Sulfites--a food and drug administration review of recalls and reported adverse events

Food additives and their implication in inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic syndrome

Over the past half a century the Western diet (WD) has become saturated with food additives. During the same time, there has been an increase in Western diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Emerging research has shown that food additives may be implicated in these diseases. However, critics have suggested that some of this research is problematic and may cause unnecessary fear amongst consumers. Here we review the emerging research concerning food additives and their implication in IBD and MetS, and criticisms thereof. To make the review more relevant to the WD, we only included common food additives, selected using supermarket data. Over a dozen common food additives from four categories were identified for their potential role in directly promoting these diseases. A consistent limitation of the research was the use of unrealistic human exposure conditions, such as high doses and modes of administration, as well as a lack of human trials. Another limitation was the absence of studies investigating the potential synergetic effect of consuming multiple food additives, as is common in the WD. Despite the limitations, there is some evidence that common food additives may be contributing to these additives, especially via their dysbiotic effect on the gut microbiota.

Is human albumin injection the best choice to treat hypoalbuminemia?

BACKGROUND

Currently, there is an irrational use of drugs in the treatment of hypoproteinemia. This study evaluates the value of 12 injections to provide a basis for drug selection for the treatment of hypoproteinemia.

METHODS

The content of the first restrictive amino acid, the comprehensive quality of the total essential amino acid, and the closeness to the whole egg protein or FAO/WHO model were evaluated to compare their value in the amino acid synthesis of human serum albumin. A comparison was made between the matching degree of HA and therapeutic amino acids with the human plasma amino acid profile. Furthermore, the value and safety of synthetic human serum albumin were compared.

RESULTS

The lowest synthetic value of human serum albumin was 18AA-V, and the highest was 18AA-II. The CS values of HA, 18AA-V, 18AA-II, 18AA-Ip, 18AA-IIp, and 19AA-Ip were 0.18, 0.58, 0.78, 0.55, 0.54, and 0.59, respectively. The similarity to egg protein was 0.81, 0.92, 0.94, 1.00, 1.18, and 1.18, respectively. The proximity values to FAO/WHO standards were 0.81, 0.85, 0.90, 1.36, 1.54, and 1.54, respectively. The changes in 3AA and the amino acid profile were matched when liver function was abnormal. When the renal function was abnormal, 9AA was matched. During trauma, 18AA-VII was matched. The amino acid profile of HA did not correspond.

CONCLUSION

Patients with normal liver and kidney function should choose compound balanced amino acid injection, while patients with abnormalities should choose 3AA. Patients with renal dysfunction should choose 9AA. Trauma patients should choose 18AA-VII.

SERS-based pH-Dependent detection of sulfites in wine by hydrogel nanocomposites

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfites are well-known additives in winemaking due to their preservative properties. Although they can prevent oxidation and inhibit microbial growth, they pose health risks and require limitations on their use. Consequently, the total level of SO2 is regulated and several quantification strategies have been proposed. The approved detection methods require the extraction of SO2 by heating and/or acid treatment. Then, iodine or acid/base titrations are conducted for the detection of liberated SO2. Although these methods can provide sensitive detection of SO2, they are complex, time-consuming, and require sample preparation steps and skilled operators. Thus, to overcome these disadvantages, an easy-to-use method, involving simple sample preparation steps, and offering high sensitivity and selectivity, is desirable. Herein, we introduce a SERS-based strategy for SO2 detection in liquids using hydrogel nanocomposites. The hydrogels are prepared by poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) in the presence of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), acting as the SERS substrate. The use of hydrogels ensures a homogenous signal distribution and an efficient collection of SO2, and drying the hydrogels enhances and stabilizes the obtained SO2 signal. The detection strategy is based on the pH-dependent dissociation of SO2. By adjusting the pH value of wine to 10 through simple dilutions, SO2 can be directly detected in wine, down to 0.4 ppm, well below the regulatory limits. The proposed method allows for sensitive, direct, cost-effective detection of SO2 by eliminating the loss of the gaseous form of the sample and avoids titration-based detection methods.

Bioprotection by non-Saccharomyces yeasts in oenology: Evaluation of O2 consumption and impact on acetic acid bacteria

Bioprotection by yeast addition is increasingly used in oenology as an alternative to sulfur dioxide (SO2). Recent studies have also shown that it is likely to consume dissolved O2. This ability could limit O2 for other microorganisms and the early oxidation of the grape must. However, the ability of yeasts to consume O2 in a context of bioprotection was poorly studied so far considering the high genetic diversity of non-Saccharomyces. The first aim of the present study was to perform an O2 consumption rate (OCR) screening of strains from a large multi species collection found in oenology. The results demonstrate significant inter and intra species diversity with regard to O2 consumption. In the must M. pulcherrima consumes O2 faster than Saccharomyces cerevisiae and then other studied non-Saccharomyces species. The O2 consumption was also evaluate in the context of a yeast mix used as industrial bioprotection (Metschnikowia pulcherrima and Torulaspora delbrueckii) in red must. These non-Saccharomyces yeasts were then showed to limit the growth of acetic acid bacteria, with a bioprotective effect comparable to that of the addition of sulfur dioxide. Laboratory experiment confirmed the negative impact of the non-Saccharomyces yeasts on Gluconobacter oxydans that may be related to O2 consumption. This study sheds new lights on the use of bioprotection as an alternative to SO2 and suggest the possibility to use O2 consumption measurements as a new criteria for non-Saccharomyces strain selection in a context of bioprotection application for the wine industry.

Copper Immobilized over 2D Hexagonal SBA-15 for Electrochemical and Colorimetric Sulfite Sensing

Sulfite (SO₃^2-) is considered a highly toxic anion for living organisms. Herein, we report the synthesis of copper immobilized over a 2D hexagonally ordered mesoporous silica material CuMS as an electrochemical and colorimetric dual-technique-based sensing platform for sulfite detection. The immobilization of copper on silica was achieved through the bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]tetrasulfide (TEPTS) ligand. Morphological and physical properties of the material were confirmed by several characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, N₂ sorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The CuMS material retained mesoporosity with a narrow pore size distribution (D ≈ 5.4 nm) and a high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of 682 m² g^-1 after the immobilization of copper. The prepared catalyst shows promising electrocatalytic activity toward sulfite oxidation. A linear variation in the peak current was obtained for SO₃^2- oxidation in the 0.2-15 mM range with a high sensitivity of 62.08 μA cm^-2, under optimum experimental conditions. The limit of detection (LOD) was found to be 1.14 nM. CuMS also shows excellent activity toward colorimetric detection of sulfite anions with an LOD of 0.4 nM. The proposed sensor shows high selectivity toward the sulfite anion, even in the presence of common interferents. The detection of sulfite in white wine with excellent recovery demonstrates the practical applicability of this sensor.

Biofunctionalisation of Polypyrrole Nanowires Array with Sulfite Oxidase Coupled with the Integration of Platinum Nanoparticles for Ultrasensitive Amperometric Detection of Sulfite

Sulfite determination in foods and alcoholic beverages is a common requirement by food and drug administration organisations in most countries. In this study, the enzyme, sulfite oxidase (SOx), is used to biofunctionalise a platinum-nanoparticle-modified polypyrrole nanowire array (PPyNWA) for the ultrasensitive amperometric detection of sulfite. A dual-step anodisation method was used to prepare the anodic aluminum oxide membrane used as a template for the initial fabrication of the PPyNWA. PtNPs were subsequently deposited on the PPyNWA by potential cycling in a platinum solution. The resulting PPyNWA-PtNP electrode was then biofuntionalised by adsorption of SOx onto the surface. The confirmation of the adsorption of SOx and the presence of PtNPs in the PPyNWA-PtNPs-SOx biosensor was verified by scanning electron microscopy and electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry and amperometric measurements were used to investigate the properties of the nanobiosensor and to optimise its use for sulfite detection. Ultrasensitive detection of sulfite with the PPyNWA-PtNPs-SOx nanobiosensor was accomplished by use of 0.3 M pyrrole, 10 U mL^-1 of SOx, adsorption time of 8 h, a polymerisation period of 900 s, and an applied current density of 0.7 mA cm^-2. The response time of the nanobiosensor was 2 s, and its excellent analytical performance was substantiated with a sensitivity of 57.33 μA cm^-2 mM^-1, a limit of detection of 12.35 nM, and a linear response range from 0.12 to 1200 μM. Application of the nanobiosensor to sulfite determination in beer and wine samples was achieved with a recovery efficiency of 97-103%.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Clinical Application of Balanced Compound Amino Acid Injection

Background

To provide a reference for hospital drug selection and rational clinical drug selection based on the evaluation of the safety, nutritional quality, and economy of 27 manufacturers of five varieties (18AA, 18AA-I, 18AA-II, 18AA-IV, 18AA-V) of balanced compound amino acids for injection and (18AA-II_{original research}).

Methods

The safety of compound amino acids for injection was evaluated by comparing the antioxidant sulfite contents. Based on the amino acid scoring standard mode and the whole egg protein mode as proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) in 1973, we compared the formula. The first limiting amino acid content and the comprehensive quality of the total essential amino acid (EAA) contents of the six formulations were studied. The price/content ratio was used to evaluate their economy.

Results

Similar variety produced by different manufacturers have the same formula and contents of balanced compound amino acids for injection. Safety: 18AA-II_{original research} and 18AA-II had the lowest sulfite content. Compared with 18AA-II_{original research}, the sulfite content of 18AA-I, 18AA, 18AA-V, and 18AA-IV were higher (10 times, 16.67 times, 16.67 times, and 33.33 times, respectively). The lower the sulfite content, the safer the product. Nutritional quality: The proportions of amino acids in the five varieties of compound amino acid injection were all suitable. The order of the first limiting amino acids for the formulations was 18AA-II_{original research} = 18AA-II>18AA >18AA-I = 18AA-IV>18AA-V. The order of the EAA values for the formulations was 18AA-II_{original research} = 18AA-II>18AA>18AA-I > 18AA-IV > 18AA-V. The overall effectiveness order was 18AA-II_{original research} = 18AA-II>18AA > 18AA-I>18AA-IV>18AA-V. Economy: Among the 27 manufacturers, 12 manufacturers had a price/content ratio higher than that of 18AA-II original research manufacturers, and 15 manufacturers had a price/content ratio lower than original research manufacturers.

Conclusion

Through its security, effectiveness, and economy of the comprehensive research, we recommended 18AA-II and 18AA-IIoriginal research with high safety, efficacy, and reasonable price as the first choice. 18AA and 18AA-I with better safety and reasonable price, secondary recommendation. 18AA-IV or 18AA-V with poor safety, efficacy, and economy are not recommended.

Yeast and Filamentous Fungi Microbial Communities in Organic Red Grape Juice: Effect of Vintage, Maturity Stage, SO2, and Bioprotection

Changes are currently being made to winemaking processes to reduce chemical inputs [particularly sulfur dioxide (SO₂)] and adapt to consumer demand. In this study, yeast growth and fungal diversity were investigated in merlot during the prefermentary stages of a winemaking process without addition of SO₂. Different factors were considered, in a two-year study: vintage, maturity level and bioprotection by the adding yeast as an alternative to SO₂. The population of the target species was monitored by quantitative-PCR, and yeast and filamentous fungi diversity was determined by 18S rDNA metabarcoding. A gradual decrease of the α-diversity during the maceration process was highlighted. Maturity level played a significant role in yeast and fungal abundance, which was lower at advanced maturity, while vintage had a strong impact on Hanseniaspora spp. population level and abundance. The presence of SO₂ altered the abundance of yeast and filamentous fungi, but not their nature. The absence of sulfiting led to an unexpected reduction in diversity compared to the presence of SO₂, which might result from the occupation of the niche by certain dominant species, namely Hanseniaspora spp. Inoculation of the grape juice with non-Saccharomyces yeast resulted in a decrease in the abundance of filamentous fungi generally associated with a decline in grape must quality. Lower abundance and niche occupation by bioprotection agents were observed at the overripened stage, thus suggesting that doses applied should be reconsidered at advanced maturity. Our study confirmed the bioprotective role of Metschnikowia pulcherrima and Torulaspora delbrueckii in a context of vinification without sulfites.

Unravelling the Immune Modulatory Effect of Indian Spices to Impede the Transmission of COVID-19: A Promising Approach

Months after WHO declared COVID-19 as a Global Public Health Emergency of International Concern, it does not seem to be flattening the curve as we are still devoid of an effective treatment modality and vaccination is in the first phase in many countries. Amid such uncertainty, being immune is the best strategy to defend against corona attacks. As the whole world is referring back to immune-boosting traditional remedies, interest is rekindled in the Indian system of Medicine, which is gifted with an abundance of herbal medicines as well as remedies. Among them, spices (root, rhizome, seed, fruit, leaf, bud, and flower of various plants used to add taste and flavors to food) are bestowed with immense medicinal potential. A plethora of clinical as well as preclinical studies reported the effectiveness of various spices for various ailments. The potential immune-boosting properties together with their excellent safety profiles are making spices the current choice of phytoresearch as well as the immune-boosting home remedies during these sceptical times. The present review critically evaluates the immune impact of various Indian spices and their potential to tackle the novel coronavirus, with comments on the safety and toxicity aspects of spices.

Wine Spoilage Control: Impact of Saccharomycin on Brettanomyces bruxellensis and Its Conjugated Effect with Sulfur Dioxide

The yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis is one of the most dangerous wine contaminants due to the production of phenolic off-flavors such as 4-ethylphenol. This microbial hazard is regularly tackled by addition of sulfur dioxide (SO₂). Nevertheless, B. bruxellensis is frequently found at low levels (ca 10³ cells/mL) in finished wines. Besides, consumers health concerns regarding the use of sulfur dioxide encouraged the search for alternative biocontrol measures. Recently, we found that Saccharomyces cerevisiae secretes a natural biocide (saccharomycin) that inhibits the growth of different B. bruxellensis strains during alcoholic fermentation. Here we investigated the ability of S. cerevisiae CCMI 885 to prevent B. bruxellensis ISA 2211 growth and 4-ethylphenol production in synthetic and true grape must fermentations. Results showed that B. bruxellensis growth and 4-ethylphenol production was significantly inhibited in both media, although the effect was more pronounced in synthetic grape must. The natural biocide was added to a simulated wine inoculated with 5 × 10² cells/mL of B. bruxellensis, which led to loss of culturability and viability (100% dead cells at day-12). The conjugated effect of saccharomycin with SO₂ was evaluated in simulated wines at 10, 12, 13 and 14% (v/v) ethanol. Results showed that B. bruxellensis proliferation in wines at 13 and 14% (v/v) ethanol was completely prevented by addition of 1.0 mg/mL of saccharomycin with 25 mg/L of SO₂, thus allowing to significantly reduce the SO₂ levels commonly used in wines (150–200 mg/L).

Patch testing with sodium disulfite: North American Contact Dermatitis Group experience, 2017 to 2018

BACKGROUND

Sodium disulfite (SD), also known as sodium metabisulfite, is an increasingly recognized cause of allergic contact dermatitis.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this work was to characterize individuals with positive patch test reactions to SD as well as analyse reaction strength, clinical relevance, and sources.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of patients patch tested with SD (1% petrolatum) by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG), 2017 to 2018.

RESULTS

Of 4885 patients patch tested with SD, 132 (2.7%) had a positive reaction. Common primary anatomic sites of dermatitis were face (28.8%), hands (20.5%), and a scattered/generalized distribution (13.6%). Compared with SD-negative patients, SD-positive patients were more likely male (odds ratio 2.81, 95% confidence interval 1.98-4.00) and/or over 40 years (odds ratio 1.95, 95% confidence interval 1.30-2.94). Reactions were most commonly + (50.4%) or ++ (34.1%); 65.2% were considered currently relevant. About 15.2% were definitively confirmed in sources, commonly personal care products (18.9%, especially hair dye), and drugs/medications/alcoholic beverages (9.1%). Only 2.3% of positive reactions were linked to occupation.

CONCLUSIONS

Positive reactions to SD occurred in 2.7% of tested patients. Reactions were often clinically relevant and linked to personal care products and drugs/medications/alcoholic beverages.

Adverse reactions to food additives

Food additives are naturally occurring or synthetic substances that are added to food to modify the color, taste, texture, stability, or other characteristics of foods. These additives are ubiquitous in the food that we consume on a daily basis and, therefore, have been the subject of much scrutiny about possible reactions. Despite these concerns, the overall prevalence of food additive reactions is 1-2%, with a minority of the wide variety of symptoms attributed to food-additive exposure being reproduced by double-blind placebo controlled challenges. Reactions can be broadly classified into either immunoglobulin E (IgE)- and non-IgE-mediated reactions, with natural additives accounting for most IgE-mediated reactions, and both natural and synthetic additives being implicated in the non-IgE-mediated reactions. Reactions that include asthma exacerbations, urticaria and/or angioedema, or anaphylaxis with ingestion of a food additive are most deserving of further allergy evaluation. In this article, we discussed the different types of adverse reactions that have been described to various food additives. We also reviewed the specifics of how to evaluate and diagnose a food additive allergy in a clinic setting.

Organic Winemaking and Its Subsets; Biodynamic, Natural, and Clean Wine in California

From the ancient times, when wine/oenos was described as "Wine, the benevolent demon" by ancient Greek gastronomist and philosopher Athinaios in "Dipnosofistes", to modern days, the craft has seen significant fruition. The wine industry has evolved over time, and more so recently, to encompass many different subsets, one of which is the organic wine market. The organic wine industry has grown in recent years, especially in California. This rapid gain in interest has resulted in the evolution of several subsets, including biodynamic, natural, and clean wine. While biodynamic and natural wine, function more as a fulfillment of niche markets, clean wine may provide benefits for consumers that otherwise suffer from side effects of wine consumption. Low sulfite levels and lack of histamines in clean wine plausibly decrease headaches and adverse effects some consumers experience when drinking wine. An overview of the organic wine industry and its evolution with potential contributions to consumers, with an emphasis on clean wine, is discussed herein.

Sulfites in meat: Occurrence, activity, toxicity, regulation, and detection. A comprehensive review

Sulfites are a class of chemical compounds, SO₂ releasers, widely used as additives in food industry, due to their antimicrobial, color stabilizing, antibrowning, and antioxidant properties. As the results of these pleiotropic functions they can be added to a broad range of products including dried fruits and vegetables, seafood, juices, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverage, and in few meat products. Sulfites ingestion has been correlated with several adverse and toxic reactions, such as hypersensitivity, allergic diseases, vitamin deficiency, and may lead to dysbiotic events of gut and oral microbiota. In many countries, these additives are closely regulated and in meat products the legislation restricts their usage. Several studies have been conducted to investigate the sulfites contents in meat and meat products, and many of them have revealed that some meat preparations represent one of the main sources of SO₂ exposure, especially in adults and young people. This review discusses properties, technological functions, regulation, and health implications of sulfites in meat-based foods, and lays a special emphasis on the chemical mechanisms involved in their interactions with organic and inorganic meat components.

Simple Flow-Based System with an In-Line Membrane Gas-liquid Separation Unit and a Contactless Conductivity Detector for the Direct Determination of Sulfite in Clear and Turbid Food Samples

This study presents a simple flow-based system for the determination of the preservative agent sulfite in food and beverages. The standard method of conversion of sulfite ions into SO2 gas by acidification is employed to separate the sulfite from sample matrices. The sample is aspirated into a donor stream of sulfuric acid. A membrane gas-liquid separation unit, also called a 'gas-diffusion (GD)' unit, incorporating a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) hydrophobic membrane allows the generated gas to diffuse into a stream of deionized water in the acceptor line. The dissolution of the SO2 gas leads to a change in the conductivity of water which is monitored by an in-line capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detector (C4D). The conductivity change is proportional to the concentration of sulfite in the sample. In this work, both clear (wine) and turbid (fruit juice and extracts of dried fruit) were selected to demonstrate the versatility of the developed method. The method can tolerate turbidity up to 60 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTUs). The linear range is 5-25 mg L-1 SO32- with precision < 2% RSD. The flow system employs a peristaltic pump for propelling all liquid lines. Quantitative results of sulfite were statistically comparable to those obtained from iodimetric titration for the wine samples.

Absence labels: How does information about production practices impact consumer demand?

Absence labels promote the absence of a particular ingredient or production practice. Consumers usually perceive organic labels as an umbrella absence label for a variety of ingredients and production practices. Such organic labels often use similar language but are based on different certification requirements. For example, both organic wine and wine made with organic grapes are available to U.S. consumers, but little is known about consumer preferences for such labeled products when information about the certification standards is available. Moreover, while absence labels, which advertise the absence of certain attributes or practices, are prevalent on the market, little is known about how information on conventional production practices impacts consumer behavior. Using an artefactual experiment with 128 adult non-student participants, we investigate consumer demand for conventional wine, organic wine, and wine made with organic grapes when information about production standards is provided to participants with and without details regarding conventional winemaking practices. We find that while both organic labels carry a significant and very similar willingness-to-pay (WTP) premium, information about certification standards and conventional wine making practices can reduce WTP for all wines. Providing information about the two organic certification standards reduces consumer WTP for both absence labeled and conventional wine categories. This effect largely disappears for organic wine, but not wine made with organic grapes, when information about conventional wine-making practices is also provided.

Social media engagement analysis of U.S. Federal health agencies on Facebook

BACKGROUND

It is becoming increasingly common for individuals and organizations to use social media platforms such as Facebook. These are being used for a wide variety of purposes including disseminating, discussing and seeking health related information. U.S. Federal health agencies are leveraging these platforms to 'engage' social media users to read, spread, promote and encourage health related discussions. However, different agencies and their communications get varying levels of engagement. In this study we use statistical models to identify factors that associate with engagement.

METHODS

We analyze over 45,000 Facebook posts from 72 Facebook accounts belonging to 24 health agencies. Account usage, user activity, sentiment and content of these posts are studied. We use the hurdle regression model to identify factors associated with the level of engagement and Cox proportional hazards model to identify factors associated with duration of engagement.

RESULTS

In our analysis we find that agencies and accounts vary widely in their usage of social media and activity they generate. Statistical analysis shows, for instance, that Facebook posts with more visual cues such as photos or videos or those which express positive sentiment generate more engagement. We further find that posts on certain topics such as occupation or organizations negatively affect the duration of engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

We present the first comprehensive analyses of engagement with U.S. Federal health agencies on Facebook. In addition, we briefly compare and contrast findings from this study to our earlier study with similar focus but on Twitter to show the robustness of our methods.

Categorizing food-related illness: Have we got it right?

Since the 1950s food safety hazards have been categorized simply as (micro) biological, chemical or physical hazards with no clear differentiation between those that cause acute and chronic harm. Indeed international risk assessment methods, including hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) use these criteria. However, the spectrum of food related illness continues to grow now encompassing food allergy and intolerance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, cancer as well as food poisoning, foodborne illness and food contamination. Therefore over a half-century later is this the time to redefine the spectrum of what constitutes food related illness? This paper considers whether such "redefinition" of food related intoxicating and infectious agents would provide more targeted policy instruments and lead to better risk assessment and thus mitigation of such risk within the food supply chain.

Environmental behavior and analysis of agricultural sulfur

Sulfur has been widely used for centuries as a staple for pest and disease management in agriculture. Presently, it is the largest-volume pesticide in use worldwide. This review describes the sources and recovery methods for sulfur, its allotropic forms and properties and its agricultural uses, including development and potential advantages of nanosulfur as a fungicide. Chemical and microbial reactivity, interactions in soil and water and analytical methods for determination in environmental samples and foodstuffs, including inexpensive analytical methods for sulfur residues in wine, beer and other food/beverage substrates, will be reviewed. The toxicology of sulfur towards humans and agriculturally important fungi is included, with some restrictions on use to promote safety. The review concludes with areas for which more research is warranted.

Chemical Characterization of Different Sumac and Pomegranate Extracts Effective against Botrytis cinerea Rots

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel and sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) fruit and leaf extracts were chemically characterized and their ability to inhibit table grape (cv. Italia) rots caused by Botrytis cinerea was evaluated on artificially inoculated berries. Different extraction methods were applied and extracts were characterized through Ultra Fast High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to Photodiode array detector and Electrospray ionization Mass spectrometer (UPLC-PDA-ESI/MSⁿ) for their phenol and anthocyanin contents. The concentrated pomegranate peel extract (PGE-C) was the richest in phenols (66.97 g gallic acid equivalents/kg) while the concentrated sumac extract from fruits (SUF-C) showed the highest anthocyanin amount (171.96 mg cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents/kg). Both phenolic and anthocyanin profile of pomegranate and sumac extracts were quite different: pomegranate extract was rich in cyanidin 3-glucoside, pelargonidin 3-glucoside and ellagic acid derivatives, while sumac extract was characterized by 7-methyl-cyanidin 3-galactoside and gallic acid derivatives. The concentrated extracts from both pomegranate peel and sumac leaves significantly reduced the development of Botrytis rots. In particular, the extract from pomegranate peel completely inhibited the pathogen at different intervals of time (0, 12, and 24 h) between treatment and pathogen inoculation on fruits maintained at 22–24 °C and high relative humidity (RH). This extract may represent a valuable alternative to control postharvest fungal rots in view of its high efficacy because of the low cost of pomegranate peel, which is a waste product of processing factories.

A case study involving allergic reactions to sulfur-containing compounds including, sulfite, taurine, acesulfame potassium and sulfonamides

A case study is reported whereby an individual with known sulfite and sulfonamide allergies develops hypersensitivity to taurine above a threshold level as well as to the non-nutritive sweetener acesulfame potassium, compounds that are not normally associated with allergic reactions. Sulfites, sulfonamides, taurine and acesulfame potassium all contain a SO3 moiety. Challenge tests provide evidence for the hypersensitivities to taurine and acesulfame potassium. The subject is also allergic to thiuram mix and thimerosal, sulfur containing compounds, as well as to various food products. This may be the first case where hypersensitivities to taurine and acesulfame potassium have been documented and reported. Several mechanistic explanations are provided for the untoward reactions to taurine and acesulfame potassium.

The effectiveness of ozone and acidulant treatments in extending the refrigerated shelf life of fresh-cut potatoes

The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of acidulant dip treatments (with or without aqueous ozone) to reduce enzymatic browning and to extend the shelf life of fresh-cut potato slices during refrigerated storage (4 °C) for 28 d. Potato slices subjected to aqueous ozone (2 ppm) had significantly (P≤ 0.05) higher L-values and lower a-values, but ozone did not appear to have any effect on aerobic plate counts (APCs) or polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. NatureSeal (NS) and sodium acid sulfate (SAS) were the most effective acidulant treatments in reducing browning (significantly [P≤ 0.05] higher L-values, lower a-values, and browning index values) regardless of ozone treatment. NS and SAS also had lower PPO activity compared to other treatments on days 0 and 28, and significantly (P≤ 0.05) lower APCs (≤2.00 log CFU/g) over refrigerated storage. Therefore, the SAS treatment was comparable to NS, a commercially available product, and showed promise as an effective antibrowning dip to reduce browning and spoilage in fresh-cut potato products. Practical Application:  A 1% SAS dip treatment which included 1% citric and 1% ascorbic acid was found to be an effective antibrowning dip for fresh-cut potatoes along with NatureSeal®'s PS-10, compared to other treatments. They were both effective in maintaining low microbial counts over refrigerated storage. Additionally, aqueous ozone washes (2 ppm) showed significant benefits to reduce browning; however, ozone did not affect microbial counts or PPO enzyme activity. Therefore, the SAS treatment could have potential use in the fruit and vegetable industry to reduce browning and spoilage in fresh-cut potato products.

Sulfur fumigation processing of traditional chinese medicinal herbs: beneficial or detrimental?

Majority of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs need to undergo post-harvesting processing to convert raw material into the form readily used for prescription. In general, processing procedures are either according to China Pharmacopeia or based on traditional methods. Recently sulfur fumigation is increasingly used to replace traditional sun-drying for its pesticidal and anti-bacterial properties in a cheap and convenient manner. However, to date information on effects of sulfur fumigation on herbal safety and efficacy are limited. This article addresses potential destructive effects of sulfur fumigation on herbal efficacy and safety through reviewing currently available information. Since recently increased numbers of studies have demonstrated that sulfur fumigation-induced dramatic changes in chemical profiles of various sulfur-fumigated herbs, consequent alteration of efficacy, and/or potential incidence of toxicity are suspected. Therefore comprehensive investigations on effects of sulfur fumigation on toxicity, chemical profiles, pharmacokinetics, and bioactivities of TCM herbs are timely to provide scientific basis for standardization and regulation of this currently common but potentially harmful processing method.

New insights into an ancient antibrowning agent: formation of sulfophenolics in sodium hydrogen sulfite-treated potato extracts

The effect of sodium hydrogen sulfite (S), used as antibrowning agent, on the phenolic profile of potato extracts was investigated. This extract was compared to one obtained in the presence of ascorbic acid (A). In the presence of A, two major compounds were obtained, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA) and 4-O-caffeoyl quinic acid. With S, their 2'-sulfo-adducts were found instead, the structures of which were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Also, for minor caffeoyl derivatives and quercetin glycosides, the corresponding sulfo-adducts were observed. Feruloyl and sinapoyl derivatives were not chemically affected by the presence of S. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was thought to be responsible for the formation of the sulfo-adducts. This was confirmed by preparing 2'-sulfo-5-O-caffeoyl quinic acid in a model system using 5-CQA, sodium hydrogen sulfite, and PPO. This sulfo-adduct exhibited a small bathochromic shift (λmax 329 nm) as compared to 5-CQA (λmax 325 nm) and a strong hypochromic shift with an extinction coefficient of 9357±395 M(-1) cm(-1) as compared to 18494±196 M(-1) cm(-1), respectively. The results suggest that whenever S is used as an antibrowning agent, the O-quinone formed with PPO reacts with S to produce sulfo-O-diphenol, which does not participate in browning reactions.

Comparison of sodium acid sulfate to citric acid to inhibit browning of fresh-cut potatoes

Sodium acid sulfate (SAS) dip treatments were evaluated against a distilled water control and citric acid (CA) to compare its effectiveness in reducing enzymatic browning of raw, French-fry cut potatoes. Two separate studies were conducted with dip concentrations ranging from 0%, 1%, and 3% in experiment 1 to 0%, 2%, and 2.5% in experiment 2 to determine optimal dip concentrations. Russet Burbank potatoes were peeled, sliced, and dipped for 1 min and stored at 3 °C. Color, texture, fry surface pH, and microbiological analyses were conducted on days 0, 7, and 14. The 3% SAS- and CA-treated samples had significantly (p<0.0001) lower pH levels on fry surfaces than all other treatments. Both acidulants had significantly (p≤0.05) lower aerobic plate counts compared to controls in both studies by day 7. However, SAS appeared to be the most effective at the 3% level in maintaining a light fry color up to day 14 and had the highest L-values than all other treatments. The 3% SAS-treated fry slices appeared to have the least change in textural properties over storage time, having a significantly (p=0.0002) higher force value (kg force [kgf]) than the other treatments during experiment 1, without any signs of case-hardening that appeared in the control and CA-treated samples. SAS was just as comparable to CA in reducing surface fry pH and also lowering microbial counts over storage time. According to the results, SAS may be another viable acidulant to be utilized in the fresh-cut fruit and vegetable industry.