Dietary Constituents Research Articles

Oil Crops and Oil Production Trends

Edible oils are main constituent of human diet. Production figures of oils crops and oils provide information not about only production patterns but consumption patterns too. Knowing this information helps industry as well educators in focusing on important oil crops and oils. It was found in this study that world is dominated only by few oil crops and oils. Further it was discovered that only handful of countries contribute to bulk of oil crops and oils.

Chemical composition and technofunctional properties of carrot (Daucus carota L.) pomace and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) pulp as affected by thermomechanical treatment

Fiber rich by-products derived from primary agri-food production such as carrot pomace and potato pulp are available in large quantities, but their functional properties do not necessarily meet the requirements for use in specific food applications. Thermomechanical treatment (extrusion) of carrot pomace and potato pulp changes both dietary fiber polysaccharide structures and technofunctionality of the materials. Solubility of dietary fiber constituents changes, resulting in higher levels of water- and ethanol-soluble poly-/oligosaccharides. On a structural level, particularly arabinans and galactans as neutral side chains of type I rhamnogalacturonan were degraded under thermomechanical stress. Galacturonic acid portions (preferably from homogalacturonan or rhamnogalacturonan I) and their degree of methylation were also negatively affected. On a functional level, water absorption of potato pulp increased up to three times following extrusion, whereas water absorption of carrot pomace decreased with extrusion processing. The observed, enhanced swelling behavior for extruded carrot pomace was accompanied by higher complex viscosity of the dispersions. Swelling of potato pulp particles increased largely (up to 25 times) following extrusion, resulting in highly viscous pastes. Phytochemicals were retained up to 50%, heat-induced contaminants were formed only to a small extent (up to 8.1 mg 5-hydroxymethylfurfural·kg− 1 dry matter for carrot pomace; up to 71 µg acrylamide·kg− 1 dry matter for potato pulp).Graphical abstract

Genotyping-by-Sequencing Based Investigation of Population Structure and Genome Wide Association Studies for Seven Agronomically Important Traits in a Set of 346 Oryza rufipogon Accessions

Being one of the most important staple dietary constituents globally, genetic enhancement of cultivated rice for yield, agronomically important traits is of substantial importance. Even though the climatic factors and crop management practices impact complex traits like yield immensely, the contribution of variation by underlying genetic factors surpasses them all. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of utilizing exotic germplasm, landraces in enhancing the diversity of gene pool, leading to better selections and thus superior cultivars. Thus, to fully exploit the potential of progenitor of Asian cultivated rice for productivity related traits, genome wide association study (GWAS) for seven agronomically important traits was conducted on a panel of 346 O. rufipogon accessions using a set of 15,083 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphic markers.The phenotypic data analysis indicated large continuous variation for all the traits under study, with a significant negative correlation observed between grain parameters and agronomic parameters like plant height, culm thickness. The presence of 74.28% admixtures in the panel as revealed by investigating population structure indicated the panel to be very poorly genetically differentiated, with rapid LD decay. The genome-wide association analyses revealed a total of 47 strong MTAs with 19 SNPs located in/close to previously reported QTL/genic regions providing a positive analytic proof for our studies. The allelic differences of significant MTAs were found to be statistically significant at 34 genomic regions. A total of 51 O. rufipogon accessions harboured combination of superior alleles and thus serve as potential candidates for accelerating rice breeding programs. The present study identified 27 novel SNPs to be significantly associated with different traits. Allelic differences between cultivated and wild rice at significant MTAs determined superior alleles to be absent at 12 positions implying substantial scope of improvement by their targeted introgression into cultivars. Introgression of novel significant genomic regions into breeder’s pool would broaden the genetic base of cultivated rice, thus making the crop more resilient.

Simultaneous Determination of Pyrrolizidine and Tropane Alkaloids in Honey by Liquid Chromatography-mass Spectrometry.

IntroductionPyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) and tropane alkaloids (TAs) are natural contaminants of honey and respectively hepatoxic and neurotoxic compounds. Because honey is a popular constituent of the human diet, it is relevant to warrant the safety of the product. For that reason, a method for simultaneous determination of PAs and TAs in honey based on liquid chromatography– mass spectrometry was developed.Material and MethodsThe analytical protocol used sulphuric acid extraction and solid-phase extraction purification. The developed procedure was subjected to validation in terms of linearity, selectivity, repeatability, reproducibility, limits of quantification and determination, matrix effect and uncertainty. A total of 29 honey samples were analysed for the determination of PAs and TAs.ResultsAll the evaluated validation parameters fulfilled the requirements of European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. At least one of the monitored alkaloids was determined in 52% of the samples. Among the most abundant alkaloids were echimidine, intermedine and lycopsamine. The total PA concentrations ranged from 2.2 to 147.0 μg kg−1. Contrastingly, none of the monitored TAs was detected in the analysed samples. An assessment of the dietary exposure to PAs from the consumption of the contaminated honeys showed that three of them would pose a risk to consumers, especially if they were children.ConclusionA sensitive method suitable for simultaneous determination of PAs and TAs in honey was developed and validated. The analysis of 29 honey samples for PAs and TAs revealed that honey destined for retail could pose a risk to consumers.

Polyphenols: Bioavailability, Microbiome Interactions and Cellular Effects on Health in Humans and Animals.

Polyphenolic compounds have a variety of functions in plants including protecting them from a range of abiotic and biotic stresses such as pathogenic infections, ionising radiation and as signalling molecules. They are common constituents of human and animal diets, undergoing extensive metabolism by gut microbiota in many cases prior to entering circulation. They are linked to a range of positive health effects, including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and disease-specific activities but the relationships between polyphenol bio-transformation products and their interactions in vivo are less well understood. Here we review the state of knowledge in this area, specifically what happens to dietary polyphenols after ingestion and how this is linked to health effects in humans and animals; paying particular attention to farm animals and pigs. We focus on the chemical transformation of polyphenols after ingestion, through microbial transformation, conjugation, absorption, entry into circulation and uptake by cells and tissues, focusing on recent findings in relation to bone. We review what is known about how these processes affect polyphenol bioactivity, highlighting gaps in knowledge. The implications of extending the use of polyphenols to treat specific pathogenic infections and other illnesses is explored.

Nutraceuticals: Focus on Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Cancer, Antioxidant Properties in Gastrointestinal Tract.

In recent years, nutraceuticals have gained great popularity, owing to their physiological and potential health effects, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antioxidant, and prebiotic effects, and their regulation of lipid metabolism. Since the Mediterranean diet is a nutritionally recommended dietary pattern including high-level consumption of nutraceuticals, this review aimed to summarize the main results obtained by our in vitro and in vivo studies on the effects of the major constituents of the Mediterranean diet (i.e., extra virgin olive oil compounds, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and fruit components). Based on experimental studies, the therapeutic purpose of nutraceuticals depends on their bioavailability, solubility, toxicity, and delivery system. This review provides more in-depth knowledge on the effects linked to nutraceuticals administration on human health, focusing the gastrointestinal tract and suggesting specific dietary components for personalized adjuvant therapies.

Perception of proposed preliminary food-based dietary guidelines for Lake Victoria region of Kenya: findings from a qualitative study among adult community members

Background: Diets in the Lake Victoria region of Kenya have been described as monotonous, consisting chiefly of starchy staple foods, accompanied by green vegetables and oil. To promote healthy eating in the region, 11 food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) were proposed. Objective: This study was designed to assess perception of the proposed FBDGs amongst consumers in Lake Victoria region. Design and setting: A qualitative, descriptive cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 36 focus-group discussions (FGD) among adult males (18) and females (18) in Kisumu and Homa Bay Counties. Subjects: A total of 207 adult males (26–74 years) and 211 females (18–71 years) participated in this study. Data collection and analysis: Proposed FBDGs were printed on posters and presented to FGD participants. Proceedings were audio-taped, transcribed, translated and analysed based on themes. Results: The proposed FBDGs were perceived as promoting the consumption of a balanced diet. As a concept, a balanced diet was misrepresented as composed of only three nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. There was no mention of fats/oils and minerals as other significant nutrient constituents of a balanced diet. Other concepts, which included ‘three regular meals’, ‘snacks’, ‘food variety’, ‘healthy and physically active lifestyle’, were polysemous. Conclusion: The findings provide insight to guide the adaptation of the national FBDGs. The findings also provide a basis for nutrition advocacy programmes and a rationale for the revision of nutrition education materials, including the school curriculum, to align content with current evidence-based information.

Isolation, Identification and Screening of Lipase Producing Fungi from the Soil Environment of Ilorin Metropolis

This investigation was carried out to isolate, identify and screen for lipase producing fungal species present in the soil environment of Ilorin metropolis. Soil samples of approximately 200g each were collected randomly from eight different locations within the Ilorin metropolis for the investigation. Potato Dextrose Agar was used for the isolation of the fungal species by pour plate method. Six fungal species, Penicillium spp, Acremoniumspp, Mucors pp, Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus nigerand Aspergillus flavuswere isolated and screened for their ability to produce lipases on tween-20 and phenol red agar. The results obtained for lipase production on tween-80 and phenol red after 5 days of incubation showed that four isolates were positive for lipase production which was indicated by diameter zone of clearance and visible precipitate of calcium monolaurate due to the deposition of calcium crystal. The result further revealed that Aspergillus niger had the highest lipase producing ability (having a diameter zone of clearance of 14 ± 0.05 mm), followed by Rhizopus stolonifer (having 10 ± 0.05 mm). Aspergillus flavus and Mucor sp had 6 ± 0.03 mm, 6± 0.01 mm respectively. Acremonium sp. and Penicillium sp. had no zone of clearance. These results demonstrate the presence of lipase producing fungi in the soil environment of Ilorin metropolis,Kwara State, and these can be harnessed locally for large scale production of the enzyme which is of value commercially in the production of leather, detergent,textiles and also as constituents of some special diets and pharmaceuticals.

A Public Health Insight into Salmonella in Poultry in Africa: A Review of the Past Decade: 2010-2020.

Poultry is a cheap source of animal protein and constituent of diets in Africa. Poultry can serve as a reservoir for Salmonella and cause food-borne infections in humans. This review describes Salmonella contamination of food, poultry, and the farming environment, antimicrobial resistance profiles, and serotypes of Salmonella, as well as the farming systems, antimicrobial use (AMU), hygiene, and husbandry conditions used to rear poultry in Africa. Using the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis) guidelines, PubMed, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases were searched using a set of predefined keywords. Full-length research articles in English were examined for the period 2010-2020 and relevant information extracted for the narrative synthesis. Of the articles that met the inclusion criteria, 63.1% were conducted on farms and among households, while 36.9% were undertaken at government-controlled laboratories, which quarantine imported birds, processing plants, and retail outlets. The farming systems were intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive. AMU was described in 11.5% of the studies and varied within and across countries. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella isolates were detected in 30 studies and the prevalence ranged from 12.1% in Zimbabwe to 100% in Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa. A total of 226 different Salmonella serotypes were reported. Twenty-four (19.7%) of the studies reported food-borne Salmonella contamination in eggs, poultry, and poultry products at retail outlets and processing plants. The apparent extensive use of antimicrobials and circulation of MDR Salmonella isolates of various serotypes in Africa is a concern. It is important to implement stricter biosecurity measures on farms, regulate the use of antimicrobials and implement surveillance systems, in addition to food safety measures to monitor the quality of poultry and poultry products for human consumption.

The lived experience of irritable bowel syndrome: A focus on dietary management.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of the gut-brain axis with a prevalence of 3.5% in Australia. The complexity of mechanisms underlying IBS means patients often respond poorly to treatment. There is encouraging evidence for the successful use of dietary strategies for short- and long-term management of IBS. The aim of this narrative review was toexplore the lived experience of IBS from the patient perspective with emphasis on dietary involvement and dietmanagement of the condition. There are a number of dietary constituents implicated in IBS, and patients' main concerns are the trial-and-error nature of identifying triggers, uncertainty regarding food choices and reduced enjoyment of food. Despite this, dietary modifications are accepted by patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) as an efficacious management strategy. A meaningful relationship with their HCP can improve patient adherence, treatment success and overall satisfaction for patients.

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Capacity And Total Phenolic Content of Hazelnuts Grown In Different Countries

Hazelnut providing the macro-and micronutrients is a constituent of the healthy diet. Hazelnut, one of the most consumed treenut, is produced in the different countries. The geographical origin influences the chemical composition and the biological activity in the several plant foods. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the chemical composition, the antioxidative capacity and total phenolic content of the hazelnut kernels obtained from the different countries, including Azerbaijan, Chile, Italy, and Turkey. The hazelnut kernels were examined for crude oil, ash, moisture, and protein contents. The refractive index, iodine value, and fatty acid composition of the hazelnut oils were identified. In addition, the hazelnut oil, the kernels, and the defatted kernels were tested for their antioxidative activities and total phenolic contents. Protein contents of the hazelnuts from different countries were similar. The largest oil yield was determined in the hazelnut kernels from Chile and Turkey (62.35 ± 0.51 % and 62.29 ± 0.46 %, respectively). While the oil from Turkish hazelnut kernels showed the highest oleic acid content (84.09 ± 0.17 %), Azerbaijan hazelnut oil had the lowest oleic acid content (78.10 ± 0.48). The highest phenolic content was detected in the hazelnut kernels from Azerbaijan. Although the lowest phenolic content was observed in the hazelnut kernels from Turkey, the most potent antioxidative capacity was determined in the Turkish hazelnut kernels, their oil, and their defatted form. It can be concluded that the Turkish hazelnut kernels could contain high amounts of the fat-soluble antioxidants in addition to the water-soluble phenolic antioxidants. The results suggested that the hazelnuts exhibited different chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and phenolic content depending on their origin.

Nutrient compositions of leaves of Bombax buonopozens

There is high prevalence of micronutrients deficiency in low income countries resulting to malnutrition. This stude was designed to evaluate the nutrient compositions of leaves of Bombax Buonopozense. Minerals, amino acids and vitamins constituents were investigated using AAS, amino acid analyzer, spectrophotometer respectively. Result of dietary minerals constituent in the leaves of B. buonopozense revealed a total of eight minerals- manganese (0.02±0.00), zinc (0.02±0.00), copper (0.03±0.00), cobalt (0.04±0.00), iron (0.06±0.00), sodium (3.13±0.20), calcium (93.72±0.20) and potassium (669.22±0.20) in ascending order of concentrations. Total of seventeen amino acids consisting of eight essential and nine non-essential amino acids were identified in the leaves- arginine, valine, methionine, leucine, threonine, phenylalanine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, proline, serine, tyrosine, alanine, glycine, glutamate, aspartate and cysteine. Five water and two fat soluble vitamins totaling seven in all were present, they are vitaminB6 (34.08± 0.20), vitaminB1 (22.74± 0.20), vitamineB2 (22.29± 0.20), vitamin A (15.91 ± 0.20), vitaminB12 (10.31± 0.20), vitaminE (9.33± 0.20µ/l), vitaminB3 (0.95± 0.02) vitamin C (0.42± 0.02) in decending order. Bombax Buonopozense leaves are rich in micro nutrients hence could as supplement in micronutrients deficient diet to prevent micronutrients deficiency.

Population kinetics of homoarginine and optimized supplementation for cardiovascular risk reduction

Homoarginine is an endogenous amino acid whose levels are reduced in patients with renal, cardio- and cerebrovascular disease. Moreover, low homoarginine concentrations independently predict morbidity and mortality in these patients. Besides endogenous synthesis, homoarginine is also a constituent of the human diet. The objective of the present study was to analyze the kinetics of orally supplemented homoarginine in human plasma by means of a pharmacometric approach. We developed a pharmacometric model to evaluate different dosing regimens, especially the regimen of 125 mg once weekly, based on a previous clinical study (n = 20). The model was adapted to account for differences in baseline homoarginine plasma concentrations between healthy and diseased individuals. A novel dosing regimen of 25 mg once daily led to higher attainment of homoarginine reference concentrations using clinical trial simulations. With 25 mg/day, the trough concentration of only 6% of the older and 3.8% of the younger population was predicted to be below the target concentration of 2.0–4.1 µmol/L. In synopsis, the new dosing regimen recapitulates the kinetics of homoarginine in healthy individuals optimally.

Regulation of Drug Transport Proteins-From Mechanisms to Clinical Impact: A White Paper on Behalf of the International Transporter Consortium.

Membrane transport proteins are involved in the absorption, disposition, efficacy, and/or toxicity of many drugs. Numerous mechanisms (e.g., nuclear receptors, epigenetic gene regulation, microRNAs, alternative splicing, post‐translational modifications, and trafficking) regulate transport protein levels, localization, and function. Various factors associated with disease, medications, and dietary constituents, for example, may alter the regulation and activity of transport proteins in the intestine, liver, kidneys, brain, lungs, placenta, and other important sites, such as tumor tissue. This white paper reviews key mechanisms and regulatory factors that alter the function of clinically relevant transport proteins involved in drug disposition. Current considerations with in vitro and in vivo models that are used to investigate transporter regulation are discussed, including strengths, limitations, and the inherent challenges in predicting the impact of changes due to regulation of one transporter on compensatory pathways and overall drug disposition. In addition, translation and scaling of in vitro observations to in vivo outcomes are considered. The importance of incorporating altered transporter regulation in modeling and simulation approaches to predict the clinical impact on drug disposition is also discussed. Regulation of transporters is highly complex and, therefore, identification of knowledge gaps will aid in directing future research to expand our understanding of clinically relevant molecular mechanisms of transporter regulation. This information is critical to the development of tools and approaches to improve therapeutic outcomes by predicting more accurately the impact of regulation‐mediated changes in transporter function on drug disposition and response.

Cardiovascular risk factor insights into the Tesco 1.0 Dataset

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Tesco published an open-source dataset containing area-aggregated product purchase information from 420m transactions across 16m individual Clubcard users in the Great London area, at a borough level. This dataset is presented as a ‘typical product’ purchase for each borough, divided into 220 individual datapoints. Purpose We wanted to explore dietary correlates with cardiovascular outcomes including age-standardised mortality rates for myocardial infarct, stroke, cardiac arrhythmia and COVID-19. Methods The Tesco 1.0 dataset was accessed on 1/11/21 and a sample of traditional dietary clinical risk and protective factor datapoints for each London borough were selected. Data for age-standardised mortality rates (ASMR) in each London borough were downloaded from the Office of National Statistics for 2019 for myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiac arrhythmia and 2020 COVID-19 deaths (March-July 2020). To explore for relevant associated factors, the average deprivation index (IMD) for each borough was accessed from Public Health England, and demographic data accessed from the Greater London Authority database. Statistics using Spearman’s Rho calculator were derived in Excel and calculated using a web-based statistics calculator. Results Myocardial infarction (MI) ASMR closely correlated with increased levels of salt (g), fat and oils (% of total product), and weight of purchase (g). Increased fibre (g) was correlated with lower MI mortality. An important associated risk factor was the deprivation index, a important co-variable to consider when assessing diet-health relationships. Stroke ASMR was more closely correlated with typical product constituents, significant risk factors were weight (g) of fat, carbohydrate, sugar and ready meals (%) and sweets (%), while % of fish and both % and total weight (g) of fruit and veg were protective factors. Importantly salt content was NOT a statistically significant factor. Cardiac arrhythmia ASMR did not correlate with any dietary constituents reviewed. COVID ASMR was closely correlated with myocardial infarction ASMR risk factors (salt, % of fat and oils and total weight of purchase) and total fibre (g) was again a protective factor. Interestingly, the % of ready meals was a protective factor for COVID ASMR, possibly associated with cultural and ethnicity-related behaviours, with higher BAME communities less likely to purchase ready meals. Conclusions This unique dataset offers a Big Data insight into the relationship between diet and health but is limited by a lack of individual granularity and heterogenous intra-borough populations. This research offers a starting point to further exploring in-depth food purchasing habits with healthcare outcomes, and further partnership in the future may unlock this.

Nutrition as a key to boost immunity against COVID-19.

The Coronavirus-disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020 by the World Health Organization. Since then, the scientific community has been actively engaged in developing a vaccine against the dreaded disease. Considerable research has also been performed for drugs that can directly interfere with the viral replication pathway. However, the production of these vaccines and drugs demands a lot of time and effort which is undesirable considering the pace at which the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading across the continents. For this reason, the possible role of dietary nutrients in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as mitigating the symptoms, may be explored. These natural substances are readily available, have negligible side effects and confer several benefits to the immune system. Macronutrients like proteins are vital for antibody production. Dietary constituents such as omega-3-fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamin E, phytochemicals such as carotenoids and polyphenols exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This review highlights the significance of relevant nutrients in boosting the immune system.

Association between edible mushrooms consumption and handgrip strength: A large-scale population based on the TCLSIH cohort study

Edible mushrooms can be referred to as a "super food" and are recommended as a valuable constituent of the daily diet. Animal studies have suggested that mushroom intake can increase muscle endurance due to its abundant nutrients, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, no studies have explored the association between edible mushrooms consumption and muscle strength in the general population. We aimed to investigate the association of edible mushrooms consumption with handgrip strength (HGS) among Chinese adults.A cross-sectional study was performed with 32,308 adults (17,290 men), in Tianjin, China. Mushrooms consumption was assessed via a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Handgrip strength was measured using a handheld digital dynamometer. Analysis of covariance were used to evaluate the association between edible mushrooms consumption and handgrip strength.After adjusting potential confounding factors [age, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol-consumption status, education levels, employment status, household income, physical activity, family history of diseases (cardiovascular disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes), metabolic syndromes, total energy intake, and dietary pattern], the least square means (95% confidence intervals) of HGS across consumption of edible mushrooms in males were 42.3 (41.0, 43.6) kg for ≤1 time/week, 43.4 (42.1, 44.6) kg for 2-3 times/week, and 43.2 (41.9, 44.4) kg for ≥4 times/week (P for trend <0.001). In females, least square means were 25.1 (24.0, 26.2) kg for ≤1 time/week, 25.7 (24.7, 26.8) kg for 2-3 times/week, and 25.7 (24.7, 26.8) kg for ≥4 times/week (P for trend <0.001). Similar associations were also observed for weight-adjusted HGS.The study firstly revealed a positive association between edible mushrooms consumption and handgrip strength in both males and females. Further studies are needed to explore the casual relationship.UMIN Clinical Trials Registry. Reg no UMIN000027174. Trial registration website https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000031137.

Establishment of a faecal DNA quantification technique for rare and cryptic diet constituents in small mammals.

DNA-based approaches have greatly improved the applicability of dietary studies aimed at investigating ecological processes. These studies have provided direct insights into, otherwise difficult to measure, interactions between species and trophic levels, food web structure and ecosystem functioning. However, despite these advances, DNA-based methods have struggled to accurately quantify the whole breadth of diet constituents because of methodological biases, such as amplification bias and digestive processes. The present study is, to our knowledge, the first diet study to use droplet digital PCR to quantify diet constituents. We manipulated the diet of wild-caught wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) by feeding them with a known amount of small vegetable seeds (onion and carrot) and quantified the DNA traces of these diet constituents in faecal samples. The sensitivity of the technique combined with the control on the experimental design allowed mitigation of methodological bias. We were able to accurately determine DNA concentrations of small vegetable seeds in the diet of wood mice. Quantification of target DNA demonstrated significant differences in DNA content when one vs. five seeds were consumed. These differences remained significant when the age, sex and other diet constituents of the mice were altered. Different DNA markers, targeting different parts of the chloroplast, influenced onion DNA detectability. However, all onion and carrot markers showed higher DNA content for higher seed numbers. Overall, the sensitive DNA-based approach developed in this study allows for minimally invasive quantification of small diet constituents in faeces, which would otherwise be undetectable with traditional methods.

Non-targeted NMR approach to unveil and promote the biodiversity of globe artichoke in the Mediterranean area

The globe artichoke is an important constituent of the Mediterranean diet, being rich in bioactive compounds. Artichoke is widely cultivated in Italy, especially in the Apulia region, with a multitude of local varieties. Most of this genetic material is endangered and its metabolic profile is not yet characterized. In this work, we aimed at dissecting landrace biodiversity by characterizing the metabolic profiles of edible hearts, i.e. the edible inner part of the flower heads, and external bracts of artichoke flower heads, using a simple, fast, and affordable analytical methodology. A non-targeted spectroscopic approach combining NMR experiments and multivariate data analysis provided a comprehensive picture of the chemical composition of 16 artichoke landraces, some of which are at risk of extinction. A special focus was on hydrosoluble compounds, contributing to the functional food value of the artichoke. Moreover, a possible correlation between the metabolic composition and the head color was established.Our analyses highlight the nutraceutical diversity and value of newly studied artichoke landraces. Specifically, the hearts of the deep purple-colored "Nero del Salento" are rich in both mono- and dicaffeoylquinic acids along with inulin, while the hearts of the green "Bianco di Taranto" and "Centofoglie di Rutigliano" are characterized by a relatively higher content of dicaffeoylquinic acids. The results can help promote endangered local varieties for production and commercialization, against the ongoing genetic erosion and loss of crop diversity.

Comparison of Text Mining Models for Food and Dietary Constituent Named-Entity Recognition

Biomedical Named-Entity Recognition (BioNER) has become an essential part of text mining due to the continuously increasing digital archives of biological and medical articles. While there are many well-performing BioNER tools for entities such as genes, proteins, diseases or species, there is very little research into food and dietary constituent named-entity recognition. For this reason, in this paper, we study seven BioNER models for food and dietary constituents recognition. Specifically, we study a dictionary-based model, a conditional random fields (CRF) model and a new hybrid model, called FooDCoNER (Food and Dietary Constituents Named-Entity Recognition), which we introduce combining the former two models. In addition, we study deep language models including BERT, BioBERT, RoBERTa and ELECTRA. As a result, we find that FooDCoNER does not only lead to the overall best results, comparable with the deep language models, but FooDCoNER is also much more efficient with respect to run time and sample size requirements of the training data. The latter has been identified via the study of learning curves. Overall, our results not only provide a new tool for food and dietary constituent NER but also shed light on the difference between classical machine learning models and recent deep language models.