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in: Foods & Beverage | 2018-03-23 | by: GlobalInfoResearch

Brewing hoppy beer without the hops

Hoppy beer is all the rage among craft brewers and beer lovers, and now UC Berkeley biologists have come up with a way to create these unique flavors and aromas without using hops. The researchers created strains of brewer's yeast that not only ferment the beer but also provide two of the prominent flavor notes provided by hops. In double-blind taste tests, employees of Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California, characterized beer made from the engineered strains as more hoppy than a control beer made with regular yeast and Cascade hops. Bryan Donaldson, innovations manager at Lagunitas, detected notes of "fruit-loops" and "orange blossom" with no off flavors. Why would brewers want to use yeast instead of hops to impart flavor and aroma? According to Charles Denby, one of two first authors of a paper appearing this week in the journal Nature Communications, growing hops uses lots of water, not to mention fertilizer and energy to transport the crop, all of which could be avoided by using yeast to make a hop-forward brew. A pint of craft beer can require 50 pints of water merely to grow the hops, which are the dried flowers of a climbing plant. "My hope is that if we can use the technology to make great beer that is produced with a more sustainable process, people will embrace that," Denby said. Hops' flavorful components, or essential oils, are also highly variable from year to year and plot to plot, so using a standardized yeast would allow uniformity of flavor. And hops are expensive. A former UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow, Denby has launched a startup called Berkeley Brewing Science with Rachel Li, the second first author and a UC Berkeley doctoral candidate. They hope to market hoppy yeasts to brewers, including strains that contain more of the natural hop flavor components, and create other strains that incorporate novel plant flavors not typical of beer brewed from the canonical ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast. Using DNA scissors The engineered yeast strains were altered using CRISPR-Cas9, a simple and inexpensive gene-editing tool invented at UC Berkeley. Denby and Li inserted four new genes plus the promoters that regulate the genes into industrial brewer's yeast. Two of the genes -- linalool synthase and geraniol synthase -- code for enzymes that produce flavor components common to many plants. In this instance, the genes came from mint and basil, respectively. Genes from other plants that were reported to have linalool synthase activity, such as olive and strawberry, were not as easy to work with. The two other genes were from yeast and boosted the production of precursor molecules needed to make linalool and geraniol, the hoppy flavor components. All of the genetic components -- the Cas9 gene, four yeast, mint and basil genes and promoters -- were inserted into yeast on a tiny circular DNA plasmid. The yeast cells then translated the Cas9 gene into the Cas9 proteins, which cut the yeast DNA at specific points. Yeast repair enzymes then spliced in the four genes plus promoters. The researchers used a specially designed software program to get just the right mix of promoters to produce linalool and geraniol in proportions similar to the proportions in commercial beers produced by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, which operates a tap room not far from the startup. They then asked Charles Bamforth, a malting and brewing authority at UC Davis, to brew a beer from three of the most promising strains, using hops only in the initial stage of brewing -- the wort -- to get the bitterness without the hoppy flavor. Hop flavor was supplied only by the new yeast strains. Bamforth also brewed a beer with standard yeast and hops, and asked a former student, Lagunitas's Donaldson, to conduct a blind comparison taste test with 27 brewery employees. "This was one of our very first sensory tests, so being rated as hoppier than the two beers that were actually dry-hopped at conventional hopping rates was very encouraging," Li said. From sustainable fuels to sustainable beer Denby came to UC Berkeley to work on sustainable transportation fuels with Jay Keasling, a pioneer in the field of synthetic biology and a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering. The strategy developed by Keasling is to make microbes, primarily bacteria and yeast, ramp up their production of complex molecules called terpenes, and then insert genes that turn these terpenes into commercial products. These microbes can make such chemicals as the antimalarial drug, artemisinin, fuels such as butanol, and aromas and flavors used in the cosmetic industry. But the brewing project "found me," Denby said "I started home brewing out of curiosity with a group of friends while I was starting out in Jay's lab, in part because I enjoy beer and in part because I was interested in fermentation processes," he said. "I found out that the molecules that give hops their hoppy flavor are terpene molecules, and it wouldn't be too big of a stretch to think we could develop strains that make terpenes at the same concentrations that you get when you make beer and add hops to them." The final hook was that a hoppy strain of yeast would make the brewing process more sustainable than using agriculturally produced hops, which is a very natural resource-intensive product, he said. "We started our work on engineering microbes to produce isoprenoids -- like flavors, fragrances and artemisinin -- about 20 years ago," said Keasling. "At the same time, we were building tools to accurately control metabolism. With this project, we are able to use some of the tools others and we developed to accurately control metabolism to produce just the right amount of hops flavors for beer." Denby and Li first had to overcome some hurdles, such as learning how to genetically engineer commercial brewer's yeast. Unlike the yeast used in research labs, which have one set of chromosomes, brewer's yeast has four sets of chromosomes. They found out that they needed to add the same four genes plus promoters to each set of chromosomes to obtain a stable strain of yeast; if not, as the yeast propagated they lost the added genes. They also had to find out, through computational analytics performed by Zak Costello, which promoters would produce the amounts of linalool and geraniol at the right times to approximate the concentrations in a hoppy beer, and then scale up fermentation by a factor of about 100 from test tube quantities to 40-liter kettles. In the end, they were able to drink their research project, and continue to do so at their startup as they ferment batches of beer to test new strains of yeast. "Charles and Rachel have shown that using the appropriate tools to control production of these flavors can result in a beer with a more consistent hoppy flavor, even better than what nature can do itself," Keasling said. The work was funded from grants awarded by the National Science Foundation. These include an initial grant awarded to UC Berkeley to use synthetic biology in yeast to produce industrially important products, and subsequent funding from a Small Business Innovation Research grant to Berkeley Brewing Science. In addition to Denby, Li, Costello, Keasling, Donaldson and Bamforth, other coauthors are Van Vu of UC Berkeley, Weiyin Lin, Leanne Jade Chan, Christopher Petzold, Henrik Scheller and Hector Garcia Martin of the Joint BioEnergy Institute in Emeryville, which is part of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Joseph Williams of UC Davis. Story Source: Materials provided by University of California - Berkeley. Original written by Robert Sanders. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

in: Foods & Beverage | 2018-03-21 | by: GlobalInfoResearch

Vegetable compound could have a key role in 'beeting' Alzheimer's disease

A compound in beets that gives the vegetable its distinctive red color could eventually help slow the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain, a process that is associated with Alzheimer's disease. Scientists say this discovery could lead to the development of drugs that could alleviate some of the long-term effects of the disease, the world's leading cause of dementia. The researchers are presenting their work today at the 255th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). "Our data suggest that betanin, a compound in beet extract, shows some promise as an inhibitor of certain chemical reactions in the brain that are involved in the progression of Alzheimer's disease," says Li-June Ming, Ph.D. "This is just a first step, but we hope that our findings will encourage other scientists to look for structures similar to betanin that could be used to synthesize drugs that could make life a bit easier for those who suffer from this disease." More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, according to the National Institute on Aging. Its incidence rises with age, affecting one in 10 Americans 65 and older, and one in three by age 85. Scientists are still trying to figure out what causes this progressive and irreversible brain disorder. But one prime suspect is beta-amyloid, a sticky protein fragment, or peptide, that accumulates in the brain, disrupting communication between brain cells called neurons. Much of this damage occurs, Ming says, when beta-amyloid attaches itself to metals such as iron or copper. These metals can cause beta-amyloid peptides to misfold and bind together in clumps that can promote inflammation and oxidation -- a process similar to rusting -- in nearby neurons, eventually killing them. Previous research conducted by other scientists suggests that beetroot juice can improve oxygen flow to the aging brain and possibly improve cognitive performance. Building on this work, Ming, Darrell Cole Cerrato and colleagues at the University of South Florida wanted to find out if betanin, a beet compound used in commercial dyes that readily binds to metals, could block the effects of copper on beta-amyloid and, in turn, prevent the misfolding of these peptides and the oxidation of neurons. In laboratory studies, the researchers conducted a series of experiments involving 3,5 di-tert-butylcatechol, or DTBC, a compound that is used as a model substance for tracking the chemistry of oxidation. Using visible spectrophotometry, the scientists measured the oxidative reaction of DTBC when exposed to beta-amyloid only, beta-amyloid bound to copper, and copper-bound beta-amyloid in a mixture containing betanin. On its own, beta-amyloid caused little or no oxidation of DTBC. However, as expected, beta-amyloid bound to copper induced substantial DTBC oxidation. But when betanin was added to the copper-bound beta-amyloid mixture, the researchers found oxidation dropped by as much as 90 percent, suggesting that misfolding of the peptides was potentially suppressed. "We can't say that betanin stops the misfolding completely, but we can say that it reduces oxidation," Cerrato says. "Less oxidation could prevent misfolding to a certain degree, perhaps even to the point that it slows the aggregation of beta-amyloid peptides, which is believed to be the ultimate cause of Alzheimer's." Story Source: Materials provided by American Chemical Society. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

in: Foods & Beverage | 2018-02-24 | by: GlobalInfoResearch

Graphene on toast, anyone?

Rice University scientists who introduced laser-induced graphene (LIG) have enhanced their technique to produce what may become a new class of edible electronics. The Rice lab of chemist James Tour, which once turned Girl Scout cookies into graphene, is investigating ways to write graphene patterns onto food and other materials to quickly embed conductive identification tags and sensors into the products themselves. "This is not ink," Tour said. "This is taking the material itself and converting it into graphene." The process is an extension of the Tour lab's contention that anything with the proper carbon content can be turned into graphene. In recent years, the lab has developed and expanded upon its method to make graphene foam by using a commercial laser to transform the top layer of an inexpensive polymer film. The foam consists of microscopic, cross-linked flakes of graphene, the two-dimensional form of carbon. LIG can be written into target materials in patterns and used as a supercapacitor, an electrocatalyst for fuel cells, radio-frequency identification (RFID) antennas and biological sensors, among other potential applications. The new work reported in the American Chemical Society journal ACS Nano demonstrated that laser-induced graphene can be burned into paper, cardboard, cloth, coal and certain foods, even toast. "Very often, we don't see the advantage of something until we make it available," Tour said. "Perhaps all food will have a tiny RFID tag that gives you information about where it's been, how long it's been stored, its country and city of origin and the path it took to get to your table." He said LIG tags could also be sensors that detect E. coli or other microorganisms on food. "They could light up and give you a signal that you don't want to eat this," Tour said. "All that could be placed not on a separate tag on the food, but on the food itself." Multiple laser passes with a defocused beam allowed the researchers to write LIG patterns into cloth, paper, potatoes, coconut shells and cork, as well as toast. (The bread is toasted first to "carbonize" the surface.) The process happens in air at ambient temperatures. "In some cases, multiple lasing creates a two-step reaction," Tour said. "First, the laser photothermally converts the target surface into amorphous carbon. Then on subsequent passes of the laser, the selective absorption of infrared light turns the amorphous carbon into LIG. We discovered that the wavelength clearly matters." The researchers turned to multiple lasing and defocusing when they discovered that simply turning up the laser's power didn't make better graphene on a coconut or other organic materials. But adjusting the process allowed them to make a micro supercapacitor in the shape of a Rice "R" on their twice-lased coconut skin. Defocusing the laser sped the process for many materials as the wider beam allowed each spot on a target to be lased many times in a single raster scan. That also allowed for fine control over the product, Tour said. Defocusing allowed them to turn previously unsuitable polyetherimide into LIG. "We also found we could take bread or paper or cloth and add fire retardant to them to promote the formation of amorphous carbon," said Rice graduate student Yieu Chyan, co-lead author of the paper. "Now we're able to take all these materials and convert them directly in air without requiring a controlled atmosphere box or more complicated methods." The common element of all the targeted materials appears to be lignin, Tour said. An earlier study relied on lignin, a complex organic polymer that forms rigid cell walls, as a carbon precursor to burn LIG in oven-dried wood. Cork, coconut shells and potato skins have even higher lignin content, which made it easier to convert them to graphene. Tour said flexible, wearable electronics may be an early market for the technique. "This has applications to put conductive traces on clothing, whether you want to heat the clothing or add a sensor or conductive pattern," he said. Story Source: Materials provided by Rice University. Original written by Mike Williams. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

in: Foods & Beverage | 2018-01-25 | by: GlobalInfoResearch

Eating insects might seem yucky, but they are nutritious and there is no reason you can't

The thought of eating an insect makes most people cringe -- at least those who live in America, Canada and Europe, a minority of the world's population who would not let a cricket, grasshopper or beetle near their dinner table. The "yuck" factor, however, does not have anything to do with nutrition, digestion or evolution. In fact, according to a new Rutgers study, insects, the food choice for our early primate ancestors, could still be eaten and digested by almost all primates today, including humans. "For a long time the prevailing wisdom was that mammals didn't produce an enzyme that could break down the exoskeletons of insects, so they were considered to be very difficult to digest," said Mareike Janiak, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Anthropology and lead author of the study published recently in Molecular Biology and Evolution. "We now know from research on bats and mice, and now my research on primates, that this isn't true." Janiak and collaborators from Kent State University discovered that almost all living primates still have working versions of the gene needed to produce a stomach enzyme that breaks down exoskeletons. The scientists looked at the genomes of 34 primates, searching for copies of a gene called CHIA, the stomach enzyme that breaks down chitin, which is part of the outer covering of an insect. What they discovered is that while most living primates have only one copy of the CHIA gene, early primates, which tended to be very small, had at least three working copies. This shows that insects were an extremely important food source for our early ancestors. Some living primates, like the tarsier, which eats more insects than any other primates, and today exists only on islands in Southeast Asia, have five copies of the gene, because it was duplicated specifically in this lineage. "As some primates evolved to be larger and more active during the day than at night, their diets shifted a bit to other foods like fruits and leaves," Janiak said. "Insects became less important and their digestive enzymes changed, but most living primates still have at least one working CHIA gene." How effectively humans digest an insect's exoskeleton is still being debated in the scientific literature. While some studies have found that human stomach enzymes can digest the harder-shell outer covering of the insect, Janiak said other researchers say they cannot find any evidence this is the case. "Unfortunately, most of the human research so far has been done using western culture participants rather than comparing people from various cultures that actually eat insects regularly," she said. "But for humans, even if we didn't have an enzyme, the exoskeleton becomes a lot easier to chew and digest once the insect has been cooked." According to the United Nations, insects are part of the traditional diet of 2 billion people around the world, with 1,900 species considered both edible and a highly nutritious food source with healthy fats, protein, fiber, vitamins and essential minerals. Janiak, a vegetarian, has eaten tiny crickets from Japan marinated in a salty paste that she describes as tasting like a salty snack with a little extra crunch. She said a friend who was working in Uganda ate cooked grasshoppers that she said tasted like chicken. She said new food ventures, like the Bitty Foods, that use sustainably raised crickets to make cricket flour, may make people from western cultures more willing to look at insects, which have a much smaller carbon footprint than beef and other livestock, as a food and protein source. "It's interesting that many people who like shrimp and lobster think insects are yucky," she said. "But shellfish are kind of like underwater insects." Story Source: Materials provided by Rutgers University. Original written by Robin Lally. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

in: Foods & Beverage | 2018-01-03 | by: GlobalInfoResearch

Mathematical model reveals solution to sloshing coffee

Americans drink an average of 3.1 cups of coffee per day; for many people, the popular beverage is a morning necessity. When carrying a liquid, common sense says to walk slowly and refrain from overfilling the container. But when commuters rush out the door with coffee in hand, chances are their hastiness causes some of the hot liquid to slosh out of the cup. The resulting spills, messes, and mild burns undoubtedly counteract coffee's savory benefits. Sloshing occurs when a vessel of liquid -- coffee in a mug, water in a bucket, liquid natural gas in a tanker, etc. -- oscillates horizontally around a fixed position near a resonant frequency; this motion occurs when the containers are carried or moved. While nearly all transport containers have rigid handles, a bucket with a pivoted handle allows rotation around a central axis and greatly reduces the chances of spilling. Although this is not necessarily a realistic on-the-go solution for most beverages, the mitigation or elimination of sloshing is certainly desirable. In a recent article published in SIAM Review, Hilary and John Ockendon use surprisingly simple mathematics to develop a model for sloshing. Their model comprises a mug on a smooth horizontal table that oscillates in a single direction via a spring connection. "We chose the mathematically simplest model with which to understand the basic mechanics of pendulum action on sloshing problems," J. Ockendon said. The authors derive their inspiration from an Ig Nobel prize-winning paper describing a basic mechanical model that investigates the results of walking backwards while carrying a cup of coffee. They use both Newton's laws of physics and the basic properties of hydrodynamics to employ a so-called "paradigm" configuration, which explains how a cradle introduces an extra degree of freedom that in turn modifies the liquid's response. "The paradigm model contains the same mechanics as the pendulum but is simpler to write down," Ockendon said. "We found some experimental results on the paradigm model, which meant we could make some direct comparisons." The authors evaluate this scenario rather than the more realistic but complicated use of a mug as a cradle that moves like a simple pendulum. To further simplify their model, they assume that the mug in question is rectangular and engaged in two-dimensional motion, i.e., motion perpendicular to the direction of the spring's action is absent. Because the coffee is initially at rest, the flow is always irrotational. "Our model considers sloshing in a tank suspended from a pivot that oscillates horizontally at a frequency close to the lowest sloshing frequency of the liquid in the tank," Ockendon said. "Together we have written several papers on classical sloshing over the last 40 years, but only recently were we stimulated by these observations to consider the pendulum effect." Variables in the initial model represent (i) a hand moving around a fixed position, (ii) the frequency of walking, typically between 1-2 Hertz, and (iii) a spring connecting the shaking hand to the mug, which slides on the table's smooth surface. Ockendon and Ockendon are most interested in the spring's effect on the motion of the liquid. The authors solve the model's equations via separation of variables and analyze the subsequent result with a response diagram depicting the sloshing amplitude's dependence on forcing frequency. The mug's boundary conditions assume that the normal velocity of both the liquid and the mug are the same, and that the oscillation's amplitude is small. Ockendon and Ockendon linearize the boundary conditions to avoid solving a nonlinear free boundary problem with no explicit solution. They record the equation of motion for the container to couple the motion of the liquid and the spring. In this case, the spring's tension and the pressure on the walls of the container are the acting horizontal forces. The authors discover that including a string or a pendulum between the container and the carrying hand (the forcing mechanism) lessens the rigidity and dramatically decreases the lowest resonant frequency, thus diminishing sloshing for almost all frequencies. "Our model shows that, compared to an unpivoted tank, the amplitude of the lowest resonant response will be significantly reduced, provided the length of the pendulum is greater than the length of the tank," Ockendon said. In conclusion, Ockendon and Ockendon use simplistic modeling and analysis to explain a common phenomenon that nearly everybody experiences. They suggest that future analysts investigate sloshing in a cylindrical rather than rectangular mug, or with vertical rather than horizontal oscillations, as both of these factors complicate the model. One could also examine the spring action's effect on the system's nonlinear behavior near resonance. Ultimately, researchers can employ basic ideas from this study to consider the nonlinear response of shallow water sloshing, which has a variety of real-world applications. Story Source: Materials provided by Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

in: Foods & Beverage | 2017-10-24 | by: GlobalInfoResearch

Alcohol boosts recall of earlier learning, study suggests

Drinking alcohol improves memory for information learned before the drinking episode began, new research suggests. In the University of Exeter study, 88 social drinkers were given a word-learning task. Participants were then split in two groups at random and told either to drink as much as they liked (the average was four units) or not to drink at all. The next day, they all did the same task again -- and those who had drunk alcohol remembered more of what they had learned. The researchers are keen to stress that this limited positive effect should be considered alongside the well-established negative effects of excessive alcohol on memory and mental and physical health. "Our research not only showed that those who drank alcohol did better when repeating the word-learning task, but that this effect was stronger among those who drank more," said Professor Celia Morgan, of the University of Exeter. "The causes of this effect are not fully understood, but the leading explanation is that alcohol blocks the learning of new information and therefore the brain has more resources available to lay down other recently learned information into long-term memory. "The theory is that the hippocampus -- the brain area really important in memory -- switches to 'consolidating' memories, transferring from short into longer-term memory." The effect noted by the researchers has been shown under laboratory conditions before, but this is the first study to test it in a natural setting, with people drinking in their homes. There was also a second task which involved looking at images on a screen. This task was completed once after the drinkers had drunk alcohol and again the following day, and the results did not reveal significant differences in memory performance post-drinking. The study's participants were 31 males and 57 females, aged 18-53. Story Source: Materials provided by University of Exeter. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

in: Foods & Beverage | 2017-09-19 | by: GlobalInfoResearch

Whole grains decrease colorectal cancer risk, processed meats increase the risk

Eating whole grains daily, such as brown rice or whole-wheat bread, reduces colorectal cancer risk, with the more you eat the lower the risk, finds a new report by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). This is the first time AICR/WCRF research links whole grains independently to lower cancer risk. Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Colorectal Cancer also found that hot dogs, bacon and other processed meats consumed regularly increase the risk of this cancer. There was strong evidence that physical activity protects against colon cancer. "Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers, yet this report demonstrates there is a lot people can do to dramatically lower their risk," said Edward L. Giovannucci, MD, ScD, lead author of the report and professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. "The findings from this comprehensive report are robust and clear: Diet and lifestyle have a major role in colorectal cancer." The new report evaluated the scientific research worldwide on how diet, weight and physical activity affect colorectal cancer risk. The report analyzed 99 studies, including data on 29 million people, of whom over a quarter of a million were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Other factors found to increase colorectal cancer include: Eating high amounts of red meat (above 500 grams cooked weight a week), such as beef or pork Being overweight or obese Consuming two or more daily alcoholic drinks (30 grams of alcohol), such as wine or beer Lowering Risk with Fiber, Activity and Grains The report concluded that eating approximately three servings (90 grams) of whole grains daily reduces the risk of colorectal cancer by 17 percent. It adds to previous evidence showing that foods containing fiber decreases the risk of this cancer. For physical activity, people who are more physically active have a lower risk of colon cancer compared to those who do very little physical activity. Here, the decreased risk was apparent for colon and not rectal cancer. In the US, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer among both men and women, with an estimated 371 cases diagnosed each day. AICR estimates that 47 percent of US colorectal cancer cases could be prevented each year through healthy lifestyle changes. Notes Giovannucci: "Many of the ways to help prevent colorectal cancer are important for overall health. Factors such as maintaining a lean body weight, proper exercise, limiting red and processed meat and eating more whole grains and fiber would lower risk substantially. Moreover, limiting alcohol to at most two drinks per day and avoidance or cessation of smoking also lower risk." Fish, Fruits and Vegetables, Emerging Evidence The report found other links between diet and colorectal cancer that were visible but not as clear. There was limited evidence that risk increases with low intake of both non-starchy vegetables and fruit. A higher risk was observed for intakes of less than 100 grams per day (about a cup) of each. Links to lowering risk of colorectal cancer was with fish and foods containing vitamin C. Oranges, strawberries and spinach are all foods high in vitamin C. The research continues to emerge for these factors, but it all points to the power of a plant-based diet, says Alice Bender, MS, RDN, AICR Director of Nutrition Programs. "Replacing some of your refined grains with whole grains and eating mostly plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables and beans, will give you a diet packed with cancer-protective compounds and help you manage your weight, which is so important to lower risk." "When it comes to cancer there are no guarantees, but it's clear now there are choices you can make and steps you can take to lower your risk of colorectal and other cancers," said Bender. Story Source: Materials provided by American Institute for Cancer Research. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

in: Foods & Beverage | 2017-09-11 | by: GlobalInfoResearch

Moderate consumption of fats, carbohydrates best for health, international study

Research with more than 135,000 people across five continents has shown that a diet which includes a moderate intake of fat and fruits and vegetables, and avoidance of high carbohydrates, is associated with lower risk of death. To be specific about moderate, the lowest risk of death was in those people who consume three to four servings (or a total of 375 to 500 grams) of fruits, vegetables and legumes a day, with little additional benefit from more. As well, contrary to popular belief, consuming a higher amount of fat (about 35 per cent of energy) is associated with a lower risk of death compared to lower intakes. However, a diet high in carbohydrates (of more than 60 per cent of energy) is related to higher mortality, although not with the risk of cardiovascular disease. These are the top messages of two reports published today in The Lancet, both produced from a major global study led by researchers at the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences in Hamilton, Canada. The reports are also being presented today at the Congress of the European Society of Cardiology in Barcelona, Spain. The data are from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study which followed more than 135,000 people from 18 low-income, middle-income and high-income countries. The study asked people about their diet and followed them for an average of seven and half years. The research on dietary fats found that they are not associated with major cardiovascular disease, but higher fat consumption was associated with lower mortality; this was seen for all major types of fats (saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and mono unsaturated fats), with saturated fats being associated with lower stroke risk. Total fat and individual types of fat were not associated with risk of heart attacks or death due to cardiovascular disease. The researchers point out that, while this may appear surprising to some, these new results are consistent with several observational studies and randomized controlled trials conducted in Western countries during the last two decades. The large new study, when viewed in the context of most previous studies, questions the conventional beliefs about dietary fats and clinical outcomes, says Mahshid Dehghan, the lead author for the study and an investigator at PHRI. "A decrease in fat intake automatically led to an increase in carbohydrate consumption and our findings may explain why certain populations such as South Asians, who do not consume much fat but consume a lot of carbohydrates, have higher mortality rates," she said. Dehghan pointed out that dietary guidelines have focused for decades on reducing total fat to below 30 per cent of daily caloric intake and saturated fat to below 10 per cent of caloric intake. This is based on the idea that reducing saturated fat should reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, but did not take into account how saturated fat is replaced in the diet. She added that the current guidelines were developed about four decades ago using data from some Western countries where fat was more than 40 per cent or 45 per cent of caloric intake and saturated fat intakes were more than 20 per cent. The consumption of these are now much lower in North America and Europe (31 per cent and 11 per cent respectively). The second paper from the PURE study assessed fruit, vegetable and legume consumption and related them to deaths, heart disease and strokes. The study found current fruit, vegetable and legume intake globally is between three to four servings per day, but most dietary guidelines recommend a minimum of five daily servings. Given that fruits and vegetables are relatively expensive in most middle-income and low-income countries, this level of consumption is unaffordable for most people in many regions of the world such as South Asia, China, Southeast Asia and Africa, where the levels of their consumption is much lower than in Western countries. "Our study found the lowest risk of death in those who consumed three to four servings or the equivalent to 375 to 500 grams of fruits, vegetables and legumes per day, with little additional benefit for intake beyond that range," said Victoria Miller, a McMaster doctoral student and lead author of the paper. "Additionally, fruit intake was more strongly associated with benefit than vegetables. "The PURE study includes populations from geographic regions which have not been studied before, and the diversity of populations adds considerable strength that these foods reduce disease risk." Previous research has shown that eating fruits, vegetables and legumes decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease and deaths, but most studies were conducted mainly in North America and Europe with a few from other parts of the world. "Raw vegetable intake was more strongly associated with a lower risk of death compared to cooked vegetable intake, but raw vegetables are rarely eaten in South Asia, Africa and Southeast Asia," Miller said. "Dietary guidelines do not differentiate between the benefits of raw versus cooked vegetables -- our results indicate that recommendations should emphasize raw vegetable intake over cooked." Legumes include beans, black beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas and black-eyed peas and are frequently eaten as an alternative for meat or some grains and starches such as pasta and white bread. "Legumes are commonly consumed by many populations in South Asia, Africa and Latin America. Eating even one serving per day decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Legumes are not commonly consumed outside these geographic regions, so increased consumption among populations in Europe or North America may be favourable," said Miller. In a third study, published concurrently by The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, the same researchers looked at the impact of fats and carbohydrates on blood lipids and blood pressure. They found that LDL (so-called 'bad' cholesterol) is not reliable in predicting effects of saturated fat on future cardiovascular events. Instead, the ratio of Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), or organizing proteins in the blood, give the best indication of the impact of saturated fat on cardiovascular risk. Andrew Mente, an investigator at PHRI and an associate professor of the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact at McMaster, is an author on the three studies. "The findings of these studies are robust, globally applicable and provide evidence to inform nutrition policies. This is relevant because in some parts of the world nutritional inadequacy is a problem, whereas in other parts of the world nutritional excesses may be the problem," he said. "Most people in the world consume three to four servings of fruits, vegetables and legumes a day. This target is likely more affordable and achievable, especially in low and middle income countries where the costs of fruits and vegetables are relatively high." "Moderation in most aspects of diet is to be preferred, as opposed to very low or very high intakes of most nutrients," said Salim Yusuf, principal investigator of the study and the director of the PHRI. Story Source: Materials provided by McMaster University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

in: Foods & Beverage | 2017-09-04 | by: GlobalInfoResearch

Moderate consumption of fats, carbohydrates best for health, international study shows

in: Foods & Beverage | 2017-08-18 | by: GlobalInfoResearch

Dissolvable, easy-to-use milk capsules for your coffee

Have your coffee without spilling the milk: Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) have developed a milk capsule that dissolves when placed in a hot drink. Not only does this reduce the consumption of packaging material, the capsules are easier to use than conventional plastic containers. The research group published its findings in the journal Chemical Engineering & Technology. The new milk capsules essentially could be compared to sugar cubes filled with milk or condensed milk. "A crystalline crust forms a type of packaging around the capsules that easily dissolves in hot liquid," explains Martha Wellner, who developed the process as part of her PhD studies at MLU's former Centre of Engineering Sciences under Professor of Engineering Joachim Ulrich. The production of the capsules is relatively simple. First a solution of milk and the desired sugar, or any other non-sweet material which gives the coating properties, is produced and placed in a mould. As the solution cools, the excess sugar moves to the edge of the liquid, forming crystals. The milk-sugar solution fills up the interior. Wellner, a nutritional scientist, conducted multiple trials to examine which materials and which cooling processes delivered the best results. Currently there are two options for milk containers: sweetened and lightly sweetened. The researchers are still working on an unsweetened sugar free version. The capsules can be produced in various shapes and stored at room temperature. Once the milk has been encapsulated it can keep for at least three weeks. "Our processes can also be used for other liquids. For example, we can also encapsulate fruit juice concentrate," explains Wellner. Joachim Ulrich came up with the idea of the encapsulation process years ago. His team has been studying crystal formation processes for many years, searching for ways to apply them in industry, for example in the production of pills. "We have already studied different encapsulation processes as part of other PhD projects, however with other aims in mind," says Ulrich. He believes the new, environmentally friendly development has a lot of potential applications. "For example, the capsules could replace the small, extremely unpractical coffee creamer packaging that is used in great quantities at conferences or on airplanes." The scientists already registered a patent for the process in 2015; however, there is still no final product on the market. Before this could happen, it has to be investigated whether the milk capsules meet all necessary and legal requirements for groceries in general and also whether the hassle-free containers can be produced as industrial products. Story Source: Materials provided by Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

On: 2018-06-22

Global Citric Acid Market Expected To Reach USD 1805.1 M USD By 2024

Global Citric Acid Market expected to reach USD 1805.1 M USD by 2024 driven by its increasing use in Food & Beverages, Pharmaceuticals & Personal Care and Detergents & Cleansers. The growth of these end-use industries, particularly in emerging economies of Asia Pacific region, is anticipated to boost the growth of the chemical over the projected period. There are many manufacturers in the world, mainly in china, North America and Europe. The major manufacturers are Weifang Ensign Industry Co., Ltd., TTCA Co., Ltd, RZBC Group Co. Ltd., Cofco Biochemical (Anhui) Co., Ltd., Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG, Tate & Lyle, S.A. Citrique Belge N.V., Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill Incorporated, Shandong Juxian Hongde Citric Acid Company Ltd and Huangshi Xinghua Biochemical Co.Ltd. The product revenue of Citric Acid is 1685.8 M USD in 2016. Browse Related Reports: Global Citric Acid Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 http://www.globalinforesearch.com/goods.php?id=30743 Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Citric Acid Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 http://www.globalinforesearch.com/goods.php?id=30704 The bio-based and chelating characteristics of citric acid make it a viable solution to several toxic substances used for manufacturing detergents & cleaners, especially for household purposes. Rising awareness regarding cleanliness and hygiene is expected to augment the demand for detergents & cleaners, resulting in a volume CAGR of 5.23% over the projected period. Asia Pacific dominated the global industry, the Product Capacity accounted for above 67% of the global citric acid market in 2016.but the major consumption regions are Europe and North America, the consumption market share are 31.19% and 25.34% in 2016. Rapid industrialization resulting in the presence of large-scale manufacturing bases for food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics is expected to augment the demand for the chemical as an intermediate in several processes. Increasing healthcare expenditure coupled with rising number of ailments across the world is expected to augment the demand for pharmaceuticals. The demand for citric acid is projected to progress in tandem with the development of the pharmaceutical sector. GLOBAL INFO RESEARCH ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Contact us: Tel:00852-58197708 (HK) Email:sales@globalinforesearch.com

by: GlobalInfoResearch