In-Vitro protein digestibility, physico-chemical properties and nutritional quality of sorghum-green gram cookies supplemented with mango powder

Ready to Eat (RTE) sorghum cookies were prepared by incorporating green gram flour at 10%, 20%, 30%, dried mango powder at 10% and evaluated for their physico-chemical and nutritional properties. Protein, fat, fiber and ash increased with increase in green gram flour substitution as carbohydrate content decreased significantly. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) in protein content were seen in cookies ranging from 9.52% to 13.60%. Fiber increased significantly from 9.40% to 10.90%. In vitro protein digestibility ranged from 67.75 ± 0.01% to 90.05 ± 0.10 %. Vitamins analysed increased with addition of green gram flour. Thiamine content ranged from 0.22±0.02 to 0.61±0.02 mg/100g, riboflavin from 0.09±0.00 to 1.39±0.04 mg/100g and ascorbic acid from 13.87±0.79 to 19.31±0.94 mg/100g. Value addition of under-utilized crops like sorghum and green grams can play a vital role in development of high nutritional quality RTE products.

Nutritional Profile of Patients with Acquired Immunodefience Syndrome

Objective: To evaluate the nutritional status of patients living with the human immunodeficiency virus and making use of antiretroviral medication. Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional analytical study that was conducted from May to July 2018. The nutritional status was determined through the evaluation of anthropometric data. The anthropometric measurements collected were: body mass index, brachial circumference, triceps skin fold and waist circumference. Results: We evaluated 120 patients in regular use of antiretroviral therapy. According to the body mass index, most individuals (41.2%) presented eutrophy, followed by overweight (35.7%). Regarding waist circumference, about 30% of patients presented a much increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. It was also observed that 47.5% of the patients presented eutrophy through the arm circumference parameter. Regarding the anthropometric parameter, triceps skin fold, it was observed that 29.9% of the patients presented severe malnutrition, followed by obesity (24.2%). Conclusion: It is known that even individuals undergoing antiretroviral therapy, aiming at slowing the progression of the disease, may present a possible involuntary weight loss during treatment. When related, the parameters of arm circumference, triceps skin fold, and waist circumference characterize the clinical signs of lipodystrophic syndrome, defined as abnormal redistribution of body fat. It is concluded that constant nutritional monitoring of patients in regular use of antiretroviral therapy drugs is necessary in order to prevent possible complications in the nutritional status of patients living with the human immunodeficiency virus.

Astaxanthin: The possible effects of this carotenoid on disease, inflammation and aging control. A meta-analysis

Astaxanthin (ATX), a red pigment that belongs to the xanthophyll subclass of carotenoids, has a strong antioxidant ability and can eliminate singlet oxygen (O2-) as well as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lipid peroxidation. ATX can also prevent mitochondrial dysfunction by permeating and co-localizing within the mitochondria and inhibit the release of cytochrome c resulting from mitochondrial permeabilization and, thus, prevent mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic cell death. Due to its antioxidant capacity and modulating properties of cell signaling, ATX exhibits a variety of beneficial biological activities among them protection against UV damage, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity, metabolic syndrome (MS) relief, cardioprotective effects, antidiabetic activity, prevention of neuronal damage, anti-aging and anticancer activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate what has been published about ATX in PubMed/Medline between 2020-2021. The results were distributed in four Tables as follows: Table 1-Publication types; Table 2- Proposal for evaluating the article in vivo; Table 3- Cells markers used in clinical studies in vivo; Table 4- Astaxanthin in human clinical trial. We could observe that the interest of the scientific community has been growing in relation to the benefits of ATX. The results presented in the articles evaluated in this meta-analysis showed us that AXT is already a reality as an option in treatments for various diseases, including glaucoma, heart and vascular injury, type 2 diabetes and fatty liver. We conclude that ATX may not only be a promising nutraceutical as an ally to alternative treatments of the pathologies mentioned above, but also as a powerful prophylactic in elderly individuals in prevention of diseases associated with aging.

New Technologies for Ultrasonic Food Preservation

Objective: To review the literature on new techniques of food conservation, focusing on the use of ultrasound. Material and methods: Bibliographic survey through digital platforms such as Scielo and Pubmed between 2018-2019. Results: Ultrasound is an innovative technology with great possibilities of use on an industrial scale. The main techniques used are: 1. cooking: uniform heat transfer, increasing the quality in characteristics such as taste, color and texture, preserving properties such as essential proteins being more effective than the frying pan; 2. cutting, widely used – cavitation will generate less losses and give precise cuts than the razor ; 3. The freezing/crystallization – the temperature decreases quickly having less ice crystals and reducing the time it would take if it was a freezing process; and finally 4, the emulsification, using less energy and less separation, giving more stability than the mechanical process. The ultrasound presents its alterations in meat foods as an improvement in texture and benefits in the extraction of proteins. Conclusion: Thus, the Ultrasonic Technology has great potential in the conservation of food, by keeping them stable with its characteristics. Its applicability is still being studied for better adaptation in the industrial scale. The nutritionist should be aware of these new techniques to help in the formulation of products with better nutritional value and food safety.

Nutritional potential of anti-anemic drinks based on Manihot esculenta L. or Graptophyllum pictum L. leaf extracts consumed in Yaoundé Cameroon

Anemia is a global public health problem. In Cameroon, the most vulnerable to anemia are children under 5 years of age (60%) and pregnant women (40%). To reduce prevalence of anemia, several approaches have been adopted, including promoting the production and consumption of iron-rich foods/products. The objective of this work was to study the nutritional potential of anti-anemic drinks based on extracts from the leaves of either Manihot esculenta or Graptophyllum pictum consumed by the populations of the city of Yaoundé in Cameroon. Macronutrient contents were determined using the standard A.O.A.C. methods, while mineral contents were analyzed using the atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Bioactive compounds such as total polyphenols, flavonoids, and saponins were analyzed. Vitamin C was determined by the 2,6 dichlorophenol indophenol spectrophotometric method (DCPIP) and the contents of anti-nutrients (tannins, phytates, oxalates, saponins, hydrocyanic acid) quantified using standard methods. The results of these analyses show that the mean protein contents in the studied anti-anemic drinks ranged from 0.64 ± 0.08 g/100 mL to 1.84 ± 0.02 g/100 mL (M. esculenta drink); and 0.25 ± 0.01 g/100 mL (G. pictum drink). Sugar contents ranged from 0.30 ± 0.02 g/100 mL to 0.45 ± 0.01 g/100 mL (M. esculenta drink), and 0.29 ± 0.01 g/100 mL (G. pictum drink). As concerns iron contents, and vitamin C contents were inversely proportional across M. esculenta drinks containing 25% milk (2.29 ± 0.15 mg/100 mL iron; 57.9 ± 0.2 mg/100mL vit C) through 50% milk (1.70 ± 0.03 mg/100 mL iron; 147.19 ± 16.05 mg/100 mL vit C) to 75% milk (1.01 ± 0.11 mg/100 mL iron; 221.1 ± 16.96 mg/100 mL vit C). Likewise, iron and vit C levels in the G. pictum drink were 0.18 ± 0.01 mg/100 mL and 999.1 ± 41.2 mg/100 mL respectively. In general, although some anti-nutrients were detected in the studied anti-anemic beverages, the levels were not significant to pose harm. The principal component analysis revealed that the M. esculenta drink containing 75% milk was relatively the most nutritious of all the studied drinks viewing its contents in Vitamin C, protein and soluble sugars, thus, facilitating intestinal absorption of non-heme iron. Similarly, the G. pictum drink may require optimization of preparation method. Finally, the need for iron-bioavailability studies based on these anti-anemic drinks cannot be over emphasized.

Food security in the time of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Argentine case

The context of pandemic of the human coronavirus COVID-19, preventive strategies based on mandatory social isolation (quarantine) were imposed by governments to reduce transmission in the community. However, they have had a strong impact on the economies of the countries and on the people as massive layoffs, decreased wages, uncertainty, inability to work formally, increasing precariousness and inequality and food insecurity. Without a doubt, the pandemic surprised Argentina without the necessary tools to amortize the attacks of the disease, and all the collateral consequences that emerge from it. The concept of food insecurity represents a situation or a process experienced by households in which there is a limited and uncertain availability of the quantity and quality of food that allow covering the nutritional requirements of people, thus as an also limited and uncertain availability of the ability to acquire them in an acceptable way from a social and cultural perspective. This work addresses household food insecurity at the micro-social level based on their own surveys and describes the strategies carried out by households in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires city, Argentina to withstand the effect. FI status was assessed among 200 adult university students a mean age of 28±6 years (57% female, 43% male) during isolation period in April -May 2020 using the food insecurity experience scale (FIES). The students responded affirmatively and with a higher percentage value to the items related to the lack of money to consume healthy and nutritious food. Food security status of the 200 students survey, 23.5 per cent (n = 47) were food secure. Food insecurity was reported by 76.5% (n = 153). Of these, 50% (n = 100) were mild food insecurity, 25.5% (n = 51) were moderate, while 1% (n = 2) were severe food insecurity. Food insecurity derived from access, as well as the difficulties of finding variety in food at affordable prices due to the obstacles imposed by the isolation affected food security. The changes on food intake during quarantine period was also analysed. In the current particular situation, it is advisable to improve the consumption of fresh food. Meat consumption has also been altered, shifting its consumption to cuts of less economic value. Among the reasons for this change in eating habits during this period, it is possible that the increase in stress, anxiety due to isolation, as well as the economic reasons and those that result from difficulties in accessing points of sale could explain these changes.