Deep-Water Japanese Blunthorn Lobster Palinustus waguensis Kubo, 1963: First Estimates of Life History Parameters From the Southwest Coast of India

Palinustus waguensis Kubo, 1963, is the deep-sea Japanese blunthorn lobster belonging to the Family Palinuridae. It is a species that has been rarely reported, living in rocky habitats on deep-reef slopes at a depth of 100–250 m. An estimated catch of 100 kg of P. waguensis consisting of 113 males, 54 females, and 23 berried lobsters were collected during the first fortnight of January 2019 from the multi-day shrimp trawls operating off Sakthikulangara, Kerala, India. The mean total length was recorded as 112.3 mm in males, 102.6 mm in females. The parameters of the length-weight relationship were estimated as, a = 0.041, b = 2.84 for males and a = 0.05, b = 2.86 for females, which were not significantly different (P > 0.05, r2 > 0.90) between the males and females. The relative condition factor (K) in the males and females of P. waguensis ranged from 2.07–4.96 and 1.87–3.86, respectively, attributing to the better feeding efficiency in males. Food and feeding analysis revealed the dietary content as fish (53 %), crab (23.5 %), shrimp (7.8 %), digested matter (11.6 %), and foraminifera (4 %). Feeding intensity analysis about the fullness of the stomach showed the specimens bearing full stomachs (11.3 %), three-fourth full (9.9 %). Length at 50 % maturity (Lm50) was 96.9 mm. Gonado-somatic index (GSI) ranged from 3.39 to 8.13. The present study forms the first report on the biology of the deep-water Japanese blunthorn lobster, P. waguensis from India.

Estimating the Cost of the Spanish Sustainable Food Basket through the Reference Budgets Approach

Reference budgets (RB) are illustrative priced baskets containing the minimum goods and services necessary for well-described types of families to have adequate social participation. Cross-country comparable food RB with the minimum cost were previously developed in 26 EU countries. However, sustainability was not considered. The aim of this paper is to present the development of healthy and sustainable food baskets for Spanish adults. This work follows the steps proposed in previous European projects to build RB: (1) revision of guidelines on healthy and sustainable eating and expert consultations, (2) translation into a concrete list of foods, (3) pricing. The results indicate that a sustainable diet can be cheaper than current recommendations when only the dietary content is considered, representing monthly savings of about EUR 7.27. This is mainly explained by the shift towards more plant-based proteins. Adding constraints on origin, packaging and seasonality increases the overall cost of the food basket by EUR 12.22/month compared with current recommendations. The Spanish Sustainable Food Reference Budget illustrates the cost of applying different criteria to improve dietary sustainability in the Spanish context, and can be useful to support the ecological transition, since providing different levels of adherence to a sustainable dietary pattern can ease its access across socioeconomic groups.

Amino Acid Composition of Amniotic Fluid during the Perinatal Period Reflects Mother’s Fat and Carbohydrate Intake

Dietary content during pregnancy is important because it is necessary for the growth of the fetus. With the assumption that the nutritional status of the fetus can be monitored by measuring amino acid concentrations in the amniotic fluid, we investigated whether the habitual dietary intake of pregnant women affected the composition of the amniotic fluid and the significance of performing amniotic fluid analysis. The subjects were 34 mothers who delivered full-term babies by cesarean section. Three biological samples were collected from the mothers: blood, cord blood, and amniotic fluid. At the same time, the mothers’ prenatal nutritional intake information was also recorded. When the amino acid contents of the samples were compared with the mothers’ nutrient intake, many amino acids in the amniotic fluid were positively correlated with lipid intake, but not with protein intake. There was a negative correlation between lipid intake and carbohydrate intake, and the amino acid contents of the amniotic fluid were also negatively correlated with carbohydrate intake. The results of this study were consistent with those found in animal models, suggesting that the analysis of amniotic fluid may be a useful method to investigate the effects of habitual diet during human pregnancy on the fetus.

Plant Carotenoids as Pigment Sources in Laying Hen Diets: Effect on Yolk Color, Carotenoid Content, Oxidative Stability and Sensory Properties of Eggs

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a supplementation diet for hens consisting of dried basil herb and flowers of calendula and dandelion for color, carotenoid content, iron-induced oxidative stability, and sensory properties of egg yolk compared with commercial pigment (control) and marigold flower. The plant parts were supplemented in diets at two levels: 1% and 3%. In response to dietary content, yolks from all diets differed in carotenoid profile (p < 0.001). The 3% supplementation level resulted in a similar total carotenoid content as the control (21.25 vs. 21.79 μg/g), but by 3-fold lower compared to the 3% marigold (66.95 μg/g). The tested plants did not achieve yolk color fan values as the control (13.47) or 3% marigold (11.47), and among them, calendula had the highest values (9.73). Despite the low carotenoid content in diets supplemented with basil herb, iron-induced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration was low as for marigold (on average 106.83 vs. 92.68 ng/g after 250 min). The treatments differed in sensory color scores for fresh and hard-boiled yolks and flavor while other sensory properties were similar. In conclusion, the supplementation of plants in a hen diet may result in yolks containing carotenoids and other compounds showing a high antioxidant effect.

Effect of sequentially fed high protein, hydrolysed protein, and high fibre diets on the faecal microbiota of healthy dogs: a cross-over study

BackgroundDietary content and environmental factors can shape the gut microbiota, and consequently, the way the gut microbiota metabolises fats, carbohydrates and proteins, affecting overall health of the host. We evaluated the impact of 3 diets (all meat, high insoluble fibre dry extruded diet and hydrolysed protein dry extruded diet) on the gut microbiota of healthy dogs in a cross-over sequential study. ResultsWe showed that diet can have a large effect on the gut microbiome in dogs, regardless of the order of feeding. High-protein (all meat) diets were characterised by an increase in bacteria belonging to the Fusobacteria and Bacteroidetes phyla, whereas a high-insoluble fibre commercial diet correlated with increases in Firmicutes and Actinobacteria phyla. However, the individual dog’s baseline microbiota had the most impact on the magnitude and nature of the changes in response to dietary intervention. Conclusion Our results suggest that the dog faecal microbiome is driven by protein and fibre composition, and targeted modification of these patterns could be useful in the modulation of the gut microbiota in different diseases.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods and non-communicable disease-related nutrient profile in Portuguese adults and elderly (2015–2016): the UPPER project

This study aims to investigate the dietary share of ultra-processed foods and its association with the non-communicable disease (NCD)-related nutrient profile of adult and elderly populations in Portugal. Cross-sectional data from the National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (2015–2016) of the Portuguese population were analysed. Dietary intake was assessed by two non-consecutive 24-h recalls, and food items were classified according to the NOVA system. We estimated the percentage of dietary energy provided by each of the NOVA food groups and assessed the NCD-related nutrient profile of the overall diet across quintiles of ultra-processed food consumption. Weighted t tests, besides crude and adjusted linear and Poisson regressions, were performed. Ultra-processed foods contributed to around 24 and 16 % of daily energy intake for adults and elderly, respectively. In both groups, as the consumption of ultra-processed foods increased, the dietary content of free sugars, total fats and saturated fats increased, while the dietary content of protein decreased. In adults, total energy intake, dietary energy density and content of carbohydrates also increased as the consumption of ultra-processed foods increased, while the dietary content of fibre, Na and K decreased. The prevalence of those exceeding the upper limits recommended for free sugars and saturated fats increased by 544 and 153 % in adults and 619 and 60 % in elderly, when comparing the lowest with the highest quintile of ultra-processed food consumption. Such a scenario demands for effective strategies addressing food processing in the Portuguese population to improve their diet quality and prevention against diet-related NCD.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods on free sugar intake of Portuguese infants: The Upper Project

Background The dietary share of ultra-processed foods (UPF) has been associated with low diet quality, including high content of free sugar, mainly in adults' populations. We aim to assess the influence of UPF consumption on free sugar intake of Portuguese infants. Methods Cross-sectional representative study including 573 infants (6-23 months old) who participated in the 2015-2016 National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. Dietary intake was collected by two non-consecutive food diaries (time interval 8-15 days). Food items were classified according food processing degree by the NOVA system. Total energy intake and percentage provided by each NOVA food groups as well as the free sugar content of the overall diet were assessed. Mean free sugar intake was evaluated across quintiles (Q) of UPF consumption by linear regression adjusted for socioeconomic covariates. Results Mean energy intake was 935 kcal/day, in which 49.1% was derived from unprocessed/minimally processed foods, 7.2% from processed culinary ingredients, 7.0% from processed foods and 36.6% from UPF. The mean dietary share of UPF ranged from 12.5% (Q1) to 65.5% (Q5) of total energy. Within UPF, infant formulas (19.3%), milk-based drinks (6.7%) and sweet snacks (4.8%) contributed the most to energy intake. Mean free sugar intake in the overall diet accounted for 8.1% of total energy intake, in which 92.5% came from UPF. As the UPF consumption increased, the dietary content of free sugar increased significantly (β = 0.77; p &lt; 0.001). Contribution of free sugar in total energy intake raised from 2.9% to 12.7%, representing an increment of 338% from the lower to the upper quintile of the dietary share of UPF. Conclusions Portuguese infants had an important intake of free sugar. Nearly all of this intake came from UPF, which calls for public health efforts to avoid UPF consumption by this population group. Funding FAPESP 2018/07391-9, 2019/05972-7 (MCR), 2016/14302-7 (FR); POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032090. Key messages Ultra-processed foods contributed with 36.6% of total energy intake and 92.5% of free sugar in the diets of Portuguese infants. As the ultra-processed foods consumption increased, the dietary content of free sugar increased significantly from 2.9% (Q1) to 12.7% (Q5), representing an increment of 338%.

Effectiveness and optimum level of protected methionine in fattening pig diets

Background: Methionine (Met) requirements have not been clearly established for fattening pigs due to their metabolic interrelationships and its bioavailability for protein synthesis. Objective: To determine the optimum level of regular crystalline or protected Met in pig diets from nursery to finishing. Methods: A total of 48 crossbred pigs (11.74±1.72 kg of initial body weight) were used. The treatments consisted of adding four levels (0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15% in addition to dietary content) and two types of Met (regular and protected) to pig diets. Results: Nursery, Finishing I, and II pigs fed protected Met increased daily feed intake (DFI; p≤0.10). Protected Met raised daily weight gain (DWG) in nursery pigs and increased backfat thickness (BT) in nursery and grower pigs (p≤0.10). In Finishing I pigs, protected Met increased DWG and improved carcass characteristics (p≤0.10). In nursery and grower pigs, an extra 0.15% Met decreased feed:gain ratio (FGR; p≤0.10). In grower and Finishing II pigs fed extra 0.05% Met improved DWG and extra 0.10% Met reduced plasma urea concentration (p≤0.10). Conclusions: Feeding protected Met in pig diets increases DWG, DFI and BT. Increasing 0.05-0.15% Met level improves FGR, DWG, potentially reducing nitrogen excretion to the environment.

Quantitative fluxomics of circulating metabolites

SUMMARYMammalian organs are nourished by nutrients carried by the blood circulation. These nutrients originate from diet and internal stores, and can undergo various interconversions before their eventual use as tissue fuel. Here we develop isotope tracing, mass spectrometry, and mathematical analysis methods to determine the direct sources of circulating nutrients, their interconversion rates, and eventual tissue-specific contributions to TCA cycle metabolism. Experiments with fifteen nutrient tracers enabled extensive accounting both for circulatory metabolic cycles and tissue TCA inputs, across fed and fasted mice on either high carbohydrate or ketogenic diet. We find that a majority of circulating carbon flux is carried by two major cycles: glucose-lactate and triglyceride-glycerol-fatty acid. Futile cycling through these pathways is prominent when dietary content of the associated nutrients is low, rendering internal metabolic activity robust to food choice. The presented in vivo flux quantification methods are broadly applicable to different physiological and disease states.