Current Nutrition & Food Science - Volume 17, Issue 1, 2021

Malnutrition is a prevailing serious issue in several nations. Among various strategies to counter malnutrition, genetically modified organisms, GMO, have been looked upon as an efficient remedial strategy. GMO developed in the labs have the potential to counter the deficiency of food, protein and nutrition. Despite such huge potential, growing GMO in the field faces some intense challenges from various groups all over the globe. Some countries have doubts regarding the safety of GMO and some may be overrating the safety concerns over benefits of GMO. Thus, the true potential of GMO can only be deciphered if grown freely in the fields. The present article is thus the description of the current status and effect of GMO in various developed and developing countries.

Background: The liver is a vital organ in the human body involved in the metabolic processes. The liver can be damaged due to factors such as protein deficiency, viral infection, as well as consumption of alcohol, chemical contaminants, and adulterated food. High blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, lack of exercise, poor diet, obesity and cigarette smoking are the major risk factors for stroke, heart attack and coronary heart disease (CHD). In medical science, several synthetic drugs have been discovered and used for the treatment of people suffering from liver injury and CHD, but these are not always effective and sometimes difficult to manage by medical therapies and also found to be accompanied by other side effects. Objective: The study aimed to critically review the recent research and studies of epidemiological and randomized controlled trials to find out the effective cereal protein as an alternative preventive food to reduce the risk of CHD and protect the liver from viral hepatic diseases, focusing on daily food intake, body weight, liver weight, serum enzyme activities and cholesterols. Methods: A few of the data from our experiment were used. A literature search was performed for a reliable source of published research articles, review papers, and epidemiological and randomized controlled trials on the effects of cereal protein on animals and human intervention on Google, Google scholar, Redcube, Endnote, Scopus, SpringerDirect.com, PubMed and Web of Science. Then, the data was organized, summarized and analyzed. Results: In medical science, serum enzyme activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and lipid peroxidation stress malondialdehyde (MDA) are commonly used as biochemical markers of the liver-damaging agents. Blood cholesterols (total cholesterol-TC, triglyceride-TG, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-LDLC and highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol-HDLC) are used as the markers of heart diseases. The review shows that daily food intake and body weight data are not significantly differed among normal diet, casein (CAS) and cereals protein. The millet and wheat protein increase the liver weight, whereas the rice protein lowers the liver weight. The intake of cereal protein significantly reduces the activities of serum AST, ALT, LDH, MDA, TC, TG and LDLC, whereas it increases the HDLC. Conclusion: Experimental, review and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) data confirm that cereal protein appears to be beneficial in reducing the hepatic liver injury and CHD by maintaining body weight, liver weight, blood pressure, serum enzyme activities of AST, ALT and LDH, lipid peroxidation stress MDA and cholesterol concentrations both in plasma and liver.

Background: Selenium is a micronutrient, although required in low amounts, its importance in male and female reproduction is well known. Objectives: The core purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of selenium in human reproduction, during pregnancy/ lactation in women and newborns. The review explains side by side the sources of selenium, required amounts of selenium in humans and during pregnancy or lactation. Methods: Selenium deficiency is a major cause of male infertility. Similarly, selenium deficiency, both in pregnant and postpartum women, would greatly affect the health of the newborn baby in all respects. The effect of maternal selenium upon the fetus and the neonates even one year after birth has been explained with some recent examples. Results: The study elaborates the fact that the selenium deficiency in pregnancy and lactation is common due to fetal/infant development, so selenium supplements must be provided in order to overcome these deficiency symptoms. Conclusion: The better reproductive health in humans is possible due to the sufficient amounts of selenium present both in males and females as well.

Background: Even though β-thalassemia major is a genetic blood disorder, the damages endured by erythrocytes are mediated in part by oxidative stress. Antioxidants such as anthocyanins are capable to prevent the pro-oxidant effects induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Objective: This study aims to evaluate the in vitro preventive effects of one natural and two synthetic anthocyanins on normal and β-thalassemic erythrocytes on which toxicity has been induced by the free radical generator: tert-butyl-hydroperoxide TBHP. Methods: Erythrocytes isolated from fasting blood samples of healthy and β-thalassemic major individuals were treated either with TBHP alone or with TBHP after being pre-incubated with anthocyanins. Cell viability, reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were measured after 90 minutes of incubation. In parallel, the antiradical scavenging capacities of the investigated anthocyanins were also estimated by using the 2,2-DiPhenyl-1-PicrylHydrazyl (DPPH•) assay. Results: The results clearly demonstrate that the treatment of erythrocytes with TBHP induces hemolysis along with marked redox state alteration (lipid peroxidation concomitant to GSH depletion) in both normal and β-thalassemia erythrocytes. During the pre-treatment with anthocyanins, erythrocytes become more resistant to oxidative impairments. Cyanin chloride and 6,7,3’,4’- tetrahydroxyflavylium chloride effectively prevent from TBHP-induced: hemolysis, lipid peroxidation and GSH depletion in normal and thalassemic erythrocytes, while 3’4’-dihdroxy-7-methoxyflavylium chloride had a lesser effect on MDA levels with thalassemic erythrocytes. These results are in agreement with those derived from the DPPH• assay. Conclusion: Our study contributes with important insights that tested anthocyanins may exert relevant potential in the alleviation of oxidative stress, especially the one affecting β-thalassemia erythrocytes.

Background: Cowpea is a very popular crop in Brazil, rich in nutrients that can be used as food to feed the population, avoiding deficiencies caused by the lack of minerals such as iron and zinc. Objective: Objective: To select elite cowpea lines for biofortification of iron and zinc and determine the physical and chemical characteristics of the lines. We analyzed: 33 cowpea genotypes, being 31 elite genotypes and two biofortified cultivars (control). Methods: The 10 best lines with iron and zinc contents were selected and, together with the controls, were analyzed for chemical composition (moisture, ash, lipids, proteins and carbohydrates), total energy value and cooking time. Results: The iron and zinc contents in semi-prostrate genotypes were higher than those in semi-erect genotypes, all the semi-prostrate lines presented a high iron content, and 19.25% presented a high zinc content. The genotypes of the semi-erect lines exhibited more significant genetic variability for iron content, whereas those of the semi-prostrate genotypes showed more significant genetic variation for zinc content, both exhibited a high genetic component in phenotypic expression. Improving the genotypes for increased protein content led to reductions in lipid and carbohydrate contents, as well as the total energy value, whereas increasing the carbohydrate content increased both the total energy value and the zinc content. The MNC04-792F-146 lines presented alleles that favored an increase in carbohydrate content and total energy, while the MNC04-769F-26, MNC04-769F-31, and MNC04-774F-90 lines were shown to be good sources of genes for increasing protein content, decreasing lipid content, and rapid cooking. Conclusion: The MNC04-762F-9, MNC04-792F-146, and MNC04-769F-55 lines exhibited the greatest potential to be released as iron and zinc biofortified cultivars.

Background: Liver disease constitutes a public health problem at the global level. This study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of the total oil’s unsaponifiable fraction (UF) of a medicinal plant called Nigella sativa. Methods: The extraction of unsaponifiables from the total seed oil of the medicinal plant Nigella sativa was carried out according to the standardized methods of the European Pharmacopoeia (Edition 5.0). Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is hepatotoxic with mandatory and predictable action of the indirect type. Acute poisoning of Male albino rats with 1:1 (v/v) mixture of CCl4 and olive oil (3 ml/Kg b.w. of rat by subcutaneous injection) induces considerable liver pain. Results: Nigella sativa UF is found to be rich in tocopherols; its administration as a curative or preventive treatment to poisoned animals results in a very significant reduction in transaminases (ALT, AST) and ALP. Histological study shows that livers are in better condition than those of intoxicated rats. The statute of enzymes and antioxidant molecules (SOD, CATA, GSH, MDA) has significantly improved. Conclusion: Measurable biological evidence has been given to the use of such extract as effective substances against hepatic diseases.

Background: Several researches have shown that therapeutic compounds or phytochemicals from natural sources are important in the food as it is valuable in pharmaceutical industries due to their fewer side effects and potent against various diseases. Curcumin, a major polyphenol derived from turmeric spice, which used in many foods, has a wide range of biological activities, with quite a safety. Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the antioxidant, urate-lowering, and antiinflammatory effects of pure curcumin. Methods: The antioxidant activity was evaluated for chain-breaking antioxidant effect (radicalscavenging and reducing abilities assays) and for preventive antioxidant effect with metal chelating assay, the urate-lowering was assayed on aspectrophotometer by measuring the inhibition of uric acid production by xanthine oxidase (XO) enzyme, and the anti-inflammatory effect was estimated using in vitro albumin denaturation inhibition. Results: Curcumin showed a significant and good chain-breaking antioxidant effect, both in free radical- scavenging assays (Galvinoxyl radical, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical), and in reducing abilities methods (reducing power, Cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity and O-phenanthroline assays). In preventive antioxidant effect, assessed with the metal chelating assay, curcumin showed significant effect but with high concentration compared with standard. In the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system, curcumin significantly inhibited uric acid production (IC50=0.71 ± 0.06 mg/mL). Regarding antiinflammatory activity, curcumin showed significant inhibition of albumin denaturation with an IC50 value of 1181.69 ± 1.11μg/mL. Conclusion: These results indicated that curcumin showed promising antioxidant, anti-gout and antiinflammatory properties and might be used as potential, natural drugs against oxidative and inflammation- related diseases.

Background: The biotechnological generation of natural flavor compounds is rapidly expanding. Production of desired flavor compounds by biotransformation is natural, more effective, and an economical process. High economic value of bio-vanillin has led to a wide interest in research on the production of vanillin through biotechnological routes. Objective: The aim of the present study was to use F. udum E. Butler as a bio-catalyst for the production of bio-vanillin, from easily available and economically viable phenolic substrates. Methods: Mycelium of fungal strain, was incubated in minimal medium with phenolic substrates. The medium was analyzed by GC/MS at specific time intervals in order to identify products formed during biotransformation on different time scales. Results: Production of bio-vanillin was observed after 24 h as the major product when F. udum E. Butler was grown on vanillic acid. Guaiacol was found to be the end product of this reaction as the further conversion of guaiacol was not observed. The metabolic pathway for vanillic acid biotransformation was also elucidated by identifying intermediate metabolites of the reaction and fate of these intermediates when these intermediates were used as a sole carbon source was also elucidated. Conclusion: Microbial production of bio-vanillin is one of the highly economically attractive biotransformation processes as substrates of this process are byproducts of agroindustrial sources. However, toxicity of vanillin accumulation is one of the major bottleneck in bio-vanillin production, and it demands serious scientific inputs.

Background: The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is increasing worldwide and the related chronic symptoms can be associated with morbidity and poor quality of life. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify foods and beverages consumed by the Lebanese population, dietary habits, socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, health parameters and perceived stress, implicated in increasing GERD symptoms. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study was carried among Lebanese adults in 2016. A convenient sample of 264 participants was equally divided into a GERD group and a control group. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, health status and dietary habits including Lebanese traditional dishes were collected. The perceived stress scale (PSS) was also used to assess the participants’ perception of stress. Logistic regression analyses were conducted with GERD symptoms (presence or absence) being the dependent variable. Results: The GERD symptoms were significantly associated with age (-p-value=0.017), family history of GERD symptoms (-p-value<0.001), smoking (-p-value=0.003) and chronic medical conditions (-p-value<0.001). Regarding the dietary factors, participants who ate three meals or less/day, between meals and outside homes were 2.5, 2.9 and 2.4 times at a higher risk of experiencing GERD symptoms than others, respectively. Moreover, the logistic regression model showed that the GERD symptoms were significantly associated with the consumption of coffee (-p-value=0.037), Lebanese sweets (-p-value=0.027), fried foods (-p-value=0.031), ‘Labneh’ with garlic (-p-value<0.001), pomegranate molasses (-p-value=0.011), and tomatoes (-p-value=0.007). Conclusion: Some specific lifestyle factors and components of the Lebanese Mediterranean diet could be associated with GERD symptoms.

Background and Objectives: In this work, yellow and green varieties of Cucumis melo fruits belonging to different cultivars were studied. In detail, three Sicilian cultivars of winter melons tutelated by TAP (Traditional agro-alimentary products) labels were considered, whereas asun protected the Calabrian winter melon was studied too. With the aim to compare the selective uptakes of inorganic elements among winter and summer fruits, the “PGI Melone Mantovano” was investigated. The purpose of this work was to apply the obtained results i) to guarantee the quality and healthiness of fruits, ii) to producers defend, iii) to help the customers in safe food purchase. Methods: All samples were analyzed by ICP-MS and the obtained results, subsequently, were subjected to Cluster analysis (CA), Principal component analysis (PCA) and Canonical discriminant analysis (CDA). Results: CA results were generally in agreement with samples origin, whereas the PCA elaboration has confirmed the presence of a strong relation between fruit origins and trace element contents. In particular, two principal components justified the 57.32% of the total variance (PC1= 40.95%, PC2= 16.37%). Finally, the CDA approach has provided several functions with high discrimination power, confirmed by the correct classification of all samples (100%). Conclusion: CA, PCA and CDA could represent an integrated to label to discriminate the origin of agri-food products and, thus, protect and guarantee their healthiness.

Background: A sedentary lifestyle has been found to influence cognitive impairment, whereas physical activity and diet have been found to reduce the negative impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. Objectives: This study aims to examine the synergistic effects of the black mulberry, sunflower seed, and pumpkin seed supplements, including exercise on cognitive performance among sedentary university students. Methods: Participants (n=36) were randomly assigned to receive black mulberry, sunflower seed, and pumpkin seed with and without exercise for 60 days. Then, they were required to complete cognitive task assessment for domain attention (visual reaction time and auditory reaction time), perception (fast counting and basic music) and executive (Eriksen flanker task and Stroop test) on day 0 (baseline), 30, and 60 of the experiment. Following that, blood samples were collected and analyzed for malondialdehyde serum concentration as an oxidative stress marker. Results: All participants showed significant faster reaction time in cognitive tasks for domain attention and basic music test for domain perception on day 30 and 60 compared to day 0. However, no significant changes were observed within group, on cognitive task for domain executive. In comparison between the groups, participants in group treatment showed significant faster reaction time for cognitive tasks for domain attention and for Erikson flanker task for domain executive as compared to group exercise alone, and group treatment with exercise. For domain perception (basic music test), participants in group treatment with exercise achieved faster reaction time compared to group treatment and exercise alone. Despite the reduction of malondialdehyde concentration in all groups, no significant difference was found between them. Conclusion: It was indicated from the findings that the consumption of black mulberry fruit extract, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds with and without exercise independently enhanced attention, perception, and executive function among sedentary young adults.

Background: The role of a healthy and balanced diet in cancer prevention should never be underestimated; some nutritional factors can reduce the side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy and contribute to increasing its effectiveness. Therefore, in recent years, it has been thought to associate the administration of antioxidants to the chemotherapy approach that can protect non-tumor cells from the cytotoxic action of these drugs. However, the protective action of these substances could also limit the chemotherapy effects against the neoplastic cells themselves. Objective: In this context, the goal of this work was to test the viability of cultured human non-small lung cancer A549 cells in response to the combined administration of cisplatin (CDDP) and polyphenols. In particular, Annurca apple flesh polyphenol extract (AFPE) action was examined. Methods: A549 cells were treated with AFPE alone or in combination with CDDP and then cell viability was measured by the MTT assay. The effects of constituent polyphenols (+)-catechin, (-)- epicatechin, and caffeic acid) in AFPE were also evaluated. The cell morphology was observed by an inverted phase-contrast microscope. Results: CDDP reduced A549 cell viability in both concentration- and time-dependent manners. Polyphenols and CDDP co-administration did not interfere with the CDDP efficacy, in fact, the cellular vitality was found to be similar to that detected in the samples treated with CDDP alone. Conclusion: In conclusion, the co-administration of AFPE with CDDP does not interfere with its chemotherapy efficacy. Therefore, Annurca apple could be a good candidate to act as an antioxidant and potentially reduce the side effects of CDDP therapy, although the joint effect of AFPE and CDDP on normal cells is still unclear. More studies will be needed to analyze the molecular mechanism of AFPE and in vivo studies will also be needed to verify the anticancer effects. These findings may represent a starting point for the design of new clinical trials for use in cancer treatment.

Background: The aim of the work was to determine the effects of the stage of peeling and different thermal processes on the physicochemical and sensory properties of canned peach palm or Chontaduro (Bactris gasipaes). Methods: The thermal processes involved two cooking temperatures (107 and 92ºC) and three types of cooking and peeling process (unpeeled, peeled after cooking process and peeled before cooking process). Results: The thermal process resulted in a decrease of soluble solids and an increase in the pH, following a second-degree polynomial equation; also, a decrease in protein content, total carotenoids and hardness. Conclusion: Canned chontaduro, previously peeled and cooked at 107ºC, had significantly better physicochemical, nutritional, microbiological and sensory properties.

Biotin (Vitamin-H) intake is usual in individuals taking balanced diet on regular basis as biotin is present in common dietary substances. Regarding its intakes some recommendations must be keep in mind in order to avoid any inconvenience. Although biotin deficiency is rare but may occur under some special circumstances. Biotin creates hindrance in results of many medical tests reports so while taking biotin as diet or supplements, your consultant should aware of your biotin intakes. Some specific diseased conditions can be avoided only by excessive biotin intakes in dietary forms also.