Nutrigenomics – Linking food to human metabolism

Perceived role of hot food in the pathogenesis of oesophageal cancer: a qualitative study in the Arsi Zone, Oromia, Central Ethiopia

Observational studies in Ethiopia have identified a positive association between hot wheat porridge consumption and oesophageal carcinoma. However, a single dietary intake cannot be a sufficient predictor of cancer among populations that have diverse dietary practices. The present study was carried out to explore the community's perspectives on the role of hot foods in the pathogenesis of oesophageal cancer in Ethiopia. Focus group discussions were conducted from May to August 2019 among purposefully selected 112 participants. Data were collected by using open-ended questions; memo writing, audio recordings and photo pictures. All tape-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductively coded using Atlas.ti Version 7.0.71 software. Finally, the analysis was performed according to the standard thematic framework analysis techniques. The finding showed that hot foods (porridge, coffee and soup) consumption patterns were perceived as the principal dietary risk of oesophageal cancer. Cooking in unventilated rooms, monotonous cereal-based foods, poor vegetable, and fruit intake, not taking milk with porridge, eating fast, swallowing large bolus of hot porridge and exposure to carcinogens in foods were regarded as predisposing dietary practices to oesophageal carcinoma. Socio-demographic, economic and cultural backgrounds were reported as the underlying risk factors associated with oesophageal cancer. There was a strong perception within the community that oesophageal cancer is linked to several but sequentially interlinked dietary and related practices. Cumulative thermal injuries from the consumptions of hot food could be the immediate dietary risk factors associated with increased risk of oesophageal cancer.

Predictors of stakeholders’ intention to adopt nutrigenomics

Background

Nutrigenomics is an emerging science that studies the relationship between genes, diet and nutrients that can help prevent chronic disease. The development of this science depends on whether the public accept its application; therefore, predicting their intention to adopt it is important for its successful implementation.

Objective

This study aims to analyse Malaysian stakeholders’ intentions to adopt nutrigenomics, and determines the factors that influence their intentions.

Methods

A survey was conducted based on the responses of 421 adults (aged 18 years and older) and comprising two stakeholder groups: healthcare providers (n = 221) and patients (n = 200) who were located in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The SPSS software was used to analyse the descriptive statistics of intention to adopt nutrigenomics and the SmartPLS software was used to determine the predicting factors affecting their decisions to adopt nutrigenomics.

Results

The results show that the stakeholders perceived the benefits of nutrigenomics as outweighing its risks, suggesting that the perceived benefits represent the most important direct predictor of the intention to adopt nutrigenomics. The perceived risks of nutrigenomics, trust in key players, engagement with medical genetics and religiosity also predict the intention to adopt nutrigenomics. Additionally, the perceived benefits of nutrigenomics served as a mediator for four factors: perceived risks of nutrigenomics, engagement with medical genetics, trust in key players and religiosity, whilst the perceived risks were a mediator for engagement with medical genetics.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that the intentions of Malaysian stakeholders to adopt nutrigenomics are a complex decision-making process where all the previously mentioned factors interact. Although the results showed that the stakeholders in Malaysia were highly positive towards nutrigenomics, they were also cautious about adopting it.

Reviewing Classical and Molecular Techniques Regarding Profiling of Probiotic Character of Microorganisms

In recent years the roles of probiotics as functional ingredients in food has been highly adopted by the consumers and are under constant investigation by the scientific community. As a result, several probiotic-containing foods have been introduced in the market with an annual share of several billion dollars. Of particular interest in the probiotics research is the profiling of probiotic character of the microbes involving both in vitro and in vivo approaches. Initially traditional microbiological techniques were used; however they suffer by many limitations and therefore the development of new techniques, which are primarily based on the analysis of nucleic acids have been introduced. The scope of this review is to present current knowledge about the methodological approaches that are used to quantify and characterize the potential probiotic character of microorganisms. Moreover, it will focus on molecular and non-molecular tools and finally will report some new perspectives in the study of probiotics using omics techniques.

Psychological determinants of consumer acceptance of personalised nutrition in 9 European countries

Objective

To develop a model of the psychological factors which predict people’s intention to adopt personalised nutrition. Potential determinants of adoption included perceived risk and benefit, perceived self-efficacy, internal locus of control and health commitment.

Methods

A questionnaire, developed from exploratory study data and the existing theoretical literature, and including validated psychological scales was administered to N = 9381 participants from 9 European countries (Germany, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, the UK, and Norway).

Results

Structural equation modelling indicated that the greater participants’ perceived benefits to be associated with personalised nutrition, the more positive their attitudes were towards personalised nutrition, and the greater their intention to adopt it. Higher levels of nutrition self-efficacy were related to more positive attitudes towards, and a greater expressed intention to adopt, personalised nutrition. Other constructs positively impacting attitudes towards personalised nutrition included more positive perceptions of the efficacy of regulatory control to protect consumers (e.g. in relation to personal data protection), higher self-reported internal health locus of control, and health commitment. Although higher perceived risk had a negative relationship with attitude and an inverse relationship with perceived benefit, its effects on attitude and intention to adopt personalised nutrition was less influential than perceived benefit. The model was stable across the different European countries, suggesting that psychological factors determining adoption of personalised nutrition have generic applicability across different European countries.

Conclusion

The results suggest that transparent provision of information about potential benefits, and protection of consumers’ personal data is important for adoption, delivery of public health benefits, and commercialisation of personalised nutrition.