一直是重要的影响因素之一。药物残留不仅会给消费者带来潜在危害,残留毒性和耐药性也会对食物和环境有显著影响。故本文综述了当前国内外关于动物源性食品中非法使用药物残留的原因、危害和药物种类,介绍了药物残留的常用检测方法,以期为加大动物源性食品中非法使用药物残留检测的力度和精度,以及从源头控制动物源性食品安全提供一定的理论指导依据。     

Advances in Seed Protein Research: A Perspective on Seed Allergens

For various reasons, a considerable majority of the global population must rely on plant proteins obtained from cereals, legumes (including oilseeds), fruits, vegetables, and nuts to satisfy dietary protein needs and requirements. Edible seeds are a significant source of proteins in livestock production and in the manufacture of pet foods. In addition, edible seeds are important sources of carbohydrates (including dietary fiber), minerals, and certain vitamins in human and animal food supply. For various reasons, edible seeds are underutilized as human food. To fully exploit this renewable natural resource to its full potential, focused research efforts are warranted. With increased number of seed proteins being identified as food allergens, renewed interest in seed proteins is evident. In this article, a brief overview of seed proteins with special reference to their allergenicity is provided. An attempt is made to identify areas needing further research.     

Safety of Novel Protein Sources (Insects,Microalgae, Seaweed,Duckweed, and Rapeseed) and Legislative Aspects for Their Application in Food and Feed Production

Novel protein sources (like insects, algae, duckweed, and rapeseed) are expected to enter the European feed and food market as replacers for animal‐derived proteins. However, food safety aspects of these novel protein sources are not well‐known. The aim of this article is to review the state of the art on the safety of major novel protein sources for feed and food production, in particular insects, algae (microalgae and seaweed), duckweed, and rapeseed. Potential hazards for these protein sources are described and EU legislative requirements as regard to food and feed safety are explained. Potential hazards may include a range of contaminants, like heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticide residues, as well as pathogens. Some safety aspects of novel protein sources are intrinsic to the product, but many potential hazards can also be due to production methods and processing conditions. These aspects should be considered in advance during product development. European law is unclear on several issues regarding the use of novel protein sources in food and feed products. For food product applications, the most important question for food producers is whether or not the product is considered a novel food. One of the major unclarities for feed applications is whether or not products with insects are considered animal‐derived products or not. Due to the unclarities in European law, it is not always clear which Regulation and maximum levels for contaminants apply. For market introduction, European legislation should be adjusted and clarified.     

广东省居民主要膳食镉暴露风险的初步评估

目的分析主要食物中镉含量水平,对广东省居民通过膳食途径暴露镉的健康风险进行初步的评估。方法 2009年在全省21地市采集15类食物共2 200份,用石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定食物中镉的含量,结合居民膳食消费数据,比照镉的暂定每月耐受摄入量(PTMI)及安全限值(MOS)初步评估广东省居民主要食物的镉暴露风险。结果 15类食物中紫菜中镉含量最高,为1 830.0μg/kg。城乡居民通过大米、蔬菜类、鱼虾类、动物内脏类四类食物每月膳食镉暴露量分别为1 314.6和1 394.3μg。大米对城市和农村居民膳食镉的贡献率最高,分别为50.1%和64.9%,且以粤北地区最高。结论主要食品对居民膳食镉的平均贡献水平未超过PTMI值,MOS值大于1,居民膳食镉暴露水平总体上安全。由于我国南方地区居民大米的消费量大及其对居民膳食镉贡献率最高,有必要加强大米可能的镉污染问题研究,并从源头上预防污染。     

山东省居民膳食营养状况调查

目的 了解山东省居民膳食营养状况。方法整群随机抽样,用称重法和24h回顾法进行连续3d膳食摄入调查。结果谷类摄入量城市比农村少68．6g,动物性食物摄入量城市比农村多19、7g。能量、蛋白质、脂肪、糖类、维生素C和钠的摄入量城市低于农村,城市和农村比较分别少273．2kcal、3、1g、1．9g、60g、8．1mg、463．6mg。膳食结构仍以谷类食物为主。结论 山东省居民膳食营养存在不平衡现象,需要加强营养教育,引导居民合理膳食。     

Maternal income-generating activities, child care, and child nutrition in Mali

BACKGROUND: Women in sub-Saharan Africa play a key role in household food security. The income-generating activities of mothers are postulated to be related to the nutritional status of children. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to examine whether maternal income-generating activities, maternal food production, and child care were determinants of the nutritional status of children in rural West Africa. The study hypotheses were that maternal income-generating activities and maternal food production are positively associated with children's dietary intake and anthropometry, and that maternal income-generating activities are not associated with child care. METHODS: Data were collected from a cross-sectional sample of mother-child pairs on maternal time use, child anthropometry, maternal food production, dietary intake, parasitic infection, and household, maternal, and child determinants of child nutritional status. The children were 12 to 36 months of age and included breastfed and nonbreastfed children. Food intake was assessed by the 24-hour recall method. The data were analyzed by multivariate regression and controlled for confounding variables. RESULTS: Time spent by the mother in income-generating activities was negatively associated with children's animal protein intake and height-for-age (p < .05). Maternal cash crop production was positively associated with children's weight-for-height, whereas maternal staple food production was negatively associated with energy intake from non-breastmilk foods (p < .05). The negative relationships observed for children's animal protein intake and children's height-for-age were not mediated by any child-care variable. Maternal supervision of feeding was a positive predictor of children's animal protein intake. Giardia infection was negatively related to children's weight gain (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Own-account cash crop farming by mothers benefits children's nutrition. Maternal income-generating activities in the context of extended families, sibling caretaking, and prolonged breastfeeding do not adversely affect child care.     

Probabilistic modelling to assess exposure to three artificial sweeteners of young Irish patients aged 1–3 years with PKU and CMPA

The choice of suitable normal foods is limited for individuals with particular medical conditions, e.g., inborn errors of metabolism (phenylketonuria – PKU) or severe cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA). Patients may have dietary restrictions and exclusive or partial replacement of specific food groups with specially formulated products to meet particular nutrition requirements. Artificial sweeteners are used to improve the appearance and palatability of such food products to avoid food refusal and ensure dietary adherence. Young children have a higher risk of exceeding acceptable daily intakes for additives than adults due to higher food intakes kg^–1 body weight. The Budget Method and EFSA’s Food Additives Intake Model (FAIM) are not equipped to assess partial dietary replacement with special formulations as they are built on data from dietary surveys of consumers without special medical requirements impacting the diet. The aim of this study was to explore dietary exposure modelling as a means of estimating the intake of artificial sweeteners by young PKU and CMPA patients aged 1–3 years. An adapted validated probabilistic model (FACET) was used to assess patients’ exposure to artificial sweeteners. Food consumption data were derived from the food consumption survey data of healthy young children in Ireland from the National Preschool and Nutrition Survey (NPNS, 2010–11). Specially formulated foods for special medical purposes were included in the exposure model to replace restricted foods. Inclusion was based on recommendations for adequate protein intake and dietary adherence data. Exposure assessment results indicated that young children with PKU and CMPA have higher relative average intakes of artificial sweeteners than healthy young children. The reliability and robustness of the model in the estimation of patient additive exposures was further investigated and provides the first exposure estimates for these special populations.     

The energetics of British agriculture

An analysis is presented firstly of the biological energetics of UK agriculture in which the ultimate yield of edible food is related to primary plant production and solar radiation incidence. Secondly, the industrial energetics of British agriculture are dealt with in which agriculture is regarded as an industry in which the input is of materials which have required, for their production, energy as fossil fuel and the output is again edible food. The results show that primary plant output is 0.18% of solar radiation receipt and of this 12% is recovered as human food. This meets 57% of the requirements of the population for dietary energy and the labour of one man supports the dietary requirement of 48 people. UK agriculture accounts for 3.9% of the total UK primary fuel consumption and the farm gate output relative to total fossil fuel input is 0.6 : 1 while the edible food output is 0.3 : 1. The results of the analysis are discussed taking both a short term and long term view.     

Weaning foods: a review of the Indian experience

Although breastmilk is adequate to meet the energy and nutrient requirements of an infant up to four to six months of age, thereafter it is insufficient to sustain normal growth and needs to be supplemented with other foods, such as weaning foods. However, the capacity of a weaning diet to meet the protein and energy requirements of infants depends on its nutritional quality as well as its dietary bulk. This review highlights varieties of weaning foods, blend formulations, nutrient requirements, process characteristics, physicochemical parameters, quality evaluation, and other important aspects of developing a weaning food that satisfies all the requirements of the infant during the vulnerable transitional stage. Traditional weaning foods of India are briefly summarized.     

Considerations for the development of cost-effective cell culture media for cultivated meat production

Innovation in cultivated meat development has been rapidly accelerating in recent years because it holds the potential to help attenuate issues facing production of dietary protein for a growing world population. There are technical obstacles still hindering large-scale commercialization of cultivated meat, of which many are related to the media that are used to culture the muscle, fat, and connective tissue cells. While animal cell culture media has been used and refined for roughly a century, it has not been specifically designed with the requirements of cultivated meat in mind. Perhaps the most common industrial use of animal cell culture is currently the production of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, which sell for orders of magnitude more than meat. Successful production of cultivated meat requires media that is food grade with minimal cost, can regulate large-scale cell proliferation and differentiation, has acceptable sensory qualities, and is animal ingredient-free. Much insight into strategies for achieving media formulations with these qualities can be obtained from knowledge of conventional culture media applications and from the metabolic pathways involved in myogenesis and protein synthesis. In addition, application of principles used to optimize media for large-scale microbial fermentation processes producing lower value commodity chemicals and food ingredients can also be instructive. As such, the present review shall provide an overview of the current understanding of cell culture media as it relates to cultivated meat.     

Red meats: Time for a paradigm shift in dietary advice

Recent evidence suggests dietary advice to limit red meat is unnecessarily restrictive and may have unintended health consequences. As nutrient-rich high quality protein foods, red meats can play an important role in helping people meet their essential nutrient needs. Yet dietary advice to limit red meat remains standard in many developed countries, even though red meat intakes appear to be within current guidelines. Meanwhile, energy intakes from processed foods have increased dramatically at the expense of nutrient-rich foods, such as red meat. Research suggests these food trends are associated with the growing burden of obesity and associated diseases in recent decades. It is time for dietary advice that emphasizes the value of unprocessed red meat as part of a healthy balanced diet.     

Advances in possibilities for protein evaluation

With protein evaluation the changing abilities of food proteins are characterized with regard to their covering the requirements of the organism for protein or amino acids, respectively. The biological value of proteins is influenced by several factors. Measuring the reaction of the whole organism (of man or animal) to the food protein the sum of all influencing factors is covered. Hence, these direct evaluation methods have priority. The general dose-reaction curve demonstrates the direct evaluation methods: The evaluation criteria protein efficiency or minimum protein requirement are presented and the different possibilities of interpretion are compared. Most direct evaluation methods are performed with suboptimal protein supply, therefore values for an optimum protein supply can be derived only with reservation. Improved values for protein evaluation can be obtained from investigations of the protein metabolism. With that the substrat-related evaluation can be more orientated to a organism-related one. Indirect biochemical evaluation methods are less important. That does not concern in-vitro evaluation by amino-acid analysis and/or in-vitro digestibility tests. Possibilities and limits of these methods are discussed.     

Nutritional modulation of insulin resistance in the true carnivorous cat: a review

Cats are strict carnivores that rely on nutrients in animal tissues to meet their specific and unique nutritional requirements. In their natural habitat, cats consume prey high in protein with moderate amounts of fat and minimal carbohydrates in contrast to commercial diets, which are sometimes moderate to high in carbohydrates. This change in diet has been accompanied by a shift from an outdoor environment to an indoor lifestyle and decreased physical activity, because cats no longer need to hunt to obtain food. This transformation of the lifestyle of cats is thought to be responsible for the recent increase in incidence of obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes mellitus in domestic cats. At first, an overview of the evolutionary physiological adaptations of carbohydrate digestion in the feline digestive tract and of the hepatic carbohydrate and protein metabolism reflecting the true carnivorous nature of cats is given. Secondly, this literature review deals with nutritional modulation of insulin sensitivity, focusing on dietary macronutrients, carbohydrate sources, and dietary fiber for prevention and treatment of insulin resistance.     

无麸质食品现状、品质特性与发展分析

无麸质食品是由一种或多种不含麸质的原料生产或制作的食品。其主要是麸质不耐受人群及腹腔疾病患者的最佳饮食方式。然而,由于目前无麸质食品在中国的关注度较低和大多数无麸质食品的品质较差,多数麸质不耐受人群的饮食需求得不到满足。因此,文章系统介绍了无麸质食品的特点、品质改良和市场发展等,为无麸质食品未来的研究方向和进一步开发利用提供一定的参考。     

Sorghum: An Underutilized Cereal Whole Grain with the Potential to Assist in the Prevention of Chronic Disease

Sorghum is an important cereal grain food, grown globally, that is rich in nutrients, dietary fiber, and bioactive components yet is considered of low value to humans and often used as an animal feed. This review provides an overview of key sorghum grain components, including starches, dietary fiber, protein, lipids, and phytochemicals, with functional properties that have potential to impact on health. Though acknowledging the impact of the whole food will reflect the synergy between the components, studies of these components implicate effects on energy balance, glycemic control, lipids, gut microbiota, and cell-mediated immune responses, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. For these to be confirmed as contributory effects from sorghum consumption, evidence from quality randomized controlled trials is required. If proven effective, there may be a role for sorghum grain–based diets to assist in the prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Future research addressing effects of sorghum consumption may help drive a paradigm shift from sorghum as a low value food to a potentially health-promoting, highly valued human grain food.