Lupins and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Literature Review

Lupins have a unique nutrient profile among legumes and may have beneficial health effects when included in the diet. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the effects of lupin on a range of health outcome measures. Databases included MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL, and focused on controlled intervention studies on healthy adults and those with chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and overweight. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol was followed. Investigated intervention diets utilised whole lupin, lupin protein or lupin fibre, and outcomes were measured by markers of chronic disease, body weight and satiety. Quality assessment of results was performed using the Cochrane revised risk of bias tool. Overall, 21 studies with 998 participants were included: 12 using whole lupin, four used lupin protein and five lupin fibre. Beneficial changes were observed in 71% of studies that measured blood pressure, 83% measuring satiety and 64% measuring serum lipids. Unintended weight loss occurred in 25% of studies. Whole lupin demonstrated more consistent beneficial effects for satiety, glycaemic control and blood pressure than lupin protein or lupin fibre. Heterogeneity, low study numbers and a small participant base indicated further studies are required to strengthen current evidence particularly regarding the protein and dietary fibre components of lupin.

An analysis of food and beverage advertising on bus shelters in a deprived area of Northern England

Objective: To quantify the extent of food and beverage advertising on bus shelters in a deprived area of the UK, to identify the healthfulness of advertised products, and any differences by level of deprivation. The study also sought to assess the creative strategies used and extent of appeal to young people. Design: Images of bus shelter advertisements were collected via in person photography (in 2019) and Google Street View (photos recorded in 2018). Food and beverage advertisements were grouped into one of seventeen food categories and classified as healthy/less healthy using the UK Nutrient Profile Model. The deprivation level of the advertisement location was identified using the UK Index of Multiple Deprivation. Setting: Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland in South Teesside. Participants: N/A Results: 832 advertisements were identified, almost half (48.9%) of which were for foods or beverages. Of food and non-alcoholic beverage adverts, 35.1% were less healthy. Most food advertisements (98.9%) used at least one of the persuasive creative strategies. Food advertisements were found to be of appeal to children under 18 years (71.9%). No differences in healthiness of advertised foods were found by level of deprivation. Conclusions: Food advertising is extensive on bus shelters in parts of the UK, and a substantial proportion of this advertising is classified as less healthy and would not be permitted to be advertised around television programming for children. Bus shelter advertising should be considered part of the UK policy deliberations around restricting less healthy food marketing exposure.

Camel Colostrum Composition, Nutritional Value, and Nutraceuticals

Colostrum is an important source of nutrients and immune factors for the newborn. The nutrient profile and immunological composition of colostrum vary from species to species. The composition and characteristics of the colostrum of human, cows, and goats have been the subject of several studies. The study of the characteristics of camel colostrum is more recent. In this chapter, the current understanding of the composition of camel colostrum (i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, oligosaccharides, fats, vitamins, and minerals) is reviewed. A complete comparison with other animal colostrum in whole composition and nutritional value of camel colostrum will be investigated in the current chapter. Consequently, the aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the vast research, underlining the significance of camel colostrum in feeding of human beings and to predict the potential possible role of camel colostrum that can play in the functional products market in the future.

Starch and Protein Hydrolysis in Cooked Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) during Static and Dynamic In Vitro Oral and Gastric Digestion

Quinoa is a pseudocereal that has a favorable nutrient profile and may be a beneficial addition to the diet. To evaluate potential health-promoting properties of foods, it is important to...

A Network-based Analysis of Ingredients Lists in Nutrient Profile Systems

It is well-established that diseases can be prevented or mitigated through dietary intervention, yet proper nutrition is one aspect consumers struggle to manage. Recent studies have shown that there are barriers to understanding the nutrition facts component of a food label which can be linked to dietary choices. In this work, we demonstrate reproducibility and replicability of a network-based method for automating the analysis of ingredients on a food product label en masse using the Open Food Facts Database and the USDA FoodData Central Branded Foods database in February 2020. Our results, which analyze the co-occurrence of 72,754 ingredients across show some consensus in labeling across FALCPA-regulated ingredients in food product labels across databases but highlight potential areas for discrepancy in consumer understanding and labeling practices for terms not subject to strict regulations. The key findings or contributions of this work include the provision of a reproducible method for quantifying the ingredients of packaged food in the United States across two nutritional profiling systems, and have identified 17 total ingredients that appear in the top 20 most co-occurring ingredients for both databases examined. We compare how of 8 FALCPA-regulated ingredients are represented in ingredients lists versus a common, but non-FALCPA regulated ingredient (corn), to demonstrate how one could examine differences between ingredient labeling between products. These findings suggest more research is needed in developing information systems to increase information available for consumers.

Nutritional Quality and Degree of Processing of Children’s Foods Assessment on the French Market

Food packaging marketing techniques which appeal to children (such as cartoon characters and brand mascots) affect children’s choices, preferences, and eating habits. Several studies have assessed the nutritional quality of food intended to children in various countries and concluded that most were high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) and ultra-processed foods. The aim of this study is to analyse products intended for children over the age of 3 (foods and beverages with relevant marketing elements on the packaging) available on the French market as regards: (1) nutritional quality, based on the Nutri-Score labelling system, (2) compliance with expected nutritional profile suitable for children, according to the criteria of the WHO Europe Nutrient Profile Model, and (3) degree of processing, as defined by the NOVA classification, from packaging collected in 20 stores (hyper/supermarkets, hard-discount retail chains, and organic food stores). The marketing strategies most often used on children’s products are cartoons (97.22%; n = 1120) and mascots (77.78%; n = 896). A total of 1155 products were included in the study, most of which were sugary foods: almost a quarter of the products in the sample (23.81%; n = 275) list a sweetener as the first ingredient, and most of them (89.52%; n = 1034) contain free sugars according to the WHO definition. All the products included in our study feature marketing elements targeting on the packaging, yet 94.88% do not meet the criteria of the WHO Europe Nutrient Profile Model. Most (58.68%; n = 676) belong to Nutri-Score groups D and E, with the highest proportion in group D (39.32%; n = 453) and are ultra-processed (87.97%; n = 1016), especially through the use of flavourings and ultra-processed sugars. Using the Nutri-Score, the WHO Europe Nutrient Profile Model, and the NOVA classification, this study suggests that a significant share of pre-packaged foods marketed to children do not have an adequate nutritional profile. As such, measures are needed to regulate what marketing elements aimed at children can be included on packaging, based on these criteria.

Nutritional Quality of Plant-Based Meat Products Available in the UK: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Plant-based meat (PBM) has been gaining popularity due to increasing concerns over health, animal welfare, and environmental issues linked to animal foods. This study aimed to compare the nutrient profile of PBM with equivalent meat products. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 207 PBM and 226 meat products available from 14 retailers in the UK. We extracted data on energy density, total and saturated fat, protein, fiber, and salt per 100 g from product packaging and calculated the nutrient profile of each product. Compared to meat, PBM had significantly lower energy density, total fat, saturated fat, protein, and significantly higher fiber. Salt content was significantly higher in five out of six PBM categories. Based on the UK’s Nutrient Profiling Model, 14% of PBM and 40% of meat products were classified as “less healthy” (p < 0.001). When considering the UK’s front-of-pack labelling criteria 20% of the PBM and 46% of meat products were considered high in either total fat, saturated fat, or salt (p < 0.001). Nearly three quarters of PBM products did not meet the current UK salt targets. PBM products have a better nutrient profile compared to meat equivalents. However, more progress is needed to reduce salt in these products.