Food Exchange Research Articles

Korean Food Exchange Lists for Diabetes Meal Planning: Revised 2023.

A food exchange list is a tool developed to help diabetic patients control their energy intake and plan balanced meals. Korean food exchange lists were first developed in 1988, revised in 1995, and updated again in 2010. With rapidly changing dietary habits and increasing demand for diverse food cultures, the Korean Diabetes Association in cooperation with 4 related organizations established a Task Force Team (TFT) to revise food exchange lists in March 2022. Starting with a workshop, TFT held 11 official revision meetings, culminating in a public hearing in May 2023. The final revised version of Korean food exchange lists was published in December 2023. Key outcomes of the revision are summarized as follows: 1. Based on the National Standard Food Composition Table 10.0 database, the existing classification system and nutrient standards for each food group remain unchanged this time. 2. Based on a survey conducted among diabetes educators, the number of items on the food exchange lists has increased from 339 in 2010 to 435 this time. 3. Considering patients' usual eating habits, meal planning examples were developed distributing food group exchange units by energy level based on 3 types of proportions of carbohydrate energy (40%-45%, 50%-55%, 60%-65%). 4. Due to limitations in real-time updates for rapidly changing information, detailed guidance on how to access and interpret the data is provided. These revisions will help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels and facilitate the implementation of healthy meal planning in various other conditions, including obesity.

Investigation of amino acid and fatty acid profiles of Japanese diets using the food exchange lists for diabetes diet

Investigation of amino acid and fatty acid profiles of Japanese diets using the food exchange lists for diabetes diet

Diet and Culture Exchange between Central Plains and Turpan during Tang Dynasty

The culinary culture of the Tang Dynasty was extremely prosperous, with a wide variety of food and a meticulous production process. Moreover, due to the development of the Silk Road and cultural exchange between the central plains and Turpan, the diet communication between the central plains and western regions are especially frequent. The phenomenon of dietary Hu Feng in the Tang Dynasty is one of the main examples of Cultural exchange between China and the West and the absorption of foreign culture by Han ethnic group. According to the researches on the diet communication between central plains and western regions, it can be a different perspective to learn about the history and culture of Tang Dynasty. This paper mainly expounds the communication between the Central Plains and Turpan in the Tang Dynasty in terms of diet, which is analyzed and studied from three aspects: the overview of differences, the influence of blending and the possibility and inevitability of cultural exchange. This paper probes into the types and structural differences of staple food and non-staple food between the Central Plains and Turpan. And the spread of Hu food, such as Hu cakes and grapes, in the Central Plains, and the spread of the Central Plains special diet in Turpan. This paper analyzes the blending of food culture from the description of food culture by literati in Tang Dynasty. Finally, it analyzes the possibility and inevitability of food exchange between the Central Plains and Turpan in terms of geographical environment, historical reasons and phenomena.

The Asymmetric Effects of Global Energy and Food Prices, Exchange Rate Dynamics, and Monetary Policy Conduct on Inflation in Indonesia

This research analyzes the asymmetric effects of global energy and food prices and monetary variables, including the exchange rate and money supply, on the consumer price index (CPI). The model is intended to differentiate the influence of increases and decreases in global energy and food prices, exchange rates, and money supply which cause inflation/deflation from changes in the CPI. The analysis uses the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) and Quantile Regression models on data from January 2001 to February 2023. The study results show that the decline in global energy prices significantly reduces the CPI in the long run. Energy subsidies allow increases in international energy prices not to increase the CPI significantly. Meanwhile, the increase in global food prices causes inflation in the short run. The exchange rate has the most significant effect on the CPI. Depreciation of the rupiah significantly increases the CPI, which means it causes inflation, while appreciation of the rupiah does not have a significant effect. Finally, increases and decreases in the money supply have a considerable positive effect on the CPI, which confirms the logic of the monetarist view that inflation is a monetary phenomenon. Efforts to reduce dependence on imports of food and energy commodities are the key to reducing risks when importing energy and food due to rupiah depreciation. Efforts to consistently stabilize the exchange rate can support controlling and stabilizing import prices. Energy and food subsidy policies are vital in controlling inflation due to increased world energy and food prices.

Determination of nutrient composition of some selected traditional home- made meals commonly consumed in Syria

Background: Modifying lifestyles through healthy dietary choices, enhanced cooking skills, and improved nutritional knowledge has been established as an effective strategy for reducing obesity and associated chronic diseases. Aims: This study aims to contribute to this effort by investigating the nutritional profiles of commonly consumed Syrian home-cooked meals. The primary objective was to analyze the macronutrient composition (carbohydrates, protein, fat) of five selected Syrian dishes and compare them to a frequently consumed, plant-based modern meal component. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the contribution of these nutrients to daily dietary needs. Methods: Four traditional Syrian vegetarian mixed dishes (grape leaves stuffed with rice, rice with pea broth, bulgur with chickpeas and pasta with tomato sauce) were selected for analysis. These were compared to a modern, plant-based food component (fried potatoes). Proximate analysis, based on standard methods established by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), was used to determine the content of macronutrients. Carbohydrate, protein, and fat exchanges for each meal were calculated using a rounding-off method. Results: All tested traditional dishes exhibited low energy density, with moisture content ranging from 63.16 – 75,63% and ash content ranging from 0.49 – 1.01% ash. Macronutrient compositions revealed carbohydrate contents between 17.43 – 25.41%, fat contents between 0.2 – 2.84%, and protein contents between 2.34 -3.83%. Crude fiber content ranged from 0.15 – 2.17%, and energy density varied from 0.96 – 1.44 Kcal/g. These traditional dishes contributed (63.04 – 75.26%) of total food energy from carbohydrates, (6.48 – 13.85%) from fat and (1.25 – 23.11%) from protein. In contrast, fried potatoes, the modern meal component, displayed medium energy density (1.83 kcal/g), with a distinct macronutrient profile: 60.22% carbohydrate, 1.44% ash, 24.56% fat, 7.26% protein, 4.90% crude fiber, and 1.62% moisture. The energy contribution of fried potatoes was 53.63% from carbohydrates, 35.67% from fat, and 10.70% from protein. Conclusion: This study provides valuable data for the potential development of a Syrian Food Database. The results suggest that incorporating popular Syrian traditional dishes into healthy dietary intervention programs holds promise for promoting better nutrition. Keywords: Nutrient composition; Proximate analysis; Syria; Traditional dishes; Food exchange

Linear Programming Model and Dietary Plan for HIV- Infected Children Ages 6 - 9 Years Using Locally Available Foods in Simiyu, Tanzania

Most HIV - infected patients lose weight, and weight loss is linked to mortality in HIV patients. An adequate diet is essential at all times to avoid weight loss, combat infection, and build and retain muscular mass. A linear programming model has been employed to model the diet for HIV - infected children aged 6-9 years to maximize energy intake using locally available foods. Fifty-eight food items obtained from a previous 24 - hours dietary recall assessment was modeled. A food exchange list was used to distribute food items into breakfast, lunch and dinner. Three different dietary plans were formulated from locally available food with recommended amount of energy intake of greater than or equal to 1815 Kcal.

Guidelines for the Use of 2023 Food Exchange Lists for Diabetes Meal Planning

Nutrition therapy is plays a pivotal role in diabetes prevention and blood glucose control among diabetics. The contents of the revision of the food exchange lists are as follows. First, the National Standard Food Ingredient Table 10.0 database was used, and the existing classification system and the standard amount of representative nutrients for each food group were maintained. Second, the food list increased significantly from 339 to 435 types in 2010, reflecting survey results from diabetes educators on the addition and deletion of foods. Third, an example of distribution of food groups by energy was planned based on the intake ratio of macronutrients and the ratio of intake of various carbohydrates (40~45%, 50~55%, and 60~65%) to facilitate use in meal patterns in consideration of the patient’s usual eating habits. Fourth, various meal planning methods and diets were presented for individualized meals. Fifth, because of the rapid changes to information on healthy diabetic meals and practices, as well as limitations on updates and revisions, the method of accessing and interpreting data is included in detail.

Investigation of Amino Acid and Fatty Acid Profiles of Japanese Diets Using the Food Exchange Lists for Diabetes Diet.

Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese provide target values for proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. However, they do not provide information on reference values for amino acids (AAs) and fatty acids (FAs), which determine the quality of foods in detail. Therefore, we evaluated AAs and FAs using the Food Exchange Lists-Dietary Guidance for Persons with Diabetes (in Japanese) Utilization, Second Edition Sample Menus and Practice (FELD) as an ideal Japanese diet. Based on FELD, 15 different daily meal patterns were employed with combinations of three levels of carbohydrates %energy (high carbohydrate [HC], 60%; middle carbohydrate [MC], 55%; and low carbohydrate [LC], 50%) and five levels of energy (1,200-2,000 kcal). Using the Japanese Food Composition Table 2020 adjusted for 1,000 kcal, 18 AAs, 49 FAs, and calorie densities (CDs, kcal/g) were calculated and compared among the three groups. Dietary AA was rich in glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and leucine; in order, no significant differences were observed among HC, MC, and LC for 18 AAs. Dietary FA was higher for 18:1 total, 16:0, and 18:2 n-6. Moreover, 16:0, 20:0, and 18:1 total in LC and 22:0 and 18:3 n-3 in MC were significantly higher than those in HC. The HC, MC, and LC CD was low at 0.82, 0.84, and 0.93 kcal/g, respectively. No significant differences in 18 AAs and CD were noted among HC, MC, and LC in FELD; however, significant differences were observed in the FA profiles. This study suggests the importance of evaluating diet using AA and FA units.

Media-ting Austerity Feeding: second-hand Infant Food Exchange Online in Canada

ABSTRACT This paper makes visible austerity-based infant food exchange as a contemporary food acquisition practice outside of commercial and regulated foodscapes. It presents results from a netnography conducted within two popular online platforms in Canada between April 2017 and February 2018: the Kijiji classified advertising site, and Facebook. Qualitative analysis of over 2000 user generated secondhand exchange ads show practices from selling, trading, sharing, and seeking whereby infant foods works as a form of currency to acquire either economic capital when sold, an alternative food capital when traded, or are gifts in the moral economy of exchange. While infant food exchange is often collaborative in nature, it is austerity-driven involving different forms of capital parents have or seek to accomplish the responsibility of feeding. As excluded consumers, posters are motivated by a complex mixture of desperation, innovation, ecological concerns, and morality to care for others when mainstream food access is out of reach within the current political and economic system.

A food-exchange model for achieving the recommended dietary intakes for saturated fat in Irish children: analysis from the cross-sectional National Children's Food Survey II.

To identify the main foods determining SFA intakes and model the impact of food exchanges to improve compliance with dietary fat recommendations in Irish children. Estimated food and nutrient intakes were obtained from a cross-sectional study, the National Children's Food Survey II. Participants were categorised into low, medium and high SFA consumers, and the contribution of food categories to SFA intakes was compared. A food-exchange model was developed, whereby a selected range of high SFA foods was exchanged with lower SFA or unsaturated fat alternatives. Participants were randomly selected from primary schools throughout the Republic of Ireland. A representative sample of 600 Irish children (5-12 years). The main determinants of low and high SFA consumers were milk, cheese and butter. These foods, including snack foods and meat and meat products, were considered exchangeable foods within the model. Compared with baseline data, modelled intakes for total fat, SFA, MUFA and trans-fat presented decreases of 3·2, 2·7, 1·6 and < 0·1 % of total energy (% TE), respectively. PUFA, n-6, n-3 and alpha-linolenic acid showed increases of 1·0, 0·8, 0·2 and 0·1 % TE, respectively. Compliance with total fat, MUFA and trans-fat recommendations remained adequate (100 %). Adherence to SFA and PUFA recommendations improved from 18 to 63 % and 80 to 100 %, respectively. The food-exchange model decreased SFA intakes and increased PUFA intakes, suggesting modest dietary changes to children's diets can effectively improve their overall dietary fat profile.

ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЕ ПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ НА ОСНОВЕ РЕДОМИЦИЛЯЦИИ БИРЖЕВЫХ ОПЕРАЦИЙ ПО ТОРГОВЛЕ ЗЕРНОВЫМИ КУЛЬТУРАМИ

The article presents the results of a study of the processes of ensuring food security based on the redomiciliation of exchange transactions for trading grain crops produced in the Russian Federation. World exchange prices for food wheat and cocoa beans are analyzed. The possibilities of neutralizing threats to agricultural producers and consumers of agricultural products based on the development of domestic exchange trade in grain crops have been identified. Possibilities for integration within the BRICS framework have been identified for the implementation of a joint project of an international food exchange

Development and validation of a novel food exchange system for Chinese pregnant women

BackgroundThe dietary nutritional status of pregnant women is critical for maintaining the health of both mothers and infants. Food exchange systems have been employed in the nutritional guidance of patients in China, although their application in the dietary guidance of healthy pregnant women is quite limited. This study aimed to develop a novel food exchange system for Chinese pregnant women (NFES-CPW) and evaluate the relative validation of its application.MethodsNFES-CPW covers approximately 500 types of food from ten categories and has more elaborate food portion sizes. It established a recommendation index for guiding food selection and used energy, water content, and protein as the exchange basis to balance the supply of energy and important nutrients throughout pregnancy. Furthermore, dietitians used the NFES-CPW and traditional food exchange system to generate new recipes based on the sample recipe. There were 40 derived recipes for each of the two food exchange methods. The food consumption, energy, and key nutrients of each recipe were calculated, and the differences between the two food exchange systems were compared using the Wilcoxon rank sum test or the Chi-square test.ResultsThe results revealed that compared to those derived from traditional food exchange system, the NFES-CPW derived recipes had a better dietary structure, as evidenced by the intakes of whole-grain cereals, beans excluding soybeans, potatoes, fruits, fish, shrimp and shellfish, as well as eggs (P < 0.05), which were more conducive to reaching the recommended range of balanced dietary pagoda. After calculating energy and nutrients, although these two food exchange systems have similar effects on the dietary energy and macronutrient intake of pregnant women, the intake of micronutrients in NFES-CPW derived recipes was significantly higher than that from the traditional food exchange system, which was more conducive to meeting the dietary requirements of pregnant women. The outstanding improvement are primarily vitamin A, vitamin B2, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and iodine (P < 0.05). Moreover, when compared to recipes obtained from the traditional food exchange system, the error ranges of energy and most nutrients were significantly reduced after employing the NFES-CPW.ConclusionsTherefore, NFES-CPW is an appropriate tool that adheres to Chinese dietary characteristics and can provide suitable dietary guidance to pregnant women.

Determining classes of food items for health requirements and nutrition guidelines using Gaussian mixture models.

The identification of classes of nutritionally similar food items is important for creating food exchange lists to meet health requirements and for informing nutrition guidelines and campaigns. Cluster analysis methods can assign food items into classes based on the similarity in their nutrient contents. Finite mixture models use probabilistic classification with the advantage of taking into account the uncertainty of class thresholds. This paper uses univariate Gaussian mixture models to determine the probabilistic classification of food items in the South African Food Composition Database (SAFCDB) based on nutrient content. Classifying food items by animal protein, fatty acid, available carbohydrate, total fibre, sodium, iron, vitamin A, thiamin and riboflavin contents produced data-driven classes with differing means and estimates of variability and could be clearly ranked on a low to high nutrient contents scale. Classifying food items by their sodium content resulted in five classes with the class means ranging from 1.57 to 706.27 mg per 100 g. Four classes were identified based on available carbohydrate content with the highest carbohydrate class having a mean content of 59.15 g per 100 g. Food items clustered into two classes when examining their fatty acid content. Foods with a high iron content had a mean of 1.46 mg per 100 g and was one of three classes identified for iron. Classes containing nutrient-rich food items that exhibited extreme nutrient values were also identified for several vitamins and minerals. The overlap between classes was evident and supports the use of probabilistic classification methods. Food items in each of the identified classes were comparable to allowed food lists developed for therapeutic diets. This data-driven ranking of nutritionally similar classes could be considered for diet planning for medical conditions and individuals with dietary restrictions.

Carbohydrate Counting vs. Fixed Meal Plan in Indian Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

To study the impact of carbohydrate counting vs. fixed-meal plan on glycemic control, quality of life (QoL) and diabetes-related emotional distress in children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Children aged 6-18 y with T1DM of duration >1 y were eligible for the study if they were on multiple daily injections of insulin and regularly monitoring blood glucose. Those with celiac disease, hypothyroidism, any underlying chronic renal/liver/systemic disease or HbA1c >13% were excluded. Both groups received education on diabetes management and healthy diet. In the intervention arm, parents were taught to quantify carbohydrate content and modify insulin doses according to insulin-carbohydrate ratio. The control arm had dietary prescription according to recommended dietary allowance and food exchange list. Standard validated questionnaires were used to assess the QoL and emotional distress related to diabetes. One hundred twenty five patients (61 intervention, 64 controls) were enrolled and 91.8% and 84.3%, respectively, completed 6-mo follow-up. There was a reduction in HbA1c in both the groups, but was not statistically significant within or between groups {Intervention: 8.9 (1.4) to 8.6 (1.5) vs. control: 9.1 (1.6) to 8.8 (1.9), [95% CI 8.3-9.3 vs. 8.3-9.0, intention to treat (ITT), p= 0.63]}. There was a significant reduction in diabetes distress in the intervention group; DAWN Problem Areas in Diabetes Questionnaire (PAID) score with a median (interquartile range) of 21 (11-33) vs. control: 27 (20-40), (p=0.04). Patients in the carbohydrate-counting group demonstrated lower diabetes distress scores and less emotional burnout compared to fixed-meal plan over a 6 mo period though overall glycemic control was comparable between groups.

FORECASTING QUARTERLY RICE AND CORN PRODUCTION IN THE PHILIPPINES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SEASONAL ARIMA AND HOLT-WINTERS MODELS

Rice and corn are essential crops for the Philippines, playing a critical role in the nation’s economy and food security. However, the agricultural sector faces challenges, including climate variability, land constraints, and the need for imports to meet growing demand. Accurate forecasting of rice and corn production is crucial for informed decision-making and resource allocation. This research applied Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) and Holt-Winters exponential smoothing models to forecast rice and corn production. The study used quarterly production data from 1987 to 2023 obtained from the Philippine Statistics Authority. The Holt-Winters model with additive seasonality outperformed the SARIMA model for both rice and corn production, achieving lower Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) values. The findings have significant implications for policymakers, agricultural stakeholders, and commodity traders, guiding them in making informed decisions regarding import requirements. The volatility of global food prices and exchange rates can significantly impact the cost of imports, putting a strain on the country’s financial resources. Accurate forecasting models are essential for ensuring food sufficiency and making informed decisions on the amount of imports required. By adopting the Holt-Winters model and continuously improving forecasting methodologies, the Philippines can enhance food sufficiency and promote rural economic growth. The study highlighted the importance of accurate forecasting models in ensuring stable and sufficient rice and corn supplies to meet the nation’s growing demands, contributing to sustainable agricultural development and food security. Continuous research in agricultural forecasting methodologies is necessary to address the challenges posed by evolving agricultural dynamics and further enhance predictive accuracy.

Long-Term Nutritional Counseling for a Patient with Lipoprotein Lipase Deficiency.

A one-year-and-nine-month-old Japanese boy was admitted with hypertriglyceridemia (fasting triglycerides 2548 mg/dL). After close examination, he was diagnosed with lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency (compound heterozygous) and was immediately started on a fat-restricted dietary therapy. He responded well to the regimen (1200 kcal/day, 20 g fat/day) and his triglycerides decreased to 628 mg/dL within 7 days of starting the dietary therapy. It was decided to manage his illness without using any drugs because he was still an infant and responded well to a fat-restricted diet. During his hospital stay, dietitians provided him with nutritional counseling using a food exchange list, which was designed to easily calculate the fat content by including foods that are commonly served. His family quickly learned the skills to prepare a fat-restricted diet. Moreover, since dietary restrictions may have impaired the child's growth and development, the dietitians continued to intervene regularly after the child was discharged from the hospital. The dietitians confirmed that the patient was receiving nutritional intake appropriate for his growth and discussed the dietary concerns in his daily life and how to participate in school events that involved eating and drinking. Nutritional counseling was provided every 3-4 months from disease onset to age 23 years, except for a 14-month break at age 20 years. The patient grew up without developing acute pancreatitis, a serious complication of LPL deficiency. The long-term intervention of dieticians is necessary to achieve a balance between living on a strict diet for disease management and ensuring appropriate nutritional intakes for growth/development.

Food exchange list based on macronutrients: adapted for the Ecuadorian population.

Food exchange lists allow health professionals to generate healthy eating plans adapted to individual or population needs. The objective of this study was to develop the first food exchange list based on the macronutrients and energy provided by the various food groups of the Ecuadorian diet. The list of Ecuadorian food exchanges was constructed by going through the following phases: (1) Selection of household measurements; (2) Selection of tables and databases of the nutritional composition of food items; (3) Definition of food groups and quantities; (4) Determination of the average energy and macronutrient values of each group; and (5) Photographic record. For the definition of food quantities, statistical criteria were applied according to a standard deviation of ±2SD; thus, for carbohydrates: ±5 g, total fat: ±2 g, and protein: ±3 g. To ensure the inclusion of the food items in the groups, a coefficient of variation of less than 30% and a Z value of ±2 were also considered. The list of food exchanges is presented with eight general groups according to the predominant nutrient (carbohydrates, proteins, or fats), and, where necessary, subgroups are included according to the second predominant nutrient. The list includes 404 food items with their photographic record, represented by their net weights and corresponding household measurement. All food items met the statistical criteria that help to reduce the variability of the nutritional composition of the food items in each group. This is the first list of Ecuadorian food exchanges based on statistical criteria. It represents a novel tool for public health professionals as well as researchers. Resulting healthier eating plans may improve daily dietetic practice, facilitate better clinical trial designs and help establish guidelines according to Ecuador's cultural and dietary patterns. The described methodology can further be used to develop other food exchanges lists for patients with specific nutritional requirements.

Machine learning accurately predicts food exchange list and the exchangeable portion.

Food Exchange Lists (FELs) are a user-friendly tool developed to help individuals aid healthy eating habits and follow a specific diet plan. Given the rapidly increasing number of new products or access to new foods, one of the biggest challenges for FELs is being outdated. Supervised machine learning algorithms could be a tool that facilitates this process and allows for updated FELs-the present study aimed to generate an algorithm to predict food classification and calculate the equivalent portion. Data mining techniques were used to generate the algorithm, which consists of processing and analyzing the information to find patterns, trends, or repetitive rules that explain the behavior of the data in a food database after performing this task. It was decided to approach the problem from a vector formulation (through 9 nutrient dimensions) that led to proposals for classifiers such as Spherical K-Means (SKM), and by developing this idea, it was possible to smooth the limits of the classifier with the help of a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) which were compared with two other algorithms of machine learning, these being Random Forest and XGBoost. The algorithm proposed in this study could classify and calculate the equivalent portion of a single or a list of foods. The algorithm allows the categorization of more than one thousand foods with a confidence level of 97% at the first three places. Also, the algorithm indicates which foods exceed the limits established in sodium, sugar, and/or fat content and show their equivalents. Accurate and robust FELs could improve implementation and adherence to the recommended diet. Compared with manual categorization and calculation, machine learning approaches have several advantages. Machine learning reduces the time needed for manual food categorization and equivalent portion calculation of many food products. Since it is possible to access food composition databases of various populations, our algorithm could be adapted and applied in other databases, offering an even greater diversity of regional products and foods. In conclusion, machine learning is a promising method for automation in generating FELs. This study provides evidence of a large-scale, accurate real-time processing algorithm that can be useful for designing meal plans tailored to the foods consumed by the population. Our model allowed us not only to distinguish and classify foods within a group or subgroup but also to perform the calculation of an equivalent food. As a neural network, this model could be trained with other food bases and thus improve its predictive capacity. Although the performance of the SKM model was lower compared to other types of classifiers, our model allows selecting an equivalent food not from a group previously classified by machine learning but with a fully interpretable algorithm such as cosine similarity for comparing food.

Optimising blood glucose control with portioned meal box in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a randomised control trial.

The impact of dietary factors on glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is well established. However, the effectiveness of transforming portion control into a practical innovation for glycaemic control in T2DM has not yet been established for counselling in nutrition. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of general counselling in nutrition (GCN) and a portioned meal box (PMB) on fasting blood glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and body composition. A randomised, parallel intervention trial was conducted over 12 weeks, with GCN: carbohydrate portion control concept by using food exchange lists (n = 25) and PMB: portioned meal box was set by energy requirements (n = 25). Both GCN and PMB demonstrated reductions in HbA1c levels at the 6th and 12th weeks compared to baseline. However, no significant difference in HbA1c was observed between GCN and PMB at either the 6th or 12th week. Using PMB at least four times a week significantly decreased HbA1c during the intervention period (p = 0.021 and p < 0.001 for weeks 6 and 12 when compared with baseline, respectively). Changes in body composition were observed: body weight decrease in PMB only, body fat decrease and constant muscle mass in both groups. Both methods tended to relieve hunger and increased satiety in both groups. The satisfaction evaluation showed that participants preferred to use PMB over GCN (p = 0.001). Additionally, participants consumed less energy, carbohydrate and fat in PMB (p = 0.001, p = 0.019, and p = 0.001, respectively) and less energy and fat in GCN (p = 0.006 and p = 0.001, respectively). A better diet, either through GCN or PMB, can play an important role in improving dietary intake compliance and controlling blood glucose.

Continuous separation of bacterial cells from large debris using a spiral microfluidic device.

With the global increase in food exchange, rapid identification and enumeration of bacteria has become crucial for protecting consumers from bacterial contamination. Efficient analysis requires the separation of target particles (e.g., bacterial cells) from food and/or sampling matrices to prevent matrix interference with the detection and analysis of target cells. However, studies on the separation of bacteria-sized particles and defined particles, such as bacterial cells, from heterogeneous debris, such as meat swab suspensions, are limited. In this study, we explore the use of passive-based inertial microfluidics to separate bacterial cells from debris, such as fascia, muscle tissues, and cotton fibers, extracted from ground meat and meat swabs-a novel approach demonstrated for the first time. Our objective is to evaluate the recovery efficiency of bacterial cells from large debris obtained from ground meat and meat swab suspensions using a spiral microfluidic device. In this study, we establish the optimal flow rates and Dean number for continuous bacterial cell and debris separation and a methodology to determine the percentage of debris removed from the sample suspension. Our findings demonstrate an average recovery efficiency of 80% for bacterial cells separated from debris in meat swab suspensions, while the average recovery efficiency from ground beef suspensions was 70%. Furthermore, approximately 50% of the debris in the ground meat suspension were separated from bacterial cells.