Stability of antibacterial and coccidiostat drugs on chicken meat burgers upon cooking and in vitro digestion

The impact of culinary practices - oven or microwave cooking combined with herbs and/or beer - on antibacterial and coccidiostat drugs stability and bioaccessibility in chicken meat was evaluated. Fourteen compounds from 6 classes (β-lactams, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, and coccidiostats) were monitored after cooking and in vitro digestion (INFOGEST protocol) at two fortification levels. Depending on their reduction, the presence of transformation products derived from cooking or digestion was investigated. In general, compounds were stable during cooking except amoxicillin, chlortetracycline and tylosin (reductions > 50%). Molecular rearrangement and dechlorination reactions are the most probable transformations derived from cooking. Adding herbs/beer does not benefit their reductions. During in vitro digestion, maximum bioaccessibilities of 60% were observed for all quantified compounds. As drugs and bile salts interact, increasing the absorption of lipophilic drugs, their bioaccessibility predictions must not be based only on the determination of their free form using LC-MS/MS.

Factors influencing the choice of beer: A review

Research on those variables that have been shown to influence the consumer's choice of beer is reviewed. The focus is on the choice of whether to drink beer as opposed to a beverage from another category, and to a greater extent, the choice between different types or styles of beer. Inspired by previous research on a diverse array of factors that have been shown to influence food and beverage choice, the review examines how beer choice is driven by consumer variables (covering biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors), product-intrinsic attributes (the sensory aspects of the beer itself), product-extrinsic attributes (external sensory characteristics, such as packaging), and contextual and environmental influences. These situational factors refer to variables such as the location where choice/consumption takes place (i.e., on- versus off-trade), as well as the context, occasion, and reason for drinking. Current trends related to choice and consumption, such as the emerging interest in beer-food pairing, are also examined. The review groups these attributes which affect people's beer wanting, choice, and purchase in order to understand the beer consumer's choice process. Along with general conclusions, a number of key directions for future research are also presented, given that the relative contribution of each type of factor on consumer's choice behaviour is still unclear.

Effects of the intake of craft or industrial beer on serum homocysteine

Beer is a source of folate, vitamin B₆ and B₁₂, molecules involved in the pathways of homocysteine (HCY), a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This research evaluated if a consumption of craft or industrial beer could reduce serum HCY. In a randomised cross-over study, 12 men (28.7 ± 6.0 years) and 12 women (29.4 ± 7.5 years), healthy, omnivorous, with normal body mass index, non-smoking and not taking oral supplements or contraceptives, followed a free-living diet and received, daily, for 3 weeks, 330 ml of industrial (4.5% of alcohol) or craft beer (9% of alcohol). Anthropometric measures and blood samples were taken at the beginning and at the end of each period. The consumption of industrial beer reduced (p < 0.05) HCY (7.35 vs. 6.50 µmol/L) and increased folic acid (3.46 vs. 3.94 ng/mL). Craft beer increased gamma-gluamyl transpeptidase (GGT) (16.6 vs. 18.6 U/L) and reduced vitamin B₆ (20.9 vs. 16.9 ng/mL).

Unraveling Brazilian bioethanol yeasts as novel starters for high-gravity brewing

High-gravity (HG) brewing has broader application to succeed on beer differentiation and production optimization. However, such process imposes a handicap to yeasts, which must be able to deal with stressful conditions in fermentation. In this work, we assessed different physiological traits of 24 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from Brazilian bioethanol distilleries for the selection of novel starters for HG brewing. Five yeast strains were selected with ability to overcome different stressors under HG beer fermentation, showing high fermentability rates, resilience to ethanol stress, low production of foam and hydrogen sulfide, as well as similar flocculation rates to brewer's yeasts. After five fermentation recycles, most strains sustained a viability rate higher than 90% and were able to efficiently accumulate trehalose and glycogen, besides presenting no detectable petite mutants at the final stage. In the sensory analysis, the beers obtained from the five selected strains showed greater aromatic complexity, with predominance of 'spicy', 'dried' and 'fresh fruits' descriptors. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the potential of yeast strains from Brazilian bioethanol process to produce distinctive specialty beers, aside from proposing an effective selection methodology based on relevant physiological attributes for HG brewing process.

Persistent luminescence nanorod based luminescence resonance energy transfer aptasensor for autofluorescence-free detection of mycotoxin

Serious ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination necessitates the development of rapid, sensitive and selective analytical methods for its determination in food safety. Herein, we report a persistent luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) based aptasensor for the autofluorescence-free detection of OTA. OTA aptamer functionalized persistent luminescence nanorod (PLNR) Zn₂GeO₄:Mn²⁺ and the aptamer complementary DNA modified gold nanoparticle (AuNP) were used as the donor and the acceptor, respectively. The developed LRET aptasensor integrated the advantages of the long-lasting persistent luminescence of PLNR, the high selectivity of aptamer and the low probe background of LRET sensors, allowing autofluorescence-free detection of OTA in biological samples with high sensitivity and selectivity. The developed LRET aptasensor gave an excellent linearity in the range of 0.01-10 ng mL^-1, the detection limit of 3 pg mL^-1 and the precision of 2.7% (RSD, n = 11) at 1 ng mL^-1 level. The applicability of the developed aptasensor was demonstrated by analyzing beer samples for OTA with the recoveries of 92.3%-104%.

Red rice conjugated with barley and rhododendron extracts for new variant of beer

This study aimed to determine the effect and potential of red rice in conjunction with barley and rhododendron extracts to develop a new variant of beer. In this study red rice, barley, and rhododendron extracts were used in different combinations and the best combination was selected based on quality and sensory characteristics. The results showed that the developed beer was rich in antioxidant activity (47.68 ± 0.96) and contained a good amount of anthocyanin (35.12 ± 0.79), flavonoids (0.119 ± 0.002), and polyphenols (0.410 ± 0.002). The red rice has more dietary significance than that of polished or milled rice, further, the use of rhododendron provides a large number of secondary metabolites such as tannins, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, and flavonoids. Besides, the sensory profile of the developed beer was quite distinct in terms of aroma, taste, and color from other alternatives available in the market.

Analysis of chemical compounds in beverages - Guidance for establishing a compositional analysis

In recent years, much analysis has been carried out regarding the chemical compositions of nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages. However, no study has ever considered the compositional pitfalls inherent in such studies, which may lead to arbitrary results. Two approaches were compared in this paper, compositional data analysis (CoDa) and classical statistical analyses, to demonstrate (1) how aging affects beer and (2) how the results vary depending on the applied approach. Exemplarily, chemical compounds of 43 beer samples were analyzed. Our work has led us to obtain different results when the correlation analysis and principal component analysis were conducted on the unmodified-, log-transformed-, or closed-data in contrary to the analyses of log-ratio coordinates. The outcome of the latter provided better separation between aged and fresh beer samples and also easier interpretability. These results lead us to advise the usage of CoDa methods for the analyses of chemical compositions of beverages.

Dietary exposure assessment of sum deoxynivalenol forms, sum T-2/HT-2 toxins and zearalenone from cereal-based foods and beer

A dietary exposure assessment to sum of deoxynivalenol (DON) forms, sum of T-2/HT-2 toxins (T2/HT2) and zearalenone (ZEA) was conducted for Czech children 4-6 years and Czech men and women 18-59 years. Retail foods (25 different commodities, n = 336) were assessed by LC-MS/MS methods. The 95th percentile chronic exposure to sum of DON forms was determined in children from 648 to 1030 ng/kg bw/day (LB/lower bound/and UB/upper bound/), in men from 362 to 923 ng/kg bw/day and in women from 272 to 490 ng/kg bw/day. The 95th percentile chronic exposure to sum T2/HT2 was determined in children from 6.5 to 31 ng/kg bw/day, in men from 1.9 to 11.2 ng/kg bw/day and in women from 2.5 to 11.5 ng/kg bw/day. The 95th percentile chronic exposure to ZEA was determined in children from 11.9 to 24.9 ng/kg bw/day, in men from 5.9 to 27.5 ng/kg bw/day and in women from 4.8 to 12.6 ng/kg bw/day. The risk linked with the mean and the 95th percentile chronic exposure (LB scenario) to the sum of DON forms, sum of T2/HT2 and ZEA is considered to be out of health concern for the selected population groups.

Modeling the inactivation of Lactobacillus brevis DSM 6235 and retaining the viability of brewing pitching yeast submitted to acid and chlorine washing

This study aimed to model the inactivation of Lactobacillus brevis DSM 6235 while retaining the viability of yeasts during washing brewer's yeast with phosphoric acid and chlorine dioxide. The independent variables in the acid washing were pH (1-3) and temperature (1-9 °C), whereas in the washing with chlorine dioxide, concentration (10-90 mg/L) and temperature (5-25 °C) were assessed. The predictive models obtained for the four response variables γ_LA, γ_Cl (decimal reduction of L. brevis DSM 6235), V_f/V0_LA, and V_f/V0_Cl (brewer's yeast viability ratio) were found to have R² > 0.80 and values of F_calc > F_reference. Then, the models were considered predictive and statistically significant (p < 0.10). Our results indicated that phosphoric acid and chlorine dioxide washing resulted in up to 7 and 6.4 (log CFU/mL) decimal reductions of L. brevis DSM 6235, respectively. On the other hand, the viability of the brewer's yeast ranged from 22.3 to 99.4%. L. brevis DSM 6235 inactivation was significantly influenced by parameters pH(Q) and T°C(Q) when phosphoric acid was applied, and by parameters mg/L(L), mg/L(Q), T°C(Q), and mg/L × T°C when ClO₂ was applied. The validation of the models resulted in bias (γ_LA, 0.93/V_f/V_0LA, 0.99 - γ_Cl, 1.0/V_f/V_0Cl, 0.99) and accuracy values (γ_LA, 1.12/Vf/V_0LA, 1.01 - γ_Cl, 1.08/V_f/V_0Cl, 1.03). The results of this study indicate that it might be possible to decontaminate brewer's yeast through acid and chlorine dioxide washing while keeping its viability. This procedure will result in the reduction of costs and the lower generation of brewer's waste.

A re-evaluation of diastatic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains and their role in brewing

Abstract

Diastatic strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae possess the unique ability to hydrolyze and ferment long-chain oligosaccharides like dextrin and starch. They have long been regarded as important spoilage microbes in beer, but recent studies have inspired a re-evaluation of the significance of the group. Rather than being merely wild-yeast contaminants, they are highly specialized, domesticated yeasts belonging to a major brewing yeast lineage. In fact, many diastatic strains have unknowingly been used as production strains for decades. These yeasts are used in the production of traditional beer styles, like saison, but also show potential for creation of new beers with novel chemical and physical properties. Herein, we review results of the most recent studies and provide a detailed account of the structure, regulation, and functional role of the glucoamylase-encoding STA1 gene in relation to brewing and other fermentation industries. The state of the art in detecting diastatic yeast in the brewery is also summarized. In summary, these latest results highlight that having diastatic S. cerevisiae in your brewery is not necessarily a bad thing.

Key Points

•Diastatic S. cerevisiae strains are important spoilage microbes in brewery fermentations.

•These strains belong to the ‘Beer 2’ or ‘Mosaic beer’ brewing yeast lineage.

•Diastatic strains have unknowingly been used as production strains in breweries.

•The STA1-encoded glucoamylase enables efficient maltotriose use.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00253-020-10531-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

How to objectively determine the color of beer?

Beer color is an important sensory attribute, the first one that the consumer observes. There are two standard methods accepted for determining the color of these products, one related to the European Brewery Convention (EBC) and the other is the Standard Reference Method (SRM). Both methods are based on absorbance, but in case of the more and more popular fruit beers these methods give false result since these products appear in varied colors and have different spectra than regular beers. In this study 39 different types of beers were investigated, including fruit beers and beer based mixed drinks to compare their color in CIE 1976 L*a*b* color space, absorption-based colors and transmission spectra. ΔE*_ab values of products with less than 5% EBC difference ranged from 4.5 to 17.4. There were magnitude differences in the transmission spectra of these products, fruit beers showed different tendencies due to the added fruit or fruit juice. The highest ΔE*_ab value belonged to two traditional Weissbiers. Absorption-based methods are not able in many cases to differentiate between products which have nearly the same EBC or SRM color but visually are different. A multi-wavelength method would be reasonable to be developed for more objective and accurate beer color determination.

Comparative genetic and physiological characterisation of Pectinatus species reveals shared tolerance to beer-associated stressors but halotolerance specific to pickle-associated strains

Obligate anaerobic bacteria from the genus Pectinatus have been known to cause beer spoilage for over 40 years. Whole genome sequencing was performed on eleven beer spoilage strains (nine Pectinatus frisingensis, one Pectinatus cerevisiiphilus and one Pectinatus haikarae isolate), as well as two pickle spoilage species (Pectinatus brassicae MB591 and Pectinatus sottacetonis MB620) and the tolerance of all species to a range of environmental conditions was tested. Exploration of metabolic pathways for carbohydrates, amino acids and vitamins showed little difference between beer spoilage- and pickle spoilage-associated strains. However, genes for certain carbohydrate- and sulphur-containing amino acid-associated enzymes were only present in the beer spoilage group and genes for specific transporters and regulatory genes were uniquely found in the pickle spoilage group. Transporters for compatible solutes, only present in pickle-associated strains, likely explain their experimentally observed higher halotolerance compared to the beer spoilers. Genes involved in biofilm formation and ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters potentially capable of exporting hop-derived antimicrobial compounds were found in all strains. All species grew in the presence of alcohol up to 5% alcohol by volume (ABV) and hops extract up to 80 ppm of iso-α-acids. Therefore, the species isolated from pickle processes may pose novel hazards in brewing.

A simple, fast and easy methodology for the monitoring of plastic migrants in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages using the QuEChERS method prior to gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

In this work, the development of a simple, fast and reliable method for the evaluation of a group of twelve plastic migrants in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages widely consumed by the population has been carried out. For that, a modified QuEChERS method for the extraction and preconcentration of the target compounds has been used prior to their separation and quantification by gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry. The whole methodology was validated for beer, cider and grape juice matrices, using dibutyl phthalate-3,4,5,6-d₄ as surrogate. Recovery ranged from 75 to 120% for all matrices with relative standard deviation values lower than 20%, and the limits of quantification of the method were achieved in the range 0.034-1.415 μg/L. Finally, the analysis of different beer, cider and grape juice samples commercialised in different supermarkets of Tenerife was carried out, finding the presence of four of the evaluated phthalates in the range 0.14-1.1 μg/L in some of the evaluated beers, six of them in several cider samples, in the range 0.3-2.1 μg/L, and one in the range 1.2-1.5 μg/L in three of the analysed grape juices.

Unrecorded Alcohol Consumption in Seven European Union Countries

INTRODUCTION

Unrecorded alcohol, that is, alcohol not reflected in official statistics of the country where it is consumed, contributes markedly to overall consumption of alcohol. However, empirical data on unrecorded alcohol consumption are scarce, especially in high-income countries. This study measures the contribution of unrecorded alcohol in 7 member states of the European Union.

METHODS

Two categories of unrecorded consumption were assessed in general population surveys (reducing alcohol related harm Standardized European Alcohol Survey; n = 11,224): home-made alcohol and cross-border shopping. Country-specific logistic regressions were used to link respondent characteristics to odds of acquisition of unrecorded alcohol. Total per capita alcohol consumption was estimated under different assumptions of calculating unrecorded alcohol consumption.

RESULTS

Individuals with higher drinking levels were more likely to acquire unrecorded alcohol in all 7 countries. In some countries, male sex and more affluent social class were also positively linked to acquisition of unrecorded alcohol. There was a substantial contribution of unrecorded alcohol to overall consumption in 5 out of 7 member states (Croatia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Portugal), but not in Poland or Spain. In Greece, up to two-thirds of all alcohol consumed was estimated to be unrecorded.

CONCLUSION

Unrecorded alcohol contributes to overall consumption even in high-income countries, and thus needs to be monitored. In monitoring, as many categories of unrecorded alcohol as possible should be clearly defined (e.g., surrogate alcohol) and included in future surveys.

Physicochemical and sensory profile of Beauregard sweet potato beer

Beer has been one of the most consumed alcoholic beverages worldwide. However, the incorporation of adjuncts in the beer can add new organoleptic and functional characteristics to the beverage. For this, Beauregard sweet potato shows high potential due to being a rich source of starch and many bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to develop the best process condition to produce a Sweet potato beer with enhanced nutritional and antioxidant properties and good sensory characteristics. Beer samples showed increased antioxidant activity especially due to β-carotene and their total phenolic content. The phytochemical profile of sweet potato biocompounds demonstrated a direct effect of this adjunct on sensory and functional characteristics of the finished beer. In conclusion, it was found that Beauregard sweet potato is a promising adjunct for beer brewing with nutraceutical properties due to its rich composition of bioactive compounds.

Targeted healthy compounds in small and large-scale brewed beers

The determination of targeted healthy compounds in the most popular small and large-scale brewed beer sold in Italy was carried out. Nitrogen compounds, fermentable sugars, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity, β-glucans, pyridoxine, folates and silicon were quantified. Further, amine content was determined since raw materials and brewing technology can affect their level. Significantly higher values for total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, nitrogen, folate and putrescine content were found for small scale beers. However, the statistical results were affected by the different beer styles in the small scale and large scale brewed beer groups, since the content of these components can vary between beer styles. Positive Pearson correlation was found between total phenolic content and EBC colour. Wide variations in pyridoxine, β-glucans and fermentable sugars levels were observed both for small and large scale beers, while average silicon content of two groups was similar.

Beer and its non-alcoholic compounds in health and disease

Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with beneficial effects on human health. Specifically, consumption of red wine and beer has shown a J-shape relation with many important diseases. While a role of ethanol cannot be excluded, the high content of polyphenols in both beverages has been proposed to contribute to these effects, with beer having the advantage over wine that it is lower in alcohol. In addition to ethanol, beer contains a wide variety of compounds with known medicinal potential such as kaempferol, quercetin, tyrosol and phenolic acids, and it is the main dietary source for the flavones xanthohumol and 8-prenylnaringenin, and bitter acids such as humulones and lupulones. Clinical and pre-clinical evidence for the protective effects of moderate beer consumption against cardiovascular disease and other diseases has been accumulating since the 1990s, and the non-alcoholic compounds of beer likely exert most of the observed beneficial effects. In this review, we summarize and discuss the effects of beer consumption in health and disease as well as the clinical potential of its non-alcoholic compounds which may be promising candidates for new therapies against common chronic diseases.

Composition and biochemical properties of ale beer enriched with lignans from Schisandra chinensis Baillon (omija) fruits

To develop a beverage with high antioxidant capacity and desirable sensory characteristics, Schisandra chinensis (omija) fruits were added to ale type beer at different time points of the brewing process. The phenolic compounds contents in beer were found to be dependent at the moment of the addition of omija fruit. Addition of omija fruits at the initiation of boiling imparted highest oxidative stability to beer and resulted in highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents in ale beer (606.82 mg GAE/L and 406.75 mg QE/L, respectively). The amounts of schisandrin, gomisin A and gomisin B in beer were 12.10 mg/mL, 3.12 mg/mL and 0.86 mg/mL, respectively. Taken together, it is hypothesized that the addition of omija fruits to traditional brewing process can improve the development of value-added beer products.

The visual appearance of beer: A review concerning visually-determined expectations and their consequences for perception

This review critically evaluates the literature concerning the impact of visual appearance cues (including colour, foam, and cloudiness) on people's perception in the beer category. The authors assess both the sensory expectations that are elicited by the visual appearance of beer, and the extent to which those expectations carry-over to influence the actual tasting experience. Beer is a particularly intriguing category to study since the differing production rules in different countries mean that there is not always the same scope to modify the colour in order to meet perceived consumer demands. What is more, there is currently disagreement in the literature concerning the impact of beer colour and foam on people's expectations of beer prior to tasting, and their multisensory flavour perception on tasting. Given how much beer is consumed annually, it is surprising that more research has not been published that assesses the undoubtedly important role of visual appearance in this beverage category. Part of the reason for this may simply be that it is difficult to create consistent experimental stimuli given the rapid transition of the head of the beer post-serving.

Advances in yeast alcoholic fermentations for the production of bioethanol, beer and wine

Yeasts have a long-standing relationship with humankind that has widened in recent years to encompass production of diverse foods, beverages, fuels and medicines. Here, key advances in the field of yeast fermentation applied to alcohol production, which represents the predominant product of industrial biotechnology, will be presented. More specifically, we have selected industries focused in producing bioethanol, beer and wine. In these bioprocesses, yeasts from the genus Saccharomyces are still the main players, with Saccharomyces cerevisiae recognized as the preeminent industrial ethanologen. However, the growing demand for new products has opened the door to diverse yeasts, including non-Saccharomyces strains. Furthermore, the development of synthetic media that successfully simulate industrial fermentation medium will be discussed along with a general overview of yeast fermentation modeling.

Posttranslational Modifications Drive Protein Stability to Control the Dynamic Beer Brewing Proteome

Mashing is a key step in beer brewing in which starch and proteins are solubilized from malted barley in a hot water extraction and digested to oligomaltose and free amino nitrogen. We used SWATH-MS to measure the abundance and site-specific modifications of proteins throughout a small-scale pale ale mash. Proteins extracted from the malt at low temperatures early in the mash decreased precipitously in abundance at higher temperatures late in the mash due to temperature/time-induced unfolding and aggregation. We validated these observations using experimental manipulation of time and temperature parameters in a microscale pale ale mash. Correlation analysis of temperature/time-dependent abundance showed that sequence and structure were the main features that controlled protein abundance profiles. Partial proteolysis by barley proteases was common early in the mash. The resulting proteolytically clipped proteins were particularly sensitive and were preferentially lost at high temperatures late in the mash, while intact proteins remained soluble. The beer brewing proteome is therefore driven by the interplay between protein solubilization and proteolysis, which are in turn determined by barley variety, growth conditions, and brewing process parameters.

Characterization of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of fruit beers

Total polyphenols and flavonoids content, phenolics profile by HPLC, and antioxidant activity of ten fruit beer produced adding fruits during the fermentation process were analyzed. The fruits were: cherry, raspberry, peach, apricot, grape, plum, orange and apple. Antioxidant activity, total polyphenols and flavonoids content were considerably higher in most of the fruit beers in respect to conventional, no-fruit beers. Cherries beers exhibit the highest values, followed by grape, plum and orange beers. An enrichment was observed in catechin and quercetin content in all fruit beers examined. Myricetin and resveratrol were also detected in most of the fruit beers. Among phenolic acids, an enrichment in chlorogenic, neochlorogenic, p-coumaric and caffeic acids was measured in most of the fruit beers in respect to conventional beers. Our findings show that fruits addition during the fermentation process considerably increased the antioxidant activity of beer and qualitatively and quantitatively improved its phenolics profile.

BPA, BPB, BPF, BADGE and BFDGE in canned beers from the Italian market

A survey of BPA, BPB, BPF, BADGE and BFDGE contamination in canned beers from the Italian market is reported. An analytical method for the determination of these five bisphenols down to 0.5 ng mL^-1 using UPLC with fluorescence detection was developed and validated. A total of 40 canned beers were collected from the market in Southern Italy and analysed. The results showed that only 14 samples were contaminated at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 ng mL^-1 by at least BPA, BPF and BADGE. No contamination by BPB and BFDGE was detected. This survey suggests that canned beers from the Italian market should represent neither a relevant source of intake of bisphenols nor a risk for consumer's health.

Pre-diagnosis alcohol consumption and mortality risk among black women and white women with invasive breast cancer

Background

Alcohol consumption is associated with increased risk of breast cancer; however, its association with subsequent risk of breast cancer death is unclear.

Methods

We followed 4523 women with complete information on relevant risk factors for mortality; these women were 35 to 64 years of age when diagnosed with incident invasive breast cancer between 1994 and 1998. During follow up (median, 8.6 years), 1055 women died; 824 died from breast cancer. The information on alcohol consumption before diagnosis was collected shortly after breast cancer diagnosis (average: 5.1 months) during an in-person interview which used a structured questionnaire. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models provided hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for breast cancer-specific mortality, mortality due to causes other than breast cancer, and all-cause mortality associated with alcohol consumption from age 15 years until breast cancer diagnosis and during recent periods of time prior to breast cancer diagnosis.

Results

Average weekly alcohol consumption from age 15 years until breast cancer diagnosis was inversely associated with breast cancer-specific mortality (P_trend = 0.01). Compared to non-drinkers, women in the highest average weekly alcohol consumption category (≥7 drinks/week) had 25% lower risk of breast cancer-specific mortality (HR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.56–1.00). Breast cancer mortality risk was also reduced among women in the highest average weekly alcohol consumption category in two recent time periods (5-year period ending 2-years prior to breast cancer diagnosis, HR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.57–0.95; 2-year period immediately prior to breast cancer diagnosis: HR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.56–0.95). Furthermore, analyses of average weekly alcohol consumption by beverage type from age 15 years until breast cancer diagnosis suggested that wine consumption was inversely associated with breast cancer-specific mortality risk (wine P_trend = 0.06, beer P_trend = 0.24, liquor P_trend = 0.74). No association with any of these alcohol consumption variables was observed for mortality risk due to causes other than breast cancer.

Conclusions

Overall, we found no evidence that alcohol consumption before breast cancer diagnosis increases subsequent risk of death from breast cancer.

The Parallel Factor Analysis of Beer Fluorescence

Fluorescence excitation-emission matrices were measured for 111 samples of different types of beer and studied by the parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The 5-component PARAFAC model was found to suitably describes the beer fluorescence, accounting for 99.4% of the fluorescence variance in the measured set of samples, and providing the completely resolved excitation and emission spectra of each component. The model was chosen based on a model's core consistency and split-half analysis. It is shown that beer fluorescence is the sum of fluorescence of aromatic amino acids (tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine), different forms of vitamin B, and phenolic compounds. Obtained PARAFAC model of beer fluorescence demonstrated the potential for the quantification and quality analysis of beer fluorophores and classification of different beer types.