Single Food Item Research Articles

Pre-exercise ingestion of a low glycaemic index rice-based mixed meal increases fat oxidation and endurance running performance in a hot-humid environment.

Relative to exercise in a thermoneutral environment, there is only limited evidence demonstrating that a low glycaemic index (LGI) pre-exercise meal can enhance endurance exercise performance in a hot-humid (HH) condition. Also, previous studies predominantly utilised Western-based and single food items, with minimal focus on Asian-based mixed meals. This study aimed to investigate the impact of pre-exercise LGI and high glycaemic index (HGI) rice-based mixed meals on endurance performance among acclimatised trained athletes in HH condition (32°C, 65% relative humidity). Twelve native-born endurance-trained male runners (age 22.0 ± 5.8 years; peak oxygen consumption (V̇O2peak) 64.2 ± 5.5 mL.kg-1.min-1) completed two trials consisting of 45-min steady-state (SS) run at 70% V̇O2peak followed by 10 km performance run (TT10km). Three hours before exercise, participants consumed an isocaloric rice-based mixed meals containing either LGI (GI=47) or HGI (GI=80), providing 1.3 g of carbohydrate (CHO) per kg of body mass. Participants ran faster during TT10km after consuming the LGI meal compared to the HGI meal (LGI: 55.18 ± 1.22 vs. HGI: 57.03 ± 2.25 min, p = 0.010). End rectal temperature did not significantly differ between trials (LGI: 39.16 ± 0.74 vs. HGI: 38.95 ± 0.46°C, p = 0.352). Fat oxidation was higher during the SS run in the LGI compared to the HGI trial (LGI: 0.19 ± 0.05 vs. HGI: 0.13 ± 0.19 g.min-1, p = 0.001). This study demonstrated that, relative to HGI, consuming a pre-exercise LGI rice-based mixed meal enhanced endurance performance in HH environment among acclimatised trained male athletes.

Effect of sustainable food habits on gut microbiota diversity: A pilot study

Abstract Background To reach climate goals, sustainable food habits are needed and a plant-based diet is more climate-friendly. However, analyses of food products show that the highest levels of pesticide residues have been found in vegetables, fruits and cereal. Further, pesticide residues have been seen to decrease microbiota diversity. Since microbiota diversity is linked to human health, understanding these dynamics is crucial. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sustainable food habits on gut microbiota diversity. Methods An 8-week intervention study on sustainable food habits with participants randomized into three groups and assigned to different diets; climate friendly (n = 8), organic (n = 9) and control group (n = 9). Data was collected at baseline, at 4 weeks, and at 8 weeks and included a comprehensive meal questionnaire (Meal-Q), urine samples for pesticide analysis, and fecal samples for gut microbiota diversity. As intervention the groups attended four educational sessions about their specific diet. Linear mixed-effects models were used for data analyses. Results There was no indication of adverse effects of a climate friendly diet (p = 0.79) or an organic diet (p = 0.32) on gut microbiota diversity compared to the control group. Pesticide residues that showed negative effects on gut microbiota diversity were mepiquat (p < 0.05) and chlormequat (p < 0.05). The single food items that had adverse effects on gut microbiota diversity was Lemonade (p < 0.05), Juice (p < 0.05), and Brie cheese (p < 0.05). Conclusions Despite its small sample size, this study provides valuable insights, supported by an 8-week longitudinal design and comprehensive monitoring of dietary habits. Notably, both climate-friendly and organic diets showed trends toward increased gut microbiota diversity over time. These findings need to be confirmed in future studies with longer durations and larger sample size. Key messages • A climate-friendly diet not only benefits planetary health but also holds potential for individual health improvements. • Increased intake of plant-based items did not reduce gut microbiota diversity.

What does it take to revolutionize Chinese diets: evidence from a choice experiment on urban Chinese consumers

PurposeThe purpose is to understand the factors affecting Chinese diet selections and propose strategies for revolutionizing Chinese diets toward healthy ones.Design/methodology/approachThis study implemented an online discrete choice experiment to identify the factors affecting diet selections among urban Chinese consumers. Four different diet patterns were used to label each of the product alternatives in the experiment, which varied in taste and cost. Specifically, implying the healthiness and sustainability of a diet, the diet alternatives included the average diet, the Chinese Food Guide Pagoda diet, the EAT-Lancet diet and the Flexitarian diet. Using consumer data from six provincial capital cities, we used random parameter logit models to estimate their preferences.FindingsDiet type and diet cost were found to be more important in urban Chinese consumers' diet selections than the ability to customize taste. The average diet, although not healthy and sustainable, was preferred most by respondents, signaling the challenges of shifting the consumer diet in China. Increasing the cost of the average diet can significantly promote sustainable healthy diet choices among urban Chinese residents. In other words, improving the affordability of sustainable healthy diets would have the potential to fuel the diet revolution in China.Originality/valueInstead of choices of a single food item, this paper focused on the individual selection of a diet, where different food products can act as substitutes or as complements for one another. We also proposed a way to assess individual preferences and valuations for several different diets.

Development of Omani-branded food composition database for an electronic dietary assessment tool

Background: The food composition database provides a comprehensive information on the various nutrients present in the foods. At present, Oman lacks a food composition database (FCDB) of locally produced branded foods, which necessitates the development of such a database. Objectives: The aim of this study is to develop an FCDB for Omani-branded foods available for local consumption for an electronic dietary assessment tool. Methods: Back-of-pack (BOP) nutritional information of these branded foods available in our markets was gathered from manufacturer data. Food mapping was used to match the branded foods according to the BOP macronutrient data and food description to the appropriate generic food item from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) or Canadian FCDBs. Results: The developed database is composed of 571 food items with associated 60 nutrients. The majority of food items (91%) were mapped to a single generic food item. The rest (9%) was mapped to multiple generic food items. Overall, 96% of food items were mapped to a single generic food, which was matched based on BOP macronutrients and item descriptions. However, the minority (4%) were mapped based on item description alone as either the BOP nutrients were implausible. Moreover, 91% of food items were individually mapped to within 10% agreement with the generic food item for energy. The fish and fish group has the largest mean of absolute percentage difference in energy between BOP and generic items (16%). Conclusion: This currently developed database would critically help to accurately assess the dietary intake of the Omani population once incorporated into an electronic dietary assessment tool, and it can be updated in the future on a regular basis.

Sterol Migration during Rotational Frying of Food Products in Modified Rapeseed and Soybean Oils.

This study explores the impact of rotational frying of three different food products on degradation of sterols, as well as their migration between frying oils and food. The research addresses a gap in the existing literature, which primarily focuses on changes in fat during the frying of single food items, providing limited information on the interaction of sterols from the frying medium with those from the food product. The frying was conducted at 185 ± 5 °C for up to 10 days where French fries, battered chicken, and fish sticks were fried in succession. The sterol content was determined by Gas Chromatography. This research is the first to highlight the influence of the type of oil on sterol degradation in both oils and food. Notably, sterols were found to be most stable when food products were fried in high-oleic low-linolenic rapeseed oil (HOLLRO). High-oleic soybean oil (HOSO) exhibited higher sterol degradation than high-oleic rapeseed oil (HORO). It was proven that cholesterol from fried chicken and fish sticks did not transfer to the fried oils or French fries. Despite initially having the highest sterol content in fish, the lowest sterol amount was recorded in fried fish, suggesting rapid degradation, possibly due to prefrying in oil with a high sterol content, regardless of the medium used.

A genetically related cluster of Salmonella Typhimurium cases in humans associated with ruminant livestock and related food chains, United Kingdom, August 2021-December 2022.

Following an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium in Wales in July 2021 associated with sheep meat and offal, further genetically related cases were detected across the UK. Cases were UK residents with laboratory-confirmed Salmonella Typhimurium in the same 5-single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) single-linkage cluster with specimen date between 01/08/2021-2031/12/2022. We described cases using routine (UK) and enhanced (Wales only) surveillance data. Exposures in cases in Wales were compared with non-Typhimurium Salmonella case-controls. Environmental Health Practitioners and the Food Standards Agency investigated supply chains of food premises reported by ≥2 cases. Animal, carcass, and environmental samples taken for diagnostic or monitoring purposes for gastrointestinal pathogens were included in microbiological investigations. We identified 142 cases: 75% in England, 23% in Wales and 3% in Scotland. Median age was 32years, and 59% were male. Direct contact with sheep was associated with becoming a case (aOR: 14, 95%CI: 1.4-145) but reported by few (6/32 cases). No single food item, premises, or supplier linked all cases. Multi-agency collaboration enabled the identification of isolates in the same 5-SNP single-linkage cluster from a sheep carcass at an English abattoir and in ruminant, wildlife, poultry, and environmental samples, suggesting multiple vehicles and pathways of infection.

Computational Analysis of Superfood Representations in News Media

ABSTRACT What do berries, avocado, quinoa, and ginger have in common? These food items are often regarded as superfoods, a marketing term that overstates the importance of single food items for one’s health and wellbeing. In the present paper, we set out to investigate how purported superfoods are represented in the discourse of online news. We use computational language models to extract the unique topics and terms used to discuss superfoods. Our results show that news coverage is dominated by many specific claims about the healing properties of superfoods. The structural topic model further demonstrates that articles mentioning superfoods are more likely to include topics about a) nutrients, physical appearance, and health in the same context, b) retail strategies, and c) scientific research about the health benefits of superfoods. These results illustrate complex representations of superfoods in news media.

Selecting foods from FNDDS when calculating food intake: Does the reference matter?

To estimate food intake, the nutrient content of food must be known or inferred by matching it to a nutrient database. This study evaluated how different procedures for matching foods to the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) affect food intake estimates. Adult participants estimated a meal with the PortionSize app, which contains a subset of FNDDS codes (PortionSize FNDDS). Meals were covertly weighed (weigh back), and intake was estimated by referencing the FNDDS dataset. Combination foods were evaluated by 1) a composite generated by summing the nutrient values (from FNDDS) from single food items and 2) using the single composite food code from FNDDS. Raters analyzed food images from the PortionSize app to estimate intake with the digital photography of foods (DPF) method. Raters estimated intake from: 1) PortionSize FNDDS and 2) full FNDDS. Using PortionSize’s FNDDS database, participants’ energy intake estimates were equivalent to rater estimated energy intake. Raters estimated almost identical energy intake when they used PortionSize vs. full FNDDS. Using the full FNDDS, the DPF’s energy estimates were similar to weigh back. Estimation of energy intake with a single FNDDS code was not equivalent to estimation from summing the nutrient values for combination foods.

Dietary Models and Cardiovascular Risk Prevention in Pediatric Patients.

Nutritional intervention is worldwide recognized as a first step treatment for subjects with increased cardiovascular risk and it is of utmost importance especially for children and adolescents. Currently scientific evidence supports the role of dietary patterns instead of simple single nutrients or foods in cardiovascular risk prevention. Indeed, the American Heart Association dietary guidelines have expanded beyond nutrients to dietary pattern, that comprise not only single food items but also behavioral or cultural habits of specific populations. The aim of our narrative review is to analyze the most frequently adopted dietary patterns in children and adolescents and to evaluate their effect on cardiovascular risk factors and in cardiovascular risk prevention. Literature review showed that children cannot be considered as little adults: nutritional intervention must always grant adequate growth and neurodevelopment before reaching the proposed goals, therefore dietary patterns considered heart-healthy for adult subjects might not be suitable for pediatric patients. Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, Nordic diet and some plant-based diets seem to be the most promising dietary patterns in terms of cardiovascular health in the developmental age, even if further studies are needed to better standardize and analyze their effect on growing up individuals.

Development of a measure of dietary quality for the UK Biobank.

Previous studies of the UK Biobank have examined intake of single food items and their association with health outcomes. Our aim was to develop a dietary quality score and examine the relationship between this score and markers of cardiometabolic health. Principal component analysis was performed on dietary data from UK Biobank participants. Linear regression was used to analyse the relationship between diet and cardiometabolic health. The first component explained 14% of the variation in the dietary data. It was characterised by high consumption of meat and low fibre carbohydrates, and a low intake of fruit and vegetables. A higher score, indicative of healthier diet, was associated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure (β -0.81, 95% CI -1.0, -0.62; β-.61, 95% CI -0.72, -0.5) and a healthier lipid profile (lower levels of cholesterol β -0.05, 95% CI -0.06, -0.04, triglycerides β -0.05, 95% CI -0.06, -0.03, and higher HDL cholesterol β 0.01, 95% CI 0, 0.01). The dietary quality score was a good approximation of overall dietary quality. An unhealthy diet was associated with markers of poorer cardiometabolic health.

Development and Validation of a Dish-Based Iranian Food Frequency Questionnaire: A Protocol Study

Background: The relation between long-term dietary intake and diseases is well known. There are several methods to determine long-term dietary intake. The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is used in studies to assess habitual dietary intake over a long term period. Dietary intake varies according to cultural differences, so an FFQ must be designed and validated for the target population. This protocol study aims to explain the development and validation of a semi-quantitative FFQ for the Iranian population that includes mixed dishes and single food items. Methods: The initial list of food items were extracted from interviews and expert opinion. An expert panel of ten nutritionists calculated the content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) of food items to finalize the FFQ. One hundred twenty eligible participants were included in the study. They completed the FFQ two times, with a ten month interval. They recorded their food intake for three days in the 2nd and 10th months of the study. In the 4th and 10th months, serum retinol and alpha-tocopherol, and 24-hour urinary potassium and nitrogen were measured. Result: Covering typical Iranian mixed dishes is the main advantage of this study. Given that the questionnaire is valid and reproducible, it can be used in epidemiologic studies. Conclusion: The current study developed a dish-based Iranian FFQ based on mixed food.

An Investigation of the Impact of COVID-19 on Food Access and Security in Bexar County: A Mixed Methods Approach.

To investigate the effect of COVID-19 on food access and security in Bexar County, located within San Antonio, TX. To assess food insecurity levels and severity, we distributed a 10-min Qualtrics survey to San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB) clients. The survey was distributed between 19 October 2020 and 24 May 2021. Twenty-four survey respondents also participated in virtual focus group sessions over Zoom. Seven virtual focus group interviews were held between 15 January 2021 and 5 March 2021. Survey results revealed that following COVID-19, 20.2% of SAFB clients were newly food insecure. 31.3% of survey respondents reported reduced wages and 28.8% reported job loss. Households experiencing job disruption from COVID-19 were 7 times at greater odds of being food insecure (OR 7.05; 95% CI, 1.61-30.88), as compared to those with stable employment. Major subthemes across focus group interviews included "excessive amounts of a single food item distributed," "long wait times for food," and "not receiving the type of food needed." Our study found evidence to support early studies' findings that COVID-19 has negatively impacted food security for many Americans. 70% of all unique Bexar County zip codes appeared in our survey analysis. Even beyond COVID-19's effect on food security, many other major societal changes were identified such as the increased reliance on technology, decreased in-person social gatherings, and greater mental health needs.

Protein quality as a complementary functional unit in life cycle assessment (LCA)

Goal and theoretical commentaryA number of recent life cycle assessment (LCA) studies have concluded that animal-sourced foods should be restricted—or even avoided—within the human diet due to their relatively high environmental impacts (particularly those from ruminants) compared with other protein-rich foods (mainly protein-rich plant foods). From a nutritional point of view, however, issues such as broad nutrient bioavailability, amino acid balances, digestibility and even non-protein nutrient density (e.g., micronutrients) need to be accounted for before making such recommendations to the global population. This is especially important given the contribution of animal sourced foods to nutrient adequacy in the global South and vulnerable populations of high-income countries (e.g., children, women of reproductive age and elderly). Often, however, LCAs simplify this reality by using ‘protein’ as a functional unit in their models and basing their analyses on generic nutritional requirements. Even if a ‘nutritional functional unit’ (nFU) is utilised, it is unlikely to consider the complexities of amino acid composition and subsequent protein accretion. The discussion herein focuses on nutritional LCA (nLCA), particularly on the usefulness of nFUs such as ‘protein,’ and whether protein quality should be considered when adopting the nutrient as an (n)FU. Further, a novel and informative case study is provided to demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of protein-quality adjustment.Case study methodsTo complement current discussions, we present an exploratory virtual experiment to determine how Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Scores (DIAAS) might play a role in nLCA development by correcting for amino acid quality and digestibility. DIAAS is a scoring mechanism which considers the limiting indispensable amino acids (IAAs) within an IAA balance of a given food (or meal) and provides a percentage contribution relative to recommended daily intakes for IAA and subsequent protein anabolism; for clarity, we focus only on single food items (4 × animal-based products and 4 × plant-based products) in the current case exemplar. Further, we take beef as a sensitivity analysis example (which we particularly recommend when considering IAA complementarity at the meal-level) to elucidate how various cuts of the same intermediary product could affect the interpretation of nLCA results of the end-product(s).RecommendationsFirst, we provide a list of suggestions which are intended to (a) assist with deciding whether protein-quality correction is necessary for a specific research question and (b) acknowledge additional uncertainties by providing mitigating opportunities to avoid misinterpretation (or worse, dis-interpretation) of protein-focused nLCA studies. We conclude that as relevant (primary) data availability from supply chain ‘gatekeepers’ (e.g., international agri-food distributors and processors) becomes more prevalent, detailed consideration of IAA provision of contrasting protein sources needs to be acknowledged—ideally quantitatively with DIAAS being one example—in nLCA studies utilising protein as a nFU. We also contend that future nLCA studies should discuss the complementarity of amino acid balances at the meal-level, as a minimum, rather than the product level when assessing protein metabolic responses of consumers. Additionally, a broader set of nutrients should ideally be included when evaluating “protein-rich foods” which provide nutrients that extend beyond amino acids, which is of particular importance when exploring dietary-level nLCA.

Association of Dietary Patterns with Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on the United States National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey Database

Introduction: Although studies have explored some dietary patterns for Parkinson’s disease (PD), more other dietary patterns and food item under the dietary pattern are needed to investigate. This study aimed to identify more categories of dietary patterns for PD and further explore the association of single food item with PD. Methods: The 2015–2018 US National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) database was used for data extraction. The data on demographics and nutrient intake were collected. Dietary patterns were derived from food categories by factor analysis. The association between dietary patterns or single food item and PD was explored using logistic regression analysis in the overall and only in secure PD cases, and results were expressed as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Sensitivity analysis was performed by excluding participants using unsecure PD medication. Results: Among 5,824 participants aged over 50 years, 91 were diagnosed as PD. Factor analysis identified 5 major dietary pattern factors. We observed that the increased adherence to Mediterranean diet (MeDi) was associated with the reduced odds of PD (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65–0.93). The higher adherence to Western pattern was associated with the increased odds of PD (OR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.16–4.14). In addition, high intake of sweets under Western pattern was found to be associated with the higher odds of PD (OR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.08–3.71). Conclusions: The odds of PD decreased by higher MeDi adherence and increased by higher Western pattern adherence, especially sweets intake in this pattern, suggesting population ≥50 years should adhere to MeDi pattern and decrease the adherence to Western pattern, reducing the intake of sweets.

Adherence to a western dietary pattern and risk of invasive ductal and lobular breast carcinomas: a case\u2013control study

Little is known about the role of diet in the risk of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) of the breast, the most common histological subtypes of breast cancer (BC). This is because, the majority of studies on the association of diet and the risk of BC are focused on single food items, and studies considering the overall diet in terms of dietary patterns are limited. Also, the potential heterogeneity in the impact of Western diet (WD) on histological subtypes of BC is not established. This, the age-frequency-matched case–control study included 1009 incident BC cases and 1009 healthy controls. The required data was obtained from the patients’ medical files and interviews using a previously validated researcher-designed questionnaire for collecting data on socio-economic and anthropometric statuses and a valid food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to measure the participants’ dietary intake. We used multinomial logistic regression, and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. A positive and significant association was observed between higher adherence to a WD and risk of IDC (OR comparing highest with the lowest tertile: 2.45, 95% CI 1.88, 3.17; p-trend < 0.001), whereas no significant association was observed between adherence to the WD and the risk of ILC (OR comparing highest with the lowest tertile: 1.63, 95% CI 0.63, 3.25) (p for heterogeneity = 0.03). The results of an analysis stratified by menopausal status suggested a similar pattern. We provided evidence that adherence to a WD raises the risk of IDC, but not ILC, suggesting different etiological mechanisms for IDC and ILC.

Biochar development from thermal TGA studies of individual food waste vegetables and their blended systems

Abstract The amount of food waste that is generated all over the world is enormous. As food wastes are rich in nutrients and organics, they serve as a potential source for the generation of many value-added commodities and energy. In most countries, food wastes are predominately dumped in open lands or incinerated, along with other combustible materials such as municipal solid wastes, for the possible extraction of energy. However, these two modes of food wastes disposal are encountering more and more environmental, technical, and economical challenges. More recently, it has been realized that food wastes can be transformed into energy and value-added products, such as horticultural biochars, using thermochemical technologies such as pyrolysis and gasification. In the current research work, three selected food items, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes, have been studied using thermogravimetric analysis. The biochar analysis involves one single food item (carrot), one binary mixture (carrot + cucumber), and one ternary blend of carrot, cucumber, and tomato. Two heating rates were used in order to perform kinetic modeling studies using the Arrhenius and Coats-Redfern models. Since the production of the pyrolysis gases—for energy and chemicals production—is of major economic significance regarding the overall process viability, the TGA syngas for a single component, binary component and tertiary component systems were analyzed by TGA coupled mass spectrometry. The results of the gas analysis indicate an increase in hydrogen generation due to blending the food wastes.

Development of a Prediction Model to Estimate the Glycemic Load of Ready-to-Eat Meals.

The glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) of a single food item has been used to monitor blood glucose level. However, concerns regarding the clinical relevance of the GI or GL have been raised on their applicability to a combination of several foods consumed as meal. This study aimed to investigate the glycemic response after consuming commercially purchased ready-to-eat meal and to develop the GL prediction formula using the composition of nutrients in each meal. Glycemic responses were measured in healthy adults with various mixed meals comprising approximately 25 g, 50 g, and 75 g of carbohydrates. After fasting, participants consumed test meals, and the glycemic response was measured for a subsequent 120 min. The GI and GL values for mixed meals were calculated as area under curve for each participant. For the prediction formula, 70 mixed meals were analyzed, of which the GI and GL values of 64 participants were used. The prediction formula produced was as follows: GL = 19.27 + (0.39 × available carbohydrate) – (0.21 × fat) – (0.01 × protein2) – (0.01 × fiber2). We hope that this prediction formula can be used as a useful tool to estimate the GL after consuming ready-to-eat meals.

Dietary patterns and sarcopenia in a Chinese population.

Malnutrition is implicated as a key modifiable risk factor for sarcopenia. As such, a dietary pattern analysis, rather than an analysis of single food items or nutrients, may provide insights into the comprehensive contribution of diet and nutrition to the risk of sarcopenia. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between main dietary patterns and sarcopenia. A total of 591 participants aged over 40 years were included in this cross-sectional study. A validated food-frequency questionnaire was used to assess their dietary intake, and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the main dietary patterns. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to explore the associations between their main dietary patterns and the risk of sarcopenia. This study identified 56 cases of sarcopenia, equating to an overall detection rate of 9.48%. The PCA revealed four major dietary patterns among the participants: "coarse cereals and vegetables"; "beverages and animal organs"; "poultry, fish and shrimp"; and "fruits and pasta". After adjusting for age, sex, physical activity and smoking, individuals with the "coarse cereals and vegetables" dietary pattern had a 63.0% reduction in the risk of sarcopenia. The "coarse cereals and vegetables" dietary pattern is negatively correlated with sarcopenia, and may reduce the risk of sarcopenia.

Investigating visual attention toward foods in a salad buffet with mobile eye tracking

Mobile eye tracking (MET) enables the recording of gaze data in less-controlled research environments, but best practices for its use in studies about visual attention to foods are yet undetermined. This study supports the building of a coherent framework for this methodological approach by discussing current eye-tracking trends in the field, applying MET in an experiment with real foods, and proposing methodological approaches for future studies. In the experiment, 32 female participants’ gaze data were recorded while they inspected a salad buffet for 20 s and then assembled a self-choice salad. The functionality of fixation, scanpath, and pupil size measures was investigated, focusing on associations between eye movements and food item color and position, eye movements and food item preference, and pupil size and selected measures. Dish placement affected the relative amount of visits to a single food item, whereas food item color and preference were not associated with the examined measures. The pupil-size measure did not function with the elderly participants. Importantly, a simple cluster analysis, based on a scanpath and a food selection measure, helped to illustrate different profiles of food view and selection. It was determined that food item position should be carefully considered in MET studies involving real foods, and scanpath measures could be useful in bringing forth behavioral differences that are not revealed by fixation parameters alone. Importantly, identifying “attention-action” profiles by combining eye-tracking and other measures seems to be a fruitful way of approaching individual differences in food viewing and selection.

Dietary components and the risk of colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Background: The National Institute of Health recently emphasized the need for more extensive research into how precision nutrition approaches can be used to prevent and treat cancer. Previous observational studies have suggested a possible protective role for certain food groups, including nuts, cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruits, garlic and tomatoes in reducing colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence. However, discrepancies remain between studies and previous meta-analyses on single food items have yielded contradictory findings. This study sought to subject all available data to pooled analysis to statistically define the association between these food groups and CRC risk.