Nutritional Improvement Research Articles

PERFORMANCE OF MUNGBEAN WITH ELEVATED NPKS NUTRITIONS UNDER WATER STRESS

Drought is one of the most serious environmental stresses that hinders mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) production seriously. Improvement of soil nutrition is one of the effective measures to enhance drought tolerance of upland crops like mungbean. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of higher levels of macro nutrients on growth and yield performance of mungbean. Recommended dose, and two, three and four folds of the recommended dose of major fertilizers (N-P-K-S) were applied on two popular mungbean varieties namely, Binamoog-5 and BU mug4 under water stress. The effect of the higher levels of fertilizer on stressed plants was evaluated by examining different morphological parameters of growth such as plant height, parameters of growth analyses, yield attributes and grain yield. Water stress in general had a negative effect on plant growth and development. However, the enhanced levels of nutritions lessened the water stress effect. Increased plant height, leaf area, CGR, RGR, NAR, and grain yield and yield attributes were measured in plants that received elevated nutrients. In general Binamoog-5 showed higher water stress tolerance than BU mug4 in relation to the production of grain yield and yield attrbutes. Under water stress the highest number of pods plant-1 was recorded in T4 where Binamoog-5 produced 15.33 plant-1 and BU mug4 had 13.33 plant-1. The highest 100-seed weight was recorded in Binamoog-5 (4.65 g) and BU mug4 had 4.29 g with the three-fold increased doses of N-P-K-S fertilizer (T4 ). The highest grain yield plant-1 was also recorded in T4 where Binamoog-5 produced 4.95 g plant-1 and BUmug4 produced 3.95 g plant-1. It was concluded that higher levels of NPKS enhanced productivity of mungbean, than the recommended.

Pomegranate Peel and Olive Leaf Extracts to Optimize the Preservation of Fresh Meat: Natural Food Additives to Extend Shelf-Life.

Quality and safety are one of the main concerns of the European Union in food preservation. Using chemical additives extends the shelf-life of fresh foods but raises consumer's concerns about the potential long-term carcinogenic effects. Using natural substances derived from agro-industrial by-products, which have significant antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, could extend the shelf-life of fresh foods such as meat. Furthermore, they can provide nutritional improvements without modifying organoleptic properties. This study analyzes the antimicrobial activity of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) and the antioxidant activity of olive leaf extract (OLE), added at concentrations of 10 mg g-1 and 0.25 mg g-1, respectively, to minced poultry and rabbit meat. PPE exhibited in vitro antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens starting at 10 mg/well. PPE and OLE determined a reduction in colony count over a storage period of 6 days at 4 °C. Additionally, the combination of PPE and OLE showed antioxidant effects, preserving lipid oxidation and maintaining pH levels. The obtained results demonstrate that PPE and OLE can be recommended as food additives to preserve the quality and extend the shelf-life of meat products.

Unveiling Community Involvement Gaps in Toddler Stunting Recovery

Stunting remains a significant issue in Larangan Village, Candi District, Sidoarjo Regency, largely due to inadequate community participation in nutrition-related activities and low public awareness of posyandu services. This qualitative study analyzes community involvement in stunting recovery and identifies barriers to effective engagement. Data from interviews, observations, and documentation with key village figures indicate that while contributions from the village government, cadres, and midwives have improved, community enthusiasm and motivation remain low due to poor awareness and socio-economic challenges. Enhancing community education, improving socio-economic conditions, and fostering better organizational collaboration are crucial for improving stunting recovery efforts. Highlights: Community Engagement: Assessing local stakeholder contributions for toddler nutrition improvement. Awareness Gap: Identifying public knowledge gaps on posyandu services for stunting recovery. Socio-economic Barriers: Exploring economic challenges hindering community health initiative participation. Keywords: Stunting, Community Participation, Posyandu Services, Nutrition, Socio-economic Factors

Feed the children, free the women? Evidence from the China rural nutrition improvement program

This study establishes a causal impact of China Rural Nutrition Improvement Program (CRNIP) on the labour force participation of Chinese rural mothers, utilizing quasi-exogenous variation in the timing of program implementation across the country. Drawing on 1% samples of the 2010 and 2015 Chinese Population Censuses, we find that the CRNIP, which provided free lunch meals to students during their compulsory education, significantly enhanced maternal labour force participation by an estimated 4.25 percentage points, while showing no effects for fathers. The provision of school lunches reduced the time mothers spent on childcare, primarily benefiting less-educated mothers, who opted for informal, off-farm work in their local area. While only small in magnitude, this finding has significant policy implications for a country facing a declining population in general, and declining female labour force participation in particular.

Investigating femoral growth disruption in subadults from the 10th-13th century St. Étienne cemetery of Toulouse, France.

The skeleton embodies an individual's environment and lived experiences. Studying childhood growth disruption can, therefore, aid in understanding the experiences of children in the past. This study evaluates growth disruption in a medieval Toulousian subadult sample to explore factors that may have influenced childhood growth and mortality at this site and to assess the utility of Harris line (HL) interpretations in bioarchaeology. Femoral growth disruption was assessed in n = 71 subadults (0.125-12.42 years) from the 10th-13th century St. Étienne cemetery of Toulouse, France, using femoral length, total area, cortical area, and relative cortical area. Femoral radiographs were assessed for HLs. To determine the prevalence of growth disruption, z-scores were calculated using data from the Denver growth study. The majority of subadults in this sample suffered from femoral growth disruption. Young children (1.0-3.99 years) were the most affected, with >65% experiencing reduced appositional growth and linear growth stunting at time-of-death. Additionally, while many individuals presented with observable HLs, linear and appositional growth did not significantly differ between individuals with and without HLs. Maternal malnutrition and inadequate complementary feeding practices likely contributed to the high prevalence of growth disruption among the youngest individuals in the study. The older children and adolescents buried at St. Étienne experienced an amelioration in growth deficits, indicating an improvement in nutrition and/or disease load. The results of this study suggest that more consideration is required when interpreting the presence/absence of HLs, and that studies assessing HLs may benefit from using a more individualistic approach.

Comparing Family Health Before and After a Family-Focused Nutrition Program during the Pandemic

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic affected child health behaviors, leading to worse physical health. Given the importance of good family health in improved child health outcomes, this secondary cohort analysis tested the hypothesis that family health would improve from baseline to 12-week follow-up after participation in a novel family nutrition program.MethodsDiverse parent-child dyads participated in a home-based virtual Teaching Kitchen Outreach (vTKO) program (11 weekly healthy, low-cost recipes, cooking videos, and associated groceries delivered). The primary outcome was the Family Healthy Lifestyle Subscale (FHLS). Secondary outcomes were parent and child nutrition, and food insecurity. Statistical testing and modeling were used to evaluate pre-post outcomes.ResultsOf 123 enrolled dyads, 114 (93%) had sufficient data for analysis. Participants were 11% Hispanic, 54% Black, and 28% White; 31% completed high school or less; and 30% indicated food insecurity. Cohort mean pre-post FHLS scores significantly increased (25.5 vs. 27.3; p < 0.001). There were significant improvements in parent nutrition (p < 0.001) and child nutrition (p = 0.02 to < 0.001), but not in food security. After adjusting for baseline covariates, tobit regression found statistically significant pre-post FHLS differences (2.3; 95% CI=[1.4, 3.3]; p < 0.001).DiscussionParticipants in the novel home-based vTKO program reported improved family health over 12 weeks.

2-week prevalence and associated factors of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea among children aged 6–23 months in rural Hunan Province

Fever and diarrhea are key causes of malnutrition, growth and development disorders, and death among children. At present, most studies on the associated factors of fever and diarrhea in children are concentrated in African and South Asian countries, but relevant research in China is very limited. This study was aimed to analyze the two-week prevalence of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea among children aged 6–23 months in rural areas of Hunan Province and to explore the associated factors. The survey data of the Nutrition Improvement Program for Children in Poor Areas (NIPCPA) from 2016 to 2023 was used here. NIPCPA is a cross-sectional survey completed annually in Hunan to collect children’s nutrition and health indicators. The two-week prevalence rates of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea among children aged 6–23 months were 12.2% (2066/16,985), 9.6% (1634/16,985), and 3.2% (542/16,985), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the risks of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea were higher among younger children. The high educational level of caregivers, effective consumption of Yingyangbao (a complementary food supplement containing iron, zinc, calcium, vitamins A, D, B1, B2, B12, folic acid, and other micronutrients), and complementary feeding meeting minimum dietary diversity and meeting minimum acceptable diet were protective factors against fever in children, with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of 0.87 (95%CI: 0.78–0.98), 0.78 (0.69–0.87), 0.73 (0.65–0.82), and 0.74 (0.66–0.84), respectively. Effective consumption of Yingyangbao, and complementary feeding meeting the minimum dietary diversity and meeting minimum acceptable diet were protective factors against diarrhea in children, with aORs of 0.72 (95%CI: 0.63–0.83), 0.79 (0.70–0.91), and 0.80 (0.70–0.92), respectively. Effective consumption of Yingyangbao, and complementary feeding meeting the minimum dietary diversity and meeting minimum acceptable diet were protective factors against coexisting fever and diarrhea among children, with aORs of 0.53 (95%CI: 0.43–0.66), 0.71 (0.58–0.89), and 0.70 (0.56–0.88), respectively. Fever, diarrhea, and the coexisting fever and diarrhea affect one in eight, one in ten, and one in thirty children respectively in rural areas of Hunan. Effective interventions should be actively taken, such as improving the education level of caregivers, enhancing their scientific feeding skills for children, and promoting children’s compliance with Yingyangbao consumption, to further reduce the prevalence of fever and diarrhea in children.

Nutritional improvement of cactus fruit scraps with addition of alfalfa or Atriplex halimus, and comparison of two animal feed preservation methods (silage and solar drying)

This work aimed to study the effect of adding alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and Atriplex halimus L. on biochemical properties, microbial flora, ferment silage and solar-dried cactus fruit scraps. Alfalfa and Atriplex were added to cactus silage to improve nutrient quality. Three mixtures were prepared: M1 based on cactus, M2 based on cactus and alfalfa, and M3 based on cactus and Atriplex. Bran and wheat straw were added to the mixtures to improve the moisture content. After adding alfalfa and Atriplex, the protein content of the pre-ensiling material increased (p < 0.05), reaching 10.63% DM for M1, 16.35% DM for M2, and 17.22% DM for M3. During ensilage, a significant amount of sugar and protein was degraded. All silage treatments achieved stable pH values (M1: 4.35, M2: 4.55, and M3: 4.54). The M2 and M3 treatments had the highest amount of protein. After drying, the protein content of the dried treatments was higher than that of the ensiled treatments (8.05% DM for M1, 14.96% DM for M2, and 15.36% DM for M3). In both storage methods, the microbial population declined. However, silage reduces coliforms, yeasts and moulds more efficiently than solar drying. The drying operation preserves remarkedly the nutritional quality of the mixtures while ensiling reduces the number of undesirable microorganisms.

Autochthonous lactic acid bacteria in gluten-free sourdoughs produce nutritional and technological improvements in quinoa and buckwheat breads

Gluten-free (GF) baked goods available in the market are often poor in nutrients, such as protein, dietary fibre, micronutrients and bioactive compounds, and have low technological quality. Therefore, it is important to develop GF products with nutrient-rich flours, like quinoa (Q) and buckwheat (BW). Sourdough (SD) technology generates desirable nutritional and technological effects to improve GF bread. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of four autochthonous strains of lactic acid bacteria used as sourdough starters on the nutritional and technological quality of GF breads made with non-conventional flours. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum T3, Limosilactobacillus fermentum T4, Pediococcus acidilactici 26 and Pediococcus pentosaceus 82 were isolated in Q and BW flours. Nutritional and technological properties of flours, SD and breads were evaluated. In Q SD and breads, there was a 90% increase of polyphenols, 36% of ferulic acid and 131% in antioxidant capacity with respect to control compared to BW. In Q BW SD and breads, there were higher amounts of free amino acids and lower phytic acid content compared to SD controls. The incorporation of SD increased the specific volume, reduced the initial firmness of the crumb and the rate of hardening, produced a darkening of the crust; the crumbs of the breads were spongier, with a greater fraction of air and quantity of alveoli. Breads with Q SD presented better technological quality than breads with BW SD. Lim. fermentum T4 and P. pentosaceus 82 produced SD and breads with better technological quality.

Knowledge mobilization between the food industry and public health nutrition scientists: findings from a case study

BackgroundImproving the nutritional quality of the food supply increases access to nutritious foods, which improves dietary habits and population health. Yet, knowledge mobilization initiatives between public health nutrition researchers and food industries are often not adequately considered and understood. This study explored what elements related to this specific context need to be recognized so that researchers can better mobilize nutrition science knowledge with the food industry to promote the nutritional improvement of food products.MethodA case study qualitative approach was selected to answer the research question, using semi-structured interviews as the data collection technique. Québec baking industry actors were shown a mock-up of an online mobilization platform sharing the results of the Food Quality Observatory that describes the nutritional quality of breads offered in Québec, Canada. They were asked to think aloud as they explored the web platform and were interviewed. Two coders analyzed the data using an inductive approach and thematic content analysis, starting with individual open coding, and then put forward their analyses and drafted the final themes.ResultsThe final data consisted of 10 semi-structured interviews conducted between October 2019 and August 2020. Four main themes were identified: the industry’s context, the knowledge mobilization initiative, the product-related matters stemming from the information shared and the motivation within the industry. Within each theme, sub-themes were highlighted and related to the industries’ motivation to improve their products’ nutritional quality. This study also specified key considerations for changes to the sodium and fiber content in bread.ConclusionOther steps beyond using simple language and a website format could be taken to better mobilize scientific knowledge with food industries, such as providing more consumer information, using an integrated knowledge mobilization approach that includes a consideration of ethics, working with communication professionals, collaborating with food science experts, and providing resources to act on shared information. Legislation such as the front-of-pack regulations could accelerate the pace of collaboration between researchers and industry. Overall, establishing a prior relationship with industries could help gain a better understanding of the themes highlighted in this study. Future research could build on this case study to provide more insights and solidify these findings.Classification codesPublic Health, Public Private, Policy Making, Research Institutions, Use of Knowledge.

Influence of fermentation conditions, and the blends of sorghum and carrot pulp supplementation on the nutritional and sensory quality of tef injera

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], an ancient cereal primarily grown in Ethiopia, is becoming increasingly popular worldwide due to its high iron content and gluten-free nature. However, it has been reported that injera produced only with tef flour lack certain vital nutrients. Therefore, this specific study was conducted to supplement tef injera with other food materials of better nutritional value and compensate its expensive market price with sorghum cereal flour. The effect of fermentation conditions, and the sorghum and carrot pulp blending ratio on the nutritional value and sensory quality of tef injera was investigated. The factorial approach of the experimental design was conducted considering the nutritional value and sensory quality of the injera made of three main blending ratios of tef, sorghum, and carrot (60% tef: 30% sorghum: 10% carrot pulp, 45% tef: 45% sorghum: 10% carrot pulp and 30% tef: 60% sorghum: 10% carrot pulp) as experiential variables. The raw materials and injera were characterised for their proximate composition, physicochemical property, mineral composition, microbial analysis, and sensory attributes, using standard methods. The results of the study show that fermentation conditions and blending ratios have a significant effect on the nutritional, anti-nutritional, mineral content, microbial quality, and sensory properties of blended injera products, where higher values of ash, crude protein, crude fat, Total titratable acidity (TTA), Fe, Zn, and Ca (2.30%, 11.34%, 2.62%, 3.53, 32.97 mg/100 g, 2.98 mg/100 g and 176.85 mg/100 g, respectively) were analyzed for the co-fermented injera sample. In addition, a lower microbial count was observed in co-fermented injera samples, whereas microbial counts in injera samples prepared from carrot pulp-supplemented dough after the co-fermentation of tef and sorghum flours were observed to be higher. The injera product made using blending ratio of 60% tef: 30%sorghum: 10% carrot co-fermented was found to be the optimum result due to its very good nutritional improvement (i.e., reduction of some anti-nutritional factors, microbial contents, pH and increased contents of some minerals, crude protein, crude fat, TTA and improved most of the sensory quality of the supplemented injera product). According to this study, sorghum and carrot supplementation on tef could improve the nutritional value of injera while also providing an instant remedy for the growing price of tef.

Optimizing Screw Speed and Barrel Temperature for Textural and Nutritional Improvement of Soy-Based High-Moisture Extrudates.

Soy remains the legume protein of excellence for plant-based meat alternatives due to its fiber-forming potential. In this study, protein-rich powders from soy protein isolate (SPI), concentrate (SPC), and their mixture (SPM) were thoroughly characterized for their proximate composition, nutritional quality, and physicochemical properties to understand their structuring behavior during high-moisture extrusion. SPI presented higher degrees of protein denaturation and aggregation, least gelation concentration and lower essential amino acid contents. Thus, an SPI:SPC combination (1:9 ratio, 70% protein) was extruded at three different screw speeds (300, 350, and 400 rpm) and two temperature profiles (120 and 140 °C maximum temperature). The effects of the processing parameters on the extrudates were evaluated for their appearance (fibrousness), texture (TPA, cutting force, and anisotropy), color, protein structure (FTIR), and trypsin inhibitors. Higher temperatures resulted in softer and darker extrudates, with increased visual and instrumental anisotropy. Increasing screw speeds led to softer and lighter extrudates, without a clear fibrousness effect. β-sheet structures decreased and intermolecular aggregates (A1) increased after extrusion, especially at 140 °C, together with the formation of intramolecular aggregates (A2). Extrusion also significantly decreased the amount of trypsin inhibitors (>90%). This study demonstrates that extrusion parameters need to be carefully selected to achieve meat analogs with optimal textural and nutritional characteristics.

A short review: fish oil extraction methods obtaining oils with high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids

Abstract Nutrition improvement can be ensured by prioritizing the consumption of animal foods, one of which is fish. Fish consumption generally requires cooking at high temperatures which trigger the protein denaturation, therefore consumption of fish oil is more beneficial for human health. However, extraction of oil from fish is quite challenging, particularly the extraction which produce high amount of unsaturated fatty acid. This short review aims to summarizes and evaluate the best fish oil extraction method by observing temperature, time, solvent ratio, oil yield, and unsaturated fatty acid content. The best quality of fish oil can be obtained through a series of extraction processes, namely the extraction without solvent and using solvent. Each fish oil extraction method takes into account several parameters, such as producing different amounts of oil with unsaturated fatty acid content. Ultrasound-assisted extraction methods provide an excellent oil yield and unsaturated fatty acids with better quality than other extraction methods. It is also underlined that fish oil obtained from the ultrasound-assisted extraction method can be used as a nutritional alternative to improve human health.

Effect of Different Wheat Sprouting Conditions on the Characteristics of Whole-Wheat Flour.

Controlled sprouting promotes physiological and biochemical changes in whole grains, improves their nutritional value and offers technological advantages for breadmaking as an alternative to traditional whole grains. The aim of this study is to find sprouting conditions for the grains of Klein Valor wheat variety (Triticum aestivum L.) that would increase the nutritional value without significantly affecting the gluten proteins, which are essential in wholegrain baked goods. The chemical and nutritional composition, enzymatic activity and pasting properties of the suspensions of unsprouted and sprouted whole-wheat flour were evaluated. This bioprocess allowed us to obtain sprouted whole-wheat flour with different degrees of modification in its chemical composition. Sprouting at 25 °C resulted in an observable increase in enzymatic activity and metabolic processes, particularly α-amylases, which significantly affect the starch matrix and the associated pasting properties. Additionally, there was a smaller but still notable effect on the structure of the cell walls and the protein matrix due to the activation of endoxylanases and proteases. In contrast, sprouting at 15 and 20 °C for 24 h allowed for better process control as it resulted in nutritional improvements such as a higher content of free amino acid groups, free phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity, as well as a lower content of phytates. In addition, it provided techno-functional advantages due to the moderate activation of α-amylase and xylanase. A moderate decrease in peak viscosity of sprouted whole-wheat flour suspensions was observed compared to the control flour, while protein degradation was not significantly prolonged. Sprouted whole-wheat flour obtained under milder sprouting conditions with moderate enzymatic activity could be a promising and interesting ingredient for wholegrain baked goods with improved nutritional values and techno-functional properties. This approach could avoid the use of conventional flour improvers and thus have a positive impact on consumer acceptance and enable the labelling of the product with a clean label.

Effectiveness of pocketbook as the media of preconception nutrition education

Nutrition improvement in preconception women is a new paradigm in dealing with nutritional problems. Preconception nutrition intervention is a strategic way to break the phenomenon of stunting between generations. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of nutrition education through pocketbooks and lectures on knowledge and attitudes. This study was used as a quasi-experiment with a pretest-posttest control group design. The population in this study were all pharmaceutical students and health analysts at Politeknik Kesehatan Medan. The minimum sample is using Hypothesis tests for two proportions (n=100). Sample selection used a simple random sampling technique. The intervention group was given a pocketbook and the control group was given a lecture. Respondents’ knowledge and attitudes were measured before and after treatment using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed by paired t-test and independent t-test. Nutrition education through pocketbooks and lectures had a significant effect on knowledge and attitudes about preconception nutrition (p&amp;lt;0.001), but the pocketbook was more effective than the lecture method in increasing knowledge (p&amp;lt;0.001) and attitudes (p=0.017). Preconception nutrition education by providing pocketbooks is effectively used as a preconception nutrition intervention with a wider target range, and time efficiency, and does not depend on material providers.

Empowering pharmacy professionals to enhance public health nutrition: a mixed methods study

Unhealthy dietary patterns stand as the foremost risk factor for noncommunicable disease- associated morbidity and mortality(1). As widely accessible healthcare providers, pharmacy professionals’ potential to catalyze improvements in public health nutrition is substantial, offering a means to combat the escalating epidemic of obesity and NCDs through tailored interventions, services, and education(2,3).Our study employed a mixed-methods approach to assess the role of pharmacy professionals in promoting nutrition advice and healthy dietary practices.An online questionnaire (N=200) was designed and conducted to evaluate pharmacy professionals’ nutrition knowledge, the advice given in various diet-related conditions (e.g. obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease risk factors, malnutrition, sustainable diets), practices in delivering diet- related guidance within their routine practice and perceived roles and future ambitions of pharmacy professionals towards nutrition counselling, yielding both quantitative and qualitative insights.Subsequently, qualitative interviews and focus group discussions (N=19) were conducted, engaging pharmacists, nutritionists and dietitians to gather insights essential for the development of a comprehensive nutrition toolkit tailored for pharmacy practice.These interviews delved deeper into the subject, with the goal of designing a nutrition toolkit that empowers pharmacists with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to play a more active and impactful role in promoting nutrition and healthy lifestyle practices among their patients. Thematic analysis was conducted, and emerging themes and subthemes were identified.Our findings indicate that a significant portion of participants in our study are involved in providing nutrition and diet advice for various health conditions. The majority of pharmacists considered diabetes programmes having a high level of importance (84%), followed by weight management services (78%), hypertension management (86%), and healthy diet campaigns (63.5%). However, our knowledge and confidence rating questions revealed a significant gap in training and a clear need for educational materials tailored for pharmacists to enhance their ability to provide nutrition advice effectively. Key themes identified in open-text questions were referrals and collaboration, training and education needs, wider needs (changes in the public health system, materials/resources, integration and implementation of nutrition in pharmacy practice) and perceived roles as pharmacists in providing nutrition advice (patient support, feeling responsible, specialised focus areas).Qualitative findings underscore the pressing demand for nutrition training and education to deliver comprehensive services, as well as the necessity for collaborative efforts with dietitians and nutritionists to ensure effective care and the improvement of referral pathways in pharmacy practice.This research contributes to the advancement of public health nutrition by recognizing the potential role of pharmacy professionals as key players in the dissemination of nutrition knowledge and fostering healthy behaviours within the community. The results will guide us in the collaborative development of a nutrition toolkit tailored for pharmacy practice, employing a co-design approach.

P339 Maintenance of nutritional parameters improvements over two years of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) treatment according to severity of cystic fibrosis (CF) pulmonary disease

P339 Maintenance of nutritional parameters improvements over two years of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) treatment according to severity of cystic fibrosis (CF) pulmonary disease

Outcome of Abdominal Tuberculosis Complicated by Portal Hypertension, Pulmonary Tuberculosis, and Severe Acute Malnutrition

Background: Abdominal tuberculosis (TB) is a form of extrapulmonary TB that can present with or without involvement of the lungs. The diagnosis is difficult to establish, which may lead to diagnostic delays. Effective management of adolescent TB requires a holistic approach from various medical disciplines and interventions. This case presented a rare case 13-year-old girl diagnosed with abdominal TB Case: A 13-year-old girl presented with seven-months history of subfebrile fever, lymph node enlargement, abdominal distention, pallor, and severe weight loss. She was diagnosed with abdominal TB. The diagnosis was further complicated by portal hypertension, pulmonary TB, and severe acute malnutrition. To address these challenges, a multidisciplinary treatment plan was implemented and closely monitored for a period of 12 months Discussion: Multiple factors are significantly contributing to the successful outcome of the treatment for abdominal tuberculosis, including good adherence to the prescribed anti-tuberculous medications, absence of side effects from the drugs, the patient's positive knowledge, attitude and health behaviours, and housing and environmental health. Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of factors influencing disease outcomes of abdominal TB. Proper management of the factors would lead to significant clinical and nutritional status improvement, reduce TB transmission, and improved the overall quality of life.

Effectiveness of machine learning algorithms as a tool to meat traceability system. A case study to classify Spanish Mediterranean lamb carcasses

Establishing the traceability of meat products has been a major focus of food science in recent decades. In this context, recent advances in food nutritional biomarker identification and improvements in statistical technology have allowed for more accurate identification and classification of food products. Moreover, artificial intelligence has now provided a new opportunity for optimizing existing methods to identify animal products. This study presents a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of different machine learning algorithms based on raw data from analyses of organoleptic, sensory and nutritional meat traits to differentiate categories of commercial lamb from an indigenous Spanish breed (Mallorquina breed) obtained from the following production systems: suckling lambs; light lambs from grazing; and light lambs from grazing supplemented with grain. Six machine learning algorithms were evaluated: Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Decision Tree, K-Nearest Neighbours (KNN), Naive Bayes, Multinomial Logistic Regression, and Support Vector Machine (SVM). For each algorithm, we tested three datasets, namely organoleptic traits and sensorial traits (CIELAB colour, water holding capacity, Warner-Bratzler shear force, volatile compounds and trained tasters), and nutritional traits (proximate composition and fatty acid profile). We also tested a combination of all three datasets. All the data were combined into a dataset with 144 variables resulting from the meat characterization, which included 11,232 event records. The ANN algorithm stood out for its high score with each of the three datasets used. In fact, we obtained an overall accuracy of 0.88, 0.83, and 0.88 for the organoleptic-sensory, nutritional, and combined datasets, respectively. The effectiveness of using the SVM algorithm to assign categories of lambs according to its production system performed better with nutritional traits and the full characterization, with performances equal to those obtained with ANN. The KNN algorithm showed the worst performance, with overall accuracies of 0.54 or lower for each of the datasets used. The results of this study demonstrate that machine learning is a useful tool for classifying commercial lamb carcasses. In fact, the ANN and SVM algorithms could be proposed as tools for differentiating categories of lamb production based on the organoleptic, sensory and nutritional characteristics of Mediterranean light lambs' meat. However, in order to improve the traceability methods of lamb meat production systems as a guarantee for consumers and to improve the learning processes used by these algorithms, more studies along these lines with other lamb breeds are required.

An ethnobotanical survey on the medicinal and edible plants used by the Daur people in China

BackgroundThe Daur people are one of the 55 minority ethnic groups in China and have lived in Northern China for 300 years. In traditional Daur medicine, medicinal and edible plants (MEPs) are utilised for health benefits and therapeutic purposes; however, related ethnobotanical knowledge is rarely reported, which is disadvantageous for the sustainable development of these MEPs.MethodsSemi-structured interviews with 122 informants, six focus group discussions, and a resource survey were conducted in a Daur minority nationality area in Inner Mongolia from 2015 to 2020, and the data statistics were analysed. In this study, we simulated a system dynamics model aimed at understanding the multiple feedback mechanisms involved in the relationships between the cultural influences and socioeconomic factors, sustainable environment, and development of MEPs.ResultsA total of 52 species of MEPs were identified and relevant ethnobotanical knowledge was assessed using Daur medicinal species data from Inner Mongolia and the Xinjiang region, with the literature and Ewenki ethnic group data used for comparison. The most commonly used medicinal plant species by the Daur were found to be Betula pendula subsp. mandshurica, Artemisia integrifolia, Crataegus pinnatifida, Saposhnikovia divaricata, Artemisia argyi, and Jacobaea cannabifolia. The MEPs most frequently targeted the digestive and rheumatic immunity systems, as well as infectious diseases or parasitic infections and other common diseases and basic health issues. MEP knowledge was primarily limited to older generations; thus, the valuable ethnobotanical knowledge on traditional medicines must be protected from future losses.ConclusionsOur findings provide insights for future research aimed at exploiting the rich phytochemical diversity in traditional medicine and promote its use in modern lifestyles. Effective assessment and management of plant resources will lead to their application for the improvement of dietary diversity, nutrition, and health care.