Nutritious Food Supplements Research Articles

Techno-economic strategies for improving economic viability of β-carotene extraction using natural oil and supercritical solvent: A comparative assessment

Dunaliella salina microalgae is a third-generation feedstock that is both thermophilic and halophilic and can be used to produce nutritious food supplements such as β-carotene. Although several techno-economic studies have been carried out to produce the pigment, most of them considered traditional synthetic chemicals such as hexane, acetone, and petroleum ether as solvents for extracting β-carotene from D. salina. In this study, techno-economic assessment is carried out with the aim of producing food-grade products for human consumption via greener methods of D. salina cultivation, harvesting, and extraction. The techno-economic assessment of the extraction of β-carotene and by-products using natural and edible corn oil and supercritical CO2 reveal that the processes are economically feasible, with a payback time of 5.9 y and 2.7 y (for corn oil and SC-CO2 methods), respectively. The ROIs for both methods are also positive, that is, 16.9 % and 37.1 %, respectively and greater than the prevailing interest rates in most countries. Sensitivity analyses show that the payback time is most sensitive to the yield of β-carotene, its production output, and its selling price. This assessment shows that food-grade β-carotene can be produced in bulk quantity from D. salina (as an alternative to other sources such as carrots, tomatoes, pumpkins, etc.) in order to satisfy the growing demands of nutritional markets.

Home consumption of two fortified balanced energy protein supplements by pregnant women in Burkina Faso.

Balanced energy protein (BEP) supplementation for pregnant and lactating women in low‐ and middle‐income countries is a promising strategy to improve birth outcomes and child growth. The objective of this study was to assess and compare the acceptability of new formulations of two fortified BEP supplements, a lipid‐based peanut paste and a vanilla biscuit, among 80 pregnant women in rural Burkina Faso, prior to an efficacy trial. A 10‐week individually randomized cross‐over study was designed, in which women received a weekly supply of each supplement for 4 weeks, and a daily choice between the supplements in the last 2 weeks. Questionnaires to assess daily consumption and supplement acceptability (n = 80) and home observations (n = 20) were combined with focus group discussions (n = 6) and in‐depth interviews with women (n = 80) and stakeholders (n = 24). Results showed that the two supplements were well accepted. Quantitative findings indicated high compliance (>99.6%) and high overall appreciation (Likert score >6 out of 7) of both supplements. The assessment of preferred choice in Weeks 9 and 10 indicated a slight preference for the vanilla biscuit. Qualitative findings indicated that perceived health benefits, support from household members and educational messages from health professionals were important drivers for acceptance and compliance. Sharing was not often reported but was identified during interviews as a possible risk. We recommend that future studies use a combination of methods to identify appropriate food supplements and context‐specific factors that influence acceptability, compliance and subsequent impact of nutritious food supplements.

Clarification of the Nutritional Composition and Related Evidence for Nutritious Food Supplements in Pregnancy for Undernourished Women

Abstract Objectives As the evidence showing the benefits of nutritious food supplements in pregnancy has grown, new products and related research has emerged. Along with these advances has also come some confusion around product-related terminology and difficulty in synthesizing and comparing the evidence base. The objective of this study is to define specific categories of nutritious supplemental food for pregnancy, review the nutritional composition and evidence for these products, and summarize the evidence. Methods We identified relevant studies by doing an umbrella review. For each study, we abstracted data about the nutritional composition of the food supplement, as well as the trial results. To identify ongoing studies, we searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for “Balanced Energy Protein,” or “Lipid Nutrients.” Results Over the last 4 decades, 17 trials including 9030 women have assessed the safety and efficacy of balanced energy and protein (BEP) supplementation during pregnancy. There is considerable heterogeneity in the nutritional composition of products used in the trials. The daily food supplement tested in trials ranged in calories from 59 kcal to 1500 kcals. The macronutrient composition averaged 66 kcals of protein and 16 kcals of fat. There was variation in the vitamin and mineral content of the supplements. We identified three new studies that will test BEP supplements with standardized macronutrient and micronutrient composition. Conclusions Despite heterogeneity in the nutritional composition of BEP supplements in previous trials, there is clear evidence that nutritious food supplements for undernourished women can improve birth outcomes. New trials, based on standard product formulations with the potential for scale-up will provide additional evidence and a path forward for implementation. Funding Sources There was no funding for this study.

Honey and Its Phenolic Compounds as an Effective Natural Medicine for Cardiovascular Diseases in Humans?

Honey is a sweet, viscous syrup produced by the honey bee (Apis mellifera). It is probably the first natural sweetener ever discovered, and is currently used as a nutritious food supplement and medicinal agent. The aim of the present mini-review is to summarize and update the current knowledge regarding the role of honey in CVDs based on various experimental models. It also describes the role of its phenolic compounds in treating CVDs. Many such phenolic and flavonoid compounds, including quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, and caffeic acid, have antioxidant and anti-platelet potential, and hence may ameliorate cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) through various mechanisms, such as by decreasing oxidative stress and inhibiting blood platelet activation. However, as the phenolic content of a particular type of honey is not always known, it can be difficult to determine whether any observed effects on the human cardiovascular system may be associated with the consumption of honey or its constituents. Therefore, further experiments in this area are needed.

Microbiological Analysis of Poultry Feeds Along with the Demonstration of the Antibiotic Susceptibility of the Isolates and the Antibacterial Activity of the Feeds

Poultry farms and poultry product processing industries are increasing worldwide to fill up the expanding demand for protein of the escalating population. To get good growth and more eggs from the domestic birds in the poultry farms, nutritious food supplements are commonly known as the poultry feed provided. These feeds also serve as sources of bacterial, fungal and viral contamination which in turn can cause diseases in the birds and ultimately can infect the consumers if the poultry is not processed and cooked properly. In this study, in order to determine the pathogenic bacterial load five different poultry feed samples sold in local markets of Dhaka city were analyzed. All samples harbored total viable bacteria up to 5.0×106 cfu/gm and total fungal count up to 4.5×105 cfu/gm. While Escherichia coli was absent in all samples; Klebsiella spp. and Aeromonas spp. were found to be present in only one sample (1.4×106 cfu/gm in sample 4 and 2.9×105 cfu/gm in sample 5 respectively). Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella spp. were found to be predominat in all the samples. Pseudomonas spp. and Vibrio spp. were present in 3 and 4 samples, respectively. Aeromonas spp., Vibrio spp., Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus showed 100% drug resistance towards ER, NA, NVB, KAN antibiotics. The finding of the study emphasis on the prevention of contamination through a sound maintenance of quality during poultry feeds preparation, storage and maintenance. Diseased birds and their excreta must be destroyed during poultry farming. Usage of excess antibiotics must be regulated as suggested from the data of the current study that shows high resistance of the bacterial isolates from the food. Finally, the consumers should process and cook the poultry items properly to save themselves from further food hazards.
 Bangladesh J Microbiol, Volume 34 Number 2 December 2017, pp 103-107

GOAT MILK MANGO YOGHURTS: PHYSICOCHEMICAL STABILITY DURING OR STORAGE

Abstract Goat milk and regional fruits, like the sword mango, are loaded with nutritional potential which warrant investigation as possible sources of generating income, particularly in the deficient semiarid northeastern regions of Brazil. The aim of this study is to assess the stability of the procedure in the production of processed yogurt with goat milk and sleeve pulp. Five different yogurt formulations were processed using varying concentrations of sucrose (5, 10 and 15%) and mango pulp (4, 5 and 6%). Each type of yogurt had a distinctive flavour attributed to the effect of several factors viz., dry extract, ash, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, calories, pH, acidity and water content, over a 30-day period, with stabilization being performed every 15 days. In this study, the sucrose concentration was identified as the most significant factor among the various physicochemical parameters. In the storage period a decrease in the pH values, calories, lipids, total dry extract and ash was observed, as well as an increase in the acidity values and carbohydrate and water content, in all the yogurts. Yogurts are amenable to market testing, with potential perspectives of significance for income generation and wise utilisation of the available regional premium constituents, like goat milk and sword mango, whose consumption can act as a healthy and nutritious food supplement.

Ethanol and phenylacetylcarbinol production processes of Candida tropicalis TISTR 5306 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae TISTR 5606 in fresh juices from longan fruit of various sizes

Fresh juice from C grade longan (mg/g fresh fruit; total sugars 51.6 ± 0.5, nitrogen 0.021 ± 0.004; gallic acid 0.025 ± 0.001; ellagic acid 0.016 ± 0.001) with addition of 8.52 g ammonium sulfate/l was the optimal medium for cultivation processes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae TISTR 5606 and Candida tropicalis TISTR 5306 capable of producing ethanol and phenylacetylcarbinol (PAC) among five longan grades. S. cerevisiae TISTR 5606 produced ethanol (33.4 ± 3.2 g/L) at a significantly higher level (p ≤ 0.05) than C. tropicalis TISTR 5306 (22.3 ± 1.1 g/L) with similar ethanol yields (Yp/s) between 0.21 and 0.22 g ethanol produced/g sugars consumed. Whole cells of C. tropicalis TISTR 5306 produced a significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) PAC level (27.2 ± 0.7 mM) than S. cerevisiae TISTR 5606 (3.59 ± 1.33 mM) after 6 hr in an equivalent volume biphasic biotransformation system. Practical applications Longan is one of the important economic fruit of Thailand with production volume in 2017 reaching one million tons. Less than 10% of these are domestically consumed while more than 90% are exported to several countries whose population frequently consume longan as a nutritious food supplement. This study can help solving overproduction problem of longan fruit by processing C grade fresh longan, which is accounted for 5% of the overall production volume, in the form of juice extract with the relatively high sugars content. Microbial fermentation of this juice and subsequent whole cells biotransformation process result in ethanol and PAC, respectively. Ethanol can be used as an alternative biofuel or important industrial solvent while PAC is a precursor for production of commercial nasal decongestant (ephedrine) or anti-asthmatic compound (pseudoephedrine).

A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Role of Santarpan Manth in Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM)

Background and objectives: - PEM is a type of malnutrition resulting from deficiency of proteins and calories in food over a long period of time. India ranked 2nd after Bangladesh in world in malnutrition of children. Hence there is a sustained need of developing a nutritious food supplement which could provide better nutrients to eliminate or improve the malnutrition related problems, within the reach of majority even in rural area also. With objective to evaluate the role of Santarpan Manth in Protein Energy Malnutrition. Design: Open Randomized Prospective clinical study. Participants: - children of age group 2-5 yrs. Method: -30 patients were selected from OPD and IPD of Balroga, NIA, Jaipur. They were randomly divided in two groups.  Santarpan Manth-1 in Group A and  Santarpan Manth-II in Group B (Placebo Group ) administered for three months of duration with follow up at every fifteen days. Outcome measures:- Anthropometry parameters i.e. Weight , Height, MAC, Skin fold thickness and chest circumference : Laboratory parameters i.e. Hb, and TSP. Results: - significant improvement in anthropometric parameters in group A, and in laboratory parameters significant improvement in haemoglobin level and TSP Level in group A. Conclusion: - the trial drug “Santarpan Manth” is effective in promoting the growth and weight gain in children those suffering with PEM( Balshosha)

Health status, food insecurity, and time allocation patterns of patients with AIDS receiving antiretroviral treatment in South Africa

ABSTRACTFor patients with AIDS receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in South Africa via public clinics, improvements in nutritional status and economic productivity are likely to depend on adherence to drug regimen and quality of diet reflected in protein and micronutrient intakes. This study randomized 643 patients receiving ART from public clinics in the Free State Province into a Control group, a treatment group receiving adherence support, and a treatment group receiving adherence support and a nutritious food supplement. The data on food insecurity levels and time spent on various activities were analyzed for assessing the impact of the intervention programs. The main results were, first, changes between survey rounds 1 and 3 were significant at the 5% level for outcomes such as food insecurity levels and CD4 cell counts. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in food insecurity levels of patients with BMI less than 25 who received the nutritious food supplement. Second, the estimated parameters from models for patients’ food insecurity levels showed that household incomes were significantly associated with lower food insecurity levels. Third, patients’ BMI was a significant predictor of time spent on sedentary, moderate and overall activity levels, and it was important to separately evaluate the effects of BMI for under-weight and over-weight patients. Overall, the results indicated the need for reducing food insecurity levels, and for designing different interventions for under-weight and over-weight patients with AIDS for enhancing their labor productivity.

Preventive Effects of Long-Term Supplementation with 2 Nutritious Food Supplements in Young Children in Niger1–3

Background: In nutritional crises, large-scale preventive distributions of specialized nutritious foods are recommended to prevent acute and chronic malnutrition in young children. Among the available specialized nutritious foods, the World Food Programme and UNICEF recommend lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNSs) and Super Cereal Plus (SC+). Although the effectiveness of short-term distributions for prevention of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is well documented, evidence for long-term strategies and the role of distribution of specialized nutritious foods for prevention of stunting is weaker.Objective: The objective of this study was to compare long-term supplementation of LNSs and SC+ on the incidence of acute malnutrition and stunting in young children.Methods: We conducted two 15-mo-long supplementation interventions with the use of LNSs (500 kcal/d) and SC+ (810 kcal/d) and half rations during 5 mo of the nonlean season, for the prevention of acute malnutrition and stunting in children aged 6–23 mo. The study was designed as a prospective cohort in 11 villages in Madarounfa, Niger. We compared the incidence of acute malnutrition and stunting with the use of Cox proportional hazards models and report on sharing and use of these food supplements.Results: Characteristics of children at baseline were similar across groups. A total of 1967 children were included in the analysis (845 in the SC+ group and 1122 in the LNS group). No significant differences in the incidence of moderate acute malnutrition (SC+ compared with LNS: adjusted HR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.61, 1.02) or SAM (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.52, 1.34) were found. No difference in the incidence of stunting (HR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.95, 1.24) or severe stunting (HR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.71, 1.22) over the follow-up period were found.Conclusions: These findings in young children in Niger suggest that both products should be considered when planning preventive distributions and choice of long-term supplementation should be guided by context-specific factors such as acceptability, cost, and operational feasibility, among others. Additional research is essential to improving child health. The study was registered at as NCT01828814.

Identification of Wild Edible Mushrooms from Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest of Eastern Chota Nagpur Plateau, West Bengal, India

Sixteen wild edible mushrooms collected from tropical dry deciduous forest of Eastern Chota Nagpur Plateau, West Bengal, India are characterised morphologically up to generic level considering fruit body and spore. Nutritional assessment (protein, fat, carbohydrate and element contents) of fruiting bodies revealed their utility as nutritious food supplements. Results of food habit survey suggest that mushroom consumption (18.0 % of total food items) is restricted only in mushroom growing period (June–October). Total of 8 mushrooms (Amanita sp. 2, Astraeus sp., Termitomyces sp. 1–4, Volvariella sp. and Lentinus sp.; price range Rs. 40–200/kg) are sold in local markets. Sub-chronic toxicity test was conducted for Termitomyces sp. 2 and Lentinus sp. on Wistar rats at different dosing (0, 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg/kg). Assessment of biochemical and hematological parameters and histopathological studies of heart, liver, lung and kidney indicate safe consumption of the mushrooms. A simple and cost effective in vitro cultivation protocol of Volvariella volvacea has been developed. Preservation of mushrooms following salt, mustard oil and sun drying are found to be effective. Present study suggests significant value of wild mushrooms towards domestication and commercialisation.

Estimation of total phenolics and flavonoidal contents as well as in vitro antioxidant potential of Apium leptophyllum Pers.

Abstract At present, major causes of diseases is oxidative stress affecting both metabolic and physiological functions of the body. That is why there is a great need for investigation of nutritious food supplements for counteracting these oxidative stresses. Therefore, the aim of study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Apium leptophyllum Pers. fruits by estimating total phenolic as well as flavonoidal contents and antioxidant values. The collected fruits were extracted separately using different solvents like methanol, ethanol and water. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were measured from the respective extracts and correlated with their antioxidant values. The antioxidant properties of various fruit extracts (12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 150 μg/ml) were evaluated by DPPH, hydroxyl, nitric oxide and superoxide scavenging assay and compared with ascorbic acid as a standard. All the extracts of A. leptophyllum were found to be dose dependent inhibition against these free radicals. Among all these extracts, the methanolic one was found better in the scavenging activity and followed dose-dependent manner against DPPH, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide, superoxide anions with minimum IC50 values of 97.9, 89.02, 135.37, 127.73 μg/ml, respectively, and also observed more significant (p<0.01) as compared with standard Furthermore, total phenolic and flavonoidal contents were found highest in methanolic extract. The results obtained in this study clearly indicate that the methanolic extract of A. leptophyllum may be used as a new potential source of natural nutritional supplement in food or pharmaceutical industries due to rich source of phenolic, flavonoidal contents as well as antioxidant property

VALUE ADDITION TO ICDS SUPPLEMENTARY FOOD WITH PAPAYA POWDER AND ITS QUALITY EVALUATION

Malnutrition with its two constituents of protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies continues to be the major health burden in developing countries. One of the most effective means of combating malnutrition is to provide a nutritious food supplement which effectively utilizes inexpensive locally available foods. The supplementary food supplied through ICDS programme was value added by modifying its components. The developed supplementary food (DSF) contains germinated ragi, whole wheat flour, germinated sorghum, germinated prosomillet, dehusked soya flour, germinated green gram, papaya powder, drumstick leaves powder, coconut palm jaggery in correct proportions and analyzed for its physical properties, chemical properties, thermal properties, gelation capacity, sensory characteristics and protein efficiency ratio (PER) using standard procedures. Results indicated that the DSF was less course, more dense which could be an advantage where high nutrient density to low bulk is desired .The falling number and sedimentation value of DSF was significantly less than wheat flour. The addition of jaggery to DSF enhances the water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, swelling power, foaming capacity and foaming stability. Nutritionally the 100 g of DSF could able to meet at least 1/4 of RDA for energy, protein, fat, calcium, iron, β-carotene and vitamin C of both 1-3 years and 4-6 years old children. The DSF gets gelatinized at the temperature of 80.5±1.71°C within 1.14±0.007 min and had least gelation concentration (LGC) at 10%. The sensory score was in highly acceptable range (19-25). The cost of DSF per kg was Rs. 23.68. The corrected PER of DSF was 2.62±0.02 which was significantly higher than PER of control group rats fed with skimmed milk powder. Thus the DSF was considered to be a well balanced low cost food.

The Impact of Improving Nutrition During Early Childhood on Education among Guatemalan Adults

Using a longitudinal survey from rural Guatemala, we examine the effect of an early childhood nutritional intervention on adult educational outcomes. An intent‐to‐treat model yields substantial effects of an experimental intervention that provided highly nutritious food supplements to children, a quarter century after it ended: increases of 1.2 grades completed for women and one quarter SD on standardised reading comprehension and non‐verbal cognitive ability tests for both women and men. Two‐stage least squares results that endogenise the actual supplement intakes corroborate these magnitudes. Improving the nutrient intakes of very young children can have substantial, long‐term, educational consequences.

FOOD PRODUCTS FROM CORN GERM: EVALUATION AS A FOOD SUPPLEMENT AFTER ROLL‐COOKING

SUMMARY The composition of corn germ indicates that it may have value as a nutritious food supplement. Heated rolls were used to cook a full‐fat flake to products with varying pasting qualities depending upon the temperature of the rolls and the temper moisture of the germ before rolling. A germ flake with improved taste was produced if the temperature of the rolls was held above 124°C. The flavor of the flakes was unchanged after 120 days' storage at 37°C and 7% moisture levels. Oil extracted from the 120‐day stored flakes had low peroxide values (low, 1.6 meq/kg oil; high, 17.8 meq/kg oil). The peroxide values were especially low in oil from uncooked germ and germ cooked at a low temperature (99°C). When flakes were stored at 13.5% moisture, mold developed on them within 30 days.