Nutrition & Food Technology Research
Volume:1 Issue: 2, Oct-Dec 2014

Fructose consumption has increased dramatically in the last 40 years, and its role in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome has been implicated by many studies. It is most often encountered in the diet as sucrose (glucose and fructose) or high-fructose corn syrup (55% fructose). At high levels, dietary exposure to fructose triggers a series of metabolic changes originating in the liver, leading to hepatic steatosis, hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, and decreased leptin sensitivity. Fructose has been identified to alter biological pathways in other tissues including the central nervous system (CNS), adipose tissue, and the gastrointestinal system. Unlike glucose, consumption of fructose produces smaller increases in the circulating satiety hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and does not attenuate levels of the appetite suppressing hormone ghrelin. In the brain, fructose contributes to increased food consumption by activating appetite and reward pathways, and stimulating hypothalamic AMPK activity, a nutrient-sensitive regulator of food intake. Recent studies investigating the neurophysiological factors linking fructose consumption and weight gain in humans have demonstrated differential activation of brain regions that govern appetite, motivation and reward processing. Compared to fructose, glucose ingestion produces a greater reduction of hypothalamic neuronal activity, and increases functional connectivity between the hypothalamus and other reward regions of the brain, indicating that these two sugars regulate feeding behavior through distinct neural circuits. This review article outlines the current findings in fructose-feeding studies in both human and animal models, and discusses the central effects on the CNS that may lead to increased appetite and food intake. Keywords: Fructose, Metabolic syndrome, Appetite, Central nervous system

Increased consumption of fiber in the diet of diabetic patients is usually recommended for better diabetes control. Trans-theoretical model of health behavior has had positive results in diabetes consultations on healthcare and adherence to healthy eating. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the stages of change based on fiber consumption and glycemic control in the patients with type 2 diabetes. This study was conducted on126 individuals (aged 30-65 years) with type 2 diabetes selected from two diabetes care centers in Tehran, Iran. “Stages of change questionnaire” was completed, and dietary intake was determined by a three-day food record. Logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between the stages of change and glycemic control indices in these patients. P-value<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The mean fiber intake in the patients with type 2 diabetes (10.62±3.19 g/kcal) was less than the minimum amount recommended by Dietary Reference Intake (DRI). Besides, most patients were in the maintenance (52%) and preparation (22.4%) stages. After adjustment for confounding factors, a positive significant relationship was observed between the blood glucose level and the action and maintenance stages. However, this relationship was contrary to the expected results. The largest part of fiber intake was related to fruits (~40%). Trans-theoretical model seems to be efficient for distinguishing the readiness of the patients with type 2 diabetes for change in their fiber intake behavior. Nevertheless, no association was found between the stages and glycemic control indices. Keywords: Stages of change, Dietary fiber, Type 2 diabetes.

Good medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is crucial to inpatients'' health and treatment, and is part of routine hospital cares. Surgery ward is a highly danger-prone section in any hospital. The present study was conducted for a proactive risk analysis of nutrition and food distribution in Mashhad Qaem Hospital’ Women’s Surgery Ward in 2013 through health care failure mode and effect analysis (HFMEA). A qualitative-quantitative research identified and analyzed the failure modes and effects through HFMEA. To rank error modes, we drew upon nursing errors in the clinical management model; to rank the effective causes of failure, we approved the model by the UK National Health System; and to rank the performance improvement approaches, we used the theory of inventive problem solving, TRIZ (theory of inventive problem solving). A total of 42 failure modes were identified for 15 sub-processes listed in 7 processes of nutrition and food distribution. In sum, 11.9% of the failures modes were classified as high risk (hazard scores >=8). Of 15 effective failure modes, the highest number of cause failure modes was associated with team factors, and the lowest number was associated with facilities. Using proactive HFMEA is highly effective in detecting potential failures in medication, effective factors in failure modes, and performance improvement approaches in hospital food distribution. ''Monitoring proper patient-wards relationship,'' ''committee establishment on diet, nutrition and medications,'' ''performance assessment checklist making'' and ''supervising by nutrition authority over food distribution in wards'' were identified as effective performance approaches in the Women’s Surgery Ward in Qaem Hospital.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most prevalent autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, and it has been suggested that nutrition might play a role in the etiology of MS. This study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between MS risk and intake of some macro- and micro-nutrients in Tehran (Iran). In this hospital based, case-control study, a total of 60 newly diagnosed patients with MS and 140 controls underwent face-to-face interviews. Information regarding the usual dietary intake of each individual in the past year was collected by using a valid and reliable 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Inverse significant associations were observed (P< 0.05) between the intake of protein (OR=0.19; 95% CI: 0.04-0.76) and micro-nutrients such as vitamin B1 (OR=0.10; 95% CI: 0.02-0.53), vitamin B2 (OR=0.15; 95% CI: 0.04-0.50), cobalamin (OR=0.13; 95% CI: 0.04-0.38), vitamin C (OR=0.20; 95% CI: 0.07-0.58), vitamin A (OR=0.23; 95% CI: 0.09-0.59), vitamin D (OR=0.28; 95% CI: 0.11-0.72), vitamin E (OR=0.15; 95% CI: 0.05-0.41), β-carotene (OR=0.38; 95% CI: 0.15-0.97), zinc (OR=0.05; 95% CI: 0.01-0.27), magnesium (OR=0.12; 95% CI: 0.03-0.47) and calcium (OR=0.23; 95% CI: 0.08-0.67) and the risk of MS. The results suggest that intake of some macro- and micro-nutrients might be associated with reduced risk of MS. It seems promising that intake of nutrients at least in the dietary reference levels may decrease the risk of MS.

Food insecurity may be associated with poor nutrition, which in turn can increase the risk of adverse nutrition and health outcomes among infants and toddlers. This study was undertaken in 2008 to gain an insight of mothers'' views on complementary feeding practices and food security. In this qualitative study, data were collected through 10 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with groups of mothers who had under two-year-old children in the urban areas of Damavand (7 FGDs; n=51) and Varamin (3 FGDs; n=29). Each FGD was held in the presence of a moderator, two note takers, and an observer. All notes were collected, and the emerging themes were reported. In the study, nine general themes were identified: 1) The mothers viewed adequate food as a food, which is useful for health in both quality and quantity; 2) Households have limited access to adequate food because they cannot afford it; 3) In hard situations, household’s strategies are: changing the type and amount of food, and buying cheaper foods; 4) In case of poverty, mothers abstain from eating to save food for their children; 5) The mothers viewed complementary feeding as soft, simple and light foods, which are especially made for children; 6) The best time for introducing complementary feeding was 6 months of age; 7) There were no complementary local foods in the region; 8) For under one-year-old children, a different type of food was separately prepared; 9) Home-made complementary food was preferred over the readymade type. Despite mothers'' sufficient knowledge about the advantages of complementary feeding, the majority of them had not good performance. This qualitative study provides a foundation and valuable information for future studies on the nutritional health of children in food insecure households.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nano-particles have been proven to have strong antibacterial activity against food borne pathogens. The practical applications of different concentrations (Control, 0, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mM) of ZnO suspensions containing 1% acetic acid were investigated against the pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus. The projects of laboratory and field number 3 were repeated. The order of 1% acetic acid, and the 6 mM and 8 mM suspension concentrations of zinc oxide nanoparticles containing acetic acid was/were used as antibacterial juices. The experiments were repeated three rounds. The data were analyzed by ANOVA software, and the P<0.05 level of significance was identified. The results also exhibited that ZnO and acetic acid had inhibitory effect on the growth of all strains during the 24 h culture period in mango juice, as compared to the control experiment, which was further confirmed in the liquid culture. This is the first report describing the antibacterial activity of ZnO NPs in mango juices that showed the potential of these nano-particles for use as an antibacterial agent in the food industry.

Bac polyamines (putrecsine, spermidine and spermine) are widespread components, which can be found in most of the foods like meat, fruits, vegetables, cheese and wine. Studies show that reducing the level of polyamines in cells may help to slow down some cancer processes; however, dietary polyamines may be required in wound healing, and for growth, maturation and regeneration of the intestinal mucosa. The aim of the present study is determination of biologically active polyamines by HPLC, and finding the best method of their derivatization. Three different methods of derivatization and gradient elution were tested. Two wavelengths (225 and 254 nm) were applied to find the best way of detecting and analyzing the polyamines. The best method was chosen according to the good and sharp peaks. Results from different experiments suggested that the best condition for derivatization of polyamines is when the samples are put in warm water bath (40ºC) for nearly 1 hour. Additionally, acetonitrile (90%) and water HPLC-grade were chosen as mobile phases, and 254 nm was determined as the appropriate wavelength. The proposed method and condition are good, fast and reliable that can be applied for analyzing and detecting the biologically active polyamines in turkey meat samples by HPLC.