Metabolic changes in response to varying whole-grain wheat and rye intake.

Epidemiological studies have shown associations between whole-grain intake and lowered disease risk. A sufficient level of whole-grain intake to reach the health benefits has not been established, and there is limited knowledge about the impact of whole-grain intake on metabolite levels. In this clinical intervention study, we aimed to identify plasma and urine metabolites associated with two different intake levels of whole-grain wheat and rye and to correlate them with clinical plasma biomarkers. Healthy volunteers (N = 68) were divided into two groups receiving either whole-grain wheat or whole-grain rye in two four-week interventions with 48 and 96 g/d of whole grains consumed. The metabolomics of the plasma samples was performed with UPLC-QTOF-MS. Plasma alkylresorcinols were quantified with GC-MS and plasma and urinary mammalian lignans with HPLC-ECD. The high-dose intervention impacted the metabolite profile, including microbial metabolites, more in the rye-enriched diet compared with wheat. Among the increased metabolites were alkylresorcinol glucuronides, sinapyl alcohol, and pipecolic acid betaine, while the decreased metabolites included acylcarnitines and ether lipids. Plasma alkylresorcinols, urinary enterolactone, and total mammalian lignans reflected the study diets in a dose-dependent manner. Several key metabolites linked with whole-grain consumption and gut microbial metabolism increased in a linear manner between the two interventions. The results reveal that an increase in whole-grain intake, particularly rye, is strongly reflected in the metabolite profile, is correlated with clinical variables, and suggests that a diet rich in whole grains promotes the growth and/or metabolism of microbes producing potentially beneficial microbial metabolites.

Worms and welfare: Behavioural and physiological changes associated with gastrointestinal nematode parasitism in lambs.

Parasitism with gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) is a worldwide issue impacting negatively on animal production, health, and welfare. Therefore, early diagnostic signs of parasitism are required to allow for timely interventions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavioural and physiological changes in lambs associated with GIN infection. We used 30, 8-month-old Romney-cross wethers, that were administered anthelmintics until faecal egg counts (FEC) were zero and housed in an indoor facility. The study lasted 9 weeks, which comprised a 3-week pre-treatment, and a 6-week treatment phase. Lambs were randomly assigned to one of two treatments (n = 15/treatment) trickle-dosed with: 1) 1500 infective third stage larvae (L3) three days/week for 6 weeks (27,000 total L3; challenged), or 2) water 3 days/week for 6 weeks (control). Within each pen there were 5 pairs of lambs (balanced for liveweight), with each pair comprising a challenged and control lamb. Blood, faecal, and saliva samples were collected 1 week pre-treatment and weekly for 6 weeks of treatment. Behaviour was observed (e.g., feeding, lying, standing) from video-camera recordings using scan sampling every 5 min for 8 h, 1 day pre-treatment and on the day immediately prior to physiological sampling across the 6-week treatment phase (7 days in total). Accelerometers were attached to each lamb to continuously monitor behaviour from 3 weeks pre-treatment and for the remainder of the study. Liveweight, body condition, faecal soiling and faecal consistency scoring were performed weekly as was lipidomic analysis of plasma samples. From week 2 of treatment, challenged lambs spent less time feeding and more time lying than control lambs until week 5 of treatment (P ≤ 0.01). At week 3 of treatment, elevated lipids (mainly triglycerides and phospholipids), loose faeces and faecal soiling around the anus were observed in challenged lambs compared with controls (P ≤ 0.05). From week 4 of treatment, FEC were elevated in the challenged compared to control lambs (P ≤ 0.05). There was also lower liveweight gain at 4 and 5 weeks of treatment in the challenged lambs compared with control lambs (P ≤ 0.05). These results show a clear timeline of changes in behaviour (e.g., feeding and lying), lipids such as triglycerides, and digestive function (e.g., faecal soiling) suggestive of GIN subclinical disease, which show promise for use in future studies on early identification of subclinical GIN parasitism in lambs.

Metabolomic evolution of the postpartum dairy cow uterus.

High rates of early pregnancy loss are a critical issue in dairy herds, particularly in seasonal, grazing systems. Components of the uterine luminal fluid (ULF), on which the early embryo depends for sustenance and growth, partly determine early pregnancy losses. Here, changes in ULF from early to mid-postpartum in crossbred dairy cows were explored, linking them with divergent embryo development. For this, the uteri of 87 cows at Day 7 of pregnancy at first and third estrus postpartum were flushed to collect ULF. Eighteen metabolites (chiefly organic acids and sugars) significantly varied in abundance across postpartum, indicating a molecular signature of physiological recovery consistent of the upregulation of pyrimidine metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism, and downregulation of pentose phosphate and taurine metabolism pathways. Joint pathway analysis of metabolomics data and a previously generated proteomics data set on the same ULF samples suggests key links between postpartum recovery and subsequent successful embryo development. These include upregulation of VEGFA and downregulation of metabolism, NRF2, T-cell receptor, which appear to improve the ULF's capacity of sustaining normal embryo development, and a putative osmo-protectant role of beta-alanine. These relationships should be further investigated to develop tools to detect and reduce early pregnancy loss in dairy cows.

The Relationship between Whole-Grain Intake and Measures of Cognitive Decline, Mood, and Anxiety-A Systematic Review.

Greater intake of whole grains, compared to refined grains, is consistently associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, both of which are associated with cognitive decline. To better understand the relationship between whole-grain intake, cognition, mood, and anxiety, a systematic review was conducted to synthesize available evidence linking whole grains to these outcomes. Four electronic databases were searched from inception to August 2021 for potentially relevant observational and interventional studies. Risk of bias (RoB) assessments were performed using the newly developed Nutrition Quality Evaluation Strengthening Tools, and the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach was used to determine the strength of evidence for each outcome. In total, 23 studies [4 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 19 observational studies] met the predefined eligibility criteria. Of these,12 studies included analysis of whole-grain intake and cognitive decline, 9 included mood outcomes, and 2 included both cognition and mood outcomes. The overall evidence for an association between whole-grain intake and cognition is inconclusive. With respect to mood outcomes, evidence from RCTs prospective cohort and case-control studies suggest that higher intake is linked to improved outcomes for mood and depression although the evidence is mixed for cross-sectional studies. Reporting of whole-grain intake fell short of suggested standards, and the strength of available evidence was low or very low for all outcomes. A high RoB toward studies reporting results was also noted, complicating both the interpretation of some studies and the combined evidence. Of note, few well-designed RCTs assessing the effect of whole-grain intake on measures of cognition, mood, and anxiety were identified, highlighting the need for more studies in this area. The available, although limited, evidence suggests that greater whole-grain intake is associated with better mood and anxiety-related scores and is inconclusive regarding cognitive outcomes. PROSPERO registration: CRD42021266355.

Molecular insights into quality and authentication of sheep meat from proteomics and metabolomics.

Sheep meat (encompassing lamb, hogget and mutton) is an important source of animal protein in many countries, with a unique flavour and sensory profile compared to other red meats. Flavour, colour and texture are the key quality attributes contributing to consumer liking of sheep meat. Over the last decades, various factors from 'farm to fork', including production system (e.g., age, breed, feeding regimes, sex, pre-slaughter stress, and carcass suspension), post-mortem manipulation and processing (e.g., electrical stimulation, ageing, packaging types, and chilled and frozen storage) have been identified as influencing different aspects of sheep meat quality. However conventional meat-quality assessment tools are not able to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and pathways for quality variations. Advances in broad-based analytical techniques have offered opportunities to obtain deeper insights into the molecular changes of sheep meat which may become biomarkers for specific variations in quality traits and meat authenticity. This review provides an overview on how omics techniques, especially proteomics (including peptidomics) and metabolomics (including lipidomics and volatilomics) are applied to elucidate the variations in sheep meat quality, mainly in loin muscles, focusing on colour, texture and flavour, and as tools for authentication. SIGNIFICANCE: From this review, we observed that attempts have been made to utilise proteomics and metabolomics techniques on sheep meat products for elucidating pathways of quality variations due to various factors. For instance, the improvement of colour stability and tenderness could be associated with the changes to glycolysis, energy metabolism and endogenous antioxidant capacity. Several studies identify proteolysis as being important, but potentially conflicting for quality as the enhanced proteolysis improves tenderness and flavour, while reducing colour stability. The use of multiple analytical methods e.g., lipidomics, metabolomics, and volatilomics, detects a wider range of flavour precursors (including both water and lipid soluble compounds) that underlie the possible pathways for sheep meat flavour evolution. The technological advancement in omics (e.g., direct analysis-mass spectrometry) could make analysis of the proteins, lipids and metabolites in sheep meat routine, as well as enhance the confidence in quality determination and molecular-based assurance of meat authenticity.

Rapid Evaporative Ionisation Mass Spectrometry fingerprinting can discriminate lamb meat due to different ageing methods and levels of dehydration.

Dry-ageing is a technique for developing characteristic dry-aged flavour through the interplay of dehydration, lipid oxidation and microbial activities. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the extent of drying influences the metabolite profile and the final flavour of lamb using an "Age-and-Dry" regime; and that Rapid Evaporative Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (REIMS) fingerprinting can be used to discriminate the metabolic fingerprints of lambs due to ageing methods and dehydration levels. Lamb loins (n = 60) were dehydrated with low (12%), medium (17%) and high (22%) weight losses and compared with the wet-aged equivalents using REIMS and evaluated by 12-member sensory panel. Orthogonal projection to latent structures-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) models based on 1400 tentatively identified m/z features were obtained for ageing methods (Q2 > 0.95) and dehydration levels (Q2 > 0.82) with high discrimination accuracy. Increased concentrations of dipeptides and metabolites associated with energy metabolism were observed in aged-and-dried lamb meat which supports the umami and savoury taste perceived by the sensory panel. A reduced concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids with more aldehydes was observed in aged-and-dried lamb meat contributing to the nutty, roasted, and fatty flavour notes detected by the sensory panellists in these samples compared to the wet-aged. SIGNIFICANCE: Outcomes of this study demonstrated that REIMS can be used to accurately discriminate between different ageing methods and dehydration levels of meat, and the compounds that are associated with lamb flavour. The implications of this finding include: (1) the metabolite concentrating effect of dehydration and the associated effect on aged lamb flavour determined in this study could be used to tailor the processing of dry-aged lamb to deliver specific flavour outcomes in an industrial setting; (2) the ability of REIMS to rapidly detect differences in the aged lamb flavour due to dehydration effect would improve the quality of dry-aged meat and the efficiency with which it can be industrially produced. Thus, REIMS can be used as a rapid authentication and quality prediction tool for different ageing regimes and flavour for the meat industry.

Differences in Metabolite Composition of Aloe barbadensis Mill. Extracts Lead to Differential Effects on Human Blood T Cell Activity In Vitro.

Aloe barbadensis Mill. (Aloe) is used for diverse therapeutic properties including immunomodulation. However, owing to the compositionally complex nature of Aloe, bioactive component(s) responsible for its beneficial properties, though thought to be attributed to polysaccharides (acemannan), remain unknown. We therefore aimed to determine the metabolite composition of various commercial Aloe extracts and assess their effects on human blood T cell activity in vitro. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy donors were stimulated polyclonally in presence or absence of various Aloe extracts. T cell phenotype and proliferation were investigated by flow cytometry. Aloe extracts were analyzed using targeted 1H-NMR spectroscopy for standard phytochemical quality characterization and untargeted gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for metabolite profiling. Aloe extracts differing in their standard phytochemical composition had varying effects on T cell activation, proliferation, apoptosis, and cell-death in vitro, although this was not related to the acemannan content. Furthermore, each Aloe extract had its own distinct metabolite profile, where extracts rich in diverse sugar and sugar-derivatives were associated with reduced T cell activity. Our results demonstrate that all commercial Aloe extracts are unique with distinct metabolite profiles, which lead to differential effects on T cell activity in vitro, independent of the acemannan content.

Mass Spectrometry-Based Lipidomics of Brown Adipose Tissue and Plasma of New-Born Lambs Subjected to Short-Term Cold Exposure.

During cold exposure, brown adipose tissue (BAT) holds the key mechanism in the generation of heat, thus inducing thermogenic adaptation in response to cooler environmental changes. This process can lead to a major lipidome remodelling in BAT, where the increase in abundance of many lipid classes plays a significant role in the thermogenic mechanisms for heat production. This study aimed to identify different types of lipids, through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), in BAT and plasma during a short-term cold challenge (2-days), or not, in new-born lambs. Fifteen new-born Romney lambs were selected randomly and divided into three groups: Group 1 (n = 3) with BAT and plasma obtained within 24 h after birth, as a control; Group 2 (n = 6) kept indoors for two days at an ambient temperature (20-22 °C) and Group 3 (n = 6) kept indoors for two days at a cold temperature (4 °C). Significant differences in lipid composition of many lipid categories (such as glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids and sterol lipids) were observed in BAT and plasma under cold conditions, compared with ambient conditions. Data obtained from the present study suggest that short-term cold exposure induces profound changes in BAT and plasma lipidome composition of new-born lambs, which may enhance lipid metabolism via BAT thermogenic activation and adipocyte survival during cold adaptation. Further analysis on the roles of these lipid changes, validation of potential biomarkers for BAT activity, such as LPC 18:1 and PC 35:6, should contribute to the improvement of new-born lamb survival. Collectively, these observations help broaden the knowledge on the variations of lipid composition during cold exposure.

UV and visible light exposure to hair leads to widespread changes in the hair lipidome.

OBJECTIVE: Scalp hair is among the most exposed parts of the human body, yet the impact of visible and UV light on hair lipids, an important structural component of hair, is poorly researched. We have used lipidomics, a broad-based approach to measure lipids in samples, which has hitherto not been applied to UV-exposed hair in the published literature, and could allow for a wider understanding of how UV light impacts on specific hair lipids. METHODS: Mixed blonde Caucasian hair switches were divided into two groups of five, with half of the hair switches exposed to UV and visible light mimicking normal daytime exposure and half left unexposed. LC-MS lipidomics was used to profile the lipids in the hair samples. RESULTS: A total of 791 lipids and 32 lipid classes with tentative identifications were detected in the hair samples. Nineteen lipid classes and 397 lipids differed between UV-treated and non-treated hair. The main lipid classes that differed were vitamin A fatty acid esters, sterol esters, several ceramides, mono-, di- and triglycerides, phosphatidylethanolamines (all decreased in UV-exposed hair) and bismonoacylglycerolphosphates, acylcarnitines and acylglycines (all increased in UV-exposed hair). Most detected lipids were decreased in UV-exposed hair, supporting earlier work that has found that UV exposure causes oxidation of lipids which would result in a decrease in most lipid classes. CONCLUSION: Light exposure to hair has a widespread impact on the hair lipidome. This study also adds to the emerging literature on the hair lipidome, broadening the range of lipid classes reported in hair.

OBJECTIF: Le cuir chevelu est l'une des parties les plus exposées de l'organisme. Cependant, l'impact de la lumière visible et des UV sur les lipides capillaires, un composant structurel important des cheveux, reste mal étudié. Nous avons utilisé la lipidomique, une approche large pour mesurer les lipides présents dans les échantillons de cheveux, qui n'a jusqu'ici pas été appliquée aux cheveux exposés aux UV dans la littérature publiée. Cette approche pourrait permettre de mieux comprendre l'impact de la lumière UV sur des lipides spécifiques des cheveux. MÉTHODES: Les mèches de cheveux caucasiens blonds mélangés ont été divisées en deux groupes de cinq, la moitié des mèches de cheveux étant exposées aux UV et à une lumière visible imitant l'exposition diurne normale tandis que l'autre moitié est restée non exposée. Le profil lipidique des échantillons de cheveux a été établi grâce à la lipidomique de la LC-MS. RÉSULTATS: Au total, 791 lipides et 32 classes de lipides avec des identifications provisoires ont été détectés dans les échantillons de cheveux. Entre les cheveux traités par UV et les cheveux non traités, dix-neuf classes de lipides et 397 lipides se sont avérés différents. Les principales classes de lipides qui différaient étaient les esters d'acides gras de la vitamine A, les esters de stérols, plusieurs céramides, les monoglycérides, diglycérides et triglycérides, les phosphatidyléthanolamines (tous diminués dans les cheveux exposés aux UV) et les bismonoacylglycérolphosphates, acylcarnitines et acylglycines (tous augmentés dans les cheveux exposés aux UV). La plupart des lipides détectés dans les cheveux exposés aux UV n'étaient présents qu'à taux réduit, soit un résultat cohérent avec une étude antérieure ayant montré que l'exposition aux UV provoque l'oxydation des lipides, ce qui entraînerait une diminution de la plupart des classes de lipides. CONCLUSION: L'exposition des cheveux à la lumière entraîne un impact généralisé sur leur lipidome. Cette étude vient également compléter la littérature émergente sur le lipidome capillaire, élargissant ainsi la gamme de classes lipidiques rapportées dans les cheveux.

Metabolic fingerprinting using Rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectrometry can discriminate meat quality and composition of lambs from different sexes, breeds and forage systems.

Assurance of food quality and allied farming systems is increasingly sought by consumers and food processors. Yet, there are no validated analytical approaches for food-based verification of farming systems. Rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectrometry (REIMS) is an emerging analytical tool that can provide sufficient details to meet this need. M. Longissimus lumborum of 10 groups of lambs (n = 140) from 3 farms, varying by breed, sex, and forage type, were measured using REIMS fingerprinting. Modelling of features detected by REIMS could discriminate for most comparisons of sex (including castration status), breed, and diet. Tentative identification suggested that lipids, hormone-related compounds, amino acids and dipeptides were the main discriminatory features. Several REIMS features were correlated with pH and shear force in Merino lambs. REIMS was able to detect features related to breed, sex and feed in lamb meat, suggesting that these characteristics can be independently measured using rapid metabolic fingerprinting.

Differences between Arterial and Venous Umbilical Cord Plasma Metabolome and Association with Parity.

Umbilical cord blood is frequently used in health monitoring of the neonate. Results may be affected by the proportion of arterial and venous cord blood, the venous blood coming from the mother to supply oxygen and nutrients to the infant, and the arterial carrying waste products from the fetus. Here, we sampled arterial and venous umbilical cords separately from 48 newly delivered infants and examined plasma metabolomes using GC-MS/MS metabolomics. We investigated differences in metabolomes between arterial and venous blood and their associations with gestational length, birth weight, sex, and whether the baby was the first born or not, as well as maternal age and BMI. Using multilevel random forest analysis, a classification rate of 79% was achieved for arteriovenous differences (p = 0.004). Several monosaccharides had higher concentrations in the arterial cord plasma while amino acids were higher in venous plasma, suggesting that the main differences in the measured arterial and venous plasma metabolomes are related to amino acid and energy metabolism. Venous cord plasma metabolites related to energy metabolism were positively associated with parity (77% classification rate, p = 0.004) while arterial cord plasma metabolites were not. This underlines the importance of defining cord blood type for metabolomic studies.

A Whole-Grain Diet Increases Whole-Body Protein Balance Compared with a Macronutrient-Matched Refined-Grain Diet.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data from randomized control trials to support or refute the contention that whole-grains can enhance protein metabolism in humans. OBJECTIVES: To examine: 1) the clinical effects of a whole-grain diet on whole-body protein turnover; 2) the cellular effects of whole-grains on protein synthesis in skeletal muscle cells; and 3) the population effects of whole-grain intake on age-related muscle loss. METHODS: Adults with overweight/obesity (n = 14; age = 40 ± 7 y; BMI = 33 ± 5 kg/m2) were recruited into a crossover, randomized controlled trial (NCT01411540) in which isocaloric, macronutrient-matched whole-grain and refined-grain diets were fully provisioned for two 8-wk periods. Diets differed only in the presence of whole-grains (50 g/1000 kcal). Whole-body protein kinetics were assessed at baseline and after each diet in the fasted-state (13C-leucine) and integrated over 24 h (15N-glycine). In vitro studies using C2C12 cells assessed global protein synthesis by surface sensing of translation and anabolic signaling by Western blot. Complementary epidemiological assessments using the NHANES database assessed the effect of whole-grain intake on muscle function assessed by gait speed in older adults (n = 2783). RESULTS: Integrated 24-h net protein balance was 3-fold higher on a whole-grain diet compared with a refined-grain diet (P = 0.04). A whole-grain wheat extract increased submaximal rates of global protein synthesis (27%, P < 0.05) in vitro. In a large sample of older adults, whole-grain intake was associated with greater muscle function (OR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86, 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Consuming 50 g/1000 kcal whole-grains per day promotes greater protein turnover and enhances net protein balance in adults. Whole-grains impact skeletal muscle at the cellular level, and are associated with greater muscle function in older adults. Collectively, these data point to a new mechanism whereby whole-grain consumption favorably enhances protein turnover and improves health outcomes.This clinical trial is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT01411540).

A Distinct Faecal Microbiota and Metabolite Profile Linked to Bowel Habits in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are suggested to have an altered intestinal microenvironment. We therefore aimed to determine the intestinal microenvironment profile, based on faecal microbiota and metabolites, and the potential link to symptoms in IBS patients. The faecal microbiota was evaluated by the GA-mapTM dysbiosis test, and tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used for faecal metabolomic profiling in patients with IBS and healthy subjects. Symptom severity was assessed using the IBS Severity Scoring System and anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A principal component analysis based on faecal microbiota (n = 54) and metabolites (n = 155) showed a clear separation between IBS patients (n = 40) and healthy subjects (n = 18). Metabolites were the main driver of this separation. Additionally, the intestinal microenvironment profile differed between IBS patients with constipation (n = 15) and diarrhoea (n = 11), while no clustering was detected in subgroups of patients according to symptom severity or anxiety. Furthermore, ingenuity pathway analysis predicted amino acid metabolism and several cellular and molecular functions to be altered in IBS patients. Patients with IBS have a distinct faecal microbiota and metabolite profile linked to bowel habits. Intestinal microenvironment profiling, based on faecal microbiota and metabolites, may be considered as a future non-invasive diagnostic tool, alongside providing valuable insights into the pathophysiology of IBS.

Use of Rapid Evaporative Ionisation Mass Spectrometry fingerprinting to determine the metabolic changes to dry-aged lean beef due to different ageing regimes.

Rapid Evaporative Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (REIMS) was used to determine the impact of in-bag ageing regimes (stepwise-ageing at different air velocities and straight-dry-ageing) and trimming on the metabolic profile of dry-aged lean beef. Orthogonal projection to latent structures-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) models based on 1705 tentatively identified m/z features were found for ageing methods (Q2 = 0.85), ageing time (0 vs. 21 days, Q2 = 0.95) and sampling locations (surface meat vs. trimmings, Q2 = 0.94). No significant (P > 0.05) difference in metabolites due to air velocities. Small metabolites such as dipeptides and amino acids were more abundant, especially on the surface of untrimmed lean beef, following 21 days of straight-dry-ageing. Stepwise-ageing produced different metabolic profiles from straight-dry-ageing, suggesting that the two methods may differ in dry-aged meat quality and flavour. This work demonstrates REIMS's potential for real time differentiation of meat on processing parameters.

Umbilical cord blood metabolome differs in relation to delivery mode, birth order and sex, maternal diet and possibly future allergy development in rural children.

Allergy is one of the most common diseases among young children yet all factors that affect development of allergy remain unclear. In a small cohort of 65 children living in the same rural area of south-west Sweden, we have previously found that maternal factors, including prenatal diet, affect childhood allergy risk, suggesting that in utero conditions may be important for allergy development. Here, we studied if metabolites in the umbilical cord blood of newborns may be related to development of childhood allergy, accounting for key perinatal factors such as mode of delivery, birth order and sex. Available umbilical cord blood plasma samples from 44 of the participants were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomics; allergy was diagnosed by specialised paediatricians at ages 18 months, 3 years and 8 years and included eczema, asthma, food allergy and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Nineteen cord blood metabolites were related to future allergy diagnosis though there was no clear pattern of up- or downregulation of metabolic pathways. In contrast, perinatal factors birth order, sex and mode of delivery affected several energy and biosynthetic pathways, including glutamate and aspartic acid-histidine metabolism (p = 0.004) and the tricarboxylic acid cycle (p = 0.006) for birth order; branched chain amino acid metabolism (p = 0.0009) and vitamin B6 metabolism (p = 0.01) for sex; and glyoxylate and dicarboxylic acid metabolism (p = 0.005) for mode of delivery. Maternal diet was also related to some of the metabolites associated with allergy. In conclusion, the cord blood metabolome includes individual metabolites that reflect lifestyle, microbial and other factors that may be associated with future allergy diagnosis, and also reflects temporally close events/factors. Larger studies are required to confirm these associations, and perinatal factors such as birth order or siblings must be considered in future cord-blood metabolome studies.

Metabolic fingerprinting of in-bag dry- and wet-aged lamb with rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectroscopy.

The effect of in-bag dry- and wet-ageing on metabolite profiles of lamb legs was determined using Rapid Evaporative Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (REIMS). Using orthogonal projection to latent structures-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) with REIMS, 1705 metabolite ions were identified (Q2 = 0.86) in four muscles: m. semimembranosus, m. biceps femoris, m. vastus lateralis and m. rectus femoris. A total of 663 metabolites differed between ageing methods (P < 0.05) which mainly resulted from proteolysis and lipid metabolism. Dry-aged lamb had higher pH (P = 0.016) and lower moisture content (P = 0.034) than the wet-aged. Dry-ageing produced more (P < 0.05) smaller sized metabolites including dipeptides and free amino acids and lipid oxidation metabolites compared to wet-aged equivalents. Different muscles had distinct REIMS metabolic profiles. Outcomes of this study demonstrated that REIMS can be used for authentication between in-bag dry- and wet-aged lamb based on their metabolic fingerprints.

Consensus, Global Definitions of Whole Grain as a Food Ingredient and of Whole-Grain Foods Presented on Behalf of the Whole Grain Initiative.

Proposed global definitions of whole grain as an ingredient and whole grain food are presented by the authors on behalf of the Whole Grain Initiative. Whole grains are an important pillar of healthy and sustainable diets. Internationally accepted credible definitions of whole grains as food ingredients and whole-grain foods are necessary to ensure that all global stakeholders have shared standards, and that consumers find them clear, credible, and useful. Based on widely accepted, existing definitions and new developments, the Definitions Working Group of the global Whole Grain Initiative, with experts from academia, government agencies and industry, developed definitions for global application. The key statements of the definition documents are as follows: "Whole grains shall consist of the intact, ground, cracked, flaked or otherwise processed kernel after the removal of inedible parts such as the hull and husk; all anatomical components, including the endosperm, germ, and bran must be present in the same relative proportions as in the intact kernel" and "A whole-grain food shall contain at least 50% whole-grain ingredients based on dry weight. Foods containing 25-50% whole-grain ingredients based on dry weight, may make a front-of-pack claim on the presence of whole grain but cannot be designated 'whole grain' in the product name". The definition documents have been ratified by the leading international scientific associations in this area. We urge that these consensus Whole Grain Initiative definitions be adopted as the basis for definitions used by national regulatory authorities and for health promotion organisations worldwide to use in nutrition education and food labelling.

Brain foods - the role of diet in brain performance and health.

The performance of the human brain is based on an interplay between the inherited genotype and external environmental factors, including diet. Food and nutrition, essential in maintenance of brain performance, also aid in prevention and treatment of mental disorders. Both the overall composition of the human diet and specific dietary components have been shown to have an impact on brain function in various experimental models and epidemiological studies. This narrative review provides an overview of the role of diet in 5 key areas of brain function related to mental health and performance, including: (1) brain development, (2) signaling networks and neurotransmitters in the brain, (3) cognition and memory, (4) the balance between protein formation and degradation, and (5) deteriorative effects due to chronic inflammatory processes. Finally, the role of diet in epigenetic regulation of brain physiology is discussed.

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