In vitro prebiotic activity of rhLf and galactooligosaccharides on infant intestinal microbiota

Introduction

Objective: human lactoferrin (Lf) and human milk oligosaccharides possess a wide range of functions. So, the present study focusses on the role of Lf and/or galactooligosaccharides (GOS) in the modulation of gut microbiota composition. Methods: recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLf) was added to the first infant formula (0.10, 0.15, 0.20 %) alone or in combination with GOS (1 %) in vessels of a small-scale batch culture fermentation model. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), microbial population groups, and pH were monitored through fermentation for 24 hours. Results: insignificant changes were observed in pH values and acetic acid accumulated during fermentation. Propionic acid content has been insignificantly increased while butyric acid has been insignificantly decreased. Moreover, increments in all bacterial groups except for Bacteroides were observed through the fermentation process. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium showed an increase in relation to initial time over the fermentation process, demonstrating the prebiotic effect of lactoferrin and GOS. After 24 hours of fermentation, all tested ingredients showed significant similarities in Enterococcus for controls except for 0.20 % rhLf + 1 % GOS, which provoked a diminution of Enterococci growth. Conclusion: despite the importance of the batch culture fermentation technique in uncovering the prebiotic activity of food ingredients, it is not useful for detecting the prebiotic nature of Lf due to its nature as a protein. Thus, Lf maybe shows its prebiotic activity on the gut microbiota through other mechanisms.

[Anti-inflammatory effect of milk whey from different species after in vitro digestion]

INTRODUCTION

there is a close relationship between obesity, gut health and immune system. A low-grade of inflammation, which could precede obesity, may have implications for the development of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.

OBJECTIVE

analyzing the anti-inflammatory capacity of several types of whey (cow, sheep, goat and a mixture of them).

METHODS

an in vitro model of intestinal inflammation employing a cell co-culture (Caco-2 and RAW 264.7) was performed after an in vitro digestion and fermentation (simulating mouth-to-colon conditions). Inflammatory markers such as IL-8 and TNF-α, as well as the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of Caco-2 monolayer, were determined.

RESULTS

digested and fermented whey had a protective effect on cell permeability, being lower in the case of fermented goat whey and mixture. The anti-inflammatory activity of whey was greater the more digestion progressed. Fermented whey showed the greatest anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting IL-8 and TNF-α secretion, probably due to its composition (protein degradation products such as peptides and amino acids, and SCFA). However, fermented goat whey did not show this degree of inhibition, perhaps due to its low SCFA concentration.

CONCLUSION

milk whey, especially after being fermented in the colon, can be useful nutritional strategy to preserve the intestinal barrier and mitigate the low-grade of inflammation that characterizes metabolic disorders and obesity.

Effect of Gazpacho, Hummus and Ajoblanco on Satiety and Appetite in Adult Humans: A Randomised Crossover Study

Nowadays, overweight and obesity has reached an epidemic level around the world. With the aim to tackle them, an interesting strategy is the study of food and ingredients with satiety properties. In addition to reducing food and/or calorie intake, this type of foods must be included as part of a healthy diet. With regard to this, it is well known that the Mediterranean Diet (MD) is a feeding pattern that helps us to maintain good health, providing an adequate intake of micronutrients and active compounds. With this background, the main aim of this research was to identify MD foods with a high satiating potential capacity. For this purpose, three typical foods of the Mediterranean region, mainly based on vegetables, were selected: hummus, ajoblanco and gazpacho. As a control, white bread was used. Twenty-four human healthy volunteers consumed a standard breakfast followed by the different typical Mediterranean foods, and then the subjective sensation of hunger and satiety for each food was assessed by visual analogue scales (VAS) during 3 h. Subsequently, volunteers had ad libitum access to a standard meal. The results indicate that gazpacho showed the highest satiating scores, despite the fact that it was not the food that provided the highest protein or fibre amount. More studies of this type are needed to determine the proportion and/or combination of ingredients from these classical Mediterranean recipes that could enhance human satiety.

Occurrence of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile in Poultry Giblets at Slaughter and in Retail Pork and Poultry Meat in Southeastern Spain

ABSTRACT

Raw meat and meat products contaminated with Clostridioides difficile could be a vehicle for spreading community-associated C. difficile infection. This study was conducted to determine the occurrence of C. difficile in pork and poultry meat samples (n = 325) from retail establishments and in edible giblet samples (n = 36) from a poultry processing plant in Murcia (southeastern Spain). C. difficile was isolated after selective enrichment from 2% (6 of 361) of the samples, all of which were from the poultry processing plant. These isolates were recovered from 17% (6 of 36) of the edible chicken giblets, i.e., 28% (5 of 18) of the gizzard samples and 6% (1 of 18) of the liver samples. All six C. difficile isolates were negative for toxin A and B genes by PCR assay. These findings indicate that C. difficile can survive in the gastric acid of the chicken gizzard and could be transmitted to other meat products. However, the very low prevalence of C. difficile in the tested samples indicates that retail meat may not be an important source for transmission of C. difficile to humans.

HIGHLIGHTS

Screening ultrafiltration membranes to separate lactose and protein from sheep whey: application of simplified model

Several studies demonstrated that protein from whey milk could be a new strategy to reduce energy intake and increase satiety. Sheep whey has high protein content, but it is also rich in lactose. The aim of this study was to screening different ultrafiltration membranes to separate protein and lactose from sheep whey in one step. Protein was recovered in the concentrate feed, and lactose passed through three membranes and was recovered in the permeate feed. Membranes with different chemical composition and molecular weight cut-offs were assayed, and the influence of operating pressure and lactose concentration feed in the permeate flux and lactose rejection coefficients were studied. Lactose separation was not affected by pressure in GR60PP or GR90PP, and 85% and 80%, respectively of the lactose was separated into permeate feed. When the feed concentration increased, lactose separation remained stable in all three membranes, being GR60PP the most efficient, as 90% of the disaccharides were separated. In all cases 100% of the protein was recovered. Finally, the Spiegler-Kedem-Katchalsky model perfectly fitted the results obtained about lactose rejection coefficients.

Milk whey from different animal species stimulates the in vitro release of CCK and GLP-1 through a whole simulated intestinal digestion

Milk whey is effective in enhancing satiety mainly due to its protein composition. Peptides and amino acids derived from digestion of whey protein can act as suppressants of appetite by stimulation of receptors of satiety gut hormones. But, the protein fraction of whey can vary depending on species of animal, season, lactation period, etc. The aim of this study is to evaluate the satiety effect of milk whey from different species of ruminants (cow, sheep, goat and a mixture of them) through a simulated in vitro digestion, which performed the whole gastrointestinal process, from oral digestion to colonic fermentation. The satiety effect of each sample was measured by the production of satiating hormones (CCK and GLP-1) secreted by enteroendocrine cell line (STC-1) after 2 hours of incubation with non-digested, digested and fermented whey. Digested samples have shown to be potent CCK and GLP-1 secretagogues followed by fermented and non-digested samples, showing that the last one showed a weak hormone stimulation. Digested goat whey was the most efficient stimulator of GLP-1 (86.33 ± 4.55 pg mL^-1) and fermented mixture whey produced the major release of CCK (80.78±1.81 pg mL^-1). This study demonstrates that milk whey is a suitable ingredient to stimulate satiety through the effect of peptides, amino acids produced from digestion, and metabolites released by fermentation.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Regular Consumption of Cooked Ham Enriched with Dietary Phenolics in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Oxidative damage and chronic inflammation have been proven as one of the major factors associated with obesity, which increases the incidence of non-communicable chronic diseases. In this sense, the development of new functional products aiming at the palliation of oxidative stress and inflammatory disruption can be a determining factor for public health as seen in previous researches. In this study, a blend of potentially bioavailable dietary phenolics was added to low sodium and low-fat cooked ham. A diet-induced obesity model in C57/BL6J mice has been used for testing the effectiveness of the phenolic blend and the new functionalized product, which bioavailability was tested by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS. After obesity induction, different oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers were evaluated. Results in the murine induced obesity model, demonstrate a robust statistically significant improvement in key parameters related with obesity risk in the groups feed with a phenolic-enriched diets (P) + high-fat diet (HFD) and phenolic enriched cooked ham (PECH) + HFD. In both groups there was an improvement in body composition parameters, inflammatory biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes levels. Specifically in the group feed with the phenolic enriched cooked ham (PECH + HFD) there was an improvement of total fat volume (23.08% reduction), spleen index (22.04% of reduction), plasmatic MCP-1 (18% reduction), IL-6 (38.94% reduction), IL-10 (13.28% reduction), TNF-α (21.32% reduction), gut IL-1β (10.86% reduction), gut IL-6 (13.63% reduction) and GPx (60.15% increase) and catalase (91.37% increase) enzymes. Thus, the functionalized ham could be considered an appropriate dietary polyphenol source, which might improve the oxidative and inflammatory status and could finally result in the potential decrease of the risk of certain non-communicable chronic diseases.

In Vitro Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Metabolism by Cooked Cowpea and Black Bean

Legumes are a rich source of a wide range of compounds that may represent an important tool to overcome gut dysbiosis. In this work, the prebiotic potential of two cooked legumes (cowpea and black bean) was investigated in comparison with potato:beef mixture, as substrates in batch faecal culture fermentation. Prior to the fermentation, all the samples were in vitro digested, passing through three phases, namely mouth, gastric and small intestine simulation, and then in vitro fermented for 6, 24 and 48 h. The shift of pH, production of gas and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and changes in gut microbiota were evaluated along the fermentation time. The pH decreased significantly over time in all media with fermentable sources when compared with the negative control. Gas production was higher in the media containing fermentable source than in the negative control and decreased with fermentation time. The concentration of SCFAs increased over time and it was significantly higher for both legumes than in inulin (positive control) and potato:beef meal. Acetate was the major SCFAs produced during fermentation, particularly in media containing legumes. Both legumes presented a strong prebiotic effect on gut microbiota, showing a significant increase in Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. These results suggest that consumption of cooked cowpea and black bean, used alone or as an ingredient of novel functional foods, may contribute to improving intestinal health and therefore human health promotion.

Nondigestible Carbohydrates Affect Metabolic Health and Gut Microbiota in Overweight Adults after Weight Loss

BACKGROUND

The composition of diets consumed following weight loss (WL) can have a significant impact on satiety and metabolic health.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to test the effects of including a nondigestible carbohydrate to achieve weight maintenance (WM) following a period of WL.

METHODS

Nineteen volunteers [11 females and 8 males, aged 20-62 y; BMI (kg/m2): 27-42] consumed a 3-d maintenance diet (15%:30%:55%), followed by a 21-d WL diet (WL; 30%:30%:40%), followed by 2 randomized 10-d WM diets (20%:30%:50% of energy from protein:fat:carbohydrate) containing either resistant starch type 3 (RS-WM; 22 or 26 g/d for females and males, respectively) or no RS (C-WM) in a within-subject crossover design without washout periods. The primary outcome, WM after WL, was analyzed by body weight. Secondary outcomes of fecal microbiota composition and microbial metabolite concentrations and gut hormones were analyzed in fecal samples and blood plasma, respectively. All outcomes were assessed at the end of each dietary period.

RESULTS

Body weight was similar after the RS-WM and C-WM diets (90.7 and 90.8 kg, respectively), with no difference in subjectively rated appetite. During the WL diet period plasma ghrelin increased by 36% (P < 0.001), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) decreased by 33% (P < 0.001), and insulin decreased by 46% (P < 0.001), but no significant differences were observed during the RS-WM and C-WM diet periods. Fasting blood glucose was lower after the RS-WM diet (5.59 ± 0.31 mmol/L) than after the C-WM diet [5.75 ± 0.49 mmol/L; P = 0.015; standard error of the difference between the means (SED): 0.09]. Dietary treatments influenced the fecal microbiota composition (R2 = 0.054, P = 0.031) but not diversity.

CONCLUSIONS

The metabolic benefits, for overweight adults, from WL were maintained through a subsequent WM diet with higher total carbohydrate intake. Inclusion of resistant starch in the WM diet altered gut microbiota composition positively and resulted in lower fasting glucose compared with the control, with no apparent change in appetite. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01724411.

Presence of toxigenic Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile in edible bivalve mollusks in Spain

Clostridioides difficile reservoirs other than humans are becoming increasingly recognized, and the occurrence of the pathogen in shellfish raises concern because spores can survive cooking temperature and edible bivalve mollusks are often consumed raw or poorly cooked. This study was conducted to determine the occurrence of pathogenic C. difficile in retail bivalve mollusks. The microbiological quality of samples was also checked through the isolation of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli. We analyzed 129 mollusk samples from different fishmongers and grocery stores in Murcia. C. difficile was isolated from 8.53% (11/129) of the mollusks investigated. Four C. difficile isolates harbored genes for the production of toxin A and B. Salmonella spp. were not isolated from any sample and E. coli was isolated from 1.55% (2/129) of the samples, in both cases in accordance with the current legal requirements for consumption. Our findings indicate that the intake of raw or poorly cooked contaminated bivalve mollusks could be a potential source of C. difficile, leading to a risk for human health.

Effect of Specimen Type and Processing on the Detection of Clostridioides [Clostridium] difficile in Piglet Fecal Samples

Subclinical Clostridioides difficile colonization in piglets could be a potential source of this bacterium for community-acquired C. difficile infection. The purposes of this study were to assess the effect of specimen type and processing on C. difficile isolation, culture, and detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and to determine the occurrence of C. difficile in piglets of different ages. We compared different culture procedures-direct plating, ethanol shock, and an enrichment step-to isolate C. difficile from swine feces and rectal swabs. DNA was isolated directly from feces, processed feces, and bacterial isolates to detect the triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) gene and identify the toxins A and B genes. The results show that ethanol shock increased the C. difficile isolation from feces, while it decreased it for rectal swabs, in comparison with direct plating. The use of the enrichment broth gave the highest C. difficile recovery from both types of specimen. Our findings show low sensitivity for tpi gene detection after the DNA extraction directly from feces and an increase in PCR-positive samples when feces were processed before the DNA extraction. The overall prevalence of C. difficile was 16.9% (22/130), of which 100% were found to be toxigenic as assessed by the enrichment culture of fecal samples. The rate of isolation of positive samples decreased with the animal age, regardless of the presence or absence of diarrhea. Our results demonstrate the persistent reservoir of toxigenic C. difficile in fecal samples of piglets and support the impact of specimen processing on its isolation.

In vitro effect of green tea and turmeric extracts on GLP-1 and CCK secretion: the effect of gastrointestinal digestion

Plant extract activity can be modified by the digestion process. In order to assess the satiety effect of green tea and turmeric extracts, an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion process was performed and the STC-1 cell line was used. The enteroendocrine cell line was incubated (for 30, 60 and 120 minutes) with the digested and non-digested extracts measuring the secretion of cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The release of satiety hormones by the STC-1 cells showed similar or higher results for plant extracts compared to the positive controls reported as satiatogenic (proteins and short chain fatty acids). For the non-digested samples, the largest amount of CCK and GLP-1 was found for turmeric, with 379 ± 46 pg ml-1 (60 min) and 347 ± 125 pg ml-1 (120 min) respectively. For the digested samples, the highest level of CCK was found for turmeric at 30 minutes (43.3 ± 11) and for GLP-1 by green tea at 120 minutes (165.7 ± 52). The in vitro gastrointestinal digestion process affects the satiety of plant extracts, increasing for green tea and decreasing for turmeric. Green tea showed the most stable satiating capacity after the in vitro digestion process and this may be useful for using it as a stable food supplement to reduce hunger associated with overweight and obesity.

In vitro modulation of gut microbiota by whey protein to preserve intestinal health

The effect of several types of whey milk - cow, sheep, goat and a mixture of them (60 : 20 : 20, respectively) - was assessed in the human gut microbiota. The prebiotic potential of these substrates was evaluated through in vitro gastrointestinal digestion following faecal batch culture fermentations (mimicking colonic fermentation) for 48 hours, using faeces from normal-weight (NW) and obese (OB) donors. Throughout the fermentation process, pH, gas production, short chain and branched fatty acids (SCFA-BCFA) were measured, as well as the changes of microbiota using qPCR. The pH decreased in all whey samples during the fermentation process. Gas production was higher in all whey samples than in controls, especially at 12 hours (p < 0.05). The diversity of SCFA and BCFA production was significantly different between the donors, in particular cow and mixed whey. Whey milk had a strong prebiotic effect on the gut microbiota of NW and OB donors, showing a significant increase of Bifidobacterium (p < 0.05) with cow, sheep and mixed whey and increase in the Lactobacillus group, particularly in OB donors. Bacteria associated with obesity did not show an increase in any of the groups of donors. Therefore, supplementing a diet with these types of whey can selectively stimulate the growth of probiotic bacteria, enhancing SCFA production, which could improve intestinal disorders. In addition, it may be an interesting approach to the prevention of overweight and obesity and related diseases. Whey milk has a potent prebiotic effect. It can selectively stimulate desirable bacteria and SCFA profile, in both OB and NW donors, contributing to improved intestinal health and reducing obesity.

In vitro effectiveness of recombinant human lactoferrin and its hydrolysate in alleviating LPS-induced inflammatory response

This study aimed to evaluate the potential anti-inflammatory role of the most produced form of lactoferrin expressed in various expression systems (Fe-saturated recombinant human Lf, rhLf) and its hydrolysate in concentrations resembles that found in mature human milk. Co-culture model consisted of CaCo-2 and RAW 246.7 cell lines was used to evaluate the potential anti-inflammatory activity of rhLf and its hydrolysate. During this experiment, CaCo-2 monolayer permeability and integrity was assayed through the measurement of transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER values). Also, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and different cytokines (IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70, and TNF-α) were measured. The treatment with rhLf and its hydrolysate protected the monolayer integrity against LPS effect and reduced IL-8 and ROS production. This effect was dependent on the dose and 2mgmL^-1 of rhLf hydrolysate was more effective. The addition of rhLf and its hydrolysate to infant formula is a prominent step towards improving both infant formula functionality and newborn health. Thus, these functional ingredients could be incorporated in infant foods. In this context, ongoing researches are conducted to clarify this effect whether by using synthetic peptides or by using LPS-sepsis animal.

Effect of in Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion on Encapsulated and Nonencapsulated Phenolic Compounds of Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Pulp Extracts and Their Antioxidant Capacity

To determine the effect of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the release and antioxidant capacity of encapsulated and nonencapsulated phenolics carob pulp extracts, unripe and ripe carob pulp extracts were microencapsulated with polycaprolactone via double emulsion/solvent evaporation technique. Microcapsules' characterization was performed using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry analysis. Total phenolics and flavonoids content and antioxidant activities (ORAC, DPPH, and FRAP) were evaluated after each digestion step. The release of phenolic acids and flavonoids was measured along the digestion process by HPLC-MS/MS analysis. The most important phenolics and flavonoids content as well as antioxidant activities were observed after gastric and intestinal phases for nonencapsulated and encapsulated extracts, respectively. The microencapsulation of carob polyphenols showed a protective effect against pH changes and enzymatic activities along digestion, thereby promoting a controlled release and targeted delivery of the encapsulated compound, which contributed to an increase in its bioaccessibility in the gut.

Sensory Acceptability of Infant Cereals with Whole Grain in Infants and Young Children

In many countries, infant cereals are one of the first foods introduced during the complementary feeding stage. These cereals are usually made with refined cereal flours, even though several health benefits have been linked to the intake of whole grain cereals. Prior evidence suggests that food preferences are developed at early stages of life, and may persist in later childhood and adulthood. Our aim was to test whether an infant cereal with 30% of whole grain was similarly accepted both by parents and infants in comparison to a similar cereal made from refined flour. A total of 81 infants between 4 and 24 months old were included in the study. Parent-infant pairs participated in an 8-day experimental study. Acceptance was rated on hedonic scales (4-points for infants and 7-points for parents). Other attributes like color, smell, and taste were evaluated by the parents. Acceptability for infant cereals with whole grain and refined cereals was very similar both for infants (2.30 ± 0.12 and 2.32 ± 0.11, p = 0.606) and parents (6.1 ± 0.8 and 6.0 ± 0.9, p = 0.494). Therefore, our findings show that there is an opportunity to introduce whole grain cereals to infants, including those who are already used to consuming refined infant cereals, thereby accelerating the exposure of whole grain in early life.

Satiety Innovations: Food Products to Assist Consumers with Weight Loss, Evidence on the Role of Satiety in Healthy Eating: Overview and In Vitro Approximation

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing globally, driven by the availability of energy-dense palatable foods. Most dietary strategies fail because of hunger generated by calorie restriction, and interventions that specifically control hunger and/or promote fullness may aid success. Current consumers have a limited choice of satiety-enhancing products with proven health benefits, and innovative ways to produce new foods (as structural modification) to enhance satiety/satiation may provide new opportunities. However, this potential is hindered by the cost of product testing. Within the SATIN-SATiety INnovation project-an in vitro platform has been developed to offer a cost-effective means of assessing the potential satiation/satiety effect of novel foods. This combines in vitro technologies to assess changes in colonic bacteria metabolism, appetite hormone release and the stability and bioavailability of active compounds in the new products/ingredients. This article provides a brief review of nutrients for which an impact on short-term appetite regulation has been demonstrated, and a summary of the changes to food structure which can be used to produce a change in appetite expression. Furthermore, the SATIN in vitro platform is discussed as a means of assessing the impact of nutritional and structural manipulations on appetite.

Influence of the reformulation of ingredients in bakery products on healthy characteristics and acceptability of consumers

Bakery products are highly consumed by children and adults and as cereal-derived foods are considered a fundamental part of a balanced diet, but they are usually high in sugar and saturated and trans fat and low in fibre. This study aimed to develop four different bakery products (cookies, croissants, Spanish muffins and Spanish sponge cake) with healthier properties, such as lower fat and sugar content, healthy fatty acid profile and higher fibre content. Margarine and sunflower oil were replaced with high oleic sunflower oil, and inulin was also added. After the modifications, a significant reduction of fat content and kilocalories in all cases, an increment of monounsaturated fat and a decrease in saturated fatty acids in three products were observed. The sensory analysis resulted similar results in both recipes for cookies and lower acceptability in sponge cake, croissants and muffins. Purchase intention only decreased in sponge cake.

Cross-sectional study to evaluate the associated factors with differences between city and districts secondary school students of the southeast of Spain (Murcia) for their adherence to the Mediterranean diet

INTRODUCTION

The "Mediterranean diet" is recognized as one of the healthiest dietary patterns but, even in Mediterranean countries it is gradually being lost. Adolescence is a crucial period for changes in dietary patterns.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Adherence to Mediterranean diet (AMD) of secondary school students and evaluate possible variations between those residents in the city or in the districts.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was designed with 379 secondary school students. To assess the AMD a self-administered questionnaire KIDMED was used. They were classified according to sex and residence (city or districts).

RESULTS

The body mass index (BMI) for the whole sample was 22.34 in boys and 20.79 in girls (p<0.05). Students from the city resulted more physically active than those from the districts (p<0.05). The average AMD score was 5.8, with 20.3% of students showing good adherence. In general, there was a low consumption of fruits, vegetables and pasta or rice, all foods included in the bottom of the dietary pyramid and the consumption of olive oil and legumes was very positive. Around 25% of students skip breakfast regularly.

CONCLUSIONS

Although BMI was in general in the range of normality, AMD of secondary school students is lower than expected attending to previous studies. Consume of fruits and vegetables several times per day, having breakfast daily and regular physical activity should be promoted. Educational and informative activities should be designed for adolescents and also for their parents since in these stages menus at home are usually established by them.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet by nursing students of Murcia (Spain)

INTRODUCTION

The Mediterranean diet is recognized as one with the healthiest dietary patterns; however, this diet is deteriorating and being abandoned even in the Mediterranean countries themselves. Generally speaking, dietary habits get fixed during adolescence although during the college phase, students may experience important changes in their lifestyles. The KIDMED index is recognized as a good tool to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet (AMD).

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess AMD in college students and to evidence possible variations throughout the college period assessing differences between the college years.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study with 213 alumni in first grade and 105 in fourth grade was carried out. The students were classified by gender, type of residence (parents' home or out of the parents' house) and body mass index (BMI) (< 25 or > 25).

RESULTS

The BMI for the whole sample was 24.35 ± 2.71 in men and 22.54 ± 3.25 in women (p < 0.001). The mean score in AMD was 7.0 ± 1.9, with 43% of the students showing good adherence. In general, a low intake of fruits, vegetables, rice or pasta was observed, foods that are included in the base of the dietary pyramid. Consumption of olive oil and legumes was very high and a direct relationship was observed between overweighed people (BMI > 25) and the habit of not having breakfast usually. No significant differences were observed between the student of first and fourth grades although those students in the fourth grade living away from the parental house had higher AMD level than the other students (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Educational programs promoting the intake of the different groups of food are recommended, was well as strategies promoting the consumption of fruits and vegetables within the university area and the healthy habit of having breakfast.

Influence of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of fruit juices enriched with pine bark extract on intestinal microflora

The selective antimicrobial effect of fruit juices enriched with pine bark extract (PBE) (0.5 g/L) has been studied before and after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. PBE (a concentrate of water-soluble bioflavonoids, mainly including phenolic compounds) has been proven to have high stability to the digestion process. Pure phenolic compounds such as gallic acid had a high antimicrobial effect on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, maintaining the lactic acid bacteria population (≈100%). Otherwise, E. coli O157:H7 only growth 50% when PBE was added to the culture media, while a slight increase on the growth of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria was observed after exposition to the bark extract. Fresh fruit juices enriched with PBE showed the highest inhibitory effect on pathogenic intestinal bacterial growth, mainly E. coli and Enterococcus faecalis. The in vitro digestion process reduced the antibacterial effect of juices against most pathogenic bacteria in approximately 10%. However, the beneficial effect of fruit juices enriched with PBE (0.5 g/L) on gut microbiota is still considerable after digestion.

Sodium alginate as feed additive in cultured sea bream (Sparus aurata): does it modify the quality of the flesh?

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sodium alginate obtained from brown seaweed as a prebiotic supplement to the feed of reared sea bream (Sparus aurata). Addition of the alginate to a control diet was investigated at both concentrations 2% and 5%. Proximate composition in the flesh were not modified significantly by sodium alginate inclusion in the diet of the sea bream; however the fat and ash content in the specimens supplemented with 5% alginate were found to be significantly higher than those found in individuals who were fed the control diet. No significant differences in mineral content, fatty acid profiles, cholesterol content, texture parameters and sensory acceptability among the three studied groups. Results obtained in this study offer support for the use of alginate as a feed additive in sea bream diets since no significant effects were found in the flesh quality and characteristics of commercial size sea bream.