Nutrition & Food Technology Research
Volume:8 Issue: 1, Jan-Mar 2021

Several mitigation and suppression policies, such as social distancing, city lockdowns, remote working, testing, providing personal protective equipment and health care resource availability have been implemented by the governments in response to Covid-19 pandemic. Until now (October 23, 2020), over 1.14 million deaths in the world including 31,650 just in Iran have been officially attributed to this newly emerged viral disease (1). There is an enormous variation in the clinical symptoms of Covid-19, ranging from a mild common cold to severe symptoms such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and septic shock. Several factors may influence the severity of Covid-19 disease such as co-infection, co-morbidities, genetic and host factors including race, age, and obesity (2). Currently, there is no effective drug or vaccine available to treat or prevent the disease.

Diabetes is one of the metabolic diseases with a significant increase rate in recent decades. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of eight weeks of resistance training and consumption of pomegranate juice on Glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1), dipeptidyl peptidase 4(DPP-4) and glycemic statuses in women with type 2 diabetes (a randomized controlled trial).

Samples included 40 women with type 2 diabetic aged 45–55 years, who were randomly selected and divided into four major groups of control (n = 10), resistance training (n = 10), pomegranate juice consumption (n = 10) and resistance training and pomegranate juice consumption (n = 10) groups. Resistance training group and resistance training and pomegranate juice consumption group carried out three resistance training sessions for eight weeks, each week with a maximum intensity of 30%. By the end of the Week 18, groups reached 80% of the maximum repetition. The pomegranate juice group received 100 ml of pomegranate juice every day. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out using SPSS Software v.21.

Results showed that eight weeks of resistance training with pomegranate juice consumption significantly increased GLP-1, HDL, insulin (p = 0.0001) and decreased DPP-4, LDL and glucose (p = 0.0001) levels in women with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, results showed that resistance training significantly increased GLP-1 and decreased DDP-4 levels in these women. No significant changes were seen in control group and pomegranate juice consumption in the study variables.

Based on the results of this study, resistance training with consumption of pomegranate juice effectively improves insulin secretion and glycemic control. This improvement can be attributed to increases in GLP-1 and DDP-4 levels.

The aim of the present study was to investigate effectsof a single sessionof eccentric or concentric resistance exercise on relative expression of BDNF, PAX7 and IGF-1 in healthy participants.

In a field trial, ten healthy young men were randomly assigned into two equal groupsof concentric and eccentric contractions. Isokinetic contraction protocols included eccentric and concentric knee extensions with maximum power. The torques assigned were similar in the two groups. At the beginning and end ofthe exercise, biopsies of the lateral broad muscle tissue were collectedto assess relative expression of BDNF, PAX7 and IGF-1.

Statistically significant increases were seen in BDNF and PAX7 expression rates of the concentric exercise group (p= 0.021 and p= 0.014, respectively). Results showed that IGF-1 protein significantly increased after concentric and eccentric exercises(p= 0.005 and p= 0.022, respectively). In eccentric exercise group, BDNF and PAX7 expression rates increasedsignificantly (p=0.034 and p= 0.034, respectively).

Based on the findings, a single session of eccentric and concentric exercise changes factors involved in skeletal muscle strength and hypertrophy. In addition, these changes were totally more in eccentric contraction group, compared to concentric contraction group. It can be recommended to focus further on eccentric exercisesto increase hypertrophy and muscle strength.Furthermore, these findingscan be used to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Strenuous exercises have been shown to induce inflammation. However, consumption of products rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C may enhance this effect. The purpose of this study was to assess effects of vitamin C supplementation on C-reactive protein, lactate and blood pressure following resistance exercise in overweight men.

In a randomized, double-blinded placebo-controlled trial, 20 young men (age of 38.8 y ±3.4 and BMI of 28.36 kg/m2 ±1.2) voluntarily participated and were randomly divided into vitamin C supplementation
(n = 10) and placebo (n = 10) groups. After two weeks of receiving 500 mg/d of vitamin C or placebo, participants were involved in a session of resistance exercises (three sets of eight repetitions at 80% of one repetition maximum). To assess changes in C-reactive protein and lactate, blood samples were collected after blood pressure measurement at phases of baseline, pre exercise, immediately post resistance exercise and 24 h post exercise.

Results using ANOVA with repeated measurement showed that levels of C-reactive protein, lactate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were not significantly changed in participants after supplementation (p>0.05). Moreover, significant increases were seen in lactate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure immediately after exercise intervention in both groups (p < 0.05). However, C-reactive protein levels significantly increased only in placebo group immediately post resistance exercise and 24 h post exercise, compared to those at baseline (p = 0.008 and p = 0.021, respectively) and pre exercise (p = 0.007, and p = 0.019, respectively) times. The unique statistically significant difference between the two groups included a significant increase in level of C-reactive protein in placebo group immediately post resistance exercise (p = 0.031) and 24 h post exercise (p = 0.038) times, compared to supplement group.

Results from the present study have demonstrated the beneficial effects of vitamin C supplement on improved blood pressure and lactate tolerance as well as decreased inflammatory responses of C-reactive protein caused by resistance exercises.

As an autoimmune disease, celiac is triggered by exposure to dietary gluten in genetically susceptible individuals, leading to various gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal symptoms. The aim of the current study was to accurately investigate epidemiology of the celiac disease in Hamadan Province, Iran.

This study was carried out as a case series at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran, 2016–2018. The participants were selected using census method. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS Software v.18 and descriptive statistics.

From 72 participants, 68.1% were females and 31.9% were males. In addition, the mean age of the participants was 32.47 y ±17.21; 15.27% of them had known genetic backgrounds. Serological results revealed that 47% of the participants had tTG antibody. Based on the disease severity classification, the highest frequency (57%) was linked to Marsh III. Furthermore, 10% of celiac patients were simultaneously diagnosed with diabetes.

In this study, celiac was mostly diagnosed in young to middle-age people (30–40 y), the majority of whom were females. It seems that the incidence of diabetes and CD is one of the most significant health problems in the province. High severity of the disease (Marsh III) was important as well. Of the disease symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms were more common; from which, diarrhea and abdominal pain were more common. In non-gastrointestinal symptoms, anemia was the most common symptom.

Use of aloe vera gel in dairy industries is important for increasing quality of dairy products. In the present study, effects of aloe vera gel with inulin and whey powder on survival of probiotic bacteria, rheological and sensory characteristics of yogurt were investigated.

Low-fat (1.5%) probiotic yogurts were prepared from pasteurized milks, 1% of starters and 2% combinations of Lactobacillus acidophilus with Bifidobacterium animalis at 40 °C and pH 4.4. Probiotic yogurts mixed with aloe vera gels at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% were stored seven days at 4 oC. Since the probiotic yogurt with 10% of aloe vera gel included the best sensory scores compared to other aloe vera gel concentrations after seven days of storage at 4 oC, this formulation was mixed with inulin at 0.5, 1 and 1.5% (w/w) or whey powder at 5, 10 and 15% (w/w). 

Sensory evaluations showed that the probiotic yogurt with 10% of aloe vera gel and 1.5% of inulin included the highest scores of flavor, texture, aroma, color and acceptance within the samples after similar storage conditions. The probiotic yogurt with 10% of aloe vera gel and 1.5% of inulin included the highest survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium animalis, while controls (with no aloe vera gels) showed the lowest survival rates of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium animalis. Apparent viscosity and serum separation of probiotic yogurt with 10% of aloe vera gel and 1.5% of inulin respectively increased three times and decreased to less than 4%, compared to controls and whey samples at similar shear rates and storage times.The pH decrease of probiotic yogurt with 10% of aloe vera gel and 1.5% of inulin was much slower than those of the control and whey samples during storage, including no serum separations during storage.

Aloe vera gel and inulin improved viability of probiotic bacteria and quality of yogurt samples during storage.

Food wastes are sometimes valuable; of which, seeds are significantly important. Grape seeds, as byproduct of grape processing, contain valuable substances for the production of advanced oils as well as feeds. Therefore, the major aim of this study was to assess moisture sorption isotherms of black grape seeds at various conditions.

Moisture sorption isotherms of black grape seeds (Siah Sardasht cultivar) were measured using static gravimetric method with saturated salt solutions at five various temperatures of 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 ˚C. Water activity ranged 0.1–0.9. Five mathematical models of Guggenheim, Anderson and De Boer (three-parameter), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (two-parameter), D’Arcy-Watt (five-parameter), Henderson (two-parameter) and Halsey (two-parameter) were used to fit data using non-linear regression analysis method.

Results showed that the moisture sorption behavior of grape seed was temperature dependent as indicated by increases in equilibrium moisture contents at all levels of water activity with decreasing temperature. The best fit with experimental data in all water activities and temperatures were linked to Guggenheim, Anderson and De Boer model. D’Arcy-Watt model at 40, 50 and 60˚C was adjusted well. The net isosteric heat of sorption was achieved using Clausius-Clapeyron equation and showed the maximum value (754.3 kJ/kg) at a moisture content of 0.1 (%d.b).

Rapid spoilage of grape seeds may occur at a water activity of 0.3 or greater for 20 ˚C and that of 0.6 for other temperatures. The Guggenheim, Anderson and De Boer model presented the best fitting. At highlighted temperatures, net isosteric heat increased significantly with decreases in moisture contents.

Most of spices are produced using traditional systems. In unsanitary conditions, spices can contain large numbers of pathogenic microbes such as bacteria, molds and yeasts. Some microorganisms are known as human pathogens, which need disinfection mechanisms that minimize their potential harms to active substances in spices. Use of contaminated spices in foods can significantly decrease the shelf life of food products and may include health hazards to consumers. In recent decades, various technologies such as fumigation (e.g., ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and methyl bromide), steam heating and gamma radiation have been used to eliminate pollutions. However, these technologies include disadvantages. Therefore, researchers eagerly investigate novel methods of disinfection that do not include the highlighted disadvantages. This study has reviewed conventional methods for the sterilization and decontamination of spices, focusing specifically on cold plasma as an alternative technique and its uses in microbial inactivation of spices. Cold plasma is a novel food processing technology which uses energetic reactive gases for the inactivation of contaminating microbes in spices. Decontamination spices with cold plasma is safe and much more effective than previous methods. Furthermore, effects of cold plasma on bioactive ingredients are negligible and almost final quality of the products after processes are constant.