Anthocyanin (ACN) is a natural antioxidant with multiple biological activities, and the aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of ACN on the development and progression of lung cancer and to further explore its possible mechanism of action. In vivo, we fed C57BL/6J mice a 0.5%ACN diet or a control diet to observe their effects on the development and progression of urethane-induced lung cancer. In vitro, mul- tiple lung cancer cell lines were used to investigate the effects of...
polyphenols, starch, protein, nutrition, quality
This review seeks to demonstrate how the social and economic dimensions of sustainability need to be considered alongside its environmental dimensions. This is particularly important when, as in the case of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNRs), policymakers are attempting to address the twin goals of health and sustainability. For a policy that might make good sense when seen in purely environmental terms, it might not prove sustainable in social and economic terms – if it is too...
flour, protein, nutrition, processing, quality
Iron absorption from foods is generally lower than that of most other nutrients and is highly variable depending on individual iron status and iron bioavailability in the meal. Several large population groups in the Nordic and Baltic countries are at risk of iron deficiency, including infants, young children, men- struating females, pregnant women as well as vegetarians. Iron deficiency leads to anemia, fatigue, and limited capacity for physical activity. Of particular concern is that iron...
polyphenols, wheat, flour, protein, fiber
Assessing the environmental impacts of food, food systems and diets is highly complex due to the multitude of processes involved, the uncertainty in assessment models, the variability in production systems and the large range of products available. No single assessment method alone can provide a complete evidence base. The increasing number of Life Cycle Assessment and food system analyses, and more recently the integration of planetary boundaries offer insights from which we can draw some...
wheat, starch, protein, nutrition, processing
Vegetables, fruits, and berries comprise a large variety of foods and are recognised to play an important role in preventing chronic diseases. Many observational studies have been published during the last decade, and the aim of this scoping review is to describe the overall evidence for the role of vegetables, fruits, and berries for health-related outcomes as a basis for setting and updating food-based dietary guidelines. A scoping review was conducted according to the protocol developed...
antioxidants, starch, protein, fiber, nutrition
The 2012 edition of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) included recommendations on breast- feeding, based on the most recent guidelines and recommendations from major national food and health authorities and organizations, systematic reviews, and some original research. For NNR 2023, the scope has been expanded and also includes formula feeding and the introduction of solid food. The main focus in this scoping review is on infants aged 0–12 months but also considers parts both before...
protein, fiber, nutrition, quality, sensory
Cereals and cereal products have traditionally been staple foods in many countries including in the Nordics and Baltics. Cereals can be consumed with their entire grain kernel and are then referred to as whole grains or can be consumed after removal of the bran or germ and are then referred to as refined grains. The terms cereals and grains are often used interchangeably. In this scoping review, we examine the associations between intake of cereals and cereal products and major health outcomes...
wheat, flour, protein, fiber, nutrition
Background: Coffee, tea, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and low- and no-calorie sweetened beverages (LNCSBs) are generally frequently consumed in the Nordic and Baltic countries. These beverages have also been related to potential health effects. This scoping review describes the evidence for the role of coffee, tea, SSBs, and LNCSBs for health-related outcomes as a basis for setting and updating food-based dietary guide- lines. We used evidence from several qualified systematic reviews...
protein, nutrition, quality, safety, analysis
Fruit juice has a similar nutrient content as whole fruit and may in this respect be part of a healthy diet. However, a lower amount or lack of fibre and a higher concentration of sugars and energy could also contribute to less satiation and increase the risk of excess energy intake. The aim of this scoping review is to describe the overall evidence for the role of fruit juice as a basis for setting and updating food-based dietary guidelines in the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. PubMed...
nutrition, quality, analysis, health, composition
Background: Nuts and seeds have been part of diets in most of the world for millenniums, and they have also been consumed in the Nordic and Baltic countries for centuries. Consumption of nuts and seeds is linked with various health outcomes. Therefore, when updating the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR), summarizing the best evidence on key health outcomes from the consumption of nuts and seeds is essential. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the updated evidence on the consumption...
polyphenols, protein, fiber, nutrition, processing
Consumption of legumes and pulses is associated with various health outcomes. Therefore, when updating the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR), summarizing the best available evidence on key health outcomes regarded as relevant for the Nordic and Baltics related to the consumption of legumes was essential. The aim of this scoping review was to evaluate the updated evidence on the effect of the consumption of legumes and pulses on various health outcomes, as well as their dose-response...
protein, nutrition, processing, quality, color
The aim of this scoping review was to conduct evidence-based documentation between fish intake and health outcomes for food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) in the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) 2023. For most health outcomes, the evidence for fish oil and n-3 long chain (LC) polyunsatu- rated fatty acids (PUFA) supplementation was included when examining evidence between fish intake and health. In this review, conclusions from qualified systematic reviews (qSR) approved by NNR2023 are...
protein, nutrition, quality, color, analysis
Introduction: Milk and dairy products are major sources of protein, calcium, and other micronutrients. Milk and dairy products contribute with approximately half of the total intake of saturated fat. Saturated fat is an important determinant of plasma total and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels, and a causal relationship between high LDL-cholesterol and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease has consistently been documented. Aim: The aim of this scoping review is to describe the...
protein, nutrition, color, fermentation, analysis
This scoping review for the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 summarizes the available evidence on fats and oils from a food level perspective. A literature search for systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses was conducted in PubMed. There are few SRs and meta-analyses available that investigate the association between fats and oils (food level) and health outcomes; the majority report associations at the nutrient level (fatty acid classes). All identified SRs and meta-analyses were of...
polyphenols, antioxidants, protein, nutrition, processing
Background: Sweets, chocolate, and sweet bakery products are generally high in energy and added sugar, whereas the levels of essential nutrients and fibre are low. According to sales statistics, the consumption of sweets and chocolate is high in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Objective: This scoping review describes the totality of evidence for the role of sweets and other sugary foods for health-related outcomes as a basis for setting and updating food-based dietary guidelines in the Nordic...
polyphenols, flour, protein, fiber, nutrition
The terms ‘Nordic countries’ or ‘The Nordics’ include the five countries Denmark, Finland, Island, Norway, and Sweden. This review includes evaluation of the Nordic countries against Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)/World Health Organizations’ (WHO) guiding principles for healthy, sustainable diets with respect to environmental impact (principles #9 – #13) and sociocultural aspects (principles #14 – #16). A food systems perspective is taken to summarize and discuss the most important...
antioxidants, protein, nutrition, processing, quality
Introduction: ‘Meal patterns’ refers to eating frequency, snacking, regularity, and timing. Here also including intermittent fasting. The effect of meal patterns on health is inconsistent and when updating the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 (NNR2023), summarizing the evidence is important. Aims: To describe the evidence for the role of meal patterns on bodyweight, body composition, and cardiovas- cular risk factors (i.e. blood pressure and lipid- and glukose metabolism) in healthy...
protein, nutrition, quality, analysis, health
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cancer are a significant public health burden in the Nordic and Baltic countries. High intake of eggs, mainly due to its high cholesterol content, has been sug- gested to have adverse health effects. The purpose of this scoping review is to describe the evidence related to the impact of egg intake on health. A literature search identified 38 systematic reviews and meta-analyses on egg consumption in relation to health outcomes published...
protein, nutrition, quality, color, safety
Meat is not only a source of several nutrients but also a proposed risk factor for several non-communica- ble diseases. Here, we describe the totality of evidence for the role of meat intake for chronic disease out- comes, discuss potential mechanistic pathways, knowledge gaps, and limitations of the literature. Use of the scoping review is based on a de novo systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis on the association between poultry intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes...
protein, nutrition, processing, quality, color
This scoping review examines environmental impacts related to food production and consumption in Nordic and Baltic countries. The overarching advice to all Nordic and Baltic countries, in line with the current body of scientific literature, is to shift to a more plant based dietary pattern and avoid food waste. Taking into account current consumption patterns, there is a high potential and necessity to shift food consumption across the countries to minimize its environmental impact. More...
food science, wheat, flour, starch, protein
The objective of this scoping review is to evaluate the updated evidence on the consumption of alcohol and health outcomes regarded as relevant for the Nordic and Baltic countries, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality. It is based on the previous Nordic Nutrition Recommendations of 2012 and relevant papers published until 31 May 2021. Current evidence from mainly observational epidemiological studies suggests that regular, moderate alcohol consumption may confer...
protein, nutrition, quality, color, analysis
Background: A dietary pattern can be defined as the quantities, proportions, variety, or combination of foods and drinks typically consumed. The dietary pattern approach aims to place emphasis on the total diet as a long-term health determinant, instead of focussing on separate foods and nutrients, which may interact or confound each other. Aim: This scoping review describes the totality of evidence for the role of dietary patterns for health-re- lated outcomes as a basis for setting and...
antioxidants, protein, nutrition, quality, color
Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) poses a significant concern in elderly patients undergoing laparo- scopic abdominal surgery due to increased vulnerability arising from aging, comorbidities, and surgery-related factors. Early detection and intervention are crucial for mitigating short- and long-term consequences. This study aims to investigate the correlation between preoperative Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), neu- trophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and the occurrence of...
protein, nutrition, color, analysis, health
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are increasingly consumed worldwide and have been linked to several chronic diseases. This paper aims to describe the totality of the available evidence regarding UPFs in relation to health-related outcomes as a basis for setting food-based dietary guidelines for the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Systematic literature searches were conducted to identify systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and prospective cohort studies...
food science, starch, protein, fiber, nutrition
Citri Grandis Exocarpium (Huajuhong, CGE) is the peel of the unripe fruits of Citrus grandis ‘Tomentosa’ and Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck, which is commonly used in the clinic for the treatment of cough and indigestion. The pharmacological mechanism of CGE is unclear. In this study, the pharmacological effect of CGE was predicted by System Traditional Chinese Medicine (SYSTCM), which integrated the pharmacological effect prediction approach by artificial intelligence into the systemic...
protein, nutrition, quality, color, enzymes
Background: Fenugreek plant (Trigonella foenum-graecum) constitutes a traditionally acclaimed herbal rem- edy for many human ailments including diabetes, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, and reproductive dis- orders. It is also used as an effective anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-fungal agent. The seed of the plant is especially enriched in several bioactive molecules including polyphenols, saponins, alkaloids, and flavonoids and has demonstrated potential to act...
polyphenols, antioxidants, protein, fiber, nutrition
Background: Bulbus Fritillariae Pallidiflorae (BFP) is a traditional Chinese medicine that has long been used to treat lung diseases, but the active components and mechanism are still unclear. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of the total alkaloid extract from BFP (BFP-TA) on cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced Beas-2B cells injury. Design: The Beas-2B cells injury model was induced by 2% CSE, then the effect of BFP-TA on the levels of total antioxidant...
protein, nutrition, processing, quality, enzymes
Background: Various kinds of fruit juices and sherbets sold by the street vendors are widely consumed in Dhaka city. These street vended fruit juices and sherbets are usually high in microbial loads. So, the present study was undertaken to assess the microbiological load, possible risk factors and identity of freshly squeezed juices and sherbets and their safety for human consumption in terms of pathogens. Result: For the study purpose papaya juice, sugarcane juice, tukmaria sherbet, lemon...
food science, antioxidants, flour, nutrition, processing
Background: Three conventional lettuce farms were evaluated in Southern Brazil using a standardized self- assessment questionnaire with 69 indicators and a microbiological sampling plan in order to assess the status of current agricultural practices and management systems. The use of both tools aimed to identify the foremost contamination sources and control measures during the crop production. A total of 128 samples were taken (manure, soil, water, workers’ hands and equipment, lettuce...
nutrition, processing, quality, sensory, packaging
Background: The clam Tivela mactroides is an important sandy-beach resource along the western Atlantic coast, and is widely harvested by both tourists and residents for recreational, subsistence and/or economic purposes. These clams are intensively exploited in Caraguatatuba Bay on the southeastern Brazilian coast. Similarly to most coastal areas around the world, this bay is subject to a variety of environmental threats derived from human occupation (e.g., sewage) and economic activities...
protein, processing, quality, color, microorganisms
Background: Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris is a key spoilage causing bacterium commonly found in fruit juices and purees. Commercial real-time PCR based assays to detect this organism are available, but reportedly require 48 hours of enrichment for detection. The underlying hypothesis of this study was that fruit juice and puree characteristics influence the enrichment requirements of this organism, and that in some matrices, the organism can be detected within 24 hours even when present at...
food science, nutrition, processing, quality, texture
Background: The presence of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) in livestock animals, especially in pigs, gave rise to concerns of pork being a possible MRSA source to the human population. Monitoring the flow-through of LA-MRSA throughout the meat production chain could be useful. Here, the optimal sampling location for LA-MRSA isolation on pig carcasses was determined. Findings: In one slaughterhouse, 40 cooled carcass halves from one LA-MRSA-positive...
processing, safety, analysis, optimization, technology
The concentrations of 16 pesticides residues (alpha BHC, gamma BHC (lindane), beta BHC, Heptachlor, Aldrin, Heptachlor Epoxide, Endosulfan I, Dieldrin, Endrin, Endosulfan II, 4, 4 DDT, Endosulfan Aldehyde, Endosulfan sulfate, Atrazine, Phosphomethylglycine and Carbofuran) in two fish species (Tilapia zilli and Clarias gariepinus) from selected rivers (Illushi, Owan and Ogbesse) in Edo State, Nigeria was investigated and the associated human health risks from the consumption of contaminated...
nutrition, quality, safety, analysis, chemistry
Background: Groundnut is an important cash crop for domestic markets as well as for foreign trade in several developing and developed countries. It is also one of the most valuable cash crops in eastern Ethiopia. However, its production is constrained by Aspergillus species, which cause quantitative losses and produce highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical substances known as aflatoxins. The research was conducted with the objective to determine the stakeholders’ perceptions about groundnut...
protein, processing, quality, color, storage
Background: Certain strains of Bacillus cereus can produce the emetic toxin cereulide, which is known to cause acute food poisoning. Cereulide, however, also has the potential to cause chronic toxicity due to repeat sub-emetic exposure to the toxin. In this study the presence of B. cereus and cereulide in food stuffs from the Refrigerated Processed Foods of Extended Durability group, containing either pasta or rice, collected from the Belgian market was assessed, in order to evaluate the...
starch, quality, storage, safety, analysis
Background: Being led by the previous observation of bacterial growth and survival in the fresh-cut tomato, carrot, lettuce and cucumber, current investigation further attempted to emphasize on the growth and consequent endurance of the pathogenic bacteria within chili (Capsicum frutescens), onion (Allium cepa), capsicum (Capsicum annuum) and coriander (Coriander sativum) collected from local markets. Results: Samples were primarily made free of contaminating bacteria and then subjected to...
fiber, nutrition, processing, quality, shelf life
Background: Chicken tissues and eggs were analyzed for residues of eight veterinary drugs including albendazole, piperazine, tiamulin, chloramphenicol, levamisole, sulphathiazole, sulphamethoxazole and oxytetracyclineoxytetracycline. Results: Mean residue concentrations of all drugs varied by tissue and ranged from 0.004 μg/kg for tiamulin in eggs to 8.6 μg/kg for chloramphenicol in liver. Total residues of all drugs in the liver generally exceeded that of the kidney, muscles and eggs by at...
protein, quality, safety, analysis, chemistry
Background: Widespread dissemination of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria is a threat to public health. Since livestock products are possible reservoirs of ESBL-producing bacteria, food-borne dissemination of ESBL-producing bacteria and the characteristics of such organisms in food products should be assessed to evaluate potential sources of contamination. Results: A total of 253 food samples from poultry, pork, shrimp, and fish were collected from local markets in a...
enzymes, analysis, functional, health, technology
Background: High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) has gained popularity in most parts of West Africa because of its versatility in many industries. However, due to the processing techniques used HQCF may contain trace metals and aflatoxins. Imperatively, the safety of HQCF was assessed when the levels of trace metal and aflatoxin contaminants was determined at the various unit operation during HQCF production. Results: Concentrations of essential trace metals, Cu, Fe and Zn ranged from 0.79 ± 0.09...
flour, starch, protein, processing, quality
Background: The present study was designed to evaluate Ciprofloxacin residue and their impact on some biomolecules (albumin, total protein and cholesterol) in eggs of laying hens after oral administration. For that purpose, One group (A) of laying hens (n = 20) were orally administered 10 mg⁄kg ciprofloxacin for five consecutive days. The second group (n = 10) was untreated controls. Eggs were collected from day one of treatment and up to 25 days after withdrawal of treatment. Egg white and...
protein, nutrition, safety, analysis, chemistry
Background: Discussions as to the extent of pesticide residue contamination in the food supply often rely on results of government residue monitoring programs focusing primarily upon the percentages of samples containing pesticide residues and the number of violative residues identified. Such an approach does not adequately convey the likelihood of pesticide residues posing consumer risks since residue regulatory limits are not safety standards and violative pesticide residues rarely...
food science, quality, safety, analysis, health
Background: Contamination of pet foods and infant formula with high levels of melamine has resulted in a number of cases of illness and deaths among pets and children; however, the long-term effects of low dose exposures is poorly understood. Exposure to melamine from the consumption of foods using melamine-based tableware has been identified as a potential source of concern due to the role that melamine may play in human kidney disease, especially among children. In this study, the migration...
nutrition, microorganisms, safety, analysis, chemistry
E R R A T U M Open Access Erratum to: Preliminary evaluation of good sampling locations on a pig carcass for livestock-associated MRSA isolation Marijke Verhegghe 1,2* , Lieve Herman 1 , Freddy Haesebrouck 2 , Patrick Butaye 2,3 , Marc Heyndrickx 1,2 and Geertrui Rasschaert 1 The original version of this article Verhegghe et al. (2015) used the incorrect image for Figure 1. The correct image is present here (Fig. 1). Reference Verhegghe M, Herman L, Haesebrouck F, Butaye P, Heyndrickx M,...
safety, technology
Background: Heavy metals such as arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd), are potential toxic substances that may incorporate in productive systems in multiple ways including contaminated feedstuff. In this regard, we hypothesize that the main input of heavy metal contamination include mineral feed ingredients which, in turn, are included in compound feed to meet animals’ nutritional requirements. Hence, we offer a comprehensive heavy metal determination on imported feed grade...
nutrition, processing, quality, color, packaging
Background: Fruiting bodies of two oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus florida) species and their respective substrate samples cultivated and collected from the Mushroom Research, Production and Training Laboratory of the Haramaya University, Ethiopia, were analyzed for essential and non-essential metals, viz., Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cd and Pb contents by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after digestion employing dry, wet and microwave digestion techniques. Concentrations of the...
wheat, protein, nutrition, processing, quality
Background: Food contact materials (FCM) containing phthalates can be a source of food contamination when used in plastics for food production equipment, in utensils for food contact and in packaging. Since 2008 several of the phthalates used for FCM were regulated in the EU; some of them because they were well-known endocrine disruptors. Results of the Danish Food Authorities control in 2008 and 2009 showed 23 % non-compliant samples. Critical FCMs turned out to be those made from plasticised...
packaging, analysis, chemistry, extraction, functional
Background: Milk is a compensatory part of daily diet especially for the expectant mothers as well as growing children. It is virtually a sterile fluid when secreted into alveoli of udder. However, beyond this stage of production, microbial contamination might generally occur from different sources. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from March 2013-January 2014 in Jigjiga city to assess bacterial contamination of raw milk meant for human consumption and to determine...
protein, nutrition, processing, quality, color
Background: Residual levels of fifteen (15) organochlorine pesticides were determined in 32 cocoa bean samples collected from sixteen (16) selected cocoa farms in the Dormaa West District of Ghana to assess the levels of pesticides contamination. Results: The results show that all cocoa bean samples analysed from the study area had one or more organochlorine pesticide residues detected in them. The study revealed the presence of eight organochlorine pesticide residues in the cocoa bean samples...
processing, quality, safety, analysis, extraction
Background: The present study was carried out to develop and validate an analytical method for the detection and quantification of lambda-cyhalothrin, a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, in tomato using gas chromatography- electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The study has meant to ascertain lambda-cyhalothrin dissipation behavior under dry land conditions. Results: The analytical method was validated using blank tomato spiked at 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg, with satisfactory recoveries ranging...
protein, fiber, quality, storage, safety
Background: The aim of this current study was to investigate the presence and to determine the contents of caffeine, preservatives and antioxidants in dairy products available in Bangladesh, one of the alarming countries in terms of food security. As high as 41 marketed dairy products, of both locally and internationally manufactured, were collected from local markets of Dhaka, Bangladesh in mid–2013 and then analyzed using an RP–HPLC method to determine the contents of caffeine, benzoic acid,...
food science, antioxidants, protein, nutrition, processing