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Analytica Chimica Acta Jul 2024Mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbon (MOAH) analysis in foods is a major analytical challenge. Quantification is associated with a high uncertainty. The sources of...
BACKGROUND
Mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbon (MOAH) analysis in foods is a major analytical challenge. Quantification is associated with a high uncertainty. The sources of uncertainty are multiple, but the major one is related to data interpretation and integration, which is partially derived from insufficiently efficient sample preparation. Recently, an updated ISO method for the analysis of mineral oil in fats and oils and a standard operating procedure for infant formula analysis have been published. Both methods reported significantly different (up to 1.25) distributions of the internal standards used for quantification (i.e., tri-tert-butyl benzene (TBB) and 2-methyl naphthalene (2-MN)) over the different solvent phases used in the saponification step.
RESULTS
In this work, a microwave-assisted saponification and extraction method was optimized for MOAH analysis to solve the problem related to the MOAH internal standards partition. The paper examines the impact of the solvent mixture used, the concentration of KOH on the partition of TBB and 2-MN, and the effect of the matrix and the washing step to extract the unsaponifiable fraction containing the mineral oils.
SIGNIFICANCE
The optimized procedure achieved a TBB/2-MN ratio of 1.05 ± 0.01 tested in five different fats and oils, namely, sunflower, rapeseed, coconut, palm, and extra virgin olive oils. The method can significantly contribute to reducing the uncertainty of the MOAH quantification when saponification is applied.
Topics: Microwaves; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; Mineral Oil
PubMed: 38834273
DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2024.342788 -
European Journal of Nutrition Jun 2024To describe adherence to sustainable healthy diets among a sample of 958 Chilean pre-schoolers (3-6 years) and explore associations between adherence and child and...
PURPOSE
To describe adherence to sustainable healthy diets among a sample of 958 Chilean pre-schoolers (3-6 years) and explore associations between adherence and child and maternal sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics.
METHODS
Children's adherence to sustainable healthy diets was calculated from single multiple-pass 24-h dietary recalls using the Planetary Health Diet Index for children and adolescents (PHDI-C). Higher PHDI-C scores (max score = 150 points) represent greater adherence. Adjusted linear regression models were fitted to explore associations between PHDI-C scores and child and maternal characteristics.
RESULTS
Children obtained low total PHDI-C scores (median 50.0 [IQR 39.5-59.8] points). This resulted from low consumption of nuts & peanuts, legumes, vegetables, whole cereals, and vegetable oils; a lack of balance between dark green and red & orange vegetables, inadequate consumption of tubers & potatoes and eggs & white meats, and excess consumption of dairy products, palm oil, red meats, and added sugars. Mean PHDI-C total score was significantly higher (50.6 [95%CI 49.6, 51.7] vs 47.3 [95%CI 45.0, 49.5]) among children whose mothers were ≥ 25 years compared to those with younger mothers. Positive associations were observed between scores for fruits and maternal education, vegetables and maternal age, added sugars and child weight status, while negative associations were observed between fruits and child age, and vegetable oils and maternal education. Scores for dairy products PHDI-C component were lower among girls.
CONCLUSION
Adherence to sustainable healthy diets was low among this sample of Chilean children and was significantly associated with maternal age, being lower among children whose mothers were younger.
PubMed: 38829558
DOI: 10.1007/s00394-024-03435-6 -
Food and Chemical Toxicology : An... Jul 2024Edible plants samples were analysed for non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic human health risks. The elements nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), chromium...
Edible plants samples were analysed for non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic human health risks. The elements nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr) and mercury (Hg) analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The recovery, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 75 to 89 %, 0.001-0.003 and 0.003-0.01, respectively. The mean value of Hg (0.34 mg/kg) exceeded the limit of 0.05 mg/kg recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). The estimated daily intake (EDI) of Cd in adults ranged from 7.93 × 10 to 1.43 × 10 and that of Hg from 0.07 to 1.27 and Cd (0.08 × 10) in children. These are below the oral reference doses (RfD). Hazard Quotient (HQ) of Hg in children was 1.92. The elements Hg and As obtained the highest total hazard (THI) index of 2.02 in mango1 and oil palm. Arsenic possessed the highest cancer risk of 4.5 × 10 in children and 1.9 × 10 in adults. Cancer risk (CR) ranged from low to moderate (10-10), which is below the limit of 10. The total carcinogenic risk (TCR) of the edible plants were above the limit of 10. The study identified minimal As and Hg pollution and carcinogenic risks in edible plants.
Topics: Humans; Plants, Edible; Risk Assessment; Food Contamination; Child; Arsenic; Adult; Metals, Heavy; Spectrophotometry, Atomic
PubMed: 38824991
DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114760 -
Food Research International (Ottawa,... Jul 2024In this paper, two emulsion systems with high and low solid fat contents were prepared from 20 % water phase and 80 % oil phase by adjusting the palm oil/palm...
In this paper, two emulsion systems with high and low solid fat contents were prepared from 20 % water phase and 80 % oil phase by adjusting the palm oil/palm stearin/soybean oil ratio. Different ultrasonic power and time were used for the pretreatment of emulsion with different solid fat content, and the application characteristics of ultrasonic in W/O emulsions were explored and evaluated. Directly using high-intensity ultrasound to prepare fatty emulsions would weaken the hardness and storage modulus G' of the samples. Although ultrasound reduced the size of fat crystals in emulsions, the interaction between water droplets and fat crystals needs to be considered. After ultrasonic treatment, water droplets were difficult to immobilize on the crystal surface and thus acted as an active filler to stabilize the emulsion together with the fat crystal network. In high solid fat emulsion systems, an increase in ultrasound power (from 100 W to 200 W) could more affect the crystallization behavior of fats than an increase in ultrasound duration (from 30 s to 60 s), and the distribution of crystals and droplets was more uniform. In the low solid fat emulsion system, the texture of the sample after ultrasonic treatment was softer, and the surface was more delicate and smoother. However, the higher ultrasonic intensity (200 W) was not conducive to the preparation of the spread. Although the ultrasound with excessive intensity promoted the formation of small crystals, it would also lead to the aggregation of small crystals. These small crystals cannot form a uniform crystal network, which increases the fluidity of emulsions.
Topics: Emulsions; Water; Crystallization; Palm Oil; Particle Size; Soybean Oil; Ultrasonic Waves; Ultrasonics
PubMed: 38823876
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114493 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Growing obesity is linked to shifts in dietary patterns, particularly the increased intake of ultra-processed high-fat foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of...
Growing obesity is linked to shifts in dietary patterns, particularly the increased intake of ultra-processed high-fat foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of interesterified palm oil consumption on glucose homeostasis, adipose tissue remodeling, and hepatic lipogenesis in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet. Sixty C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups (n = 15): the control group (C) fed a standard diet (4% soybean oil), the high-fat group (HF) (23.8% lard), the high palm oil fat group (HFP) (23.8% palm oil), and the high interesterified palm fat group (HFI) (23.8% interesterified palm oil) for 8 weeks (all groups received 50% energy from lipids). The HFI group exhibited higher body mass than the HF group (+ 11%, P < 0.05), which was attributed to an increased percentage of fat mass. Plasma concentrations of IL-6, insulin, and HOMA-IR were also elevated in the HFI group. Both the HFP and HFI groups showed hypertrophied adipocytes and pancreatic islets, increased alpha and beta cell masses, hepatic steatosis, low expression of genes related to beta-oxidation, and upregulated lipogenesis. In conclusion, the consumption of interesterified palm oil alters inflammatory and glucose profiles.
Topics: Animals; Palm Oil; Diet, High-Fat; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Inflammation; Adipose Tissue, White; Male; Lipogenesis; Obesity; Liver; Insulin; Insulin Resistance
PubMed: 38822155
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63488-9 -
Scientific Data May 2024Understanding direct deforestation drivers at a fine spatial and temporal scale is needed to design appropriate measures for forest management and monitoring. To achieve...
Understanding direct deforestation drivers at a fine spatial and temporal scale is needed to design appropriate measures for forest management and monitoring. To achieve this, reference datasets with which to design Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches to classify direct deforestation drivers within areas experiencing forest loss in a detailed, comprehensive and locally-adapted way are needed. This is the case for Cameroon, in the Congo Basin, which has known increasing deforestation rates in recent years. Here, we created an Earth Observation dataset with associated labels to classify detailed direct deforestation drivers in Cameroon, which includes satellite imagery (Landsat and PlanetScope) and auxiliary data on infrastructure and biophysical properties. The dataset provides the following fifteen labels: oil palm, timber, fruit, rubber and other-large scale plantations; grassland/shrubland; small-scale oil palm or maize plantations and other small-scale agriculture; mining; selective logging; infrastructure; wildfires; hunting; and other.
Topics: Cameroon; Conservation of Natural Resources; Satellite Imagery; Forests; Agriculture; Artificial Intelligence
PubMed: 38821976
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03384-z -
PeerJ 2024The chloroplast genome has the potential to be genetically engineered to enhance the agronomic value of major crops. As a crop plant with major economic value, it is...
BACKGROUND
The chloroplast genome has the potential to be genetically engineered to enhance the agronomic value of major crops. As a crop plant with major economic value, it is important to understand every aspect of the genetic inheritance pattern among individuals to ensure the traceability of agronomic traits.
METHODS
Two parental individuals and 23 of their F progenies were collected and sequenced using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique on the Illumina platform. Chloroplast genomes were assembled from the cleaned raw reads and aligned to check for variations. The sequences were compared and analyzed with programming language scripting and relevant bioinformatic softwares. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci were determined from the chloroplast genome.
RESULTS
The chloroplast genome assembly resulted in 156,983 bp, 156,988 bp, 156,982 bp, and 156,984 bp. The gene content and arrangements were consistent with the reference genome published in the GenBank database. Seventy-eight SSRs were detected in the chloroplast genome, with most located in the intergenic spacer region.The chloroplast genomes of 17 F progenies were exact copies of the maternal parent, while six individuals showed a single variation in the sequence. Despite the significant variation displayed by the male parent, all the nucleotide variations were synonymous. This study show highly conserve gene content and sequence in chloroplast genomes. Maternal inheritance of chloroplast genome among F progenies are robust with a low possibility of mutations over generations. The findings in this study can enlighten inheritance pattern of chloroplast genome especially among crops' scientists who consider using chloroplast genome for agronomic trait modifications.
Topics: Genome, Chloroplast; Microsatellite Repeats; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Inheritance Patterns
PubMed: 38818457
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17335 -
3 Biotech Jun 2024The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system has been in the spotlight compared to programmable nucleases such as ZFNs and TALENs due to its simplicity, versatility, and high... (Review)
Review
The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system has been in the spotlight compared to programmable nucleases such as ZFNs and TALENs due to its simplicity, versatility, and high efficiency. CRISPR/Cas9 has revolutionized plant genetic engineering and is broadly used to edit various plants' genomes, including those transformation-recalcitrant species such as oil palm. This review will comprehensively present the CRISPR-Cas9 system's brief history and underlying mechanisms. We then highlighted the establishment of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in plants with an emphasis on the strategies of highly efficient guide RNA design, the establishment of various CRISPR/Cas9 vector systems, approaches of multiplex editing, methods of transformation for stable and transient techniques, available methods for detecting and analyzing mutations, which have been applied and could be adopted for CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in oil palm. In addition, we also provide insight into the strategy of DNA-free genome editing and its potential application in oil palm.
PubMed: 38817736
DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-04010-w -
Frontiers in Chemistry 2024Each year, the rising demand for palm oil generates large amounts of palm kernel shell waste. Discarded palm kernel shells can produce activated carbon, crushed shells,...
Examining the ability of palm kernel shell extract to control corrosion and assess its economic value on thermo-mechanically treated steel in artificial seawater: a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach.
Each year, the rising demand for palm oil generates large amounts of palm kernel shell waste. Discarded palm kernel shells can produce activated carbon, crushed shells, liquified fumes, and other derivatives; however, their indiscriminate disposal persists, raising issues related to the environment and economy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the use of palm kernel shell as a corrosion inhibitor for thermo-mechanically treated steel in a seawater environment using gravimetric and electrochemical techniques, as well as surface tests at varying concentrations. The findings demonstrated that the palm kernel shell inhibited the cathodic and anodic processes by adsorption on the steel surface, which followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibitor exhibited a 98% inhibitory efficiency at 500 ppm concentration. Scanning electron microscopy analysis verified the thin films of the inhibitor on steel surface in seawater solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results show that the extract's components prevent the steel corrosion through an adsorptive mechanism. According to the inhibitor economic evaluation, employing the palm kernel shell extract is less expensive than utilizing conventional inhibitors.
PubMed: 38807979
DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1396565 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Oil palm cultivation has improved living standards and alleviated the poverty of many smallholder farmers. However, challenges such as climate change, aging palms and...
Oil palm cultivation has improved living standards and alleviated the poverty of many smallholder farmers. However, challenges such as climate change, aging palms and negative sentiments in the major markets, threaten the wellbeing of and raise the question on smallholder farmers' resilience, which remains poorly understood. Using primary data from Indonesia, the largest palm oil producer in the world, we measure and evaluate the resilience of oil palm smallholder farmers using the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach. Our results revealed five classes of smallholders with different levels of resilience: vulnerable, economically and socially constrained, low-skilled, semi-secure and adaptive smallholders. The farmers in the least resilient group are majorly older local farmers, who established oil palm plantations independently. Meanwhile, the most resilient group is dominated by smallholders who participated in the migration program, and in the past, received support from the government to start oil palm plantations. Our study highlights the heterogeneity of smallholders' livelihood resilience and the need for inclusive and tailored interventions for the various classes of smallholder farmers to establish sustainable communities.
PubMed: 38802471
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62426-z