Background: Dietary carbohydrates are a major source of energy in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The health effects of different types of carbohydrates vary and there is a need to update the evidence regarding specific carbohydrates and their effects on health-related outcomes. Objective: The aim of this scoping review was to describe the evidence for the role of total carbohydrates (fiber excluded), glycemic index (GI) or glycemic load (GL) and added or free sugars for health-related...
starch, protein, fiber, nutrition, processing
Vitamin A refers to a group of fat-soluble compounds with retinol activity, including all-trans retinol and pro-vitamin A carotenoids. Bioactive compounds include retinal and all-trans retinoic acid with important functions in vision, immune function, growth, and development. The literature search that was performed for the current scoping review yielded a total of seven publications relevant to setting the recommended daily intake for vitamin A. In total, six publications assessed the...
protein, nutrition, quality, storage, safety
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient. Its role in calcium and phosphorous metabolism, and in the development and maintenance of a healthy skeleton is well documented. In addition, there is some evidence for vitamin D decreasing total mortality and cancer mortality modestly, but not cancer incidence. Vitamin D is unique, as both diet and sun induced production in skin are sources to this vitamin. Individual vitamin D status is thus a sum of both sun exposure and dietary intakes. The discovery of...
protein, nutrition, quality, enzymes, safety
We need energy intake to provide energy and nutrients to our cells. The amount of daily energy intake should aim for energy balance, which results in good health. Under- or overconsumption of total daily energy over a longer period leads to increased risk of diseases. In this scoping review, the components of daily energy requirement are defined. Several methods to estimate energy requirements and the amount of total daily energy intake (kJ) related to health are also discussed. Reference...
wheat, flour, starch, protein, fiber
Current evidence suggests that dietary vitamin E (as α-tocopherol) intake has a beneficial role in preventing certain chronic diseases. In contrast, there is no clear evidence for the benefit of α-tocopherol supplements in a generally healthy population. Deficiency symptoms are rare and mainly occur due to genetic or other factors affecting α-tocopherol absorption and/or metabolism, rather than a low α-tocopherol intake. No qualified systematic review was identified by the NNR2023 project for...
antioxidants, protein, nutrition, quality, color
Pantothenic acid, also referred to as vitamin B5, is a water-soluble vitamin that has essential functions in the body as a component of coenzyme A (CoA) and acyl carrier protein (ACP). It is widely distributed in animal and plant-source foods. Nutritional deficiency of pantothenic acid is rare and toxicity negligible. Information on pantothenic acid intakes in the Nordic countries is limited and biomarker data from Nordic and Baltic populations is missing. Due to a lack of data, no dietary...
protein, nutrition, enzymes, safety, health
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is essential for normal metabolic function, and even moderate deficiency of this vitamin has negative health effects. Vitamin B12 is found in animal foods, and as vegetarian diets are increas- ingly popular in Western countries, one might expect a higher prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in the Nordic population. Setting recommendations for vitamin B12 intake has proven to be difficult, as uptake of vitamin B12 varies substantially, the clinical deficiency symptoms...
protein, nutrition, processing, quality, color
Folate is an essential micronutrient for normal development and metabolic function, and folate deficiency is associated with an increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, mental dysfuntion and negative pregnancy outcomes. When estimating folate requirements, one must consider different bioavailability and functionality between synthetic folic acid and dietary folate, together with increased needs of folate in women of fertile age, pregnant and lactating women, preterm and small for...
wheat, flour, protein, nutrition, color
Pyridoxal 5´-phosphate (PLP) is the main form of vitamin B6 in animal tissue and functions as a coenzyme for more than 160 different enzymatic reactions in the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, and neurotransmitters. Estimated dietary intake of vitamin B6 and plasma PLP values differ a lot between studies, something which may be due to variable use of supplements, variations in dietary assessment and analytical methods. These factors make it difficult to achieve precise data...
protein, nutrition, sensory, storage, enzymes
Vitamin K occurs in dietary supply in two major forms: phylloquinone (vitamin K1) and menaquinones (col- lectively referred as vitamin K2). Phylloquinone is derived from plants. There are at least 10 forms of men- aquinones varying in chain length and they are produced by bacteria except menaquinone-4. Menaquinone-4 is formed from phylloquinone or other menaquinone forms. Phylloquinone is considered to be the major contributor and menaquinones are thought to contribute less to vitamin K intake...
protein, nutrition, quality, storage, enzymes
Proteins are needed for providing essential amino acids, nitrogen, and fuel for the body’s needs in all age groups. Proteins are especially required during active growth in pregnancy, lactation, childhood, and tis- sue growth in general. An adequate protein intake is needed in old adults to avoid premature muscle loss. According to the current dietary surveys, protein intake in the Nordic and Baltic countries varies from 15 to 19% of the total energy intake in adults. Comprehensive data...
food science, wheat, protein, fiber, nutrition
Only a few studies have explored relationships between thiamine intake and function, and a few studies have examined the effects of supplements on various clinical or biochemical outcomes. None of these studies, how- ever, makes a useful contribution to understanding requirements in healthy populations. The requirement of thiamine relates to energy and carbohydrate intake. Clinical signs of deficiency have been observed at intakes below 0.5 mg/day, which corresponds to 0.05 mg/MJ. In other...
polyphenols, wheat, protein, nutrition, processing
Background: Bulbus of Fritillaria cirrhosa is a medicinal and edible plant that has the functions of clearing away heat and moisturizing the lungs, resolving phlegm, and relieving coughs. Its ethanol extract has been proven to have a therapeutic effect on lung diseases. Pulmonary fibrosis is a respiratory disease that forms scars in lung tissue, leading to severe respiratory problems. However, the therapeutic effect of total alkaloids of bulbus of Fritillaria cirrhosa (BFC-TA) on pulmonary...
protein, fiber, nutrition, processing, quality
Niacin is the precursor to pyridine nucleotides NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) and NADP (nicotin- amide adenine dinucleotide phosphate). Niacin (vitamin B3) is the common term for nicotinic acid, nicotinamide and derivatives that exhibit the biological activity of nicotinamide. Furthermore, the indispensable amino acid tryptophan is the substrate for de novo synthesis of NAD. Thus, the requirements and intake of niacin are expressed as niacin equivalents (NE). The focus of interest...
protein, nutrition, processing, color, enzymes
Vitamin C has multiple metabolic functions in the body, but the available information on the exact relationship between these functions and the intake necessary to maintain them is very limited. However, most attempts to objectively measure adequacy of vitamin C status, including, for example, replacement of metabolic turnover, chronic disease prevention, urinary excretion, and saturation of immune cells and body compartment, cur- rently point toward 50 μmol/L as a reasonable target plasma...
antioxidants, protein, nutrition, quality, color
The aim of this scoping review was to conduct evidence-based documentations between calcium (Ca) intake and health outcomes for updating dietary reference values (DRVs) and food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) in the sixth edition of Nordic Nutrient Recommendations (NNR2023). The systematic literature search was limited to reviews on human data published between 2011 and June 2021. Systematic reviews (SRs) and orig- inal publications of relevance for this scoping review were included. A...
wheat, starch, protein, fiber, nutrition
Magnesium is a divalent ion involved in a range of biochemical reactions and cellular functions. The metabolism and requirements for magnesium are still insufficiently understood. In the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations from 2012, a recommended intake was set based on balance studies. However, the average requirement (AR) was not set. Functional indicators of magnesium status have been lacking. This scoping review reveals new research activity related to the beneficial effect of magnesium...
starch, protein, fiber, nutrition, quality
Only a few studies have explored relationships between riboflavin intake and function and a few studies have examined the effects of supplements on various clinical or biochemical outcomes. None of these studies, however, make a useful contribution to understanding requirements in healthy populations. Thus, there is no strong evidence to change the recommendations. The requirement for riboflavin is estimated based on the relationship between intake and biochemical indices of riboflavin status,...
protein, nutrition, processing, quality, enzymes
This scoping review aims to describe the totality of evidence for the role of phosphorus for health-related outcomes as a basis for setting and updating dietary reference values (DRVs). Phosphorus is needed in many biological processes, such as cellular metabolism and bone mineralization. Dietary phosphorus intake exceeds the previous Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR2012) 2–3-fold in the Nordic countries. Intake from food additives is unknown but may play a significant role because the...
starch, protein, nutrition, processing, quality
Selenium is an essential trace element in humans, critical to the normal physiology in all animal species. The main form of selenium in food is selenomethionine, selenocysteine and a variety of organic compounds, while inorganic salts mainly occur in food supplements. In animals and humans, selenium occurs as selenocysteine in selenoproteins encoded by 25 genes (specific selenium pool). Several selenoproteins are part of the antioxidant enzyme system and serve as oxido-reductases and in...
antioxidants, wheat, protein, nutrition, color
Copper functions as a structural component in many proteins involved in energy and iron metabolism, pro- duction of neurotransmitters, formation of connective tissue and endogenous antioxidant defence. Several biochemical indices have been suggested and used to assess copper status, but none of these has been found suitable for the detection of marginal copper deficiency or marginal copper toxicity. Copper imbalances have been linked to the pathogenesis of several chronic inflammatory...
starch, protein, nutrition, storage, enzymes
Antioxidants are a collection of substances that may prevent or delay the oxidation of cellular components. The antioxidant defense system includes both endogenously produced antioxidants and dietary antioxidants. The consumption of dietary antioxidants has long been speculated to be important for the defense against cellular oxidation, inflammation, and other disease-related processes. In addition to the well-known dietary antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, β-carotene, and selenium,...
polyphenols, antioxidants, protein, nutrition, quality
Trivalent chromium (CrIII) is the principal form of chromium found in diet and supplements. CrIII has been claimed to be involved in the regulation of carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism. Hexavalent chromium (CrVI) is a carcinogen when inhaled, which is uncommon, and occurs mainly by occupational exposures. There is a concern about adverse health effects also from exposure to CrVI by contaminated drinking water, although data from human studies are limited. Chromium had no...
protein, nutrition, safety, analysis, functional
Molybdenum is an essential element in the form of the molybdenum cofactor (Moco). In humans, Moco is required for four enzymes: xanthine oxidase (XO), aldehyde oxidase, sulfite oxidase (SO), and mitochon- drial amidoxime-reducing component (mARC). The enzymes are involved in the oxidation of purines to uric acid, metabolism of aromatic aldehydes and heterocyclic compounds, and in the catabolism of sulfur amino acids. Molybdenum cofactor deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive syndrome due to...
protein, nutrition, storage, enzymes, safety
Fluoride has a well-documented role in the prevention and treatment of dental caries, but the mechanism is attributed to local effects on the tooth enamel surface rather than systemic effects. Fluoride is not considered essential for humans, no deficiencies are known, and no optimal range, which will not result in moderate fluorosis in some individuals, can be set. Recently, research studies have shown evidence for a relationship between fluoride intake and cognitive outcomes and interaction...
nutrition, quality, safety, analysis, chemistry
Choline is an essential nutrient with metabolic roles as a methyl donor in one carbon metabolism and as a precursor for membrane phospholipids and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Choline content is particu- larly high in liver, eggs, and wheat germ, although it is present in a variety of foods. The main dietary sources of choline in the Nordic and Baltic countries are meat, dairy, eggs, and grain. A diet that is devoid of choline causes liver and muscle dysfunction within 3 weeks. Choline...
wheat, protein, nutrition, processing, storage
Zinc is essential for several biological processes including those critical for the immune system, DNA synthesis, cell division, and growth. Zinc is involved in the pathophysiology of chronic diseases and protects proteins and lipids from oxidative damage. Inadequate zinc intake and low plasma zinc con- centration are associated to an increased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes; however, the evidence is limited. Zinc deficiency increases the risk of...
protein, nutrition, enzymes, safety, analysis
Iodine is essential for the synthesis of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). As in many other parts of the world, insufficient iodine intake and consequently insufficient iodine status is a public health challenge in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The main dietary sources of iodine in the Nordic and Baltic countries include cow’s milk, saltwater fish, eggs, products containing iodised salt, and iodised table salt. Only Denmark (DK), Finland (FI) and Sweden (SE)...
food science, nutrition, quality, storage, safety
Background: Capsaicin (CAP) has an anti-obesity effect that has been shown to involve the transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) channel. Importantly, recent studies in high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice show that CAP also alters gut microbiota composition and causes weight loss in HFD-fed mice. Many studies have suggested that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) mediate the links between diet, gut microbiota, and fat storage. Objective: The present study investigated whether CAP exerted its...
food science, polyphenols, starch, protein, fiber
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is primarily caused by insulin resistance (IR) in insulin-sensitive tissues, including liver, white adipose tissues (WAT), and skeletal muscles. Discovering nutritious foods with antidi- abetic effects is of great significance. Numerous published reports indicated that protein kinase B (Akt) and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) play crucial roles in ameliorating IR and diabetic symptoms. Objective: In the present study, antidiabetic effects and the potential...
protein, nutrition, storage, enzymes, safety
Quality-certified, nutritious novel groundnut spread has great commercialization possibilities due to evolving urban lifestyles in Africa, but lack of information about likability, sensory attributes, and consumer safety awareness is a severe barrier for small enterprises. This paper examines a novel groundnut spread, made of sorted kernels deemed free of aflatoxin, intended for use on bread in a fashion similar to groundnut paste or groundnut butter, but with modified sensory charac-...
protein, nutrition, processing, quality, sensory
Background: White sweet potato (WSP) has many potential beneficial effects on metabolic control and on diabetes-related insulin resistance. The antihyperglycemic effects of Tainung No. 10 (TNG10), a variety of WSP in Taiwan, warrant investigation. Objective: To investigate the antidiabetic activity of WSP (Ipomoea batatas L. TNG10) and the mechanisms for interventions using whole leaves or tubers of WSP in diabetic mice. Design: Mice were co-administered with streptozotocin and nicotinamide to...
food science, polyphenols, antioxidants, starch, protein
Background: Fish consumption has been shown to have beneficial effects on biological and subjective mea- sures of health and well-being. However, little is known about the effects of fish consumption at the behavioral level. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the influence of diet on behavior such as phys- ical activity during winter in forensic inpatients. The secondary aim was to investigate the relationship between vitamin D status and physical activity. Design:...
protein, nutrition, analysis, chemistry, bread
Background: Research on the association between breastfeeding duration and food neophobia is inconclusive. Breastfeeding and measures to reduce food neophobia are highly recommended to ensure a healthy diet early in life. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between breastfeeding duration and food neophobia in young Norwegian children. Design: Participants (n = 246) were recruited through kindergartens in four Norwegian counties in 2017. The parents of 1-year-olds...
nutrition, quality, sensory, texture, analysis
Background: Currently available evidence on the association between dietary iron intake and hyperuricemia is limited and inconsistent. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationships between animal-derived dietary iron (ADDI) in- take, plant-derived dietary iron (PDDI) intake, and the ratio PDDI:ADDI and hyperuricemia risk among US adults. Design: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009–2014 were used. Iron intake from diet was assessed through two...
protein, fiber, nutrition, quality, analysis
Background: As a major disease affecting dairy cow production worldwide, bovine mastitis is caused by a vari- ety of pathogenic microorganisms that eventually cause mammary gland inflammation. Acremonium terricola culture (ATC) is a new type of affordable feed additive produced by the solid fermentation of A. terricola isolated from Cordyceps gunnii and exerted its anti-inflammatory effect. Objectives: To evaluate the protective effects of ATC on mastitis and investigate its active mechanism,...
antioxidants, wheat, protein, fiber, nutrition
Background: Historically, Iceland has been an iodine-sufficient nation due to notably high fish and milk consump- tion. Recent data suggest that the intake of these important dietary sources of iodine has decreased considerably. Objective: To evaluate the iodine status of pregnant women in Iceland and to determine dietary factors asso- ciated with risk for deficiency. Methods: Subjects were women (n = 983; 73% of the eligible sample) attending their first ultrasound appoint- ment in...
food science, nutrition, processing, quality, analysis
Background: Browning of white adipose tissues (WAT) is recognized as a novel way to combat obesity and its related comorbidities. Thus, a lot of dietary agents contributing to browning of WAT have been identified. Objective: In this study, we try to explore the mechanism of the browning of WAT induced by resveratrol (Res) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Methods: The levels of cell viability and lipid accumulation were evaluated under different concentrations of Res. Cell signaling pathway analysis was...
polyphenols, protein, nutrition, color, storage
Background: Interest in herbal medicines and non-hormonal therapies for the treatment of menopausal symp- toms has increased since the publication of adverse effects of estrogen replacement therapy. Vasomotor symp- toms are the most characteristic and notable symptoms of menopause. Objective: To investigate the changes in the frequency and severity of hot flush and associated vasomotor symptoms experienced by peri-menopausal and menopausal women supplemented with the herbal formula- tion...
wheat, protein, nutrition, quality, safety
Background: Diabetic osteoporosis has become a severe public health problem in the aging societies. Genistein has been reported to play an important role in preventing and treating metabolic diseases via its anti- inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-estrogenic, and estrogen-like functions. Objective: We aimed to investigate whether genistein exerts bone-protective effect on diabetic rats induced by 35 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) plus a 4-week high-fat diet. Design: Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly...
flour, protein, nutrition, quality, color
Background: Caloric restriction (CR) can help in improving heart function. There is as yet no consen- sus on the mechanism of the effect of CR. Silent mating-type information regulation 1 (SIRT1), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and mTOR are key players in metabolic stress management. We aimed to explore the effect of CR on the myocardial SIRT1/AMPK/mTOR pathway in mice. Methods: Thirty-six 6-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into three groups: normal...
protein, nutrition, analysis, chemistry, extraction
Background: In the past, most researchers paid more attention to the biological activity of tea infusion and tea polyphenols; however, the prebiotic role of tea leaf powder is still unknown. Green tea leaf powder is rich in dietary fiber and is suggested to be beneficial for human health. Only limited studies have looked at the effects of tea leaf powder (which mainly contains tea dietary fiber) on gut microbiota and health. Objective: The purpose of our study was to determine the effects of...
food science, polyphenols, antioxidants, protein, fiber
Background: As an important nutrient, soybean protein-derived peptides (SPP) affect the immune function of animals. Objective: This study describes the effects of nutrient supplementation with SPP on the negative nitrogen bal- ance in the burn injury-induced inflammatory response of aged rats. Design: Soybean protein isolate (SPI) was hydrolyzed to obtain SPP. A negative nitrogen-balance aged rat model and a major full-thickness 30% total body surface area (TBSA) burn-injury rat model were...
food science, polyphenols, protein, nutrition, quality
Background: Risk of hyperuricemia (HU) has been shown to be strongly associated with dietary factors. However, there is scarce evidence on prediction models incorporating dietary factors to estimate the risk of HU. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a prediction model to predict the risk of HU in Chinese adults based on dietary information. Design: Our study was based on a cross-sectional survey, which recruited 1,488 community residents aged 18 to 60 years in Beijing from October...
protein, nutrition, quality, analysis, health
Background: Carotenoids, the secondary metabolites terpenoids, are the largest factors that form the fruit color. Similar to flavonoids, they are not only safe and natural colorants of fruits but also play a role as stress response biomolecules. Methods: To study the contribution of the key genes in carotenoids biosynthesis, fruit-color formation, and in response to cold stress, we characterized the key regulatory factor CaATHB-12 from the HD-ZIP I sub-gene family members in pepper. Results:...
polyphenols, antioxidants, wheat, protein, nutrition
Background: Parents influence their infants’ diets and are the providers of healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables. Parental motives can influence infant’s diets directly or through parental feeding practices. Objective: This study aimed to assess the associations between parental food choice motives and infants’ fruit and vegetable intakes and to examine whether parental feeding practices mediated these associations. Design: A total of 298 parents participated in the Norwegian...
antioxidants, protein, fiber, nutrition, quality
Background: Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) secreted from lactic acid bacteria are carbohydrate polymers with reported biological activities. In this study, we extracted and characterized the composition as well as antiox- idant and biofilm-inhibitory properties of EPS from Lactobacillus coryniformis NA-3 isolated from northeast Chinese sauerkraut (Suan Cai). Methods: Lactobacillus coryniformis NA-3 was identified with 16S rDNA amplification and Neighbor Join- ing (NJ) phylogenetic analysis. EPS...
antioxidants, protein, nutrition, color, fermentation
Background: The role of glucose transporters in the transport of flavonoids remains ambiguous. Objective: In this study, we examined whether quercitrin would be absorbed intactly in modeled Caco-2 cells, as well as determined the involvement of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) and glucose trans- porter 2 (GLUT2) in its transmembrane transport. Design: The first experiment was conducted to examine the uptake of quercitrin into Caco-2 cells 24 h after they were seeded and the...
polyphenols, protein, nutrition, color, enzymes
Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) includes a range of liver diseases that occur in the absence of significant alcohol consumption. The probiotic bacterial strains Lactobacillus casei LC2W, which overexpresses the bile salt hydrolase (BSH) gene (referred to as pWQH01), and Lactobacillus plantarum AR113, which exhibits high BSH activity, have been shown to improve hepatic lipid accumulation and may lower cholesterol levels in vivo. These effects may be BSH-dependent, as L....
protein, nutrition, color, storage, analysis
Background: Burn injury accidents happen in our daily life, and the burn mortality is especially high in the low-to-middle-income countries. Camellia cake extracts (CCEs) are compound extracts from Camellia cake, and the major ingredients in CCEs may have antimicrobial, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the effects of CCEs on burn inflammation and injury remain unknown. Objective: This study is to investigate the effects of CCEs in burn injury and explore its mechanism....
protein, nutrition, enzymes, safety, analysis