Type Of Sugar Research Articles

Types of dietary sugars and carbohydrates, cardiometabolic risk factors, and risk of diabetes: a cohort study from the general Danish population

BackgroundThe role of carbohydrates in diabetes risk is of particular interest due to conflicting results. This study aims to examine the prospective association between types of dietary carbohydrates (fiber, starch, total sugar, glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, and added sugar) and the risk of diabetes. Further, this study examines the cross-sectional associations between these nutrients and cardiometabolic risk factors.MethodsDanish Health Examination Survey (2007–2008) investigated 76,484 Danes in a representative sample using online questionnaires. Dietary information using a food frequency questionnaire was obtained from 42,836 participants. Information on incident cases of diabetes was obtained from the Danish National Diabetes Register. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate Hazard Ratios (95% CI). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess the associations between carbohydrate types and cardiometabolic risk factors measured in a subsample of 12,977 participants.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 4.9 years, 970 participants developed diabetes. A higher consumption of fructose, but a lower consumption of glucose was associated with a lower risk of diabetes. In subgroup analyses, these associations were only significant among individuals with other risk factors, such as older age, obesity, low fiber consumption, sedentary behavior, smoking status, and hypertension. Participants with a higher intake of fiber tend to have a lower risk of diabetes and healthier anthropometric parameters compared to those with a lower intake.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that a higher intake of dietary fiber and fructose is associated with a lower risk of diabetes and healthier metabolic status, while higher glucose intake is associated with a higher diabetes risk.Graphical

Nannochloris sp. JB17 as a Potential Microalga for Carbon Capture and Utilization Bio-Systems: Growth and Biochemical Composition Under High Bicarbonate Concentrations in Fresh and Sea Water.

Nannochloris sp. JB17 has been identified as an interesting microalgal species that can tolerate high salinity and high bicarbonate concentrations. In this study, Nannochloris sp. JB17 was long-term adapted to increased bicarbonate concentrations (10-60 g NaHCO3 per L) in fresh or sea-water-based growing media. This study aimed to evaluate its growth performance and biochemical composition under different cultivation conditions. The highest biomass production (1.24-1.3 g/L) achieved in the study was obtained in fresh water media supplemented with 40 g/L and 60 g/L NaHCO3, respectively. Total protein content fluctuated at similar levels among the different treatments (32.4-38.5%), displaying good essential amino acids indices of 0.85-1.02, but with low in vitro protein digestibility (15-20%) rates. Total lipids did not show any significant alteration among the different NaHCO3 concentrations in both fresh and sea water (12.6-13.3%) but at increased sodium strength, a significant increase in unsaturated lipids and in particular a-linolenic acid (C18:3) and linoleic acid (C18:2) was observed. Carbohydrate content also ranged at very similar levels among the cultures (26-30.9%). The main fraction of carbohydrates was in the type of neutral sugars ranging from around 72% to 80% (of total carbohydrates), while uronic acids were in negligible amounts. Moreover, Nannochloris sp. showed that it contained around 8-9% sulfated polysaccharides. Since the microalgae display good growth patterns at high bicarbonate concentrations, they could be a potential species for microalgal-based carbon capture and utilization systems.

Identification and Structural Elucidation of Acylsugars in Tomato Leaves Using Liquid Chromatography-Ion Mobility-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-IM-MS/MS).

Leaves of tomato plants contain various glandular trichomes that produce a wide range of metabolic products including acylsugars, which may serve as a defense mechanism against various insect pests. Acylsugars exhibit significant structural diversity, differing in their sugar cores, acylated positions, and type of acyl chains. This work demonstrated a comprehensive approach using multidimensional separation techniques, specifically liquid chromatography-ion mobility-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-IM-MS/MS), for structural characterization, and the discrimination of different tomato plants (one cultivar and five accessions) was demonstrated using tomato leaf extracts; six genotypes from five species of Solanum were represented. As a result, we identified 16 acylsugars through their molecular formulas and annotations using LC and MS analyses. The incorporation of ion mobility (IM) analysis revealed an additional 9 isomeric forms, resulting in a comprehensive total of 25 isomeric acylsugars identified. Furthermore, the experimental collision cross section (CCSexp) values agreed reasonably well with the corresponding predicted values (CCSpred), with an overall estimated error of less than 2%. These findings pave the way for research into how the different structural isomers of acylsugars might influence the self-defense mechanism in plants. Moreover, this work demonstrated that the investigated cultivar and accessions of tomatoes can be distinguished from each other based on their metabolite profile, e.g., acylsugars, with principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) statistical models, yielding a prediction rate of 98.3%.

Gas hold-up for gas-liquid and biophase-gas-liquid systems agitated in a vessel equipped with vertical tubular baffles

The influence of the agitator type, agitator speed, superficial gas velocity, type of sugar (glucose or sucrose) and the presence of yeast in the system on the gas hold-up in an agitated vessel with 24 vertical tubular baffles (located on the circuit in the vessel) has been presented in this paper. The measurement of gas hold-up was conducted in an agitated vessel with inner diameter of D = 0.288 m and liquid height of H = 0.288 m. Three different agitators were used in the experimental study. Five gas-liquid and two biophase-gas-liquid systems were agitated in an agitated vessel. Air was used as gas. The influence of gas flow number, Weber number, the mass fraction of aqueous sugar solution ci, and mass fraction of yeast suspension ys for gas-liquid and biophase-gas-liquid systems on the gas hold-up ϕ was described mathematically. These equations do not have equivalents in the literature.

Enhancing photosynthetic efficiency in Phalaenopsis amabilis through bioreactor innovations

BackgroundMicro-propagation is the primary technique for the mass propagation of greenhouse orchids. However, various factors, including culture media and cultivation systems, influence the scaling-up and efficient commercialization of in vitro techniques. The utilization of liquid cultivation systems and bioreactors are relatively cost-effective and has attracted significant attention for mass production. In this study, we evaluated the effects of eight culture media, in both semi-solid and liquid forms, on the growth of in vitro mini-plantlets of Phalaenopsis orchids. We subsequently assessed the performance of four selected media: half-strength modified Murashige and Skoog (1/2 MMS), modified FAST (MFAST), and two simplified media (SM1 and SM2), across four types of cultivation systems, including semi-solid media in glass jars, liquid media in a permanent immersion system using Erlenmeyer flasks on a shaker (PIS), and a temporary immersion system (TIS) in two forms: FA-Bio bioreactor (TIS-FA-Bio) and RITA® bioreactor (TIS-RITA®).ResultsThe results indicated that the optimal culture medium for orchid growth depends on the cultivation system used. Among the eight evaluated semi-solid and liquid media, the highest plant growth was observed in the SM2 medium, attributed to the presence of additives (banana powder and activated charcoal), two types of sugar (with high carbon content), and small amounts of nickel and ascorbic acid. The high carbon content in the SM2 liquid medium, combined with the temporary immersion explants in a large volume of medium in the TIS-RITA®, resulted in the highest total carbohydrate content and enhanced plant growth. The maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and the number of plantlets per liter in SM2 semi-solid medium were higher than those in the 1/2 MMS semi-solid medium (control), leading to a 61.6% reduction in production costs. Furthermore, the number of plantlets per liter in the TIS-FA-Bio containing SM2 (10.8 USD) was higher than in TIS-RITA® with 1/2 MMS (39.3 USD), resulting in a 72.5% decrease in production costs due to a lower volume of medium and the use of inexpensive equipment.ConclusionsWe recommend the use of SM2 in TIS-FA-Bio and TIS-RITA® for economical and efficient mass propagation of Phalaenopsis orchid.

Instant Organoleptic Test of Kencur Rice with Various Types of Sugar as Sweeteners

The study aimed to determine the level of preference of the panelists in the instant organoleptic test of kencur rice with various kinds of sugar as sweeteners. The research was carried out in June – July 2023 at the Production Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, Wijaya Kusuma Surabaya. The one-factor Complete Random Design Research Method (RAL) consists of 3 treatments of sugar sources (G) as sweeteners, namely G1 = sugar sweetener; G2 = brown sugar sweetener; G3 = palm sugar sweetener. The observation parameters were through a hedonic test on the properties of the product, namely taste, aroma, texture, color, and physical appearance, as well as determining the level of preference of the panelists for kencur rice instant drink from 3 types of sugar as sweeteners. Each treatment was repeated three times with 10 panelists per repetition. This Hedonic test with sensory analysis of kencur rice instant products is used to estimate what products are most liked by the panelists with the level of preference. The method used in the Hedonic Test with sensory analysis, consists of 5 levels: (1) very disliked, (2) disliked, (3) mediocre, (4) liked, and (5) strongly liked. The results of the research show that the type of sugar has an effect on the acceptance of the sweetness level of the panelists. Organoleptic test on product properties: palm sugar has an advantage in aroma, brown sugar has an advantage in texture, then granulated sugar has an advantage in color and physical appearance.

Enhanced vitamin B12 production by isolated Bacillus strains with the application of response surface methodology

BackgroundVitamin B12 is a crucial B-group vitamin, first isolated from the liver due to its role in combating pernicious anemia. It is distinguished by its unique and complex structure, which makes its chemical synthesis challenging and expensive. Consequently, vitamin B12 is alternatively obtained through microbial fermentations. Molasses, an affordable and safe agro-industrial waste, can be used as a carbon source for vitamin B12 production, offering a cost-effective alternative to expensive sugars in the production medium.ResultsA total of 87 yeast, actinomycete, and bacterial isolates were screened for vitamin B12 production, with 15 isolates showing high productivity. Bacillus isolates were selected for further analysis using MALDI-TOF and molecular identification. These isolates were identified as four strains of Bacillus subtilis (MZ08, JT10, BY11, and JT17), one strains of Bacillus sp. (CB09), and one strain of Peribacillus acanthi (MZ01). Genetic circuits associated with vitamin B12 production were demonstrated in a closely related strain of Peribacillus acanthi MZ01 strain. Three strains (MZ01, MZ08, and JT17) were selected for further evaluation of vitamin B12 productivity under different sugar types (glucose, sucrose, fructose, lactose, and galactose) and varying inoculum sizes. The inoculum size significantly impacted vitamin B12 production, with an increase from 5 to 10% enhancing yields. The ability of the strains to produce vitamin B12 varied depending on the type of sugar used. Peribacillus acanthi MZ01 strain showed the highest productivity and subsequently, selected for optimizing vitamin B12 production conditions using response surface methodology. Furthermore, the optimized conditions were then applied to molasses-based medium to achieve high vitamin B12 yields by MZ01 strain.ConclusionIn this study, Peribacillus acanthi was characterized for the first time as a vitamin B12 producer, demonstrating high productivity among various tested strains. The optimization of production conditions using response surface methodology, further enhanced vitamin B12 yields, showcasing the strain’s efficiency in microbial fermentations. This research also highlights the potential of using molasses as a cost-effective alternative carbon source, significantly reducing production costs.

Extending the Shelf Life of Doxorubicin Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles with Cryoprotectants

AbstractSugars, as cryoprotectants, can be added to NP formulations before lyophilization to ensure that NPs retain their size during long‐term storage. In this study, mannitol, glucose, and sucrose were used at different concentrations to extend the storage time of doxorubicin (DOX)‐loaded PLGA‐NPs prepared using two different copolymer ratios (75 : 25 and 50 : 50) at different storage temperatures (−20, +4, and +25 °C). After lyophilization, a glucose or sucrose concentration of only 5 % for DOX‐PLGA‐75 : 25‐NP and a glucose concentration of 10 % for DOX‐PLGA‐50 : 50‐NP were found to prevent agglomeration for up to 4 months at −20 °C. It is noteworthy that after storage at 4 °C for up to 4 months, agglomeration was prevented using 5 % sucrose and 10 % glucose in DOX‐PLGA‐50 : 50‐NP and 10 % sucrose content in both NP types. On the other hand, as expected, no sugar type or concentration could prevent agglomeration during long‐term storage of NPs at 25 °C. The sizes and encapsulation efficiencies (EE%) before lyophilization were 221.8±2.20 and 45.4 % for DOX‐PLGA‐50 : 50‐NP and 221.5±1.31 and 48.7 % for DOX‐PLGA‐75 : 25‐NP, respectively. Furthermore, the release profiles and encapsulation of DOX in both NPs were investigated by UV‐Vis analyses. DSC analysis revealed that DOX was present in the free form and amorphous in the NPs. Consequently, PLGA copolymer ratios were found to have an impact on the long‐term stability of DOX loaded PLGA lyophilizates, and DOX‐loaded NPs prepared with PLGA 75 : 25 or PLGA 50 : 50 can be stored at −20 and +4 °C for up to 4 months when combined with appropriate sugar contents and concentrations, demonstrating the versatility of these materials.

A Hybrid Model for Palm Sugar Type Classification: Advancing Image-Based Analysis for Industry Applications

A Hybrid Model for Palm Sugar Type Classification: Advancing Image-Based Analysis for Industry Applications

Declaration of free sugars from fruits on food labels: a scoping review

PurposeThe World Health Organization recommends limiting the intake of free sugars, which can be added to packaged foods and may appear on labels under different terms. The aim of this research was to analyse the evidence related to the declaration of free sugars from fruits on packaged food labels.Design/methodology/approachA scoping review was conducted following the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).FindingsTen eligible studies, conducted in seven countries, were included in this review. The percentage of packaged foods in which free sugars were identified ranged from 52.5 to 86.5%. In three studies, terms related to sugars were identified inductively by reading the entire ingredient list, whereas in the other studies sugars were identified by searching for a list of predefined terms. Studies differed in the definition of sugars and the terms used to identify them. Nine studies included fruit sugars within the terms used to identify free sugars. However, they lacked consistency in the types of fruit sugars considered and did not discuss their agreement with the adopted definitions of sugars.Originality/valueAs far as can be ascertained, this is the first review that addresses the declaration of free sugars from fruits on packaged food labels. Overall, there is a scarcity of literature focused on identifying and discussing the range of free sugars from fruits declared on food labels.

Cooking Time, Seed Darkening, and Iron and Zinc Concentrations of Selected Andean Genotypes of Common Bean

ABSTRACTCooking time (CT), post‐harvest darkening (PHD), and micronutrient content influence consumer preference of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) varieties. The objective of this study was to evaluate Andean genotypes for CT, PHD, and seed iron and zinc concentration. A total of 52 genotypes belonging to three market classes, namely, purple‐speckled (Kabulangeti), yellows, and cranberry (sugar beans), were grown at the Golden Valley Agricultural Research Trust (GART) Farm and the Mpika Research Farm in Zambia and assessed for CT, PHD, and seed iron and zinc concentration. The fastest cooking genotype among all 52 genotypes was a yellow genotype, Y1612‐5. Yellow genotypes generally cooked faster than the Kabulangeti and sugar types. Among the elite lines with Kabulangeti seed types, which is a dominant market class in Zambia, the elite line K175 had faster CT and higher iron and zinc concentration than the Kabulangeti landrace race currently available on the Zambian market. Kabulangeti and sugar genotypes showed regular darkening, whereas yellows did not darken. The yellow genotype Y1612‐3 was particularly outstanding because of its unique combination of high concentrations of both iron and zinc. Therefore, it can be used to introgress these two essential minerals into variable genetic backgrounds. The significant variability and high to moderate heritability for CT (0.85) and iron (0.81) and zinc (0.58) concentration observed in the current study suggest that it is possible to make progress in breeding for faster cooking varieties that are rich in iron and zinc.

Sucrose, glucose, and fructose preference in honeybees and their effects on food digestibility

In bee diets, nectar is the primary source of carbohydrates. During scarcity of bee flora, such as in winter, beekeepers typically provide supplemental sugar syrup as a nectar substitute. We examined four types of sugars (sucrose, fructose, glucose, and a mixture of fructose and glucose) on bee longevity, bee appetitive, and their impact on pollen digestion. The results showed that sucrose and glucose had extended the longevity in cages. Bees preferred sucrose at a 50% concentration since they consumed more than the other sugar types in cages and in the multiple-choice test experiment in apiary. Bees given sucrose solution consumed the most pollen. In contrast, the cages provided the fructose solution consumed the least amount of pollen, increasing body fat percentage, which can be considered evidence of a digestive disorder. Generally, the type of sugar affects bee’s benefits from nutrition. Finally, sucrose is the best type of sugar and is considered the ideal substitute for nectar.

Effects of trehalose and sodium alginate on microbially induced carbonate precipitation

The process of altering the microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) by adding additives has been extensively studied. The impact of polysaccharides, as an important component of bacteria, still requires deeper exploration on MICP. This work thus focuses on two types of sugars, sodium alginate (SA) and trehalose (Tre), to explore their effects on biomineralization of carbonate induced by Bacillus pumilus Z6. The results show that B. pumilus Z6 can raise the environmental pH and increase the supersaturation of carbonate and bicarbonate ions through carbonic anhydrase. The presence of organic functional groups and the negative carbon isotope signatures in minerals provide evidence of microbial involvement. Tre and SA do not change the mineral phase, which mainly consists of hollow rice-like granular vaterite and irregular calcite. Tre is conducive to the formation of calcite, whereas the carboxyl groups in SA contribute to the stability of vaterite. Both Tre and SA enhance the removal rate of calcium ions; however, SA is more effective for this purpose. Furthermore, mineralization experiments with calcium alginate gel tablets indicate that SA can attract calcium carbonate to nucleate on its surface. This research offers significant insights into biomineralization processes and introduces novel perspectives for advancing MICP technology.

Development of a novel method based on extraction mediated by a semipermeable membrane to determine Cd and Cr in sugar by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

This work proposes a novel method to determine the Cd(II) and Cr(III) content in commercial sugar samples. It is based on the extraction of the analytes (as ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate complexes) into a semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) filled with CHCl3. After extraction, the SPMD was deployed and opened, and the analytes were recovered from the organic phase by back extraction with a 4.2 mol L−1 HNO3 solution. The analytes present in the acid extract were measured with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Under optimized conditions, the limit of quantification of the method was 1.2 and 3.1 ng g−1 for Cd(II) and Cr(III), respectively. Twelve samples of different types of sugar were analyzed. In addition, a recovery test was performed to evaluate the accuracy of the method. The recovery percentage was 90 %–102 % for Cd(II) and 85.2 %–103 % for Cr(III).

Medical misinformation and fear of recurrence in patients with breast cancer.

354 Background: Fear of recurrence is a common yet underappreciated burden patients experience during and after cancer treatment. Medical misinformation about factors that influence risk of cancer progression/recurrence is also common. Little is known about the spread of medical misinformation and how it affects fear of cancer recurrence. Methods: From 7/2023 to 8/2023 patients completed an anonymous online survey administered by Breastcancer.org. Surveys were available in English and Spanish with eligibility: US resident, age ≥18 years, and breast cancer diagnosis within 10 years. Surveys assessed patient awareness of various factors purported to increase or decrease risk of cancer progression/recurrence and fear of recurrence (via validated FCRI-SF, scored 0-36, higher scores indicate greater fear, score ≥22 indicate clinical relevance). Multivariate analysis (MVA) assessed awareness of misinformation after controlling for age, race and ethnicity, marital status, and level of education. Chi-square assessed association between misinformation exposure and fear of recurrence. Results: Overall, 997 completed the survey. Median age was 62 (IQR 53-69), 86% were White, 5% Black, 4% Hispanic, and 3% Asian. 76% were married and 77% had completed a college or advanced degree. 52% were undergoing active cancer treatment at the time of assessment. Most (65%) reported hearing misinformation regarding factors that may INCREASE risk of cancer progression/recurrence. Specifically, patients heard that sugar (61%), deodorant (22%), vaccines (8%), cell phones (8%), and bra type (8%) could increase risk. Half (54%) reported hearing misinformation regarding factors that may DECREASE risk of cancer progression/recurrence. Specifically, patients heard that eating organic food (41%), oral vitamins/supplements (29%), alkaline diet/alkalized water (12%), vitamin infusions (7%), cleanses (5%), essential oils (5%), and oxygen therapy (4%) could decrease risk. Overall, 76% had reported at least one incorrect factor influencing risk of cancer progression/recurrence. On MVA, younger age (OR 0.99/year of age, 95%CI 0.97-1.00, p=0.044) and Hispanic ethnicity (OR 2.98, 95%CI 1.02-8.25, p=0.047) were associated with hearing misinformation. Fear of recurrence score was available for 695 (70%) patients. Median score was 19 (IQR 13-24), 38% had a clinically significant level of fear (≥22). Awareness of medical misinformation was not associated with clinically significant fear (38% vs. 35%, χ 2 0.53, p=0.469). Conclusions: In a large cohort of patients with breast cancer, medical misinformation about risk of progression/recurrence was common. Fear of recurrence was high in over a third of surveyed patients, but was not associated with awareness of false information. Further understanding of how patients perceive and process medical misinformation is essential, especially in populations at highest risk for misinformation spread.

How sugar types and fabrication methods affect palatability in paediatric-friendly oromucosal pullulan films of chlorpromazine hydrochloride

Ensuring children adhere to their prescribed medication can be challenging, particularly when a large number of medicines on the market consist of unpalatable drugs and difficult to swallow dosage forms. Sugar-based oromucosal films are easy to administer dosage forms across all age groups within the paediatric population, as they eliminate the need for swallowing or water intake and can contribute to enhancing palatability and medicine adherence. In the current study, electrospun and 3D printed oromucosal films of chlorpromazine hydrochloride (CHZ), a bitter drug, were developed based on pullulan, a natural polysaccharide, and an array of sweeteners. Their taste masking efficacy was assessed in vitro using an electronic tongue, showing a significant suppression of the bitter taste of CHZ in the presence of sucralose, sucrose and isomalt in the 3D-printed films. In vivo assessment further confirmed that the sugar-based 3D printed films are highly acceptable to volunteers. For the electrospun films, volunteers reported neutral responses for overall acceptability, likely due to their lack of familiarity with this type of formulation. Overall, with improved acceptability and further optimization for taste masking, sugar-based films could serve as a viable alternative to conventional solid oral dosage forms for administering drugs to children.

The impact of sugar diet on humidity preference, survival, and host landing in mosquitoes.

Mosquito-borne diseases have caused more than one million deaths each year. There is an urgent need to develop an effective way to reduce mosquito-host interaction to mitigate disease transmission. Sugar diets have long been linked to abnormal physiology in animals, making them potential candidates for mosquito control. Here, we show the impact of sugar diets on humidity preference and survival in Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens . With two-choice assays between 100% and 75% relative humidity (RH), we demonstrate that the effect of sugar diets on humidity preference is species-specific where Ae. aegypti showed significant differences and the reduced effects were noted in Cx. pipiens . Among the sugar diets, arabinose significantly reduced the survival rate of mosquitoes even at low concentrations. Moreover, we found that host landing was not impacted by feeding on different sugar types. Our study suggests that specific sugar treatments could be applied to mosquito control by dampening their humidity preference and reducing their lifespan, thus reducing mosquito-borne disease transmission.

A Novel Technique Using Confocal Raman Spectroscopy Coupled with PLS-DA to Identify the Types of Sugar in Three Tropical Fruits

Tropical fruits such as cherimoya, soursop, and pineapple share sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) in common but may differ in the content of other phytochemicals. In the present work, confocal Raman spectroscopy and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to establish a classification model among the three fruits and to evaluate the effect of pre-processing methods on the model’s performance. The Raman spectra showed that glucose was present in the fruits in the 800–900 cm−1 band and the 1100–1200 cm−1 band. While sucrose was present in the bands of 1131.22 cm−1, 1134.44 cm−1, and 1133.37 cm−1 in the three fruits, fructose was present in the bands of 1464.22 cm−1, 1467.44 cm−1, and 1464.22 cm−1 in cherimoya, soursop, and pineapple. The accuracy of the PLS-DA model varied according to the pre-processing methods used. The Savitzky–Golay first derivative method produced a model with 98.69–100% and 100% precision on the training and prediction data, respectively.

Influence of different types of dietary sugars on the intestinal mucosa and hepatic lipid metabolism in germ-free mice

The excessive consumption of dietary sugar induces changes in gut microbiota, which is associated with obesity and metabolic dysregulation. This study investigated the effects of monosaccharide and fructooligosaccharide (FOS) intake on metabolic function and intestinal environment in germ-free (GF) mice lacking gut microbiota. GF mice were provided with a chow diet and administered a water solution containing 15 % glucose, fructose, or FOS for 4 weeks. Compared with FOS, glucose, and fructose induced increased hepatic lipid accumulation, increased adipocyte size in white adipose tissue, and upregulated hepatic lipogenic gene expression. FOS exhibited notably higher activation of hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase compared with those consuming glucose or fructose. Moreover, the number of goblet cells in the intestinal mucosa increased significantly with FOS consumption. Collectively, these findings indicate that while monosaccharides caused metabolic disorders in GF mice, FOS alleviated these disorders and increased the number of goblet cells in the intestinal mucosa. These results provide evidence for the occurrence of these effects independently of the gut microbiota.

Testing the causal relationship of fat and sugar intake with depression and cortisol: a Mendelian Randomisation study

Unhealthy diets high in fat and sugar content may have an impact on psychological health and increase the risk of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and stress levels. On the other hand, MDD and stress might be related to food choices and intake. However, it is not clear whether diet, and specifically fat and sugar intake, is causally related to stress and MDD, and whether this relationship may be bi-directional. This study utilised Mendelian Randomisation (MR) to investigate the causal nature of the relationship of fat and sugar intake with MDD and cortisol (as a proxy of stress), and to shed light on the direction of this relationship. Summary-level data for all exposure and outcome variables were obtained from large-scale, non-overlapping GWASs in individuals of European ancestry. Bidirectional analyses were performed: one with macronutrients as exposures and one with MDD/cortisol as exposures. Random-effects inverse-variance weighted regression was used as the primary analytic method for genetic instruments with at least two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) available (and individual Wald ratio was used when only one SNP was available). Higher levels of genetically predicted relative sugar intake were causally associated with lower MDD risk, for both genome-wide significant p-value threshold of p < 1 × 10−8, (OR = 0.553, 95% CI: 0.395-0.775) and relaxed p-value threshold of p < 1 × 10−6 (OR = 0.786, 95% CI: 0.630–0.981). No reverse causality was detected in the opposite direction as MDD was not associated with sugar consumption. The associations observed for all the other pairs of variables were weak and imprecise. A number of limitations was present in the study, such as low-SNP based heritability for some exposures, inability to prove whether variants were correlated with unmeasured confounders and self-reporting of MDD data. Lifestyle and/or pharmacological interventions targeting sugar-related physiological mechanisms may help to reduce depressive symptoms. However, more research is necessary on short- and long-term effects of sugar on the risk of MDD. Additionally, future studies should investigate whether the amount and type of sugar consumed may underlie the impact of sugar on mood and stress levels.