Chlorinated pesticide residues in human breast milk collected from southern Jordan in 2012/2013

Chlorinated pesticide residues in human breast milk from five southern Jordan districts were analyzed in 2012/2013. The total number of samples from all districts was 100. The number of samples gathered from each district was collected according to their population densities. The present study shows that 59% of the samples which contained pesticides’ residues were p,p’-DDE, 30% contained β-HCH, 10% contained p,p′-DDT, 6% contained α-HCH, 2% contained heptachlor and 1% contained endrin. These human milk samples were free of aldrin, dieldrin, α-endosulfan, β-endosulfan, HCB, γ-HCH, o,p′-DDD, o,p′-DDT and o,p′-DDE. The levels of the six mentioned compounds detected in all mother’s milk samples were higher in Ghor El-Safi district compared with the other four districts. In this study, it is recommended to continue the pesticides residues monitoring in all parts of Jordan, particularly in Ghor El-Safi district and other regions in the cultivated Jordan Valley.     

Identification of potential bioactive peptides generated by simulated gastrointestinal digestion of soybean seeds and soy milk proteins

In this work, the bioactive peptides produced during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of soybean seeds and soy milk were investigated. The analysis was performed on extracted protein samples from soybean seeds and milk or directly on untreated soy milk. Proteins samples were subjected to simulated gastrointestinal digestion and then analyzed by nano-liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for peptide sequencing. The identified peptides were 1173 in soybean seed samples, 1364 in untreated soy milk samples and 1422 in soy milk samples in which proteins were extracted by precipitation. The peptide identifications were then employed to search specific databases and look for the presence of bioactive peptides in the investigated samples, either with known biological activity or with potential antimicrobial activity. Results pointed out that soybean proteins underwent an extensive degradation process during gastrointestinal digestion and generated a large number of bioactive peptides, some with established activity, some with predicted antimicrobial activity. Finally, the supernatants collected after protein precipitation with acetone from both soybean seeds and soy milk were also analyzed to evaluate the presence of peptides produced by the action of endogenous proteases. Likely, peptides found in soy milk samples could be formed during food processing.     

Novel Approaches to Improve the Intrinsic Microbiological Safety of Powdered Infant Milk Formula

Human milk is recognised as the best form of nutrition for infants. However; in instances where breast-feeding is not possible, unsuitable or inadequate, infant milk formulae are used as breast milk substitutes. These formulae are designed to provide infants with optimum nutrition for normal growth and development and are available in either powdered or liquid forms. Powdered infant formula is widely used for convenience and economic reasons. However; current manufacturing processes are not capable of producing a sterile powdered infant formula. Due to their immature immune systems and permeable gastro-intestinal tracts, infants can be more susceptible to infection via foodborne pathogenic bacteria than other age-groups. Consumption of powdered infant formula contaminated by pathogenic microbes can be a cause of serious illness. In this review paper, we discuss the current manufacturing practices present in the infant formula industry, the pathogens of greatest concern, Cronobacter and Salmonella and methods of improving the intrinsic safety of powdered infant formula via the addition of antimicrobials such as: bioactive peptides; organic acids; probiotics and prebiotics.     

Milk Consumption and Mortality from All Causes,Cardiovascular Disease,and Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Results from epidemiological studies of milk consumption and mortality are inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies assessing the association of non-fermented and fermented milk consumption with mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. PubMed was searched until August 2015. A two-stage, random-effects, dose-response meta-analysis was used to combine study-specific results. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed with the I² statistic. During follow-up periods ranging from 4.1 to 25 years, 70,743 deaths occurred among 367,505 participants. The range of non-fermented and fermented milk consumption and the shape of the associations between milk consumption and mortality differed considerably between studies. There was substantial heterogeneity among studies of non-fermented milk consumption in relation to mortality from all causes (12 studies; I² = 94%), cardiovascular disease (five studies; I² = 93%), and cancer (four studies; I² = 75%) as well as among studies of fermented milk consumption and all-cause mortality (seven studies; I² = 88%). Thus, estimating pooled hazard ratios was not appropriate. Heterogeneity among studies was observed in most subgroups defined by sex, country, and study quality. In conclusion, we observed no consistent association between milk consumption and all-cause or cause-specific mortality.     

Dietary Sources of Vitamin B-12 and Their Association with Vitamin B-12 Status Markers in Healthy Older Adults in the B-PROOF Study

Low vitamin B-12 concentrations are frequently observed among older adults. Malabsorption is hypothesized to be an important cause of vitamin B-12 inadequacy, but serum vitamin B-12 may also be differently affected by vitamin B-12 intake depending on food source. We examined associations between dietary sources of vitamin B-12 (meat, fish and shellfish, eggs, dairy) and serum vitamin B-12, using cross-sectional data of 600 Dutch community-dwelling adults (≥65 years). Dietary intake was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Vitamin B-12 concentrations were measured in serum. Associations were studied over tertiles of vitamin B-12 intake using P for trend, by calculating prevalence ratios (PRs), and splines. Whereas men had significantly higher vitamin B-12 intakes than women (median (25th–75th percentile): 4.18 (3.29–5.38) versus 3.47 (2.64–4.40) μg/day), serum vitamin B-12 did not differ between the two sexes (mean ± standard deviation (SD): 275 ± 104 pmol/L versus 290 ± 113 pmol/L). Higher intakes of dairy, meat, and fish and shellfish were significantly associated with higher serum vitamin B-12 concentrations, where meat and dairy—predominantly milk were the most potent sources. Egg intake did not significantly contribute to higher serum vitamin B-12 concentrations. Thus, dairy and meat were the most important contributors to serum vitamin B-12, followed by fish and shellfish.     

脂肪乳对PT、APTT和Fib凝血结果的影响与对策

目的探讨减少脂肪乳对凝血酶原(PT)、部分凝活酶时间(APTT)和纤维蛋白原(Fib)干扰的方法。方法制备正常新鲜混合血浆并检测PT、APTT、Fib;在正常新鲜混合血浆中加入不同浓度的脂肪乳并检测其PT、APTT和Fib,取均值计算干扰物影响度,同时在强生干化学分析仪VITRO FS5.1上检测血浆指数,并分析血浆指数与脂肪乳干扰之间的关系。通过CS2000i自带的稀释功能,寻找最佳的稀释倍数,减少脂肪乳对Fib的干扰。结果当添加干扰物脂肪乳4.76%体积分数时,对PT、APTT和国际标准化比值(INR)影响均7.5%,未超过1/2 CLIA’88规定的允许误差;脂肪乳添加的体积与血浆指数存在良好的线性相关:y=18.284x+4.557 9,R2=0.993 3;脂肪乳添加的体积与衍算纤维蛋白原(PT-der fibrinogen,PT-DFbg)添加前后的差值也存在良好的线性相关:y=0.146 9x-0.891 4(x≥6),R2=0.961 7;标本稀释可以很好地消除脂肪乳对Fib检测结果的干扰。结论利用血浆指数,可以减少一定浓度内脂肪乳对PT、APTT和Fib的干扰,标本稀释可以很好地消除脂肪乳对Fib检测结果的干扰。     

Does milk have a cataractogenic effect?

We undertook a prospective study to test Simoons' hypothesis that in certain susceptible races milk exerts a cataractogenic effect. Overall milk intake in low lactase deficiency areas did not correlate with cataract occurrence. Subgrouping of cataract patients revealed that greater milk intake did show positive correlation with cortical cataracts. Cortical cataracts were also markedly more common in females. Analysis of data from three different regions showed greater milk intake in cortical cataract patients only. Our data indicate the importance of specifying cataract type in cataract studies and highlight the problem this approach brings forth. We noted no different trends in subjects from northwest and southeast India, although the number of subjects from the southeast was considerably less. Patients with early cortical cataracts may be advised to restrict milk intake.Part of this material was presented at second cataract epidemiology meeting at Bonn in March 1988. A brief report has been accepted for publication in the proceedings of the meeting to be published inDevelopment of Ophthalmology, Vol. 17, 1988.     

Nutrition for the micro preemie: Beyond milk

Nutritional support is a fundamental component of the care of the extremely preterm infant, including the “micro preemie” (here defined as a baby born weighing less than 500 g), but goes beyond considerations of milk as a food. This is because milk from an infant's own mother, unlike currently available substitutes, additionally provides invaluable non-nutritive benefits.Nutritional support requires suitable devices or techniques to administer nutrients enterally or intravenously, products shown to be safe in preterm populations, and efficacy demonstrated in respect of important functional outcomes. Sadly, preterm feeding remains characterised by a deficit of evidence. In this chapter, we will briefly describe the history of preterm nutrition, discuss current enteral and parenteral practice, important evidence gaps, a summary of approaches for evaluating nutritional practice, and key considerations for future endeavour. Our discussion refers to all extremely preterm infants and it not confined to the micro preemie.     

人乳低聚糖对婴儿肠道菌群影响的研究进展北大核心CSCD

婴儿期是肠道菌群形成和发展最为关键的时期,作为肠道菌群演替速度较快的重要阶段,稳定的肠道菌群定植对机体健康、免疫系统的建立及完善有着重大且长远的意义。母乳中富含人乳低聚糖(HMOs),能够有效促进婴儿肠道中有益细菌的生长,抑制病原菌的侵袭,改善肠道菌群组成,提高菌种多样性,促进婴儿生长发育。现就HMOs的研究现状及其对婴儿肠道菌群的影响进行综述。