Current Nutrition & Food Science - Volume 17, Issue 8, 2021

Background and Objective: Beneficial effects of phytochemicals on human health have recently been investigated by researchers. In this review, after a short description of the beneficial health effects of the herbal compounds, the obstacles of their use in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields have been discussed. Encapsulation technique has been studied as a solution to overcome the limitations, and finally, liposomes have been introduced as the carriers. Methods: Online articles were searched through various databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus, 2003-2020, to find reviews, editorials, and articles on the effects of herbal compounds on human health. Furthermore, increasing the stability of the phytocompounds by using encapsulation in liposomes produced by heating methods is included in the methodology. Results: Herbal-derived compounds seem to be potential tools for the prevention of disorders. However, they are susceptible to environmental stress. Encapsulation of herbal-derived compounds in liposomes and nanoliposomes is suggested to improve stability and bioavailability. Conclusion: The current manuscript has reviewed the beneficial effects of liposomes and their encapsulation methods in improving carrier sustainability of herbal-derived compounds for use in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry.

Background: Burns are defined as injuries resulting from exposure to thermal radiation, electrical or chemical exposure of the skin or organic tissues. It has high mortality and morbidity in low and middle-income countries. Objective/Methods: The objective of this study is to evaluate the present knowledge principles of nutritional therapy for pediatric burns from the dietician's perspective, taking into account the epidemiology and physiology of the burn. The purpose of burn treatment is to provide survival and tissue repair and to increase immunity. Therefore, besides fluid electrolyte replacement and surgical interventions, nutritional therapy is quite important. Nutrition principles should aim to reduce inflammation and meet hypermetabolic needs. Results: In the clinical practice of children suffering from burns, daily energy need is calculated by adding the recommended energy expenditure to the burn percentage, but the most accurate method is the use of indirect calorimetry. Protein requirement is around 1.5-3.0 g/kg/day. Carbohydrate intake should be 55-60% of total energy intake, while lipids should be less than 30%. Vitamin supplements in the form of a multivitamin are recommended in addition to vitamin A, vitamin C, and Zinc. In cases where oral intake is insufficient, enteral nutrition should be applied as soon as possible. When enteral feeding is contraindicated, parenteral nutrition is preferred. Conclusion: Evaluating the nutritional status of children and meeting macro and micronutrient needs accelerate wound healing, shorten hospital stay, and reduce mortality.

Global public health bodies have ignited new policies on various handwashing and hygiene guidelines, social distancing strategies and have adopted “stay in place” or lockdown protocols to prevent COVID-19 from spread in many countries. Those measures will have longlasting impacts on well-being of all groups affected by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID- 19), but the underrepresented minorities and immunocompromised are at the greater risk and has a significant mortality rate. In the present study, we try to review current data about nutrition management of cancer patients within this pandemic, and nutritional prevention’s tools, in order to understand the outcomes of infected cancer patients, and avoid complications that can be associated with nutritional deficiencies. Most of the data were divided into four important sections. The managing deal of cancer patients and their treatments with COVID-19, landmarks of nutrition care, specially through pandemic conditions, nutrients and micronutrients that have key roles in supporting the human immune system, and reducing systemic inflammation. The immune response to infection involves many factors (such chemokines, cytokines, interleukins, enzymes and hormones) therefore, we believe that the identification of food groups that play a role in COVID-19 and the improvement of nutritional status and diet for cancer patients is a necessary approach, in order to have detailed guidelines for the actual challenge.

The demand for various unconventional foods to reduce the complications in both communicable and non-communicable diseases is increasing day by day. The aim of this review was to observe the efficacy of Aloe vera in hyperglycemia and in hyperlipidemia in vivo (both animals and humans). The studies of different authors were searched by using many scientific search engines such as Pub Med, Google Scholar, Science Direct, the database of Open Access Journals. There are 25 animal studies and 10 human studies included in this review. By analyzing data, data were extracted from selected articles that showed the effects of a different form of Aloe vera on diabetes and hyperlipidemia after consumption. The result of this review covers different doses and forms of Aloe vera, which were provided to target animals and humans for a different duration to achieve an outcome in those articles. Most of the studies showed a significant result that means Aloe vera has a positive effect on diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Further studies are needed to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms of action of Aloe vera as well as its efficacy and safety in the treatment of various diseases.

Background: Under-nutrition in school-age children has proven to be responsible for poor academic performance as well as declined work capacity and poor health/reproductive function later in life. Nutritional assessment is key to monitoring the effectiveness of intervention programs aimed at reducing under-nutrition. Yet, there is a gross absence of national data on the nutritional status of school-age children. Objective: This study was designed to pool existing recent data on anthropometrically determined under-nutrition prevalence of school-age children and provide a clear picture of the regional and national malnutrition situation of school-age children in Nigeria. Methods: Published studies on the anthropometric status of school-age children in Nigeria from 2005 to 2019 were reviewed. Eligible studies were those that used the acceptable international growth standards. A total of 27 articles that assessed 17,820 school-age children met the inclusion criteria. Results: Results showed that 37.9% of studies had adopted the WHO 2007 growth reference. The overall pooled stunting, underweight, and wasting/thinness prevalence of school-age children in Nigeria are 25.5±20.4%, 24.4±18.8%, 20.6±17.4%, respectively. More than half of the studies had their under-nutrition prevalence above the public health significance thresholds. Stunting (53.2%) and underweight (36.9%) were most prominent in the North West region, while the South Southern part of Nigeria had the highest prevalence of acute malnutrition (39.5%). Conclusion: The study suggests that the inclusion of school-age children in national nutrition surveys and scale-up of intervention programs will reduce this high under-nutrition prevalence.

Background: Pomegranate is a fruit rich in bioactive compounds such as punicalagins, gallic acid, and ellagic acid derivatives. It has been widely used since ancient times in traditional medicine for a wide variety of diseases. It has been reported that bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, are able to induce the expression of cytoprotective enzymes, including HO-1. The contribution of HO-1 activity to the prevention of intestinal inflammation has been shown in different models of Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Objective: Aim of the present research was to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects of a pomegranate extract (PE), rich in bioactive compounds in intestinal inflammation. Methods: Caco-2 cells exposed to LPS and DSS induced colitis were chosen as convenient experimental models of intestinal inflammation. Results: Results obtained in our experimental conditions showed that PE in vitro was able to induce HO-1 and to reduce cellular damage and oxidative stress through an increase of GSH levels. Moreover, PE was able to decrease the pro-inflammatory marker IL-8 levels and activate TIGAR pathway. The results obtained in vivo, in agreement with the data obtained in vitro, highlighted the ability of PE to reduce intestinal inflammation, preserve the colon length and histological features and reduce IL-6 levels compared to the DSS treated group. Conclusion: PE, rich in bioactive compounds, could contribute, as a supportive therapy, to enhance the effects of the conventional therapeutic strategies on the management of IBD.

Background and Objectives: In this article, a comprehensive study was carried out for Sicilian and Calabrian olive oils authenticity evaluation through chemometric analyses, correlating botanical and geographical origins with the samples' chemical composition. Methods: A total of eighteen Sicilian and Calabrian (southern Italy) olive oil samples were analyzed through gas chromatography (GC). Results: The fatty acids concentration in the investigated samples followed the subsequent order: oleic (C18:1) > palmitic (C16) > linoleic (C18:2) > stearic (C18) > palmitoleic (C16:1) > linoleic (C18:3). The 2D Scatterplot (Principal Component Analysis) showed that, among the analyzed oils, six clusters stand out, which seem to consistently group samples in relation to the cultivars and cultivation areas that share the territorial proximity (same province). Conclusion: Experimental results demonstrated that it is possible to strictly relate, through the PCA, olive oils to their geographical and botanical provenance, thus becoming a useful tool for evaluating product authenticity and guaranteeing it to the consumers.

Background: Anecdotal reports from neurosurgeons have suggested that glioblastoma patients that consumed moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages after glioblastoma surgery presented with improved vitality. Objective: This study aimed to investigate if any evidence for these anecdotal reports can be reproduced experimentally. Furthermore, we studied the effects of different alcoholic beverages on glioblastoma cells. Methods: GOS-3 glioblastoma cells and PC3 prostate carcinoma cells as control were incubated with beer, red wine, white wine, vodka, and whiskey at different concentrations. Membrane disruption by acute cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction was evaluated via Annexin-V-FITC flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Long-term effects on cell proliferation were studied by the XTT test. Results: There was no increased membrane disruption even at physiologically high alcohol concentrations of 1%. Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited by vodka and beer. Among the wines, the white wine caused slight proliferation inhibition in GOS-3 glioblastoma cells while inducing slightly enhanced proliferation in PC3 prostate cancer cells. After these first results, the study was expanded to more different brands of vodka and additional white and red wines from different grapes. While confirming the initial results, no additional differences between the different brands of vodka were observed. In the wine investigations, all the wines showed inhibition of cell proliferation during long-term incubation of three different glioblastoma cell lines. Consistently, the inhibition from red wines was lower than the inhibition from white and rosines. Conclusion: In conclusion, alcoholic beverages at concentrations used during the normal ingestion have both cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects on glioblastoma cells in vitro which could not be found in the controls with pure ethanol.

Background: There is a need to prioritize the promotion of physical activity and healthy eating habits to promote healthy practices and prevent the occurrence of disease and obesity. Objective: This study aims to examine the association between types of food intake and physical activities using General Loglinear Models (GENLOG). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on selected secondary schools in the eastern states of Peninsular Malaysia. It involved a sample of 326 students (aged between 13 to 17 years). A questionnaire was administered to the students within the school compound and a face-to-face interview was conducted. Ratio Chi-square statistic was used to determine the association between the types of food intake and physical activities; while, Mantel Haenszel’s test of homogeneity was used to identify the presence of confounding variables. Results: The results showed that the consumption of breakfast, fast food, and snacks was significantly associated with various physical activities with some confounding effects. Conclusion: Comparison of several loglinear models confirmed the homogenous loglinear model as most parsimonious in explaining the association between types of food intake and physical activity among adolescents.

Background: Along with the shift in consumption patterns of carbohydrate staple foods in Indonesia, many communities are abandoning local traditional foods such as tubers and sago and turning to white rice. Objective: Considering the rise of modern living patterns that are loved by teenagers and young adults, the researchers aimed to identify the basic food consumption patterns of adolescents and young people in Indonesia and the factors that influence them. Methods: The subjects involved in this study were 108 Universitas Gadjah Mada students representing various regions and tribes in Indonesia. The proportion of each part of Indonesia was determined by the proportionate stratified random sampling technique, while the research subjects were selected by purposive sampling. Subjects were interviewed using the semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQ-FFQ). Data on knowledge factors related to nutrition and perceptions were obtained using a separate questionnaire. Results: The most consumed staple carbohydrate foods are cereals, especially white rice (82%), tubers (10.6%), noodles, pasta and bread (12.3%) and sago (1.8%). Several factors that influence the consumption pattern significantly (p<0.05) are sex, place of origin, and nutritional status. Conclusion: There is a high dependency on white rice among young adults in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The culture and place of origin have an important role in shaping the pattern of carbohydrate consumption. Strategic interventions are needed to increase youth food diversification.

Background: In this study, the composition of the functional edible film focused on local materials was examined. However, the production of the edible film with strong capability as an antioxidant and antimicrobe has not been successful. Therefore, the incorporation of one or more functional compounds such as gambier and bay leaf extract into canna starch is a possible solution. Objective: These compounds work in synergy to improve the functional characteristics of edible film. Furthermore, the film should have mechanical characteristics which satisfy the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) (1975), i.e. strong category. Methods: This study examined the effects of gambier and bay leaf extract addition on edible film characteristics, by implementing a completely randomized design method. The two factors examined were gambier (1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 percent, w/v) and bay leaf extract (0.0, 3.0 and 6.0 percent, w/v) addition. Results: The parameters observed include mechanical (thickness, elongation percentage, water vapor transmission rate) and functional characteristics (antioxidant and antibacterial activity). The results showed that thickness, elongation percentage and water vapor transmission rate of the functional edible film were 0.18-0.27 mm, 7.33-9.00% and 30.43-46.07 g.m^-2.d^-1, respectively. While antioxidant and antibacterial activities (value of inhibition diameter) were 23.24-40.58 mg.mL^-1 and 1.33- 1.83 mm, respectively. Conclusion: The edible film produced in this study had a strong category of antioxidant activity with a thickness that satisfied the JIS 1975 standard.

Background: Criteria for the diagnosis of malnutrition are still not uniform, and different tools have been proposed. Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) is a newly developed consensus diagnostic criteria tool. Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of malnutrition using the GLIM diagnostic criteria upon admission to the hospital in the United Arab Emirates and evaluate the role muscle strength can play in the accuracy of this diagnosis. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was carried out in two hospitals (Rashid Hospital, Dubai, and Qassimi Hospital, Sharjah) in the United Arab Emirates. Low body mass index or significant weight loss were used as phenotypic criteria; reduced food intake or the presence of disease were used as etiological criteria. Muscle strength was measured using a handgrip strength dynamometer as a supportive measure. Results: A total of 371 patients were recruited, of which a total of 103 patients (27.76%) were diagnosed with malnutrition according to GLIM. The prevalence of low muscle strength was seen in 60.47% of females (≤ 16.0 kg) and 61.82% males (≤ 27 kg). A total of 209 patients (58.22%) were diagnosed with malnutrition, accounting for low muscle strength as a proxy for muscle mass under the phenotypic criteria. Conclusion: The study opens a direction for future research to evaluate the feasibility and practicality of the proposed GLIM criteria. It also opens a path for the validation of muscle strength and relevant cut-off points across ages, genders, and ethnicities as a diagnostic criterion for malnutrition.

Background: Foodborne diseases due to improper food handling in home kitchens are among the most significant public health challenges worldwide. Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate food safety knowledge and selfreported practices among Saudi women. Methods: A total of 1490 women, aged between 18 and 60 years participated in this online survey. Collected and cured data were analyzed using descriptive statistics via the SPSS software. Chi-square (X²) test was performed to identify associations between variables. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Participants showed an overall knowledge score of 16.53±2.8/23 points (72%). About 4.5%, 57.5% and 38% had low, intermediate and good knowledge scores, respectively. Women had higher scores of knowledge in personal hygiene (5.2±0.8/6 points) and purchasing and storage (5.8±1.2/8 points) compared to food preparation and cooking (4.5±1.8/8 points). The overall practice score was 35.50±5.53/50 points (71%). About 7%, 52% and 41% of the participants exhibited low, intermediate and good practices scores, respectively. Participants’ practice scores of personal hygiene, utensils and equipment, purchasing and storage, and preparation and cooking were 11.10±2.33/15, 6.38±1.47/8, 8.72±1.84/12 and 9.30±2.08/15, respectively. Among the participants’ characteristics, women aged 26 years and older, those having marriage experience and those with children had significantly higher food safety knowledge (p<0.001) than the young, single and women without children. Moreover, women with higher levels of education and those employed in health-related professions showed significantly higher knowledge and practice scores than their counterparts (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study reported an intermediate overall food safety knowledge and practices among most adult Saudi women. Therefore, further targeted public education programs focusing mainly on food preparation and cooking are recommended to enhance women’s food safety knowledge and practices and thereby improve overall public health.