Eating Fermented: Health Benefits of LAB-Fermented Foods

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are involved in producing a considerable number of fermented products consumed worldwide. Many of those LAB fermented foods are recognized as beneficial for human health due to probiotic LAB or their metabolites produced during food fermentation or after food digestion. In this review, we aim to gather and discuss available information on the health-related effects of LAB-fermented foods. In particular, we focused on the most widely consumed LAB-fermented foods such as yoghurt, kefir, cheese, and plant-based products such as sauerkrauts and kimchi.

Ghrelin Immunoreactive Cell Amounts in the Abomasum in 4-Month-Old Calves by Feeding Different Amounts of Prebiotics and New Synbiotics

The study aim was to determine prebiotic (inulin) and new synbiotic (inulin and Enterococcus faecium) varied dosage effects, during food breakdown-abomasum immunoreactive (IR) cell amount and cold carcass weight. Ghrelin is synthesized in the fundus region of the stomach. In the gastrointestinal system, ghrelin affects multiple functions, including secretion of gastric acid, gastric motility, and pancreatic protein output. The study consisted of 49 Holstein male calves (23 ± 5 days old, 50 ± 5 kg). Control and experimental groups were differentiated only with the additive amount added to the morning food source. Three prebiotic groups were fed Jerusalem artichoke flour (inulin content increased by 50%) in three amounts: 6 g (lowest) PreG6, 12 g (medium) PreG12, and 24 g (highest) PreG24. Three synbiotic groups were added 0.25 g of prebiotic Enterococcus faecium (2 ∗ 109 CFU/g) to the respective prebiotic, obtaining a new synbiotic (SynG6, SynG12, and SynG24). Calves were slaughtered after 56 days to obtain abomasum samples for ghrelin IR cell examination, and carcass weight was determined. It shows that ghrelin IR cell count in the abomasum was ( p < 0.05 ) reduced in 6g and 12g inulin dosage, but carcass weight was significantly ( p < 0.05 ) higher for PreG12 and PreG24 ( p < 0.05 ) and then for CoG (CoG 42.6 kg; PreG12 51.4 kg; and PreG24 54.0 kg) and ( p < 0.05 ) for SynG12 and SynG24 (SynG12 52.3 kg and SynG24 49.6 kg), which indicates longer satiety and more wholesome breakdown of the food uptake. It was concluded that ghrelin IR cells in 12-week-old calves are more abundant in the fundus region. Medium- and high-dosage prebiotic inulin feeding to the calves improves overall food digestion, allowing for longer satiety and higher cold carcass weight without increasing food amount. Adding synbiotic 0.25 g Enterococcus faecium (2 ∗ 109 CFU/g (Protexin, UK)) to inulin (produced in Latvia LTD „Herbe”) does not improve the results of this prebiotic.

Through the Open Window: How Does the Brain Talk to the Body?

The brain controls the activities of the body, including food digestion, drinking, sleep cycles, temperature, blood pressure, and more. These functions are essential to keep the body in homeostasis, which is the state of being steady and balanced. To control homeostasis, the brain talks to the body with the help of chemical messengers called hormones. Hormones travel through the blood stream from the brain to the body and back. However, in order to protect the delicate brain cells from unwanted intrusions, the blood vessels of the brain are tightly sealed, preventing the passage of most molecules. How, then, does the brain bypass this barrier to communicate with the body? The answer is that, in certain parts of the brain, the blood vessels contain special window-like openings that allow passage of hormones. Scientists are investigating why and how some blood vessels open their windows while others remain sealed.

The medical mind of Ibn Kholdoun in Al Mogademah (The Prefacet)

The title of this research paper is “Ibn Khaldoun’s Medical Mind. This paper discusses two general concepts related to medicine , the concept of delivery and medicine in general. Ibn Kaldoun discusses the nature of science as viewed by Ibn Khaldoun, the anatomy and physiology of digestive system and its accessories , the liver,ducts m secreation, diagestive gland as well as food digestion and absorption, delivery process and some issues related to the delivery and dilevery process as well as the role of the Midwife. Ibn Khaldoun defined the "Medicine"and medical profession and delivery . He also discussed some other concepts as disease, and the causes of illness. Ibn Khaldoun stressed the importance of exercise, diet and environmental factors on healthy living.Ibn Khaldoun functioned these factors in treatment of diseases.

Impact of the Simulated Gastric Digestion Methodology on the In Vitro Intestinal Proteolysis and Lipolysis of Emulsion Gels

The aim of this work was to study the impact of the methodology of in vitro gastric digestion (i.e., in terms of motility exerted and presence of gastric emptying) and gel structure on the degree of intestinal proteolysis and lipolysis of emulsion gels stabilized by whey protein isolate. Emulsions were prepared at pH 4.0 and 7.0 using two homogenization pressures (500 and 1000 bar) and then the emulsions were gelled by heat treatment. These gels were characterized in terms of texture analysis, and then were subjected to one of the following gastric digestion methods: in vitro mechanical gastric system (IMGS) or in vitro gastric digestion in a stirred beaker (SBg). After gastric digestion, the samples were subjected to in vitro intestinal digestion in a stirred beaker (SBi). Hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness were significantly higher in gels at pH 7.0. The degree of proteolysis was higher in samples digested by IMGS–SBi (7–21%) than SBg–SBi (3–5%), regardless of the gel’s pH. For SBg–SBi, the degree of proteolysis was not affected by pH, but when operating the IMGS, higher hydrolysis values were obtained for gels at pH 7.0 (15–21%) than pH 4.0 (7–13%). Additionally, the percentage of free fatty acids (%FFA) released was reduced by 47.9% in samples digested in the IMGS–SBi. For the methodology SBg–SBi, the %FFA was not affected by the pH, but in the IMGS, higher values were obtained for gels at pH 4.0 (28–30%) than pH 7.0 (15–19%). Our findings demonstrate the importance of choosing representative methods to simulate food digestion in the human gastrointestinal tract and their subsequent impact on nutrient bioaccessibility.

Advanced Research in Food Digestion

Food digestion is the key process for delivering nutrients and bioactive compounds to the body [...]

Physiologically Based Modeling of Food Digestion and Intestinal Microbiota: State of the Art and Future Challenges. An INFOGEST Review

This review focuses on modeling methodologies of the gastrointestinal tract during digestion that have adopted a systems-view approach and, more particularly, on physiologically based compartmental models of food digestion and host–diet–microbiota interactions. This type of modeling appears very promising for integrating the complex stream of mechanisms that must be considered and retrieving a full picture of the digestion process from mouth to colon. We may expect these approaches to become more and more accurate in the future and to serve as a useful means of understanding the physicochemical processes occurring in the gastrointestinal tract, interpreting postprandial in vivo data, making relevant predictions, and designing healthier foods. This review intends to provide a scientific and historical background of this field of research, before discussing the future challenges and potential benefits of the establishment of such a model to study and predict food digestion and absorption in humans. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Food Science and Technology, Volume 12 is March 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.