Effect of modifiable risk factors in Parkinson’s disease: A case-control study looking at common dietary factors, toxicants, and anti-inflammatory medications

Objective To investigate how common modifiable exposures, including dietary factors, select toxicants, and anti-inflammatory medications, may affect Parkinson’s disease. Methods Using surveys, a case-control study was conducted at a medical center, comparing Parkinson’s disease patients ( N = 149) and healthy controls ( N = 105). Subjects reported exposure to red meats, vegetables, alcohol, tobacco, anti-inflammatory medications, and pesticides. The relationship between exposures and Parkinson’s disease diagnosis was analyzed by logistic regression to generate odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Results Consuming red meat “sometimes” or “always” was positively associated with Parkinson’s disease as compared to eating red meats “rarely” or “never”; (odds ratio = 2.15, 95% confidence interval = 1.06, 4.39; p = 0.03) and (odds ratio = 4.47, 95% confidence interval = 1.67, 11.94; p = 0.003), respectively. Exposure to pesticides showed a positive association with Parkinson’s disease (odds ratio = 2.84, 95% confidence interval = 1.34, 6.00; p = 0.007). “Always” use of aspirin was inversely associated with Parkinson’s disease (odds ratio = 0.32, 95% confidence interval = 0.14, 0.70; p = 0.004). “Ever” having used anti-histamines was inversely associated with Parkinson’s disease (odds ratio = 0.37, 95% confidence interval = 0.17, 0.81; p = 0.01). Discussion Our study suggests that there are modifiable external factors that are associated with Parkinson’s disease. The present study can thus assist clinicians, policy makers, and people living with Parkinson’s disease in improving the experience and management of Parkinson’s disease.

Cis/Trans-Fatty Acid Content of Red Meats and the Related Effects on Meat Quality and Human Health

Red meats are often criticized as unhealthy based on their perceived high-fat content and saturated fatty acid composition. Uncertainties about the fatty acid composition and trans-fatty acid contents may discourage consumers to eat red meat, especially those living with non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and obesity (e.g. the metabolic syndrome). Previous studies have investigated the factors that influence the fat content and fatty acid composition of red meats, including the effects of species, age, nutrition, sex, production systems and growth promotants in animals, but the trans-fatty acid content of red meat has not been well studied to date. The purpose of this chapter is to review the fat content and fatty acid composition of red meats, with specific reference to its cis/trans-fatty acid content. Representative samples of beef sirloin steaks (n = 60) and lamb loin chops (n = 80) (the lumbar part of the longissimus dorsi muscle) were collected from carcasses from several randomly selected abattoirs in the Gauteng region of South Africa for proximate and fatty acid analyses. Results from this study confirm that the intramuscular fat content of red meats is low compared to most fat-containing processed foods. The lean component of beef and lamb contain a trivial proportion of TFA’s, consisting of vaccenic acid, rumenic acid and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers. The CLA’s in red meat are beneficial due to their antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties, so they should not strictly be considered in the TFA definition. This means that the TFA’s in red meats are negligible and pose no harm to human health. Labelling of red meats should be improved to convey this information to consumers.

Dietary Patterns and Years Living in the US by Hispanic/Latino Heritage in HCHS/SOL

Objectives We aimed to identify and compare a posteriori heritage-specific dietary patterns (DPs), and evaluate their associations with “healthfulness” (using Alternative Healthy Eating Index, AHEI-2010) and years living in the US. Methods We used baseline data from a population-based cohort of 14,099 Hispanics/Latinos aged 18–74 years in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. We performed principal factor analysis using two 24-hr recalls to derive DPs, separately, in each heritage group (Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Central American, South American); and identified overarching DPs based on high-loading foods shared by two or more groups. We used multivariable linear regression to test associations of DPs with AHEI-2010 and years living in the US. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02060344. Results We identified 5 overarching DPs (“Burgers, Fries, & Soft Drinks”; “White Rice, Beans, & Red Meats”; “Fish”; “Egg & Cheese”; and “Alcohol”). While all “Burgers, Fries, & Soft Drinks” DPs were inversely associated with AHEI-2010, all Fish DPs (except Dominican) were positively associated with this index (all Ptrend < 0.001). Meanwhile, “White Rice, Beans, & Red Meats” DPs showed inverse associations in Cuban and Central American groups and positive associations in Mexican-origin individuals (all Ptrend < 0.001). Fewer years living in the US was associated with higher scores for “White Rice, Beans, & Red Meats” DPs in Cuban and Mexican heritage groups and lower scores on “Burgers, Fries, & Soft Drinks” DPs in Cuban, Mexican, and Puerto Rican groups (all Ptrend < 0.01). Conclusions Our findings show substantial variation in DPs across Hispanics/Latinos and adherence in DPs by time in the US, which could inform dietary interventions targeting this diverse US population. Funding Sources This research received support from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Global Cardiometabolic Disease Training Grant (1T32HL129969–01A1), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (K01DK107791), and from the Population Research Infrastructure Program (R24 HD050924) awarded to the Carolina Population Center at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

STUDY OF FOOD ADDITIVES COMPOSITION IN COMMERCIALLY PROCESSED BEEF PRODUCTS

Beef is one of the favorite red meats containing various essential nutrients. In the processed beef products, food additives are used for multiple purposes including preservation, moisture and texture re-tention, improvement of flavor and stability of color. The purpose of this study is to identify the food additives composition of halal and local-based commercially processed beef products based on the label of the products and the Indonesian regulations. There were 40 various commercially processed beef pro-ducts assessed in this study. The food additives that were observed were flavor enhancers, preservatives, stabilizers, antioxidants, acidity regulators, and colorants. The types of food additives used in beef sausage products were stabilizers (30.00%), preservatives (25.56%), flavor enhancers (15.56%), colorants (14.44%), antioxidants (13.33%) and acidity regulator (1.11%). In beef balls products there were stabilizers (50.00%), flavor enhancers (20.00%), preservatives (15.00%), antioxidants, acidity regulators and co-lorants (5.00% each). The additives in beef burgers products include stabilizers (29.73%), preservatives (24.32%), colorants (21.62%), flavor enhancers (13.51%), antioxidants and acidity regulators (5.41% each). Corned beef products contain preservatives (32.00%), flavor enhancers and antioxidants (24.00% each), and stabilizers (20.00%). Additionally, smoked beef products use preservatives (50.00%), stabilizers (37.50%) and antioxidants (12.50%). The only food additives used in beef floss products was flavor enhancer (100%). The study suggests that Government Regulations on food additives should be reconsidered. Although the additives are still allowed in Indonesian regulations at the present, food additives of which are included in the list of carcinogenic agents shall be limited or even avoided. Future research to find safer alternatives for those food additives is recommended.

Nutritional Composition of Game Meat from Wild Species Harvested in Europe

A discussion about the nutritional composition of game meat, with specific focus on wild species harvested in Central and Mediterranean European countries has been conducted. Given the wide range of species, and the climate and vegetation differences among the harvesting areas, game meat shows heterogeneous characteristics and chemical composition, the latter being also affected by sex, age, body condition, physiological and sexual status, and hunting period. However, there are similarities which make it clearly distinguishable from livestock meat. When considering the most consumed species (red and fallow deer, wild boar, hare and wild rabbit), their meat has low fat content (<3 g/100 g for large and <4 g/100 g for small wild game species), high protein content (20–26 g/100 g) and low energy content (90–113 kcal/100 g). Wild game meat has a healthier fatty-acids profile compared to other meats, showing a higher proportion of PUFA, especially n-3, and consequently more favorable PUFA/SAF ratio. Wild ruminants’ meat shows a favorable n-6/n-3 ratio (lower or close to 4). It has a high content of K, followed by P and micro-minerals such as Zn and Fe, together with B-group vitamins and vitamin E. Game meat from wild species harvested in Europe can diversify the market being an alternative to others red meats owing to its nutritional quality and organoleptic characteristics.

Towards refining WCRF/AICR cancer prevention recommendations for red and processed meat intake: Insights from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort

ABSTRACT Current cancer prevention recommendations advise limiting red meat intake to <500g/week and avoiding consumption of processed meat, but do not differentiate the source of processed meat. We examined the associations of processed meat derived from red vs. non-red meats with cancer risk in a prospective cohort of 26,218 adults who reported dietary intake using the Canadian Diet History Questionnaire. Incidence of cancer was obtained through data linkage with Alberta Cancer Registry with median (IQR) follow-up of 13.3 (5.1) years. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were adjusted for covariates and stratified by age and gender. The median (IQR) consumption (g/week) of red meat, processed meat from red meat and processed meat from non-red meat were 267.9 (269.9), 53.6 (83.3), and 11.9 (31.8), respectively. High intakes (4th Quartile) of processed meat from red meat was associated with increased risk of gastro-intestinal cancer Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR) (95% CI): 1.68 (1.09 – 2.57) and colorectal cancers AHR (95% CI): 1.90 (1.12 – 3.22), respectively in women. No statistically significant associations were observed for intakes of red meat or processed meat from non-red meat. Results suggests that the carcinogenic effect associated with processed meat intake may be limited to processed meat derived from red meats. The findings provide preliminary evidence toward refining cancer prevention recommendations for red and processed meat intake.

The first reported cases of meat allergy following tick bites in the UK

Allergic reactions frequently involve the production of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to proteins. However, reactions directed against carbohydrate moieties are increasingly being recognised. Tick bites can contribute to the development of immunoglobulin E to the galactose-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) moiety on tick salivary proteins. These IgE molecules can cross-react with alpha-gal found in red meats, causing Type I IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions to these foods. We present three cases of delayed reactions to beef, pork and lamb in patients with prior tick bites and in the presence of a positive-specific IgE to alpha-gal. Patients were advised to avoid red meat consumption and to carry emergency treatment in the form of anti-histamines with or without adrenaline autoinjector devices. This is the first published report of red meat allergy caused by tick bites suffered in the UK.

Vitamins and Minerals in Raw and Cooked Donkey Meat

Human health is deeply affected by nutrition. The most important nutritional property of a good diet, able to provide an adequate amount of nutrients, to fulfill growth and development requirements, permitting also health maintenance, is variety of foods. Meat can be included in several diets, particularly when they are based on a restricted choice of plant foods. The inclusion of meat and meat products, even in small amounts, can significantly improve many diets; in fact, meat and derived products are good sources of proteins, vitamins and mineral salts. Thermal processes used for cooking meats represent an important factor which affects the minerals and vitamins meat content. Loss of minerals and water-soluble vitamins in cooked meat may occur, depending on the cooking method used. Previous studies investigated on donkey meat nutritional properties, described interesting characteristics of this alternative red meat, rich in protein and in iron, and with low-fat content. This chapter describes the donkey meat chemical composition, showing a comparison with other traditional red meats. The effects of cooking methods on donkey meat vitamins and minerals content will be also evaluated.