Oral allergy syndrome by fruit and vegetable PR-10 allergy: Accuracy of in vivo diagnosis.

Routine diagnostic methods for allergies to plant-derived foods are based on skin prick test (SPT) with commercial extracts, prick-by-prick (PbP) with fresh food, serum-specific IgE measurement, and oral food challenge.We discuss the possibility and the advantages of performing, in patients with oral allergy syndrome (OAS) by fruit and vegetables (excluding nuts) PR-10 allergy, component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) by SPT and PbP with raw and cooked vegetables, rather than performing a CRD with in vitro tests by drawing blood.Based on our clinical experience and the studies published in the literature, we believe that, at least for the OAS by fruit and vegetables (excluding nuts) PR-10 allergy, the search for sensitizing allergens and related cross-reactive allergens with SPT and PbP can be performed routinely in clinical practice, even at the primary-care level.

Variation in the Ability to Taste Bitter Thiourea Compounds: Implications for Food Acceptance, Dietary Intake, and Obesity Risk in Children.

The ability to taste bitter thiourea compounds, such as phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), is inherited. Polymorphisms in the bitter-taste receptor TAS2R38 explain the majority of phenotypic variation in the PROP phenotype. It has been hypothesized that the PROP phenotype is a marker for perception of a variety of chemosensory experiences. In this review, we discuss studies that have investigated the relationship between bitter-taste response and dietary behaviors and chronic health in children. Investigators have hypothesized that children who are PROP tasters have lower liking and consumption of bitter foods, such as cruciferous vegetables. Additionally, several studies suggest that children who are unable to taste PROP (i.e., nontasters) like and consume more dietary fat and are prone to obesity. The relationship between the PROP phenotype and obesity is influenced by multiple confounders, including sex, food access, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Future studies that adjust for these variables are needed.

Diet and upper gastrointestinal malignancies.

Diet is believed to modulate cancer risk and this relationship has been widely studied in the gastrointestinal tract. Observational epidemiologic studies have provided most of the evidence about the effects of diet on cancer risk because clinical trials to determine nutritional exposures are often impossible, impractical, or unaffordable. Although a few foods or nutrients are thought to protect against specific types of cancer, it seems clear that the strength and even direction of dietary associations (increasing or decreasing risk) is organ-site- and even histology-specific, along the gastrointestinal tract. Although some hypotheses are supported by a substantial body of observational data (drinking hot maté [an infusion of the herb Ilex Paraguarensis] contributes to esophageal cancer), there are not much data to support others. We discuss some highly touted hypotheses and draw interim conclusions about what is known and what could be done to improve the level of evidence. The complex nature of diet and its associations can be productively investigated with disease-specific studies. However, public health recommendations for normal-risk individuals regarding diet and gastrointestinal cancer should probably emphasize the importance of eating for overall health rather than eating specific foods to reduce risk for specific cancers.

Substitution of meat and fish with vegetables or potatoes and risk of myocardial infarction.

Red meat has been suggested to be adversely associated with risk of myocardial infarction (MI), whereas vegetable consumption has been found to be protective. The aim of this study was to investigate substitutions of red meat, poultry and fish with vegetables or potatoes for MI prevention. We followed up 29 142 women and 26 029 men in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health study aged 50-64 years with no known history of MI at baseline. Diet was assessed by a validated 192-item FFQ at baseline. Adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI for MI associated with specified food substitutions of 150 g/week. During a median follow-up of 13·6 years, we identified 656 female and 1694 male cases. Among women, the HR for MI when replacing red meat with vegetables was 0·94 (95 % CI 0·90, 0·98). Replacing fatty fish with vegetables was associated with a higher risk of MI (HR 1·23; 95 % CI 1·05, 1·45), whereas an inverse, statistically non-significant association was found for lean fish (HR 0·93; 95 % CI 0·83, 1·05). Substituting poultry with vegetables was not associated with risk of MI (HR 1·00; 95 % CI 0·90, 1·11). Findings for substitution with potatoes were similar to findings for vegetables. Among men, a similar pattern was observed, but the associations were weak and mostly statistically non-significant. This study suggests that replacing red meat with vegetables or potatoes is associated with a lower risk of MI, whereas replacing fatty fish with vegetables or potatoes is associated with a higher risk of MI.

Self-reported prevalence and risk factors associated with food hypersensitivity in Mexican young adults.

BACKGROUND: Food hypersensitivity (FH) is defined as any unfavorable reaction after the ingestion, contact, or inhalation of a food. Few FH prevalence studies have been performed in the Mexican adult population. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of self-reported FH and probable food allergy (FA) among a sample of Mexican young adults and to determine the most commonly involved foods, associated symptoms, and risk factors. METHODS: We designed an observational, cross-sectional study in which 1,253 young adults (aged 18-25 years) born in the State of Mexico answered a questionnaire concerning FH. We obtained information on personal and familial histories of allergic diseases, the involved foods, and the subsequent adverse reactions to their consumption. RESULTS: The prevalence of FH was 30.1% and was significantly higher in women than in men (P < .001). The prevalence of probable FA was 5.9% and was also higher in women (P = .02). Gastrointestinal symptoms were reported in 83.1% of FH cases, whereas cutaneous symptoms and oral allergy syndrome were reported in FA cases. The food groups most associated with FH were dairy products (13.2%), vegetables (10.0%), and fruits (8.0%). The food groups most associated with FA were fruits (3.0%) and seafood (1.8%). Female sex, personal history of allergic diseases, maternal history of atopic dermatitis, and parental history of urticaria were significantly associated (P < .05) with the presence of FH. CONCLUSION: FH in young adults might be more common than previously thought, especially in women. However, further studies are needed to confirm this situation in the Mexican population.

A community-based cross-sectional study for relationship of frequency of vegetables intake and osteoporosis in a Chinese postmenopausal women sample.

BACKGROUND: The main purpose of this study was to explore the associations between frequency of vegetables intake and osteoporosis (OP) in Chinese postmenopausal women. METHODS: We conducted a large-scale, community-based, cross-sectional study to investigate the associations by using self-report questionnaire to access frequency of vegetables intake. The total of 1903 participants was available to data analysis in this study. Multiple regression models to include frequency of vegetables variable were performed to investigate the relationships for OP, after controlling for confounding factors. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis indicated that the frequency of vegetables intake was independently and significantly associated with OP (P < 0.1 for model 1 and model 2). The postmenopausal women with high frequency of vegetables intake had a higher prevalence of OP. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated that frequency of vegetables intake was independently and significantly associated with OP. The prevalence of OP was more frequent in Chinese postmenopausal women preferring vegetables food habits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02451397 ; date of registration: 2015-05-28).

Occupational contact urticaria caused by food - a systematic clinical review.

Food industry workers are at increased risk for occupational contact urticaria (CU). There are many foodstuffs that have been reported to cause occupational CU, including seafood, meat, vegetables, and fruits. The aim of this review is to summarize all reported occupational cases of CU in the food industry. This is a systematic review based on a MEDLINE search of articles in English and German and a manual search, between 1990 and 2014, to summarize the case reports and case series of occupational CU in the food industry. Many different foodstuffs have been implicated in CU. Occupational CU has been reported in many different occupations, mostly in individuals dealing with seafood, meat, vegetables, and fruits, such as chefs, cooks, bakers, butchers, slaughterhouse workers, and fish-factory workers. Foodstuffs that commonly induce occupational protein contact dermatitis include fish, seafood, meats, vegetables, and fruits. Food handlers may acquire CU resulting from occupational exposures. The prognosis varies widely. The diagnosis of immunological CU is based on the clinical history and on a positive prick test with the suspected substance and/or measurement of specific IgE.

Food Source Prediction of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Outbreaks Using Demographic and Outbreak Characteristics, United States, 1998-2014.

BACKGROUND: Foodborne illness is a continuing public health problem in the United States. Although outbreak-associated illnesses represent a fraction of all foodborne illnesses, foodborne outbreak investigations provide critical information on the pathogens, foods, and food-pathogen pairs causing illness. Therefore, identification of a food source in an outbreak investigation is key to impacting food safety. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to systematically identify outbreak-associated case demographic and outbreak characteristics that are predictive of food sources using Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) outbreaks reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 1998 to 2014 with a single ingredient identified. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Differences between STEC food sources by all candidate predictors were assessed univariately. Multinomial logistic regression was used to build a prediction model, which was internally validated using a split-sample approach. RESULTS: There were 206 single-ingredient STEC outbreaks reported to CDC, including 125 (61%) beef outbreaks, 30 (14%) dairy outbreaks, and 51 (25%) vegetable outbreaks. The model differentiated food sources, with an overall sensitivity of 80% in the derivation set and 61% in the validation set. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the feasibility for a tool for public health professionals to rule out food sources during hypothesis generation in foodborne outbreak investigation and to improve efficiency while complementing existing methods.

Occupational asthma in a fruit and vegetables vendor.

BACKGROUND: This study presents a case report of a woman running a fruit and vegetables market stall, occupationally exposed to mushroom spores, who developed asthmatic symptoms. Basidiospores are allergens that can give rise to sensitization and subsequently trigger an allergic reaction, such as contact dermatitis, rhino-conjunctivitis, asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. METHODS: A 40-year-old atopic woman, who had worked at a market stall selling fruit and vegetables for the past 26 years in a small town market in southern Italy, came to our attention at the Occupational Medicine Unit, complaining of a 3-year history of dyspnoea, cough, and wheezing during autumn and winter. RESULTS: Spirometry showed a severe mixed type respiratory deficit with a significant bronchodilator response obtained with salbutamol administration. Skin prick tests to common aeroallergens were negative. Prick-to-prick test with fresh Pleurotus ostreatus was positive. We evaluated the size of the skin wheals and compared them to the positive control according to the Skin Index. An on-the-spot inspection of her store was performed and environmental conditions were identified that did not allow a satisfactory air exchange. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical history and the results of the allergologic investigations, plus an on-the-spot inspection, permitted us to ascertain that this subject had developed occupational asthma due to Pleurotus ostreatus spores. We advised her to stop handling and selling mushrooms, and she has no longer suffered asthmatic symptoms, over seven years of follow-up, and regularly continued to work without needing to take anti-asthma drugs.

Predicting use of ineffective vegetable parenting practices with the Model of Goal Directed Behavior.

OBJECTIVE: Increasing a parent's ability to influence a child's vegetable intake may require reducing the parent's use of ineffective vegetable parenting practices. The present study was designed to understand the psychosocial influences on ineffective vegetable parenting practices. DESIGN: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted to model use of ineffective vegetable parenting practices using validated scales from a Model of Goal Directed Vegetable Parenting Practices. SETTING: The dependent variable was a composite ineffective vegetable parenting practices index. The independent variables included validated subscales of intention, habit, perceived barriers, desire, competence, autonomy, relatedness, attitudes, norms, perceived behavioural control and anticipated emotions. Models were analysed using block regression with backward deletion. SUBJECTS: Parents of 307 pre-school children (3-5 years old). RESULTS: Variables significantly positively related to ineffective vegetable parenting practices in order of relationship strength included habit of controlling vegetable practices (standardized ß=0·349, P<0·0001) and desire (standardized ß=0·117, P=0·025). Variables significantly negatively related to ineffective vegetable parenting practices in order of relationship strength included perceived behavioural control of negative parenting practices (standardized ß=-0·215, P<0000), the habit of active child involvement in vegetable selection (standardized ß=-0·142, P=0·008), anticipated negative parent emotional response to child vegetable refusal (standardized ß=-0·133, P=0·009), autonomy (standardized ß=-0·118, P=0.014), attitude about negative effects of vegetables (standardized ß=-0·118, P=0·015) and descriptive norms (standardized ß=-0·103, P=0·032). The model accounted for 40·5 % of the variance in use of ineffective vegetable parenting practices. CONCLUSIONS: The present study is the first report of psychometrically tested scales to predict use of ineffective vegetable parenting practices. Innovative intervention procedures will need to be designed and tested to reduce ineffective vegetable parenting practices.

An exploration and comparison of food and drink availability in homes in a sample of families of White and Pakistani origin within the UK.

OBJECTIVE: Knowledge of the types and quantities of foods and drinks available in family homes supports the development of targeted intervention programmes for obesity prevention or management, or for overall diet improvement. In the UK, contemporary data on foods that are available within family homes are lacking. The present study aimed to explore home food and drink availability in UK homes. DESIGN: An exploratory study using researcher-conducted home food availability inventories, measuring all foods and drinks within the categories of fruits, vegetables, snack foods and beverages. SETTING: Bradford, a town in the north of the UK. SUBJECTS: Opportunistic sample of mixed ethnicity families with infants approximately 18 months old from the Born in Bradford birth cohort. RESULTS: All homes had at least one type of fruit, vegetable and snack available. Fresh fruits commonly available were oranges, bananas, apples, satsumas and grapes. Commonly available fresh vegetables included potatoes, cucumber, tomatoes and carrots. The single greatest non-fresh fruit available in homes was raisins. Non-fresh vegetables contributing the most were frozen mixed vegetables, tinned tomatoes and tinned peas. Ethnic differences were found for the availability of fresh fruits and sugar-sweetened beverages, which were both found in higher amounts in Pakistani homes compared with White homes. CONCLUSIONS: These data contribute to international data on availability and provide an insight into food availability within family homes in the UK. They have also supported a needs assessment of the development of a culturally specific obesity prevention intervention in which fruits and vegetables and sugar-sweetened beverages are targeted.

Evaluation of seasonal dietary exposure to arsenic, cadmium and lead in schoolchildren through the analysis of meals served by public schools of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.

Dietary exposure to arsenic (AS), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) of Brazilian schoolchildren living in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, was assessed. Food samples including rice, beans, vegetables, fruits, and meat served daily by public schools were collected as presented in different seasons. Metallic elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).The main sources of As, Cd, and Pb were found to be rice, vegetables, and pork, respectively. Further, in some food types there were seasonal differences in the concentrations of metallic elements. The mean daily intakes of As, Cd, and Pb based upon the association between food consumption data and the observed concentrations of metals in their diet were 6.9 µg, 0.9 µg, and 0.6 µg for As, Cd, and Pb, respectively. These findings are below the toxicological reference values provided by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Systemic allergic dermatitis caused by Apiaceae root vegetables.

BACKGROUND: Immediate hypersensitivity reactions to root vegetables of the Umbelliferae plant family (Apiaceae) is well known. Delayed-type hypersensitivity is rarely reported. OBJECTIVE: To report the first case of systemic contact dermatitis caused by root vegetables and some chemical implications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prick and patch testing were performed with fresh vegetables and selected allergens, and this was followed by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS analysis of the falcarinol syringe. RESULTS: The patient was contact-sensitive to celeriac, parsnip, and carrot, but tested negative to falcarinol. Subsequent analysis showed that the syringe contained falcarinol. CONCLUSION: The non-occupational sensitization resulting from both direct and systemic contact with Apiaceae root vegetables was apparently not caused by falcarinol.

Acceptability and Identification of Scooped Versus Molded Puréed Foods.

PURPOSE: Although puréed foods are commonly recommended for individuals with dysphagia and the acceptability of these foods is often a concern, few sensory studies on puréed foods have been carried out. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of serving style (i.e., scooped vs molded), on identification and acceptability of puréed foods in younger and older adults. METHODS: Acceptability of scooped versus molded puréed meats and vegetables was evaluated using the hedonic general Labeled Magnitude Scale. The younger adult panelists (n = 97; 55 F, 42 M) were recruited from the University of Florida staff and students, and the older adult panelists (n = 70; 59 F, 11 M) were recruited from the community. RESULTS: The younger panelists correctly identified a higher percentage of puréed foods than did the older panelists. Scooped puréed foods were more acceptable than molded. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that puréed foods may be more acceptable and identifiable when served without molding for both younger and older adults.

Methemoglobinemia induced by vegetable intake in infants in northern Spain.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Acquired methemoglobinemia (MHb) induced in infants by intake of vegetables is a condition uncommonly reported in the literature. The purpose of the present study was to study new vegetables involved and other epidemiological risk factors. METHODS: Seventy-eight cases of diet-induced MHb seen in Pamplona from 1987 to 2010 are reported. Infant characteristics were collected, and a case-control study was conducted using as controls 78 age- and sex-matched infants selected at the same geographic area. Bivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to detect factors involved in MHb occurrence. Nitrate levels were tested in natural vegetables used to prepare purées. RESULTS: A clear relation was found between MHb and use of borage (Borago officinalis) (OR 5.2; 95% CI 1.1-24.6) and maybe chard (Beta vulgaris var cicla) (OR 2.0; 95% CI 0.4-8.7), time from preparation to use (OR 17.4, 95% CI 3.5-86.3 if the purée had been prepared 24-48 hours before and OR 24.9, 95% CI 3.3-187.6 if prepared >48 hours before), and breast-feeding (OR 10.4; 95% CI 1.9-57.2). Tests confirmed that vegetables with the highest nitrate levels were borage (n = 15), with mean nitrate levels of 3968 mg/kg, and chard (n = 17), with mean levels of 2811 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: The main associated factors were shown to be time from purée preparation to use (>24 hours), use of certain vegetables (borage and chard), and breast-feeding. Nitrate levels in both vegetables implicated as etiological factors in acquired MHb are high.

Increased consumption of fruit and vegetables for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Editorial note: This Cochrane Review has been superseded by a review entitled Vegan dietary pattern for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013501.pub2/full) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33629376/ BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that high consumption of fruit and vegetables is beneficial for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective is to determine the effectiveness of i) advice to increase fruit and vegetable consumption ii) the provision of fruit and vegetables to increase consumption, for the primary prevention of CVD. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the following electronic databases: The Cochrane Library (2012, issue 9-CENTRAL, HTA, DARE, NEED), MEDLINE (1946 to week 3 September 2012); EMBASE (1980 to 2012 week 39) and the Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Science on ISI Web of Science (5 October 2012). We searched trial registers, screened reference lists and contacted authors for additional information where necessary. No language restrictions were applied. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials with at least three months follow-up (follow-up was considered to be the time elapsed since the start of the intervention) involving healthy adults or those at high risk of CVD. Trials investigated either advice to increase fruit and vegetable intake (via any source or modality) or the provision of fruit and vegetables to increase intake. The comparison group was no intervention or minimal intervention. Outcomes of interest were CVD clinical events (mortality (CVD and all-cause), myocardial infarction (MI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), angiographically-defined angina pectoris, stroke, carotid endarterectomy, peripheral arterial disease (PAD)) and major CVD risk factors (blood pressure, blood lipids, type 2 diabetes). Trials involving multifactorial lifestyle interventions (including different dietary patterns, exercise) or where the focus was weight loss were excluded to avoid confounding. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected trials for inclusion, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Trials of provision of fruit and vegetables were analysed separately from trials of dietary advice. MAIN RESULTS: We identified 10 trials with a total of 1730 participants randomised, and one ongoing trial. Six trials investigated the provision of fruit and vegetables, and four trials examined advice to increase fruit and vegetable consumption.The ongoing trial is examining the provision of an avocado-rich diet.The number and type of intervention components for provision, and the dietary advice provided differed between trials.None of the trials reported clinical events as they were all relatively short term. There was no strong evidence for effects of individual trials of provision of fruit and vegetables on cardiovascular risk factors, but trials were heterogeneous and short term. Furthermore, five of the six trials only provided one fruit or vegetable. Dietary advice showed some favourable effects on blood pressure (systolic blood pressure (SBP): mean difference (MD) -3.0 mmHg (95% confidence interval (CI) -4.92 to -1.09), diastolic blood pressure (DBP): MD -0.90 mmHg (95% CI -2.03 to 0.24)) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol but analyses were based on only two trials. Three of the 10 included trials examined adverse effects, which included increased bowel movements, bad breath and body odour. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There are very few studies to date examining provision of, or advice to increase the consumption of, fruit and vegetables in the absence of additional dietary interventions or other lifestyle interventions for the primary prevention of CVD. The limited evidence suggests advice to increase fruit and vegetables as a single intervention has favourable effects on CVD risk factors but more trials are needed to confirm this.