Amino acid profile and scores of some selected traditional diets commonly consumed in northwest zone, Nigeria

Background and aims: Amino acids composition of local and regional dietary proteins determines the protein quality. The study was aimed at evaluating amino acid profiles of some selected traditional diets commonly consumed in Jigawa (JG), Kano (KN) and Katsina (KT) States, Northwest Zone-Nigeria. Methods: The selected prepared diets (four per state) include; JG Tuwon masara using white maize served with Kuka soup (JG TMW SWKS), JG Tuwon masara using yellow maize served with Kuka soup (JG TMY SWKS), JG Danwake served with groundnut oil and pepper (JG Danwake SWGOP), JG Moimoi, KN Tuwon masara using white maize served with Kuka soup (KN TMW SWKS), KN Tuwon masara using yellow maize served with Kuka soup (KN TMY SWKS), KN rice and beans served with groundnut oil and pepper (KN Rice and Beans SWGOP), KN Danwake served with groundnut oil and pepper (KN Danwake SWGOP), KT Tuwon masara using white maize served with Kuka soup (KT TMW SWKS), KT Tuwon masara using yellow maize served with Kuka soup (KT TMY SWKS), KT Danwake served with groundnut oil and pepper (KT Danwake SWGOP) and KT Dambu. The preparations were dried and grounded into powdered form and analyzed using standard methods. Results: The amino acid profile of the diets consumed in the three states show higher content of total non-essential amino acids (NEAA) compared with essential amino acids (EAA). The amino acid score of the prepared diets though higher than the standard amino acid score by WHO/FAO/UNU (2007), may support the normal growth of all age groups except lysine. The limiting amino acid score was found to be either lysine or SAA (cysteine + methionine) in all the 3 states’ diets. Histidine was found to have the highest score in all the diets except in JG Moimoi and KN Danwake served with groundnut oil and pepper (SWGOP) respectively. The low levels of lysine and SAA in some of the diets may be due to low contents of these amino acids in the ingredients used. Conclusion: This study showed that, the amino acid score of the prepared diets though higher than the standard amino acid score established by WHO/FAO/UNU may support the normal growth of infants, children as well as adults except lysine. Keywords: traditional diets, amino acids, amino acid profile, amino acid score.

An Assessment of Starch Composition and Gelatinization in Traditional and Non-traditional Dog Food Formulations

Gelatinization of starch content in pet foods can be impacted by several factors including moisture, retention time, and ingredients used. Starch gelatinization has been associated with digestibility but isn’t well studied using ingredients common in non-traditional canine diets. The objective of this research was to examine the impacts of dietary ingredient profile (traditional vs non-traditional) and assess impacts to total starch content and starch gelatinization. Traditional diets (n = 10) utilizing meat-based ingredients including chicken, chicken by-product meal, meat and bone meal and plant-based ingredients including rice, barley, oats, and corn were examined in comparison with non-traditional diets (n = 10) utilizing meat-based ingredients including alligator, buffalo, venison, kangaroo, squid, quail, rabbit, rabbit and salmon along with plant-based ingredients including tapioca, peas, chickpeas, lentils, potato, and pumpkin. Representative samples were collected via grab sample technique (5 samples/diet) and were assessed for total starch content as well as percent starch gelatinization. Difference between ingredient type was assessed using a Students t-test in SAS 9.4. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Distribution of total starch content based on ingredient type (traditional vs non-traditional) revealed that mean total starch content was higher in traditional diets as compared to non-traditional diets (P <0.0001). Conversely, starch gelatinization was found to be higher in non-traditional diets (P < 0.0001). Total starch content and total gelatinized starch had a strong negative correlation (P < 0.01) in traditional diets, though no correlation was observed in non-traditional diets. This negative correlation indicates a decrease in total gelatinized starch associated with increased total starch content. These novel data reveal important differences between starch content and gelatinization and could impact manufacturing processes for ingredient types as well as feeding recommendations. Unpredicted variation between ingredient formulations could potentially lead to decreased digestibility and absorption and may result in nutrient deficiencies.

Unravelling the Effect of Provitamin A Enrichment on Agronomic Performance of Tropical Maize Hybrids

Maize is consumed in different traditional diets as a source of macro- and micro-nutrients across Africa. Significant investment has thus been made to develop maize with high provitamin A content to complement other interventions for alleviating vitamin A deficiencies. The current breeding focus on increasing β-carotene levels to develop biofortified maize may affect the synthesis of other beneficial carotenoids. The changes in carotenoid profiles, which are commonly affected by environmental factors, may also lead to a trade-off with agronomic performance. The present study was therefore conducted to evaluate provitamin A biofortified maize hybrids across diverse field environments. The results showed that the difference in accumulating provitamin A and other beneficial carotenoids across variable growing environments was mainly regulated by the genetic backgrounds of the hybrids. Many hybrids, accumulating more than 10 µg/g of provitamin A, produced higher grain yields (>3600 kg/ha) than the orange commercial maize hybrid (3051 kg/ha). These hybrids were also competitive, compared to the orange commercial maize hybrid, in accumulating lutein and zeaxanthins. Our study showed that breeding for enhanced provitamin A content had no adverse effect on grain yield in the biofortified hybrids evaluated in the regional trials. Furthermore, the results highlighted the possibility of developing broadly adapted hybrids containing high levels of beneficial carotenoids for commercialization in areas with variable maize growing conditions in Africa.

Feeding history affects the crabseed quality and subsequent culture performance of juvenile Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853 (Brachyura, Varunidae)

A 6-month feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the hepatopancreas colour, proximate composition, antioxidant capacity, pathogen resistance and growth performance of juvenile Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853 fed either formulated diets (FD), traditional diets (TD) or a mixture feeding of traditional diets and frozen trash fish (TF). The results showed that: (1) The hepatopancreas redness (a*) in the FD treatment was significantly higher than that in the other two treatments (). (2) The significantly higher activities of alkaline phosphatase (AKP), acid phosphatase (ACP) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were observed in the hepatopancreas in the FD treatment, while a significantly higher content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was observed in the haemolymph in the TF treatment (). (3) FD and TD treatment, respectively, had the lowest and the highest mortality after challenging with Aeromonas hydrophila. (4) Females in the FD treatment had a significantly shorter intermoult period in the indoor culture experiment (), no significant difference was observed in weight gain rate, specific growth rate, or survival. In conclusion, formulated diets could enhance the crabseed quality of E. sinensis compared to traditional diets or trash fish.

IMPACT OF CURRENTLY ADOPTED NUTRITIONAL TRENDS ON SUDANESE HEALTH

Food items reflect the culture and tradition of any nation and respond to national and global demographic, social and economic changes. Sudanese as old African nation has rich and distinct nutritional heritage represent the traditional Sudanese diets which able to serve the nutritional requirement of linear growth of body and the brain for centuries. The present century has witnessed unprecedented globalization in term of mobilization of individuals and commodities with dramatic cultural changes. As direct result of such events, as elsewhere, western style of energy dense refined food items replaced the centuries’ long traditional nutrients and fibers dense diets. The aim of this article is to evaluate effects of shifting from traditional diets to the modern adopted food items on Sudanese health, as there are increasing discrepancy of neonatal physical parameters and rising incidence of obesity and non-communicable diseases. The study concluded that increasing urbanization and shifting from the traditional diets has grave consequences on human health in Sudan, with increasing incidence of low birth weight, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension as detail in the main text of this article.

Comparison of the Consumption of N-3 and N-6 Acids by Adults Following a Vegetarian and Traditional Diet

The aim of this study was to compare the consumption of n-3 and n-6 acids by adults using a vegetarian and traditional diet. The study was conducted on a group of 170 adults (18–50 years old), including 94 respondents following a traditional diet (56 women and 38 men) and 76 people following a vegetarian diet (52 women and 24 men). The research used the method of a 24-h interview conducted four days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday). The record included the quantity and quality of individual meals and drinks. The study showed that people consuming traditional diets fulfilled the demand for the fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to a significantly higher degree than people following a vegetarian diet. Men preferring the traditional diet fulfilled the daily requirement for DHA and EPA acids significantly better than women. A reverse tendency was found among respondents who consumed a vegetarian diet. The supply of linolenic acid (LA) in the vegetarian diet exceeded the recommended daily amount (especially among men), whereas with the traditional diet it was too low in relation to the recommended values.

Perspective: US Adult Magnesium Requirements Need Updating: Impacts of Rising Body Weights and Data-Derived Variance

ABSTRACT Adequate magnesium intakes are associated with lower diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk but are low in modern diets. Magnesium DRIs, estimated using standard reference body weights (SRBWs) lower than current mean US adult body weights (BWs), need revision. Magnesium DRIs assume variance at 10% CV, whereas balance study data suggests 20–30% CV. Here, estimated average requirements (EARs), the DRI measure estimating average magnesium requirements for healthy adults, were corrected using 2011–2014 mean US adult BWs. Magnesium EARs (in mg magnesium/d) increased 17% for men (330–350 to 386–409) and 25% for women (255–265 to 319–332). RDAs, the DRI measure meant to cover the magnesium needs of 98% of healthy adults, were calculated using BW-corrected EARs given 3 CV levels: 1) 10% (assumed in 1997 DRIs), 2) 20% (model-derived variance from USDA magnesium studies), and 3) 30% (using USDA plus older human magnesium balance data). BW-corrected magnesium RDAs (in mg magnesium/d) rose from 400–420 and 310–320 for men and women, respectively, to 1) 463–491 and 383–398 (16.5% and 23.5% increases), 2) 540–573 and 447–465 (35.5% and 44.5% increases), and 3) 617–654 and 511–531 (55% and 65.5% increases). These recalculations move magnesium intakes estimated to prevent disease into ranges found in traditional diets and to intake levels shown to lower hypertension, diabetes, and CVD risk. In conclusion, mean BW rises over the last ≥20 y and data-driven estimates of CV indicate that reliable US adult magnesium RDAs are ≥60–235 and 70–210 mg magnesium/d higher for men and women, respectively, than the current 1997 RDAs. US adult BMIs are <25 kg/m2 when calculated with SRBWs but >25 with actual mean BWs. Adjustments for rising BW are necessary for magnesium DRIs to remain useful tools for defining magnesium intake adequacy/deficiency.

85 Impacts of dietary profile on starch content and gelatinization in canine diets

Starch gelatinization of pet foods can be impacted by several factors, including moisture, retention time, and ingredients used. Starch gelatinization has been associated with effects on digestibility, but isn’t well studied in non-traditional canine diets. The objective of this research was to examine the impacts of dietary ingredient profile (traditional vs. non-traditional) and assess impacts to total starch content and starch gelatinization. Traditional diets (n = 10) utilizing meat-based ingredients including chicken, chicken byproduct meal, meat and bone meal and plant-based ingredients including rice, barley, oats, and corn were examined in comparison with non-traditional diets (n = 10) utilizing meat-based ingredients including alligator, buffalo, venison, kangaroo, squid, quail, rabbit, rabbit and salmon along with plant-based ingredients including tapioca, peas, chickpeas, lentils, potato, and pumpkin. Representative samples were collected via grab sample technique (5 samples/diet) and were assessed for total starch content as well as percent starch gelatinization. Variation between both diet types were assessed with a nonlinear regression using SAS 9.4. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Distribution of total starch content based on ingredient type (traditional vs non-traditional) reveal that mean total starch content is 15% higher in traditional diets as compared to non-traditional diets (P < 0.0001). Conversely, percent starch gelatinization was found to be 10% higher in non-traditional diets (P < 0.0001). Total starch content and percent gelatinization had a highly significant non-linear relationship (P < 0.0001). These novel data reveal important differences between starch content and gelatinization and could impact manufacturing processes for ingredient types as well as feeding recommendations.