This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, identify the bioactive compounds and measure the antioxidant activity present in blackberry, red raspberry, strawberry, sweet cherry and blueberry fruits produced in the subtropical areas of Brazil and to verify that the chemical properties of these fruit are similar when compared to the temperate production zones. Compared with berries and cherries grown in temperate climates, the centesimal composition and physical chemical characteristics found in the Brazilian berries and cherries are in agreement with data from the literature. For the mineral composition, the analyzed fruits presented lower concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg and Zn and higher levels of Fe. The values found for the bioactive compounds generally fit the ranges reported in the literature with minor differences. The greatest difference was found in relation to ascorbic acid, as all fruits analyzed showed levels well above those found in the literature.

Determination of the bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and chemical composition of Brazilian blackberry, red raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and sweet cherry fruits

Both selenium (Se) deficiency and excess are found in natural locations throughout the world, though Se excess can also be caused by supplementation with Se. Both have been associated with adverse health effects that have often been characterized by a U-shaped relationship. Some health effects, such as increased mortality, are associated with both low and high Se status. Certain people and populations are better able to tolerate low or high Se intake than others; there are a number of possible explanations for this fact. Firstly, it may relate to the presence of polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes that improve the ability to deal with a low or high Se intake. Secondly, high Se status, with apparent absence of toxicity and even beneficial effects, can be found in populations exposed to toxic elements that are known to interact with Se, forming complexes in some cases. Thirdly, beneficial and harmful effects of Se depend on Se dose and form (speciation); for instance, at a high dose, selenomethionine (SeMet) has toxic effects that are mediated by metabolism to selenols/selenolates that can redox-cycle, generate superoxide radicals and react with thiols/diselenides to produce selenyl sulphides/disulphides. Finally, it is possible that exposure to a high Se intake from birth or from a very young age may alter the composition of the gut microbiota in such a way that excess Se is more readily excreted, thus reducing its toxicity.

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Selenium intake, status, and health: a complex relationship

Xylitol is a pentahydroxy sugar-alcohol which exists in a very low quantity in fruits and vegetables (plums, strawberries, cauliflower, and pumpkin). On commercial scale, xylitol can be produced by chemical and biotechnological processes. Chemical production is costly and extensive in purification steps. However, biotechnological method utilizes agricultural and forestry wastes which offer the possibilities of economic production of xylitol by reducing required energy. The precursor xylose is produced from agricultural biomass by chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis and can be converted to xylitol primarily by yeast strain. Hydrolysis under acidic condition is the more commonly used practice influenced by various process parameters. Various fermentation process inhibitors are produced during chemical hydrolysis that reduce xylitol production, a detoxification step is, therefore, necessary. Biotechnological xylitol production is an integral process of microbial species belonging to Candida genus which is influenced by various process parameters such as pH, temperature, time, nitrogen source, and yeast extract level. Xylitol has application and potential for food and pharmaceutical industries. It is a functional sweetener as it has prebiotic effects which can reduce blood glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol level. This review describes recent research developments related to bioproduction of xylitol from agricultural wastes, application, health, and safety issues.

Xylitol: A Review on Bioproduction, Application, Health Benefits, and Related Safety Issues

Background: Greater red meat intake is associated with increased type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk (CVD). Recently, inclusion of lean red meat in a heart-healthy diet to reduce CVD risk was suggested based on short-term controlled feeding trial evidence, indicating that varying amounts of lean red meat intakes had similar effects on a lipid profile. However, the fat content of red meat may not be solely responsible for the adverse effects of red meat contributing to progression of metabolic abnormalities. Other components and mediating pathways including obesity-related inflammation and insulin resistance may be involved. We hypothesized that greater red meat intake would be associated with biomarkers of inflammation and glucose metabolism and that these potential associations would be partly explained by body mass index (BMI). Design: We analyzed data from diabetes-free female participants in the Nurses’ Health Study (n=3690). Multiple linear regression was conducted to assess the associations of total, unprocessed and processed red meat intakes (quartile categories) with plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, adiponectin, fasting insulin, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). The contribution of BMI on the associations between red meat intake and biomarkers was evaluated using publicly available SAS macro. The effect of substituting a serving of red meat with a serving of another major protein food source was estimated. Results: Greater total, unprocessed and processed red meat consumptions were associated with higher plasma CRP, ferritin, fasting insulin, and HbA1c and lower adiponectin after adjustment for demographic information (all p for trend ≤0.03). Adiponectin was not associated with any types of red meat intake when further adjusted for medical and lifestyle factors. After adjustment for BMI, most of these associations with inflammatory and glucose metabolic biomarkers were substantially attenuated and no longer significant. BMI accounted for a statistically significant proportion of associations with CRP, HbA1c, and fasting insulin (all p for contribution ≤0.02), but not with ferritin. Substituting a serving of total red meat intake with alternative protein food in a combination of poultry, fish, legumes and nuts was associated with significantly lower CRP (β±SE: -0.106±0.043), ferritin (-0.212±0.075), HbA1c (-0.052±0.015), and fasting insulin (-0.0119±0.036)(all p≤0.02 for comparing extreme quartiles). Conclusions: Greater red meat intake is associated with unfavorable plasma concentrations of inflammatory and glucose metabolic biomarkers in diabetes-free women. BMI accounts for a significant proportion of the associations with these biomarkers, except for ferritin. Substituting red meat with another protein food is associated with a healthier biomarker profile of inflammatory and glucose metabolism.

Abstract P407: Associations between Red Meat Intake and Biomarkers of Inflammation and Glucose Metabolism in Women

BACKGROUND: Millions of mice are used annually in research and teaching. The exact relationship between age of the animals compared with the age of humans is still subject to discussion and controversy. OBJECTIVE: Literature review analyzing the age of rats in comparison with men age. METHODS: Were reviewed the existing publications on the subject contained in Medline / Pubmed, Scielo, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Lilacs crossing the headings rats, experimental surgery and physiology. RESULTS: Rats rapidly develop during childhood and become sexually mature at about six weeks old, but reach social maturity five to six months later. In adulthood, every month of the animal is approximately equivalent to 2.5 human years. Several authors performed experimental studies in rats and estimated 30 days of human life for every day life of the animal. CONCLUSION: The differences in anatomy, physiology, development and biological phenomena must be taken into consideration when analyzing the results of any research in rats when age is a crucial factor. Special care is necessary to be taken when the intention is to produce correlation with human life. For this, special attention is needed to verify the phase in days of the animal and its correlation with age in years of humans

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Idade dos ratos versus idade humana: qual é a relação?

Prebiotics are substances that can promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms, mainly in the intestinal tract, and will modify the colonic microbiota. The following health benefits are attributed to prebiotics: relief from poor digestion of lactose, increased resistance to bacterial infection, better immune response and possible protection against cancer, reduction of the risk of diseases such as intestinal disease, cardiovascular disease, non-insulin dependent diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis. This article presents a discussion of prebiotics, with descriptions of the concepts and its use in clinical practice, and a review of some recent research showing the benefits that these ingredients provide to human health and providing data on the recommended intakes for consumption.

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The Importance of Prebiotics in Functional Foods and Clinical Practice

Researchers have a range of animal models in which to study Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Induction of NAFLD by a high-fat diet in the C57BL/6 strain is the most widely used among mice. In this study, we review works that performed NAFLD induction by a high-fat diet using the C57BL/6 strain, focusing on experiments on the effects of lipid ingestion. Studies are initially distinguished into researches in which mice received lipids by oral gavage and studies in which lipid was added to the diet, and each of these designs has peculiarities that must be considered. Oral gavage can be stressful for animals and needs trained handlers but allows accurate control of the dose administered. The addition of oils to the diet can prevent stress caused to mice by gavage, but possible changes in the consistency, taste, and smell of the diet should be considered. Regarding the experimental design, some variables, such as animal sex, treatment time, and diet-related variables, appear to have a definite pattern. However, no pattern was found regarding the number of animals per group, age at the beginning of the experiment, time of adaptation, the substance used as a vehicle, and substance used as a control.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/12/3067/pdf

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Induced by High-Fat Diet in C57bl/6 Models

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Polydextrose (PDX) is a non-digestible oligosaccharide used widely across most sectors of the food industry. It is a randomly linked glucose oligomer containing small amounts of sorbitol and citric acid. The random bonds in PDX prevent mammalian digestive enzymes from readily hydrolyzing the molecule and it has a reported energy value of 1 kcal/g. These properties have led to the acceptance in many countries that PDX provides similar physiological effects as other dietary fibers and has shown prebiotic potential. Dietary intervention with prebiotics has been shown to selectively stimulate the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of intestinal bacteria associated with several physiological benefits on health. Therefore, the objective of this review was a survey of the literature on the effect of supplementation with PDX in health, and to list the benefits for maintaining health and/or reducing the development of diseases.

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Elisvânia Freitas dos Santos

Papers

Idade dos ratos versus idade humana: qual é a relação?

The Importance of Prebiotics in Functional Foods and Clinical Practice

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Induced by High-Fat Diet in C57bl/6 Models

Idade dos ratos versus idade humana: qual é a relação?

Polydextrose: Physiological Function, and Effects on Health