Exploring the potential of meeting adolescent girls' nutrient needs in urban Colombia using food-based recommendations.

During adolescence, many young people gain greater food choice agency but also become increasingly exposed and susceptible to environmental pressures that influence their food choices. This coincides with increased nutritional needs, especially for girls. In urban Colombia, adolescent diets are often high in undesirable foods and low in nutritious foods, contributing to overweight and micronutrient deficiencies. This study aimed to explore the potential of improving diet quality using food-based recommendations (FBRs) within the parameters of local food systems and adolescents' existing dietary patterns to inform context-specific programmatic responses to malnutrition. We applied linear programming analysis to dietary data from 13- to 20-year-old girls in Medellin to identify problem nutrients, local micronutrient sources, and promising FBRs. Iron and, to a lesser extent, calcium targets were difficult to meet using optimized diets based on local foods, especially for 13- to 17-year-olds. High habitual consumption of foods with excessive salt, fat, or sugar provided >5% of micronutrients in optimized diets. Otherwise, significant micronutrient sources included legumes, meat, dairy, bread, potatoes, and fruit. FBRs met targets for 10 micronutrients but only 32%-39% recommended nutrient intake for iron. FBRs, including occasionally consumed foods and supplements, met all intake targets for less cost, indicating a need to increase access to nutrient-dense products.

Factors Associated With Dietary Quality During Initial and Later Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexico.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the global economy and modified lifestyles. The aim of our study was to identify factors associated with dietary quality, and their frequency, in Mexican adults at the initial and later stages of the pandemic. Methods: Two online surveys were conducted between June and July 2020 (n = 3,131) and between November and December 2020 (n = 1,703 including non-participants from 1st round). A diet quality score was estimated using a short instrument to measure the consumption of several healthy/unhealthy food items. Linear regression models were used to identify the association between pandemic related factors and the diet quality score, adjusted by sociodemographic characteristics. The 2nd round was weighted to represent the 1st round. Results: During the 1st and 2nd rounds only ~12% of the sample perceived that their intake of healthy food decreased, relative to before the pandemic; ~20% perceived that their intake of unhealthy foods increased. Diet quality remained similar between the 1st and 2nd round. The following factors were negatively associated with diet quality: Eating food prepared away-from-home; going out to work ≥4 times/week; decreased time for food preparation; decreased interest in eating healthy; eating more due to anxiety, depression, or boredom; food insecurity; and stockpiling junk food. Purchasing food using a mixed modality of both in-store and home delivery was positively associated with diet quality. With the exception of eating more due to anxiety (reported by 47% of participants), all these factors were reported by a minority of participants during the first round (≤15%). During the 2nd round, there was an increase in the frequency of participants who reported eating food prepared away-from-home, going out to work ≥4 times/week, having less time to prepare food, being more interested in eating healthfully, and a decrease in participants eating more due to anxiety, depression or boredom, or stockpiling junk food. Conclusions: Most participants perceived that their dietary intake improved during both initial and later stages of the pandemic. This might be related to factors associated with higher dietary quality, such as not going out to work, eating homemade food, and online grocery shopping.

The role of food science and technology in humanitarian response.

BACKGROUND: In humanitarian contexts, ensuring access to safe, nutritious, good quality and culturally appropriate food in the right quantity at the right time and place during an emergency or a protracted crisis is an enormous challenge, which is likely to increase given uncertainties such as climate change, global political and economic instability and emerging pandemics like COVID-19. Several international organizations and non-government organizations have well established systems to respond to food security emergencies. However, the role of food science and technology in humanitarian response is not well understood and is seldom considered in humanitarian circles. SCOPE AND APPROACH: The role of food science and technology in humanitarian response and the importance of addressing the requirements of the local consumers within the local food systems are discussed. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Humanitarian food aid policies focus on immediate and short-term assistance to save lives. The implementation of emergency programs and projects tends to induce dependency on aid, rather than strengthening local food systems and ensuring resilience. Transformative change must embrace innovation across the whole food system with an increased emphasis on food science and technology that addresses local food security, generates employment and contributes to the local economy. There needs to be a move beyond rehabilitating and increasing agricultural production to addressing the whole food system with a view to link humanitarian assistance and longer-term support to sustainable livelihoods and resilience.

Osseous cystic echinococcosis: A case series study at a referral unit in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is present in all continents, except for the Antarctica. Characteristically, CE lesions are found in the liver and the lungs, but virtually any part of the body may be affected (the spleen, kidneys, heart, central nervous system, bones, among others). It is estimated that the incidence of bone involvement in CE is 0.5% to 4%. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective study was performed of patients with osseous CE treated at the National Reference Unit of Tropical Diseases of the Ramon y Cajal Hospital, Madrid, Spain, between 1989 and December 2017. Epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic data of patients with long-term follow-up were collected. MAIN FINDINGS: During the study period, of the 104 patients with CE, 27 exhibited bone involvement (26%). The bones most frequently affected were the spine, followed by the ribs, pelvis, femur, tibia and the scapula. The most common symptom was pain followed by medullar syndrome and pathologic fracture. In total, 81.5% of patients underwent surgery for osseous CE at least once. As many as 96% received albendazol either in (mostly long-term) monotherapy or in combination with praziquantel. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis and management of osseous CE is challenging. In many cases osseous CE should be considered a chronic disease and should be managed on a case-by-case basis. Lifelong follow-up should be performed for potential recurrence and sequels.

Alfavirus tropicales artritogénicos / Tropical arthritogenic alphaviruses

Los alfavirus tropicales tienen especial tropismo por el tejido osteoarticular. Los pacientes desarrollan cuadros crónicos reumatológicos similares a la artritis reumatoide y la espondilitis anquilosante. El prototipo es el virus Chikungunya, aunque otros virus menos conocidos en nuestro medio como Sindbis, Ross River, Mayaro, O’nyong nyong y Barmah Forest tienen un potencial para propagarse a través de vectores y causar cuadros reumatológicos crónicos. Los movimientos poblacionales internacionales han aumentado el número de pacientes diagnosticados por estos virus tropicales en zonas no endémicas. Dado que pueden dejar secuelas y afectar la calidad de vida, es importante conocerlos. Los cambios en los ecosistemas han favorecido la expansión de mosquitos competentes, haciendo realidad el temor de transmisión local en el sur de Europa. El objetivo de esta revisión es dar una aproximación clínica de los distintos alfavirus tropicales artritogénicos, especialmente de aquellos en los que la patología reumática crónica es más frecuente (AU)

Tropical alphaviruses have special tropism for bone and joint tissue. Patients can develop chronic rheumatic disorders similar to rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. The prototype is Chikungunya virus, although other lesser known viruses in our environment such as Sindbis, Ross River, Mayaro, O’nyong nyong and Barmah Forest viruses have the potential to be sped through vectors and cause chronic rheumatic disease. International population movements have increased the numbers of patients diagnosed with these tropical viruses in areas in which they are not endemic. Since they can leave persistent symptoms and affect the quality of life of the patients, it is important that we be aware of them. Changes in ecosystems have favored the expansion of competent mosquitoes, making fears of local transmission in southern Europe a reality. The objective of this review is to provide a clinical approach to the different arthritogenic tropical alphaviruses, especially those in which chronic rheumatic disease is more frequent (AU)

Tropical arthritogenic alphaviruses. / Alfavirus tropicales artritogénicos.

Tropical alphaviruses have special tropism for bone and joint tissue. Patients can develop chronic rheumatic disorders similar to rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. The prototype is Chikungunya virus, although other lesser known viruses in our environment such as Sindbis, Ross River, Mayaro, O'nyong nyong and Barmah Forest viruses have the potential to be sped through vectors and cause chronic rheumatic disease. International population movements have increased the numbers of patients diagnosed with these tropical viruses in areas in which they are not endemic. Since they can leave persistent symptoms and affect the quality of life of the patients, it is important that we be aware of them. Changes in ecosystems have favored the expansion of competent mosquitoes, making fears of local transmission in southern Europe a reality. The objective of this review is to provide a clinical approach to the different arthritogenic tropical alphaviruses, especially those in which chronic rheumatic disease is more frequent.

Establishing Standards on Colors from Natural Sources.

Color additives are applied to many food, drug, and cosmetic products. With up to 85% of consumer buying decisions potentially influenced by color, appropriate application of color additives and their safety is critical. Color additives are defined by the U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) as any dye, pigment, or substance that can impart color to a food, drug, or cosmetic or to the human body. Under current U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, colors fall into 2 categories as those subject to an FDA certification process and those that are exempt from certification often referred to as "natural" colors by consumers because they are sourced from plants, minerals, and animals. Certified colors have been used for decades in food and beverage products, but consumer interest in natural colors is leading market applications. However, the popularity of natural colors has also opened a door for both unintentional and intentional economic adulteration. Whereas FDA certifications for synthetic dyes and lakes involve strict quality control, natural colors are not evaluated by the FDA and often lack clear definitions and industry accepted quality and safety specifications. A significant risk of adulteration of natural colors exists, ranging from simple misbranding or misuse of the term "natural" on a product label to potentially serious cases of physical, chemical, and/or microbial contamination from raw material sources, improper processing methods, or intentional postproduction adulteration. Consistent industry-wide safety standards are needed to address the manufacturing, processing, application, and international trade of colors from natural sources to ensure quality and safety throughout the supply chain.

Increasing and stabilizing ß-sheet structure of maize zein causes improvement in its rheological properties.

Wheat gluten proteins are considered to have the unique ability to form viscoelastic matrices that are essential for breadmaking. This study shows that maize seed storage protein (zein), if properly treated, can be made to function similarly to gluten at the protein secondary structure level with concomitant improved viscoelasticity. Here, we propose the concept of a small amount of coprotein (high molecular weight glutenin or casein) acting to stabilize a build-up of ß-sheet structure in a zein-based dough, thus creating a viscoelastic matrix that is retained over time. This discovery is relevant to the need for gluten replacement viscoelastic proteins for wheat intolerant individuals and as well opens possibilities of creating wheatlike cereal varieties that could more cheaply substitute for wheat imports in developing countries.