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Journal of Industrial Microbiology &... Jan 2024Lactobacillus paracasei IMC502® is a commercially successful probiotic strain. However, there are no reports that investigate growth medium composition in relation to...
Vegan grade medium component screening and concentration optimization for the fermentation of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei IMC 502® using Design of Experiments.
Lactobacillus paracasei IMC502® is a commercially successful probiotic strain. However, there are no reports that investigate growth medium composition in relation to improved biomass production for this strain. The major outcome of the present study is the design and optimization of a growth medium based on vegan components to be used in the cultivation of Lactobacillus paracasei IMC502®, by using Design of Experiments. Besides comparing different carbon sources, the use of plant-based peptones as nitrogen sources was considered. In particular, the use of guar peptone as the main nitrogen source, in the optimization of fermentation media for the production of probiotics, could replace other plant peptones (e.g. potato, rice, wheat, and soy) which are part of the human diet, thereby avoiding an increase in product and process prices. A model with R2 and adjusted R2 values higher than 95% was obtained. Model accuracy was equal to 94.11%. The vegan-optimized culture medium described in this study increased biomass production by about 65% compared to growth on De Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS) medium. Moreover, this approach showed that most of the salts and trace elements generally present in MRS are not affecting biomass production, thus a simplified medium preparation can be proposed with higher probiotic biomass yield and titer. The possibility to obtain viable lactic acid bacteria at high density from vegetable derived nutrients will be of great interest to specific consumer communities, opening the way to follow this approach with other probiotics of impact for human health.
Topics: Culture Media; Probiotics; Fermentation; Lacticaseibacillus paracasei; Biomass; Nitrogen; Peptones; Carbon
PubMed: 38658186
DOI: 10.1093/jimb/kuae016 -
Food, Culture, & Society Apr 2023Muslim consumers in the UK eat more meat than the national average. Individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds, particularly South Asian communities, experience poorer...
Muslim consumers in the UK eat more meat than the national average. Individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds, particularly South Asian communities, experience poorer health outcomes, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, associated with meat consumption. According to a YouGov survey, British Pakistani and Bangladeshi consumers use television cookery programs and social media (particularly YouTube) as their main digital sources of dietary information. Against this background, this study uses a mixed-method approach to show how meat is normalized in YouTube recipe content. Using quantitative analysis of 77 recent recipe videos presented by four leading British chefs (Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Nigella Lawson and Nadiya Hussain) and halal recipe videos, we find that meat-based recipes overwhelmingly outnumber vegetarian/vegan ones, and that, whereas environmental or animal welfare concerns are hardly mentioned, health narratives feature in some videos. Using critical discourse analysis of a sample of videos, we show how meat consumption is rationalized by the "absenting" of meat's animal origins (making it "normal"), the "defaultization" of meat (making it "natural" and "necessary"), and "positive emotional routines" (making it "nice" and "necessary"). We consider how these representations of meat serve to overcome the "meat paradox" and legitimize, and thereby normalize, meat consumption among British Muslims.
PubMed: 38652831
DOI: 10.1080/15528014.2023.2196195 -
PloS One 2024Vitamin B12 deficiency is responsible for a variety of complications, particularly neurological/neuropsychiatric complications, including depression, irritability,...
BACKGROUND
Vitamin B12 deficiency is responsible for a variety of complications, particularly neurological/neuropsychiatric complications, including depression, irritability, paresthesia and insomnia. Since vitamin B12 is found in animal-derived products, vegans/vegetarians are at a greater risk for developing vitamin B12 deficiency.
AIMS
This study aims to investigate the occurrence of vitamin B12 deficiency among a sample of adult Lebanese population, with a particular emphasis on assessing the severity of its neurological/neuropsychiatric signs and symptoms, especially among vegans/vegetarians.
METHODOLOGY
A cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of 483 Lebanese adults. Data was collected through a standardized questionnaire that included socio-demographic characteristics, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized anxiety disorders-7 (GAD-7), and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scales.
RESULTS
Among the participants, 11.4% were in the vegan/vegetarian group, and about 43.1% had vitamin B12 deficiency. After analyzing the PHQ-9, GAD-7 and ISI total scores, higher scores were reported in participants with vitamin B12 deficiency, compared to individuals with normal vitamin B12 serum levels (p < 0.001). Regarding the diet type, vegans/vegetarians were more susceptible to developing depression compared to omnivores (mean scores of 11.92 vs 8.02 on the PHQ-9 scale, respectively, with p < 0.001). Of the patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, 81.1% reported having paresthesia compared to 43.7% of individuals with no vitamin B12 deficiency (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Vitamin B12 deficiency in Lebanon is notably high and is linked to an increased risk of developing depression, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, and paresthesia. Vegans/vegetarians exhibit a higher susceptibility to developing depression compared to omnivores, whereas the risk of developing insomnia, generalized anxiety disorder and paresthesia was statistically insignificant when comparing vegans/vegetarians to omnivores.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Vegans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet, Vegetarian; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Paresthesia; Lebanon; Vegetarians; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency; Diet, Vegan; Vitamin B 12; Diet
PubMed: 38630748
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297976 -
Cureus Mar 2024In this article, we discuss the ethics of veganism by looking at the moral implications of having a vegan diet or plant-based diet. Veganism is a way of diet that... (Review)
Review
In this article, we discuss the ethics of veganism by looking at the moral implications of having a vegan diet or plant-based diet. Veganism is a way of diet that forbids or avoids consuming any animal products. It has drawn a lot of interest recently due to awareness or trends of vegan diet, human health, and ethical behavior benefits. The aim of the research is to look into the moral values that talk about veganism, such as animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and human welfare. In this study, we conduct a thorough assessment of ethical theories and actual evidence in an effort to know about the ethical reasons for veganism and its larger societal impacts. Through an analysis of existing literature and clinical studies, we discuss the various challenges, advantages, lifestyle modification, and nutritional concerns related to a vegan diet.
PubMed: 38618417
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.56214 -
Journal of Dairy Science Apr 2024Innovation around cheese is constant in attempts to meet ever-increasing consumer demands. Retail packaging provides a canvas to communicate to consumers added value... (Review)
Review
A systematic review of articles influencing United States retail cheese packaging, labeling, and market trends related to cheese in the marketplace and cheese during consumption.
Innovation around cheese is constant in attempts to meet ever-increasing consumer demands. Retail packaging provides a canvas to communicate to consumers added value from innovations or inherent properties of cheese. Packaging itself may also be the subject of cheese-related innovation. This systematic review of literature organizes research over the past 10 years related to cheese packaging innovation that consumers experience in the marketplace and during consumption of cheese products. The review discusses shipping, displaying cheese at grocery stores, the value of branding, purchasing preferences by demographics, health and nutrition claims, opportunities to highlight protein in cheese, marketing to children, issues of obesity and cheese, diet cheeses, allergens and non-dairy or vegan cheese, opening cheese packaging, cutting of cheese, cooking with cheese, eating cheese, the growing trend of snacking and convenience, and flavor preferences. This review provides helpful insights to cheese producers applying findings from research of various styles of cheeses, cheese marketers communicating effectively to consumers, cheese developers designing new products relevant to recent consumer demands, smaller or specialized companies seeking to differentiate their cheese product through available technology and strategy, and cheese lovers or those with hobbies surrounding food wanting to know recent advancements in cheese packaging. This review is a tool for discovering relevant articles relating to cheese packaging in a marketplace and consumption setting to guide cheese and cheese packaging and labeling innovation in the United States.
PubMed: 38608946
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-23977 -
Frontiers in Nutrition 2024Diets rich in minimally processed plant-based foods are recommended to breast cancer patients, and some may have an interest in whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diets that...
Changes in the consumption of isoflavones, omega-6, and omega-3 fatty acids in women with metastatic breast cancer adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet: post-hoc analysis of nutrient intake data from an 8-week randomized controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Diets rich in minimally processed plant-based foods are recommended to breast cancer patients, and some may have an interest in whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diets that avoid animal-based foods, added fats, and refined sugars. Within WFPB diets, the intakes of isoflavones, omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFAs), and omega-3 polyunsaturated FAs (n-3 PUFAs), which have been discussed in reference to breast cancer outcomes, have not been well characterized.
METHODS
Women with stage IV breast cancer on stable therapy were randomized 2:1 into (1) a WFPB intervention ( = 21) or (2) usual care ( = 11) for 8 weeks. Three meals per day were provided. Outcomes presented here include dietary intake of isoflavones, n-3 and n-6- PUFAs, which were assessed using three-day food records at baseline and 8 weeks. Baseline and 8-week mean intake within groups were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and between control and intervention groups by a two-sample -test.
RESULTS
The WFPB intervention participants increased their daily consumption of total isoflavones from a mean of 0.8 mg/day to 14.5 mg/day ( < 0.0001) and decreased the n-6:n-3 ratio of their diet from a mean of 9.3 to 3.7 ( < 0.0001). Within the WFPB group, linoleic acid (n-6 PUFA) consumption decreased by a mean of 3.8 g ( = 0.0095), from 12.8 g/day to 9.0 g/day; total n-3 PUFA consumption increased by a mean of 1.1 g ( = 0.0005), from 1.6 g/day to 2.7 g/day.
CONCLUSION
Transitioning to a WFPB diet resulted in significantly increased isoflavone intake and decreased n-6:n-3 ratio in women with breast cancer.
PubMed: 38577156
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1338392 -
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Jul 2024Quality of life (QOL) is among the most important outcomes for women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and it predicts survival. QOL is negatively impacted by... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
PURPOSE
Quality of life (QOL) is among the most important outcomes for women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and it predicts survival. QOL is negatively impacted by cognitive impairment, fatigue, and weight gain. We assessed whether a whole food, plant-based (WFPB) diet-promoting weight loss is feasible and might improve QOL.
METHODS
Women with MBC on stable systemic treatments were randomized 2:1 to 1) WFPB dietary intervention (n = 21) or 2) usual care (n = 11) for 8 weeks. Participants attended weekly education visits and consumed an ad libitum WFPB diet (3 prepared meals/day provided). Patient-reported outcomes and 3-day food records were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks. The effects of WFPB diet on changes in outcomes were assessed by analysis of covariance model controlling for baseline.
RESULTS
20 intervention and 10 control participants completed the trial. Intervention participants were highly adherent to the WFPB diet (94.3 % total calories on-plan). Intervention group nutrient intakes changed significantly including dietary fat (35.8 % to 20.4 % percent calories from fat, p < 0.001) and fiber content (12.7 to 30.8 g fiber/1000 kcal, p < 0.001). Perceived cognitive function (FACT-Cog total + 16.1; 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.8-31.7; p = 0.040) and emotional well-being (FACT-B emotional well-being subscale + 2.3; CI = 0.5-4.1; p = 0.016) improved in the WFPB versus the control group. Fatigue, measured by the BFI, improved within the WFPB group for fatigue severity (M = 4.7 ± 2.5[SD] to 3.7 ± 2.3, p = 0.047) and fatigue at its worst (5.8 ± 2.8 to 4.4 ± 2.4, p = 0.011).
CONCLUSIONS
Significant dietary changes in this population are feasible and may improve QOL by improving treatment-related symptoms. Additional study is warranted.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03045289. Registered 7 February 2017.
Topics: Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Middle Aged; Quality of Life; Patient Reported Outcome Measures; Adult; Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; Feasibility Studies; Nutrients; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38553649
DOI: 10.1007/s10549-024-07284-z -
Nutrients Mar 2024Research suggests a link between deficiencies in omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) and impulsivity among psychiatric populations. However, this... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
Research suggests a link between deficiencies in omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) and impulsivity among psychiatric populations. However, this association is less evident in non-clinical populations. As omega-3 LCPUFAs are predominantly sourced through fish consumption, non-fish dieters may be more vulnerable to higher impulsivity.
METHODS
This cross-sectional observational study explored the association between lower intakes of omega-3 LCPUFA food sources and higher self-reported measures of impulsivity among healthy adults consuming non-restricted, vegetarian, and vegan diets.
RESULTS
The results from the validated Food Frequency Questionnaire showed significantly lower estimated omega-3 LCPUFA intakes among vegans and vegetarians when compared with people consuming non-restricted diets. Furthermore, although all groups scored within the normal range of impulsivity measures, vegans scored comparatively higher. Vegans also scored significantly higher in impulsivity control relating to attention than those consuming non-restricted diets.
CONCLUSIONS
The significantly lower omega-3 LCPUFA dietary intakes in the vegan diets were associated with higher scores in the second-order attentional aspect of self-reported impulsiveness.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Eating; Fatty Acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Vegetarians
PubMed: 38542786
DOI: 10.3390/nu16060875 -
Biomedicines Mar 2024Around 20-30% of Fibromyalgia patients modify their dietary habits after diagnosis, including avoiding certain food groups such as cereals. In this systematic review, we... (Review)
Review
Around 20-30% of Fibromyalgia patients modify their dietary habits after diagnosis, including avoiding certain food groups such as cereals. In this systematic review, we used the PRISMA guidelines to select the main studies that have evaluated the effectiveness of restrictive diets, including elimination and vegetarian diets, in patients with Fibromyalgia. Data on vegetarian/vegan diets are more consistent than data on elimination diets due to higher quality and better results of the published studies. Although the results are favorable in most of the studies, their heterogenicity and the scarce and low quality of the evidence (small number of patients included, often non-randomized and uncontrolled studies and multiple confounding factors and biases) does not allow for a positive recommendation about these restrictive diets in Fibromyalgia patients. Several factors other than food restriction could influence the symptomatic and functional improvements observed after restrictive diets, such as the placebo effect, weight loss that often occurs, coexistence with gastrointestinal diseases and positive effects of unrestricted foods. We must advance more and improve in our knowledge of the effectiveness of restrictive diets and variables related to them before recommending them systematically to all patients with Fibromyalgia. Randomized, placebo-controlled trials with large sample sizes, longer follow-up periods and standardized outcome measures that explore predictors of dietary response are needed to better understand the relationship between Fibromyalgia and nutrition.
PubMed: 38540241
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12030629