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

Microfluidic paper-based fluorescence sensor for L-homocysteine using a molecularly imprinted polymer and in situ-formed fluorescent quantum dots

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices modified with molecularly imprinted polymers (μPADs@MIPs) were developed for fluorescent detection of targeted thiols via in situ UV-induced formation of quantum dots (μPADs@MIPs@QDs). The selectivity enhancement by the MIP layer formed on the filter paper surface was demonstrated for the isolation of L-homocysteine from wine. Followed by the addition of metal precursors solution (Zn/Cd/Cu) and UV irradiation, fluorescent quantum dots were formed thus enabling quantitative detection of the thiol (serving as a QD capping agent). The effect of different semiconductors was investigated to achieve a lower band gap and higher fluorescence intensity. Increasing fluorescence intensity in the presence of thiol groups was obtained for the following precursors mixture composition: ZnCdCu/S > ZnCd/S > ZnCu/S > ZnS. The proposed method has a good relationship between the fluorescence intensity of ZnCdCu/S QDs and L-homocysteine in a linear range from 0.74 to 7.40 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.51 and 1.71 μM respectively. This method was applied for the determination of L-homocysteine in white wine with RSD under 6.37%.

A comprehensive review of the benefits of drinking craft beer: Role of phenolic content in health and possible potential of the alcoholic fraction

Currently, there is greater production and consumption of craft beer due to its appreciated sensory characteristics. Unlike conventional beer, craft beers provide better health benefits due to their varied and high content of phenolic compounds (PCs) and also due to their alcohol content, but the latter is controversial. The purpose of this paper was to report on the alcoholic fraction and PCs present in craft beers and their influence on health. Despite the craft beer boom, there are few studies on the topic; there is a lot of field to explore. The countries with the most research are the United States > Italy > Brazil > United Kingdom > Spain. The type and amount of PCs in craft beers depends on the ingredients and strains used, as well as the brewing process. It was determined that it is healthier to be a moderate consumer of alcohol than to be a teetotaler or heavy drinker. Thus, studies in vitro, with animal models and clinical trials on cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes and obesity, osteoporosis and even the immune system suggest the consumption of craft beer. However, more studies with more robust designs are required to obtain more generalizable and conclusive results. Finally, some challenges in the production of craft beer were detailed and some alternative solutions were mentioned.

Craft beer: An overview

The purpose of the work was to provide an overview on craft beer. Details and issues concerning history and legal definition market, fiscal policy, innovation, safety, healthiness, consumer profile, and sustainability are supplied. The term "craft brewery" generally refers to a brewery able to produce low volumes of beer, often made with traditional ingredients-for emulating historic styles-but also with the addition of nontraditional ingredients as a distinctiveness sign of the master brewer. In many countries, the importance of the company size is related to the opportunity to take advantage of reduced excise rates for low production volumes. In several countries, another important requisite of a craft brewery is represented by its independence from other alcohol industry members. Even in the presence of a great heterogeneity of the size of craft breweries in the various countries, their number in the world is around 17,000. Craft beer is mainly consumed in restaurants and bars. Innovation of craft beer concerns aspects, such as ingredients, alcohol content, aging, and packaging, and the profile of the typical craft beer drinker is that of a young man, with a higher education and a medium-high income. Craft beers are often not filtered/not pasteurized and, for these reasons, they are beverages rich in health compounds but with a reduced shelf life. As in the case of larger breweries, the environmental impact of craft breweries is mainly represented by water consumption and production of liquid and solid wastes.