Fine-Scale Dietary Polyphenol Intake Is Associated with Systemic and Gastrointestinal Inflammation in Healthy Adults.

BACKGROUND: Polyphenols are dietary bioactive compounds, many of which have anti-inflammatory properties. However, information on the intake of dietary polyphenols at the class and compound levels and their associations with gastrointestinal (GI) and systemic inflammation is lacking. OBJECTIVES: Estimate dietary polyphenol intake in healthy adults and examine its relationship with GI and systemic inflammation markers. METHODS: Healthy adults (n = 350) completed the United States Department of Agriculture Nutritional Phenotyping Study, an observational, cross-sectional study balanced for age, sex, and body mass index. Dietary intake, assessed via multiple 24-h recalls, was ingredientized and mapped to FooDB, a comprehensive food composition database. Dietary polyphenol intake (total, class, compound) was estimated and examined for its relationship to GI and systemic inflammation markers using linear models and random forest regressions. RESULTS: Mean total polyphenol intake was ∼914 mg/1000 kcal/d with flavonoids as the greatest class contributor (495 mg/1000 kcal/d). Tea, coffee, and fruits were among the largest food contributors to polyphenol intake. Total polyphenol intake was negatively associated with the GI inflammation marker, fecal calprotectin (ß = -0.004, P = 0.04). At the class level, polyphenols were categorized as prenol lipids (ß = -0.94, P < 0.01) and phenylpropanoic acids (ß = -0.92, P < 0.01) were negatively associated with plasma lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, a proxy for GI permeability. Food sources of these 2 classes included mainly olive products. We further detected a positive association between C-reactive protein and polyphenols in the "cinnamic acids and derivatives" class using hierarchical feature engineering and random forest modeling. CONCLUSIONS: Even in healthy adults, dietary polyphenol intake was negatively associated with GI inflammation and intake of prenol lipids and phenylpropanoic acids was negatively associated with GI permeability. Relationships between polyphenol intake and inflammatory outcomes varied with the resolution-total, class, compound-of polyphenol intake, suggesting a nuanced impact of polyphenols on GI and systemic inflammation. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02367287.

Food environment research in Canada: a rapid review of methodologies and measures deployed between 2010 and 2021.

Numerous research methodologies have been used to examine food environments. Existing reviews synthesizing food environment measures have examined a limited number of domains or settings and none have specifically targeted Canada. This rapid review aimed to 1) map research methodologies and measures that have been used to assess food environments; 2) examine what food environment dimensions and equity related-factors have been assessed; and 3) identify research gaps and priorities to guide future research. A systematic search of primary articles evaluating the Canadian food environment in a real-world setting was conducted. Publications in English or French published in peer-reviewed journals between January 1 2010 and June 17 2021 and indexed in Web of Science, CAB Abstracts and Ovid MEDLINE were considered. The search strategy adapted an internationally-adopted food environment monitoring framework covering 7 domains (Food Marketing; Labelling; Prices; Provision; Composition; Retail; and Trade and Investment). The final sample included 220 articles. Overall, Trade and Investment (1%, n = 2), Labelling (7%, n = 15) and, to a lesser extent, Prices (14%, n = 30) were the least studied domains in Canada. Among Provision articles, healthcare (2%, n = 1) settings were underrepresented compared to school (67%, n = 28) and recreation and sport (24%, n = 10) settings, as was the food service industry (14%, n = 6) compared to grocery stores (86%, n = 36) in the Composition domain. The study identified a vast selection of measures employed in Canada overall and within single domains. Equity-related factors were only examined in half of articles (n = 108), mostly related to Retail (n = 81). A number of gaps remain that prevent a holistic and systems-level analysis of food environments in Canada. As Canada continues to implement policies to improve the quality of food environments in order to improve dietary patterns, targeted research to address identified gaps and harmonize methods across studies will help evaluate policy impact over time.

Validity of food and nutrient intakes assessed by a food frequency questionnaire among Chinese adults.

BACKGROUND: Studies regarding the validity of the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and the food composition table (FCT) are limited in Asian countries. We aimed to evaluate the validity of a 64-item FFQ and different methods of constructing the FFQ FCTs for assessing dietary intakes of foods and nutrients among adults in eastern China. METHODS: A total of 2325 participants (aged 56.2 ± 14.9 years, 51.6% female) from nine cities in Zhejiang province who completed a 64-item FFQ and 3-day 24-hour dietary recalls (24HRs) in 2015 were included. Eight FFQ FCTs were generated covering food items and specific weights estimated using professional knowledge, representative 24HRs data, or the Chinese FCT (CFCT). Energy-adjusted intakes of foods and nutrients were estimated by residual and energy density methods. Spearman correlation coefficients (SCCs) of intakes of 14 food groups and 17 nutrients between FFQ and 24HRs were calculated to evaluate the overall validity of FFQ. RESULTS: The average intakes of most food groups and nutrients assessed with FFQ were higher than those assessed using the 24HRs. For the food groups, the averaged energy-adjusted (residual method) SCC between FFQ and 24HRs was 0.27, ranging from 0.14 (starch-rich beans) to 0.49 (aquatic products). For nutrient assessment, the weighted FCT (WFCT) performs the best, and the averaged energy-adjusted (residual method) SCC was 0.26, ranging from 0.16 (iron) to 0.37 (potassium). Similar correlations with 24HRs were observed when using other FFQ FCT in the calculation of nutrient intakes. CONCLUSION: The 64-item Chinese FFQ and the WFCT were reasonably valid to assess the dietary intakes of certain foods and nutrients among adults in eastern China.

Evidence that carbohydrate-to-fat ratio and taste, but not energy density or NOVA level of processing, are determinants of food liking and food reward.

This virtual (online) study tested the common but largely untested assumptions that food energy density, level of processing (NOVA categories), and carbohydrate-to-fat (CF) ratio are key determinants of food reward. Individual participants (224 women and men, mean age 35 y, 53% with healthy weight, 43% with overweight or obesity) were randomised to one of three, within-subjects, study arms: energy density (32 foods), or level of processing (24 foods), or CF ratio (24 foods). They rated the foods for taste pleasantness (liking), desire to eat (food reward), and sweetness, saltiness, and flavour intensity (for analysis averaged as taste intensity). Against our hypotheses, there was not a positive relationship between liking or food reward and either energy density or level of processing. As hypothesised, foods combining more equal energy amounts of carbohydrate and fat (combo foods), and foods tasting more intense, scored higher on both liking and food reward. Further results were that CF ratio, taste intensity, and food fibre content (negatively), independent of energy density, accounted for 56% and 43% of the variance in liking and food reward, respectively. We interpret the results for CF ratio and fibre in terms of food energy-to-satiety ratio (ESR), where ESR for combo foods is high, and ESR for high-fibre foods is low. We suggest that the metric of ESR should be considered when designing future studies of effects of food composition on food reward, preference, and intake.

Nutrient clustering, NOVA classification, and nutrient profiling: How do they overlap, and what do they predict about food palatability?

We compared the performance of three food categorisation metrics in predicting palatability (taste pleasantness) using a dataset of 52 foods, each rated virtually (online) by 72-224 participants familiar with the foods in question, as described in Appetite 193 (2024) 107124. The metrics were nutrient clustering, NOVA, and nutrient profiling. The first two of these metrics were developed to identify, respectively: 'hyper-palatable' foods (HPFs); and ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which are claimed to be 'made to be hyper-palatable'. The third metric categorises foods as high fat, sugar, salt (HFSS) foods versus non-HFSS foods. There were overlaps, but also significant differences, in categorisation of the foods by the three metrics: of the 52 foods, 35 (67%) were categorised as HPF, and/or UPF, and/or HFSS, and 17 (33%) were categorised as none of these. There was no significant difference in measured palatability between HPFs and non-HPFs, nor between UPFs and non-UPFs (p ≥ 0.412). HFSS foods were significantly more palatable than non-HFSS foods (p = 0.049). None of the metrics significantly predicted food reward (desire to eat). These results do not support the use of hypothetical combinations of food ingredients as proxies for palatability, as done explicitly by the nutrient clustering and NOVA metrics. To discover what aspects of food composition predict palatability requires measuring the palatability of a wide range of foods that differ in composition, as we do here.

Ultra-Processed Food Consumption, Poorer Nutritional Quality, and Lower Muscle Mass in Immediate and Late Postkidney Transplant Periods.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in the immediate (2 months after transplantation) and late post-transplant (14 months after transplantation) periods among kidney transplant patients and to examine its correlation with nutritional quality and body composition. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of 96 kidney transplant recipients divided into 2 groups: immediate post-transplant (n = 71) and late post-transplant (n = 25). Sociodemographic, anthropometric, and laboratory data were collected and grouped in a database. Food intake was evaluated by a validated food frequency questionnaire and foods were divided according to the NOVA classification system. The consumption of UPFs was calculated and statistical analyses were performed to evaluate its correlation with nutritional components and body composition. RESULTS: The consumption of UPFs was 649.4 [420.0-1061.72] kcal/day, accounting for 33.3 ± 11.9% of the total daily energy intake. The immediate post-transplant group showed higher total daily energy and UPFs intake compared to the late post-transplant group (P = .002 and P = .046, respectively), although the energy contribution of UPFs was similar between both groups. UPFs intake was positively correlated with higher percentages of total fat, trans fat, saturated, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, starch, and sodium (P < .05 for all analyses). An inverse correlation was observed between UPFs consumption and the percentage of protein and carbohydrates in the food intake (P = .025 and P = .008, respectively). In the immediate post-transplant group, a higher intake of UPFs was correlated with lower muscle mass (r = -0.250, P = .037). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study reveal a pattern of increased consumption of UPFs among kidney transplant patients in comparison to the national average. This higher intake of UPFs was correlated with lower nutritional quality during both periods. Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between UPFs consumption and adverse body composition parameters, specifically in the immediate post-transplant period.

Heat Resistance, Virulence, and Gene Expression of Desiccation-Adapted Salmonella Enteritidis During Long-Term Storage in Low-Water Activity Foods.

Desiccation stress could induce crossprotection and even affect virulence of Salmonella enterica. However, the influence of food matrices with low-water activity on desiccation adaptation of Salmonella still remains unclear. This study investigated the survival and adaptation of Salmonella Enteritidis in skim milk powder, ginger powder, and chocolate powder under desiccation storage conditions for a total of 12 weeks. High survival rates of Salmonella Enteritidis in all food matrices maintained over the long-term desiccation storage. Desiccation-adapted Salmonella Enteritidis enhanced heat resistance (p < 0.05) with the increase of storage time. Food composition plays an important role in the induction of crossresistance of desiccation-adapted Salmonella. After desiccation storage, Salmonella Enteritidis in ginger powder was most tolerant to heat treatment. Salmonella Enteritidis in skim milk powder was most resistant to the gastrointestinal simulation environment, and had strongest adhesion to Caco-2 cells. The effects of food composition on gene expression (rpoS, proV, otsA, otsB, grpE, dnaK, rpoH, and sigDE) in desiccation-adapted Salmonella Enteritidis were not significant (p > 0.05). At initial desiccation storage, osmotic protection-related genes (fadA, proV, otsA, and otsB), stress response regulator (rpoS), and heat-resistance-related genes (grpE, dnaK, and rpoH) were all significantly upregulated (p < 0.05). However, after 4-week storage, the expression level of desiccation-related genes, proV, otsA, otsB, grpE, dnaK, and rpoH, significantly decreased (p < 0.05). This study enables a better understanding of Salmonella's responses to long-term desiccation stress in different kinds of low-water activity foods.

Determination of vitamin c in raw fruit and vegetable homogenates: dietary exposure and health effects of excess intake in adults and children.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine Vitamin C content in some fruits and vegetables (FAV) including apple, banana, orange, pineapple, watermelon, carrot and cucumber, sold in the local markets in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria as well as Vitamin C content in two-component and three-component homogenates FAV. The work was also designed to investigate the dietary exposure and health effects of excess vitamin C intake in adults and children. Material and methods: Vitamin C as total ascorbic acid (AA) after reduction of dehydroascorbic acid was analyzed using both titrimetric and spectrophotometric methods. The titrimetric method involved iodometric back-titration while the spectrophotometric method was done at an absorbance of 530 nm. The dietary exposure was evaluated as the total FAV intake multiplied by chemical concentration in the FAV whereas the health effect of excess vitamin C intake was conducted using the hazard quotient (HQ). Results: The results revealed that Vitamin C for single fruits ranged from 11.76 - 41.17 mg/L for spectroscopic method and 16.9 - 31.84 mg/L for titrimetric method. Fruit homogenates showed Vitamin C concentrations of 14.70 - 220.58 mg/L and 17.23 - 209.09 mg/L for two-components homogenates: 29.41-132.35 mg/L and 31.05-113.10 mg/L for tri-components homogenates for spectrophotometric and titrimetric methods respectively. The results of dietary exposure and the health effects of excess vitamin C intake showed that children are more susceptible to health issues than adults in illnesses such as nausea, gastrointestinal pains, increased kidney stones and hyperactivity. Conclusion: There is therefore the need for a national recommended dietary allowance for total ascorbic acid (AA) in FAV homogenates from a stakeholder point of view in Nigeria.

National Food Intake Assessment: Technologies to Advance Traditional Methods.

National dietary surveillance produces dietary intake data used for various purposes including development and evaluation of national policies in food and nutrition. Since 2000, What We Eat in America, the dietary component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, has collected dietary data and reported on the dietary intake of the US population. Continual innovations are required to improve methods of data collection, quality, and relevance. This review article evaluates the strengths and limitations of current and newer methods in national dietary data collection, underscoring the use of technology and emerging technology applications. We offer four objectives for national dietary surveillance that serve as guiding principles in the evaluation. Moving forward, national dietary surveillance must take advantage of new technologies for their potential in enhanced efficiency and objectivity in data operations while continuing to collect accurate dietary information that is standardized, validated, and publicly transparent.

A critical review of the occurrence of scandium and yttrium in mushrooms.

Scandium (Sc) and Yttrium (Y) along with the other rare earth elements (REE) are being increasingly extracted to meet the escalating demand for their use in modern high technology applications. Concern has been voiced that releases from this escalating usage may pollute environments, including the habitats of wild species of mushrooms, many of which are foraged and prized as foods. This review collates the scarce information on occurrence of these elements in wild mushrooms and also reviews soil substrate levels, including forested habitats. Sc and Y occurred at lower levels in mushrooms (<1.0-1000 µg kg-1 dw for Sc and<1.8-1500 µg kg-1 dw for Y) compared to the corresponding range for the sum of the lanthanides in the same species (16-8400 µg kg-1 dw). The reported species showed considerably more variation in Y contents than Sc which show a narrow median distribution range (20-40 µg kg-1 dw). Data allowing temporal examination was very limited but showed no increasing trend between the 1970s to 2019, nor were any geographical influences apparent. The study of the essentiality, toxicity or other effects of REE including Sc and Y at levels of current dietary intake are as yet undefined. High intake scenarios using the highest median concentrations of Sc and Y, resulted in daily intakes of 1.2 and 3.3 µg respectively from 300 g portions of mushroom meals. These could be considered as low unless future toxicological insights make these intake levels relevant.

Nanoarchitectonics of graphene based sensors for food safety monitoring.

Since the desire for the real-time food quality monitoring, plenty of research effort has been made to develop novel tools and to offer extremely efficient detection of food contaminants. Unique electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties make graphene an important material in the field of sensor research. The material can be manufactured into flakes, sheets, films and with its oxidized derivatives could be almost used for a limitless set of application. Herein, current graphene-based sensors for food quality monitoring, novel designs, sensing mechanisms and elements of sensor systems and potential challenges will be outlined and discussed.

Intake and sources of dietary fibre and dietary fibre fractions in Finnish children.

The current definition of dietary fibre was adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 2009, but implementation requires updating food composition databases with values based on appropriate analysis methods. Previous data on population intakes of dietary fibre fractions are sparse. We studied the intake and sources of total dietary fibre (TDF) and dietary fibre fractions insoluble dietary fibre (IDF), dietary fibre soluble in water but insoluble in 76 % aqueous ethanol (SDFP) and dietary fibre soluble in water and soluble in 76 % aqueous ethanol (SDFS) in Finnish children based on new CODEX-compliant values of the Finnish National Food Composition Database Fineli. Our sample included 5193 children at increased genetic risk of type 1 diabetes from the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention birth cohort, born between 1996 and 2004. We assessed the intake and sources based on 3-day food records collected at the ages of 6 months, 1, 3 and 6 years. Both absolute and energy-adjusted intakes of TDF were associated with age, sex and breast-feeding status of the child. Children of older parents, parents with a higher level of education, non-smoking mothers and children with no older siblings had higher energy-adjusted TDF intake. IDF was the major dietary fibre fraction in non-breastfed children, followed by SDFP and SDFS. Cereal products, fruits and berries, potatoes and vegetables were major food sources of dietary fibre. Breast milk was a major source of dietary fibre in 6-month-olds due to its human milk oligosaccharide content and resulted in high SDFS intakes in breastfed children.

Expansion of an Australian food composition database to estimate plant and animal intakes.

Despite evidence for favourable health outcomes associated with plant-based diets, a database containing the plant and animal content of all foods eaten is required to undertake a reliable assessment of plant-based diets within a population. This study aimed to expand an existing Australian food database to include the plant and animal content of all whole foods, beverages, multi-ingredient products and mixed dishes. Twenty-three plant- and animal-based food group classifications were first defined. The food servings per 100 g of each product were then systematically calculated using either a recipe-based approach, a food label-based approach, estimates based on similar products or online recipes. Overall, 4687 (83·5 %) foods and beverages were identified as plant or plant-containing products, and 3701 (65·9 %) were animal or animal-containing products. Results highlighted the versatility of plant and animal ingredients as they were found in various foods across many food categories, including savoury and sweet foods, as well as discretionary and core foods. For example, over 97 % of animal fat-containing foods were found in major food groups outside the AUSNUT 2011-2013 'fats and oils' group. Surprisingly, fruits, nuts and seeds were present in a greater percentage of discretionary products than in core foods and beverages. This article describes a systematic approach that is suitable for the development of other novel food databases. This database allows more accurate quantitative estimates of plant and animal intakes, which is significant for future epidemiological and clinical research aiming to investigate plant-based diets and their related health outcomes.

The relation of whole grain surrogate estimates and food definition to total whole grain intake in the Finnish adult population.

OBJECTIVES: Challenges in estimating total whole grain intake have led to the use of surrogate estimates, of which accuracy has not been assessed. We examined the suitability of five potential surrogates (dietary fiber; bread; rye bread; rye, oat and barley combined; rye) and a whole grain food definition to measure total whole grain intake in the Finnish adult population. METHODS: Our data comprised 5094 Finnish adults participating in the national FinHealth 2017 Study. Dietary intake was assessed by a validated FFQ. Food and nutrient intakes, including total whole grain, were calculated utilizing the Finnish Food Composition Database. The Healthgrain Forum whole grain food definition was applied to examine definition-based whole grain intake. Spearman correlations and quintile cross-classifications were calculated. RESULTS: Definition-based whole grain intake and consumption of rye, oat and barley combined had consistently the strongest correspondence with total whole grain intake. Rye and rye bread consumption also corresponded well with total whole grain intake. The correspondences of dietary fiber and bread with total whole grain were lower and more affected by the exclusion of energy under-reporters. Furthermore, their correlations with total whole grain intake varied the most between population subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Rye-based estimates, especially rye, oat and barley combined, and definition-based whole grain intake appeared suitable surrogate estimates of total whole grain intake for epidemiological research of Finnish adults. The variation between surrogate estimates in their correspondence with total whole grain intake demonstrated the need for further evaluation of their accuracy in different populations and regarding specific health outcomes.

Folates in various African foods: Contents, food processing and matrix effects.

Poor folate status is implicated in a wide variety of health disorders including megaloblastic anaemia, neural tube defects, and cardiovascular diseases. Human diet remains the main provider par excellence. Despite several public-health options to overcome this micronutrient deficiency, dietary folate intakes of women of childbearing age and children are still below recommendations in many African countries. Therefore, this review aims at presenting the current knowledge on folate contents in various African foods, and on folate losses during food processing. Seventy one food sources were evaluated in this study. These various food sources included thirty six vegetables, six cereals, height cereal products, six processed leafy vegetables, six pulses, three fruits, three legumes and three roots. All of them were originated from six African countries including Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa. Folate content ranged between 11 and 73.4 µg/100 g in cereals, 1.8 and 39 µg/100 g in cereal-based processed foods, 8.48 and 48.6 µg/100 g in cooked leafy vegetables, 11.6 and 633 µg/100 g in vegetables, 10 and 22 µg/100 g in pulses, 52 and 148 µg/100 g in legumes, 8 and 106 µg/100 g in fruits. The structure of the food matrix has been shown to influence folate digestibility in foods. High bioaccessible folate, assessed by in vitro digestion, was observed among food products with dense porosity structures while low bioaccessible folate was recorded among food products with open porous structures such as porridges and some gelatinized doughs. Numerous food processing steps have also been shown to influence negatively folate contents in foods.

A Comparative Analysis on the Environmental Impact of Selected Methods for Determining the Profile of Fatty Acids in Cheese.

The fatty acid profile of cheese influences its sensory parameters, such as color, texture, or flavor. Examining the fatty acid profile also helps to assess the nutritional value of the cheese that is being tested. However, the determination of fatty acids in cheese samples is a multi-stage and time-consuming task. In addition, large amounts of toxic organic solvents are used to prepare samples for analysis purposes. This paper presents the results of a study to determine the fatty acid profile of yellow cheese samples. Six different methods of sample preparation were compared for analysis purposes. The profile of fatty acids was determined using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The study showed significant differences (p > 0.05) in the resulting fatty acid profile between the methods used. It was found that the most reliable fatty acid profile results were obtained using methods derived from the Folch method. In addition, tools such as the Analytical Eco-Scale tool and the Analytical Greenness Metric for Sample Preparation (AGREEprep) tool were used to assess the greenness of the methods used. In the case of the Analytical Eco-Scale tool, all six methods scored 'acceptable green analysis' with scores ranging from 61 to 73. However, an evaluation of methods using the AGREEprep metric showed that the results of the methods (0.13-0.27) did not show the "greenness" of the analytical methods.

Application of Gas-Liquid Microextraction (GLME)/GC-MS for Flavour and Fragrance in Ice Cream Detection and Composition Analysis.

Under gas-liquid microextraction (GLME) operating conditions (extraction temperature 270 °C, extraction time 7 min, condensation temperature -2 °C, and carrier nitrogen gas speed 2.5 mL/min), ice cream samples, as a representative food, were pre-treated. The volatile aroma components of each sample was qualitatively analysed using GC-MS. The principal component analysis was conducted to classify the functional groups, which showed that alcohols, acids, esters, ketones, and aldehydes were the main compounds responsible for the aroma of ice cream. It was found that furan-3-carboxaldehyde, 3-furanmethanol, 2(5H)-furanone, 5-methylfuranal, 2,5-diformylfuran, 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, ethyl maltol, and glycerol were routinely used flavour ingredients in ice cream.

Underutilized Crocus Sativus L. Flowers: A Hidden Source of Sustainable High Value-Added Ingredients.

Crocus sativus L. is used as a spice due to its organoleptic characteristics. Only flower stigmas are used for its production, as the rest of the flower is discarded as waste. This fact represents a lack of sustainability, since around 230,000 flowers are necessary to produce 1 kg of saffron. The main aim of this study was to contribute to the valorization of Crocus sativus L. spice and its floral by-products, through the study of their nutritional value and composition, in terms of hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds, as well as their functional properties. The results showed that saffron stigmas and floral bio-residues presented high contents of fiber, and the most abundant macronutrient were the carbohydrates, followed by proteins, and a low content in fats. All samples had high concentrations of glucose, fructose, lactic and malic acids, and minerals, mainly K, Ca and Mg. Furthermore, the polyunsaturated fatty acids were predominant, being linoleic acid (C18:2n6) the most abundant. Therefore, this research provides more in-depth information about the composition of saffron stigmas and floral by-products, to be considered as promising sources for the development of functional ingredients with new applications in the food industry.

Effect of diet on gut microbiota diversity in mandarin ducks (Aix galericulata) revealed by Illumina high-throughput sequencing.

The animal gut is a dynamic ecosystem. Many factors affect the structure and diversity of the gut microbiota, among which the composition of the diet is a direct determinant. To investigate the effect of dietary components on the gut microbiota of mandarin duck, nine fecal samples were collected from two foraging sites at Shiqian Mandarin Duck Lake National Wetland Park, Guizhou, China. We analyzed the chloroplast rbcL gene, mitochondrial COI gene, and 16S rRNA gene from the total DNA of the fecal samples by high-throughput sequencing to identify plant and animal components of the diet and the composition of the gut microbiota of mandarin duck. We found that the gut microbiota composition was significantly correlated with the number of species in the diet. Mandarin ducks with more diverse diets had a more complex gut microbiota with fewer pathogenic bacteria. This study provides further theoretical support for the effect of dietary differences on the structure of the host gut microbiota and clarifies the feeding preferences of mandarin duck in breeding areas.

Minerals in edible seaweed: health benefits and food safety issues.

An adequate daily intake of minerals is essential for the prevention of chronic nutrition-related and degenerative diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Seaweeds are marine aquatic vegetable that are rich in nutrients. They also have a natural and sustainable origin and clean and renewable sources when they come from marine aquaculture or controlled fisheries. Seaweeds have high nutritional value as a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and especially minerals. They are known for their high mineral content, which is gathered from seawater depending on the seasonal variation and the environment. Seaweeds are consequently rich in macro-elements and trace elements, with a mineral content at least 10 times higher than terrestrial plants and reaching 20-50% of its dry weight. Therefore, seaweeds can make an important contribution to the daily intake of minerals and are a promising source of essential minerals for functional food, food supplements, and nutraceuticals. The aim of the present review is to compare the contents of essential minerals (K, Ca, Na, P, Cu, Fe, Se, Mn, Zn, Mg, Cr, and I) as well as potential toxic minerals (Hg, Pb, Cd, As, and Al) in 14 main edible seaweeds that have availability of biomass from harvest and aquaculture. Another goal is to establish their safety in foods and contributions to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and adequate intake (AI) values.