Food additive emulsifiers: a review of their role in foods, legislation and classifications, presence in food supply, dietary exposure, and safety assessment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selina Cox ◽  
Alicia Sandall ◽  
Leanne Smith ◽  
Megan Rossi ◽  
Kevin Whelan
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Food Additives ◽  
Dietary Exposure ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Food Additive ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Concentration Data ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Specific Food

Abstract Food additive intakes have increased with the increase in “ultra-processed” food consumption. Food additive emulsifiers have received particular research attention in recent years due to preliminary evidence of adverse gastrointestinal and metabolic health effects. In this review, the use of emulsifiers as food additives is discussed, and the current estimations of exposure to, and safety of, emulsifiers are critically assessed. Food additive emulsifier research is complicated by heterogeneity in additives considered to be emulsifiers and labelling of them on foods globally. Major limitations exist in estimating food additive emulsifier exposure, relating predominantly to a lack of available food occurrence and concentration data. Development of brand-specific food additive emulsifier databases are crucial to accurately estimating emulsifier exposure. Current research on the health effects of food additive emulsifiers are limited to in vitro and murine studies and small, acute studies in humans, and future research should focus on controlled human trials of longer duration.

scholarly journals Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa’s pharmacological properties and health effects: A scoping review of current evidence

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245471
Author(s):  
Xin Yi Lim ◽  
Terence Yew Chin Tan ◽  
Siti Hajar Muhd Rosli ◽  
Muhammad Nor Farhan Sa’at ◽  
Syazwani Sirdar Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Cannabis Sativa ◽  
Journal Club ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Pharmacological Properties ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Spontaneous Bowel Movement

Introduction Hemp (Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa), commonly used for industrial purposes, is now being consumed by the public for various health promoting effects. As popularity of hemp research and claims of beneficial effects rises, a systematic collection of current scientific evidence on hemp’s health effects and pharmacological properties is needed to guide future research, clinical, and policy decision making. Objective To provide an overview and identify the present landscape of hemp research topics, trends, and gaps. Methods A systematic search and analysis strategy according to the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis-ScR (PRISMA-ScR) checklist on electronic databases including MEDLINE, OVID (OVFT, APC Journal Club, EBM Reviews), Cochrane Library Central and Clinicaltrials.gov was conducted to include and analyse hemp research articles from 2009 to 2019. Results 65 primary articles (18 clinical, 47 pre-clinical) were reviewed. Several randomised controlled trials showed hempseed pills (in Traditional Chinese Medicine formulation MaZiRenWan) improving spontaneous bowel movement in functional constipation. There was also evidence suggesting benefits in cannabis dependence, epilepsy, and anxiety disorders. Pre-clinically, hemp derivatives showed potential anti-oxidative, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-neuroinflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-acne, and anti-microbial activities. Renal protective effects and estrogenic properties were also exhibited in vitro. Conclusion Current evidence on hemp-specific interventions are still preliminary, with limited high quality clinical evidence for any specific therapeutic indication. This is mainly due to the wide variation in test item formulation, as the multiple variants of this plant differ in their phytochemical and bioactive compounds. Future empirical research should focus on standardising the hemp plant for pharmaceutical use, and uniformity in experimental designs to strengthen the premise of using hemp in medicine.

Nutraceuticals with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties as intervention for reducing the health effects of fine particulate matter: Potential and Prospects

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanwi Trushna ◽  
Amit K. Tripathi ◽  
Sindhuprava Rana ◽  
Rajnarayan R. Tiwari
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

: Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution adversely affects human health. A growing pool of evidence has emerged which underscores the potential of individual-level nutritional interventions in attenuating the adverse health impact of exposure to PM2.5. Although controlling emission and reducing the overall levels of air pollution remains the ultimate objective globally, the sustainable achievement of such a target and thus consequent protection of human health will require a substantial amount of time and concerted efforts worldwide. In the meantime, smaller-scale individual-level interventions that can counter the inflammatory or oxidative stress effects triggered by exposure to particulate matter may be utilized to ameliorate the health effects of PM2.5 pollution. One such intervention is incorporation of nutraceuticals in the diet. Here, we present a review of the evidence generated from various in vitro, in vivo and human studies regarding the effects of different anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutraceuticals in ameliorating the health effects of particulate matter air pollution. The studies discussed in this review suggest that these nutraceuticals when consumed as a part of the diet, or as additional supplementation, can potentially negate the cellular level adverse effects of exposure to particulate pollution. The potential benefits of adopting a non-pharmacological diet-based approach to air pollution-induced disease management have also been discussed. We argue that before a nutraceuticals-based approach can be used for widespread public adoption, further research, especially human clinical trials, is essential to confirm the beneficial action of relevant nutraceuticals and to explore the safe limits of human supplementation and the risk of side effects. Future research should focus on systematically translating bench-based knowledge regarding nutraceuticals gained from in-vitro and in-vivo studies into clinically usable nutritional guidelines.

scholarly journals Biological Significance of Urolithins, the Gut Microbial Ellagic Acid-Derived Metabolites: The Evidence So Far

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Carlos Espín ◽  
Mar Larrosa ◽  
María Teresa García-Conesa ◽  
Francisco Tomás-Barberán
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Ellagic Acid ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Biological Significance ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Mechanistic Studies ◽  
Extensive Metabolism

The health benefits attributed to pomegranate have been associated with its high content in polyphenols, particularly ellagitannins. This is also the case for other ellagitannin-containing fruits and nuts including strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, walnuts, and muscadine grapes. The bioavailability of ellagitannins and ellagic acid is however very low. These molecules suffer extensive metabolism by the gut microbiota to produce urolithins that are much better absorbed. Urolithins circulate in plasma as glucuronide and sulfate conjugates at concentrations in the range of 0.2–20 μM. It is therefore conceivable that the health effects of ellagitannin-containing products can be associated with these gut-produced urolithins, and thus the evaluation of the biological effects of these metabolites is essential. Recent research, mostly based onin vitrotesting, has shown preliminary evidence of the anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antiglycative, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects of urolithins, supporting their potential contribution to the health effects attributed to pomegranate and ellagitannin-rich foods. The number ofin vivostudies is still limited, but they show preventive effects of urolithins on gut and systemic inflammation that encourage further research. Bothin vivoand mechanistic studies are necessary to clarify the health effects of these metabolites. Attention should be paid when designing these mechanistic studies in order to use the physiologically relevant metabolites (urolithins in gut models and their conjugated derivatives in systemic models) at concentrations that can be reachedin vivo.

scholarly journals Electronic Cigarettes and Oral Health

2021 ◽  
pp. 002203452110021
Author(s):  
R. Holliday ◽  
B.W. Chaffee ◽  
N.S. Jakubovics ◽  
R. Kist ◽  
P.M. Preshaw
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
In Vitro Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Consequences ◽  
The Past

Novel nicotine products, particularly electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), have become increasingly popular over the past decade. E-cigarettes are sometimes regarded as a less harmful alternative to tobacco smoking, and there is some evidence of their potential role as a smoking cessation aid. However, there are concerns about their health consequences, particularly in users who are not tobacco smokers, and also when used long term. Given the mode of delivery of these products, there is potential for oral health consequences. Over the past few years, there have been an increasing number of studies conducted to explore their oral health effects. In vitro studies have reported a range of cellular effects, but these are much less pronounced than those resulting from exposure to tobacco smoke. Microbiological studies have indicated that e-cigarette users have a distinct microbiome, and there is some indication this may be more pathogenic compared to nonusers. Evidence of oral health effects from clinical trials is still limited, and most studies to date have been small in scale and usually cross-sectional in design. Epidemiological studies highlight concerns over oral dryness, irritation, and gingival diseases. Interpreting data from e-cigarette studies is challenging, given the different populations that have been investigated and the continual emergence of new products. Overall, studies reveal potential oral health harms, underscoring the importance of efforts to reduce use in nonsmokers. However, in smokers who are using e-cigarettes as an aid to help them quit, the benefits of quitting tobacco smoking may outweigh any negative oral health impacts of e-cigarette use, particularly in the short term. Future research is needed to understand the clinical significance of some of the biological changes observed by following different cohorts of users longitudinally in carefully designed clinical studies and pragmatic trials supported by high-quality in vitro studies.

scholarly journals Extraction Techniques, Biological Activities and Health Benefits of Marine Algae Enteromorpha prolifera Polysaccharide

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teketay Wassie ◽  
Kaimin Niu ◽  
Chunyan Xie ◽  
Haihua Wang ◽  
Wu Xin
Keyword(s):  
Functional Food ◽  
Marine Algae ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Food Additives ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Sulfated Polysaccharides ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Extraction Techniques ◽  
Main Component

There is increasing interest in the use of marine algae as functional food additives for improving human health. Enteromorpha (Ulva) prolifera (E. prolifera) is a seaweed green alga (Chlorophyta) that contains many bioactive compounds, of which polysaccharide is the main component. With the advancement of technology in the methods of extraction and analysis, recent studies in in vitro and animals model showed that polysaccharides derived from E. prolifera exert various biological activities, such as gut microbiota modulation, immunomodulation, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and hypolipidemic. Research evidence has shown that methods of extraction and molecular modification, such as degradation, carboxymethylation, and sulfonation could alter the biological activities of polysaccharides. Therefore, in this review, we discussed the different extraction techniques, structural-activity relationship, and health benefits of sulfated polysaccharides derived from E. prolifera, and suggested future research avenues. This review helps to advance the extraction techniques and promote the application of marine algae polysaccharides as functional food and therapeutic agent.

scholarly journals Food additives and preschool children

2013 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danika M. Martyn ◽  
Breige A. McNulty ◽  
Anne P. Nugent ◽  
Michael J. Gibney
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Food Additives ◽  
Dietary Exposure ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Food Additive ◽  
Behavioural Effects ◽  
Experimental Approaches ◽  
Daily Intakes ◽  
Comprehensive Framework

Food additives have been used throughout history to perform specific functions in foods. A comprehensive framework of legislation is in place within Europe to control the use of additives in the food supply and ensure they pose no risk to human health. Further to this, exposure assessments are regularly carried out to monitor population intakes and verify that intakes are not above acceptable levels (acceptable daily intakes). Young children may have a higher dietary exposure to chemicals than adults due to a combination of rapid growth rates and distinct food intake patterns. For this reason, exposure assessments are particularly important in this age group. The paper will review the use of additives and exposure assessment methods and examine factors that affect dietary exposure by young children. One of the most widely investigated unfavourable health effects associated with food additive intake in preschool-aged children are suggested adverse behavioural effects. Research that has examined this relationship has reported a variety of responses, with many noting an increase in hyperactivity as reported by parents but not when assessed using objective examiners. This review has examined the experimental approaches used in such studies and suggests that efforts are needed to standardise objective methods of measuring behaviour in preschool children. Further to this, a more holistic approach to examining food additive intakes by preschool children is advisable, where overall exposure is considered rather than focusing solely on behavioural effects and possibly examining intakes of food additives other than food colours.

scholarly journals Clinical, Epidemiological and Experimental Approaches to Assess Adverse Health Outcomes of Indoor Biomass Smoke Exposure: Conclusions from An Indo-Swedish Workshop in Mysuru, January 2020

Toxics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Mahesh Padukudru Anand ◽  
Kjell Larsson ◽  
Gunnar Johanson ◽  
Harish C. Phuleria ◽  
P. Veeranna Ravindra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Dietary Exposure ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
In Vivo Models ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Biomass Smoke ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Adverse Health

This report summarizes the outcome of a workshop held in Mysuru, India in January 2020 addressing the adverse health effects of exposure to biomass smoke (BMS). The aim of the workshop was to identify uncertainties and gaps in knowledge and possible methods to address them in the Mysuru study on Determinants of Health in Rural Adults (MUDHRA) cohort. Specific aims were to discuss the possibility to improve and introduce new screening methods for exposure and effect, logistic limitations and other potential obstacles, and plausible strategies to overcome these in future studies. Field visits were included in the workshop prior to discussing these issues. The workshop concluded that multi-disciplinary approaches to perform: (a) indoor and personalized exposure assessment; (b) clinical and epidemiological field studies among children, adolescents, and adults; (c) controlled exposure experiments using physiologically relevant in vitro and in vivo models to understand molecular patho-mechanisms are warranted to dissect BMS-induced adverse health effects. It was perceived that assessment of dietary exposure (like phytochemical index) may serve as an important indicator for understanding potential protective mechanisms. Well trained field teams and close collaboration with the participating hospital were identified as the key requirements to successfully carry out the study objectives.

Use of Pharmacokinetic Data Under the FDA's Redbook II Guidelines for Direct Food Additives

1998 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
William L. Roth ◽  
John F. Young
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Toxicity ◽  
Food Additives ◽  
Kinetic Studies ◽  
Food Additive ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Data ◽  
Tissue Slices ◽  
Toxicity Studies ◽  
Guide Lines

Experience with food additive petitions submited after publication of the Food and Drug Administration's Redbook I (U. S. FDA, 1982) guide lines indicated a number of areas in which improvements were needed, and advances in toxicol-ogy testing during the last decade required additional rev is ions. In March 1993, the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) distributed copies of a draft of Redbook II for public comment. Since that time, revisions have been made based on comments received on the initial draft. This article describes the rationale for Redbook II guidance on the design of pharm acoki-netic studies and discusses some common problems the FDA has encountered in reviewing pharmacokine tic data submitted as part of food additive petitions. Points emphasized are that (1) pharmaco kinetic information is needed for the interpretation of toxicity studies and is most use ful when conducted before major toxicity studies, (2) the use of whole-body autoradiography is encouraged as a means to select tissues of interest, and as a substitute for dissection and tis-sue sampling, (3) kinetic and mechanistic studies conducted with blood compo-nents, tissue slices, hepatocytes, and othercell types in vitro ofien provide more useful information on the fate of chemicals in specific tissues than information extracted from whole-animal studies. The intention of th e new guide lines for pharmaco kinetic studies is to increase the information content of data gathered and to encourage the use of pharmaco kinetic models and results in the selection of doses for subchronic, chronic, and developmental toxicity studies.

scholarly journals Cinnamomum Species: Bridging Phytochemistry Knowledge, Pharmacological Properties and Toxicological Safety for Health Benefits

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javad Sharifi-Rad ◽  
Abhijit Dey ◽  
Niranjan Koirala ◽  
Shabnum Shaheen ◽  
Nasreddine El Omari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Food Additives ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Herbal Remedies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects ◽  
Long Time

The genus Cinnamomum includes a number of plant species largely used as food, food additives and spices for a long time. Different traditional healing systems have used these plants as herbal remedies to cure diverse ailments. The aim of this comprehensive and updated review is to summarize the biodiversity of the genus Cinnamomum, its bioactive compounds, the mechanisms that underlie the pharmacological activities and molecular targets and toxicological safety. All the data in this review have been collected from databases and recent scientific literature including Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect etc. The results showed that the bioactive compounds of Cinnamomum species possess antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and neuroprotective effects. The preclinical (in vitro/in vivo) studies provided the possible molecular mechanisms of these action. As a novelty, recent clinical studies and toxicological data described in this paper support and confirm the pharmacological importance of the genus Cinnamomum. In conclusion, the obtained results from preclinical studies and clinical trials, as well as reduced side effects provide insights into future research of new drugs based on extracts and bioactive compounds from Cinnamomum plants.

Promising Treatments for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Call for Additional Research

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (41) ◽  
pp. 5690-5697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorrin M. Koran ◽  
Elias Aboujaoude
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Acceptance Commitment Therapy ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure

Many patients with OCD respond partially or not at all to standard medications and cognitive behavioral therapy approaches, making alternate treatments necessary. We review the preliminary evidence that exists in support of the use of stimulants, high-dose caffeine, opiates, memantine, ondansetron, ketamine, and transcranial magnetic stimulation in some patients with OCD. Although limited by small or modest sample sizes, open-label study designs, and brief follow-up periods, studies suggest that each of these strategies can help some patients who have inadequately responded to first-line treatments. The existing data and the unmet needs of OCD patients justify research attention to further test these treatments’ safety and efficacy. Previously untested drugs also deserve attention, especially as recent research has suggested new possible contributors to OCD pathophysiology. Similarly, psychotherapeutic interventions beyond CBT should be investigated, and treatments with preliminary evidence in OCD, including Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Danger Ideation Reduction Therapy, and technology-enabled interventions like computerized CBT and Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy, should be carefully tested.

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