Grain-based Food Products Research Articles

Arsenic Exposure through Dietary Intake and Associated Health Hazards in the Middle East.

Dietary arsenic (As) contamination is a major public health issue. In the Middle East, the food supply relies primarily on the import of food commodities. Among different age groups the main source of As exposure is grains and grain-based food products, particularly rice and rice-based dietary products. Rice and rice products are a rich source of core macronutrients and act as a chief energy source across the world. The rate of rice consumption ranges from 250 to 650 g per day per person in South East Asian countries. The source of carbohydrates through rice is one of the leading causes of human As exposure. The Gulf population consumes primarily rice and ready-to-eat cereals as a large proportion of their meals. Exposure to arsenic leads to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases such as dysbiosis, obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic heart disease, cancer, and maternal and fetal complications. The impact of arsenic-containing food items and their exposure on health outcomes are different among different age groups. In the Middle East countries, neurological deficit disorder (NDD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases are alarming issues. Arsenic exposure might be a causative factor that should be assessed by screening the population and regulatory bodies rechecking the limits of As among all age groups. Our goals for this review are to outline the source and distribution of arsenic in various foods and water and summarize the health complications linked with arsenic toxicity along with identified modifiers that add heterogeneity in biological responses and suggest improvements for multi-disciplinary interventions to minimize the global influence of arsenic. The development and validation of diverse analytical techniques to evaluate the toxic levels of different As contaminants in our food products is the need of the hour. Furthermore, standard parameters and guidelines for As-containing foods should be developed and implemented.

Inactivation of Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Bacillus cereus in roasted grain powder by radio frequency heating.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of radio frequency (RF) heating and the combination treatment of RF heating with ultraviolet (UV) radiation against foodborne pathogens in roasted grain powder (RGP). Foodborne pathogens inoculated on RGP were subjected to RF heating or RF-UV combination treatments. After 120s of RF heating, 4·68, 3·89 and 4·54 log reductions were observed for Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium and Bacillus cereus vegetative cells respectively. The combined RF-UV treatment showed synergistic effects of over 1 log unit compared to the sum of individual treatment for E. coli and S. Typhimurium, but not for B. cereus vegetative cells because of their high UV resistance. Germinated B. cereus cells were not significantly inactivated by RF heating (<1 log CFU per gram), and increased heat resistance compared to the vegetative cells was verified with mild heat treatment. The colour of RGP was not significantly affected by the RF or RF-UV treatments. Applying RF heating to grain-based food products has advantages for the inactivation of E. coli and S. Typhimurium in RGP. The results of the present study could be used as a basis for determining the treatment conditions for inactivating E. coli and other foodborne pathogens such as S. Typhimurium and B. cereus in RGP.

3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol induces lysosomal membrane permeabilization-mediated apoptosis and inhibits autophagic flux in macrophages

3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-Ac-DON), the acetylated derivative of deoxynivalenol (DON), has been reported to be coexisted with DON in various cereal grains. Ingestion of grain-based food products contaminated by 3-Ac-DON might exert deleterious effects on the health of both humans and animals. However, the biological toxicity of 3-Ac-DON on macrophages and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In the present study, we showed that RAW 264.7 macrophages treated with 0.75 or 1.50 μg/mL of 3-Ac-DON resulted in DNA damage and the related cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and cell death, activation of the ribotoxic stress and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses. The 3-Ac-DON-induced cell death was accompanied by a protective autophagy, because gene silencing of Atg5 using the small interfering RNA enhanced cell death. Results of further experiments revealed a role for lysosomal membrane permeabilization in the 3-Ac-DON triggered inhibition of autophagic flux. Additional work also showed that increased lysosomal biogenesis and leakage of cathepsin B (CTSB) from lysosomes to cytosol was critical for the 3-Ac-DON-induced cell death. Importantly, 3-Ac-DON-induced DNA damage and cell death were rescued by CA-074-me, a CTSB inhibitor. Collectively, these results indicated a critical role of lysosomal membrane permeabilization in the 3-Ac-DON-induced apoptosis of RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Gluten contamination in labelled and naturally gluten-free grain products in southern India

ABSTRACTConsumption of a gluten-free diet or avoiding exposure to gluten is the only feasible and effective treatment available for coeliac patients to date. Although many grains and their products are naturally gluten-free, the possibility of gluten cross-contamination must be considered. Since such data are not available for Indian markets, we carried out this pilot study (n = 160) to assess gluten contamination in various grain-based food products from the category of breakfast products, flours, and batters made from grain that are naturally gluten free. The gluten was extracted from samples using 60% ethanol and gluten analysis was carried out using a commercially available competitive ELISA, which utilises a monoclonal antibody. Nearly 9.8% of the products labelled as gluten-free and 36.7% of the products made from naturally gluten-free grain were found to contain gluten above 20 mg/kg. Among products made from naturally gluten-free grain, 35.9% of the flour samples and 85% of the oat samples (11.67–1830 mg/kg) were contaminated with gluten. In the case of flours, unbranded samples collected from local markets (70%) and directly from local mills (30%) showed gluten content above Codex safety levels (20–400 mg/kg). Among products labelled as gluten free (n = 51), only 5 samples showed gluten contamination above 20 mg/kg although levels were well within 100 mg/kg (32.5 ± 5.8). Our study suggests that there is a likelihood of gluten contamination in products that are sourced from local retailers and millers.

Deoxynivalenol induces apoptosis and disrupts cellular homeostasis through MAPK signaling pathways in bovine mammary epithelial cells

Deoxynivalenol (DON), a fungus-derived mycotoxin, also known as vomitoxin, is found in a wide range of cereal grains and grain-based food products. The biological toxicity of DON has been described in various species, but its toxicity and functional effects in mammary epithelial cells are unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of DON on bovine mammary epithelial (MAC-T) cells using mechanistic approaches. We detected DON-induced cell cycle abrogation and calcium deficiency, leading to apoptotic cell death via MAPK signaling pathways. Moreover, we studied the transcriptional activation of blood and milk junctional regulators as well as inflammatory cytokines in response to DON. The results of this study contribute to a comprehensive understanding of DON-associated toxicity mechanisms in bovine mammary epithelial cells, which may facilitate the enhancement of milk stabilization in parallel with the establishment of safety profiles to protect against DON contamination in livestock farms and in the food industry.

Development of bioactive paper packaging for grain-based food products

Abstract In this work, the development of bioactive packaging for grain-based food products is proposed based on active compound grafted paper. Eugenol was grafted to cellulose using a polycarboxylic acid as linking agent. A comparative study of mechanical performance as well as bioactive and organoleptic properties was carried out. Thus, properties analyzed on modified paper include water absorption, and mechanical properties such as tensile, tear and puncture. Also, insecticide/insectifuge activity, reagent migration to food products and organoleptic properties of wheat flour and derived products were evaluated preparing packaging prototypes. It was demonstrated that new material developed preserve good mechanical properties for packaging applications, with typical water absorption values for paper-based packaging materials and with significantly enhanced bioactive properties (insecticide/insectifuge). Furthermore, no migration of odors and flavors to the packaged product was detected.

Prediction of deoxynivalenol toxicokinetics in humans by in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation and allometric scaling of in vivo animal data.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the most prevalent mycotoxin in cereals worldwide. It can cause adverse health effects in humans and animals, and maximum levels in food and feed have been implemented by food authorities based on risk assessments derived from estimated intake levels. The lack of human toxicokinetic data such as absorption, distribution, and elimination characteristics hinders the direct calculation of DON plasma levels and exposure. In the present study, we have, therefore, used in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation of depletion constants in hepatic microsomes from different species and allometric scaling of reported in vivo animal parameters to predict the plasma clearance [0.24L/(h × kg)] and volume of distribution (1.24L/kg) for DON in humans. In addition, we have performed a toxicokinetic study with oral and intravenous administration of DON in pigs to establish benchmark parameters for the in vitro extrapolation approach. The determined human toxicokinetic parameters were then used to calculate the bioavailability (50-90%), maximum concentration, and total exposure in plasma, and urinary concentrations under consideration of typical DON levels in grain-based food products. The results were compared to data from biomonitoring studies in human populations.

Whole Grains and Health: from Theory to Practice—Highlights of the Grains for Health Foundation's Whole Grains Summit 2012

AbstractThe Grains for Health Foundation's Whole Grains Summit, held May 19–22, 2012 in Minneapolis, was the first meeting of its kind to convene >300 scientists, educators, food technologists, grain breeders, food manufacturers, marketers, health professionals, and regulators from around the world. Its goals were to identify potential avenues for collaborative efforts and formulate new approaches to whole-grains research and health communications that support global public health and business. This paper summarizes some of the challenges and opportunities that researchers and nutrition educators face in expanding the knowledge base on whole grains and health and in translating and disseminating that knowledge to consumers. The consensus of the summit was that effective, long-term, public-private partnerships are needed to reach across the globe and galvanize the whole-grains community to collaborate effectively in translating whole-grains science into strategies that increase the availability and affordability of more healthful, grain-based food products. A prerequisite of that is the need to build trust among diverse multidisciplinary professionals involved in the growing, producing, marketing, and regulating of whole-grain products and between the grain and public health communities.

Pathway of deoxynivalenol-induced apoptosis in human colon carcinoma cells

The mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol (DON), is generally detected in cereal grains and grain-based food products worldwide. Therefore, DON has numerous toxicological effects on animals and humans. The present investigation was conducted to determine the molecular aspects of DON toxicity on human colon carcinoma cells (HT 29). To this aim, we have monitored the effects of DON on (i) cell viability, (ii) Heat shock protein expressions as a parameter of protective and adaptive response, (iii) oxidative damage and (iv) cell death signalling pathway. Our results clearly showed that DON treatment inhibits cell proliferation, did not induce Hsp 70 protein expression and reactive oxygen species generation. We have also demonstrated that this toxin induced a DNA fragmentation followed by p53 and caspase-3 activations. Finally, our findings suggested that oxidative damage is not the major contributor to DON toxicity. This mycotoxin induces direct DNA lesions and could be considered by this fact as a genotoxic agent inducing cell death via an apoptotic process.

Antioxidant activity and nutrient composition of selected cereals for food use

Whole grain products are recommended for healthy diets as being recognized sources of dietary fiber and antioxidant substances. In the present study, four cereals including barley, pearl millet, rye and sorghum which are adapted to the growing conditions in the United Arab Emirates were evaluated in terms of their composition of dietary fiber, resistant starch, minerals and total phenols and antioxidant properties. Antioxidant activity was evaluated on the basis of scavenging capacity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH ) radicals and 2,2′-azino-di-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulphonate] (ABTS + radical cations). The adapted grains exhibited better nutritional quality compared to commercial hard and soft wheat flours, the main ingredients in grain-based food products. They were significantly rich in resistant starch, soluble and insoluble dietary fibers, minerals and antioxidants. Barley had the highest levels of phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, copper, and zinc, and the second highest content of iron following millet. Sorghum was exceptionally high in antioxidant activities followed by millet and barley. The antioxidant properties of the three grains were comparable to butylated hydroxytoluene. The nutritional data suggest that the selected grains, particularly barley and sorghum, hold promise as healthy food ingredients.

Starch and Fiber Fractions in Selected Food and Feed Ingredients Affect Their Small Intestinal Digestibility and Fermentability and Their Large Bowel Fermentability In Vitro in a Canine Mode

The digestion of legumes, cereal grains, cereal and potato flours and grain-based foods in dogs was studied using two in vitro model systems. The first simulated the stomach and small intestine through the additions of acid and enzymes and large bowel fermentation through use of fecal inocula from dogs, and the second simulated small intestinal fermentation using canine ileal chyme as the bacterial source. All substrates were analyzed for total dietary fiber (TDF) including insoluble and soluble components, and starch fractions: rapidly digestible starch, slowly digestible starch, resistant starch (RS) and total starch. Legumes had high TDF and RS concentrations (mean 36.5 and 24.7%, respectively), resulting in lower ileal digestible starch and total digestible starch concentrations (mean 21 and 31%, respectively). Seventy-four percent of the TS in the cereal grains group was rapidly digestible starch plus slowly digestible starch compared with the flour group, where the corresponding value was 95%. This related to the processing of cereals to flours, in which TDF and RS concentrations were reduced markedly. This increased ileal digestible starch concentrations in the flour group (65%) versus the cereal grains group (60%). Ileal digestion of starch in grain-based food products like macaroni and spaghetti was high (96 and 92%, expressed as a percentage of TS, respectively). Fermentation of substrates with ileal microflora was influenced by substrate chemical composition, with the flour group exhibiting the highest organic matter disappearance values. The legume group had a high total short-chain fatty acid concentration (7.8 mmol/g organic matter fermented), perhaps as a result of fermentation of TDF as well as starch components. A database such as this one provides information about utilization of foods and feeds in the dog and potentially in humans.

ELISA Survey of Retail Grain-Based Food Products for Zearalenone and Aflatoxin B1

Seventy-nine grain-based food products were purchased from mid-Michigan retail grocery outlets in 1985 and analyzed for the mycotoxins zearalenone and aflatoxin B1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Twenty-two percent of these samples contained detectable zearalenone (limit ⩾2.5 μg/kg). Zearalenone was found in breakfast cereal, snack foods, popcorn, corn meal, and cake-muffin mixes representing 10, 11, 57, 78, and 20% of these samples, respectively. The average level of this toxin among the positive samples was 20 μg/kg with maximum levels of 120 and 130 μg/kg being found in samples of corn meal and popcorn, respectively. Zearalenone was not found in any of the wheat flour or baby foods samples. Detectable aflatoxin B1 (limit ⩾5.0 μg/kg) was not found in any of the 79 samples tested.