Le risque mycotoxique dans la chaîne alimentaire en France

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by molds or fungi growing on plants all along the food chain, from the field until their consumption by humans and animals. They are found all along the food chain since they can be carried over in their native form or metabolites into the biological fluids or tissues of livestock animals, and in processed food. Intake of animal products can give an “indirect intoxication”. However, it must be considered that animals play a major “filter role“ since only 1-6% of ingested mycotoxins are transferred into the animal products. Mycotoxins have various toxic effects. Some are carcinogenic, and others are teratogenic or immunosuppressive. Acute mycotoxicoses are rare, whereas chronic intoxications are probably frequent but difficult to diagnose.     

Mécanismes moléculaires de l’altération du métabolisme cellulaire par les polluants de la chaîne alimentaire

The food can present risks if they contain a toxic molecule whose presence is either natural, or related to the human activity. Among the various toxic molecule detected in the food we found: PCB and dioxins, phthalates, organochlorine pesticides. All these molecules have the characteristic to be bioaccumulable. The dioxins act via the Ah receptor and their principal effects on the population are: attacks of the functions of reproduction, increase in cancers, chloracne, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases. The phthalates found in milk, cheese, fish, meats, activate PPARα receptor. They decrease the male fertility in animals and human and increase the animal carcinogenesis. The organochlorine pesticides are endocrine-disrupting chemicals acting through ER receptor. They lead to a reduction in the animal and human fertility and probably to an increase in breast cancer risk.     

Developmental Dental Defects in Children Who Reside by a River Polluted by Dioxins and Furans

The authors determined that demarcated hypomineralizations of developing teeth are a biological indicator of an early dioxin exposure in a healthy population of children. In the current study, the authors examined the prevalences of the demarcated hypomineralization lesions of teeth in 2 Finnish towns by the Kymijoki River—a river that is severely contaminated by dioxins and furans. The 4,120 permanent first molars of 1,030 children were studied. The prevailing levels of dioxins and furans in human milk were measured. The prevalences of the defects in children in Kotka and Anjalankoski were 14.2% and 5.6%, respectively, and the corresponding dioxins and furans in human milk were 13.4 pg/gm fat and 10.9 pg/gm fat (International Toxic Equivalents). In Anjalankoski, the duration of total breast-feeding was associated with the prevalence of the defects. Compared with the figures reported earlier in Finland, neither the prevalence of dental lesions nor the levels of dioxins and furans in human milk were increased in riverside residents.     

La néoglucogenèse intestinale: un nouvel acteur du contrôle de la prise alimentaire

Introduction: The interactions between glucose and energy homeostasis are well known, especially regarding the suppressing role on food intake of glucose into the portal vein.Material and Methods: The expression of genes of gluconeogenesis was characterized at the level of mRNA, protein, and enzymatic activity. Intestinal glucose production was quantified using a combination of (3-³H) glucose tracer dilution and arterio-venous glucose balance. The effect of portal glucose on food intake was studied using conscious rats with indwelling catheters into the portal vein. The effect of infusions at the hypothalamus level was studied by immunodetection of the protein c-Fos.Results: All regulatory genes of gluconeogenesis are expressed in the small intestine from rat and human. They are strongly induced in rat: during fasting; and by protein-enriched diet. In both cases, this promotes glucose release in the portal vein, lasting after the postprandial period for the protein-enriched regimen. The infusion of glucose at comparable rates into the portal vein decreases food intake in rat, and activates the hypothalamic regions involved in the control of food intake, just as does the protein enriched diet.Conclusion: These results provide a mechanistic explanation for the effect of satiety induced by diet protein, well known to occur in animals and humans, but unsolved up to now.     

La fonctionnalité alimentaire : illusion aujourd’hui, réalité demain

Foods have always been considered by man as a means of ensuring his physiological needs, allowing the growth, development and preservation of the body and its tissues (nutritional value of food). To this can be added the feelings of satisfaction and well-being that food gives to its consumer, thus constituting an element that is fundamental for our physiological and mental balance (the sensorial value of food).Nevertheless, recent scientific studies have shown that over and above the ensuring of nutritional needs, eating habits can also adjust certain functions of the human organism and thus play a beneficial or harmful role on one's health (the functional value of food).The whole concept of nutrition has been enriched by the notion that eating is not only a survival reflex (satisfaction derived through eating and the avoidance of harmful effects due to eating deficiencies or excesses): eating aims to improve one's health and well-being and to reduce the risk of developing various pathologies. These new data open interesting new horizons in today's context where health is increasingly expensive and people are increasingly concerned to improve their quality of live.     

Les systèmes et niveaux de détermination du comportement alimentaire

Eating behaviours are ruled simultaneously by physiological; psychological, technical, social, and economic systems. In practice, human subjects manage the complexity of these multiple determinants by following mental and technical routines, which progressively incorporate the results of experience. Social representations are a key mode of transmission and guidance of behaviour; a kind of user’s manual of everyday objects. To modify behaviour, one has to act simultaneously upon all levels of determination in order to open new behavioural paths, and this can be done only in collaborative process involving all stakeholders.     

Un colis de référence pour une aide alimentaire équilibrée

Practical and specific guidelines are needed to design nutritionally adequate food baskets for food aid. Since the weight of foods is the only information on food easily available and understandable by non nutritionist field-workers, weight-based guidelines were presently developed. They are compatible with the French food-based dietary guidelines and take into account that food-insecure individuals have limited access to some foods, such as meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, while refined cereals are the main component of their diets. These guidelines can also be used to evaluate the dietary quality of existing food aid. factual food baskets delivered by food aid agencies in France were compared to the recommended food basket. The results show that fruit and vegetables are severely lacking (only 10% of total food basket weight instead of 33% recommended) while staples, mainly refined cereals, are given in excess (40% instead of 15%), as well as sugar- or salt-containing food products (9% instead of 2%). This results show that it is necessary to improve the dietary quality of food aid in France and suggest that simple weight-based recommendations can be helpful.     

Perception de la corpulence, régime alimentaire, estime de soi et anxiété chez les préadolescents

Objective: to describe the self-esteem and trait-anxiety profile (SE-TA) in early adolescents according to their perception of body weight and dieting behaviors. Method: self-questionnaires in 6 months of interval, during a 24 months follow-up. Main results: adolescents who find their weight “in the average“ have a better self-esteem and are less anxious than the other ones. An altered SE-TA profile is predictive of a body image dissatisfaction 24 months before at the girls and 6 months before at the boys. Boys who find them “overweighted” and who attempted weight loss have an altered ES-AT profile, but not the girls. Conclusion: in terms of prevention programs, these results plead for an adaptation of the actions to the public concerned, based on a meticulous evaluation of its principal psychological and psychosocial characteristics.     

La collation matinale : fréquence, composition alimentaire et impact sur la nutrition des enfants

Morning snacks, initiated in the 1950's, tend to become a common practice among children, especially in nursery schools. To characterise this morning snack, food intake data from 624 children aged 3 to 10 years included in the INCA 1 survey and collected using a 7-day food record were analysed. Less than one child out of two had at least one morning snack during the week, generally between 10 and 10.30 am. Mainly composed of biscuits, pastries, or sweet beverages, this collation leads to an increased intake of carbohydrates, especially simple sugars. Moreover, this snack contributes to significant fat intake. Milk, the initial component of the collations, has become rare, and when it is present, it is always served with another food, principally biscuits. This supplementary intake during the morning was not associated with a low calorie breakfast and did not change energy intake at lunch. The repetition of this collation during the week leads to a higher average daily caloric intake. The presence of milk actually increases calcium intake, but few young French children are at risk of inadequacy for this nutrient. As a conclusion, a morning snack may contribute to unbalance children's diets and must be avoided, especially at school.     

Suivi des témpératures dans des préparations lactées en néonatalogie : potentiels de croissance de Enterobacter sakazakii

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the temperature conditions in neonate care units for infant milk formula (IMF) preparation, storage and neonate feeding by oral and enteral nutrition. From IMF preparation until first and last neonate feeding period per 24 h, 179 time-temperature profiles of IMF samples were collected in 25 neonatal care units in 15 hospitals. Results showed Afssa specifications on temperatures were not completely observed: blast chiller missing and important delay for cooling down IMF to 4 ?C, ineffective or incorrectly regulated cold cabinet cold cabinet for keeping IMF at 4 ?C, microwave or water batch used for rethermalizing IMF.In order to show the health impact of this data, potential Enterobacter sakazakii growth was calculated. For bottles, potential E. sakazakii growth increments were under 2 log₁₀ due to short (≤24 h) cold storage duration. Nevertheless good hygiene practices have to be respected for reducing a particularly high danger for neonates. Afssa specifications are the minimum to observe. For continuous feeding syringe, potential growth values were mainly due to the feeding period because of the IMF was kept in the infant's room at room temperature (≈ 25 ?C) during a long time. In these conditions microbial growth is difficult to control. Nevertheless the use of a cold cover for keeping the IMF at low temperature in a continuous feeding syringe could ensure good food safety.     

Effets d’âge et de génération : transformation du modèle alimentaire

The traditional food model of French resting on user-friendliness, food diversity, the regularity of the schedules of the meals… is less and less followed by the younger generations. By these generational changes, one attends not with a disappearance of the French food model or with a destructuration of the meals but a modification of this model: reduction in the number of dishes and the make-ready times, irregularity of the schedules of meal, increase in the tray meals and rise of products the processed and flat exotics with the detriment of the basic commodities. This evolution answers the modifications of the ways of life which require saving of time, praticity and convenience. This basic trend is accompanied by a concern growing with respect to the health which gains all the generations and results in a strong growth of the market segments of the food health. The third dimension of the food triptych is the basic base of the French food which perdure in new forms: pleasure in the food. It results in the development of the invitations at home in the form of aperitifs dînatoires and of the kitchen leisures which takes form through the courses of kitchen.     

Stratégies d’approvisionnements et comportements alimentaires de familles recourant à l’aide alimentaire: le cas des multi-glaneurs

Various categories of poor people resort to food aid in France. We will focus on families who make a multiple and simultaneous use of several different food programs in a dense urban environment. Thus we’ll outline certain aspects of the food aid structure and of its nutritional consequences. We’ll shed light on how these families keep a not-so-close relationship with the various fields of social aid and on how they parrallely make tremendous psychosocial efforts, sometimes since childhood, to find strategies to cope by themselves even though these very strategies may set them apart from the rest of society. Through the recounting and the detailed analysis of a paradigmatic case of a Rmiste (whose household lives on 4 € per head a day), we’ll try to draw a clear picture of this social situation and of the practical strategies and arguments which turn food into a flexible budget item, liable to be reduced in order to pay other bills (such as the rent in particular).     

La perception des messages de santé par les populations défavorisées

In a context of diffusion of nutritional recommendations and of the PNNS program, this contribution analyses the perception of the recommendations in the lower social strata, compared to the upper one. It underlines the existence of significant social inequalities. Thus, in the lower strata, the injunction, for health reasons, of a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables, and of a lower one of fat and sweet foodstuffs, and the incentive for regular physical activity are not compatible with the financial constraints of these deprived strata, with the representation of a “proper meal” and with the representations of an ideal body shared by these social categories. Consequently, these poorer strata, in a broad meaning, constitute a real issue, because they perceive more often the recommendations as external injunctions. In order to be more effective, the public health policy should take in account the constraints, daily practices and representations of this social category.     

La comunicación y la satisfacción de las primíparas en un servicio público de salud

Objective

To analyze first-time mothers communication with health professionals, and to explore satisfaction, needs and expectation towards healthcare services.

Method

Qualitative design using in-deep interviews and phenomenology was used. First-time mothers from Huercal-Overa (Almería) were intentionally selected in 2010 and were included in the study. A hermeneutic analysis was performed.

Results

Six meta-categories were obtained. Saturation of information was found with nine interviews. The meta-categories were the following: 1) Health professionals; 2) Pregnancy, partum and postpartum; 3) Communication; 4) Child nutrition; 5) Feelings; 6) Others. The mothers perceived as exciting this new experience and expressed feelings of fear, anguish and high sensitiveness. These feelings are increased by the information received from the family circle and the professionals which is referred low and contradictory. All professionals were positively considered, specially the midwife. The following negative experiences were identified: contractions, dilation and delivery. The end of the stay at the hospital was considered early and the time for consultation was short for the mothers. There is a demand about more information on breast feeding. Mothers wish health professionals to respect their decisions.

Conclusions

The study found some areas for improvement in the communication between firs-time mothers and health professionals which could be taken into account in satisfaction promotion plans in regards to healthcare services.     

La voz de las mujeres sometidas a mutilación genital femenina en la Región de Murcia

Objective

To explore the perceptions of a group of women who underwent female genital mutilation on the impact of this practice on their sexual and reproductive health.

Methods

We performed a phenomenological qualitative study in a sample of 9 sub-Saharan Africa women, whose mean age was 30 years old and who had lived in Spain for 1 to 14 years. These women underwent genital mutilation in their countries of origin. Data was collected using a socio-demographic survey and an in-depth, structured personal interview. Subsequently, we performed a thematic discourse analysis.

Results

The discourses were grouped into four categories related to participants’ perceptions of female genital mutilation. These categories were intimate relationships, pregnancy, childbirth, and social impact.

Conclusions

The practice of female genital mutilation is maintained due to social and family pressure, transmitted from generation to generation and silenced by women themselves. This practice affects their sexual and reproductive health, as demonstrated by anorgasmia and dyspareunia. The women were satisfied with the healthcare received during pregnancy and childbirth. Nevertheless, most of them were not satisfied with family planning.     

The Belgian PCB/dioxin incident: analysis of the food chain contamination and health risk evaluation

The Belgian PCB incident occurred at the end of January 1999 when a mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contaminated with dioxins was accidentally added to a stock of recycled fat used in the production of animal feeds. Although signs of poultry poisoning were noticed by February, 1999, the source and the extent of the contamination were discovered only in May 1999, when it appeared that more than 2500 farms could have been supplied with contaminated feeds. This resulted in a major food crisis, which rapidly extended to the whole country and could be resolved only by the implementation of a large PCB/dioxin food monitoring program. Screening for PCB contamination was based on the determination of the seven PCB markers. When PCB concentrations exceeded the tolerance levels of 0.1 (milk), 0.2 (poultry, bovine, and pig meat), or 1 (animal feed) microg/g fat, dioxins (17 PCDD/Fs congeners) were also determined. At the end of December 1999, the database contained the results of more than 55,000 PCB and 500 dioxin analyses. The study of PCB levels and profiles in contaminated feeds delivered to poultry or pig farms confirmed that the Belgian PCB incident was due to a single source of PCB oil introduced into the food chain at the end of January 1999. This PCB oil had a congeners pattern closely matched to a mixture of Aroclor 1260/1254 in the proportion 75/25. The total amount of PCBs added to recycled fats was estimated at 50 kg (sum of the seven markers) or approximately 150 kg total PCBs, which corresponds to about 100 liters of PCB oil. This PCB mixture contained about 1g TEQ dioxins (more than 90- contributed by PCDFs) and about 2g TEQ dioxin-like PCBs. The proportions of PCB 52 and 101 congeners were fairly constant in animal feeds, excluding the possibility of secondary contamination due to fat recycling from contaminated animals. The highest concentrations of PCBs and dioxins were found in poultry and especially in the reproduction animals (hens and chicks), which showed the classical manifestations of chick edema disease. The pigs were also affected but to a lesser extent and no sign of intoxication was observed. The study of PCB/dioxin patterns and of the PCB:dioxin ratios revealed major differences in the metabolism of these compounds by farm animals. Whereas the PCBs:dioxins ratio was fairly constant in all poultry products with a mean value similar to that found in contaminated feeds (50,000), in pigs this ratio was both much higher and more variable (values up to 10,000,000), reflecting a faster elimination of dioxins than PCBs in these animals. These metabolic differences also emerged from the PCB and dioxin patterns which were altered much more in pigs than in poultry. Although the most contaminated food products (chicken meat) had PCB and dioxin levels more than 100 times above maximal recommended values, it is unlikely that this incident could have caused adverse effects in the general population of Belgium. A doubling of the PCB and dioxin burden of the young adult population would require the consumption of, respectively, 10 and 20 highly contaminated meals. In view of the very limited proportion of the poultry chain effectively contaminated during the incident (around 2%), such an extreme scenario was quite improbable for the general population except perhaps for farmers consuming their own products. But even in that case, it would have meant going back to the levels in the 1980s or attaining the body burden of subjects regularly eating contaminated seafood.