Peanut oleosins associated with severe peanut allergy-Importance of lipophilic allergens for comprehensive allergy diagnostics.
BACKGROUND: Peanut allergy is one of the most common and most severe food allergies in Western countries and its accurate diagnosis to prevent potential life-threatening allergic reactions is crucial. However, aqueous extracts used for routine diagnostic measurements are devoid of lipophilic allergens such as oleosins. We have recently succeeded in the isolation and purification of these unique proteins, and the current study evaluates their allergenic potential and clinical relevance. OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess allergenicity and sensitization prevalence of oleosins obtained from both raw and in-shell roasted peanuts. Additionally, we tested the utilization of natural and recombinant oleosins for allergy diagnostic purposes. METHODS: Oleosin sensitization, prevalence, and impact of thermal processing were analyzed by immunoblot with sera from 52 peanut-allergic individuals displaying different clinical phenotypes. The application of natural and recombinant oleosins for allergy diagnostics was investigated by basophil activation test (BAT). IgE-binding epitopes were identified by oligopeptide microarray. RESULTS: Sensitization to oleosins was observed exclusively in peanut-allergic subjects suffering from severe systemic reactions. IgE-binding capacity of oleosins derived from in-shell roasted peanuts was increased as shown by immunoblot analysis and BAT. Both natural and recombinant molecules can be used to identify oleosin-sensitized patients by BAT. A linear epitope of Ara h 15 was determined which displays high similarity to other seed-derived oleosins. CONCLUSION: Oleosins are clinically relevant peanut allergens and most likely associated with severe allergic symptoms. In-shell roasting increases their allergenicity, which is consistent with the observation that most allergic reactions are in connection with roasted peanuts.
Effects of sulfur dioxide concentration on organic acids and β-carotene in dried apricots during storage.
The effects of various sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations (0, 451, 832, 1594, 2112 and 3241mg/kg) on the profiles and contents of organic acids (OAs) and β-carotene in sulfured dried apricots (SDAs) were investigated during storage at 4, 20 and 30°C for 379days. In all samples, four OAs [malic acid (MA), citric acid (CA), succinic acid (SA) and oxalic acid (OXA)] were identified. SA (13.9-31.8g/kgdw) was the major OA in SDAs containing SO2 at lower than 1594mgSO2/kg, while MA (11.7-11.7g/kgdw) was the major OA in SDAs containing SO2 at higher than 1594mgSO2/kg. As SO2 concentration increased, CA and OXA contents increased whereas MA contents decreased. Moreover, the highest stabilities of β-carotene, MA and SO2 were determined in SDAs containing 1594mgSO2/kg at 4°C. Therefore, we suggest using 1594mgSO2/kg and storing SDAs at 4°C to protect OAs and β-carotene.
Update on Timing and Source of ‘Allergenic' Foods.
As the prevalence of food allergies in many communities continues to rise, the question of when in infancy to introduce any solid foods, or specific 'more allergenic' foods, as a food allergy prevention strategy has been debated. Observational studies have found that introducing any solid foods prior to 4 months of age was associated with an increased risk of allergic disease. Hence, the current allergy prevention consensus recommendation is that the introduction of any solid foods should commence after 4 months of age. Over recent years, several randomized controlled trials have been conducted to investigate the 'ideal' timing of introduction of some specific 'more allergenic' foods (including peanuts and eggs) into infant diets. To date, the results from three of these trials have determined that there is no reason to delay the introduction of the 'more allergenic' foods into the infant's diet after solid foods have commenced. However, these trials have also highlighted the finding that some infants are sensitized to food allergens before any known ingestion of solid foods. Thus, future research needs to focus on strategies to prevent early-life food allergen sensitization prior to complementary feeding.
Free and glycosidically bound volatile compounds in sun-dried raisins made from different fragrance intensities grape varieties using a validated HS-SPME with GC–MS method.
The conditions of sample pretreatments and HS-SPME for extracting volatile compounds from raisins were optimized, and the method was validated in the study. Free and glycosidically bound volatile compounds in three different fragrance intensities raisins were analysed using this method. There were 91 compounds identified, and 72, 26 and 8 of these compounds came from fresh grapes, the auto-oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAO) and the Maillard reaction, respectively. The aroma profiles of Thompson Seedless raisins (TSRs) and Centennial Seedless raisins (CSRs) were similar, while the floral, fruity, green and roasted aromas of CSRs were higher than those of TSRs due to the contributions of benzeneacetaldehyde, 2-pentylfuran, (E)-2-nonenal and 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethyl pyrazine. Decanal, rose oxide, geraniol, linalool and β-damascenone made the floral and fruity aromas of Zixiang Seedless raisins (ZSRs) greater than those in TSRs and CSRs, but the green and roasted aroma intensities of ZSRs were lower.
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.