The role of dietary interventions in the prevention of IgE‐mediated food allergy in children.
Over the last 30 years, the prevalence of food allergy has been on the rise and remains a disease that can have a significant impact on the quality of life of children and their families. There are several hypotheses that have been suggested to account for the increasing prevalence, but this review will focus on the impact that dietary factors have on food allergy development. In the past food allergy, prevalence has largely focused on allergen avoidance; however, there is increasing evidence from interventional studies that have shown that early introduction to potential food allergens may have a beneficial role in allergy prevention. This review aims to look at the evidence in support of early introduction of allergens into infant diets to prevent against the development of food allergy.
Sun dried Corinthian currant (Vitis Vinifera L., var. Apyrena) simple sugar profile and macronutrient characterization.
Corinthian currant simple sugar profile was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with refractive index detection; the content in other macroconstituents was also assessed. Corinthian currants analyzed were obtained over three consecutive crop years, while the effect of cultivation area altitude was also evaluated. Sugar extraction was optimized with respect to solvent, process, and time. Simple sugar chromatographic analysis was validated for linearity (R2>0.999), limits of detection (6.23-186.66mg/L) and quantification (18.89-565.65mg/L), precision (%RSD<2.67), and recovery (97.99-101.99%). Fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, and total sugar content was 32±1%, 32.5±0.6%, 0.40±0.04%, 0.72±0.07% and 66±2%, respectively; moisture, ash, fat, and protein content was 13.8±0.5%, 2.6±0.7%, 0.43±0.06%, and 2.2±0.4%, respectively. Relatively small variations in sugar and other macroconstituent content were detected over the consecutive crops. Cultivation area altitude affected Corinthian currant sugar, fat, and protein content, yet with no remarkable differences.
A Quantitative Assessment of the Risk of Human Salmonellosis Arising from the Consumption of Almonds in the United States: The Impact of Preventive Treatment Levels.
The presence of Salmonella on almonds continues to result in product-related outbreaks and recalls in the United States. In this study, the impact of microbial reduction treatment levels (1 to 5 log CFU) on the risk of human salmonellosis from the consumption of almond kernels in the United States was evaluated. An exposure model, including major steps in almond processing, was used to estimate prevalence and levels of contamination of Salmonella on almonds at the point of consumption. A Salmonella dose-response model and consumption data for almonds in the United States were used to assess risk of illness per serving and per year, quantifying variability and uncertainty separately. A 3-log reduction treatment resulted in a predicted mean risk of illness of two cases per year for almonds consumed as a core product not cooked at home (95% confidence interval [CI], one to four cases), one case per year for almonds consumed as an ingredient not cooked at home (95% CI, one to two cases), and less than one case per year for almonds consumed as an ingredient cooked at home (95% CI, 7 × 10-7 to 3 × 10-6 cases). A minimum 4-log reduction treatment resulted in an estimated mean risk of illness below one case per year in the United States. This study also includes an assessment of the risk of human salmonellosis as a result of an exceptional situation, which results in higher risk estimates compared with the baseline model. The exceptional situations modeled posttreatment resulted in estimates of mean risk that were not significantly affected by treatment level. Sensitivity analysis results showed initial Salmonella contamination level to be the factor with the most impact on risk per serving estimates, given a certain treatment level. The risk assessment also includes a simulation of the events that occurred in 2001. Treatment levels with a minimum 4-log microbial reduction would have been sufficient to prevent the outbreak cases. The uncertainty range in the estimates indicates that additional information is needed to make more precise predictions of this specific outbreak event.
Cashew consumption reduces total and LDL cholesterol: a randomized, crossover, controlled-feeding trial.
Background: Cashews are the third most-consumed tree nut in the United States and are abundant with monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. Although a qualified Food and Drug Administration health claim exists for nuts and heart health, cashews have been exempt from its use because cashews exceed the disqualifying amount of saturated fatty acids. Approximately one-third of the saturated fat in cashews is stearic acid, which is relatively neutral on blood lipids, thereby suggesting that cashews could have effects that are similar to those of other nuts. However, clinical data on cashews and blood lipids have been limited. Objective: We investigated the effect of reasonable intakes of cashews on serum lipids in adults with or at risk of high LDL cholesterol. Design: In a randomized, crossover, isocaloric, controlled-feeding study, 51 men and women (aged 21–73 y) with a median LDL-cholesterol concentration of 159 mg/dL (95% CI: 146, 165 mg/dL) at screening consumed typical American diets with cashews (28–64 g/d; 50% of kilocalories from carbohydrate, 18% of kilocalories from protein, and 32% of kilocalories from total fat) or potato chips (control; 54% of kilocalories from carbohydrate, 18% of kilocalories from protein, and 29% of kilocalories from total fat) for 28 d with a ≥2-wk washout period. Results: Consumption of the cashew diet resulted in a significantly greater median change from baseline (compared with the control, all P < 0.05) in total cholesterol [−3.9% (95% CI: −9.3%, 1.7%) compared with 0.8% (95% CI: −1.5%, 4.5%), respectively], LDL cholesterol [−4.8% (95% CI: −12.6%, 3.1%) compared with 1.2% (95% CI: −2.3%, 7.8%), respectively], non-HDL cholesterol [−5.3% (95% CI: −8.6%, 2.1%) compared with 1.7% (95% CI: −0.9%, 5.6%), respectively], and the total-cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio [−0.0% (95% CI: −4.3%, 4.8%) compared with 3.4% (95% CI: 0.6%, 5.2%), respectively]. There were no significant differences between diets for HDL cholesterol and triglyceride. Conclusions: In comparison with a control diet, the incorporation of cashews into typical American diets decreases total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Results from this study provide support that the daily consumption of cashews, when substituted for a high-carbohydrate snack, may be a simple dietary strategy to help manage total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02769741.
Salmonella Survival Kinetics on Pecans, Hazelnuts, and Pine Nuts at Various Water Activities and Temperatures.
The impact of temperature, water activity (aw), and nut composition on Salmonella survival on tree nuts has not been thoroughly examined. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of temperature, aw, and nut composition on the survival of Salmonella on tree nuts and develop predictive models. Pecans, hazelnuts, and pine nuts were chosen based on differences in their typical fat content. Nuts were inoculated with a cocktail of five Salmonella serotypes (11 log CFU/mL) and then were dried and stored at 4, 10, and 25°C at 0.41 ± 0.06 and 0.60 ± 0.05 aw for 1 year. Ten-gram quantities were removed at different intervals up to 364 days to test for surviving Salmonella populations (plating on selective and nonselective media) and aw. Experiments were carried out in triplicate. Salmonella populations were relatively stable over a year at 4 and 10°C at both aw levels with <1.5-log CFU/g decline. The best predictive model to describe Salmonella survival at 4 and 10°C was a log-linear model with a D-value for each tree nut and aw combination. Significant declines in Salmonella levels were observed at 25°C, where the best fit was a Weibull model with a fixed ρ for all tree nuts (ρ = 0.86), a δ value for each tree nut and aw combination, and a random factor to account for variability among replicates. The time for the first log reduction at 25°C and 0.37 ± 0.009 aw was estimated at 24 ± 2 weeks for hazelnuts, 34 ± 3 weeks for pecans, and 52 ± 7 weeks for pine nuts. At the same temperature, but with 0.54 ± 0.009 aw, the mean estimated time for the first log reduction decreased to 9 ± 1 weeks for hazelnuts, 10 ± 1 weeks for pecans, and 16 ± 1 weeks for pine nuts. Tree nut, aw, and temperature were shown to have a statistically significant effect on survival (P < 0.05). No apparent influence of fat content on survival was observed. The results of this study can be used to predict changes in Salmonella levels on pecans, hazelnuts, and pine nuts after storage at the different temperatures and aw values.
Physical activity and dietary habits related to cardiovascular risk in independent community-living older women.
A side effect of increased life expectancy is a surge in sequelae of diseases and injuries, which in turn increase the duration of life with disability among the elderly. The aim of this study was to ascertain the physical activity and nutritional parameters that better predict cardiovascular risk in a cohort of older women. A cross-sectional study was designed including 65 women able to independently perform basic activities of daily life. Data collection included anthropometric measurement, blood pressure measurement, blood analytics, objectively measurement of physical activity, and dietary assessment. We were able to generate models that explain the relationship between physical activity, diet, and these health measurement parameters. We observed that the combination of moderate physical activity and a diet including protein-rich foods as nuts, dairy, and eggs were better predictors associated with favorable changes in risk factors for cardiovascular disease than age.
Fruit position within the canopy affects kernel lipid composition of hazelnuts.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this research was to study the variability in kernel composition within the canopy of hazelnut trees. RESULTS: Kernel fresh and dry weight increased linearly with fruit height above the ground. Fat content decreased, while protein and ash content increased, from the bottom to the top layers of the canopy. The level of unsaturation of fatty acids decreased from the bottom to the top of the canopy. Thus, the kernels located in the bottom layers of the canopy appear to be more interesting from a nutritional point of view, but their lipids may be more exposed to oxidation. The content of different phytosterols increased progressively from bottom to top canopy layers. CONCLUSION: Most of these effects correlated with the pattern in light distribution inside the canopy. The results of this study indicate that fruit position within the canopy is an important factor in determining hazelnut kernel growth and composition.
Dietary energy density and body weight changes after 3 years in the PREDIMED study.
The association of dietary energy density (ED) and overweight is not clear in the literature. Our aim was to study in 4259 of the PREDIMED trial whether an increase in dietary ED based on a higher adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern was associated with 3-year weight gain. A validated 137-item food-frequency questionnaire was administered. Multivariable-adjusted models were used to analyze the association between 3-year ED change and the subsequent 3-year body weight change. The most important weight reduction after 3-year follow-up was observed in the two lowest quintiles and the highest quintile of ED change. The highest ED increase was characterized by an increased intake of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and nuts and a decreased intake of other oils, vegetable and fruit consumption (p < .001). In conclusion, increased 3-year ED in the PREDIMED study, associated with a higher EVOO and nuts consumption, was not associated with weight gain.
An on-site, ultra-sensitive, quantitative sensing method for the determination of total aflatoxin in peanut and rice based on quantum dot nanobeads strip.
An on-site, ultra-sensitive, and quantitative sensing method was developed based on quantum dot nanobeads (QDNBs) and a test strip for the determination of total aflatoxins (AFTs) in rice and peanuts. The monoclonal antibody against AFT (mAbAFT) was homemade and labeled with QDNB. After the pre-coating of the AFT antigen on the test line (T line), the competitive immunoreactions were conducted between AFT and AFT antigen on the T line with QDNBs-mAbAFT. Under optimal conditions, this approach allowed a rapid response towards AFT with a considerable sensitivity of 1.4 pg/mL and 2.9 pg/mL in rice and peanut matrices, respectively. The put-in and put-out durations were within 10 min. The recoveries for AFT in rice and peanut sample matrices were recorded from 86.25% to 118.0%, with relative deviations (RSD) below 12%. The assay was further validated via the comparison between this QDNB strip and the conventional HPLC method using spiked samples. Thus, the design provided a potential alternative for on-site, ultra-sensitive, and quantitative sensing of AFT that could also be expanded to other chemical contaminants for food safety.
Association Between Dietary Factors and Mortality From Heart Disease, Stroke, and Type 2 Diabetes in the United States.
Importance: In the United States, national associations of individual dietary factors with specific cardiometabolic diseases are not well established. Objective: To estimate associations of intake of 10 specific dietary factors with mortality due to heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes (cardiometabolic mortality) among US adults. Design, Setting, and Participants: A comparative risk assessment model incorporated data and corresponding uncertainty on population demographics and dietary habits from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1999-2002: n = 8104; 2009-2012: n = 8516); estimated associations of diet and disease from meta-analyses of prospective studies and clinical trials with validity analyses to assess potential bias; and estimated disease-specific national mortality from the National Center for Health Statistics. Exposures: Consumption of 10 foods/nutrients associated with cardiometabolic diseases: fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, whole grains, unprocessed red meats, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), polyunsaturated fats, seafood omega-3 fats, and sodium. Main Outcomes and Measures: Estimated absolute and percentage mortality due to heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes in 2012. Disease-specific and demographic-specific (age, sex, race, and education) mortality and trends between 2002 and 2012 were also evaluated. Results: In 2012, 702 308 cardiometabolic deaths occurred in US adults, including 506 100 from heart disease (371 266 coronary heart disease, 35 019 hypertensive heart disease, and 99 815 other cardiovascular disease), 128 294 from stroke (16 125 ischemic, 32 591 hemorrhagic, and 79 578 other), and 67 914 from type 2 diabetes. Of these, an estimated 318 656 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 306 064-329 755; 45.4%) cardiometabolic deaths per year were associated with suboptimal intakes-48.6% (95% UI, 46.2%-50.9%) of cardiometabolic deaths in men and 41.8% (95% UI, 39.3%-44.2%) in women; 64.2% (95% UI, 60.6%-67.9%) at younger ages (25-34 years) and 35.7% (95% UI, 33.1%-38.1%) at older ages (≥75 years); 53.1% (95% UI, 51.6%-54.8%) among blacks, 50.0% (95% UI, 48.2%-51.8%) among Hispanics, and 42.8% (95% UI, 40.9%-44.5%) among whites; and 46.8% (95% UI, 44.9%-48.7%) among lower-, 45.7% (95% UI, 44.2%-47.4%) among medium-, and 39.1% (95% UI, 37.2%-41.2%) among higher-educated individuals. The largest numbers of estimated diet-related cardiometabolic deaths were related to high sodium (66 508 deaths in 2012; 9.5% of all cardiometabolic deaths), low nuts/seeds (59 374; 8.5%), high processed meats (57 766; 8.2%), low seafood omega-3 fats (54 626; 7.8%), low vegetables (53 410; 7.6%), low fruits (52 547; 7.5%), and high SSBs (51 694; 7.4%). Between 2002 and 2012, population-adjusted US cardiometabolic deaths per year decreased by 26.5%. The greatest decline was associated with insufficient polyunsaturated fats (-20.8% relative change [95% UI, -18.5% to -22.8%]), nuts/seeds (-18.0% [95% UI, -14.6% to -21.0%]), and excess SSBs (-14.5% [95% UI, -12.0% to -16.9%]). The greatest increase was associated with unprocessed red meats (+14.4% [95% UI, 9.1%-19.5%]). Conclusions and Relevance: Dietary factors were estimated to be associated with a substantial proportion of deaths from heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. These results should help identify priorities, guide public health planning, and inform strategies to alter dietary habits and improve health.