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PubMedDate not supplied

Migration of mineral hydrocarbons into foods. 1. Polystyrene containers for hot and cold beverages.

Mineral hydrocarbons are used as processing aids at levels between 0.3 and 3% by weight in crystal polystyrene articles, the food contact uses of which include the dispensing of hot and cold beverages from automatic machines as well as in 'fast-food' and catering establishments. The levels of migration of mineral hydrocarbons from polystyrene cups and glasses have been measured into aqueous food simulants as well as lager, beer, cola, sparkling apple juice, lemon barley water, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, lemon tea and chicken soup. For the cold beverages and simulants, no migration above 0.1 mg/kg was observed, and for the hot beverages and simulants no result greater than 0.5 mg/kg. Analysis was by capillary gas chromatography, using hydrocarbon internal standards calibrated against mineral hydrocarbon reference standards.

Beverages↗
PubMed2002

The role of fats in the lifecycle stages: adolescence and young adulthood.

Advice supporting regular physical activity, healthy food choices and smoking avoidance is definitely warranted in adolescents, particularly where early negative eating trends are evident. A difference in emphasis may be required for males and females with respect to physical activity and diet. The amount of dietary fat is important in maintaining energy balance, and the type of fat is important in reducing the development of heart disease. Low-fat foods are suitable at this lifestage, but it is also important to avoid sources of "hidden" saturated fatty acids (biscuits and fast foods) and to include sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (oils, margarine, lean meat, poultry and nuts).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Considerations of dietary sodium/potassium/energy ratios of selected foods.

Various electrolytes and energy intakes have been shown to contribute to the risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. Further, dietary sodium (Na) and potassium (K) balance are important in both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic management of various cardiovascular states. Emphasis is also given to weight reduction and electrolyte balance. As an aid to food selection to enhance K intake and decrease Na intake, we have categorized foods according to their electrolyte density as related to caloric content. More than 100 individual food items were assigned to one of four categories. Ratios of individual Na, K, and energy content were calculated, based on USDA-generated food nutrient values. Category 1 includes foods that are low in Na, high in K and low in energy: fresh or frozen vegetable sources with vitamins A and C. Category 2 contains foods low in Na relative to high K and high energy: most fruit, starchy vegetables, nuts, milk and meat products, and chocolate. Category 3 includes foods high in Na that are also high in K in relation to low energy: vegetables (canned, frozen in butter sauce or au gratin), most cheeses, cured or frozen meats. Category 4 contains foods high in Na and low in K relative to high energy: bread, rice, luncheon meats, commercial cookies and pastries, and fast food entrees. Commercial cereals could be differentiated by the guidelines, with bran cereals in Category 1, shredded wheat products in Category 2, fruit-containing cereals in Category 3, and presweetened or instant cereals in Category 4. Identification of the ratio of Na and K to content of foods, compared with relative energy ratio, is useful in selecting foods that will help meet specific dietary criteria for management of essential hypertension and other cardiovascular-renal states, both in the adult and pediatric populations.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed1990

[The food poisoning problem in communal restaurant facilities].

In view of the considerable development during the last few years of communal feeding facilities (factory, school, and university canteens, hospital kitchens, self service, fast food, and restaurants) in our country as well as elsewhere, the authors wish to supply detailed information on the incidence of food poisoning in Italy from 1979 to 1988 in such facilities. They report the findings of an epidemiological study they carried out in Rome and Lazio [correction of Latium] covering this period and which by and large confirmed the trend observed at the national level. As to prevention, the most recent techniques for food conservation are described.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed2001

Analysis of 200 food items for benzo[a]pyrene and estimation of its intake in an epidemiologic study.

Animal studies have shown that dietary intake of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), causes increased levels of tumors at several sites, particularly in the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, the role of dietary intake of BaP and cancer in humans is not clear. We created a BaP database of selected food products that could be linked to Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) to estimate BaP intake. BaP levels were measured for each food line-item (composite samples) which consisted of a variety of foods in a FFQ. Composite sample parts were derived from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II) which represents the most common food items consumed by the general population. Meat samples were cooked by different techniques in controlled conditions, and by various restaurants and fast-food chains. Non-meat products were purchased from the major national supermarket chains. The quantities of BaP were measured using a thin-layer chromatography (TLC)/spectrofluorometer technique and were highly correlated with both BaP (r=0.99) [corrected] and sum of carcinogenic PAH (r=0.98) measured by HPLC technique. We linked our database to the results from a FFQ and estimated the daily BaP intake of various food items in 228 subjects in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The highest levels of BaP (up to about 4 ng BaP/g of cooked meat) were found in grilled/barbecued very well done steaks and hamburgers and in grilled/barbecued well done chicken with skin. BaP concentrations were lower in meats that were grilled/barbecued to medium done and in all broiled or pan-fried meat samples regardless of doneness level. The BaP levels in non-meat items were generally low. However, certain cereals and greens (e.g. kale, collard greens) had levels up to 0.5 ng/g. In our population, the bread/cereal/grain, and grilled/barbecued meat, respectively, contributed 29 and 21 percent to the mean daily intake of BaP. This database may be helpful in initial attempts to assess dietary BaP exposures in studies of cancer etiology.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Toxic food infection caused by Shigella flexneri in a military unit].

Food borne disease outbreaks have increased in France, but outbreaks caused by Shigella are rare, accounting for only 73 cases (1.62%) in 1993. We report a food borne outbreak of Shigella flexneri strain 3 infection in a fire fighting unit in Paris between July 13th and 17th 1995. Forty of the 127 firemen suffered symptoms including acute diarrhea (80%), fever (50%) and blood and mucus in stools (1 case, 2.5%). Epidemiological investigation generated an unimodal epidemic curve suggesting a single source of contamination with no secondary cases. The median incubation period was between 43 hours 30 minutes and 51 hours 30 minutes. This is consistent with food borne Shigella infection. Statistical analysis of a case-control study implicated a mixed salad containing frozen shellfish from Asia (shrimps and mussels), served at lunch and dinner on July 13th 1995. Shigella was not detected in this salad by microbiological methods. However, inoculation with as little as 100 organisms can cause symptoms. There was low-level contamination with Escherichia coli (940 cfu/g) due to cross-contamination. Shigella flexneri strain 3 was isolated from 11 of 18 stool cultures, but was never isolated from cultures of stools provided by the cooks. All isolates had identical antibiotic resistance profiles. They were resistant to ampicillin and ticarcillin, moderately sensitive to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, highly sensitive to aminosides, erythromycin and quinolones. This identical pattern in all isolates suggests a common source of contamination. Plasmid-based multiple resistance is common in this organism. Therefore, antibiotics should only be given to patients with evident clinical signs of infection. Treatment was symptom-based in all but 4 patients, who had acute diarrhea and were treated with ciprofloxacin. This antibiotic is well tolerated, has rapid bactericidal action and significantly reduces the duration of the symptoms and excretion of Shigella, thus preventing secondary contamination with this highly infectious bacterium. Thus, food borne outbreaks of Shigella can occur in countries with a high standard of living because of the increase in mass catering (e.g. fast food restaurants) and importation of foodstuffs from developing countries with endemic shigellosis. This is a public health problem because of the morbidity and absenteeism due to illness, particularly when the patients are firemen responsible for emergency management.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed1998

Regulation of fat synthesis and adipose differentiation.

Adipocytes have highly specialized function of accumulating fat as stored energy that can be used during periods of food deprivation. The process of fat synthesis and development of adipose tissue are under hormonal and nutritional control. This review first describes transcription of the two critical enzymes involved in fat synthesis, fatty acid synthase and mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, is decreased to an undetectable level during fasting. Food intake, especially a high carbohydrate, fat-free diet, subsequent to fasting causes dramatic increase in transcription of these genes. Insulin secretion is increased during feeding, having a positive effect, whereas cAMP, which mediates the effect of glucagon which increases during fasting, has a negative effect on transcription of these genes. Using adipocytes in culture and in transgenic mice that express liciferase driven by the fatty acid synthase promoter, cis-acting and trans-acting factors that may mediate the transcriptional regulation were examined. Upstream stimulatory factors (USFs) that bind to -65 E-box are required for insulin-mediated transcriptional activation of the fatty acid synthase gene. This review next describes how pref-1 is a novel inhibitor of adipose differentiation and is a plasma membrane protein containing six EGF-repeats in the extracellular domain. Pref-1 is highly expressed in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, but is not detectable in mature fat cells. Down regulation of pref-1 is required for adipose differentiation, and constitutive expression of pref-1 inhibits adipogenesis. Moreover, the ectodomain of pref-1 is cleaved to generate a biologically active 50 kDa soluble form. There are four major forms of membrane pref-1 resulting from alternate splicing, but two of the forms with a larger deletion do not produce biologically active soluble form, indicating that alternate splicing determines the range of action, juxtacrine or paracrine, of the pref-1.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1997

The food-service industry, dietary guidelines and change.

The influence of the food-service industry on compliance with the Australian dietary guidelines was investigated through three separate methods of data collection and analysis: a telephone survey of 1683 randomly selected Brisbane residents; telephone interviews with 69 food-service-industry operators and 10 face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders in industry and government. Nearly 40 per cent of respondents had consumed foods prepared by the food-service industry at least once on the day before the interview, mainly from restaurants, cafes and takeaway shops, in the form of fast-food or snacks. Consumption of these foods declined with age. Those consuming foods prepared by the food-service industry ate significantly less fruit, vegetables and dairy food and were therefore less likely to comply with the dietary guidelines. Outcomes from interviews with operators in the food-service industry show that food choices offered to consumers were the result of a dynamic interaction between consumer demand and operators' own tastes and perceptions of food quality. Key informant interviews show that public health nutrition programs will have limited effect without supportive environmental changes in the food-service industry supply. An effective means of increasing the likelihood of compliance with the Australian dietary guidelines will be to encourage food suppliers in ways that address their core business concerns simultaneously with the goals of health professionals.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Household-level technologies to improve the availability and preparation of adequate and safe complementary foods.

Plant-based complementary foods are the main source of nutrients for many young children in developing countries. They may, however, present problems in providing nutritionally adequate and safe diets for older infants and young children. The high starch content leads to low-nutrient diets that are bulky and dense, with high levels of antinutritive factors such as phytates, tannins, lectins, and enzyme inhibitors. Phytates impair mineral bioavailability, lectins interfere with intestinal structure, and enzyme inhibitors inhibit digestive enzymes. In addition, there is often microbial contamination, which leads to diarrhea, growth-faltering, and impaired development, and the presence of chemical contaminants may lead to neurological disease and goiter. The fact that some fruits containing carotenoids are only available seasonally contributes to the vulnerability of children receiving predominantly plant-based diets. Traditional household food technologies have been used for centuries to improve the quality and safety of complementary foods. These include dehulling, peeling, soaking, germination, fermentation, and drying. While modern communities tend to reject these technologies in favor of more convenient fast-food preparations, there is now a resurgence of interest in older technologies as a possible means of improving the quality and safety of complementary foods when the basic diet cannot be changed for economic reasons. This paper describes the biology, safety, practicability, and acceptability of these traditional processes at the household or community level, as well as the gaps in research, so that more effective policies and programs can be implemented to improve the quality and safety of complementary foods.

Biological Availability↗
PubMed2006

Targeting interventions for ethnic minority and low-income populations.

Although rates of childhood obesity among the general population are alarmingly high, they are higher still in ethnic minority and low-income communities. The disparities pose a major challenge for policymakers and practitioners planning strategies for obesity prevention. In this article Shiriki Kumanyika and Sonya Grier summarize differences in childhood obesity prevalence by race and ethnicity and by socioeconomic status. They show how various environmental factors can have larger effects on disadvantaged and minority children than on their advantaged white peers-and thus contribute to disparities in obesity rates. The authors show, for example, that low-income and minority children watch more television than white, non-poor children and are potentially exposed to more commercials advertising high-calorie, low-nutrient food during an average hour of TV programming. They note that neighborhoods where low-income and minority children live typically have more fast-food restaurants and fewer vendors of healthful foods than do wealthier or predominantly white neighborhoods. They cite such obstacles to physical activity as unsafe streets, dilapidated parks, and lack of facilities. In the schools that low-income and minority children attend, however, they see opportunities to lead the way to effective obesity prevention. Finally, the authors examine several aspects of the home environment-breast-feeding, television viewing, and parental behaviors-that may contribute to childhood obesity but be amenable to change through targeted intervention. Kumanyika and Grier point out that policymakers aiming to prevent obesity can use many existing policy levers to reach ethnic minority and low-income children and families: Medicaid, the State Child Health Insurance Program, and federal nutrition "safety net" programs. Ultimately, winning the fight against childhood obesity in minority and low-income communities will depend on the nation's will to change the social and physical environments in which these communities exist.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Kitchen practices used in handling broiler chickens and survival of Campylobacter spp. on cutting surfaces in Kampala, Uganda.

Cross-contamination during food preparation has been identified as an important factor associated with foodborne illnesses. Handling practices used during preparation of broiler chickens in 31 fast-food restaurants and 86 semisettled street stands (street vendors) were assessed by use of a standard checklist. These establishments used wood, plastic, or metal cutting surfaces during the preparation of broiler chickens. The survival of Campylobacter spp. on kitchen cutting surfaces was determined by inoculating approximately 10(6) CFU of Campylobacter jejuni onto sterile plastic, wooden, and metal cutting boards. The concentrations of the organisms were then assessed in triplicate on each type of cutting board over a 3-h period using standard microbiological methods for thermophilic Campylobacter spp. In 87% of food establishments, the same work area was used for preparation of raw and cooked chicken, and in 68% of these establishments the same cutting boards were used for raw and cooked chicken. None of the establishments applied disinfectants or sanitizers when washing contact surfaces. Campylobacter spp. survived on wooden and plastic but not on metal cutting boards after 3 h of exposure. The handling practices in food preparation areas, therefore, provide an opportunity for cross-contamination of Campylobacter spp. to ready-to-eat foods.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Acculturation to Canadian Foods by Chinese immigrant boys: changes in the perceived flavor, health value and prestige of foods.

Acculturation changes in the perceived qualities of foods was demonstrated in a group of first and second generation Chinese adolescent immigrants. The type and degree of change in perceived flavor, health value and prestige ratings varied for individual foods. The second generation subjects and those with more accultured patterns of language use, gave higher hedonic flavor and prestige ratings to dessert, snack and fast foods. This same group exhibited better discrimination between nutrient rich and poor foods as assessed by changes in perception of health value. Food perceptions of the more accultured second generation Chinese group were also found to approach those of an age and sex matched group of Canadian Anglophones. The results suggest that on immigration diet westernization may have nutritionally undesirable effects.

Acculturation↗
PubMed1992

Cravings and aversions of pregnant adolescents.

Adolescents from 31 eastern Tennessee counties were interviewed during the third trimester of pregnancy (n = 97) and at 1-year postpartum (n = 64) to assess cravings and aversions, beliefs about dietary cravings, and how these factors influence dietary intake. Characteristics of cravings and aversions were assessed using a semistructured interview. Beliefs about cravings during pregnancy were measured with a 13-item Likert-type scale (alpha = 0.79). Two 24-hour recalls and 2 days' food records provided dietary data. Most adolescents (86%) reported cravings during pregnancy. They most frequently reported cravings for sweets, especially chocolate; fruits and fruit juices; fast foods; pickles; ice cream; and pizza. Many participants (66%) experienced aversions during pregnancy toward previously liked foods. The most common aversions were to meats, eggs, and pizza. Fewer cravings and aversions were noted during the first year postpartum. No significant relationship existed between craving and aversions and belief scores. Adolescents craving sweets during pregnancy consumed more sugar and energy than those who did not crave sweets. Cravings generally resulted in increased intake, and aversions led to decreased food consumption. On the basis of these results, we suggest that nutritional assessment of pregnant adolescents include questions about cravings and aversions.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Assessment of food intake in rural area school children].

Children food intake is influenced by family nutritional habits and economic status. According to the results of our survey, only 54.8% of the children have taken their breakfast, although all of them recognize the importance of this meal. 9.6% of the children are not using fresh fruits and vegetables in their diets, even if these are the main sources of vitamin C. Regarding the milk consumption, most of the children use this food item once (35.5%) or twice (19.4%) a day and only 16.1% occasionally. Although most of the children (93.5%) know that excessive salt intake represents a risk factor for their health, 87.1% have preferences for salted and spiced foods. Under the influence of advertising, certain changes in the nutritional habits have been noticed; instead of traditional snacks, children are more attracted to fast-food type snacks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Dietary habits and nutritional status in adolescents over Europe--Southern Europe.

A literature review of the data on dietary habits, food consumption and nutritional status of adolescents of Southern European countries was performed. Snacking seems to be less frequent and the frequency of eating out in fast food restaurants is much lower than in the USA and in some Nordic Countries. A nutrient pattern rich in total fat (around 40% of the energy intake), in saturated fatty acids (around 13% of the energy intake) and mainly in monounsaturated fatty acids (17-19% of the energy intake), due to a high consumption of olive oil, is often observed in Spanish and Greek adolescents. In Portugal, the percentage of the energy provided by fat is relatively low (31-33% of the energy intake) and in Italy the situation is intermediate regarding total fat, but the intake of olive oil is also high. This means that two important characteristics of the Mediterranean diet, a low consumption of saturated fatty acids and a high intake of carbohydrates have been lost. Regarding micronutrients, there seems to exist a risk of deficiency, particularly for calcium, iron and zinc. The prevalence of overweight/obesity is high, around 15-25%, being higher than in the Nordic countries but lower than in the USA. There is no clear indication of trends, due to the different methods and criteria used to define obesity. The serum cholesterol levels of adolescents has increased during the last two decades in Spain, Greece and Italy, and nowadays are similar to those in the USA, but still lower than in the Nordic countries. In Portuguese adolescents, the cholesterol levels seem to be lower, but the situation is not well known.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Effect of fat replacement by inulin or lupin-kernel fibre on sausage patty acceptability, post-meal perceptions of satiety and food intake in men.

The present study examined whether replacing fat with inulin or lupin-kernel fibre influenced palatability, perceptions of satiety, and food intake in thirty-three healthy men (mean age 52 years, BMI 27.4 kg/m(2)), using a within-subject design. On separate occasions, after fasting overnight, the participants consumed a breakfast consisting primarily of either a full-fat sausage patty (FFP) or a reduced-fat patty containing inulin (INP) or lupin-kernel fibre (LKP). Breakfast variants were alike in mass, protein and carbohydrate content; however the INP and LKP breakfasts were 36 and 37 % lower in fat and 15 and 17 % lower in energy density respectively compared with the FFP breakfast. The participants rated their satiety before breakfast then evaluated patty acceptability. Satiety was rated immediately after consuming the breakfast, then over the subsequent 4.5 h whilst fasting. Food consumed until the end of the following day was recorded. All patties were rated above 'neither acceptable or unacceptable', however the INP rated lower for general acceptability (P=0.039) and the LKP lower for flavour (P=0.023) than the FFP. The LKP breakfast rated more satiating than the INP (P=0.010) and FFP (P=0.016) breakfasts. Total fat intake was 18 g lower on the day of the INP (P=0.035) and 26 g lower on the day of the LKP breakfast (P=0.013) than the FFP breakfast day. Energy intake was lower (1521 kJ) only on the day of the INP breakfast (P=0.039). Both inulin and lupin-kernel fibre appear to have potential as fat replacers in meat products and for reducing fat and energy intake in men.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

A new variant of food poisoning: enteroinvasive Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli sepsis from a contaminated hamburger.

For the first time, we report Klebsiella pneumoniae as an enteroinvasive food-borne pathogen transmitted from a hamburger. A 28-year-old previously healthy African-American male ingested a portion of a hamburger from a fast food chain. Symptoms of gastroenteritis rapidly deteriorated to multiorgan failure. Blood and hamburger cultures grew Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Since Klebsiella had not previously been reported as enteroinvasive, the isolates were compared. Full biochemical profiles, antimicrobial sensitivity, plasmid profile, and toxin assay by DNA hybridization probe were completely concordant. The patient survived the episode of food-borne sepsis. Deliberate or inadvertent employee contamination of food products with feces may be a potential source of life-threatening food-borne illness.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Influence of trans fatty acids on health.

The contribution of dietary trans fatty acids (TFAs) on the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) has recently gained further support due to the results from large, prospective, population-based studies. Compared to saturated fat, TFAs are, gram to gram, associated with a considerably (2.5- to >10-fold) higher risk increment for IHD. A negative effect on the human fetus and on newborns and an increase in colon cancer risk in adults are possible but, however, still equivocal. Recent findings justify further studies concerning the effect of TFAs on allergic diseases in children and on the risk of type-2 diabetes in adults. The intake of industrially produced TFAs in European countries is decreasing. However, determination of the TFA content in various popular food items collected in Danish shops showed that it is likely that persons with a frequent intake of, e.g., French fries, microwave oven popcorn, chocolate bars, fast food, etc., consume industrially produced TFAs in amounts far exceeding the average intake, and are thereby exposed to an unnecessary health risk. The Danish government has decided that oils and fats containing more than 2% industrially produced TFAs will not be sold in Denmark after the January 1, 2004.

Animals↗