Status Of Vegetables Research Articles

Plant-soil-nutrient status of vegetables and wheat grown on calcareous soil

Calcareous soil is extremely important in determining nutrient status and availability when applying different fertilizers to different crops associated with or without irrigation. The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional status (nutrient availability) of different plants grown in two different ecosystems dominated with calcareous soil: Ghor Alsafi (eggplants, tomato and beans) as an example of irrigated area and the Karak Mountain Area (wheat) as an example for non-irrigated area. Physiochemical properties in soils and nutrients concentrations (C, Fe, Mn, Zn, available P, available and non-available K) in soil and plant leaves were analyzed. This study showed that N concentration in soil from both Ghor Alsafi (ranged from 4.4–5.1 mg/g) and the Karak Mountain Area (1.9–3.2 mg/g) was relatively low. This study showed that Fe content in vegetables grown in Ghor Alsafi was about 3 to 5 fold higher than the recommended maximum Fe concentration. The concentration of other nutrients (N, K, Zn and Mn) in investigated vegetables fell within the recommended concentrations range (38.3–39.7 mg/g, 36.6–39.5 mg/g, 21.7–27.3 ppm and 49.2–102.6 ppm, respectively). Phosphorus content in vegetables grown in Ghor Alsafi and in wheat grown in different locations in the Karak Mountain Area was about 5?6 fold higher than the recommended P concentration. Our results indicated that the high levels of P (ranged from 3.28–3.43 mg/g) and Fe (ranged from 340.4–551.3 ppm) in vegetables grown in Ghor Alsafi and high levels of P (ranged from 2.2–2.52 mg/g) in wheat in the Karak Mountain Area can be attributed to high levels of fertilizer application.

Randomized controlled trial of educational intervention to increase consumption of vegetables by Japanese university students

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention to increase vegetable consumption by university students.Design/methodology/approachThis study is an open, parallel randomized controlled trial for 25 weeks. University students aged 18-24 years were divided into an intervention group (n=52) and a control group (n=52). Vegetable intake was assessed using a questionnaire.FindingsOn investigation, the results indicated that the vegetable intake of the intervention group was well maintained at the end of the study, whereas that of the control group was significantly decreased by the seasonal change. This research showed that using three educational projects could significantly improve the vegetable consumption of university students.Research limitations/implicationsThese results suggest that the educational approach is a promising method to improve the vegetable consumption status, particularly the consumption of green and yellow vegetables, by university students.Originality/valueThis parallel randomized controlled study investigated intervention via educational approaches, including a lecture on the nutritional significance of vegetable intake, a tour of an agricultural farm, and learning of cooking skills, focusing on increasing the consumption of vegetables by university students. Although there have been many intervention studies aimed at improving intake of vegetables in the world, there have been no intervention studies on the vegetable intake of young adults in Japan.

The status of vegetables and fruits consumption of children aged 6 to 17-year-old from 2010 to 2012, China

The status of vegetables and fruits consumption of children aged 6 to 17-year-old from 2010 to 2012, China

Migration Background Influences Consumption Patterns Based on Dietary Recommendations of Food Bank Users in Germany.

People with low income tend to eat less balanced than people with higher income. This seems to be particularly the case for people with migration background. This cross-sectional study examined the relation of consumption patterns of 597 food bank users with different migration background in Germany. Questionnaires were distributed assessing sociodemographic information and consumption patterns. Analyses were conducted using binary logistic regressions. Models were controlled for age, gender, type of household and education. The group of German food bank users consumed fewer fruits and vegetables and less fish compared to all other groups with migration background (former USSR, Balkan region, Middle East). A significant predictor for fruit and vegetable consumption was migration status. Participants from the former USSR consumed less often SSBs compared to the other groups. Dietary recommendations for low income populations should take into consideration other aspects besides income such as migration status.

Occlusal force is correlated with cognitive function directly as well as indirectly via food intake in community-dwelling older Japanese: From the SONIC study.

BackgroundGrowing evidence suggests that oral health may be an important factor associated with cognitive function in aged populations. However, many previous studies on this topic used insensitive oral indicators or did not include certain essential covariates. Thus, we examined the association between occlusal force and cognitive function in a large sample of older adults, controlling for dietary intake, vascular risk factors, inflammatory biomarkers, depression, and genetic factors.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study of older community-dwelling Japanese adults, we examined data collected from 994 persons aged 70 years and 968 persons aged 80 years. Cognitive function was measured using the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J). Oral status and function were evaluated according to the number of remaining teeth, periodontal pocket depth, and maximal occlusal force. Associations between MoCA-J scores and occlusal force were investigated via bivariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsEducation level, financial status, depression score, and intake of green and yellow vegetables, as well as number of teeth and occlusal force, were significantly correlated with MoCA-J scores in both age groups. Among individuals aged 80 years, CRP and periodontal status were weakly but significantly associated with MoCA-J score. After controlling for all significant variables via bivariate analyses, the correlation between maximal occlusal force and cognitive function persisted. A path analysis confirmed the hypothesis that cognitive function is associated with occlusal force directly as well as indirectly via food intake.ConclusionsAfter controlling for possible factors, maximal occlusal force was positively associated with cognitive function directly as well as indirectly through dietary intake.

Biochar, a potential hydroponic growth substrate, enhances the nutritional status and growth of leafy vegetables

A hydroponics system developed using a nutrient film technique was used to evaluate the effectiveness of rice husk biochar (RB) alone or in combination with perlite (PL) as substrates for increasing the growth of leafy vegetables compared with that of PL. Seedlings of cabbage, dill, mallow, red lettuce, and tatsoi were grown hydroponically in PL, RB, and PL + RB (1:1 ratio of PL to RB, v/v) substrates for a 30-d under optimal environmental conditions in a greenhouse. Shoot length and fresh/dry masses of cabbage, dill, and red lettuce plants grown in RB substrate were decreased by 49% on average compared to those plants grown in PL substrate. In contrast, PL + RB substrate led to approximately 2-fold increases in shoot length, number of leaves, and fresh/dry masses of leafy vegetable plants compared with those grown in PL substrate. Foliar nutritional composition (Ca, Mg, K, Na, Mn, Fe, and Zn) and nitrogen status (SPAD index) of plants grown in PL + RB and PL substrates suggested the presence of optimal growth conditions for ensuring optimum yield with high quality. In addition, RB substrate contributed to respective increases of 1.2–3.5-fold in leaf K, Mg, Mn, and Zn contents in most vegetable plants compared with those grown in PL substrate. The RB alone or in combination with PL substrates decreased algal growth in the nutrient solutions as confirmed by scanning electron micrographs of microalgae on the RB surface. The results also indicated that use of PL + RB hydroponic substrate could be an alternative and effective technology for the better management of unwanted algal growth in nutrient solutions and high production of leafy vegetables.

Inter‐relationship between Food Security Status, Money Spending, and Availability of Fruits and Vegetables at Home

Food insecurity is a major public health concern due to its negative effects on nutritional health status among adults. However, it is not clear the mechanisms by which food insecurity is associated with poor dietary behaviors and increased risk of excess weight gain among adults. In this study, we investigated the relationships among food security status, money spending behavior and home food environment of households with children using data from the 2009/2010 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Data was analyzed using R software accounting for the complex study design. We included only 18 years and older participants in the analyses (n= 6,527). Independent t‐test and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the relationships among food security status, money spent on food at supermarket/grocery stores, and availability of fruits and vegetables at home. Food security status was classified as secure if they were fully food secure or marginally food secure, while food insecurity comprised of households having a low or very low food security. Availability of fruits and dark green vegetables at home were also categorized as available (always or most of the time) or unavailable (all other response categories, i.e., sometimes, rarely or never) in the past month. Estimates of mean with the standard error (SE) and, odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI), were analyzed. Results indicated that, 14% of households were food insecure. In case of home food environment, 87% had fruits and 79% had dark green vegetables, available at home. After adjusting for participant age, family income to poverty ratio, gender, household size, and ethnicity, food secure household had higher odds of having fruits available at home (OR = 2.4; CI = 1.7–3.3; P = 0.001) or dark green vegetable available at home (OR =1.5; CI =1.2–2.0; P = 0.02) than food insecure households. Overall, the average amount of money spent at supermarket/grocery store over the past 30 days before the survey was $ 411 (± $11). In comparison, food insecure households spent significantly lower amount of money at supermarket/grocery store than their secure counterparts ($368 ± $15 vs. $418 ± 11, respectively‐P = 0.004). In estimating relationship between money spending at grocery store and availability of fruits and vegetables at home, after controlling for key socio‐demographic variables, it was found that every additional dollar spent on food at supermarket/grocery store was associated with a 0.15% (0.07%, 0.23%) increase in the odds of having fruits at home, and a 0.12% (0.08%, 0.17%) increase in the odds of having dark green vegetables at home. Preliminary results of this study indicates that food insecure households spend less money on food at grocery stores, which in turn, is a strong predictor of poor availability of fruits and dark green vegetables at home.

Status and economic potential of indigenous vegetables of Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh boasts of having about 5000 species of plants indigenous to it. There are more than 500 species of plants regarded edible, many of which constitute rich traditional vegetables eaten by various tribes of the state. Due to diverse ecological conditions, various types of vegetable herbs are available in different parts of the state. However, a very few literature is available on the status and potential of indigenous vegetables in Arunachal Pradesh particularly in Papumpare district. Therefore, understanding the research need in this sector, a scientific study was conducted in the year 2016–17 by the State Horticulture Research & Development Institute (SHRDI), Itanagar in the entire Papumpare district of Arunachal Pradesh. As per the survey conducted, it was found that there was substantial consumption of local vegetables like Zanthoxyllum oxyphyllum, Piper pedicellatum, Clerodendrom colebrookianum, Pouzolzia hirta, Phoebe cooperians, etc. in different pockets of Papumpare district. Also, during the investigation, 19 species of vegetables were recorded from different local markets across the district. Fourteen of which were of leafy vegetables, two of fruit, one of tender pseudo stem, one of tuber and one of floral bud. The consumption ranged from 5000 to 10000 kg per month. It was also revealed that Piper sylvaticum was most available vegetable and consumption of Piper pedicellatum was highest followed by Colocasia esculenta (Rhizome).

Association Between Body Mass index and Prevalence of Multimorbidity in Low-and Middle-income Countries: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundChronic diseases are increasingly becoming a health burden in terms of both morbidity and mortality in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The role of body mass index (BMI) especially overweight and obesity in the prevalence of multimorbidity, the occurrence of two or more chronic conditions, is understudied in LMICs where two thirds of the world’s obese individuals reside. We estimated the association between BMI and prevalence of chronic non communicable disease multimorbidity in six LMICs.MethodsCross-sectional data of total of 40,166 participants from China (n=13,970), India (10,915), Mexico (2,4 26), Russia (3,892), South Africa (4,000) and Ghana (4,971), aged 18 years and above included in the WHO Study on Global Ageing and adult health (SAGE), 2007–2010 were analyzed. Multimorbidity was measured as the simultaneous presence of two or more of the nine chronic conditions including angina pectoris, arthritis, asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, depression, and vision impairment. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to test for associations between overweight/obesity and prevalence of non communicable multimorbidity after adjusting for age, sex, rural/urban residence, education, marital status, occupation, household wealth, tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, fruits and vegetable intake and health insurance status. Data were analyzed country wise as well as pooled together to give overall LMIC estimates.ResultsThe mean BMI was 24.4 [±7.3SD] in the pooled countries, being as low as 20.8 [±8.0 SD] in India to 23.4 [±6.3 SD] in Ghana, 23.9 [±4.9 SD] in China, 28.4 [±5.4 SD] in Mexico, 28.6 [±6.3 SD] in Russia, to as high as 30.5 [±12.0 SD] in South Africa. The prevalence of overweight was 13% and obesity was 24% in the pooled sample. The prevalence of non communicable disease multimorbidity was 23% in the pooled sample of six countries–the highest being in Russia (50%), followed by Mexico (27%), India (24%), Ghana (23%), South Africa (32%) and China (22%). The prevalence of multimorbidity was 37% among obese population and 27% among overweight population in the pooled sample–highest prevalence was in Russia (59% among obese; 45% among overweight) and lowest in Ghana (28% among obese; 23% among overweight). Being obese (OR:5.78;95%CI:3.55–9.40;p<0.0001) was associated with significantly higher likelihood of having multimorbidity as compared to normal weight category in the pooled sample. The likelihood of multimorbidity among obese were almost ten times higher in Russia (OR:9.90;95%CI:3.90–25.17;p=<0.0001), seven times higher in China (OR:7.06;95%CI:2.47–20.21;p=0.003), six times higher in Ghana (OR:5.61;95%CI:1.21–26.02;p= 0.007) and five times higher in South Africa (OR:4.66;95%CI:2.16–10.08;p=0.005). Non-significant but positive association were also observed in case of India and Mexico. The likelihood of multimorbidity was more than two times higher among overweight population in India (OR:2.33;95%CI:1.35–4.02;p=0.003) and pooled countries (OR:1.47;95%CI:1.05–2.07;p=0.004) while non-significant but positive association were also observed in case of China, Russia, and Ghana.ConclusionsThe prevalence of non communicable disease multimorbidity in the LMICs is high, one and half times higher in obese than in normal weight individual. Obesity was independently associated with the occurrence of multimorbidity in the six LMICs. These findings may be vital for public health surveillance, prevention and management strategies for non communicable disease multimorbidity in the LMICs.

Double Up Food Bucks Farmers’ Market Incentive Program: Food Insecurity and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

ObjectiveTo determine the impact of a farmers’ market incentive program on fruit and vegetable (F&amp;V) intake and food security status of program participants.MethodsAdults enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the state of Utah were eligible to receive a dollar‐per‐dollar match up to $10/farmers market visit in tokens which could be used to purchase fruits and vegetables. F&amp;V intake and food security status were measured in of 138 adult participants at the market and four weeks later using validated surveys. Changes in food security status and F&amp;V consumption were tested using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test.ResultsParticipants were mostly non‐Hispanic white (87%) females (79.7%), with a mean age of 40 ± 12.5 (mean ± standard deviation) years. Although significant changes in food security were found when comparing baseline to endpoint (p= 0.001), the median change was 0.00 because some participants increased and others decreased. After the incentive program, reported F&amp;V consumption increased by a median of 0.63 times/day (p=0.002), total fruit decreased by −0.02 times/day (p=0.008) and vegetable increase of 0.43 times/day (p=0.001).ConclusionsParticipation in the farmers’ market incentive program was associated with increased consumption of F&amp;V for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.Support or Funding InformationUSDA; Food Security and Nutritional Incentive Grants Program

Abstract MP98: Circulating Phospholipid n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Incident Atherothrombotic and Cardioembolic Ischemic Stroke in 3 Large US Cohorts

Introduction: The associations of individual seafood n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with incident ischemic stroke, and its subtypes (atherothrombotic and cardioembolic stroke), are not well-established. Individual n-3 fatty acids, which are best assessed by circulating biomarkers, may also have differential effects on atherothrombotic vs. cardioembolic stroke. Objective: To prospectively investigate the relationship of circulating eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with risk of total ischemic, atherothrombotic, and cardioembolic stroke. Methods: We measured circulating phospholipid fatty acids (erythrocyte or plasma) at baseline in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS). Ischemic stroke was prospectively adjudicated and classified into atherothrombotic (large and small vessel infarctions) or cardioembolic (cardiac mural thrombi, valvular heart disease, atrial fibrillation, other sources) stroke by imaging studies and medical records. Risk was assessed using conditional logistic regression (for prospective nested case-control studies: NHS, HPFS) or Cox proportional hazards model (full cohort: CHS). Findings were pooled by fixed-effects meta-analysis. Results: A total of 953 incident ischemic strokes were identified that included 408 atherothrombotic and 256 cardioembolic strokes, during mean follow-up of 11.4 (CHS) and 8.3 (NHS,HPFS) years (the remaining 289 ischemic strokes could not be sub-classified). After adjustment for age, race, sex, smoking, physical activity, alcohol intake, family history of MI and diabetes, menopausal status, BMI, aspirin use and intakes of fruits, vegetables, and meats, lower risk of total ischemic stroke was seen with DPA (highest vs. lowest-quartiles, pooled HR=0.74, 95%CI=0.58-0.92) and DHA (0.80, 0.64-1.00), but not EPA (0.94, 0.77-1.19). Among stroke subtypes, DHA was associated with substantially lower risk of atherothrombotic (0.53, 0.34-0.83), but not cardioembolic stroke; and DPA with substantially lower risk of cardioembolic (0.58, 0.37-0.92), but not atherothrombotic stroke. Findings in each individual cohort were similar to the pooled results. Conclusions: In 3 US cohorts, higher circulating levels of DHA were inversely associated with incident atherothrombotic stroke, and DPA, with cardioembolic stroke. EPA was not associated with ischemic stroke. These novel findings highlight the importance of separately evaluating ischemic stroke subtypes as well as specific individual fatty acids, and suggest differential pathways of benefit for DHA, DPA, and EPA.

Consumption of dairy foods in relation to impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes mellitus: the Maastricht Study.

Observational studies suggest an inverse association between total dairy product intake and diabetes risk. However, there is a lack of information on the relationship of specific dairy products with impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Individuals aged 40-75 years were recruited for the Maastricht Study. All the participants filled out a 253-food item FFQ, covering fifty specific dairy items that captured differences between full-fat, semi-skimmed and skimmed products, as well as fermented and non-fermented products. Glucose metabolism status was assessed by an oral glucose tolerance test, and participants were informed on their glucose metabolism status after returning the FFQ. Data of 2391 individuals were available to estimate OR (95 % CI) for IGM (n 470) and newly diagnosed (ND) T2DM (n 125), with adjustment for age, sex, BMI, physical activity, smoking status, education, energy intake and intakes of vegetables, fruits, meat and fish. For IGM, fully adjusted analyses revealed inverse associations, with OR comparing the highest with the lowest tertile of intake of 0·73 (95 % CI 0·55, 0·96) for skimmed products and 0·74 (95 % CI 0·54, 0·99) for fermented products. These dairy products were not associated with ND T2DM. In contrast, full-fat products were positively associated with ND T2DM (OR 2·01; 95 % CI 1·16, 3·47), whereas total dairy product intake was inversely associated with ND T2DM (OR 0·50; 95 % CI 0·26, 0·93). In conclusion, individuals with a high consumption of skimmed and fermented products had lower odds of having IGM, and individuals with a high consumption of total dairy products had lower odds of having ND T2DM. High intake of full-fat products was not related to IGM but was positively related to ND T2DM.

Leaf chlorophyll readings as an indicator of nitrogen status and yield of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) grown in soils amended with Luecaena leucocephala prunings

ABSTRACTA field study was conducted to evaluate the nitrogen status and yield of spinach grown in soils amended with prunings of Leucaena leucocephala, (applied at a rate of 3, 5, 7 or 11 t ha−1). A ‘no fertilizer’ 0 nitrogen (N) and 150 kg N ha−1 (recommended) were the control treatments. SPAD readings were recorded for the top six leaves. Nitrogen sufficiency indices were used to indicate the N status of plants. Application of L. leucocephala prunings increased spinach yields (8.98–13.86 t DM ha−1) relative to the 0N treatment (1.35 t DM ha−1) and yields increased with increasing rate of pruning application. SPAD readings showed a linear increase with the increase in applied prunings. There was preferential distribution of N to upper leaves. The relationship between shoot N concentration and SPAD readings was linear and strongest for the top three leaves (r2 = 0.84–0.92). The results indicate the potential of chlorophyll meter readings in assessing N status of leafy vegetables grown on soils amended with different levels of legume tree prunings.

Monitoring survey of the use patterns and pesticide residues on vegetables in the Niayes zone, Senegal.

The main objective of this work was to determine the impact of pesticide use practices on vegetables contamination in the Niayes zone of Dakar. A preliminary survey involving 200 farmers, showed the application of pesticides belonging to different groups on vegetable crops. Use practices in terms of application intervals and methods, measuring tools and dosage were not in compliance with good agricultural practices. In view of survey results, investigations on vegetable contamination were conducted. Therefore, 175 vegetable samples including cabbage (31 samples), lettuce (88 samples), tomato (57 samples) collected from four sites of the Niayes zone during four campaigns, were analyzed for residues of 21 pesticides, eighteen of which (18) were cited to be used by farmers. The results indicated that 65% of tomato samples, 71% of lettuce and 93% of cabbage contained one or more detectable residues. Among the monitored pesticides dicofol, chlorpyrifos, DDTs, dimethoate, and λ-cyhalothrin were the most predominant, found in at least 35% of samples for each vegetable. The frequencies of pesticide detection were, generally in agreement with the citation frequencies. The results provided important information on vegetable contamination status and pointed an urgent need to control pesticide use.

Patient Activation is Inconsistently Associated with Positive Health Behaviors Among Obese Safety Net Patients.

We examine the association of patient activation and physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption among obese safety net patients. Adult obese patients (n=198) of three safety net clinics completed a survey assessing patient activation, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, care experiences, and health status. Multivariate logistic regression models incrementally assessed the adjusted relation of patient activation and physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption. In adjusted analyses, higher activated patients had higher odds [Odds ratio (OR) 1.58, p<0.01] of consuming fruits and vegetables daily than less activated patients. There was no significant association between patient activation and regular physical activity. Engaging in regular physical activity appears to be difficult, even for highly activated patients. In contrast, additional fruit and vegetable consumption is a relatively easier change. Patient activation was inconsistently associated with two positive health behaviors among obese safety net patients.

Modelling of Risk Factors of Diabetes in United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to model and determine factors influencing the risk of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the United Arab Emirates and to analyze data related to the topic.&#x0D; Methods: The study was carried out in UAE, using a questionnaire to out-patients in a medical clinic that contained socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors were used for data collection. Sample survey data analyzed using descriptive techniques, correlations, and binary logistic regression models. Binary logistic regression were performed to find the crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated to find the significance of the observed OR. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant All Analysis was performed using SPSS and Microsoft excels.&#x0D; Results: study results showed that six main factors influence the risk of diabetes in UAE, which are, blood glucose, blood pressure, physical activity, waist size, gender and family history of diabetes. Marital status, smoking, and intake of fresh vegetables and fruits did not show any statistically significant association with risk of diabetes in UAE. Blood glucose is observed as the most statistically significant factor (for every one unit increase in blood glucose, the study expect a 5.422 increase in the risk of developing diabetes), at the meantime gender observed as the lowest statistically significant factor (if the respondent is male the probability of being diabetic is 0.809 percent) holding all other independent variables constant.&#x0D; Conclusion: Results of the present study will be one of use in planning primordial, primary and secondary measures of prevention at the community. Encouraging physical activity, controlling blood pressure and blood glucose may significantly decrease the risk of diabetes mortality; effective health education programs promoting regular exercise and effective advices may needed to reduce the burden of diabetes in UAE.

Fruit and vegetable intake and their pesticide residues in relation to semen quality among men from a fertility clinic.

Is consumption of fruits and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residues associated with lower semen quality? Consumption of fruits and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residues was associated with a lower total sperm count and a lower percentage of morphologically normal sperm among men presenting to a fertility clinic. Occupational and environmental exposure to pesticides is associated with lower semen quality. Whether the same is true for exposure through diet is unknown. Men enrolled in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) Study, an ongoing prospective cohort at an academic medical fertility center. Male partners (n = 155) in subfertile couples provided 338 semen samples during 2007-2012. Semen samples were collected over an 18-month period following diet assessment. Sperm concentration and motility were evaluated by computer-aided semen analysis (CASA). Fruits and vegetables were categorized as containing high or low-to-moderate pesticide residues based on data from the annual United States Department of Agriculture Pesticide Data Program. Linear mixed models were used to analyze the association of fruit and vegetable intake with sperm parameters accounting for within-person correlations across repeat samples while adjusting for potential confounders. Total fruit and vegetable intake was unrelated to semen quality parameters. High pesticide residue fruit and vegetable intake, however, was associated with poorer semen quality. On average, men in highest quartile of high pesticide residue fruit and vegetable intake (≥1.5 servings/day) had 49% (95% confidence interval (CI): 31%, 63%) lower total sperm count and 32% (95% CI: 7%, 58%) lower percentage of morphologically normal sperm than men in the lowest quartile of intake (<0.5 servings/day) (P, trend = 0.003 and 0.02, respectively). Low-to-moderate pesticide residue fruit and vegetable intake was associated with a higher percentage of morphologically normal sperm (P, trend = 0.04). Surveillance data, rather than individual pesticide assessment, was used to assess the pesticide residue status of fruits and vegetables. CASA is a useful method for clinical evaluation but may be considered less favorable for accurate semen analysis in the research setting. Owing to the observational nature of the study, confirmation is required by interventional studies as well. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the consumption of fruits and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residue in relation to semen quality. Further confirmation of these findings is warranted. Supported by National Institutes of Health grants ES009718, ES022955, ES000002, P30 DK046200 and Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award T32 DK007703-16. None of the authors has any conflicts of interest to declare.

Maintaining Antioxidant Potential of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables After Harvest

The consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased in the past few years, not only because of their attractive sensorial properties, but also for their nutritional and health benefits. Antioxidants are compounds found in fresh fruits and vegetables, and evidence of their role in the prevention of degenerative diseases is continuously emerging. However, the antioxidants in some fruits and vegetables can be lost during handling after harvest, even during minimal processing and storage. In this sense, postharvest treatments are needed to preserve the quality and antioxidant potential of fresh produce. Postharvest treatments and technologic strategies (including ultraviolet light, controlled and modified atmospheres, heat treatments, and application of natural compounds, such as edible coatings, active packaging, microencapsulation, and nanoemulsion) have shown positive and promising results to maintain fruit and vegetable antioxidant potential. The purpose of this review is to analyze and propose the application of postharvest strategies to maintain, or even improve, the antioxidant status of fruits and vegetables, thus offering options to maximize health benefits to consumers.

Integral assessment of antioxidant status of fruit vegetables

The integral assessment of the antioxidant status of fruited vegetables can be a key when choosing a product suitable for storage. Making the integrated assessment of the antioxidant system of fruited vegetables taking into account the differences in units of measuring the system components is a difficult task. For solving complex multicriteria informal problems, the hierarchy analysis method was used. The method for determining the generalized integral assessment of the antioxidant status of fruited vegetables based on the hierarchy analysis method was proposed. The components of the antioxidant system of protecting fruited vegetables tissues were ranked. The integral assessment showed that among the studied fruits pepper had the highest antioxidant status (ІАО=0.43), squash had the minimum (ІАО=0.12). Due to a powerful system of high antioxidants, cucumbers had higher integrated assessment (ІАО = 0.25) than tomatoes (ІАО =0.20). Low-molecular antioxidants make the main contribution to the antioxidant status of solanaceous vegetables. Enzymatic antioxidants play a leading role in antioxidant protection of tissues in pumpkin vegetables.

Water Quality and Crop Contamination in Peri-Urban Agriculture

Abstract The quality of untreated water used by dry season vegetable growers determines the safety of the vegetables produced for human consumption. Traditionally, small scale vegetable farmers site their farms along banks of streams which gradually dry up during the dry season resulting in isolated pockets of ponds at different intervals along the path of the streams which are used by farmers to irrigate. A field experiment was initiated at Ibadan to ascertain the quality of irrigation water used to produce vegetables along Ona-stream during the dry season. Five isolated ponds and one locally dug well were sampled and analysed to ascertain the heavy metals status. Results of soil analysis from five farms (A - E) sited very close to the stream revealed high concentrations of heavy metals ranging from 0.96 to 2.34 mg kg-1 for Pb, 0.72 to 2.16 mg kg-1 for Cr and 0.30 to 0.92 mg kg-1 for Co while farmland F sited about 90m away from the stream was free of Pb, Cr and Co contaminants. Locally dug well F water was free of Cr, Co and Pb while isolated ponds had Cr, Co and Pb in the range of 0.01 to 0.23 mg kg-1 which is beyond safe consumption thresholds. There were strong correlations between heavy metals in water and vegetable for Cr (0.992**), Cd (0.599**), Ni (0.614*) and Pb (0.552**) indicating that the hygienic status of dry season vegetables is largely determined by the quality of irrigation water. In addition, all vegetables irrigated with untreated isolated ponds contained Cd, Pb and Ni concentrations above maximum permissible standard which could pose risk to human health. Therefore, farmers should be enlightened on the need to use hygienic water for irrigation. Construction of shallow wells on the farms instead of using contaminated stream water directly could be a better option for healthy and sustainable agriculture.