Quality Evaluation of Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss Based on Garcinia cambogia.

Food supplements of plant origin for weight control are increasingly being demanded by consumers as a way to promote good health. Among them, those based on Garcinia cambogia (GCFS) are widely commercialized considering their bioactive properties, mainly due to (-)-hydroxycitric acid ((-)-HCA). However, recently, controversy has arisen over their safety; thus, further research and continuous monitoring of their composition is required. Hence, in this work, a multi-analytical approach was followed to determine not only (-)-HCA but also other constituents of 18 GCFS, which could be used as quality markers to detect fraudulent practices in these samples. Discrepancies between the declared (-)-HCA content and that experimentally determined were detected by LC-UV in 33% of the samples. Moreover, GC-MS analyses of GCFS allowed the detection of different compounds not present in G. cambogia fruits and not declared on supplement labels, probably related to heat exposure or to the addition of excipients or other extracts. This multi-analytical methodology is shown to be advantageous to address different fraudulent practices affecting the quality of these supplements.

Microwave Assisted Extraction of Bioactive Carbohydrates from Different Morphological Parts of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

Despite the nutritional properties of alfalfa, its production is mainly for animal feed and it is undervalued as a food source. In this study, the valorization of alfalfa as a potential source of bioactive carbohydrates [inositols, α-galactooligosaccharides (α-GOS)] is presented. A Box-Behnken experimental design was used to optimize the extraction of these carbohydrates from leaves, stems, and seeds of alfalfa by solid-liquid extraction (SLE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). Optimal extraction temperatures were similar for both treatments (40 °C leaves, 80 °C seeds); however, SLE required longer times (32.5 and 60 min vs. 5 min). In general, under similar extraction conditions, MAE provided higher yields of inositols (up to twice) and α-GOS (up to 7 times); hence, MAE was selected for their extraction from 13 alfalfa samples. Pinitol was the most abundant inositol of leaves and stems (24.2-31.0 mg·g-1 and 15.5-22.5 mg·g-1, respectively) while seed extracts were rich in α-GOS, mainly in stachyose (48.8-84.7 mg·g-1). In addition, inositols and α-GOS concentrations of lyophilized MAE extracts were stable for up to 26 days at 50 °C. These findings demonstrate that alfalfa is a valuable source of bioactive carbohydrates and MAE a promising alternative technique to obtain functional extracts.

Development of a microwave-assisted extraction method for the recovery of bioactive inositols from lettuce (Lactuca sativa) byproducts.

A microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method was developed for the extraction of bioactive inositols (D-chiro- and myo-inositols) from lettuce (Lactuca sativa) leaves as a strategy for the revalorization of these agrofood residues. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was selected for the simultaneous determination of inositols and sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) in these samples. A Box-Behnken experimental design was used to maximize the extraction of inositols based on the results of single factor tests. Optimal conditions of the extraction process were as follows: liquid-to-solid ratio of 100:1 v/w, 40°C, 30 min extraction time, 20:80 ethanol:water (v/v), and one extraction cycle. When compared with conventional solid-liquid extraction (SLE), MAE was found to be more effective for the extraction of target bioactive carbohydrates (MAE 5.42 mg/g dry sample versus SLE 4.01 mg/g dry sample). Then, MAE methodology was applied to the extraction of inositols from L. sativa leaves of different varieties (var. longifolia, var. capitata and var. crispa). D-chiro- and myo-inositol contents varied between 0.57-7.15 and 0.83-3.48 mg/g dry sample, respectively. Interfering sugars were removed from the extracts using a biotechnological procedure based on the use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for 24 h. The developed methodology was a good alternative to classical procedures to obtain extracts enriched in inositols from lettuce residues, which could be of interest for the agrofood industry.

Valoración del estado nutricional de la población escolar del municipio de Argelia, Colombia / An assessment of the nutritional status of a school-aged population from Argelia, Colombia

Objetivo La situación de malnutrición afecta la mayor parte las zonas rurales de Colombia, involucrando principalmente la comunidad escolar. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la situación nutricional de los estudiantes de la Institución Educativa Agrícola del municipio de Argelia (n=1528) ubicado en el suroccidente colombiano en el Departamento del Cauca. Métodos Se tomaron medidas de peso y talla y se determinó el estado nutricional a partir del índice de masa corporal (IMC) de acuerdo a los criterios definidos por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Las mediciones antropométricas fueron analizadas a través de medidas de tendencia central estratificadas por género y rangos de edad. Para precisar la significancia estadística de algunas de las diferencias más importantes observadas entre los indicadores del estudio, se calculó el "error estándar de la diferencia" y se verificó tal significancia al nivel de 0.05. Resultados A partir del análisis del peso (P/E) y talla para la edad (T/E) e índice de masa corporal (IMC) se estableció una prevalencia de desnutrición y delgadez en niños y niñas entre 5 a 10 años, una tendencia hacia la obesidad en adolescentes y retraso en crecimiento tanto en niños como en adolescentes. Conclusiones Los resultados sugieren promoción de actividades deportivas a temprana edad, capacitación en hábitos de alimentación saludable a los escolares y sus familias, y se constituyen en un soporte científico para la planeación de estrategias de prevención y control de las entidades estatales de salud.(AU)

Objective Malnutrition affects most rural areas in Colombian, mainly involving the school-aged population. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of students (n=1,528) attending an Agricultural College in the town of Argelia in south-western Colombia in the Cauca department. Methods The school-aged children’s weight and height were measured and their nutritional status was determined from their body mass index (BMI), according to criteria defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Anthropometric measurements were analyzed by means of measures of central tendency, stratified by gender and age. The standard error of the difference was estimated to specify the statistical significance of some of the most important differences observed between study indicators; such significance was verified at 0.05 level. Results Prevalence regarding malnutrition and thinness in 5-10 years-old children, a trend towards obesity in adolescents and growth retardation in children and adolescents was established from analysis of the children’s weight (P/E), height for age (H/A) and BMI. Conclusions The results suggested that sports should be encouraged at an early age, as well as training school children and their families regarding healthy eating habits and thus provide scientific support for planning government healthcare agencies’ prevention and control strategies.(AU)

[An assessment of the nutritional status of a school-aged population from Argelia, Colombia]. / Valoración del estado nutricional de la población escolar del municipio de Argelia, Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: Malnutrition affects most rural areas in Colombian, mainly involving the school-aged population. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of students (n=1,528) attending an Agricultural College in the town of Argelia in south-western Colombia in the Cauca department. METHODS: The school-aged children’s weight and height were measured and their nutritional status was determined from their body mass index (BMI), according to criteria defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Anthropometric measurements were analyzed by means of measures of central tendency, stratified by gender and age. The standard error of the difference was estimated to specify the statistical significance of some of the most important differences observed between study indicators; such significance was verified at 0.05 level. RESULTS: Prevalence regarding malnutrition and thinness in 5-10 years-old children, a trend towards obesity in adolescents and growth retardation in children and adolescents was established from analysis of the children’'s weight (P/E), height for age (H/A) and BMI. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that sports should be encouraged at an early age, as well as training school children and their families regarding healthy eating habits and thus provide scientific support for planning government healthcare agencies’ prevention and control strategies.