Identifying dietary patterns in Irish schoolchildren and their association with nutritional knowledge and markers of health before and after intervention.

The aim of the study was to identify dietary patterns (DP) and examine differences in anthropometric measures, blood pressure (BP), cardiorespiratory fitness and nutritional knowledge of 6- and 10-year-old children at baseline and following a nutrition and physical activity intervention, with respect to DP and treatment group. This is a longitudinal study. Food diary, nutritional knowledge questionnaire and 550-m walk/run test measured dietary intake, nutritional knowledge and cardiorespiratory fitness, respectively. BP, weight, height and waist circumference were also measured and BMI and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were derived. All measurements were performed at baseline and following intervention. Two primary schools (one intervention, one control) in Cork, Ireland, were selected. Participants were 6- (n 39, age 5·9 (sd 0·6) years) and 10- (n 49, age 9·8 (sd 0·5) years)-year-olds. Two DP were identified, using k-means cluster analysis, for both 6- (unhealthy and nutrient-dense) and 10-year-olds (processed and Western diet) at baseline. DP derived post-intervention were (1) plant-based and (2) processed foods for 6-year-olds and (1) nutrient-dense and (2) unhealthy for 10-year-olds. There was no statistically significant difference in DP for 6- and 10-year-olds at baseline and post-intervention (P > 0·05). Following the intervention, a multivariate ANOVA showed there were no statistically significant differences in nutritional knowledge, BMI, WHtR, cardiorespiratory fitness and BP based on DP and intervention/control group for both age groups (P > 0·05). Three out of four dietary patterns identified for 6- and 10-year-olds were unfavourable. While no statistically significant evidence of intervention impact was found on DP, a positive trend was emerging among 10-year-olds.

Dietary protein considerations for muscle protein synthesis and muscle mass preservation in older adults.

Amino acid bioavailability is critical for muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and preservation of skeletal muscle mass (SMM). Ageing is associated with reduced responsiveness of MPS to essential amino acids (EAA). Further, the older adult population experiences anabolic resistance, leading to increased frailty, functional decline and depleted muscle mass preservation, which facilitates the need for increased protein intake to increase their SMM. This review focuses on the role of proteins in muscle mass preservation and examines the contribution of EAA and protein intake patterns to MPS. Leucine is the most widely studied amino acid for its role as a potent stimulator of MPS, though due to inadequate data little is yet known about the role of other EAA. Reaching a conclusion on the best pattern of protein intake has proven difficult due to conflicting studies. A mixture of animal and plant proteins can contribute to increased MPS and potentially attenuate muscle wasting conditions; however, there is limited research on the biological impact of protein blends in older adults. While there is some evidence to suggest that liquid protein foods with higher than the RDA of protein may be the best strategy for achieving high MPS rates in older adults, clinical trials are warranted to confirm an association between food form and SMM preservation. Further research is warranted before adequate recommendations and strategies for optimising SMM in the elderly population can be proposed.

Cheese as a functional food for older adults: comparing the bioactive properties of different cheese matrices following simulated gastrointestinal in vitro digestion.

Age-related changes to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) can impact how food is digested. Studying the effects of these changes can help identify functional foods for older adults. Cheese was digested using two simulated gastrointestinal in vitro digestion (SGID) models representing adult and elderly gastro-intestinal conditions. Antioxidant capacity was measured using DPPH, FRAP and TPC assays. The ability of cheese to inhibit digestive enzymes was determined by the α-glucosidase and lipase inhibition assays. Digestive aging influenced the bioactivity of cheese, as elderly digestates had significantly lower (p < 0.05) antioxidant, α-glucosidase and lipase inhibitory properties compared to adult digestates. However, soft cheese (feta, goats', brie) demonstrated greatest potential with comparable radical scavenging properties and lipase inhibition, greatest FRAP and α-glucosidase inhibitory potential. Despite age-related changes, the bioactive properties of cheese were evident following digestion with an older adult SGID model, suggesting cheese has potential as a functional food for older adults.

Project Spraoi: a two-year longitudinal study on the effectiveness of a school-based nutrition and physical activity intervention on dietary intake, nutritional knowledge and markers of health of Irish schoolchildren.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of a nutrition and physical activity (PA) intervention on dietary intake (DI), nutritional knowledge (NK), blood pressure (BP), anthropometric measures and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of schoolchildren. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. DI, NK, BMI, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), BP and CRF were all measured/calculated prior to (October 2014) and at the end of (June 2016) intervention delivery. SETTING: Two primary schools (one intervention and one control), Cork, Ireland. PARTICIPANTS: Six-year-olds (n 49; mean age = 6·09 (sd 0·33) years) and 10-year-olds (n 52; mean age = 9·90 (sd 0·37) years). RESULTS: There was a large and a moderate statistically significant difference between the change in systolic (P = 0·005, effect size (ES) = 0·165) and diastolic BP (P = 0·023, ES = 0·116), respectively, for 10-year-olds in the intervention and control groups. There was also a large statistically significant difference between the change in WHtR (P = 0·0005, ES = 0·386) and a moderate statistically significant difference between the change in NK (P = 0·027, ES = 0·107) for 10-year-olds in the intervention and control groups. There was a large statistically significant difference between the change in percentage of energy from protein in 10-year-old females (P = 0·021, ES = 0·276) in the intervention and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Project Spraoi is Ireland's first ever school-based intervention that has been evaluated and proven effective in improving DI, NK, WHtR and BP in older primary-school children in one intervention school.

A study of the ability of bioactive extracts from brewers' spent grain to enhance the antioxidant and immunomodulatory potential of food formulations following in vitro digestion.

Bioactivity of a snack-bar, chocolate-drink and yogurt fortified with brewers' spent grain (BSG) phenolic extracts (P2 or B2) or protein hydrolysates (barley protein hydrolysate (BPH), BPH < 3 kDa, BPH < 5 kDa, BPH > 5 kDa) was measured following gastrointestinal in vitro digestion. Concentrations of 0.5 and 0.1% (v/v) digestates were chosen for addition to Caco-2 and Jurkat T cells, respectively. Yogurt and B2 digestate protected against H2O2-induced DNA damage in Caco-2 cells (p < 0.05), by the comet assay. Snack-bar digestates possessed significant (p < 0.05) immunomodulatory effects, measured by ELISA in concanavalin-A stimulated Jurkat T cells. Addition of BPH enhanced (p < 0.05) the IFN-γ reducing capacity of the snack-bar while addition of BPH < 3 and < 5 kDa reduced IL-2 production to a greater extent than unfortified yogurt (p < 0.05). Selected BSG components can enhance the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of foods.

Phenolic-enriched fractions from brewers' spent grain possess cellular antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects in cell culture model systems.

BACKGROUND: Large quantities of brewers' spent grain (BSG), a co-product of the brewing industry, are produced annually. BSG contains hydroxycinnamic acids, and phenolic-rich extracts from BSG have previously demonstrated the ability to protect against oxidant-induced DNA damage. The present study investigated the anti-inflammatory potential of eight phenolic extracts from BSG: four pale (P1-P4) and four black (B1-B4) extracts. RESULTS: BSG extracts were more cytotoxic in Jurkat T than U937 cells, with lower IC50 values in Jurkat T cells, measured using the (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Pale BSG extracts P2 and P3 showed the greatest anti-inflammatory potential, significantly (P < 0.05) reducing interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-4 (IL-4, P2 only), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. In addition, extracts P1-P3 and B2-B4 showed significant (P < 0.05) antioxidant effects, determined by the cellular antioxidant activity assays superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione content (GSH). CONCLUSION: Phenolic extracts from BSG, particularly the pale BSG extracts, have the ability to reduce a stimulated cytokine production and may also protect against cellular oxidative stress. Results of the present study highlight the potential of BSG phenolic extracts to act as functional food ingredients, providing an alternative use and improving the value of this brewing industry co-product.

Brewers' spent grain (BSG) protein hydrolysates decrease hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress and concanavalin-A (con-A) stimulated IFN-γ production in cell culture.

The present study investigated the bioactivity of protein hydrolysates and fractionated hydrolysates prepared from brewers' spent grain (BSG) using proteases, including Alcalase 2.4L, Flavourzyme and Corolase PP. Hydrolysates were designated K-Y, including fractionated hydrolysates with molecular weight (m.w.) < 3, <5 and >5 kDa. Where computable, IC50 values were lower in U937 (1.38-9.78%) than Jurkat T cells (1.15-13.82%). Hydrolysates L, Q and R and fractionated hydrolysates of U and W (<3, <5, >5 kDa) significantly (P < 0.01) protected against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced reduction of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. A fractionated hydrolysate of W (<5 kDa) protected against H2O2-induced DNA damage, P < 0.01. Hydrolysates K, N, P, U, U > 5 kDa, V, V > 5 kDa, W, W > 5 kDa significantly (P < 0.05) reduced a concanavlin-A (con-A) stimulated production of interferon-γ (IFN-γ). In conclusion, BSG protein hydrolysates demonstrate bioactivity in vitro; lower m.w. hydrolysates (<3, <5 kDa) show greatest antioxidant activity and unfractionated or higher m.w. hydrolysates (>5 kDa) possess anti-inflammatory effects.

The hydroxycinnamic acid content of barley and brewers' spent grain (BSG) and the potential to incorporate phenolic extracts of BSG as antioxidants into fruit beverages.

The hydroxycinnamic acid (HA) content of starting barley for brewers' spent grains (BSG), whole BSG and phenolic extracts from BSG was measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and correlated with antioxidant potential. The effect of BSG phenolic extracts on antioxidant activity of fruit beverages was also assessed (using the total phenolic content (TPC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays). The concentration of HA present in barley extract and BSG was in the order of ferulic acid (FA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA) derivatives, FA derivatives, p-CA, caffeic acid (CA) and CA derivatives. Results suggested that brewing and roasting decreased the HA content. Antioxidant activity was significantly (P<0.05) correlated with caffeic acid (R(2)=0.8309) and total HA (R(2)=0.3942) concentrations. Addition of extracts to fruit beverages resulted in a significant (P<0.05) increase in antioxidant activity of cranberry juice, measured by the FRAP assay. In vitro digestion significantly (P<0.05) reduced TPC, DPPH and FRAP activity of the fruit beverages.

Brewers' spent grain; bioactivity of phenolic component, its role in animal nutrition and potential for incorporation in functional foods: a review.

Brewers' spent grain (BSG) is a low-value co-product of the brewing industry produced in large quantities annually. This paper reviews the existing evidence regarding the phenolic component of BSG, focusing on composition, extraction and biofunctions such as antioxidant, anti-atherogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activities. Furthermore, the incorporation of BSG in foodstuffs will be discussed, including the use of BSG as an animal feed supplement and the potential of BSG to be incorporated into foods for human consumption. BSG contains hydroxycinnamic acids including ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid; which have shown bioactivity in the pure form (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic and anti-cancer). Phenolic extracts from BSG have also shown antioxidant potential, by protecting against oxidant-induced DNA damage, possibly by Fe chelation. Studies show that BSG has many benefits when used as a supplement in animal feed, such as increasing milk yield, milkfat content and in providing essential dietary amino acids. The incorporation of BSG in human foods such as cookies and ready-to-eat snacks has resulted in increased protein and fibre contents of the products, where the changes in organoleptic properties are controllable. It can be concluded that the phenolic component of BSG has potential bioactive effects, which are worth pursuing given that the inclusion of BSG into human foodstuffs is viable and beneficial.

Phenolic extracts of brewers' spent grain (BSG) as functional ingredients - assessment of their DNA protective effect against oxidant-induced DNA single strand breaks in U937 cells.

Brewers' spent grain (BSG), a by-product of the brewing industry, contains high amounts of phenolic acids, which have antioxidant effects. The present study examined the ability of BSG extracts to protect against the genotoxic effects of oxidants, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), 3-morpholinosydnonimine hydrochloride (SIN-1), 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) and tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BOOH) in U937 cells. Four pale (P1-P4) and four black (B1-B4) BSG extracts were investigated. U937 cells were pre-incubated with BSG extracts, exposed to the oxidants and the DNA damage was measured by the Comet assay. The black BSG extracts (B1-B4) significantly protected against H(2)O(2)-induced DNA damage. Extract B2, which had the highest phenol content, provided the greatest protection. Extracts P2, B2, B3 and B4 provided significant protection against SIN-1-induced DNA damage. None of the extracts protected against DNA damage induced by t-BOOH and 4-NQO. The DNA protective effects of the BSG phenolic extracts may be related to iron chelation.