Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Review Of Alternative Proteins For Vegan Diets: Sources, Physico-Chemical Properties, Nutritional Equivalency, And Consumer Acceptance, Rutwick Surya Ulhas, Rajeev Ravindran, Alok Malviya, Anushree Priyadarshini, Brijesh K. Tiwari, Gaurav Rajauria

Articles

Alternate proteins are gaining popularity as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to animal-based proteins. These proteins are often considered healthier and are suitable for people following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Alternative proteins can be recovered from natural sources like legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, while single cell proteins (mycoproteins), and algal proteins are being developed using cutting-edge technology to grow fungus, yeast and algal cells in a controlled environment, creating a more sustainable source of protein. Although, the demand for alternative protein products is increasing, there still happens to be a large gap in use among the …

Assessing The Environmental And Economic Sustainability Of Functional Food Ingredient Production Process, Anushree Priyadarshini, Brijesh K. Tiwari, Gaurav Rajauria

Articles

Development and application of novel technologies in food processing is vital for ensuring the availability of adequate, safe, and convenient food with the desired quality and functional properties. Environmental and economic sustainability of technologies is essential prior to their application in the food processing sector. The objective of this research is to determine the environmental and economic feasibility of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) for recovering functional food ingredients from seaweed. Experimental data is used to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) to investigate the environmental performance with a functional unit (FU) of obtaining 1 g of extracted polyphenols, measured as gallic …

Advances In Emerging Technologies For The Decontamination Of The Food Contact Surfaces, Shubham Sharma, Swarna Jaiswal, Brendan Duffy, Amit Jaiswal

Articles

Foodborne pathogens could be transferred to food from food contact surfaces contaminated by poor hygiene or biofilm formation. The food processing industry has various conditions favouring microbes' adherence, such as moisture, nutrients, and the microbial inoculums obtained from the raw material. The function of the ideal antimicrobial surface is preventing initial attachment of the microbes, killing the microbes or/and removing the dead bacteria. This review article provides detail about the challenges food industries are facing with respect to food contact materials. It also summarises the merits and demerits of several sanitizing methods developed for industrial use. Furthermore, it reviews the …

Emerging Technologies For The Production Of Nanocellulose From Lignocellulosic Biomass, Dileswar Pradhan, Amit Jaiswal, Swarna Jaiswal

Articles

Nanocellulose is a unique and promising natural nanomaterial and has gained significant attention due to its applications in several important areas. Thus, researchers are continuously looking for the most efficient, sustainable, economically viable, and environmentally friendly production technologies to fulfil its growing demand. Conventional production technologies, which include various physical, chemical, and physicochemical methods, are currently inadequate for this purpose and have several limitations such as long processing time, high energy consumption, low recovery of nanocellulose, and many others. To overcome these shortcomings, scientists have investigated the prospect of utilizing emerging processing technologies such as microwave irradiation, deep eutectic solvent, …

Application Of High-Intensity Ultrasound To Improve Food Processing Efficiency: A Review, Prasad Chavan, Pallavi Sharma, Sajeev Rattan Sharma, Tarsem Chand Mittal, Amit Jaiswal

Articles

The use of non-thermal processing technologies has grown in response to an ever-increasing demand for high-quality, convenient meals with natural taste and flavour that are free of chemical additions and preservatives. Food processing plays a crucial role in addressing food security issues by reducing loss and controlling spoilage. Among the several non-thermal processing methods, ultrasound technology has shown to be very beneficial. Ultrasound processing, whether used alone or in combination with other methods, improves food quality significantly and is thus considered beneficial. Cutting, freezing, drying, homogenization, foaming and defoaming, filtration, emulsification, and extraction are just a few of the applications …

Exploring Factors Associated With The Eating Behaviours And Influences On Food Choice In Irish Teens, Aisling Daly

Doctoral

Aim The aim of this research was to understand the eating behaviour traits and food choice motivations of Irish teens, and to investigate the social, psychological, and attitudinal determinants of these eating behaviour traits and influences on food choice.

Methods Mixed methods were used in this research, using quantitative analysis of data from the National Teens’ Food Survey II (NTFSII), a cross-sectional study of teens aged 13-18 years old (N=428). Data predominantly came from the TFEQ-r18 and VARSEEK tools for eating behaviour traits, and the FCQ tool for food choice motivations, as well as socio-demographics, anthropometrics, behaviour/attitudes and dietary intakes. …

Hospital Effluents And Wastewaters Treatment Plants: A Source Of Oxytetracycline And Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria In Seafood, Bozena Mccarthy, Samuel Obeng Apori, Michelle Giltrap, Abhijnan Bhat, James Curtin, Furong Tian

Articles

The present study employs a data review on the presence and aggregation of oxytetracycline (OTC) and resistance (AMR) bacteria in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and distribution of the contaminated effluent with the aid of shallow and deep ocean currents. The study aims to determine the fate of OTC, AMR bacteria in seafood, and demonstrate a relationship between AMR levels and human health. This review includes (1) OTC, (2) AMR bacteria, (3) heavy metals in aquatic environments, and their relationship. Few publications describe OCT in surface waters. Although, OTC and other tetracyclines were found in 10 countries in relatively low concentrations, …

Hemp Growth Factors And Extraction Methods Effect On Antimicrobial Activity Of Hemp Seed Oil: A Systematic Review, Klaudia Ostapczuk, Samuel Obeng Apori, Giovani Estrada, Furong Tian

Articles

The bioactive Hemp Seed Oil (HSO) is becoming very popular in the medical and research fields due to its antimicrobial properties against several diseases caused by bacteria and fungi. However, the effect of hemp-growing factors and extraction methods on the bioactivity of HSO does not receive adequate research attention. Therefore, this review aims to investigate the effect of growth factors and extraction methods on the antimicrobial activity of HSO. Articles were retrieved from Google Scholar and the Scopus database and screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study revealed that HSO prefers warm climates and favorable humidity ranging from 20 …

Seaweeds Polysaccharides In Active Food Packaging: A Review Of Recent Progress, Carina Dietz, Shubham Sharma, Amit Jaiswal, Swarna Jaiswal

Articles

Background

Due to its short lifetime, food packaging leads to a rapid accumulation of plastic in our surroundings and thereby also has a huge impact on environmental pollution. To reduce these effects and create a more sustainable approach towards food packaging, biodegradable and biobased polymers have been developed and are emerging on the market.

Scope and approach

This review provides the current state of research regarding active packaging and the incorporation of seaweed into food packaging. Further, it summarises the resulting consequences of the seaweed incorporation on mechanical, physical, thermal, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and chemical properties, as well as the release …

Dietary Fat Intakes In Irish Children: Changes Between 2005 And 2019, Aileen O’Connor, Maria Buffini, Anne Nugent, Laura Kehoe, Albert Flynn, Janette Walton, John Kearney, Breige Mcnulty

Articles

Objective:To examine current dietary fat intakes and compliance in Irish childrenand to examine changes in intakes from 2005 to 2019.Design:Analyses were based on data from the Irish National Children’s FoodSurvey (NCFS) and the NSFS II, two cross-sectional studies that collected detailedfood and beverage intake data through 7-day and 4-day weighed food diaries,respectively.Setting:NCFS and NCFS II, Republic of Ireland.Participants:A nationally representative sample of 594 (NCFS) and 600 (NCFS II)children aged 5–12 years. Current intakes from the NCFS II were compared withthose previously reported in the NCFS (www.iuna.net).Results:Current intakes of total fat, SFA, MUFA, PUFA andtransfat as a percentageof total energy are …

A Review Of The Influence Of Fathers On Children's Eating Behaviours And Dietary Intake, Stephanie Rahill, Aileen Kennedy, John Kearney

Articles

The role of fathers in child rearing has changed in recent years due to an increase in maternal employment. Despite this, the majority of research has focused on maternal influences and behaviours in relation to child feeding. Therefore, the aims of the narrative review were: 1) to examine the role and responsibility of fathers in child feeding and the factors associated with paternal responsibility in child feeding; 2) to establish how paternal modelling, paternal diets, and paternal feeding practices relate to children's eating behaviours and dietary intake; and 3) to explore the role of maternal perceptions on paternal feeding roles, …

Investigating The Knowledge Surrounding Folate And Folic Acid In A Cohort Of Vegetarians, Michael Dolan, Katherine Younger, Lucy Brennan, Jessica Roche

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Background
The aim is to identify any gaps in the knowledge of folate and folic acid in vegetarians, which is of interest given the increasing adoption of vegetarian type diets.

Methods
In this convenience sample, 106 people answered an online questionnaire regarding folate intake and awareness among vegetarians. This was created using Google Forms and was shared via Facebook, including on various national and college vegetarian group pages. There were 44 questions. Twenty-four participants were excluded, because they reported eating fish, chicken or other meat. Final data analysis included 82 subjects. The majority of these vegetarians were females over the …

Seaweeds As Nutraceuticals For Health And Nutrition, Emer Shannon, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam

Articles

Throughout human history, seaweeds have been used as food, folk remedies, dyes, and as mineral-rich fertilisers. Seaweeds as nutraceuticals or functional foods with dietary benefits beyond their fundamental macronutrient content are now a major research and industrial development concept. The occurrence of dietary and lifestyle related diseases, notably type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, and metabolic syndrome has become a health epidemic in developed countries. Global epidemiological studies have shown that countries where seaweed is consumed on a regular basis have significantly fewer instances of obesity and dietary-related disease. This review outlines recent developments in seaweed applications for human health from …

Integration Of Technology In The Chemistry Classroom And Laboratory, Barry J. Ryan

Books/Book Chapters/ Proceedings

The role of technology in the chemistry classroom and laboratory continues to evolve, with mainstream applications such as pre-lecture/laboratory resources being supplemented by technological innovations such as immersive reality. Although the range is vast, care must be taken to select appropriate and pedagogically aligned technologies to enable learning.

In this chapter a model for the appropriate selection and application of technology enabled learning in chemistry is developed and explored in the context of two case-studies. This model, LEAPTech, is based on ten years of personal experience, informed by evidence and underpinned by the scholarly literature. This model will serve as …

Interpreting And Reporting Principal Component Analysis In Food Science Analysis And Beyond, D. Cozzolino, A. Power, J. Chapman

Articles

Principal component analysis (PCA) is one of the most widely used data mining techniques in sciences and applied to a wide type of datasets (e.g. sensory, instrumental methods, chemical data). However, several questions and doubts on how to interpret and report the results are still asked every day from students and researchers. This brief communication is inspired in relation to those questions asked by colleagues and students. Please note that this article is a focus on the practical aspects, use and interpretation of the PCA to analyse multiple or varied data sets. In summary, the application of the PCA provides …

Improving Enzymatic Hydrolysis Of Brewer Spent Grain With Nonthermal Plasma, Rajeev Ravindran, Chaitanya Sarangapani, Swarna Jaiswal, Peng Lu, Patrick Cullen, Paula Bourke, Amit Jaiswal

Articles

In this study, a new pre-treatment method based on novel non-thermal plasma technology was developed to improve the enzymatic hydrolysis of brewer’s spent grain (BSG) and subsequent bioethanol production. A submerged dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor system was applied for this purpose. Pre-treatments were performed by taking into account variables including; voltages (22 kV, 25 kV and 28 kV), solvent (acid, alkali and water) and time (5, 10, 15 min). The resulting treated biomass was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis. A 2.14-fold increase in yield of the reducing sugar was achieved post hydrolysis when the biomass was treated in water for …

Assessment Of Physicochemical Characteristics, Thermal Stability And Release Profile Of Ascorbic Acid Microcapsules Obtained By Complex Coacervation, Michele Cristina Rodrigues Da Cruz, João Luiz Andreotti Dagostin, Camila Augusto Perussello, Maria Lúcia Masson

Articles

The aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical characteristics, thermal stability and release profile of ascorbic acid (AA) microcapsules obtained by complex coacervation. Gelatin and gum arabic were used as wall materials in concentrations of 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 g% (w/v). The coacervate microcapsules were freeze-dried and assessed for physicochemical characteristics, thermal behavior and stability during 60 days of storage. The release profile was evaluated at different pH values (1.1, 2.2, 5.4, 7.4, 9.6 and 12). The encapsulation efficiency ranged from 27.3 to 93.8%. The microcapsules of AA presented good characteristics for application in food matrices, such as …

Predicting Quality Attributes Of Strawberry Packed Under Modified Atmosphere Throughout The Cold Chain, Kompal Joshi, Brijesh Tiwari, P. J. Cullen, Jesus Maria Frias

Articles

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is used commercially to extend the shelf life of strawberries. The attainment of desired gas (O2, CO2) concentrations inside MAP relies on the product respiration and the mass transfer through packaging and will affect the quality. The objective of this work is to build a mathematical model for strawberries to assess the effect of the uncertainties on headspace gas concentration and quality: 1) cold chain related temperature and relative humidity variations and 2) variability associated to product respiration and quality based on literature. Weight loss was more influenced by the cold chain storage conditions (temperature and …

Dough Properties And Baking Characteristics Of White Bread, As Affected By Addition Of Raw, Germinated And Toasted Pea Flour, Kim A. Millar, Catherine Barry-Ryan, Roisin Burke, Sinead Mccarthy, Eimear Gallagher

Articles

Thermal and non-thermal processing may alter the structure and improve the techno-functional properties of pulses and pulse flours, increasing their range of applications in protein-enhanced foods. The effects of germination and toasting of yellow peas (Pisum sativum) on flour and dough characteristics were investigated. Wheat flour was substituted with raw, germinated and toasted pea flour (30%). The resulting bread-baking properties were assessed. Toasting increased dough water absorption and improved dough stability compared with germinated and raw pea flour (p < 0.05). This resulted in bread loaves with comparable specific volume and loaf density to that of a wheat flour control. Significant correlations between dough rheological properties and loaf characteristics were observed. Addition of pea flours increased the protein content of the breads from 8.4% in the control white bread, to 10.1–10.8% (p < 0.001). Toasting demonstrated the potential to improve the techno-functional properties of pea flour. Results highlight the potential application of pea flour in bread-making to increase the protein content.

Nanostructured Materials For Food Applications: Spectroscopy, Microscopy And Physical Properties, Shubham Sharma, Swana Jaiswal, Brendan Duffy, Amit Jaiswal

Articles

Nanotechnology deals with the matter of atomic or molecular scale. Other factors that define the character of a nanoparticle are its physical and chemical properties, such as surface area, surface charge, hydrophobicity of the surface, the thermal stability of the nanoparticle, and its antimicrobial activity. A nanoparticle is usually characterized by using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Microscopic techniques are used to characterize the size, shape, and location of the nanoparticle by producing an image of the individual nanoparticle. Several techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy/high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM/HRTEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning …

Avoiding Maternal Vitamin D Deficiency May Lower Blood Glucose In Pregnancy, Méabh Walsh, Linnea Bärebring, Hanna Augustin

Articles

Background Vitamin D status is hypothesised to play a role in gestational glucose control. No studies to date have examined vitamin D in relation to changes in blood glucose in pregnancy. Thus, the aim was to examine if vitamin D in early pregnancy and vitamin D trajectory associate with blood glucose trajectory over pregnancy in a Swedish cohort. We also investigated the relation between maternal vitamin D status and excessive fetal growth.

Methods In 2013–2014, pregnant women were recruited to the GraviD cohort study when registering at the antenatal clinics in south-west Sweden. In the present analysis, 1928 women were …

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy For Food Authentication, Maria Markiewicz-Keszycka, Raquel Cama-Moncunill, Maria Piedad Casado-Gavalda, Carl Sullivan, P. J. Cullen

Articles

With the globalisation of food markets, food authentication has become a significant concern worldwide to ensure food safety and to avoid origin and quality fraud. A multi-elemental fingerprint is a powerful tool for detection of adulterants and geographical origin of foods. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a promising technique that can provide a mineral fingerprint of food products. LIBS allows a rapid, high-throughput, micro-destructive and multi-elemental analysis of a wide range of samples type. It has already been demonstrated by several authors that LIBS can be successfully used for food authentication. Although LIBS shows excellent potential for at-line or portable …

Food Safety Knowledge And Practices Among Saudi Mothers, Wafa O. Ayaz, Anushree Priyadarshini, Amit Jaiswal

Articles

This study examines food safety knowledge and practices of mothers in Saudi Arabia. A total of 979 respondents participated in the study and completed a questionnaire that accessed their knowledge of food storage, food handling, usage and maintenance of kitchen facilities, personal hygiene and food poisoning. Results showed that mothers in Saudi Arabia had moderate knowledge of food storage (passing rate 64.9%) and usage and maintenance of kitchen facilities (passing rate 66.5%). While they had good knowledge of personal hygiene (passing rate 83.8%) and food poisoning (passing rate 78.5%), their knowledge with regard to food handling was poor (passing rate …

Microencapsulated Ascorbic Acid: Development, Characterization, And Release Profile In Simulated Gastrointestinal Fluids, Michele Cristina Rodrigues Da Cruz, Camila Augusto Perussello, Maria Lúcia Masson

Articles

The aim of this study was to produce ascorbic acid (AA) microcapsules by complex coacervation, characterize them, and evaluate the release profile in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. The microcapsules were made of gelatin and pectin at concentrations of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0%. The coacervated microcapsules were assessed for morphology (by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy), water activity (Aw), hygroscopicity, solubility, encapsulation efficiency (EE), thermal behavior, and AA release profile. The AA microcapsules were characterized by low solubility, low hygroscopicity, high thermal stability, and low diameter (<10 μm), with EE ranging from 23.7 to 94.3%. The release profile was faster in gastric fluid (pH 1.8) than in intestinal fluid (pH 6.8). The sample containing 2.0% of wall material and 50% (w/w) of the simple emulsion (core) had the highest EE and the best in vitro release profile, with release of only 68% of AA in 120 min in the gastric fluid.

Practical applications Ascorbic acid (AA) is widely used in the food industry as an …

The Relationship Between Early Pregnancy Dietary Intakes And Subsequent Birthweight And Neonatal Adiposity, R.A.K. Kennedy, Laura Mullaney, A.C. O'Higgins, A. Doolan, Daniel Mccartney, M.J. Turner

Articles

Background: Maternal nutrition intakes may influence neonatal birthweight and adiposity; however, inconsistencies within the literature exist. The relationships between maternal dietary intakes in early pregnancy and both birthweight and neonatal adiposity requires elucidation. This study examined the relationship between early pregnancy dietary intakes and subsequent birthweight and neonatal adiposity.

Methods: Women were recruited at their convenience after sonographic confirmation of a singleton pregnancy. Women completed a Willet food frequency questionnaire evaluating habitual food and nutrient intakes at their first antenatal visit. Neonatal body composition was measured using air-displacement plethysmography.

Results: Of the 385 mother-neonate dyads, mean maternal age was 30.8 …

The N-Acyltransferase Lnt: Structure-Function Insights From Recent Simultaneous Studies, Wei Chang, Declan A. Doyle, Toufic El Arnaout

Articles

Bacterial lipoproteins have been researched for decades due to their roles in a large number of biological functions. There were no structures of their main three membrane processing enzymes, until 2016 for Lgt and LspA, and then 2017 for Lnt with not one but three simultaneous, independent publications. We have analyzed the recent findings for this apolipoprotein N-acyltransferase Lnt, with comparisons between the novel structures, and with soluble nitrilases, to determine the significance of unique features in terms of substrate's recognition and binding mechanism influenced by exclusive residues, two transmembrane helices, and a flexible loop.

Multi-Drug Resistant Escherichia Coli In Diarrhoeagenic Foals: Pulsotyping, Phylotyping, Serotyping, Antibiotic Resistance And Virulence Profiling, C.A. Kennedy, Ciara Walsh, M. Karczmarczyk, S. O'Brien, N. Akasheh, M. Quirke, S. Farrell-Ward, T. Buckley, U. Fogherty, K. Kavanagh, C.T. Parker, T. Sweeney, S. Fanning

Articles

Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) possess the ability to cause extraintestinal infections such as urinary tract infections, neonatal meningitis and sepsis. While information is readily available describing pathogenic E. coli populations in food-producing animals, studies in companion/sports animals such as horses are limited. In addition, many antimicrobial agents used in the treatment of equine infections are also utilised in human medicine, potentially contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance determinants among pathogenic strains. The aim of this study was to phenotypically and genotypically characterise the multidrug resistance and virulence associated with 83 equine E. coli isolates recovered from foals with …

The Effect Of Non-Thermal Plasma On The Lipid Oxidation And Microbiological Quality Of Sushi, Piotr Kulawik, Carlos Alvarez, Patrick J. Cullen, Ramon Aznar-Roca, Anne Maria Mullen, Brijesh Tiwari

Articles

The study examined the effect of non-thermal plasma (NTP) on the total viable count and lipid oxidation of two common sushi products: nigiri and hosomaki. Sushi samples were treated with NTP using a dielectric barrier discharge system with 70 and 80kV of potential differences for 5min. The samples were stored at 4°C for 11days and analysed for total aerobic count, moisture and protein content, TBA index and fatty acids composition. Although the effect of NTP on the total aerobic counts was not statistically significant, a tendency in log reduction could be observed, with 1–1.5logcfu/g reduction. Moisture and protein content, as …

An Investigation Of High Intensity Ultrasonication And Chemical Immersion Treatments On Campylobacter Jejuni And Spoilage Bacteria In Chicken, Ahmed Kassem, Joseph Meade, Kevina Mcgill, Ciara Walsh, James Gibbons, James Lyng, Paul Whyte

Articles

High intensity ultrasonication (US) alone or in combination with chemical immersion treatments of lactic acid (3% LA), sodium decanoate (3% SD) and trisodium phosphate (10% TSP) were investigated to reduce populations of Campylobacter jejuni and spoilage organisms in raw chicken. Different experimental conditions were used including a range of temperatures (4°C, 25°C and 54°C) and exposure times (1, 2 and 3min). All combination treatments significantly reduced C. jejuni compared to their individual treatments while only the combination US+SD significantly reduced Total Viable Count (TVC). Multiple linear regression predicted bacterial reductions resulting from changing treatment, temperature and time or each group …

Targeting The Folate Receptor: Improving Efficacy In Inorganic Medicinal Chemistry, Pauraic Mccarron, Aisling Crowley, Denis O'Shea, Malachy Mccann, Orla L. Howe, Mary Hunt, Michael Devereux

Articles

The discovery of the high-affinity, high-specificity folate receptor in mamalian kidney cells, coupled with the ability of folate to enter cells by folate receptor-mediated endocytosis and the subsequent elucidation of the folate receptor’s overexpression in specific cancer cell types; heralded the arrival of the area of chemotherapeutic folate targeting. The application of purely organic folate-based small-molecule drug conjugates that selectively target the folate receptor, which is over expressed in several diseases such as cancer, is well established. The application of inorganic folate-targeted drugs offers significant potential to expand and enhance this therapeutic approach. From the data made available to date, …