Safety Assessment of Foods and Drinks Consumed by People on a Gluten-Free Diet.

Naturally gluten-free foods and processed foods that do not contain information about the potential presence of gluten in them pose a hypothetical threat to people with food allergies and celiac disease. Patients who should follow a strict gluten-free diet do not always do so. Therefore, the aim of this research was to analyze certified "gluten-free" and naturally gluten-free products without labeled "may contain gluten" information in terms of their content of gluten proteins. The enzyme immunoassay AgraQuant Gluten G12 ELISA test kit was used for the analysis. Of all the products used in the research, only 5.8% were found to contain gluten above 20 ppm. Only one product labeled "gluten-free" was contaminated with gluten at 79.3 ppm (cider cake). In addition, our research also examined the gluten content of commercial beers containing barley malt not labeled as "gluten-free". Research has shown that 60% of samples are not safe for those on a strict gluten-free diet. Our research clearly shows that many manufacturers, although they do not monitor their products for the presence of gluten in them, offer safe products, although they cannot be recommended in a gluten-free diet. Therefore, there is a strong need to increase the frequency of testing by food manufacturers for the presence of gluten in their products, so that the number of products approved for people on a gluten-free diet continues to increase.

Cardiovascular Effects of Chocolate and Wine-Narrative Review.

The consumption of food for pleasure is mainly associated with adverse health effects. This review was carried out to verify recent reports on the impact of chocolate and wine consumption on cardiovascular health, with a particular focus on atherosclerosis. On one side, these products have proven adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, but on the other hand, if consumed in optimal amounts, they have cardiovascular benefits. The submitted data suggest that the beneficial doses are 30-50 g and 130/250 mL for chocolate and wine, respectively, for women and men. The accumulated evidence indicates that the active ingredients in the products under consideration in this review are phenolic compounds, characterized by anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiplatelet properties. However, there are also some reports of cardioprotective properties of other compounds such as esters, amines, biogenic amines, amino acids, fatty acids, mineral ingredients, and vitamins. Our narrative review has shown that in meta-analyses of intervention studies, consumption of chocolate and wine was positively associated with the beneficial outcomes associated with the cardiovascular system. In contrast, the assessment with the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) scale did not confirm this phenomenon. In addition, mechanisms of action of bioactive compounds present in chocolate and wine depend on some factors, such as age, sex, body weight, and the presence of additional medical conditions. Patients using cardiovascular drugs simultaneously with both products should be alert to the risk of pharmacologically relevant interactions during their use. Our narrative review leads to the conclusion that there is abundant evidence to prove the beneficial impact of consuming both products on cardiovascular health, however some evidence still remains controversial. Many authors of studies included in this review postulated that well-designed, longitudinal studies should be performed to determine the effects of these products and their components on atherosclerosis and other CVD (Cardiovascular Disease) disease.

Determination of patulin in products containing dried fruits by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay technique Patulin in dried fruits.

The era of globalization causes that the export and import of food from different continents of the world are becoming more and more common, which may directly contribute to the increase in pollution in them. The presence of mycotoxin in food is an ubiquitous problem. There is very limited information on the possible influence of the composition of herbal mixtures on the presence of mycotoxins in them, which is an area where research can be expanded. The aim of this study was to determine patulin (PAT) in commercial products containing dried elderberry, rose, blueberry, rowan, hawthorn, and chokeberry fruits by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Research using this technique allowed for considering the possible influence of the composition of herbal mixtures on the concentration of patulin in them. Patulin was detected in all analyzed samples with wide range of

Recent Applications of Capillary Electrophoresis in the Determination of Active Compounds in Medicinal Plants and Pharmaceutical Formulations.

The present review summarizes scientific reports from between 2010 and 2019 on the use of capillary electrophoresis to quantify active constituents (i.e., phenolic compounds, coumarins, protoberberines, curcuminoids, iridoid glycosides, alkaloids, triterpene acids) in medicinal plants and herbal formulations. The present literature review is founded on PRISMA guidelines and selection criteria were formulated on the basis of PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study type). The scrutiny reveals capillary electrophoresis with ultraviolet detection as the most frequently used capillary electromigration technique for the selective separation and quantification of bioactive compounds. For the purpose of improvement of resolution and sensitivity, other detection methods are used (including mass spectrometry), modifiers to the background electrolyte are introduced and different extraction as well as pre-concentration techniques are employed. In conclusion, capillary electrophoresis is a powerful tool and for given applications it is comparable to high performance liquid chromatography. Short time of execution, high efficiency, versatility in separation modes and low consumption of solvents and sample make capillary electrophoresis an attractive and eco-friendly alternative to more expensive methods for the quality control of drugs or raw plant material without any relevant decrease in sensitivity.

Application of Capillary Electrophoresis to the Analysis of Bioactive Compounds in Herbal Raw Materials.

The article is a summary of scientific reports from the last 16 years (2005-2021) on the use of capillary electrophoresis to analyze polyphenolic compounds, coumarins, amino acids, and alkaloids in teas or different parts of plants used to prepare aqueous infusions, commonly known as "tea" or decoctions. This literature review is based on PRISMA guidelines and articles selected in base of criteria carried out using PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study type). The analysis showed that over 60% of articles included in this manuscript comes from China. The literature review shows that for the selective electrophoretic separation of polyphenolic and flavonoid compounds, the most frequently used capillary electromigration technique is capillary electrophoresis with ultraviolet detection. Nevertheless, the use of capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry allows for the sensitive determination of analytes with a lower limit of detection and gives hope for routine use in the analysis of functional foods. Moreover, using the modifications in electrochemical techniques allows methods sensitivity reduction along with the reduction of analysis time.

Photoresponsiveness affects life history traits but not oxidative status in a seasonal rodent.

BACKGROUND: Shortening photoperiod triggers seasonal adjustments like cessation of reproduction, molting and heterothermy. However there is a considerable among-individual variation in photoresponsiveness within one population. Although seasonal adjustments are considered beneficial to winter survival, and natural selection should favor the individuals responding to changes in photoperiod (responders), the phenotype non-responding to changes in day length is maintained in population. Assuming the same resource availability for both phenotypes which differ in strategy of winter survival, we hypothesized that they should differ in life history traits. To test this we compared reproductive traits of two extreme phenotypes of Siberian hamster Phodopus sungorus - responding and non-responding to seasonal changes in photoperiod. We bred individuals of the same phenotype and measured time to first parturition, time interval between litters, offspring body mass 3, 10 and 18 days after birth and their growth rate. We also analyzed nest-building behavior. Additionally, we estimated the correlation between reproduction, and basal metabolic rate (BMR) and oxidative status in both phenotypes to infer about the effect of reproductive output on future investments in somatic maintenance. RESULTS: Prior to reproduction responding individuals were smaller than non-responding ones, but this difference disappeared after reproduction. Responding pairs commenced breeding later than non-responding ones but there was no difference in time interval between consecutive litters. Responders delivered smaller offspring than non-responders and more out of responding individuals built the nest during winter than non-responding ones. Reproduction did not affect future investments in somatic maintenance. Phenotypes did not differ in BMR and oxidative status after reproduction. However, concentration of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) was highest in responding males, and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) was higher in males of both phenotypes than in females. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed breeding in responding Siberian hamsters and high ROM concentration in male responders support our hypothesis that differences in adjustment to winter result in different life history characteristics which may explain coexistence of both phenotypes in a population. We propose that polymorphism in photoresponsiveness may be beneficial in stochastic environment, where environmental conditions differ between winters. We suggest that non-responding phenotype may be particularly beneficial during mild winter, whereas responders would be favored under harsh conditions. Therefore, none of the phenotypes is impaired when compared to the other.

Advantageous Extraction, Cleanup, and UHPLC-MS/MS Detection of Patulin Mycotoxin in Dietary Supplements and Herbal Blends Containing Hawberry from Crataegus spp.

Patulin (PAT) is a highly genotoxic mycotoxin still found as the common contaminant of various kinds of spoiled fruits and related commodities which are often endorsed as the health-enhancing products. Thus, a fast and convenient liquid-solid extraction followed by a solid-phase cleanup with the MycoSep®228 AflaPat multifunctional column was used for the highly efficient isolation of PAT with an average recovery of 112.7% from commercial dietary supplements and herbal blends formulated with dried hawberry. Analysis of the PAT content was carried out using gradient elution with a Synergi Polar C18 column (150 × 2 mm, 4 µm) and UHPLC system equipped with a mass spectrometer. PAT was detected in all (n=14) commercial single-component dietary supplements formulated with dried hawberry belonging to Crataegus monogyna and/or Crataegus laevigata. Similarly, PAT was detected in 67% of the studied multicomponent commercial herbal blends (n=6) that contained-in addition to hawberry-different amounts of apple, chokeberry, elderberry, hibiscus, or mallow. Moreover, the PAT content was determined in the hawberry collected from the mature wild hawthorn trees belonging to three botanical species, Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Crataegus laevigata (Poiret) DC, and Crataegus rhipidophylla Gand, growing in the recreational forest areas and in the law-protected state national forest park in Poland. In conclusion, to prevent PAT accumulation and reduce the health risk of consumers in globalizing markets, the implementation of improved cultivation/processing practices of hawthorn trees and hawberry as well as increased analytical control related to the presence of PAT in dietary supplements and herbal blends formulated with fresh, dried, or frozen hawberry should be urgently recommended.

Specialist-generalist model of body temperature regulation can be applied at the intraspecific level.

According to theoretical predictions, endothermic homeotherms can be classified as either thermal specialists or thermal generalists. In high cost environments, thermal specialists are supposed to be more prone to using facultative heterothermy than generalists. We tested this hypothesis at the intraspecific level using male laboratory mice (C57BL/cmdb) fasted under different thermal conditions (20 and 10°C) and for different time periods (12-48 h). We predicted that variability of body temperature (Tb) and time spent with Tb below normothermy would increase with the increase of environmental demands (duration of fasting and cold). To verify the above prediction, we measured Tb and energy expenditure of fasted mice. We did not record torpor bouts but we found that variations in Tb and time spent in hypothermia increased with environmental demands. In response to fasting, mice also decreased their energy expenditure. Moreover, animals that showed more precise thermoregulation when fed had more variable Tb when fasted. We postulate that the prediction of the thermoregulatory generalist-specialist trade-off can be applied at the intraspecific level, offering a valid tool for identifying mechanistic explanations of the differences in animal responses to variations in energy supply.

[Pseudoexfoliation syndrome in patients scheduled for cataract surgery]. / Zespól pseudoeksfoliacji u pacjentów wyznaczanych do operacji zacmy.

PURPOSE: We present the results of a prospective investigation into the frequency of pseudoexfoliation syndrome (XFS), age, sex, intraocular pressure (IOP) and the type of lens opacity in patients scheduled for cataract surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A series of 1000 consecutive patients (604 females and 396 males in the age from 26 to 97 years), who were admitted for cataract surgery to the Department of Ophthalmology of Medical University in Bialystok, were studied. All eyes were examined with a slit-lamp biomicroscope before and after mydriasis with 1% tropicamide and 10% phenylephrine to find out the exfoliation. The type of cataract was classified as mainly nuclear, cortical, posterior subcapsular, mixed, mature or hypermature. Glaucoma was defined as IOP > or =21 mmHg with optic disc and/or visual field changes indicative of glaucoma. RESULTS: Exfoliation material was detected in 82 patients (8.2%). The mean age of patients with XFS (77.1 +/- 9.3 years) was significantly more than that of those without XFS (65.6 +/- 11.2 years), p < 0.01. The prevalence of XFS significantly increased with advancing age. Mature cataract and nuclear sclerosis predominated in eyes with XFS (32.9% and 24.4%, respectively) compared to those without XFS (24.6% and 14.2%), p < 0.05. Posterior subcapsular cataract was less common in eyes with exfoliation (9.7%) than in eyes without it (39.1%), p < 0.001. The mean preoperative intraocular pressure was higher in eyes with XFS (17.8 +/- 3.2 mmHg), than in those without XFS (15.2 +/- 3.8 mmHg), p < 0.01. Glaucoma was found in 28 of 82 eyes with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (34.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The pseudoexfoliation syndrome occurred much more frequently in elderly persons. PEX has been found to be associated with higher mean intraocular pressure, glaucoma, mature and nuclear cataract. Posterior subcapsular cataract was less common in patients with PEX.

[Foodborne infections and intoxications in Poland in 2002]. / Zatrucia i zakazenia pokarmowe w Polsce w 2002 roku.

A total of 26,734 bacterial foodborne infections and intoxications were registered in 2002 (incidence 69.9/100,000 population). S. Enteritidis was found in 94.8% of collective outbreaks (in Poland 4 sick people and more) and 90.4% cases in outbreaks caused by Salmonella of animal's source. The main vehicle of foodborne and waterborne outbreaks in 2002 was food prepared from various raw materials (3 and more) of animal's source (35.6% cases in outbreaks) and the next--from eggs (20.9% cases in outbreaks). Private homes prevailed (47.1% outbreaks, 66.2% outbreaks caused by Salmonella) among the places of the ready made food production. Ten epidemics with 100 and more cases each, were registered. Six deaths were noted in outbreaks in 2002 (2--in the result of salmonellosis of the animal's source, 1--in the result of staphylococcal infection and 3--after chemical poisoning).

[Poisoning caused by chemicals for plant protection in Poland in 2002]. / Zatrucia chemicznymi srodkami ochrony roslin w 2002 roku.

A total number of 103 cases and 4 deaths of poisoning caused by chemicals for plant protection were registered in Poland in 2002 (incidence 0.27 per 100,000 population). There were: 68 cases (66% of total) after intake of chemicals (after suicidal intake--36% and 3 deaths, after accidental intake--22%, after intake with food--6% and 2%--after exposition at undetermined circumstances of intake); 22 cases (21%) after exposition at agricultural labour, connected with spray of chemicals without adequate protective clothing; 11% (1 death) after exposition in other situation; and 2%--after exposition in undetermined situation. In 2002 were registered four outbreaks: two (four and two cases) after intake of food, one (two cases) after exposition during weeding before lapse of a currency period and one (two cases) after exposition at chemical in spray and during connected weeding.

[Botulism in Poland in 2002]. / Zatrucia jadem kielbasianym w 2002 roku.

A total of 85 foodborne botulism were registered in Poland in 2002, with corresponding incidence 0.22 per 100,000 population. In rural areas were registered 67% of cases and in urban areas--33% (adequately--incidence 0.39 and 0.12). There were 53 outbreaks of one person noted, 11 outbreaks of two people, 2 outbreaks of three, and 1 outbreak of four people. Meat dishes were the main vehicle of botulinum toxin (58 cases; 68.2%). Out of them, home made conserves (bottling jars) prepared from pork meat (23.5% of cases) and commercial produced sausages (20.0%) prevailed as vehicles. Five deaths (three men and two women) from foodborne botulism were registered in Poland in 2002.

[Human trichinellosis in Poland in 2002]. / Wlosnica w 2002 roku.

Total number of 42 cases of human trichinellosis were reported and registered in Poland in 2002. Comparable number of cases were occurred in podlaskie (15) and wielkopolskie (14) voivodeships, and relative lot (9 cases) in pomorskie voivodeship. Sources of infestation according to 25 cases were more than 3 boars, according to 15 cases--undetermined number of the pigs, according to 1 case--1 stag (suspected), and according to 1 case source and vehicle of the infestation were not discovered. Thirty cases were hospitalized. No deaths from trichinellosis were reported in Poland in 2002.

[Foodborne infections and intoxications in Poland in 2001]. / Zatrucia i zakazenia pokarmowe w 2001 roku.

A total of 24,393 bacterial foodborne infections and intoxications were registered in 2001. The incidence was 63.1/100,000 population. S. Enteritidis was found in 93.4% of cases in outbreaks (in Poland 4 sick people and more) caused by Salmonella sp. The main vehicle of foodborne and waterborne outbreaks was food prepared from eggs (31.8% cases in outbreaks, 45.2% cases caused by Salmonella of animal's source). Private homes prevailed (47.9% of outbreaks, 62.6% of outbreaks caused by Salmonella) among the places of the ready made food production. Seven epidemics with more than 100 cases each, were registered. Ten deaths were noted in outbreaks in 2001 (1--in the result of salmonellosis of the animals's source and 9--after chemical poisoning).

[Botulism in Poland in 2001]. / Zatrucia jadem kielbasianym w 2001 roku.

A total of 66 cases of botulism (foodborne) were registered in Poland in 2001, with corresponding incidence 0.17 per 100,000 population. The majority of cases (77.3%) were registered in rural areas. Incidence in these areas was 0.35 and in urban areas--0.06. In 2001 there were 41 outbreaks of one person noted, 4 outbreaks of two people, 4 outbreaks of three, and 1 outbreak of four people. Meat dishes were the main vehicle of botulinum toxin (32 cases; 48.5%). Out of them, home made conserves (bottling jars) prepared from pork meat prevailed (25.8% of the total). Home made sausages were associated with 12.1% cases, commercial canned fish--with 10.6% and other dishes from fish--with 12.1%. Two deaths from foodborne botulism were registered in Poland in 2001.

[Poisoning caused by chemicals for plant protection in Poland in 2001]. / Zatrucia chemicznymi srodkami ochrony roslin w 2001 roku.

A total number of 220 cases of poisoning caused by chemicals for plant protection were registered in Poland in 2001 (incidence 0.57 per 100,000 population). The large number of cases occurred in one outbreak (104 cases; 47.3%). In this outbreak inhalation exposure took place in a school after spraying of HUKINOL AL (repelant for animals) by pupils. Course of disease in these cases was mild. Among remaining cases there were:--poisoning after intake of chemicals for plant protection (14.5% after suicidal intake, 21.4% after accidental intake, 1.4% after intake with fruits and one case--undetermined circumstances of intake);--poisoning after exposure at agricultural labour (10.0%); and--exposition in other or undetermined situation (2.3%). In 2001 were registered two outbreaks: above mentioned 104 cases and two cases (children) after intake of plums before lapse of a currency period. In total in 2001 eleven people died as a result of poisoning by chemicals for plant protection.

[Human trichinellosis in Poland in 2001]. / Wlosnica w 2001 roku.

Total number of 52 cases of human trichinellosis were reported and registered in Poland in 2001. Similarly as in the previous year, most of these cases (41) were occurred in wielkopolskie voivodeship. A large outbreak (40 cases) in this voivodeship resulted from consumption of the raw smoked sausage made from the boar. Sources of the infestation in 50 cases were more than 5 boars and 3 pigs. According to two cases--sources and vehicles of the infestation were not discovered. A total of 33 men and 19 women developed the disease (including 3 children under 14 years of age). Sixteen cases were hospitalized. No deaths from trichinellosis were reported in Poland in 2001.

[Botulism in Poland in 2000]. / Zatrucia jadem kielbasianym w 2000 roku.

A total of 72 cases of botulism were registered in Poland in 2000, with corresponding incidence 0.19 per 100,000 population. In the rural areas 56 (incidence 0.38), and in the urban areas 16 (incidence 0.07) cases were registered. In 2000, there were 46 outbreaks of one person, 7 outbreaks of two people, and 4 of three people noted. Meat dishes were the main vehicle of the botulinum toxin (41 cases; 56.9%). Of them, prevailed homemade conserves (bottling jars) prepared from pork meat (18.1%). Home made sausages were associated with 13.9%, canned fish with 12.5%, sausages of commercial production--with 12.5%, and dishes from poultry with 11.1% cases. Two deaths from botulism were registered in Poland in 2000.

[Foodborne infections and intoxications in Poland in 2000]. / Zatrucia i zakazenia pokarmowe w 2000 roku.

The total number of 26,701 cases of bacterial foodborne infections and intoxications were registered in 2000. The incidence was 96.9/100,000 population. S. Enteritidis was found in 96.9% of cases in outbreaks caused by Salmonella sp. The main vehicle of foodborne infections and intoxications in outbreaks (in Poland defined as 4 and more sick people) was food prepared from eggs (44.4% cases in outbreaks, 54.4% cases caused by Salmonella). Private homes prevailed (56.1% of outbreaks) among the places of the ready made food production. Six epidemics with 100 and more cases each were registered. Four deaths were noted in outbreaks in 2000.

[Intoxications caused by chemicals for plant protection in Poland in 2000]. / Zatrucia chemicznymi srodkami ochrony roslin w 2000 roku.

A total number of 107 cases of intoxications caused by chemicals for plant protection were registered in Poland in 2000 (incidence 0.28 per 100,000 population). The majority of intoxications (74.8%) occurred after an intake of substances. In 28.0% cases it was suicidal intake, in 43.0% cases accidental intake, and in 3.7% with food. In 15.9% cases exposure took place at agricultural labor. Insecticides caused 64.5% of the total number of cases. In rural regions 83.2% of the sick people were subject of intoxication by chemicals for plant protection and in the urban regions 16.8%. The incidence among men was higher than incidence among women (0.37 and 0.19 respectively). In 2000, no group intoxications were noted. In the result of intoxication by chemicals for plant protection seven people died.