Following the publication of the landmark trial of Clark et al. in 1996 that appeared to show that Se could reduce the risk of cancer, awareness of the importance of Se to human health has markedly increased. As a result, there is now much more aggressive marketing of Se supplements and functional foods, even in situations where additional consumption of Se is inappropriate. The present review addresses how Se gets into the food chain, the wide variability in Se content of foods and the very different levels of intake between countries and regions. Though it is clear that there are adverse consequences for health of both deficient and excessive intake, health effects at intermediate levels of intake are less certain. Thus it is difficult to define optimal intake which depends on a large number of factors, such as which functions of Se are most relevant to a particular disease state, which species of Se is most prominent in the Se source, which health condition is being considered, the adequacy or otherwise of intake of other nutrients, the presence of additional stressors, and lastly whether the ability to make selenoproteins may be compromised. These complexities need to be understood, particularly by policy makers, in order to make informed judgments. Potential solutions for increasing Se intake, where required, include agronomic biofortification and genetic biofortification or, for individuals, increased intake of naturally Se-rich foods, functional foods or supplements. The difficulties of balancing the risks and benefits in relation to Se intake are highlighted.

/pdf/food-chain-selenium-and-human-health-emphasis-on-intake-3ipggm0mvl.pdf

Food-chain selenium and human health: emphasis on intake.

Micronutrient malnutrition affects over 2 billion people in the developing world. Iron (Fe) deficiency alone affects >47% of all preschool aged children globally, often leading to impaired physical growth, mental development, and learning capacity. Zinc (Zn) deficiency, like iron, is thought to affect billions of people, hampering growth and development, and destroying immune systems. In many micronutrient-deficient regions, wheat is the dominant staple food making up >50% of the diet. Biofortification, or harnessing the powers of plant breeding to improve the nutritional quality of foods, is a new approach being used to improve the nutrient content of a variety of staple crops. Durum wheat in particular has been quite responsive to breeding for nutritional quality by making full use of the genetic diversity of Fe and Zn concentrations in wild and synthetic parents. Micronutrient concentration and genetic diversity has been well explored under the HarvestPlus biofortification research program, an...

/pdf/biofortification-of-durum-wheat-with-zinc-and-iron-2jpdb1usen.pdf

Biofortification of durum wheat with zinc and iron

The replacement of gluten presents a major technological challenge, as it is an essential structure-building protein, which is necessary for formulating high quality cereal-based goods. Rising demands for gluten free products parallels the apparent or real increase in coeliac disease, or other allergic reactions/intolerances to gluten. This paper reviews the current prevalence of coeliac disease, and recent advances in the preparation of gluten-free products, using starches, hydrocolloids, gums and novel ingredients and processes.

Recent advances in the formulation of gluten-free cereal-based products

Flaxseed is emerging as an important functional food ingredient because of its rich contents of α-linolenic acid (ALA, omega-3 fatty acid), lignans, and fiber. Flaxseed oil, fibers and flax lignans have potential health benefits such as in reduction of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, autoimmune and neurological disorders. Flax protein helps in the prevention and treatment of heart disease and in supporting the immune system. As a functional food ingredient, flax or flaxseed oil has been incorporated into baked foods, juices, milk and dairy products, muffins, dry pasta products, macaroni and meat products. The present review focuses on the evidences of the potential health benefits of flaxseed through human and animals’ recent studies and commercial use in various food products.

/pdf/flax-and-flaxseed-oil-an-ancient-medicine-modern-functional-1df0i62dcd.pdf

Flax and flaxseed oil: an ancient medicine & modern functional food.

Selenium in higher plants: understanding mechanisms for biofortification and phytoremediation

It is well known that gluten plays a major role in determining cooking quality in durum wheat pasta. This work is an attempt to systematically elucidate the role of gluten quantity and nature in determining cooking quality as a function of the drying cycle used in the manufacturing process. Gluten and starch were fractionated from two durum wheat cultivars possessing good and poor gluten quality. Either of them were then added back to the original base semolina to alter its protein content and to produce two semolina series with identical protein contents. Semolinas were processed into pasta and dried following three drying programs (low, medium, and high temperature). Cooking quality was determined with sensorial, chemical, and instrumental methods. The results indicate that optimum cooking time is governed by gluten quality. The positive effect on cooking quality of increasing gluten contents and of the application of HT drying is evident in weak gluten samples, but it is not significant in the...

Influence of Gluten Proteins and Drying Temperature on the Cooking Quality of Durum Wheat Pasta

Blending wheat flour with carob seed or green lentil flour at 5–6%, 10–12% or 24% level modified the dough's technological properties and bread characteristics. Carob seed flours increased dough tenacity while reducing extensibility, whereas lentil flour reduced dough tenacity, extensibility and strength. Carob seed flours increased water absorption up to about 40%. Flours from all legumes increased dough development time (carob flours more than lentils flour). Lentil flour strongly decreased the stability due to weakening of the gluten network. In a baking test, however, all blends gave acceptable loaves. Blending the wheat flour with 5–6% legume flour generally did not alter the loaf volume. However, increasing the legume flour to 10–12% or 24% reduced the loaf volume, except when supplemented with refined carob seed flour at 10%, which increased it. Carob flour and especially lentil flour enriched bread with lysine-rich proteins, dietary fibre, phenolic compounds and lignans and in general increased its antioxidant power. The nutritional value of lentils and the technological properties of carob are useful in increasing nutritional and functional value of wheat bread.

Marina Carcea

Papers

Influence of Gluten Proteins and Drying Temperature on the Cooking Quality of Durum Wheat Pasta

Technological, nutritional and functional properties of wheat bread enriched with lentil or carob flours

Pasta from nontraditional raw materials

Nutritional characterisation and bioactive components of commercial carobs flours

Phenols, lignans and antioxidant properties of legume and sweet chestnut flours.