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Survival and growth of Enterobacter sakazakii in infant rice cereal reconstituted with water, milk, liquid infant formula, or apple juice.

AIMS: To determine survival and growth characteristics of Enterobacter sakazakii in infant rice cereal as affected by type of liquid used for reconstitution and storage temperature after reconstitution. METHODS AND RESULTS: A commercially manufactured dry infant rice cereal was reconstituted with water, apple juice, milk, or liquid infant formula, inoculated with a 10-strain mixture of E. sakazakii at populations of 0.27, 0.93, and 9.3 CFU ml(-1), and incubated at 4, 12, 21 or 30 degrees C for up to 72 h. Growth did not occur in cereal reconstituted with apple juice, regardless of storage temperature, or in cereal reconstituted with water, milk, or formula and stored at 4 degrees C. The lag time for growth in cereal reconstituted with water, milk, or formula was decreased as the incubation temperature (12, 21 and 30 degrees C) was increased. Upon reaching maximum populations of 7-8 log10 CFU ml(-1), in some instances populations decreased to nondetectable levels during subsequent storage which was concurrent with decreases in pH. CONCLUSIONS: Enterobacter sakazakii initially at very low populations can rapidly grow in infant rice cereal reconstituted with water, milk, or infant formula. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Reconstituted infant rice cereal can support luxuriant growth of E. sakazakii. Reconstituted cereal that is not immediately consumed should be discarded or stored at a temperature at which E. sakazakii and other food-borne pathogens cannot grow.

Animals↗

Biological control of cereal aphids in north america and mediating effects of host plant and habitat manipulations.

The predator and parasitoid fauna associated with cereal aphids is described, emphasizing the fauna associated with classical biological control efforts against the greenbug and Russian wheat aphid. We focus on literature from North America and include work from Europe and elsewhere when it is desirable to draw contrasts between approaches that affect cereal aphid biological control. Effects on natural enemies of cereal aphids are described that appear associated with plant traits that are innate, bred, or induced by aphid feeding. Examples of habitat manipulations, within and bordering cereal fields and within the broader landscape in which cereal production resides, affecting predators and parasitoids of cereal aphids are presented. These mediating effects of host plant and habitat manipulations on cereal aphid biological control provide significant and underexplored avenues to optimize cereal aphid management.

Animals↗

Heat stress in cereal crops: reproductive development and grain filling.

Increasingly frequent extreme heat events threaten cereal production and food security under a changing climate. The reproductive-to-grain formation continuum of cereals is particularly vulnerable to elevated temperatures, as heat stress disrupts developmental processes from inflorescence formation and fertilization to grain filling and quality establishment. These disruptions reduce reproductive success, impair yield formation, and compromise grain quality. A comprehensive understanding of the developmental, physiological, molecular, and genetic basis of cereal heat tolerance is therefore essential for developing climate-adapted crops. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding heat stress during cereal reproduction and grain filling across major cereal crops. We first discuss how heat stress affects sequential developmental processes, including inflorescence development, gametophyte development, flowering and pollination, fertilization, and grain filling. We then integrate emerging evidence on cross-cutting mechanisms that connect stage-specific heat responses, focusing on hormonal and redox homeostasis, carbohydrate metabolism and source-sink coordination, proteostasis and endomembrane organization, and genome stability and multilayered gene regulation. Finally, we summarize the genetic basis of cereal heat tolerance by highlighting genetic determinants, favorable alleles, and their potential applications in breeding. We further discuss current bottlenecks and future opportunities for breeding heat-tolerant cereals.

Cereals↗

Niacin status of humans as affected by eating decorticated and whole-ground sorghum (Sorghum gramineae) grain, ready-to-eat breakfast cereals.

Niacin utilization to humans from whole grain ground sorghum flour and decorticated grain ground sorghum flour was studied. During two, randomly-arranged experimental periods of 14 days each, the 10 healthy adult subjects ate constant, laboratory controlled diets which included 28 g per day of either a ready-to-eat cereal prepared from whole-ground-sorghum flour or one prepared from decorticated (polished) sorghum flour. All subjects received both experimental treatments, made complete collections of urine and stools, and gave fasting blood samples at the ends of both experimental periods. Although the whole ground cereal contained higher amounts of niacin than did the decorticated cereal, urinary losses of N-methylnicotinamine were higher when the decorticated cereal was fed than when the whole ground cereal was used. Blood serum levels of nicotinamide and N-nicotinamide were higher when the whole ground cereal was fed than the feeding of the decorticated cereal was given. Therefore, it appears that the niacin of whole ground sorghum is absorbed but then the need for niacin is either increased or its urinary excretion is inhibited.

Adult↗

Structure and evolution of cereal genomes.

The cereal species, of central importance to our diet, began to diverge 50-70 million years ago. For the past few thousand years, these species have undergone largely parallel selection regimes associated with domestication and improvement. The rice genome sequence provides a platform for organizing information about diverse cereals, and together with genetic maps and sequence samples from other cereals is yielding new insights into both the shared and the independent dimensions of cereal evolution. New data and population-based approaches are identifying genes that have been involved in cereal improvement. Reduced-representation sequencing promises to accelerate gene discovery in many large-genome cereals, and to better link the under-explored genomes of 'orphan' cereals with state-of-the-art knowledge.

Agriculture↗

High-performance capillary electrophoresis of cereal proteins.

Cereal grains are widely used of human foods and animal feed throughout the world. Cereals provide dietary protein, which also often has a functional role, as wheat gluten does in bread. Cereal proteins are unique in many ways: they are highly complex and heterogeneous, are often difficult to extract, and aggregate readily, making them difficult to characterize. Because of the economic importance and widespread use of cereal proteins, however, many techniques have been used for their analysis. High-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) is one of the newest techniques to be so used. This review describes the development of charge- and size-based HPCE methods for analysis of cereal grain proteins, and the use of these methods for cultivar identification, classification, and prediction of quality. HPCE is versatile, rapid, easily automated, readily quantified, and provides high-resolution separations. Clearly, HPCE is a valuable addition to other methods of cereal protein analysis and should, in time, be applicable to all protein classes from all cereals.

Edible Grain↗

Utilization of dietary cereal by young infants.

The direct demonstration of cereal utilization by 16 healthy 1-month-old infants was achieved by tracing the appearance in breath CO2 of carbon derived from the fed cereal. These oxidation rates were compared with rates obtained from the feeding of glucose and glucose polymers. Fermentation of unabsorbed carbohydrate by the colonic flora was assessed by measurement of breath H2. Stools from four infants were analyzed for the quantity of carbon that originated from the cereal. Oxidation rates were not significantly different (mean = 31.2% of the dose fed). Mean peak hydrogen production was 39.8, 29.1, and 18.6 ppm for cereal, glucose polymers, and glucose, respectively. Cereal carbon was detected in the stools of two infants (3.7% and 13.1% of the ingested load). We conclude that young infants can utilize cereal, although absorption is not always complete. Hydrogen production increases with carbohydrate complexity; participation of colonic bacterial fermentation increases the net absorption of cereal.

Breath Tests↗

Improved normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography procedure for the determination of carotenoids in cereals.

Besides the health benefits associated with whole-grain consumption, cereals are recognized sources of health-enhancing bioactive components such as carotenoids, which are a group of yellow pigments involved in the prevention of many degenerative diseases and which have been used for a long time as indicators of the color quality of durum wheat and pasta products. This work reports a fast, sensitive, and selective procedure for the extraction and determination of carotenoids from cereals and cereal byproducts. The method involves sample saponification and extraction followed by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, allowing the separation of the main carotenoids pigments of cereals, especially lutein and zeaxanthin. An application of the established method to various species of cereals and cereal byproducts is also shown. The highest carotenoid levels were found in maize (approximately 11.14 mg/kg of dry weight), which contains high amounts of beta-cryptoxanthin (2.40 mg/kg of dry weight), and, among the cereals considered, has the highest content of zeaxanthin (6.43 mg/kg of dry weight) and alpha+beta-carotene (1.44 mg/kg of dry weight). With the exception of maize, lutein is the main compound found (from 0.23 to 2.65 mg/kg of dry weight in oat and durum wheat, respectively). Moreover, whereas alpha+beta-carotene and zeaxanthin are principally localized in the germ, lutein is equally distributed along the kernel.

Carotenoids↗

Cereal alpha-amylase inhibitors cause occupational sensitization in the wood industry.

BACKGROUND: Cereal flours are used in the wood industry to improve the quality of the glues necessary to produce veneer panels. However, up to now, no cases of sensitization to cereal flour in this kind of industry have been reported. Cereal alpha-amylase inhibitors have been previously described as important occupational allergens responsible for baker's asthma. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cereal allergens were responsible for occupational sensitization in three wood industry workers. METHODS: The diagnosis was made by clinical questionnaire, physical examination, skin-prick tests to cereals, CAP and immunoblotting. RESULTS: The three patients had positive skin prick tests and CAP to cereal flours. An IgE-immunoblotting revealed that only low molecular weight proteins (under 20 kDa) were detected by the three sera. These main IgE-binding proteins were members of the alpha-amylase inhibitor family which have been described as one of the group of main allergenic proteins in rye, barley and wheat. The three patients changed their workplace and remain asymptomatic in spite of the fact that they are still in contact with different woods and exposed to high concentrations of wood dust and other chemicals such as formaldehyde. CONCLUSION: Proteins from cereal flours are important occupational allergens in some wood industries.

Adhesives↗

Intolerance to cereals is not specific for coeliac disease.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal complaints after ingestion of cereals are not uncommon. We assessed how reliable such a history is as a marker for the presence of overt coeliac disease, and whether we should also take into account latent coeliac disease and cereal allergy. METHODS: The study group comprised 93 consecutive adults from health centres spontaneously reporting abdominal symptoms after consumption of cereals. Small bowel mucosal morphology, CD3+, alphabeta+ and gammadelta+ intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs), HLA DQ alleles and serum IgA-class endomysial (EmA), tissue transglutaminase (tTg) and gliadin (AGA) antibodies were determined. Skin prick and patch tests and serum radioallergosorbent tests for cereals were carried out. Thirty non-coeliac adults served as biopsy controls. RESULTS: Eight (9%) patients had coeliac disease and one mild partial villous atrophy. Altogether 17 had an increased density of gamma delta+ IELs without atrophy. However, only seven (8%) showed evidence of latent coeliac disease, i.e. both an increase in gammadelta+ IELs and the presence of coeliac disease-type HLA. One or more of the allergy tests for cereals was positive in 19; 9 adopted a gluten-free diet and abdominal symptoms were alleviated in all. In non-coeliac patients, serum EmA and tTg tests were negative in all, whereas AGA was seen in 40%. CONCLUSIONS: Intolerance to cereals is not a specific sign of overt or latent coeliac disease. All experimental dietary interventions before proper diagnosis of coeliac disease are therefore to be discouraged. Allergy to cereals, on the other hand, should be considered even in adults.

Adult↗

Survey of breakfast and infant cereals for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2.

Three hundred and forty-nine breakfast and infant cereal samples were collected at retail level across Canada from 2002 to 2005. They included rice-, soy-, barley-based and mixed-grain infant cereals, corn-, wheat-, rice-based and mixed-grain breakfast cereals, and were analysed for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 using a modified AOAC International official method. An immunoaffinity column was used for the cleanup and purification of extracts. Determination of aflatoxins was by LC using post-column derivatization with pyridinium hydrobromide perbromide and fluorescence detection. Results indicated that 50% of both breakfast and infant cereals had detectable levels (limit of detection = 0.002 ng g-1) of aflatoxin B1, which is the most toxic of the four toxins. The levels found varied from 0.002 to 1.00 ng g-1 for aflatoxin B1, from 0.002 to 0.14 ng g-1 for aflatoxin B2, from 0.008 to 0.27 ng g-1 for aflatoxin G1, and from 0.008 to 0.048 ng g-1 for aflatoxin G2. Only 4% of the breakfast cereals and 1% of the infant cereals had aflatoxin B1 levels exceeding 0.1 ng g-1, which is the European Union maximum limit for aflatoxin B1 in baby foods and processed cereal-based foods for infants and young children.

Aflatoxin B1↗

Cereal feeding and its impact on the nitrogen economy of the infant.

To quantify the effect of rice cereal on nitrogen balance and fecal nitrogen excretion, and the contribution of endogenous nitrogen sources to fecal nitrogen output, nine infants aged 3-5 mo received [15N]glycine in all feedings. Samples of urine and feces were obtained daily and analyzed for nitrogen and 15N. On days 1-7 the infants received only formula, and a complete urine and fecal collection was made on days 6-7. From days 8 to 12 the formula was supplemented with rice cereal (133.3 g/L, or 4 g/30 mL formula) and a second complete urine and fecal collection was made on days 11-12. Cereal did not alter fecal nitrogen output or the calculated contribution (45%) of endogenous nitrogen to fecal nitrogen. Cereal did increase nitrogen retention and lower the urinary excretion of the 15N dose (24% of dose). The calculated true digestibility of the rice cereal protein was > 95%. Our results indicate that infants aged 4 mo, in contrast with younger infants, are able to digest and absorb cereal. The addition of cereal to the diet does not lead to increased fecal protein losses.

Bacteria↗

Molecular genetics of disease resistance in cereals.

AIMS: This Botanical Briefing attempts to summarize what is currently known about the molecular bases of disease resistance in cereal species and suggests future research directions. SCOPE: An increasing number of resistance (R) genes have been isolated from rice, maize, wheat and barley that encode both structurally related and unique proteins. This R protein diversity may be attributable to the different modus operandi employed by pathogen species in some cases, but it is also a consequence of multiple defence strategies being employed against phytopathogens. Mutational analysis of barley has identified additional genes required for activation of an R gene-mediated defence response upon pathogen infection. In some instances very closely related barley R proteins require different proteins for defence activation, demonstrating that, within a single plant species, multiple resistance signalling pathways and different resistance strategies have evolved to confer protection against a single pathogen species. Despite the apparent diversity of cereal resistance mechanisms, some of the additional molecules required for R protein function are conserved amongst cereal and dicotyledonous species and even other eukaryotic species. Thus the derivation of functional homologues and interacting partner proteins from other species is contributing to the understanding of resistance signalling in cereals. The potential and limit of utilizing the rice genome sequence for further R gene isolation from cereal species is also considered, as are the new biotechnological possibilities for disease control arising from R gene isolation. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular analyses in cereals have further highlighted the complexity of plant-pathogen co-evolution and have shown that numerous active and passive defence strategies are employed by plants against phytopathogens. Many advances in understanding the molecular basis of disease resistance in cereals have focused on monogenic resistance traits. Future research targets are likely to include less experimentally tractable, durable polygenic resistances and nonhost resistance mechanisms.

Breeding↗

Growth and ascorbic acid metabolism in rats and guinea pigs fed cereal diets.

The nutritional values of the whole grain principal cereals, namely, wheat, rice, corn, and a millet bajra, were investigated by growth studies and studies on ascorbic acid metabolism in rats and guinea pigs. Growth was markedly retarded by feeding the rats unfortified whole grain cereals. Among the whole grain cereals, rice provided the lowest nutritional value, and the cooking of rice affected the nutritional value further. In weanling rats, ascorbic acid synthesis at the subcellular level was inhibited, and tissue storage of ascorbic acid was decreased in rats fed whole grain cereals. In guinea pigs fed whole grain cereals, the utilization of ascorbic acid was increased. Ascorbic acid supplementation at various levels indicated that the requirement for ascorbic acid increased five times in guinea pigs fed whole grain cereals. The increased intake of the vitamin was not needed when the whole grain cereals were enriched with 15% casein.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

Psyllium-enriched cereals lower blood total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, but not HDL cholesterol, in hypercholesterolemic adults: results of a meta-analysis.

We conducted a meta-analysis to determine the effect of consumption of psyllium-enriched cereal products on blood total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and to estimate the magnitude of the effect among 404 adults with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia (TC of 5.17-7.8 mmol/L) who consumed a low fat diet. Studies of psyllium cereals were identified by a computerized search of MEDLINE and Current Contents and by contacting United States-based food companies involved in psyllium research. Published and unpublished studies were reviewed by one author and considered eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis if they were conducted in humans, were randomized, controlled experiments, and included a control group that ate cereal providing </=3 g soluble fiber/d. Eight published and four unpublished studies, conducted in four countries, met the criteria. Analysis of a linear model was performed, controlling for sex and age. Female subjects were divided into two groups to provide a rough estimate of the effect of menopausal status (premenopausal = <50 y, postmenopausal = >/=50 y) on blood lipids. The meta-analysis showed that subjects who consumed a psyllium cereal had lower TC and LDL-C concentrations [differences of 0.31 mmol/L (5%) and 0.35 mmol/L (9%), respectively] than subjects who ate a control cereal; HDL-C concentrations were unaffected in subjects eating psyllium cereal. There was no effect of sex, age or menopausal status on blood lipids. Results indicate that consuming a psyllium-enriched cereal as part of a low fat diet improves the blood lipid profile of hypercholesterolemic adults over that which can be achieved with a low fat diet alone.

Adult↗

Diversity of allergens causing occupational asthma among cereal workers as demonstrated by exposure procedures.

BACKGROUND: Occupational asthma among cereal workers is frequently due to cereals but other allergens can also be responsible. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the allergens causing occupational asthma in the patients who had been diagnosed in our Department during the last 5 years. Specific bronchial reactivity to the implicated allergens was assessed and compared by standardized bronchial challenge. METHODS: Twenty-one patients (12 bakers, three millers and six farmers) were studied. We carried out in vivo tests (skin and challenge tests) and in vitro tests (specific IgE measurement) with cereals, enzymes, soyabean, storage mites and egg. A definitive diagnosis was established by means of specific bronchial provocation tests (BPT), except in three patients in whom it could not be carried out due to the severity of their asthma. In these cases the causative agent had to be determined by means of conjunctival challenge. RESULTS: Cereals were the main sensitizers among bakers (75%) and farmers (66%). Bakers were also sensitive to alpha-amylase (41%) and soyabean (25%), and farmers, to soyabean (33%) and storage mites (33%). Occupational asthma was due to cereals, soyabean and storage mites among millers. CONCLUSIONS: Besides cereals, other allergens such as enzymes, leguminous, egg and storage mites can be the causative agents of occupational asthma among cereal workers. Sensitization to different allergens in the different jobs is very likely due to differences in exposure.

Adult↗

Difficulty in defecation in infants with gastroesophageal reflux treated with smaller volume feeds thickened with rice cereal.

We prospectively evaluated the incidence of difficulty in defecation in infants with gastroesophageal reflux who were treated with smaller volume feeds thickened with rice cereal and also assessed the effect of changing the cereal to oatmeal. We evaluated 53 thriving infants with uncomplicated gastroesophageal reflux who were treated with smaller volume feeds thickened with rice cereal. Parents maintained records of bowel movements for 7 days. Rice was substituted by oatmeal cereal in those infants developing difficulty in defecation and another 7 days' record was kept. Of the 53 infants enrolled, 34 (64%) reported no difficulty in defecation, 8 (15%) reported mild difficulty, and 11 (21%) reported severe difficulty in defecation during rice-based feedings. In these symptomatic 19 infants, after rice was substituted by oatmeal cereal, 10 infants (52.6%) reported no symptoms, 6 (31.6%) had mild symptoms, and 3 (15.8%) continued to have severe symptoms. We conclude that difficulty in defecation is common during treatment of infants with gastroesophageal reflux with smaller volume feeds thickened with rice cereal. Substitution of rice with oatmeal cereal results in partial or complete resolution of symptoms in most of these infants.

Avena↗

Breakfast cereal consumption patterns and nutrient intakes of British schoolchildren.

Breakfast cereals are nutrient-dense foods that are also low in fat. They could theoretically contribute to lowering the percentage energy from fat in the diet whilst enhancing the intake of certain nutrients. This project is based on a further analysis of dietary data (seven day weighed intakes) from 2705 British schoolchildren (DoH, 1989) and examines the relationship between breakfast cereal consumption and total daily nutrient intakes. The children were grouped according to amount of cereal consumed per day (none; less than 20 g; 20-40 g; over 40 g) and results examined for each age group (10-11 and 14-15 years) in boys and girls separately. For the nutrients examined there was a highly significant and graded increase in vitamin and mineral intake with increasing cereal consumption and a simultaneous reduction in energy from fat from 39-40% amongst non-consumers to 36-37% among children consuming a portion of cereal or more per day. Body mass index tended to be lower in the frequent breakfast cereal eaters. In conclusion, children who eat breakfast cereal tend to have more desirable nutrient intakes than those who do not.

Adolescent↗