The town of Cabar, Croatia, a high risk area for multiple sclerosis--analytic epidemiology of dietary factors

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is demyelization disease of central nervous system of unidentified causes. Analytic epidemiological research of 19 patients, clinically approved cases of MS and 25 controls, autochthonic inhabitants of town of Cabar, Croatia, the high-risk zone for the disease, was made. The research plan included case-control investigation--the "door to door" questionnaire--about nutrition habits. An odds ratio (OR) was calculated for all the factors which were more frequently found in the patients than in the controls, and vice versa. The variables that were connected with significant risk for MS in the town of Cabar included: alcohol consumption (p = 0.05), animal fats/dried meat products consumption (p = 0.007), nitrate salting (p = 0.03), strong spices (p = 0.007), mixed bread (p = 0.002), oat and oat products consumption (p = 0.0075). No connection was found with regular consumption of vegetables and fruit (p = 0.009), blue fresh fish (p = 0.028), other fresh fish (p = 0.03), freshwater fish (p = 0.002), canned fish (p = 0.004), dormouse meat (p = 0.007), air-dried meat products (p = 0.004) and using the water from water supply (p = 0.011). In the town of Cabar nutritional customs, primarily food rich in animal fats, alcohol-abuse, and oat consumption could have an influence on MS pathogenesis in genetically inclined individuals.

Influence of micronutrients on rheological characteristics and bread-making quality of flour

Studies were carried out to see the influence of different iron and calcium salts along with some vitamins on the rheological characteristics and bread-making quality of wheat flour. Fortification with iron (30-90 ppm) from different sources showed a marginal increase in water absorption (2%). Calcium ranging between 800 and 1,600 ppm did not show any influence on the mixing properties of the dough. Except for ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and calcium lactate, all other salts did not have any influence on the alveograph characteristics. The gelatinization temperature slightly increased by about 2-3 degrees C and the cold paste viscosity increased from 468 to 524 BU. Addition of micronutrient premix containing ferrous sulphate, calcium carbonate and vitamins such as thiamine (thiamine hydrochloride), riboflavin, niacin (nicotinic acid) and folic acid at different levels showed a marginal effect on the rheological parameters. There was no significant influence of micronutrient premix on the objective and subjective evaluation of the breads, except for the crumb colour. Fortification with the vitamin-mineral premix did not affect the theological parameters and bread-making quality of flour, even after storage.

The seafood-nutrition-health paradigm of South Pacific islanders

Research was undertaken between December 2001 and July 2002 in six Tongan rural communities to clarify whether the reduced intake of fresh fish and an increased consumption of tinned fish are directly related to lifestyle disease risk. It was further investigated if the ratio of tinned to fresh fish consumption can be used as an easy-to-measure indicator of lifestyle change, and hence risk of lifestyle diseases. The relationship between fresh fish (and seafood) and tinned fish consumption is selected as a possible proxy indicator for lifestyle and dietary changes. Obesity is used as an indicator of lifestyle disease risk and/or occurrence. Significant differences are found between the six data sets regarding quantities of fresh fish and tinned fish consumption. However; no significant variation is found between villages in the levels of obesity. The results of this survey clearly highlight that neither fresh fish (seafood) nor tinned fish consumption significantly relates to obesity. It is therefore concluded that assessing fresh and tinned fish intake only is not sufficient to identify changes in lifestyle, which are associated with increased risks of lifestyle diseases.

The dental health of 12-year-old children whose diets include canned fruit from local factories: an added risk for caries?

OBJECTIVE

To determine the dental health of 12-year-old children from households that are supplied with sweetened canned fruit from local factories.

METHODS

The DMFS and DMFT indices were determined for 12-year-old pupils from 6 schools, 3 of which are situated in communities with fruit canning factories. Subjects were questioned about the workplace of household members and supplies of sweetened canned fruit from factories. To compare indices we used a two-way analysis of variance, for multiple comparisons the Bonferroni Test and for proportions the Chi-Squared Test. Fluoride content of the drinking water was measured for each school.

RESULTS

The fluoride content for all schools was less than 0.1 ppm. In only 2 schools were the majority of pupils from households that were supplied regularly with canned fruit from factories. An analysis of the DMFT data of the children in all the schools showed that there were significantly fewer children with a DMFT = 0 and significantly more with a DMFT = 4+ in the 2 schools. The mean DMFS and DMFT of children in households supplied with canned fruit were significantly higher than those children without the supply.

CONCLUSION

The supply of sweetened canned fruit to households may be an added risk to dental health for the children in that household.

[Dietary risk factors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the Setif area in Algeria]

BACKGROUND

The aim of our work was to identify risk factors specific to populations in our region for primary prevention of risk behaviors, particularly eating habits.

METHODS

We conducted a case-control study on dietary factors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the Setif area in Algeria. The study included 72 cases and 72 controls matched for age, sex and area of residence. The variables analyzed were identified by an anthropological study.

RESULTS

Increased risk of disease was associated with consumption of traditionally preserved foods such as "harissa", pickled fruit and vegetables and dried and salted meat. These factors were commonly found in other endemic areas. Certain products appeared to be specific to the Setif area including dried and salted fat, especially after prolonged exposure. Rancid butter was related to a 4 to 7-fold increase in risk and use of pickling increased the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma 4 to 12-fold depending on the type of food.

CONCLUSIONS

These data point to the need for biochemical analysis of food specimens to search for the carcinogenic agents and to the importance of an immediate information and education program on food habits for the populations living in this area.

A pilot study for the statistical treatment of nutritional parameters in the quality control of canned fishing goods

This pilot study was derived as a consequence of European Directives 496/90 and 493/91 in which a regulation on the labeling of canned fishing goods was established. The study was intended primarily to assess whether different Spanish canned fishing goods might be differentiated by their basic nutritional composition (i.e., ash, chlorine as NaCl, fat, humidity, total proteins, and dry residue) and, second, to study each particular type of good. Accordingly, a univariate nonparametric statistical test and 2 multivariate chemometric techniques (factor and cluster analyses) were used. The pilot study revealed that (1) the basic nutritional variables did not allow a clear distinction among canned goods when different commodities were considered, but they seemed useful for obtaining information for only one type of good; and (2) the variables that gave the most useful information to visualize the appearance of groups in the data sets were humidity, dry residue, fat, and proteins, although their particular usefulness was found to be different when different species were considered.

Microbial evaluation of some heat treated turkey products at different processing stages

Random samples at the three processing stages of turkey keshta, turkey rosto, turkey luncheon and turkey frankfurter (20 samples for each stage were collected). For luncheon and frankfurter, 20 samples of each of thighs and breast represents the 1 st stage of processing were also taken. These samples were obtained from some meat processing plants at Alexandria province to make a total of 280 samples. The samples were examined microbiologically and the results revealed that, the total aerobic bacterial count in the examined Keshta and rosto shows their highest count in the 1st stage and gradually decreased in the 2nd and 3rd stages. On the other hand, the total aerobic bacterial count in luncheon and frankfurter samples slightly increased in the 2nd stage and then decreased in the 3rd stage. The Coliform count also shows its highest count in the 1st stage and decreased in the 2nd stage and could not be detected from the 3rd stage of keshta and rosto samples, while it increased slightly in 2nd stage and could not be detected in the 3rd stage for luncheon and frankfurter samples. E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus were higher in the 1st stage than in the 2nd stage of processing of the examined keshta and rosto samples while they were higher in the 2nd stage than in the 1st one in luncheon and frankfurter samples but could not be detected from the 3rd stage in all products. Both Clostridium perfningens and Salmonella could not be detected in the examined turkey products at the different processing stages. The total mould and yeast counts in the examined products showed highest count in the 1st stage and decreased in the 2nd stage and could not be detected in keshta and rosto in 3rd stage while in frankfurter samples the counts in the 1st and 2nd stages were nearly the same and decreased in the 3rd stage but in luncheon samples the count was slightly increased in the 2nd stage and not detected in the 3rd stage. The public health significance of microorganisms as well as the suggested hygienic measures in order to improve the quality of the examined turkey products were discussed.