Robust dynamic experiments for the precise estimation of respiration and fermentation parameters of fruit and vegetables

Dynamic models based on non-linear differential equations are increasingly being used in many biological applications. Highly informative dynamic experiments are valuable for the identification of these dynamic models. The storage of fresh fruit and vegetables is one such application where dynamic experimentation is gaining momentum. In this paper, we construct optimal O2 and CO2 gas input profiles to estimate the respiration and fermentation kinetics of pear fruit. The optimal input profiles, however, depend on the true values of the respiration and fermentation parameters. Locally optimal design of input profiles, which uses a single initial guess for the parameters, is the traditional method to deal with this issue. This method, however, is very sensitive to the initial values selected for the model parameters. Therefore, we present a robust experimental design approach that can handle uncertainty on the model parameters.

Kripik Bayam di Campur dengan Gula Aren (Amaranthus Gengeticus Arenga Pinuata) Sebagai Alternatif Cemilan Bergizi pada Anak

ABSTRAKUsia 5-10 tahun merupakan usia pertumbuhan maksimal. Pada masa ini anak mengalami masa pertumbuhan dan perkembangan yang membutuhkan konsumsi pangan dengan gizi seimbang. Hasil Riset Kesehatan Dasar (Riskesdas) 2018 menunjukan bahwa Proporsi Konsumsi Buah/Sayur per Hari dalam Seminggu pada Penduduk Umur ≥ 5 Tahun ≥ 5 porsi di Propinsi NTT adalah 7,61 % dan secara spesifik pada Kabupaten Manggarai lebih renda yakni 4,49%. Hasil tersebut berbeda jauh dengan rekomendasi yang dikeluarkan oleh WHO, bahwa konsumsi buah dan sayur adalah 400 g (5 porsi) per hari untuk semua kelompok usia. Permasalahan utama yang dialami oleh anak-anak adalah kurangnya minat anak untuk mengkonmsumsi sayuran. Tujuan dari pembuatan Kripik bayam dicampur dengan gula aren (Amaranthus Gengeticus Arenga Pinuata), adalah menghasilkan inovasi cemilan yang berbahan dasar sayur bayam sebagai alternative pemenuhan gizi pada anak. Kegiatan ini sudah dilakukan di Kecamatan Wae Rii Kabupaten Manggarai, NTT pada bulan Juli 2021. Hasinya 90% anak mengatakan Kripik ini enak dikonsumsi dan menjadi alternative cemilan bergizi untuk mereka. Kata Kunci: Sayur, Kripik Bayam, Gula Aren ABSTRACTThe age of 5-10 years is the age of maximum growth. At this time children experience a period of growth and development that requires food consumption with balanced nutrition. The results of the 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) show that the proportion of fruit/vegetable consumption per day of the week in the population aged 5 years 5 portions in NTT Province is 7.61% and specifically in Manggarai Regency it is lower at 4.49%. These results differ greatly from the recommendations issued by WHO, that consumption of fruit and vegetables is 400 g (5 servings) per day for all age groups. The main problem experienced by children is their lack of interest in consuming vegetables. The purpose of making spinach chips mixed with palm sugar (Amaranthus Gengeticus Arenga Pinuata), is to produce an innovative snack made from spinach as an alternative for nutritional fulfillment in children. This activity was carried out in Wae Rii Subdistrict, Manggarai Regency, NTT in July 2021. As a result, 90% of children said these chips were delicious to eat and became an alternative nutritious snack for them. Keywords: Vegetables, Spinach Chips, Palm Sugar

Potential of urban green spaces for supporting horticultural production: a national scale analysis

As urban areas and land-use constraints grow, there is increasing interest in utilizing urban spaces for food production. Several studies have uncovered significant potential for urban growing to supplement production of fruit and vegetables, focusing on one or two cities as case studies, whilst others have assessed the global scale potential. Here, we provide a national-scale analysis of the horticultural production potential of urban green spaces, which is a relevant scale for agri-food and urban development policy making using Great Britain (GB) as a case study. Urban green spaces available for horticultural production across GB are identified and potential yields quantified based on three production options. The distribution of urban green spaces within 26 urban towns and cities across GB are then examined to understand the productive potential compared to their total extent and populations. Urban green spaces in GB, at their upper limit, have the capacity to support production that is 8x greater than current domestic production of fruit and vegetables. This amounts to 38% of current domestic production and imports combined, or >400% if exotic fruits and vegetables less suited to GB growing conditions are excluded. Most urban green spaces nationally are found to fall within a small number of categories, with private residential gardens and amenity spaces making up the majority of space. By examining towns and cities across GB in further detail, we find that the area of green space does not vary greatly between urban conurbations of different sizes, and all are found to have substantial potential to meet the dietary needs of the local urban population. This study highlights that national policies can be suitably developed to support urban agriculture and that making use of urban green spaces for food production could help to enhance the resilience of the national-scale food system to shocks in import pathways, or disruptions to domestic production and distribution.

Associations of Serum Folate and Holotranscobalamin with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Rural and Urban Cameroon

A low intake of fruit and vegetables and a high intake of meat are associated with higher cardiometabolic disease risk; however much prior research has relied on subjective methods for dietary assessment and focused on Western populations. We aimed to investigate the association of blood folate as an objective marker of fruit and vegetable intake and holotranscobalamin (holoTC) as a marker of animal-sourced food intake with cardiometabolic risk factors. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study on 578 adults (mean ± SD age = 38.2 ± 8.6 years; 64% women). The primary outcome was a continuous metabolic syndrome score. The median serum folate was 12.9 (IQR: 8.6–20.5) nmol/L and the mean holoTC was 75 (SD: 34.3) pmol/L. Rural residents demonstrated higher serum folate concentrations (15.9 (9.8–25.9) nmol/L) than urban residents (11.3 (7.9–15.8) nmol/L), but lower holoTC concentrations (rural: 69.8 (32.9) pmol/L; urban: 79.8 (34.9)) pmol/L, p < 0.001 for both comparisons. There was an inverse association between serum folate and metabolic syndrome score by −0.20 in the z-score (95% CI, −0.38 to −0.02) per 10.8 (1 SD) of folate) in a model adjusted for socio-demographic factors, smoking status, alcohol intake, BMI, and physical activity. HoloTC was positively associated with the metabolic syndrome score in unadjusted analysis (0.33 (95% CI, 0.10 to 0.56)) but became non-significant (0.17 (−0.05 to 0.39)) after adjusting for socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics. In conclusion, serum folate and holoTC were associated with the metabolic syndrome score in opposite directions. The positive association between serum holoTC and the metabolic syndrome score was partly dependent on sociodemographic characteristics. These findings suggest that, based on these biomarkers reflecting dietary intakes, public health approaches promoting a higher intake of fruit and vegetables may lower cardiometabolic risk factors in this population.

By-Products Revalorization with Non-Thermal Treatments to Enhance Phytochemical Compounds of Fruit and Vegetables Derived Products: A Review

The aim of this review is to provide comprehensive information about non-thermal technologies applied in fruit and vegetables (F&V) by-products to enhance their phytochemicals and to obtain pectin. Moreover, the potential use of such compounds for food supplementation will also be of particular interest as a relevant and sustainable strategy to increase functional properties. The thermal instability of bioactive compounds, which induces a reduction of the content, has led to research and development during recent decades of non-thermal innovative technologies to preserve such nutraceuticals. Therefore, ultrasounds, light stresses, enzyme assisted treatment, fermentation, electro-technologies and high pressure, among others, have been developed and improved. Scientific evidence of F&V by-products application in food, pharmacologic and cosmetic products, and packaging materials were also found. Among food applications, it could be mentioned as enriched minimally processed fruits, beverages and purees fortification, healthier and “clean label” bakery and confectionary products, intelligent food packaging, and edible coatings. Future investigations should be focused on the optimization of ‘green’ non-thermal and sustainable-technologies on the F&V by-products’ key compounds for the full-utilization of raw material in the food industry.

Nutritional and Antioxidant Value of Horticulturae Products

The recent growing interest towards the nutraceutical and antioxidant value of fruit and vegetables has arisen from their content of phytochemicals, which provide desirable health benefits, beyond basic nutrition, to reduce the risk of major chronic diseases [...]

Polish Adaptation of the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ): The Role of Eating Style in Explaining Food Intake—A Cross-Sectional Study

Knowledge of associations between emotional, external, and restrained eating with food choices is still limited due to the inconsistent results of the previous research. The aim of the study was to adopt the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) and then to examine the relationship between emotional, external, and restrained eating styles and dietary patterns distinguished on the basis of intake of fruit and vegetables (fresh and processed separately), fruit and/or vegetable unsweetened juices, sweets and salty snacks, and the adequacy of fruit and vegetable intake. The cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020, in a sample of 1000 Polish adults. The questionnaire consisted of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, questions on selected food groups intake, and metrics. DEBQ structure was tested using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA, CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM), while multi-group analysis was used to test measurement invariance. Logistic regression was applied to investigate the association between eating styles and dietary patterns, identified with the use of K-means cluster analysis. EFA, CFA and SEM revealed a three-factor, 29-item tool with satisfactory psychometric parameters. Restrained eating (ResEat) and external eating (ExtEat) were found to decrease chances of low intake of both favorable (fruit, vegetables, and unsweetened juices) and unfavorable (sweets and salty snacks) foods and increased the chances of their moderate intake. ResEat increased the probability of the high intake of favorable and moderate or high intake of unfavorable foods. ResEat and ExtEat were predisposed to adequate intake of fruit and vegetables while emotional eating had the opposite effect. Gender, education, and BMI were also found to determine food intake. Our results provide evidence that both eating styles and sociodemographic characteristics should be taken into account while explaining food intake as they may favor healthy and unhealthy eating in different ways.

Nutritional risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection: a prospective study within the NutriNet-Santé cohort

Background Nutritional factors are essential for the functioning of the immune system and could therefore play a role in COVID-19 but evidence is needed. Our objective was to study the associations between diet and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a large population-based sample. Methods Our analyses were conducted in the French prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort study (2009–2020). Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was assessed by ELISA on dried blood spots. Dietary intakes were derived from repeated 24 h dietary records (at least 6) in the two years preceding the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in France (February 2020). Multi-adjusted logistic regression models were computed. Results A total of 7766 adults (70.3% women, mean age: 60.3 years) were included, among which 311 were positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Dietary intakes of vitamin C (OR for 1 SD=0.86 (0.75–0.98), P=0.02), vitamin B9 (OR=0.84 (0.72–0.98), P=0.02), vitamin K (OR=0.86 (0.74–0.99), P=0.04), fibers (OR=0.84 (0.72–0.98), P=0.02), and fruit and vegetables (OR=0.85 (0.74–0.97), P=0.02) were associated to a decreased probability of SARS-CoV-2 infection while dietary intakes of calcium (OR=1.16 (1.01–1.35), P=0.04) and dairy products (OR=1.19 (1.06–1.33), P=0.002) associated to increased odds. No association was detected with other food groups or nutrients or with the overall diet quality. Conclusions Higher dietary intakes of fruit and vegetables and, consistently, of vitamin C, folate, vitamin K and fibers were associated with a lower susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Beyond its established role in the prevention of non-communicable diseases, diet could therefore also contribute to prevent some infectious diseases such as COVID-19.