In vitro digestibility and solubility of phosphorus of three plant-based meat analogues.

Interest in plant-based meat analogues has increased and can be expected to be applied to pet foods, which necessitates the understanding of the nutrient supply in those foods. Our primary aim was to advance our understanding of the digestive properties of sterilized plant-based meat analogues. The impact of the preparatory processing steps on the solubility of meat analogues was studied. Meat analogues were made by mixing water, salt, and wheat gluten with soy protein isolate, pea protein isolate, or faba bean concentrate. Mixed materials were processed into model meat analogues using shear cell technology. Products were canned in water or gravy and sterilized. An animal-based canned pet food was made as a reference. Products sampled at the processing steps (mixing, shearing, sterilization) were digested in vitro. Samples of digestate were taken at the gastric phase (0 and 120 min) and small intestinal phase (120, 200, 280, and 360 min) for analysis of protein hydrolysis. The extent digestion of nitrogen and dry matter was determined at the end of incubation. Total phosphorus, soluble phosphorus after acid treatment, and after acid and enzymatic treatment were determined. The degree of hydrolysis after gastric digestion was low but increased immediately in the small intestinal phase; products based on pea had the highest values (56%). Nitrogen digestibility was above 90% for all materials at each processing step, indicating that bioactive compounds were absent or inactivated in the protein isolates and concentrate. Phytate seemed to play a minor role in meat analogues, but phosphorus solubility was influenced by processing. Shearing decreased soluble phosphorus, but this effect was partly reversed by sterilization. Nutrient digestibility as well as phosphorus solubility in plant-based products was higher than or comparable with the reference pet food. These findings show that the digestive properties of the tested plant-based meat analogues do not limit the supply of amino acids and phosphorus.

Implicit motor learning in primary school children: A systematic review.

The aim of this study was to assess the current state of evidence and methodological quality of studies on implicit and explicit motor learning in both typically developing children and children with developmental disorders. A systematic literature review was conducted on the experimental literature published up to April 2020. A total of 25 studies were included. Studies were evaluated on methodological quality, paradigm used, and level of evidence. The results showed that implicit paradigms are as effective as explicit paradigms in both groups of children. Studies are predominantly experimental in nature involving mostly upper limb aiming tasks. The few studies that were performed outside the lab (n = 5) suggest superior efficacy of the implicit paradigm. Methodological quality varied between studies and was not always of sufficient standard to allow conclusions. In particular, manipulation checks were only performed in 13 studies (52% of all studies), limiting conclusions. Further progress can be made by focussing on improving methodological quality through retention testing by the inclusion of a control group, by the inclusion of a manipulation check, and via assessment of relevant co-variables, such as working memory, age, and motor competence.

Oxidative stability of soy proteins: From ground soybeans to structured products.

The production of soy protein-based foods requires multiple-step, intensive processing and storage of soy ingredients, which can increase the product's susceptibility to oxidation. Therefore, we investigated the oxidative stability of soy protein-based products subjected to different relevant conditions or treatments: over storage of soy flours, over fractionation to yield soy protein isolate (SPI), and over subsequent thermomechanical processing to yield a model structured product. Soy flours were stable to lipid and protein oxidation over 250 days storage in chilled or ambient conditions. The fractionation process applied to make SPI did not increase substantially protein carbonylation, but increased surface-exposed hydrophobicity and decreased free thiols, compared to the starting defatted flour. Subsequent processing of hydrated SPI powder at 140 °C further increased protein carbonylation to a high extent. Therefore, we conclude that soy flours can be stable over long storage times, but processing to yield structured foods products promote protein oxidation.

Mindfulness and mood stimulate each other in an upward spiral: a mindful walking intervention using experience sampling.

The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of mindful walking in nature as a possible means to maintain mindfulness skills after a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) or mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course. Mindful walking alongside the river Rhine took place for 1, 3, 6, or 10 days, with a control period of a similar number of days, 1 week before the mindful walking period. In 29 mindfulness participants, experience sampling method (ESM) was performed during the control and mindful walking period. Smartphones offered items on positive and negative affect and state mindfulness at random times during the day. Furthermore, self-report questionnaires were administered before and after the control and mindful walking period, assessing depression, anxiety, stress, brooding, and mindfulness skills. ESM data showed that walking resulted in a significant improvement of both mindfulness and positive affect, and that state mindfulness and positive affect prospectively enhanced each other in an upward spiral. The opposite pattern was observed with state mindfulness and negative affect, where increased state mindfulness predicted less negative affect. Exploratory questionnaire data indicated corresponding results, though non-significant due to the small sample size. This is the first time that ESM was used to assess interactions between state mindfulness and momentary affect during a mindfulness intervention of several consecutive days, showing an upward spiral effect. Mindful walking in nature may be an effective way to maintain mindfulness practice and further improve psychological functioning.