Nutritional and Phytochemical Characterization of Freeze-Dried Raspberry (Rubus idaeus): A Comprehensive Analysis.

Several studies have highlighted the beneficial effects of consuming red raspberries on human health thanks to their high content of phytochemicals. However, the products used in these studies, both in the raw or freeze-dried form, were not fully characterized for nutrient and phytochemical composition. In this study, we aimed to determine the nutrient and non-nutrient compounds present in a freeze-dried red raspberry powder widely used by the food industry and consumers. The main sugars identified were fructose (12%), glucose (11%), and sucrose (11%). Twelve fatty acids were detected, with linoleic acid (46%), α-linolenic acid (20%), and oleic acid (15%) being the most abundant. Regarding micronutrients, vitamin C was the main hydro-soluble vitamin, while minerals, potassium, phosphorous, copper and magnesium were the most abundant, with concentrations ranging from 9 up to 96 mg/100 g, followed by manganese, iron and zinc, detected in the range 0.1-0.9 mg/100 g. Phytochemical analysis using UHPLC-DAD-HR-MS detection revealed the presence of Sanguiin H6 (0.4%), Lambertianin C (0.05%), and Sanguiin H-10 isomers (0.9%) as the main compounds. Among anthocyanins, the most representative compounds were cyanidin-3-sophoroside, cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-sambubioside. Our findings can serve as a reliable resource for the food industry, nutraceutical applications and for future investigations in the context of human health.

Wild blueberry (V. angustifolium) improves TNFα-induced cell barrier permeability through claudin-1 and oxidative stress modulation in Caco-2 cells.

Increasing evidence links the impairment of intestinal permeability (IP), a feature of the intestinal barrier, to numerous dysmetabolic and dysfunctional conditions. Several host and environmental factors, including dietary factors, can negatively and/or positively affect IP. In this regard, polyphenol-rich foods including berries have been proposed as potential IP modulators. However, the exact mechanisms involved are not yet fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a wild blueberry (WB; V. angustifolium) powder, naturally rich in polyphenols, to affect Caco-2 cell monolayer permeability and to identify the potential mechanisms in modulating the IP process. Caco-2 cells were incubated with TNF-α (10 ng mL-1), as a pro-inflammatory stimulus, and supplemented for 24 hours with different concentrations (1 and 5 mg mL-1) of WB powder. The integrity of the intestinal cell monolayer was evaluated by measuring the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and the paracellular transport of FITC-dextran. In addition, the production of the tight junction proteins, such as claudin-1 and occludin, as well as protein carbonyl and 8-hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine, as oxidative stress markers, were quantified in the supernatant by ELISA kits. Overall, the treatment with WB powder (5 mg mL-1) mitigated the loss of Caco-2 cell barrier integrity, as documented by an increase in TEER and a reduction in FITC values. This modulation was accompanied by an upregulation of claudin-1 and a reduction of 8-OHdG. Conversely, no effect was documented for the lower concentration (1 mg mL-1) and the other IP markers, as well as oxidative stress markers analysed. In conclusion, our findings suggest a potential role of WB in the modulation of cell barrier integrity. This modulation process could be attributed to an increase in claudin-1 expression and a reduction in 8-OHdG. Further studies should be performed to corroborate the results obtained. In addition, since the effects were observed at doses of WB achievable with the diet, these findings should be substantiated also through in vivo approaches.

Healthy Eating for Elective Major Orthopedic Surgery: Quality, Quantity, and Timing.

Improvements to enhanced recovery pathways in orthopedic surgery are reducing the time that patients spend in the hospital, giving an increasingly vital role to prehabilitation and/or rehabilitation after surgery. Nutritional support is an important tenant of perioperative medicine, with the aim to integrate the patient's diet with food components that are needed in greater amounts to support surgical fitness. Regardless of the time available between the time of contemplation of surgery and the day of admission, a patient who eats healthy is reasonably more suitable for surgery than a patient who does not meet the daily requirements for energy and nutrients. Moreover, a successful education for healthy food choices is one possible way to sustain the exercise therapy, improve recovery, and thus contribute to the patient's long-term health. The expected benefits presuppose that the patient follows a healthy diet, but it is unclear which advice is needed to improve dietary choices. We present the principles of healthy eating for patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery to lay the foundations of rational and valuable perioperative nutritional support programs. We discuss the concepts of nutritional use of food, requirements, portion size, dietary target, food variety, time variables of feeding, and the practical indications on what the last meal to be consumed six hours before the induction of anesthesia may be together with what is meant by clear fluids to be consumed until two hours before. Surgery may act as a vital "touch point" for some patients with the health service and is therefore a valuable opportunity for members of the perioperative team to promote optimal lifestyle choices, such as the notion and importance of healthy eating not just for surgery but also for long-term health benefit.

Can the Substitution of Milk with Plant-Based Drinks Affect Health-Related Markers? A Systematic Review of Human Intervention Studies in Adults.

The consumption of plant-based drinks (PBDs) in substitution for cow's milk (CM) is increasing due to concerns for human and planet health and animal welfare. The present review aims to analyze the main findings from intervention trials investigating the effect of PBDs in comparison with CM on markers of human health. Suitable articles published up to July 2022 were sourced from PubMed and Scopus databases. A total of 29 papers were collected, with 27 focusing on soy drinks (1 of which also evaluated the effects of an almond drink), while only 2 focused on rice drinks. Among studies focused on soy drinks, the most investigated factors were anthropometric parameters (n = 13), the lipid profile (n = 8), markers of inflammation and/or oxidative stress (n = 7), glucose and insulin responses (n = 6) and blood pressure (n = 4). Despite some evidence of a beneficial effect of PBDs, especially for the lipid profile, it was not possible to draw any overall conclusions due to some conflicting results. As well as the low number of studies, a wide heterogeneity was found in terms of the characteristics of subjects, duration and markers, which reduces the strength of the available results. In conclusion, further studies are needed to better elucidate the effects of substituting CM with PBDs, especially in the long term.

Berry Dietary Interventions in Metabolic Syndrome: New Insights.

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is characterized by a group of dysmetabolic conditions, including abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance and/or insulin resistance, and hypertension. Generally, MetS is accompanied by an exacerbation of oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular dysfunction. Increasing evidence suggests that berries and berry bioactives could play a potential role in the prevention and mitigation of the risk factors associated with MetS. The present systematic review summarizes the more recently available evidence deriving from human intervention studies investigating the effect of berries in subjects with at least three out of five MetS parameters. The PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases were systematically searched from January 2010 until December 2022. A total of 17 human intervention trials met the inclusion criteria. Most of them were focused on blueberry (n = 6), cranberry (n = 3), and chokeberry (n = 3), while very few or none were available for the other berries. If considering MetS features, the main positive effects were related to lipid profile (low and high-density lipoproteins, cholesterol, and triglycerides) following blueberries and chokeberries, while conflicting results were documented for anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels. Other markers analyzed within the studies included vascular function, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Here, the main positive effects were related to inflammation with a reduction in interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha following the intake of different berries. In conclusion, although limited, the evidence seems to support a potential role for berries in the modulation of lipid profile and inflammation in subjects with MetS. Furthermore, high-quality intervention trials are mandatory to demonstrate the role of berries in reducing risk factors for MetS and related conditions. In the future, such a demonstration could bring the adoption of berries as a potential dietary strategy to prevent/counteract MetS and related risk factors.

Blueberries and their bioactives in the modulation of oxidative stress, inflammation and cardio/vascular function markers: a systematic review of human intervention studies.

Blueberries represent a rich source of (poly)phenols and other bioactive compounds. Numerous in vitro and animal model studies documented the potential health-promoting properties of blueberries and blueberry-bioactives, while little is still known about their effects in humans. The objective of the present systematic review is to provide main evidence and the potential mechanisms of action of blueberry and its (poly)phenols in the regulation of markers related to oxidative stress, inflammation, vascular and cardiometabolic function in health and disease states. A total of 45 human intervention studies were included in this review. Overall, the evidence suggests that blueberries may play a role in the improvement of markers of vascular function. Their effects were observed following both post-prandial and long-term consumption, particularly in subjects with risk factors and/or disease conditions. Conversely, the conflicting results on inflammation, oxidative stress and cardiometabolic risk markers were most likely due to differences among studies in terms of study design, subject characteristics, duration of intervention, dosage, and type of biomarkers analyzed. For these reasons, high-quality, well-designed, human intervention studies are warranted to strengthen the current findings on vascular function and provide more evidence about the impact of blueberries on the different markers considered. In addition, studies focusing on the relationship between the structure and the function of (poly)phenols will be fundamental for a better comprehension of the mechanisms behind the health effects observed.

Acute effect of blueberry intake on vascular function in older subjects: Study protocol for a randomized, controlled, crossover trial.

Aging is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease which is often accompanied by a decline in vascular health and function. Current evidence suggests that berries may have a potential role in the modulation of vascular function, but dietary interventions are still needed to confirm findings, especially in older subjects. In the context of the MIND FoodS HUB project, this study aims to investigate the effect of a single serving of blueberry (250 g of blueberry versus a control product) in a group of older subjects (≥ 60y) through a randomized, controlled, cross-over dietary intervention trial. Specifically, the study evaluates the absorption kinetics of bioactives following the blueberries intake and the effects on markers related to oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular function analyzed at different time points. By considering a drop-out rate estimate of 25%, at least 20 subjects will be recruited in the study. The study will provide evidence to support the potential beneficial effects of blueberry and its bioactive compounds on vascular function in a group of population more susceptible to vascular dysfunction and to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, the study will contribute the analysis of several metabolic and functional markers that can support the biological plausibility of the results obtained. Finally, the trial will provide data on the absorption and metabolism of blueberry bioactives which will be used to study their association with the different markers under study. Trail registration: The trial is registered at ISRCTN (http://isrctn.com/ISRCTN18262533); May 7, 2021.

The Environmental Impact of an Italian-Mediterranean Dietary Pattern Based on the EAT-Lancet Reference Diet (EAT-IT).

The definition of a healthy and sustainable diet is nowadays considered pivotal, but data related to environmental outcomes are still debated. In this study, we compared the carbon (CF) and water footprints (WF) of an Italian-Mediterranean (EAT-IT) dietary pattern designed on the "Planetary diet", with a pattern based on the Italian Dietary Guidelines (IDG). The influence of different food categories and food choices on environmental impact was assessed. To this aim, weekly dietary patterns were developed, considering food categories and related portions and frequencies of consumption. Results show that the EAT-IT dietary pattern, compared to the IDG, had a significantly lower CF (2.82 ± 1.07 and 3.74 ± 0.92 kg CO2/day, respectively) but not WF. Protein-rich foods were the main contributors to CF and WF in both dietary patterns. The increased substitution of frozen instead of fresh foods, imported instead of local fruits, greenhouse-grown instead of seasonal vegetables, and processed legume-based foods instead of unprocessed legumes caused an increasing worsening of the CF in both patterns, but with different magnitudes. Our analysis indicated that the EAT-IT dietary pattern can be considered sustainable for CF, but individual choices are likely to largely affect the final environmental outcomes.

Sodium Content in Cereal-Based Products Sold in Italy: How Far Are We from the Global Benchmarks?

Reformulation of food products is one of the measures needed for reducing salt consumption. Accordingly, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently proposed global sodium benchmarks for different food categories to be used for setting national policies. Therefore, the sodium content of cereal-based products currently sold in Italy was compared with the WHO benchmarks, highlighting those categories primarily needing a reformulation. To this aim, the sodium content and several declarations (i.e., nutrition and health claims, organic or gluten free declaration) were retrieved from 2917 cereal-based products sold on the Italian market. All "minimally processed breakfast cereals" had a sodium content below the benchmark, while "flatbreads" and "leavened bread" had the highest percentage of items above the respective sodium benchmarks. Flatbreads and "crackers/savory biscuits" showed the highest median delta values from the respective benchmarks of 360 and 278 mg/100 g, respectively. Large variability in terms of percentage of products with sodium content above the benchmark was observed within the same categories, as well as among products with different declarations. A large number of food products currently sold on the Italian market have a sodium content above the benchmark. This result suggests the need to reformulate many food products currently on the market to achieve the WHO/United Nations (UN) objective of 30% global reduction in sodium intake by 2025.

Cobalamin status is negatively correlated with vascular endothelial-cadherin in vegetarian and vegan women with vitamin B12 deficiency.

Optimal vitamin B12 status is important for vascular health. Vascular endothelial (VE) cadherin is an adherent junction protein involved in the maintenance of a functional endothelium. We hypothesized that vitamin B12 deficiency can negatively affect markers of vascular function, such as VE-cadherin. Within a human intervention study, we explored the possible association between cobalamin status (i.e., vitamin B12, holotranscobalamin, and homocysteine) and VE-cadherin (as marker of vascular health) in vegetarians/vegans (VEG) with B12 deficiency. The associations were evaluated at baseline and after 90-day supplementation with 2000 µg/wk of vitamin B12. On the whole, an inverse association between VE-cadherin and holotranscobalamin (P = .014) and a positive association between VE-cadherin and homocysteine (P = .041) was documented at baseline. VEG women showed higher levels of VE-cadherin compared with VEG men (P = .044), suggesting an increase in endothelial permeability. The intervention with vitamin B12 restored serum vitamin levels and improved the overall cobalamin status, whereas it did not affect VE-cadherin levels. The inverse association between holotranscobalamin and VE-cadherin was also maintained after intervention in women, corroborating the strong correlation between these 2 parameters. The results obtained seem to suggest a possible association between cobalamin status and VE-cadherin even if the intervention with B12 failed to positively affect VE-cadherin levels. Thus, further studies are needed to corroborate these findings and clarify the contribution of a vitamin B12 intervention on VE-cadherin levels in this target population. This trial was registered at ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN75099618).

Effects of Dietary Fibers on Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Gut Microbiota Composition in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review.

There is an increasing interest in investigating dietary strategies able to modulate the gut microbial ecosystem which, in turn, may play a key role in human health. Dietary fibers (DFs) are widely recognized as molecules with prebiotic effects. The main objective of this systematic review was to: (i) analyze the results available on the impact of DF intervention on short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production; (ii) evaluate the interplay between the type of DF intervention, the gut microbiota composition and its metabolic activities, and any other health associated outcome evaluated in the host. To this aim, initially, a comprehensive database of literature on human intervention studies assessing the effect of confirmed and candidate prebiotics on the microbial ecosystem was developed. Subsequently, studies performed on DFs and analyzing at least the impact on SCFA levels were extracted from the database. A total of 44 studies from 42 manuscripts were selected for the analysis. Among the different types of fiber, inulin was the DF investigated the most (n = 11). Regarding the results obtained on the ability of fiber to modulate total SCFAs, seven studies reported a significant increase, while no significant changes were reported in five studies, depending on the analytical methodology used. A total of 26 studies did not show significant differences in individual SCFAs, while the others reported significant differences for one or more SCFAs. The effect of DF interventions on the SCFA profile seemed to be strictly dependent on the dose and the type and structure of DFs. Overall, these results underline that, although affecting microbiota composition and derived metabolites, DFs do not produce univocal significant increase in SCFA levels in apparently healthy adults. In this regard, several factors (i.e., related to the study protocols and analytical methods) have been identified that could have affected the results obtained in the studies evaluated. Future studies are needed to better elucidate the relationship between DFs and gut microbiota in terms of SCFA production and impact on health-related markers.

Plant-Based Foods and Vascular Function: A Systematic Review of Dietary Intervention Trials in Older Subjects and Hypothesized Mechanisms of Action.

Cardiovascular diseases, still the leading cause of mortality in the world, are closely related to vascular function. Older subjects are more susceptible to endothelial dysfunction and therefore it is important to define possible preventive or support strategies, such as consumption of foods with health-promoting effects. This systematic review aims to summarize the currently available evidence on acute or chronic trials testing the effect of selected plant-based foods on vascular function parameters in older subjects, and consider plausible mechanisms that may support the main findings. A total of 15 trials were included and analyzed, testing the effects of beetroot, plum, blueberry, and vegetable oils. We found some interesting results regarding markers of vascular reactivity, in particular for beetroot, while no effects were found for markers of arterial stiffness. The amelioration of vascular function seems to be more related to the restoration of a condition of nitric oxide impairment, exacerbated by diseases or hypoxic condition, rather than the enhancement of a physiological situation, as indicated by the limited effects on healthy older subjects or in control groups with young subjects. However, the overall set of selected studies is, in any case, rather limited and heterogeneous in terms of characteristics of the studies, indicating the need for additional high-quality intervention trials to better clarify the role of vegetable foods in restoring and/or improving vascular function in order to better elucidate the mechanisms through which these foods may exert their vascular health benefits in older subjects.

DIet and Health From reGIstered Trials on ClinicalTrials.gov: The DIGIT Study.

Background: Clinical trial registration has become a valuable tool that can be used to track the status and nature of trials conducted on a specific topic. This approach has been applied to many areas of research, but less is known about the characteristics and trends over time of clinical trials focused on diet and health. The aim of this study was to analyze diet-related clinical trials registered on the National Institute of Health "ClinicalTrials.gov" web platform in the last 10 years, to list and describe their characteristics, and to identify possible gaps to be filled in the future research. Methods: A search was performed on the ClinicalTrials.gov database. Intervention studies registered from January 2010 to December 2020, conducted on adults, with a follow-up of ≥2 weeks, evaluating the impact of different diets on all outcomes except those assessed with scales or questionnaires were considered. Results: At the end of the selection process, a total of 1,016 registered clinical trials were identified and included in the analysis. The most investigated dietary approaches were balanced diets (n = 381 trials), followed by those based on a modification of macronutrients (n = 288) and time-restricted feeding and intermittent fasting diets (n = 140). The main measured outcomes included anthropometric parameters and body composition (57.8%), glycemic control parameters (49.7%), lipid parameters (40.1%), inflammatory markers (29.1%), and blood pressure and/or heart rate (24.5%). A growing body of studies also focused on microbiota and host metabolism (17.8%). Most studies had a duration of less than 12 weeks (~60%), and more than 90% of studies enrolled volunteers with overweight/obesity or other diseases. Regarding aging, only 21 studies focused only on older adults. Conclusion: The number of studies investigating the relationship between diet and health has increased over the years. Despite the growing interest in the topic, there are some gaps, such as the limited duration of most trials, the underrepresentation of some population groups, and the limited number of studies for some diets that, although popular in the population, lack robust scientific evidence.

Prediction of Long-Term Recovery From Disability Using Hemoglobin-Based Models: Results From a Cohort of 1,392 Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery.

Hemoglobin and its associated blood values are important laboratory biomarkers that mirror the strength of constitution of patients undergoing spine surgery. Along with the clinical determinants available during the preadmission visit, it is important to explore their potential for predicting clinical success from the patient's perspective in order to make the pre-admission visit more patient-centered. We analyzed data from 1,392 patients with spine deformity, disc disease, or spondylolisthesis enrolled between 2016 and 2019 in our institutional Spine Registry. Patient-reported outcome measure at 17 months after surgery was referred to the Oswestry disability index. High preoperative hemoglobin was found to be the strongest biochemical determinant of clinical success along with high red blood cells count, while low baseline disability, prolonged hospitalization, and long surgical times were associated with poor recovery. The neural network model of these predictors showed a fair diagnostic performance, having an area under the curve of 0.726 and a sensitivity of 86.79%. However, the specificity of the model was 15.15%, thus providing to be unreliable in forecasting poor patient-reported outcomes. In conclusion, preoperative hemoglobin may be one of the key biomarkers on which to build appropriate predictive models of long-term recovery after spine surgery, but it is necessary to include multidimensional variables in the models to increase the reliability at the patient's level.

Perioperative Anesthesia and Acute Smell Alterations in Spine Surgery: A "Sniffing Impairment" Influencing Refeeding?

Medications for general anesthesia can cause smell alterations after surgery, with inhalation anesthetics being the most acknowledged drugs. However, spine patients have been poorly studied in past investigations and whether these alterations could influence the refeeding remains unclear. This research aims to observe detectable dysosmias after spine surgery, to explore any amplified affection of halogenates (DESflurane and SEVoflurane) against total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), and to spot potential repercussions on the refeeding. Fifty patients between 50 and 85 years old were recruited before elective spine procedure and tested for odor acuity and discrimination using the Sniffin' Sticks test. The odor abilities were re-assessed within the first 15 h after surgery together with the monitoring of food intakes. The threshold reduced from 4.92 ± 1.61 to 4.81 ± 1.64 (p = 0.237) and the discrimination ability reduced from 10.50 ± 1.83 to 9.52 ± 1.98 (p = 0.0005). Anesthetic-specific analysis showed a significant reduction of both threshold (p = 0.004) and discrimination (p = 0.004) in the SEV group, and a significant reduction of discrimination abilities (p = 0.016) in the DES group. No dysosmias were observed in TIVA patients after surgery. Food intakes were lower in the TIVA group compared to both DES (p = 0.026) and SEV (p = 0.017). The food consumed was not associated with the sniffing impairment but appeared to be inversely associated with the surgical time. These results confirmed the evidence on inhalation anesthetics to cause smell alterations in spine patients. Furthermore, the poor early oral intake after complex procedures suggests that spinal deformity surgery could be a practical challenge to early oral nutrition.

Vitamin D Counteracts Lipid Accumulation, Augments Free Fatty Acid-Induced ABCA1 and CPT-1A Expression While Reducing CD36 and C/EBPß Protein Levels in Monocyte-Derived Macrophages.

The biologically active form of vitamin D, calcitriol (VD3), has received great attention for its extraskeletal effects, such as a protective role on the cardiovascular system. The aim of the present work is to test the capacity of VD3 to affect lipid metabolism and fatty acid accumulation in an in vitro model of monocyte (THP-1)-derived macrophages. Cells were treated for 24 h with oleic/palmitic acid (500 µM, 2:1 ratio) and different VD3 concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, 50 and 100 nM). Lipid accumulation was quantified spectrophotometrically (excitation: 544 nm, emission: 590 nm). C/EBPß, PPAR-γ1, CD36, CPT-1A, and ABCA1 protein levels were assessed by ELISA kits at different time-points (1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 h). VD3 at 50 and 100 nM significantly reduced fatty acids accumulation in macrophages by 27% and 32%, respectively. In addition, tested at 50 nM, VD3 decreased CD36, PPAR-γ1, and C/EBPß, while it increased ABCA1 and CPT-1A protein levels in free fatty acid-exposed cells. In conclusion, VD3 reduced fatty acid accumulation in THP-1-derived macrophages exposed to lipid excess. The anti-atherogenic effect of VD3 could be ascribable to the regulation of proteins involved in lipid transport and clearance.

What Is the Current Direction of the Research on Carotenoids and Human Health? An Overview of Registered Clinical Trials.

Carotenoids have been the object of numerous observational, pre-clinical and interventional studies focused on elucidating their potential impacts on human health. However, the large heterogeneity among the trials, in terms of study duration and characteristics of participants, makes any conclusion difficult to draw. The present study aimed to explore the current carotenoid research trends by analyzing the characteristics of the registered clinical trials. A total of 193 registered trials on ClinicalTrials.gov and ISRCTN were included in the revision. Eighty-three studies were performed with foods, one-hundred-five with food supplements, and five with both. Among the foods tested, tomatoes and tomato-based foods, and eggs were the most studied. Lutein, lycopene, and astaxanthin were the most carotenoids investigated. Regarding the goals, 52 trials were focused on studying carotenoids' bioavailability, and 140 studies investigated the effects of carotenoids on human health. The main topics included eye and cardiovascular health. Recently, the research has focused also on two new topics: cognitive function and carotenoid-gut microbiota interactions. However, the current research on carotenoids is still mostly focused on the bioavailability and metabolism of carotenoids from foods and food supplements. Within this context, the impacts/contributions of food technologies and the development of new carotenoid formulations are discussed. In addition, the research is still corroborating the previous findings on vision and cardiovascular health. Much attention has also been devoted to new research areas, such as the carotenoid-microbiota interactions, which could contribute to explaining the metabolism and the health effects of carotenoids; and the relation between carotenoids and cognitive function. However, for these topics the research is still only beginning, and further studies are need.

A mix of chlorogenic and caffeic acid reduces C/EBPß and PPAR-γ1 levels and counteracts lipid accumulation in macrophages.

PURPOSE: Chlorogenic acid (CGA) and caffeic acid (CA) are bioactive compounds in whole grains, berries, apples, some citrus fruits and coffee, which are hypothesized to promote health-beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of CGA and CA to reduce lipid accumulation in macrophages, recognized as a critical stage in the progression of atherosclerosis. Furtherly, the modulation of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ß (C/EBPß) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- γ1 (PPAR-γ1), as transcription factors involved in lipid metabolism, was evaluated. METHODS: THP-1-derived macrophages were treated for 24 h with 0.03, 0.3, 3 and 30 µM of CGA and CA, tested alone or in combination, and a solution of oleic/palmitic acid (500 µM, 2:1 ratio). Lipid storage was assessed spectrophotometrically through fluorescent staining of cells with Nile red. C/EBPß and PPAR-γ1 mRNA and protein levels were evaluated by RT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. RESULTS: The mix of CGA + CA (1:1 ratio) reduced lipid accumulation at all concentrations tested, except for the highest one. The greatest effect ( - 65%; p < 0.01) was observed at the concentration of 0.3 µM for each compound. The same concentration significantly (p < 0.01) downregulated C/EBPß and PPAR-γ1 gene expression and reduced their protein levels at 2 h and 24 h, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the capacity of CGA + CA mix to reduce lipid storage in macrophages is mediated by a reduction in the expression of transcription factors C/EBPß and PPAR-γ1.

An Overview of Registered Clinical Trials on Glucosinolates and Human Health: The Current Situation.

Epidemiological studies suggest a potential role of glucosinolates (GSLs) and isothiocyanates on human health. However, evidence from intervention studies, due to heterogeneity in features of study design, duration, participants, food or food components administered, and outcomes analyzed, is still insufficient. The current review aims to provide an overview of the trials on GSLs and GSL-rich foods registered over the last 20 years with the intention to summarize the main topics and results, but also the existing gaps that still need to be covered. Studies were collected by using ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) registry. A total of 87 registered trials were identified with which most of them were performed by using extracts or pure compounds (n = 60) while few were conducted with GSL-rich foods (n = 27). In detail, sulforaphane was the most investigated compound, while broccoli was the most frequent food tested in the trials. The majority of the studies assessed the health effects of GSLs focusing on outcomes related to cancer and cognitive function, even if the current findings are not univocal. Emerging topics also included the study of GSLs and gut microbiota interaction and impact on skin health. Further attention was also drawn to the bioavailability of GSLs and/or derivatives from foods, extracts, and single compounds by also considering the contribution of the different genetic polymorphisms. In conclusion, although considerable efforts have been made to study GSLs and GSL-rich foods, further studies are necessary to provide evidence-based research and to corroborate the findings obtained. The interindividual response due to genetic polymorphisms should be further investigated in order to explore the contribution to the overall beneficial effect.

Breakfast Cereals Carrying Fibre-Related Claims: Do They Have a Better Nutritional Composition Than Those without Such Claims? Results from the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study.

Nutrition claims (NCs) on food packaging are, from one side, an informative tool about the nutritional characteristics of the product. From another side, they could bias the consumer in perceiving such products as healthier than those without claims. In order to investigate whether products with NCs have a better nutritional composition that those without claims, the present study aimed to compare the nutrition facts of 376 breakfast cereals, with and without fibre-related NCs, available in 13 Italian retailer online stores. Among these products, 73 items claimed to be a "source of fibre" and 109 "high in fibre". In addition to a higher fibre content, products "high in fibre" showed higher protein and fat contents but lower carbohydrate, sugar and salt contents compared to both "source of fibre" and without fibre-related NC items. Overall, a high variability in nutritional values was also observed within products with the same type of fibre-related NC. In conclusion, the results suggested that fibre-related NCs should not be considered as a marker of a better nutritional composition of breakfast cereals, and thus consumers should be educated to carefully read the entire nutritional information reported in the food labelling.