The effects of organic food on human health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based studies.

CONTEXT: Although the nutritional composition of organic food has been thoroughly researched, there is a dearth of published data relating to its impact on human health. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to examine the association between organic food intake and health effects, including changes in in vivo biomarkers, disease prevalence, and functional changes. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception through Nov 13, 2022. DATA EXTRACTION: Both observational and interventional studies conducted in human populations were included, and association between level of organic food intake and each outcome was quantified as "no association," "inconsistent," "beneficial correlation/harmful correlation," or "insufficient". For outcomes with sufficient data reported by at least 3 studies, meta-analyses were conducted, using random-effects models to calculate standardized mean differences. DATA ANALYSIS: Based on the included 23 observational and 27 interventional studies, the association between levels of organic food intake and (i) pesticide exposure biomarker was assessed as "beneficial correlation," (ii) toxic metals and carotenoids in the plasma was assessed as "no association," (iii) fatty acids in human milk was assessed as "insufficient," (iv) phenolics was assessed as "beneficial", and serum parameters and antioxidant status was assessed as "inconsistent". For diseases and functional changes, there was an overall "beneficial" association with organic food intake, and there were similar findings for obesity and body mass index. However, evidence for association of organic food intake with other single diseases was assessed as "insufficient" due to the limited number and extent of studies. CONCLUSION: Organic food intake was found to have a beneficial impact in terms of reducing pesticide exposure, and the general effect on disease and functional changes (body mass index, male sperm quality) was appreciable. More long-term studies are required, especially for single diseases. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42022350175.

Medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols and di-unsaturated fatty acyl-palmitoyl-glycerols in Chinese human milk: Association with region during the lactation.

The triacylglycerols (TAGs) of medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols (MLCT) and di-unsaturated fatty acyl-palmitoyl-glycerols (UPU) in human milk provide better nutritional effects, and should be prioritized as crucial focuses on neonatal nutrition research. However, little has been done on the influences of the lactation stage and regional diversity on MLCT and UPU. In this study, we collected 204 human milk samples during colostrum, 1st and 4th month from the north (Baotou), central (Beijing), east (Jinan), southwest (Kunming), southeast (Shenzhen), and northwest (Xining) regions of China. There were 122 species of TAGs detected with UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, including 60 kinds of MLCT and 15 kinds of UPU. The MLCT and UPU type TAGs in human milk were ~27 and ~38%, respectively. The sum content of MLCT and UPU in human milk was stable. Compared to the regional diversity, lactation stages showed more obvious influences on MLCT and UPU composition. Moreover, a summary of TAG studies indicated that Chinese human milk showed a higher ratio of O-P-L to O-P-O than in western countries.

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Proteins in Breast Milk during Different Lactation Periods.

Breast milk is an unparalleled food for infants, as it can meet almost all of their nutritional needs. Breast milk in the first month is an important source of acquired immunity. However, breast milk protein may vary with the stage of lactation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use a data-independent acquisition approach to determine the differences in the proteins of breast milk during different lactation periods. The study samples were colostrum (3-6 days), transitional milk (7-14 days), and mature milk (15-29 days). The results identified a total of 2085 different proteins, and colostrum contained the most characteristic proteins. Protein expression was affected by the lactation stage. The proteins expressed in breast milk changed greatly between day 3 and day 14 and gradually stabilized after 14 days. The expression levels of lactoferrin, immunoglobulin, and clusterin were the highest in colostrum. CTP synthase 1, C-type lectin domain family 19 member A, secretoglobin family 3A member 2, trefoil factor 3 (TFF3), and tenascin were also the highest in colostrum. This study provides further insights into the protein composition of breast milk and the necessary support for the design and production of infant formula.

Role Medium-Chain Fatty Acids in the Lipid Metabolism of Infants.

Human breastmilk, the ideal food for healthy infants, naturally contains a high concentration of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs, about 15% of total fatty acids). MCFAs are an important energy source for infants due to their unique digestive and metabolic properties. MCFA-enriched oils are widely used in an infant formula, especially the formula produced for preterm infants. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the triglyceride structure of MCFAs in human milk, their metabolism, and their effects on infant health. This study summarized the MCFA composition and structure in both human milk and infant formula. Recent studies on the nutritional effects of MCFAs on infant gut microbiota have been reviewed. Special attention was given to the MCFAs digestion and metabolism in the infants. This paper aims to provide insights into the optimization of formulations to fulfill infant nutritional requirements.

Dietary Milk Fat Globule Membrane Restores Decreased Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Development and Alterations of Intestinal Flora in Infant-Formula-Fed Rat Pups.

SCOPE: Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), which contains abundant polar lipids and glycoproteins, can narrow the gap in growth and development between breast-fed and infant-formula-fed babies. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of MFGM supplementation in infant formula on intestinal epithelium maturation, tight junctions, and gut colonization in rat pups. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sprague Dawley rat pups consume one of the five diets from postnatal day 8, including rat breastfeeding (BF), infant formula (IF), and infant formula containing MFGM at 260 mg kg-1 body weight (BW), 520 mg kg-1 BW, or 1040 mg kg-1 BW. Results show that MFGM supplementation in infant formula can facilitate intestinal mucosal barrier maturation via promoting intestinal proliferation and differentiation, and increasing tight junction proteins. In addition, compared with that of the IF pups, the intestinal flora composition of MFGM-supplemented pups is more similar to that of BF pups. CONCLUSION: MFGM supplementation in infant formula can restore the intestinal development in infant-formula-fed pups, which suggests that the supplementation of MFGM in infant formula can better mimic breast milk.