Fatty acid composition of frequently consumed foods in Turkey with special emphasis on trans fatty acids

An innovative application developed to determine the blood output of chickens and its impact on the meat quality in poultry slaughtering

Optimizing blood loss during the slaughtering process is crucial for obtaining high-quality meat, as the presence of meat blood can lead to a reduction in shelf life and negative sensory evaluation by consumers. Moreover, the high water and nutritional content of the meat, along with its appropriate pH value, necessitate careful consideration of the remaining blood, as it can support microbial spoilage of chicken meat. In this context the effects of making an extra cut on conventionally halal-slaughtered broiler's leg which had an extra cut at the cartilage point where the drumstick and the claw part meet, before the bloodletting process were analysed. The results of the analysis indicate that making an additional cut on the drumsticks does not adversely affect the overall quality of chicken meat. Determination of peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) analyses were performed to analyze the degree of lipid oxidation. The PV and the TBARS value were higher in the drumsticks which have extra cut compared to the uncut samples. L*, a*, and b* values of extra cut thigh meats are higher. However, considering the storage period, the ninth day values in the cut thigh meats were found to be lower than the first day results of the chickens drumsticks do not have an extra cut procedure. As the storage period of chicken drumsticks progressed, as expected, the L* value decreased, while a* value and b* value increased over time. As regards sexes of broilers, it was observed that the Pseudomonas spp of female broilers with extra cut in the cartilage tissue of their legs on d 1 was significantly higher than the male broilers. These findings suggest that this innovative method holds significant potential for widespread application.

Development of a Functional Dark Chocolate with Baobab Pulp

In recent years, cocoa and dark chocolate have attracted the interest of consumers not only for their sensory characteristics but also for their nutritional properties and positive impact on health. The baobab is a fruit of African origin with a sour and slightly sweet flavour, widely consumed by local communities due to its unique nutritional features. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of the concentration of baobab flour in the development of functional dark chocolate, including physical, chemical, nutritional and sensory evaluations. The results presented a positive correlation between the incorporation of baobab flour and the antioxidant activity (up to 2297 mmol TE/100 g), vitamin C content (up to 49.7 mg/100 g), calcium (up to 1052 mg/kg), potassium (up to 10,175 mg/kg), phosphorus (up to 795.9 mg/kg), chlorine (up to 235.4 mg/kg) and sulphur (up to 1158 mg/kg). The sensory evaluation of dark chocolate with 3% baobab presented the highest evaluation on the parameters "texture" and "overall flavour", while the parameter "overall flavour" presented the lowest evaluation on chocolate with 9% baobab. No influence was observed on fatty acid profile, protein, fat and hardness.

Dietary habits are associated with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes: a study among a middle eastern population

Worldwide type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence is increasing dramatically. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary habits and T2D in an Iranian adult population using a cross-sectional analysis of the Shahedieh cohort study. Participants were adults aged 35-70 years (n 9261) from Zarch and Shahedieh, Yazd, Iran, who attended the baseline phase of the Shahedieh cohort study. Dietary habits including meal frequency, fried-food consumption, adding salt to prepared meals and grilled-food consumption were assessed by a standard questionnaire. T2D was defined as fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥126 mg/dl according to the American Diabetes Association. Multiple logistic regression assessed the association between dietary habits and T2D. Individuals who consumed a meal more than six times per day compared to three times per day had greater odds for T2D (OR 2⋅503, 95 % CI 1⋅651, 3⋅793). These associations remained significant in a fully adjusted model. There was a significant association between greater intakes of fried foods and prevalence of T2D (OR 1⋅294, 95 % CI 1⋅004, 1⋅668) in the adjusted model. No significant associations were observed between other dietary habits (adding salt to prepared meals and grilled-food consumption) and odds of T2D in all crude and adjusted models. In conclusion, we have highlighted the association between meal and fried-food consumption frequencies with risk of T2D. Large longitudinal studies in different ethnicities are needed to confirm these associations.

Technological Quality, Amino Acid and Fatty Acid Profile of Broiler Meat Enhanced by Dietary Inclusion of Black Soldier Fly Larvae

We evaluated the effects of full-fat black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) on broiler carcass composition, cut yield, and breast meat quality. Broilers were fed for 42 days with up to 20% dietary inclusion of BSFL (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%). On day 42, 120 broilers were slaughtered, and images were taken using computed tomography. Breasts, drumsticks, and thighs were collected for cut yield determination. The pH, color, lipid oxidation, cooking loss, shear force, amino acid profile, and fatty acid profile of the breast meat were assessed. There was no dietary effect on carcass composition or meat quality parameters except for fatty and amino acids compositions. When 20% BSFL was included in the diet, individual fatty and amino acids, such as lauric and myristic acids, aspartic acid, glutamine, and lysine, increased by 22.0-, 5.50-, 1.08-, 1.06-, and 1.06-fold, respectively (p < 0.05). Although total polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased, eicosapentaenoic fatty acids (EPA) increased by 78% in the 20% BSFL inclusion group. In conclusion, up to 20%, dietary full-fat BSFL did not affect key meat characteristics but positively increased the levels of the health-claimable omega-3 fatty acid EPA.

Mechanisms of Action of trans Fatty Acids

Human studies have established a positive association between the intake of industrial trans fatty acids and the development of cardiovascular diseases, leading several countries to enact laws that restrict the presence of industrial trans fatty acids in food products. However, trans fatty acids cannot be completely eliminated from the human diet since they are also naturally present in meat and dairy products of ruminant animals. Moreover, bans on industrial trans fatty acids have not yet been instituted in all countries. The epidemiological evidence against trans fatty acids by far overshadows mechanistic insights that may explain how trans fatty acids achieve their damaging effects. This review focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the deleterious effects of trans fatty acids by juxtaposing effects of trans fatty acids against those of cis-unsaturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids (SFAs). This review also carefully explores the argument that ruminant trans fatty acids have differential effects from industrial trans fatty acids. Overall, in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate that industrial trans fatty acids promote inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, although to a lesser degree than SFAs, whereas cis-unsaturated fatty acids are protective against ER stress and inflammation. Additionally, industrial trans fatty acids promote fat storage in the liver at the expense of adipose tissue compared with cis-unsaturated fatty acids and SFAs. In cultured hepatocytes and adipocytes, industrial trans fatty acids, but not cis-unsaturated fatty acids or SFAs, stimulate the cholesterol synthesis pathway by activating sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) 2-mediated gene regulation. Interestingly, although industrial and ruminant trans fatty acids show similar effects on human plasma lipoproteins, in preclinical models, only industrial trans fatty acids promote inflammation, ER stress, and cholesterol synthesis. Overall, clearer insight into the molecular mechanisms of action of trans fatty acids may create new therapeutic windows for the treatment of diseases characterized by disrupted lipid metabolism.

Gas Chromatography Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Identification and Straightforward Quantification of Branched Chain Fatty Acids in Foods

Fatty acid analysis of food lipids containing branched chain fatty acids (BCFAs) are complex because of unavoidable gas chromatography (GC) co-elution. We demonstrate a method for convenient quantitative GC coupled to novel solvent-mediated chemical ionization (CI) mass spectrometry (MS) that enables resolution of co-eluting peaks by mass. The relevant masses yield uniform responses for C_14-20 normal fatty acids and BCFAs, eliminating the need for rare purified BCFA standards essential for unpredictable responses, as for electron ionization (EI). CI-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of MH⁺ yields fragments characteristic of the branch position. Application of the measurement to BCFAs in salami samples demonstrates consistent results for the novel method and EI-MS. A higher proportion of C_17-18 BCFAs was found in beef compared to milkfat, possibly indicative of fatty acid elongation, endogenous in the beef animal. This method enables straightforward structure elucidation and quantification of food BCFAs and similar chain length normal fatty acids without purified standards.

Nutritional quality and safety of algerian margarines: Fatty acid composition, oxidative stability and physicochemical properties

BACKGROUND: Margarine is a widely consumed product in Algeria. Few or no studies have been conducted to estimate its safety and nutritional quality. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate some algerian margarines. Particular interest is given to their oxidative stability and fatty acid composition. METHODS: Twelve margarines are selected, including tub and stick margarines, puff pastry margarines and vegetable smen. We evaluate physicochemical parameters (water content, pH, salt content, melting point and solids content with RMN), oxydative stability with Rancimat and fatty acid composition with GLC. RESULTS: The analyzed products are mostly in conformity with standards. The estimation of the oxidative stability revealed that tub margarines are the least stable. Fatty acid composition showed that practically all the analyzed products are rich in SFA. CONCLUSION: Large amounts of highly saturated oils such as palm oil, coconut and palm kernel are used. The fact that the trans fatty acids content is not very high in Algerian margarines and vegetable smen is not due to the legislation applied but to the awareness of few industries and especially to the import price exerted on different types of fat. So it is in view of profitability that industries choose raw material and not in a health concern.

Saturated and trans-fatty acids in UK takeaway food

The aim of the study was to analyze the saturated fatty acid (SFA) and trans-fatty acid (TFA) contents of popular takeaway foods in the UK (including English, pizza, Chinese, Indian and kebab cuisine). Samples of meals were analyzed by an accredited public analyst laboratory for SFA and TFA. The meals were highly variable for SFA and TFA. English and Pizza meals had the highest median amount of SFA with 35.7 g/meal; Kebab meals were high in TFA with up to 5.2 g/meal. When compared to UK dietary reference values, some meals exceeded SFA and TFA recommendations from just one meal. Takeaway food would be an obvious target to reduce SFA and TFA contents and increase the potential of meeting UK recommendations. Strategies such as reformulation and smaller takeaway portion sizes warrant investigation.

Consumption Safety of Pastries, Confectioneries, and Potato Products as Related to Fat Content

STUDY AIM

To determine the content of the main groups of fatty acids in pastries, confectionery, and potato products, paying special attention to trans fatty acids and the products of fat oxidation and hydrolysis, as factors affecting the safety of consumption.

METHODS

A total of 157 products were collected in Poland in 2009-2010. In fats extracted from samples, products of oxidation and hydrolysis were assayed using peroxide (PV), anisidine (AnV), and acid (AV) values. The fatty acid (FA) composition, especially the trans FAs (TFAs) content, was determined by gas chromatography. When assessing the TFA intake, Household Budget Surveys were considered.

RESULTS

Highest content of fat was found for wafers with filling and crisps (32.3% and 29.3%, respectively). In 4 out of 9 groups of pastry and confectionery products studied, the quality of fat was decreased due to an excessive oxidation, as evidenced by a substantial content of secondary products of fat oxidation. The extracted fat was rich in SFA (on average, 50 g SFA/100 g FA) except fries and mixes. A great diversity of TFA content in fat of the products was found (0.1-24.8 g TFA/100 g FA). Wafers were characterized by the highest average content of TFA in the group of pastries (1.94 g TFA/100 g of product). Products of natural origin supplied 0.496 g of TFA per day, and those of industrial origin supplied about 1.5 g.

CONCLUSIONS

The average TFA consumption, about 2 g/day, does not seem to affect health. However, an excessive consumption of pastry and confectionery products may present a risk, due not only to TFA but also to a high consumption of toxic secondary oxidation lipid products. Moreover, because 75% of TFAs in the diet were isomers of industrial origin, their further limitation and monitoring of their level in food seems highly recommendable.

Blackham T, Long R, Taylor C, Ashton M, Stevenson L, Glynn Davies I. Nutritional composition of takeaway food in the UK

Purpose

– This paper aims to determine the nutritional profile of popular takeaway meals in the UK. Fast food has a poor nutritional profile; research has focused on the major catering chains, with limited data on takeaway food from independent establishments.

Design/methodology/approach

– Random samples of takeaway meals were purchased from small, independent takeaway establishments. Multiple samples of 27 different takeaway meals, from Indian, Chinese, kebab, pizza and English-style establishments (n = 489), were analysed for portion size, energy, protein, carbohydrate, total fat, salt and total sugars.

Findings

– Takeaway meals were inconsistent with UK dietary recommendations; pizzas revealed the highest energy content, and Chinese meals were lowest in total fat. However, there was a high degree of variability between and within categories, but the majority of meals were excessive for portion size, energy, macronutrients and salt.

Research limitations/implications

– The present study focused on energy, macronutrients, salt and total sugars. Future research should analyse the quality of fat and carbohydrates and micronutrients to provide a more detailed nutritional profile of takeaway food.

Practical implications

– The nutritional variability between establishments suggests that recipe reformulation should be explored in an attempt to improve the nutritional quality of takeaway foods. In addition, portion size reduction could favour both the consumer and the industry.

Social implications

– Takeaway outlets do not provide nutritional information; due to the excessive nutritional profiles, regular intake may increase the risk of non-communicable disease. Therefore, there is a pressing need for this provision to help consumers make conscious food choices.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to analyse energy and macronutrient content of independent takeaway meals in the UK.