Interest In Nutrition Research Articles

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) a legume with great ecological and agronomical potential under climate change

Abstract Climate change is a global challenge to ecosystem services, altering crop yields and food security worldwide. In the context of climate change, Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. (sainfoin) can offer a multitude of ecosystem services conferred by its multifaceted beneficial properties. We reviewed the morphological, biochemical and physiological responses to environmental stressors of O. viciifolia, summarized its ecological, agronomic, nutritional and biological interests, and we discussed its use under climate change. Onobrychis viciifolia is a hemicryptophyte forage legume adapted to arid and semiarid regions by evolving a diverse array of protective mechanisms against abiotic stressors at morphological, biochemical and physiological levels. In the present scenario of climate change, O. viciifolia has desirable forage characteristics such as high nutritive value, high voluntary intake and palatability to grazing animals, leading to satisfying animal performance for milk, meat, honey and wool production. Recent studies suggest that O. viciifolia has several highly beneficial phytochemical properties including condensed tannins and polyphenol content, which have been demonstrated to have anthelmintic activities, enhance protein utilization, and prevent bloating. In addition, O. viciifolia also has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequestrate atmospheric carbon and nitrogen into the soil. Ethnobotanical investigations show that O. viciifolia possesses antimicrobial, antiseptic and vulnerary activities. This review could be helpful for understanding of O. viciifolia characteristics, interests and uses, thus promoting its reasonable cultivation under a changing climate.

Near field communication-assisted paper-based electrochemical sensing platform for study in personalized nutrition

Precision medicine has paved the way for a new approach to tackling diseases, boosting the customized cure for reliable and effective disease managment. Besides precision medicine, there has been recently substantial and growing interest in precision nutrition, considering the effect of food intake on human metabolism. Customizing the meals requires multiple, timely, and on-site analyses for a comprehensive study of the effect on the metabolic pathways. Aiming to address this need, we reported for the first time a paper-based sensing tool for evaluating the post-prandial oxidative stress analyzing Mediterranean and Western diet meals, by detecting hydrogen peroxide and redox potential in capillary blood. Herein, NFC-assisted electrochemical sensors printed on office paper and modified by drop casting with carbon black/Prussian Blue nanoparticles for hydrogen peroxide detection (LOD = 0.3 µM) and with carbon black for the redox potential measurement were developed. Considering the tricky target biomarkers, i.e. hydrogen peroxide and redox potential, and the low volume matrix, i.e. capillary blood, the suitability of these sensors was assessed in a clinical study by analyzing additional biomarkers namely malondialdehyde, cortisol, and glucose in healthy people before and after Mediterranean and Western diet meals. The data obtained with the sensors were found in agreement with the biomarkers analyzed by established analytical methods, demonstrating the easiness and reliability of the electrochemical paper-based sensors as sustainable, easy to use, and useful devices for studies in the precision nutrition sector, opening a new application route of electrochemical paper-based devices.

Transcriptomic Analysis During Olive Fruit Development and Expression Profiling of Fatty Acid Desaturase Genes.

The olive fruit is a drupe whose development and ripening takes several months from flowering to full maturation. During this period, several biochemical and physiological changes occur that affect the skin color, texture, composition, and size of the mesocarp. The final result is a fruit rich in fatty acids, phenolic compounds, tocopherols, pigments, sterols, terpenoids, and other compounds of nutritional interest. In this work, a transcriptomic analysis was performed using flowers (T0) and mesocarp tissue at seven different stages during olive fruit development and ripening (T1-T7) of the 'Picual' cultivar. A total of 1755 genes overexpressed at any time with respect to the flowering stage were further analyzed. These genes were grouped into eight clusters based on their expression profile. The gene enrichment analysis revealed the most relevant biological process of every cluster. Highlighting the important role of hormones at very early stages of fruit development (T1, Cluster 1), whereas genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis were relevant throughout the fruit developmental process. Hence, genes coding for different fatty acid desaturase (SAD, FAD2, FAD3, FAD4, FAD5, FAD6, and FAD7) enzymes received special attention. In particular, 26 genes coding for different fatty acid desaturase enzymes were identified in the 'Picual' genome, contributing to the improvement of the genome annotation. The expression pattern of these genes during fruit development corroborated their role in determining fatty acid composition.

Cakile maritima: A Halophyte Model to Study Salt Tolerance Mechanisms and Potential Useful Crop for Sustainable Saline Agriculture in the Context of Climate Change.

Salinity is an increasing problem for agriculture. Most plant species tolerate low or, at best, moderate soil salinities. However, a small (<1%) proportion of species, termed halophytes, can survive and complete their life cycle in natural habitats with salinities equivalent to 200 mM NaCl or more. Cakile maritima is a succulent annual halophyte belonging to the Brassicaceae family; it is dispersed worldwide and mainly grows in foreshores. Cakile maritima growth is optimal under slight (i.e., 100 mM NaCl) saline conditions, measured by biomass and seed production. Higher salt concentrations, up to 500 mM NaCl, significantly impact its growth but do not compromise its survival. Cakile maritima alleviates sodium toxicity through different strategies, including anatomical and morphological adaptations, ion transport regulation, biosynthesis of osmolytes, and activation of antioxidative mechanisms. The species is potentially useful as a cash crop for the so-called biosaline agriculture due to its production of secondary metabolites of medical and nutritional interest and the high oil accumulation in its seeds. In this review, we highlight the relevance of this species as a model for studying the basic mechanisms of salt tolerance and for sustainable biosaline agriculture in the context of soil salination and climate change.

Data fusion of HS-SPME-GCMS, NIRS, and fluorescence, using chemometrics, has the potential to explore the geographical origin of gentian rhizomes

Gentiana lutea rhizomes are known for their bitter tasting properties conferred by its unique biochemical content. They are currently of interest in phytotherapy, animal nutrition, food processing, cosmetic applications and agroecology. In this study, a NIRS, fluorescence and HS-SPME-GCMS dataset of 55 rhizomes from four different French mountains (Alpes, Jura, Massif Central and Pyrénées) was collected with the aim of assessing the variability of Gentiana lutea composition at different scales. The feasibility of data fusion strategies was demonstrated to be effective in distinguishing the geographical origin of Gentiana lutea roots over a wide area. The results suggest that data fusion methods have the potential to be more effective in the quality of separation of studied sites of Gentiana lutea roots than individual decisions obtained from individual analytical tools. However, to guarantee the geographical origin of Gentiana lutea roots within a single massif using these techniques, environmental factors must be considered.

Intake of free sugar among children and adolescents in Germany declines - current results of the DONALD study.

Our recent analysis reported decreasing trends in intake of free sugar in children and adolescents in Germany. Here we set out to update this analysis with current dietary intake (until 2023) because of the strong public health nutrition interest in sugar intake. In total, 4,218 dietary records kept between 2010 and 2023 by 751 participants (46.0% females, 3-18 years) from the German Dortmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed (DONALD) cohort were examined. Age and time trends in free sugar intake (%E/d) were analysed using polynomial mixed-effects regression models. Median intake data indicate a decline in the intake of free sugar between 2010/2011 (16.7%E) and 2022/2023 (11.7%E). Trend analyses confirmed, that intake of free sugars decreased continuously between 2017 and 2023 (Linear trend: β = -0.4126, p < 0.0001). In addition, free sugar intake changed significantly with age (Linear trend: β = 1.2922, p < 0.0001; quadratic trend: β = -0.08613, p = 0.0094; cubic trend: β = 0.001442, p = 0.1725), i.e. the intake of free sugars increases continuously up to early adolescence (9/10 years) and decreases again thereafter. The intake of free sugar among children and adolescents continued to decline, but still exceeded the WHO recommendations in 2023. Further measures to reduce free sugar intake would therefore be desirable, as well as continuous monitoring of sugar intake levels among this age groups.

Nutritional Composition of Developed Bars and Their Impact on Work Performance of Adolescent Swimmers’ Girls

With the growing interest in sports nutrition and its impact on athletic performance, understanding the specific needs of adolescent athletes, particularly females, is crucial for optimizing their training and performance outcomes. The three variants of the Protein-rich bar (PB1, PB2, PB3) with the CB were developed by using different ingredients. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining nutritional analysis of developed bars with performance assessments among adolescent swimmers’ girls. Firstly, organoleptic evaluation (9-point hedonic scale) was performed on the variants of Protein-rich bar with the CB. Then nutritional analysis involves proximate (moisture, ash, protein, crude fat, crude fiber, CHO), mineral (calcium, iron), as well as antioxidant analysis (DPPH, TPC, vitamin C) assessed on selected variants of Protein-rich bar with the CB. Pre- and post-intervention were done on two groups for 3 months and performance assessments included anthropometric measurement, sit and reach test, hand grip strength test, Nelson hand reaction time test, and Tuttle pulse ratio test. Preliminary findings suggested that the developed bars (PB1) provide a more balanced nutritional profile than the CB. Moisture 10.2±0.66%, ash 3.7±0.27%, protein 22.3±0.74 g, crude fat 13.1±0.41 g, crude fiber 11.5±0.02 g, CHO 39.4±0.19 g, iron 4.4±0.15 mg, calcium 82.4±0.21 mg, DPPH 47.6±0.31%, TPC 53.1±0.11 mg GAE, and vitamin C 11.2±0.19 mg in 100 g respectively in PB1 and significantly difference at (p&lt;0.05). Additionally, the consumption of PB1 bar appears to positively impact higher work performance among adolescent swimmers girls. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of research on sports nutrition tailored to adolescent athletes, particularly focusing on the nutritional needs of swimmers girls.

360 Effect of the administration of a protected source of calcium gluconate on growth, feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility, and health in beef cattle

Abstract The gastrointestinal tract has a central role in production efficiency due to its involvement in the digestive function as well as in immunological, nervous, and metabolic functions. In ruminants, a great deal of attention is placed on ruminal functionality and safety. However, it is now recognized that the hindgut is involved in the onset of some metabolic issues, normally associated with ruminal imbalances, as well as in the digestion efficiency. Thus, the application of nutritional strategies that target the hindgut are gaining interest in cattle nutrition. The study evaluated the effects of a protected source of calcium gluconate on performance, digestibility, and health in beef cattle. Charolaise bulls (n = 241) were randomly divided into two groups: i) Control (n = 120) basal diets + 10g/head/day of a placebo of wheat bran; ii) Treatment (n = 121) basal diets + 10 g·bull⁻¹·d⁻¹of a protected source of calcium gluconate (Lactibute, Selko Trouw Nutrition). The population was further divided into two subgroups: i) “Overall population” (n = 201) housed in pens of 7to 8 animals each; ii) “Beefmonitor population” (n = 40). The latter was housed in two pens (Control and Treatment) with 20 animals each equipped with two automatic scales for BW located at the drinkers, to evaluate the daily growth trends. Growth performance, feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), were evaluated with specific approaches in the two populations. The incidence of diseases was evaluated equally in the two populations. The apparent total tract digestibility (aTTD) was evaluated on 10 representative pens per group using a portable near-infrared system that compares the composition of the diets and the correlated feces. All the data were analyzed statistically using the SAS software and applying specific models. The average daily gain (ADG) was improved by the Treatment (+40 and +43 g·bull⁻¹·d⁻¹compared with the Control group, in the “Overall” and “Beefmonitor” populations; Table 1 and Figure 1; P = 0.0084 and &amp;lt; 0.0001, respectively), and the final BW were also heavier (706.82 and 705.83 vs 699.75 and 697.33 kg in the “Overall” and “Beefmonitor” populations; P = 0.0084 and 0.037, respectively). The treatment improved both, FCR (6.90 and 7.03 vs 7.51 and 7.28 in the “Overall” and “Beefmonitor” populations; P = 0.0008 and &amp;lt; 0.0001 respectively; Table 1 and Figure 1) and the aTTDs of starch (97.05 vs 95.71%; P &amp;lt; 0.0001), cellulose (57.91 vs 52.95%; P &amp;lt; 0.0001) and NDF (52.02 vs 50.02%; P = 0.020). The incidence of lameness was reduced in the Treatment group (0.99 vs 7%; P = 0.0282). Including protected sources of calcium gluconate can be functional to improve production efficiency and animal health, as a consequence of its proactive role on intestinal health, functionality and epithelial integrity.

Comparison of Volatile Organic Compounds, Quality, and Nutritional Parameters from Local Italian and International Apple Cultivars

Apple cultivars ‘Annurca’ and ‘Limoncella’ are grown locally in the Campania region of Italy and are valued for their distinctive flavour and characteristics, including a high content of nutritionally important bioactive compounds. However, apples are typically stored chilled for several months before consumption, so it is important to assess if the valuable characteristics are still present after postharvest storage. Here, we compare the quality, nutritional parameters, and aroma of these two cultivars with two widely grown international cultivars, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Fuji’, after 60 days of storage. The aroma profiles of all four apples were analysed using thermal desorption and gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We show that the local cultivars are distinct from the international cultivars in their bioactive compound content and their antioxidant activity. ‘Limoncella’ shows high sugar content, which may be acting as a cryoprotectant during storage, and high total phenolics in the flesh, which is of nutritional interest. We identified 104 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and showed that the overall aroma profile is distinct for each cultivar, containing 11 published odorant compounds. The ‘Annurca’ profile is uniquely low in esters. Seven VOCs retain good discrimination across the four cultivars and, together with the quality and nutritional data, separate the two local cultivars from the international cultivars by hierarchical clustering. Overall, the data emphasize the unique characteristics of the two local cultivars and their value.

Changes in Cerebrospinal Fluid Concentrations of Selenium Species Induced by Tofersen Administration in Subjects with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Carrying SOD1 Gene Mutations.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting the brain and spinal cord motor neurons. On 25 April 2023, the drug tofersen, an antisense oligonucleotide, received the US Food and Drug Administration approval for treating ALS in adults carrying mutations of the SOD1 gene. We aimed at assessing whether cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of selenium, an element of both toxicological and nutritional interest possibly involved in disease etiology and progression, are modified by tofersen administration. We determined concentrations of selenium species by anion exchange chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma-dynamic reaction cell-mass spectrometry and overall selenium by using inductively coupled plasma sector-field mass spectrometry, at baseline and 6months after active tofersen treatment in ten Italian ALS patients carrying the SOD1 gene mutation. Concentrations of total selenium and many selenium species substantially increased after the intervention, particularly of inorganic (tetravalent and hexavalent) selenium and of the organic species selenomethionine and a compound co-eluting with the selenocystine standard. Overall, these findings suggest that tofersen treatment markedly alters selenium status and probably the redox status within the central nervous system, possibly due to a direct effect on neurons and/or the blood-brain barrier. Further studies are required to investigate the biological and clinical relevance of these findings and how they might relate to the pharmacological effects of the drug and to disease progression.

Effectiveness of Culinary Nutrition Workshops on the Mood and Nutritional Interest of Inpatients With Mental Disorder.

Background Promoting healthy eating habits through nutrition education programs is crucial to improving the overall healthof people with mental disorders. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of culinary nutrition workshops on the mood and nutritional interest of hospitalized adults with mental disorders (MD)from the acute psychiatric unit of two general hospitals in Catalonia, Spain. Methods A pilot randomized control trial (RCT) was conducted with MD inpatient. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: the intervention group receivedweekly culinary nutrition workshops with flexible participation andthe control group continued routinary care. The interest in nutrition was analysed with an ad hoc item pre and post-intervention period. Mood changes were studied with a visual analog scale and analysed pre- and post-intervention periods as well as before and after every session.An ad hoc questionnaire was also used to assess the satisfaction of participants with the intervention. The obtained data were analysed at both descriptive and inferential levels. Results We included 81 participants, with a mean age of 45.3 (SD: 17.0); 66.7% were women, with 41 assigned to the intervention group and 40 to the control group. At the end of every culinary nutrition workshop, a statistically significant improvement in mood was observed in the intervention group (5.9 vs. 7.4 points, p<0.001).However, there were no significant differences in mood changes between the control and intervention groups after the intervention period (control group: 1.0 vs. intervention group: 1.5, p=0.473), while the nutritional interest was significantly improved after the intervention period intergroups (control group: 4.1 vs. intervention group: 37.2, p<0.001). The intervention was excellently valued by the participants regarding content, space, and health professionals, and generated interest and motivation, with scores above 9 on all these items. Conclusion The improvement of interest in nutrition and the satisfaction of hospitalised people with MD with the nutrition culinary workshops emphasizethe need to design more comprehensive RCTs in hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

Conflicts of Interest in Nutrition: Categorical Thinking and the Stigma of Commercial Collaboration

There is a high level of concern about the possible influence of commercial organizations on food-related research and professional bodies, including regulatory and advisory panels. This has contributed to an increased emphasis on the declaration and management of conflicts of interest (CoI) in the reporting, evaluation, and application of research in nutrition science. However, common perceptions of CoI in nutrition, and procedures for declaring and managing these, often lack intellectual rigor and consistency. This commentary highlights 3 main issues related to CoI in nutrition, particularly the emphasis on industry-related CoI relative to other sources of conflict and bias. 1) Considerations of CoI in nutrition are largely limited to financial or collaborative links to the food industry, disregarding other important sources of influence such as intellectual allegiances or nonindustry financial and professional incentives. 2) Associations with industry incur ad hominem, often punitive stigmatization of individuals and their research, and inappropriate downgrading or exclusion of evidence. This disproportionately affects expertise in the food and agricultural sciences, in which commercial collaborations are widely encouraged. 3) These practices and related approaches to managing CoI are applied without due consideration of the nature of the conflicts and activities involved, the qualifications of individuals, or the availability of other, objective methods and guidance for assessing research quality and risks of bias. Overall, recognition of the nature and range of CoI in nutrition and approaches to their identification and management lack consistency and balance. A singular and strict focus specifically on industry-related CoI may paradoxically exacerbate rather than mitigate imbalance and bias in the field. This commentary outlines the underlying issues and the need for more comprehensive and nuanced approaches to the assessment, reporting, and management of CoI in nutrition.

코로나19 전후 청소년의 식생활에 대한 관심과 인식 변화 연구

This study used TEXTOM for a total of 4 years, 2 years before and after, as of January 19, 2020, when the domestic confirmed cases of COVID-19 were officially announced, targeting Naver, Daum, Google, YouTube, and Twitter. By analyzing changes in adolescents' interest and awareness of their dietary habits, we aimed to create an opportunity to develop a dietary education program to provide proper dietary education. The results obtained through this study are as follows. First, the keywords with the highest co-occurrence before COVID-19 were ‘nutrition’ and ‘counseling’, and the next keywords were ‘nutrition’ and ‘education’. After COVID-19, the order was ‘nutrition’, ‘education’, ‘food’ and ‘safety’. Second, the results of co-occurrence frequency network analysis showed that there was high interest in nutrition and counseling regardless of COVID-19, and that interest in safety and health increased further after COVID-19. Third, through cluster formation through CONCOR analysis, before COVID-19, it was categorized into ‘diet and physical activity’, ‘skin and disease’, ‘health and food’, and ‘nutrition and intake’, and after COVID-19, it was categorized into ‘nutrition, intake and COVID-19’, ‘diet and physical activity’, ‘skin and disease’, and ‘circadian rhythm imbalance and disease’. Fourth, as a result of the diet-related keyword cluster analysis network, before COVID-19, keywords in the ‘eating and physical activity’ group were strongly connected to keywords in the ‘health and food’ and ‘nutrition and intake’ groups, and after COVID-19, ‘diet’ Keywords in the ‘and physical activity’ group were strongly connected to keywords in the ‘nutrition, intake, and COVID-19’ group.

Fatty Acids in Dry Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): A Contribution to Their Analysis and the Characterization of a Diversity Panel.

Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a crop of high nutritional interest widespread throughout the world. This research had two objectives. On the one hand, the development and validation of an analytical method to quantify fatty acids in dry beans based on the extraction and derivatization in a single step and later quantification by gas chromatography. On the other, its application to characterize the fatty acid content in a diversity panel consisting of 172 lines. The method was successfully validated in terms of accuracy, precision and robustness. Among the 14 fatty acids that constitute the fatty acid profile of dry bean, the most quantitatively important were linolenic acid, the major fatty acid in all cases, with an average value of 6.7 mg/g, followed by linoleic acid (3.9 mg/g), palmitic acid (2.9 mg/g) and oleic acid (1.5 mg/g). The concentrations of fatty acids in dry bean were influenced by the gene pool, with the Mesoamerican gene pool showing a higher content of palmitic, stearic, linoleic and linolenic acids and the Andean gene pool a higher level of cis-vaccenic acid. Also, the expression of fatty acid content showed high heritability. The information generated constitutes a robust database of interest in food technology, nutrition and breeding programs.

Effect Of Jeera Powder on the Sensory Attribute Of Carbonated RTS Functional Millet Based Whey Beverage

The present scenario focus interest in nutrition and health awareness, consumers are increasingly seeking high- quality functional products with acceptable sensory attributes. The primary objective of current research was to optimize the process for developing Carbonated Ready-to-serve (RTS) functional millet-based whey beverage and observe the effects of different levels of Jeera powder (1%,2%,3%) on the sensory and physico-chemical aspects of Carbonated RTS functional millet-based whey beverage. Based on the analytical result, the functional beverage was optimized with 2%, Jeera powder and was subjected for shelf-life tests.

Effect Of Malted Ragi Powder On The Sensory Attributes of Carbonated RTS Functional Millet Based Whey Beverage

The present scenario focus interest in nutrition and health awareness, consumers are increasingly seeking high- quality functional products with acceptable sensory attributes. The primary objective of current research was to optimize the process for developing Carbonated Ready-to-serve (RTS) functional millet-based whey beverage malted ragi (5%,7%,9) on the sensory and physico-chemical aspects of Carbonated RTS functional millet-based whey beverage. Based on the analytical result, the functional beverage contained 5% Malted Finger Millet and was subjected for shelf-life tests. Sensory evaluation, as well as titratable acidity and pH analysis, was conducted for the samples stored at refrigeration temperature (7±1⁰C) and for those stored at room temperature (30±1⁰C) in glass bottle as the packaging material. The carbonated and non-carbonated RTS functional millet-based whey beverage and the control were found to be acceptable up to 2 days of storage at room temperature (30±1⁰C) and for 8 days stored at refrigeration temperature (7±1⁰C), respectively. The developed carbonated RTS functional millet based whey beverage is an innovative and nutritious product with enormous health benefits as it contains nutraceutical ingredient i.e. finger millet ( power house of nutrients). The developed functional millet based whey beverage can be given to all age groups and can be easily commercialized.

Acceptability of protein-fortified recipes in older adults in France

Public health policies recommend food fortification, namely adding ingredients of nutritional interest into commonly consumed foods, to help older adults with reduced appetite achieve sufficient protein intake. The aim of the present study was to assess the acceptability and sensory perception of protein-fortified recipes in older adults. Two variants – standard and protein-fortified – were developed for six food products covering various food matrices (savoury/sweet, hot/cold, liquid/solid): bolognese sauce, mashed potato and carrot soup; stuffed pepper, apple crumble and vanilla custard. Sixty-five and 56 participants tested respectively in a sensory laboratory. All participants were 70 years or older and lived at home (women: 58 %). Participants were asked to rate liking and food oral processing for each sample as well as to describe its sensory characteristics (free comments, CATA). They were not informed about the nature of the difference between the variants, namely protein fortification. It was observed that using protein extracts to fortify food products results in texture alteration, with a granular, sticky, and compact texture. If this effect is minimal compared to the standard variant, it does not significantly impact liking. However, when the effect is more pronounced and/or accompanied by changes in taste and appearance, it leads to a decrease in product liking. Thus, having a fortified product that closely matches the standard product in all sensory aspects (taste, texture, appearance) appears crucial for consumer acceptability. This work lay the groundwork for further enhancing the functionality of protein extracts and/or the sensory properties of fortified recipes in order to develop palatable protein-enriched foods.

Ernährungsberatung in ärztlichen Praxen verschiedener Fachrichtungen – eine Querschnittsstudie

ZusammenfassungHintergrundZiel dieser Querschnittsstudie war es, den Stand der Ernährungsberatung (EB) und Versorgung in ärztlichen Praxen zu erheben. Das entsprechende Fachwissen der Ärzt:innen sowie Hürden und Verbesserungsmöglichkeiten für die EB wurden analysiert.MethodenEin Fragebogen mit 32 Items wurde erstellt und nach 2‑stufigem Pretest im Frühjahr 2022 an alle niedergelassenen Ärzt:innen der Fachrichtungen Allgemeinmedizin, Innere Medizin, Gynäkologie, Orthopädie und Arbeitsmedizin in Aachen (N = 360) verteilt.ErgebnisseDie Rücklaufquote lag bei 29,2 % (n = 105). 85,7 % der Ärzt:innen führten während ihrer Sprechstunde EB durch. Die Ärzt:innen schätzten, dass 39,5 % ihrer Patient:innen EB benötigten, tatsächlich beraten wurden aber nur 28,1 %. Bei Allgemeinmediziner:innen dauert die EB durchschnittlich 13 min, bei allen anderen 9,5 min. Die meisten Teilnehmer:innen fühlten sich gut über gesunde Ernährung informiert (95,2 %) und schrieben dem Thema eine hohe persönliche (57,7 %) und berufliche (47,6 %) Relevanz zu.Die größten Hürden für eine bessere EB waren die mangelnde Vermittlung von Wissen und Kompetenzen im Medizinstudium (89,5 %) und in der Facharztweiterbildung (79,6 %) sowie Zeitmangel (75,2 %). Viele Teilnehmer:innen würden mehr EB durchführen, wenn diese Leistung besser bezahlt würde und im Arbeitsalltag mehr Zeit zur Verfügung stände.DiskussionDie hohe Relevanz von EB ist vielen niedergelassenen Ärzt:innen bewusst, der Bedarf an EB wird von ihnen jedoch nicht gedeckt. Um EB in ärztlichen Praxen zu fördern, bedarf es unter anderem einer besseren ernährungsmedizinischen Ausbildung, einer angemessenen Vergütung und ausreichender Zeitkontingente.

Composition and Functional Properties of the Edible Spear and By-Products from Asparagus officinalis L. and Their Potential Prebiotic Effect.

Asparagus is a healthy food appreciated for its organoleptic characteristics, nutritional composition and physiological properties. During its industrial processing, a large amount of by-products are generated, since only the apical part of the vegetable is considered edible and a large amount of by-products are generated that could be of nutritional interest. Therefore, the nutritional composition of the edible part and the two by-products of the plant (root and stem) was evaluated, including dietary fiber, inulin, low-molecular-weight carbohydrates, low-molecular-weight polyphenols and macromolecular polyphenols. The hydration properties, oil retention capacity, glucose retardation index and impact on bacterial growth of both probiotic bacteria and pathogenic strains were determined. All samples were high in fiber (>22 g/100 g dw), fructans (>1.5 g/100 g dw) and polyphenolic compounds (>3 g/100 g dw) and had good water-, oil- and glucose-binding capacity. In addition, they promoted the growth of probiotic strains but not pathogenic ones. The effects were more pronounced in the spear by-product samples and appear to be related to the components of dietary fiber. The results indicate that edible spear has potential beneficial effects on host health and microbiota when ingested as part of a healthy diet, while the by-products could be used as supplements and/or as natural ingredients in fiber-enriched foods that require emulsification and are intended to achieve a prebiotic effect.

Identification and quantification of phosphate turnover indicators after long-term compost application – long-term and single season effects

Abstract Background and aims Soil organic phosphorus (Porg) is of interest for plant nutrition because it can comprise between 20 and 80% of total soil phosphate (P). This study aims to examine the effect of compost application on soil phosphatases and microbial biomass, which influence the P turnover and, furthermore, to examine the speciation of Porg. Methods Soil from a long-term field experiment (since 1997) which compares compost application with inorganic fertilization was analyzed for calcium-acetate-lactate extractable P (CAL-P), Olsen-P, acid (Acid-Pase) and alkaline (Alk-Pase) phosphatase activity and microbial biomass P. Porg speciation was additionally analyzed with liquid-state 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-NMR). Results We found a significant increasing long-term effect of high compost application (equivalent to 400 kg ha−1 N (400)) on Acid-Pase (45%) and Alk-Pase (58%). After compost application, Acid-Pase increased by 41% in treatment 400 (3 days after compost application (DAA)). The 31P-NMR analysis showed a significant increase of inorganic orthophosphate (55%) after high compost application. Furthermore, the total phosphomonoester region was significantly decreased in the treatment 400 (8%). Conclusions We demonstrated that long-term compost application increases phosphatase activity which plays a key role in the mineralization of soil Porg. In particular, the decrease of the concentration of Porg species in the phosphomonoester region in the treatment 400 with high compost application highlights that an increased turnover affects this soil P pool and may provide P to plants. This knowledge provides a better understanding of how the P cycle responds to long-term compost fertilization.