Current Nutrition & Food Science - Volume 6, Issue 3, 2010

One of the most serious problems in food science, strictly linked to public health, is answering to the increasing consumer demand about high quality, fresh appearance and convenient products with natural flavour and an extended shelf-life, without compromising safety. In this frame identifying alternative preservation technologies is of utmost importance. In this review the attention is focused on the mechanisms of bi Read More

Diabetes mellitus is a global metabolic epidemic affecting essential biochemical activities in almost every age group. Over the last century changes in human behavior and lifestyle have resulted in a dramatic increase in the incidence of diabetes world over. Traditional medicinal plants and herbs having potential anti-diabetic activity are being used as part of diet since prehistoric time. Scientific data on a number of medicinal plant Read More

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye disease that attacks the macula of the eye, the area responsible for the sharpest central vision, and affects 5% of people aged 65 and older. Current treatment strategies are of limited benefit and only to a minority of people with specific forms of the disease, thus prevention of macular degeneration at an early stage may be a key factor for both managing and re Read More

Annurca apple fruit is commonly cultivated in southern Italy and undergoes a typical reddening treatment and, is notable for its high firmness and its characteristic flavour. Apples may have selective effects on abnormalities associated with the plurimetabolic syndrome. Therefore, the effects of 20% lyophilized 'Annurca' apple supplementation on plasma and tissue lipids were investigated in Wistar rats. The experimental diets we Read More

Propolis, a resinous bee-hive product referred as “bee glue”, is collected from various plant sources, such as buds of conifer and poplar trees, by honeybees (Apis mellifera). Honeybees blend this resinous non-toxic substance with their salivary secretions and wax flakes secreted from special glands on their abdomens. Propolis has been used as a healing agent for thousands of years in folk medicine. There is substantial eviden Read More

We can often find organic foods or foods with no chemical fertilizers in the supermarket. Japanese people pay attention to food safety, and want to get information about its quality. The purpose of the paper is to reveal Japanese consumers’ preferences for agricultural spinach as fresh foods and preference heterogeneity among them. When they purchase it, what attribute they emphasize? Are they sensitive to price or quality of i Read More

Background: Fatty liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy are clinically distinct progressively deteriorating conditions in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Factors responsible for the progression of ALD are poorly understood. Therefore we compared various biochemical parameters in these conditions to correlate them with disease progression. Methods: Thirty patients of alcoholic liver disease reporting to our hospital Read More

Humans can be considered as super-organisms with an internal ecosystem of diverse symbiotic microbiota that have interactive metabolic processes. The homeostatic balance and the metabolome of an organism are then dependent upon not only the host but also the interaction between the host and its microflora complement or co-metabolome. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), as end products of the gut microflo Read More

Malignant cells are known to contain high amounts of glutathione, a potent endogenous anti-oxidant, which is believed to contribute to their increased rate of mitosis and resistance to chemo and radiotherapies. But there is very little information as to the levels of glutathione in precancerous cells. In the present study, it was noted that the concentrations of total glutathione is significantly higher in human precan Read More