Association of Myosteatosis with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Severity, and Liver Fibrosis Using Visual Muscular Quality Map in Computed Tomography.

BACKGROUND: The association of myosteatosis measured using visual muscular quality map in computed tomography (CT) with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), its severity, and fibrosis was analyzed in a large population. METHODS: Subjects (n=13,452) with abdominal CT between 2012 and 2013 were measured total abdominal muscle area (TAMA) at L3 level. TAMA was segmented into intramuscular adipose tissue and skeletal muscle area (SMA), which was further classified into normal attenuation muscle area (NAMA) and low attenuation muscle area (LAMA). The following variables were adopted as indicators of myosteatosis: SMA/body mass index (BMI), NAMA/BMI, NAMA/TAMA, and LAMA/BMI. NAFLD and its severity were assessed by ultrasonography, and liver fibrosis was measured by calculating the NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) and fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) scores. RESULTS: According to multiple logistic regression analyses, as quartiles of SMA/BMI, NAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA increased, the odds ratios (ORs) for NAFLD decreased in each sex (P for trend <0.001 for all). The ORs of moderate/severe NAFLD were significantly higher in the Q1 group than in the Q4 group for SMA/BMI, NAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA in men. The ORs of intermediate/high liver fibrosis scores assessed by NFS and FIB-4 scores increased linearly with decreasing quartiles for SMA/BMI, NAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA in each sex (P for trend <0.001 for all). Conversely, the risk for NAFLD and fibrosis were positively associated with LAMA/BMI quartiles in each sex (P for trend <0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: A higher proportion of good quality muscle was associated with lower risks of NAFLD and fibrosis.

Fermented Angelicae tenussimae with Aspergillus oryzae Improves Skin Barrier Properties, Moisturizing, and Anti-Inflammatory Responses.

Angelicae tenussimae root has been used as a traditional medicine in Asia. Recently, anti-melanogenic and anti-photogenic effects of fermented A. tenuissima root (FAT) were identified. However, information about the anti-atopic dermatitis action of FAT is limited. Thus, the purpose of this study is to determine the applicability of FAT to AD by identifying the efficacy of FAT on the skin barrier and inflammatory response, which are the main pathogenesis of AD. Expression levels of skin barrier components and the production of inflammatory mediators in human keratinocyte and mouse macrophage cells were measured by quantitative RT-PCR or ELISA. FAT upregulated the expression of skin barrier components (filaggrin, involucrin, loricurin, SPTLC1) and inhibited the secretion of an inflammatory chemokine TARC in HaCaT cells. Furthermore, it suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) and nitric oxide production in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. In addition, ligustilide increased filaggrin and SPTLC1, and also lowered pro-inflammatory mediators that increased in atopic environments, such as in FAT results. This means that ligustilide, one of the active ingredients derived from FAT, can ameliorate AD, at least in part, by promoting skin barrier formation and downregulating inflammatory mediators. These results suggest that FAT is a potential functional cosmetic material for the care and management of AD.

Anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory effects of ginseng vinegar in high-fat diet fed mice.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of ginseng vinegar (GV) for preventing and ameliorating the obesity and inflammation. Oral administrations of GV with different doses were conducted for 10 weeks in the preventive model and therapeutic model. In the preventive model, above GV-medium dose significantly reduced body weight gain, epididymal fat weight, triglycerides, and total cholesterol compared to control. GV-high dose effectively improved the inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6) in serum, liver, and adipose tissue. In the therapeutic model, all GV groups showed significantly decreased body weight gain, epididymal fat weight, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. Reductions of the TNF-α level in the serum and liver were observed in all GV groups, and the CRP levels in the liver of all GV groups were significantly decreased with different trend from the preventive model. These results suggest that GV is more effective in therapeutic model and is a potential food for obesity and associated inflammation.

Endometrial thickness cut-off value by transvaginal ultrasonography for screening of endometrial pathology in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical usefulness and diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonographic measurement of endometrial thickness (ET) in women with endometrial hyperplasia or cancer (EH+). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 29,995 consecutive women who underwent transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) for an incidental finding of a thickened endometrium at the health screening and promotion center at Asan Medical Center between 2006 and 2010. Among 959 patients with endometrial abnormalities, 92 patients were included in this study. A total of 867 patients were excluded: 416 were lost to follow-up; 263 did not undergo endometrial biopsy; 155 had endometrial polyps; 17 had submucosal myomas; and 16 had insufficient tissue samples. Endometrial histology was the reference standard for calculating accuracy. RESULTS: Of the 92 patients, 78 (84.8%) had normal pathology, while 14 (15.2%) had endometrial pathology (EH+), including 5 patients (35.7%) with simple hyperplasia without atypia, 3 (21.4%) with complex hyperplasia, and 6 (42.9%) with endometrial carcinoma, all stage Ia. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was 0.75 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.593-0.906). The cut-off value for ET was 8 mm, indicating that TVS ET had a fair accuracy in diagnosing carcinoma, had a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI, 62.9-100.0%) and a specificity of 24.3% (95% CI, 15.2-36.3%). CONCLUSION: TVS is useful for detecting EH+, with a cut-off value for ET of 8 mm having a high sensitivity for detecting endometrial pathologies and the ability to identify women highly unlikely to have EH+, thereby avoiding more invasive endometrial biopsy.

Influence of arabic gum on in vitro starch digestibility and noodle-making quality of Segoami.

The effects of arabic gum on the quality attributes of rice noodles were characterized in terms of physical properties as well as in vitro starch digestibility. Segoami (high amylose rice) was used to develop rice noodle with low predicted glycemic index (pGI). First, the processing condition for Segoami noodle was investigated at different levels of water content (100%-175%) and steaming time (1-5 min). The impact of various levels of arabic gum (0.5%-2%) of Segoami noodles was also evaluated. In the results, the optimal processing condition was determined at the condition of 150% water content and 1 min of steaming time, when the lowest cooking loss and highest cohesiveness were observed. The addition of arabic gum (0.5-1.5%) lifted down glucose release curve and significantly reduced pGI of Segoami noodles. The higher level of arabic gum showed the higher cooking loss, but lower hardness and cohesiveness. Consequently, the 1.5% level of arabic gum was most effective in reducing in vitro starch digestibility and improving cooking properties of Segoami noodles.

Effect of dry heat treatment on physical property and in vitro starch digestibility of high amylose rice starch.

The influence of dry heat treatment (DHT) of high amylose rice starch was investigated on starch digestibility and physical properties and their characteristics were compared through the PCA analysis. High amylose rice starch was prepared by DHT under different temperatures (110, 130, and 150°C) and times (0, 1, 2, and 4h). The gelatinization temperature and enthalpy decreased as temperature and time increased, revealing the change of semi-crystalline region. There were significant increases in gel strength and pasting viscosity above 130°C, whereas gel strength and pasting viscosity were reduced with increasing heating time. On in vitro starch digestibility of DHT starch gel, the rapidly digestible starch and predicted glycemic index of DHT starches were lower than those of native starch. Both the lowest predicted glycemic index and the highest gel strength was observed at 130°C for 1h. In the results of PCA analysis, the heating temperature was negatively correlated with in vitro starch digestibility as well as pasting viscosity and gel strength. These results demonstrated that DHT could be useful of enhancing the physical and nutritional properties of high amylose rice starch.

Association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cancer incidence rate.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Little is known about the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cancer development. This study investigated the cancer incidence rates in NAFLD and analysed the association between NAFLD and cancer development. METHODS: This historical cohort study included subjects who were followed up for >1 year after having a heath checkup at a tertiary hospital in Korea from September 1, 2004 to December 31, 2005. NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonographic detection of hepatic steatosis in the absence of other known liver disease, including alcoholic or viral hepatitis. Cox proportional hazards regression model was conducted to assess the association between NAFLD and cancer development. RESULTS: Of 25,947 subjects, 8,721 (33.6%) had NAFLD. During the total follow-up of 164,671 person-years (median 7.5 years), the cancer incidence rate of the NAFLD group was higher than that of the non-NAFLD group (782.9 vs. 592.8 per 100,000 person-years; hazard ratio [HR] 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17-1.49; p <0.001). When demographic and metabolic factors were adjusted for, NAFLD showed a strong association with three cancers: hepatocellular carcinoma ([HCC]; HR 16.73; 95% CI 2.09-133.85; p = 0.008), colorectal cancer in males (HR 2.01; 95% CI 1.10-3.68; p = 0.02), and breast cancer in females (HR 1.92; 95% CI 1.15-3.20; p = 0.01). A high NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) and a high fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score were associated with the development of all cancers and HCC. CONCLUSION: NAFLD was associated with the development of HCC, colorectal cancer in males, and breast cancer in females. A high NFS and a high FIB-4 score showed a strong association with the development of all cancers and HCC. LAY SUMMARY: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There have been limited data on the association between NAFLD and extrahepatic cancers. This study demonstrated that patients with NAFLD showed a higher association with the development of HCC, colorectal cancer in males, and breast cancer in females. A high NAFLD fibrosis score and a high fibrosis-4 score showed a strong association with the development of all cancers and HCC.

Classification of hydrocolloids based on in vitro starch digestibility and rheological properties of Segoami gel.

The influence of hydrocolloids on in vitro starch digestibility and rheological properties of Segoami (a new rice variety fortified with amylose and dietary fiber) gel was investigated in terms of type (sodium alginate, arabic gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and xanthan gum) and addition levels (0.3-0.7% for rice flour weight) of hydrocolloids. In addition, the behavior of hydrocolloids was analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) based on both properties of various Segoami-hydrocolloids gels. The first and second principle components (PC) explained 80.93% of the total variation; PC1 and PC2 explained 50.40% and 30.53% of the total variance, respectively, implying that the two components provided a strong summary of the data. PC1, represented in vitro starch digestibility and was affected by the addition level of hydrocolloids: PC2, represented rheological parameters and was highly affected by the type of hydrocolloids. Moreover, there was a non-linear relationship between in vitro starch digestibility and rheological properties of Segoami-hydrocolloids gels. The hydrocolloids used in this study showed similar features according to the addition levels of hydrocolloids regardless of type. Segoami-0.5% arabic gum gel was the optimum preparation for retarding in vitro starch digestibility and maintaining rheological properties.

Optimized preparation of anthocyanin-rich extract from black rice and its effects on in vitro digestibility.

The procedure for obtaining anthocyanin-enriched extracts from black rice was optimized by response surface methodology, and the effects of the optimized extract on in vitro starch digestibility were investigated in a wheat flour gel model. The experimental results were well-described by a polynomial multiple regression model (R2 = 0.8812, p = 0.0546) with regard to anthocyanin content in anthocyanin-enriched extracts from black rice. The optimal conditions for obtaining anthocyanin-enriched extracts from black rice were 50.78% ethanol and 1 N HCl (0.60 mL), yielding a predicted anthocyanin content of 624.27 mg cyanidin 3 glucoside extract. The optimized anthocyanin-enriched extract was a stronger inhibitor of α-glucosidase than acarbose. Furthermore, the predicted glycemic index values of gels prepared with the optimized extract were significantly lower than that of wheat flour gel. These results indicate that the optimized extract suppressed starch hydrolysis by inhibiting digestive enzymes.

Antihypertensive effect of Korean Red Ginseng by enrichment of ginsenoside Rg3 and arginine-fructose.

BACKGROUND: Ginsenoside Rg3 and arginine-fructose (Arg-Fru) are known as the hypotensive compounds of Panax ginseng; however, their efficacy on antihypertension has not been reported yet to our best knowledge. Thus, hypotensive components-enriched fraction of red ginseng (HCEF-RG) was prepared from fine root concentrate (FR) and their antihypertensive effects were investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS: Male SHRs were divided into six groups: control (Wistar Kyoto, SHR); FR 500; FR 1,000; HCEF-RG 500; and HCEF-RG 1,000; samples (mg/kg body weight) were orally administered every day for 8 wk. Blood pressure was monitored at 1 wk, 2 wk, 3 wk, 4 wk, 6 wk, and 8 wk by tail cuff method. At 8 wk after samples administration, mice were killed for the measurement of renin activity (RA), angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibition, angiotensin II, and nitric oxide (NO) levels in plasma. RESULTS: HCEF-RG with four-fold more Rg3 and 24-fold more Arg-Fru contents was successfully prepared from reacted mixtures of FR and persimmon vinegar (12 times against FR, v/v) at 80°C for 18 h. Both FR 1,000 and HCEF-RG 1,000 showed lowered systolic blood pressure than SHR control group and HCEF-RG 1,000 group exhibited a significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure. RA was significantly lowered in all treated groups, while angiotensin II did not affect by FR and HCEF-RG treatment. However, angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibition and NO in FR 1,000 and HCEF-RG 1,000 were significantly increased compared with SHR control group. CONCLUSION: HCEF-RG is more effective and useful for alleviating hypertension than FR, implying the health benefit of Rg3 and Arg-Fru.

Evaluation of wheat gluten hydrolysates as taste-active compounds with antioxidant activity.

Wheat gluten was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis with various proteases (Alcalase, Flavourzyme, Protamex) and the taste-enhancing properties and antioxidant activities of the resulting wheat gluten hydrolysates (WGHs) were characterized. The contents of the hydrophobic amino acid of the WGHs were highly correlated with the degree of hydrolysis by Flavourzyme and Protamex, except Alcalase. The taste profiles of the Alcalase-treated WGHs showed decreased bitterness while umami and overall acceptability increased. On the other hand, the WGHs produced by Flavourzyme and Protamex showed increased bitterness with increasing hydrolysis duration. However, taste profiles, such as umami, kokumi, and overall acceptability of the WGHs by Flavourzyme and Protamex were unaffected by the degree of hydrolysis. The WGH treated by Alcalase for 24 h (A24h) exhibited taste-enhancing property and its antioxidant effects were concentration-dependent. As a result, the A24h may be used as a multi-functional seasoning ingredient having potential antioxidant activity.

In vitro starch digestion and cake quality: impact of the ratio of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.

The influence of the ratio of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) on the in vitro starch digestion, predicted glycemic index (pGI), and the physicochemical properties of fiber-enriched cakes were evaluated. The hydration and pasting properties were affected by the ratio of SDF and IDF. According to the increase of IDF ratio (SDF ratio reduction) in 3 g fiber-enriched cakes, slowly digestible starch (SDS) contents increased, while the rapidly digestible starch (RDS) contents decreased. The pGI values were significantly different with control in 3 g fiber-enriched cake containing more than 50% IDF contents (p<0.05). But the pGI values of 6g fiber-enriched cake samples were not significantly different by SDF and IDF ratio. With the exception of the SDF 100% cake, volume index, hardness, and color values of the fiber-enriched cakes increased according to reductions in the SDF ratio. The cakes containing 3 g of total dietary fiber (the same ratio of SDF and IDF) per serving were shown to have low pGI and acceptable quality attributes. Specially, total dietary fiber amount and IDF ratio are more effective than SDF ratio to lower the pGI value.

Utilisation of preharvest dropped apple peels as a flour substitute for a lower glycaemic index and higher fibre cake.

Fibre-enriched materials (FEMs) obtained from preharvest dropped apple peels were utilised as a source of dietary fibre in baked cakes and their effects on the textural/nutritional qualities and starch digestibility (glucose release behaviour, starch digestion fraction, predicted glycaemic index) of the cakes were evaluated. When FEMs were incorporated into the cake formulation (3 g and 6 g of dietary fibre per serving (100 g)), the volume of the cakes seemed to be reduced and their texture become harder. However, 3 g of FEMs did not degrade the cake qualities. The use of FEMs in cakes significantly reduced the levels of rapidly digestible starch and slowly digestible starch, while the levels of resistant starch increased. Additionally, the cake samples prepared with FEMs exhibited a lower predicted glycaemic index. This study may give rise to multi-functional bakery products with acceptable quality and low glycaemic index.

Preparation of dietary fibre-enriched materials from preharvest dropped apples and their utilisation as a high-fibre flour substitute.

BACKGROUND: Preharvest dropped apples from a weather disaster are generally discarded or used in animal feed due to reduced market value. In this study, they were utilised to produce dietary fibre-enriched materials (DFEMs) and their baking performance in a food system was then evaluated as a high-fibre and low-calorie flour substitute. RESULTS: Hydrothermal treatment and fractionation of preharvest dropped apple powder produced fibre-rich fractions (856.2 g kg(-1)). The use of DFEMs increased the pasting properties of wheat flour and improved dough mixing stability. When DFEMs were incorporated in the cookie formulation (2, 4 and 6 g dietary fibre per serving), the cookie dough exhibited increased elongational viscosity and solid-like behaviour which became more pronounced with increasing levels of DEFMs. After baking, reduced spread was observed in DFEM cookies which could be readily attributed to their rheological characteristics. However, greater moisture retention by DFEMs produced cookie samples with softer texture. CONCLUSION: DFEMs prepared from preharvest dropped apples could be successfully evaluated in a cookie model system as a high-fibre and low-calorie substitute for wheat flour. This study suggests a new value-added application of preharvest dropped fruits, positively extending their use for better healthful diets.

Structural characteristics of pumpkin pectin extracted by microwave heating.

UNLABELLED: To improve extraction yield of pumpkin pectin, microwave heating was adopted in this study. Using hot acid extraction, pumpkin pectin yield decreased from 5.7% to 1.0% as pH increased from pH 1.0 to 2.0. At pH 2.5, no pectin was recovered from pumpkin flesh powder. After a pretreatment at pH 1.0 and 25 °C for 1 h, pumpkin powder was microwave-extracted at 120 °C for 3 min resulting in 10.5% of pectin yield. However, premicrowave treatment at 60 °C for 20 min did not improve extraction yield. When microwave heating at 80 °C for 10 min was applied after premicrowave treatment, final pectin yield increased to 11.3%. When pH was adjusted to 2.0, the yield dropped to 7.7% under the same extraction conditions. Molecular shape and properties as well as chemical composition of pumpkin pectin were significantly affected depending on extraction methods. Galacturonic acid content (51% to 58%) of pumpkin pectin was lower than that detected in commercial acid-extracted citrus pectin, while higher content of neutral sugars and acetyl esters existed in pumpkin pectin structure. Molecular weight (M(w) ) and intrinsic viscosity (η(w) ) determined for microwave-extracted pumpkin pectins were substantially lower than acid-extracted pectin, whereas polydispersity was greater. However, microwave-extracted pectin at pH 2.0 had more than 5 times greater M(w) than did the pectin extracted at pH 1.0. The η(w) of microwave-extracted pectin produced at pH 2.0 was almost twice that of other microwave-extracted pectins, which were comparable to that of acid-extracted pectin. These results indicate that extraction yield of pumpkin pectin would be improved by microwave extraction and different pectin structure and properties can be obtained compared to acid extraction. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Pumpkin is a promising alternative source for pectin material. Pumpkin pectin has a unique chemical structure and physical properties, presumably providing different functional properties compared to conventional commercial pectin sources. Depending on the conditions to produce pumpkin pectin, diverse molecular structures can be obtained and utilized in various food applications.

Preparation of Black Hoof medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus (Berk. et M.A. Curt.) Teng (Aphyllophoromycetideae) beta-glucan sulfate and in vitro tumor cell growth inhibitory activity.

Polysaccharide beta-glucans were extracted from the medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus (Hymenochaetaceae, Aphyllophoromycetideae) and subjected to sulfation. Chemical modification of the beta-glucan was confirmed by structural analysis, and its biological properties were compared with those of native beta-glucan. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis indicated that successive preparation of the sulfated derivative yielded a degree of substitution of 0.47. Nitric oxide production measured by the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) experiments increased 1.5-fold after sulfation. In addition, the introduction of sulfate groups into the beta-glucan chains improved in vitro growth inhibitory activity against SNU-C2A cells. Therefore, sulfated beta-glucan extracted from Ph. linteus may be beneficial for immune support due to its incorporation of functional groups into its polymer structure.

Small-bowel angioedema during screening computed tomography due to intravenous contrast material.

We describe patients with isolated small-bowel angioedema caused by allergic reactions to intravenous contrast media. Computed tomography (CT) revealed circumferential thickening of the walls of the duodenum or jejunum. Follow-up small-bowel follow-through, small-bowel endoscopy, and CT showed normalized small-bowel loops. Transient findings of circumferential thickening of the small-bowel walls on CT suggest isolated small-bowel angioedema.

(1-3)(1-6)-ß-glucan-enriched materials from Lentinus edodes mushroom as a high-fibre and low-calorie flour substitute for baked foods.

BACKGROUND: Extensive physiological and biological emphasis has been placed on pharmaceutical and medicinal uses of mushrooms containing ß-glucans, but their incorporation into processed functional foods is quite limited. Thus, low-grade Lentinus edodes mushrooms were utilised to produce ß-glucan-enriched materials (BGEMs), which were evaluated as a high-fibre and low-calorie substitute for wheat flour. RESULTS: The fractions obtained from Lentinus edodes mushrooms contained 514 g kg⁻¹ of (1-3)-ß-glucans with (1-6)-ß-linked side chains and the chemical structure was confirmed by ¹³C NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. Replacement of a portion of the wheat flour with BGEMs resulted in the solutions with lower values of pasting parameters and also caused significant changes in starch gelatinisation. When BGEMs were incorporated into cake formulations, batter viscosity increased with more shear-thinning behaviours and elastic properties improved. Overall, the cakes containing more BGEMs showed decreased volume and increased hardness while no significant differences were observed between the control and BGEM cakes containing 1 g of ß-glucan per serving. CONCLUSION: As a wheat flour substitute, the BGEMs that were prepared from low-grade Lentinus edodes mushrooms, could be successfully used to produce cakes containing 1 g of ß-glucan per serving with quality attributes similar to those of the control.

Utilization of pectin-enriched materials from apple pomace as a fat replacer in a model food system.

Water soluble pectin-enriched materials (PEMs) from apple pomace, were evaluated as a fat replacer in a model food system. When PEM solutions were subjected to steady-shear measurements, shear-thinning behavior was observed. The flow behaviors could be described by the Cross model (R(2)=0.99), and temperature effects were investigated by the Arrhenius equation. The addition of PEMs significantly increased the pasting parameters of wheat flour as measured by a starch pasting rheometer. Gelatinization temperature and enthalpy increased with increasing PEM concentrations. When PEMs were incorporated into cookie formulations in place of shortening (semisolid fat generally used in baked foods) up to 30% by the weight of shortening, the cookie spread diameter was reduced while an increase in the moisture content was observed. Moreover, replacement of shortening with PEMs contributed to a more tender texture and lighter surface color.

Effect of enzymatic hydrolysis on cholesterol-lowering activity of oat beta-glucan.

In this study, oat beta-glucan hydrolysate, having average molecular weight of 730,000g/mol which was previously shown to have great in vitro bile acid binding capacity, was prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis. Furthermore its in vivo hypocholestrolemic effects were evaluated in rats that were fed high-cholesterol diets. Supplements with beta-glucan hydrolysate as well as native beta-glucan significantly reduced the levels of LDL- and VLDL-cholesterol in serum and further improved the lipid profile in liver. When rats were fed high-cholesterol diets, supplemented with the beta-glucan hydrolysate, greater fecal bile acid excretion was observed, which could be favorably correlated to in vitro bile acid binding capacity. In addition, the hydrolysate was more effective at increasing the excretion of fecal cholesterol and triglyceride than the native beta-glucan, showing its effectiveness in improving the lipid profile.