The National Nutrient Databank Conference: What is it?

Food composition databases (FCDs) are a foundation of nutrition research, monitoring and surveillance of the food supply, commercial applications, and nutrition in clinical practice. The National Nutrient Databank Conference (NNDC) is a gathering of researchers and users dedicated to the development, maintenance, and use of FCDs. The NNDC has met regularly since 1976 to provide a forum for researchers and users to share information about current resources and activities involving FCDs. The NNDC is governed by a Steering Committee and led by an Executive Committee that defines the purpose of the organization, monitors the needs of the nutrition community, carries out professional responsibilities associated with FCDs, and recommends priorities for the future. In an ever-changing food marketplace, emphasis on dietary surveillance around the world, and the need for additional food composition data to answer new scientific questions, the NNDC is more critical to the nutrition community today than ever before. The annual assembly of a group of FCD experts and users with the purpose of identifying and preparing for new possibilities in food composition is critical for the future of nutrition research and clinical practice.     

First International Conference on Hidden Hunger, Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany March 6 – 9, 2013

Hidden Hunger is a worldwide phenomenon affecting one third of the world’s population. The major reason for its occurrence is poverty and poor education. Hidden hunger is related to poor diet quality and low diet diversity. The majority affected are women and young children. As a consequence their physical and cognitive development is impaired and influences their future. Price volatility, biofuel and misleading trade policy are the major drivers of hidden hunger. To detect and treat hidden hunger, different disciplines need to communicate. Various organizations have addressed the problem of hunger at worldwide conferences but, up to now, hidden hunger has received scant recognition. An international conference on hidden hunger brought scientists from different disciplines together at Hohenheim for a four-day meeting. The delegates at the conference recommended the creation of a platform to share knowledge and to create a database, which would allow scientists and field workers all over the world to communicate and to distribute ideas on how to assess or treat hidden hunger successfully. The Hidden Hunger Conference was established to bring scientists, field workers, organizations and the private sector together to discuss the magnitude of the problem of worldwide hidden hunger and the steps needed to be taken to combat it. This was done under the headings of 6 topics with 125 presentations, 80 posters, including 25 key notes and 3 panel discussions. Aspects presented and discussed covered assessment, medical impact, reasons, solutions and future perspectives of hidden hunger in developing and developed countries. The conference was attended by 350 participants from all over the world, including 100 from Africa and Asia.     

How effective are common household preparations on removing pesticide residues from fruit and vegetables? A review

Nowadays, the use of pesticides is inevitable for pest control in crops, especially for fruit and vegetables. After the harvest from raw agricultural commodities, the amount of pesticide residues in food is mainly influenced by the storage, handling and processing that follow. If good agricultural and good manufacturing practices are enforced effectively, the amount of pesticide residues would be brought below the corresponding maximum residue level. Thus, the consumption of raw and/or prepared fruit and vegetables would be safe. Nonetheless, reports regarding pesticide residues in fruit or vegetables on mass media have been worrying consumers, who are concerned about the adverse effects of pesticide residues. As a result, consumers perform household processing before consumption to reduce any related risks. However, can these preparations effectively remove pesticide residues? Reviewing the extensive literature, it showed that, in most cases, washing and soaking can only lead to a certain degree of reduction in residue level, while other processing such as peeling, soaking in chemical baths and blanching can reduce pesticide residues more effectively. In general, the behaviour of residues during processing can be rationalised in terms of the physico‐chemical properties of the pesticide and the nature of the process. In contrast, the reported studies are diversified and some areas still lack sufficient studies to draw any remarks. Recommendations are provided with respect to the available information that aims to formulate an environmental friendly, cost‐effective and efficient household processing of fruit and vegetables to reduce pesticide residues. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

“食品安全,质量和营养[International Conference on Food Safety,Quality and Nutrition(ICFSQN)]”国际会议将于明年4月举行

由英国曼彻斯特食品研究中心组织的ICFSQN定于2012年4月11-13日在曼彻斯特召开。会议主题为绿化食品产业(Greening of the Food Industry),会议主旨:1.增进对食品产业现实形势的全球意识2.致力于全球食品产业中新的挑战和机遇3.讨论新产品     

Does it burn? The effect of guar gum addition on ginger beer's sensory properties

Consumer demand for ginger beer has grown within the last few years due to health benefits associated with ginger consumption identified in recent studies and its low-calorie content. However, non-alcoholic ginger beer, like other non-alcoholic beverages, does not possess the same mouthfeel as its alcoholic counterparts. As such, the aim of this study was to evaluate how the addition of guar gum impacted the sensory perception, spiciness, and consumer acceptability of non-alcoholic ginger beer. Two different formulations of ginger beer were created, one without the addition of guar gum (control) and the other with 1.9 g/L guar gum added. Samples, along with carbonated water, were presented in pairs with a 20-s wait and no-rinse in between to observe sensitisation and desensitisation. The participants (n = 103) evaluated each sample for spiciness, burning or stinging sensation, along with bitterness, sweetness, sourness, overall flavour intensity, liking of flavour and mouthfeel, and overall liking. The addition of guar gum significantly impacted the perception of spiciness, burning, and stinging sensation in addition to the overall flavour intensity. The guar gum addition also negatively impacted the acceptability of the ginger beer.     

The influence of beverages on the stimulation and viscoelasticity of saliva: Relationship to mouthfeel?

The viscoelasticity and secretion rate of stimulated saliva depends on food and beverage related stimuli, and it is demonstrated that this may subsequently influence the sensory properties and particularly the mouthfeel and afterfeel associated with the product being consumed. Using saliva donated by twelve volunteers, it is shown that acidic beverages such as peach flavoured iced tea and a fizzy cola stimulate significantly higher flow rates of whole mouth saliva that has greater elasticity in comparison to that generated following stimulation by water. In comparison, mechanical action from chewing flavourless gum and the stimulation from sucking a mint also stimulate high flow rates of saliva, although it is significantly less elastic than that from acid-based stimuli. However, the viscosity of human whole mouth saliva is relatively insensitive to beverage type, chewing, or mint. It is speculated that the stimulation of highly elastic saliva in response to acidic beverages is a defence mechanism for protecting the teeth from acid erosion. A separate sensory panel was used to identify key mouthfeel attributes that are likely to be related to the response of saliva, including: tongue dryness, mouth moistness, amount of saliva, tongue sensation, and throat drying. These results indicate that saliva viscoelasticity and flow rate alter dramatically in response to what a consumer eats and drinks, and that this in turn may affect mouthfeel and other organoleptic properties.     

Smelling our appetite? The influence of food odors on congruent appetite,food preferences and intake

We are surrounded by sensory food cues, such as odors, that may trigger (un)conscious decisions and even lead to (over)eating, it is therefore crucial to better understand the effect of food odors on behavioral responses. Food odor exposure has been shown to enhance appetite for food products with similar properties: sensory-specific appetite. This suggests that based on previous encounters with foods, we have learned to detect the nutritional content of foods, through our sense of smell. We investigated the influence of aware exposure of macronutrient-related odors on various measures of eating behavior, in a cross-over intervention study. Thirty two normal-weight healthy and unrestrained Dutch females took part in five test sessions. On each test session, they were exposed to one of five conditions (active smelling of clearly noticeable odors representing food high in carbohydrates, protein, and fat, low in calories, and a no-odor condition for 3-min) and assessed on specific appetite, food preferences and intake. Odor exposure increased congruent appetite after protein-related odor exposure. Similarly, protein-related odor exposure influenced the liking for protein foods and the preference ranking for savory products. However, food intake was not affected by smelling congruent food odors. Together this indicates that exposure to (aware) food odors may mostly influence appetite, but does not impact subsequent food intake. Moreover, appetite seems to be triggered by taste qualities rather than macronutrient information of the food, as signaled by olfactory cues. Future studies should investigate the role of awareness in more detail, to fully understand how odors might be used to steer people towards healthier food choices.     

Does taste sensitivity matter? The effect of coffee sensory tasting information and taste sensitivity on consumer preferences

Product sensory information, an external cue, could greatly influence consumer enjoyment of hedonic products like coffee. The question is what type of sensory information, subjective (e.g., aroma, flavor and body) or objective (e.g., origin, varieties and production practices), has a higher impact on consumer product experience accounting for heterogeneous taste sensitivity. We examine this question using a between-subject experiment where participants were either given subjective, objective or no sensory information of a specialty coffee. Participants were classified as either supertasters or other tasters using the 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) paper strip. The results indicate that, compared to objective sensory information and no information, subjective sensory information results in a higher taste rating and a higher preference level for the coffee. More importantly, subjective information positively influences PROP supertasters’ purchase likelihood for coffee, without necessarily affecting their bitterness perception of the coffee tasted.     

The negative influence of food neophobia on food and beverage liking: Time to look beyond extreme groups analysis?

The negative impact of food neophobia (FN) on food and beverage (F&B) liking/disliking is well documented. Against this backdrop, the present research sought to raise awareness of data analysis strategy in FN research. Extreme groups analysis currently dominates as evidenced from the many studies that compare groups of neophobic and neophilic consumers. However, when a variable, like FN, is naturally continuous, full-data analysis has been recommended. We present both approaches using data from online surveys in three Western countries where consumers rated degree of liking/disliking for F&B names (USA, UK and Australia, n = 3454). The first objective was to explore how results from extreme groups analysis were influenced by group extremity (more/less neophobic vs. more/less neophilic). In the case of seafood and ethnic food items, the average difference in liking score between neophobic and neophilic groups ranged from 2 to 4.5 points on the 9-pt hedonic scale depending on FN group definition (less extreme vs. more extreme). To acknowledge this influence contextualisation of degree of FN group extremity is encouraged. For example, FN groups defined by M ± 0.5 × SD and M ± 1.5 × SD should be differently named to convey greater FN extremity in the latter. In the second objective, full-data analysis was performed, treating FN as a continuous variable. Additional knowledge about the impact of FN on F&B liking/disliking beyond that from extreme groups analysis was gained. Linearity in the relationship between FN and degree of F&B liking/disliking was generally observed. Moderating factors were included in additional analyses and illustrated the possibility of accounting for participants’ country of living or differences between consumer populations in overall level of FN (central location vs. online). We suggest that it may be time to rely less on extreme groups analysis in FN research, and if used that adequate justification be given and care taken to describe the FN groups to facilitate more robust interpretations and between-study comparisons. The insights and recommendations have relevance for other continuous psychological traits relating to food liking food-related consumer behaviour in general.     

The impact of pre‐ and/or probiotics on human colonic metabolism: Does it affect human health?

Since many years, the role of the colonic microbiota in maintaining the host's overall health and well-being has been recognized. Dietary modulation of the microbiota composition and activity has been achieved by the use of pre-, pro- and synbiotics. In this review, we will summarize the available evidence on the modification of bacterial metabolism by dietary intervention with pre-, pro- and synbiotics. Enhanced production of SCFA as a marker of increased saccharolytic fermentation is well documented in animal and in vitro studies. Decreased production of potentially toxic protein fermentation metabolites, such as sulfides, phenolic and indolic compounds, has been less frequently demonstrated. Besides, pre-, pro- and synbiotics also affect other metabolic pathways such as the deconjugation of secondary bile acids, bacterial enzyme activities and mineral absorption. Data from human studies are less conclusive. The emergence of new analytical techniques such as metabolite profiling has revealed new pathways affected by dietary intervention. However, an important challenge for current and future research is to relate changes in bacterial metabolism to concrete health benefits. Potential targets and expected benefits have been identified: reduced risk for the metabolic syndrome and prevention of colorectal cancer.     

Why are discounted prices presented with full prices? The role of external price information on consumers’ likelihood to purchase

Apart from being a cost, prices inform consumers on the quality of goods. To retain informative power, discounted prices are often presented together with their original value as an External Reference Price (ERP). Observing the impact of the ERP on consumer preferences using two contingent valuation surveys to wine consumers, the paper observes that the presence of both prices and ERPs guide consumer choices. In particular, ERPs shift the attention of consumers towards expensive products and high discounts, by providing information on quality and allowing for time-efficient decisions. Results show that ERPs: (a) have a positive impact on preferences, but less (in absolute value) than prices; (b) stimulate the choice of items with high price and large discounts; (c) make consumers revise their choices. The presence of an ERP can, in certain conditions, lead to a positive response to high prices.     

What’s in a name? The effects of sound symbolism and package shape on consumer responses to food products

In the global market, consumers are exposed to multiple brand names in unfamiliar languages. Even meaningless words can trigger certain semantic associations. This phenomenon is known as sound symbolism, i.e., the direct link between a sound and a meaning. Sound symbolism helps consumers to form product expectations based on unfamiliar brand names. Product expectations can be also formed based on various elements of packaging design, including colours, shapes and materials. This study investigated the effects of unfamiliar brand names (“Asahi” vs. “Ramune”), package shapes (round vs. angular) and product types (muesli cookie vs. butter cookie) varied in perceived healthiness (low vs. high) on perceived product healthfulness, product evaluation, taste expectations and purchase intention. General health interest (GHI) was used as the moderating variable. The results showed that package shape and product type significantly influenced the perceived product healthfulness of the two experimental products. Brand name alone did not affect consumer responses. However, the congruent combination of product shape and brand name (round “Ramune” cookie) was preferred to incongruent combinations. Furthermore, the congruent combinations (“Ramune” butter cookie and “Asahi” muesli cookie) were expected to taste better and were more likely to be purchased compared to incongruent combinations. These results suggest that congruency between the type of product, brand name, and package design is important for creating a successful brand strategy. The study also showed that the effects of sound symbolism and congruency on perceived product healthfulness are more pronounced for consumers with low interest in healthy eating. However, further research is needed to generalise our results to other product groups.     

The Portuguese Paradox: Why do some inhabitants of Portugal appear to live so long when their diet is based on whey cheese?

The remarkable longevity of people in specific regions of Portugal, whose diets are based on whey cheese, has puzzled researchers for quite some time. Our data indicate that several oligopeptides are released from glycomacropeptide (originated in κ-casein) and α-lactalbumin - and one surprisingly from β-lactoglobulin, by plant proteases previously used in cheesemaking. A few of such peptides (e.g. DKVGINYW, KGYGGVSLPEW and DAQSAPLRVY) exhibit unusually strong antihypertensive roles in vitro, following generation in situ or synthesis de novo. The activities of the latter two are not significantly affected by simulated gastrointestinal digestion, despite undergoing partial hydrolysis. This piece of information is rather promising toward more comprehensive attempts to scientifically rationalise this Portuguese Paradox.