Association between trihalomethane concentrations in drinking water and adverse pregnancy outcome in Taiwan

Chlorination has been the major strategy for disinfection of drinking water in Taiwan. Recently there has been interest in the relationship between by-products of disinfection of drinking water and pregnancy outcomes including low birth weight and preterm delivery. We performed a study to examine the effects of exposure to total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) on the risk of term low birth weight (TLBW), small for gestational age (SGA), and preterm delivery in Taiwan. TTHMs data were available for 65 municipalities in Taiwan. The study population comprised 90,848 women residing in the 65 municipalities who had a first parity singleton birth between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2002, and for which complete information on maternal age, education, gestational age, birth weight, and sex of the baby were available. Maternal TTHMs exposure was estimated from the TTHMs concentration for the municipality of residence at birth. The study results provide no evidence of an increased risk of TLBW, SGA, and preterm delivery at the relatively low concentrations of TTHMs in Taiwan's drinking water.     

Guar by-product improves carbohydrate tolerance in healthy human subjects

Guar gum possesses distinct hypoglycemic properties. The other fraction of the guar bean, guar by-product (GBP), was studied to determine if it possesses any hypoglycemic properties. When 25 g GBP or wheat bran were consumed with a carbohydrate test meal by 10 healthy subjects, at 15 and 30 min after the GBP test meal significantly lower normalized plasma glucose responses were measured. Postprandial plasma insulin responses were similar after both test meals. During the first 60 min postprandially, the mean integrated plasma glucose response area was significantly lower after the GBP test meal. These data indicate that GBP, like guar gum, possesses hypoglycemic properties; because of the different chemical characteristics of these 2 guar bean fractions, it seems that their hypoglycemic properties are due probably to different mechanisms.     

Antioxidant and fibroblast-activating activities of the by-product of skate chondroitin extractive production

Owing to the increasing popularity of chondroitin sulfate (CS) for joint pain treatment, the CS-production industry has been producing an increasing amount of waste, which includes type II collagen, non-collagenous proteins, and residual CS. To effectively utilize these resources, we intended to develop new products from the by-product of skate chondroitin sulfate production (BP-sCS). In this study, we examined the antioxidant and fibroblast-activating properties of BP-sCS, intending to apply it for a wound-healing promoter. BP-sCS exhibited ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities, protected L929 fibroblasts from H₂O₂- or AAPH-induced oxidative stress, and scavenged intracellular reactive oxygen species. Moreover, BP-sCS promoted L929 fibroblast proliferation/metabolism and stimulated collagen deposition into the extracellular matrix. In addition, BP-sCS counteracted AAPH-induced oxidative stress damage that inhibited fibroblast migration. These effect were attributed to the cooperation among the molecules of BP-sCS, namely, type II collagen peptides, non-collagenous peptides, and CS polysaccharides. Our findings indicate that BP-sCS has the potential as a novel wound-healing promoter. This study is the first step toward the realization of a sustainable CS-production industry by waste utilization in healthcare products.     

Protective effect of methanol extract from citrus press cakes prepared by far-infrared radiation drying on H2O2-mediated oxidative damage in Vero cells

In the present study, a suitable drying method was developed for citrus press cakes (CPCs), which are produced as a by-product in citrus juice plants, and the protective effect of methanol extract of CPCs prepared by far-infrared radiation (FIR) drying against H₂O₂-induced DNA damage was evaluated versus that of freeze-dried CPCs. Methanol extract of FIR-dried CPCs exhibited comparatively good ROS scavenging activity versus the freeze-dried CPCs at the concentration of 100 µg/mL. The extract strongly enhanced the cell viability against H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage in Vero cells. Lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity of the extract from FIR-dried CPCs was comparable to that of the extract from freeze-dried CPCs. This sample also exhibited good protective effects against H₂O₂-mediated cell apoptosis as demonstrated by decreased apoptotic body formation in the nuclear staining with Hoechst 33342. In the comet assay, the CPC extracts exhibited strong inhibitory effects against H₂O₂-mediated DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, this study demonstrated that FIR drying effectively preserves CPC as a functionally important natural antioxidant source and the FIR drying can be adapted for drying CPCs and is more economical for massive production than freeze drying.     

Pregnancy loss in the rat caused by bromodichloromethane.

Bromodichloromethane (BDCM), a trihalomethane, is a by-product of the chlorination of drinking water. In a recent epidemiological study, consumption of BDCM was associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion in pregnant women. We have previously shown that BDCM causes pregnancy loss, i.e., full-litter resorption (FLR), in the F344 rat. The mode of action was investigated, with three main findings. First, there was a dramatic difference in sensitivity between F344 and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat strains. Following aqueous gavage treatment on gestational days (GD) 6-10, F344 rats had a 62% incidence of FLR at 75 mg/kg/day, whereas all SD rats maintained their litters. Second, the critical period encompassed the luteinizing hormone (LH)-dependent period of pregnancy. Rats treated on GD 6-10 at 75 mg/kg/day had a 75% incidence of FLR, but rats treated on GD 11-15 at 75 or 100 mg/kg/day were unaffected. Third, 24 h after a single dose, all dams with FLR had markedly reduced serum progesterone levels; however, LH levels were unaffected. The high FLR rate during the LH-dependent period, the lack of response thereafter, and the reduced progesterone levels without an associated reduction in LH levels suggests that BDCM disrupts luteal responsiveness to LH.     

Biodegradation of six haloacetic acids in drinking water

Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are produced by the reaction of chlorine with natural organic matter and are regulated disinfection by-products of health concern. Biofilms in drinking water distribution systems and in filter beds have been associated with the removal of some HAAs, however the removal of all six routinely monitored species (HAA₆) has not been previously reported. In this study, bench-scale glass bead columns were used to investigate the ability of a drinking water biofilm to degrade HAA₆. Monochloroacetic acid (MCAA) and monobromoacetic acid (MBAA) were the most readily degraded of the halogenated acetic acids. Trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) was not removed biologically when examined at a 90% confidence level. In general, di-halogenated species were removed to a lesser extent than the mono-halogenated compounds. The order of biodegradability by the biofilm was found to be monobromo > monochloro > bromochloro > dichloro > dibromo > trichloroacetic acid.     

Integration of concurrent collection of plasma into a plateletpheresis program

We have reviewed our initial experience with a program of concurrent collection of plasma (CCP) during plateletpheresis, which was instituted to increase the number of units of fresh frozen plasma produced by our hospital-based donor service. Sixty percent of eligible donors (1,006 of 1,682) participated in CCP, and 21 donors subsequently dropped out of the program. Of these, only one of four first-time donors have returned, whereas the majority of established plateletpheresis donors (16 of 17) have continued to donate platelets. Additional plasma was collected at a minimum of 8-week intervals on the Fenwal CS-3OOO Plus or COBE Spectra without a change in the requirements for donor testing or the collection procedure. The quality of these platelet products was compared to that of those donated without CCP. There was a small decrease in platelet yield for products with CCP on the CS-3OOO Plus (mean yield 4.5 × 10¹¹ with CCP versus 4.9 × 10¹¹ without CCP, P < .01). No negative effects were seen on the percentage of products with a minimum yield of 3 × 10¹¹ platelets or on leukocyte contamination. In addition, there was no difference in the rate of adverse donor reactions. During a 12-month interval, CCP provided 34% (3,798 of 11,266 units) of all fresh frozen plasma for our hospital without additional staff or equipment. The results of this retrospective study suggest that CCP merits further evaluation.     

Unexpected cause of raised benzene absorption in coke oven by-product workers

BACKGROUND: Urinary biological monitoring for benzene (by measuring benzene metabolites) in coke oven by-product workers produced the unexpected result that 2 out of 10 employees had significantly raised urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA). However, simultaneous personal air sampling showed no excessive airborne exposure. METHODS: Possible causes for this finding were investigated having excluded inhalation as the route of uptake. It was suspected that skin absorption via contaminated overalls was the possible mechanism and a standard frequency for overall change was introduced. RESULTS: Changing overalls after every four shifts reduced uptake levels to less than the equivalent of 1 ppm inhaled dose for all employees. CONCLUSION: Skin absorption of benzene in coke oven by-product workers from contaminated overalls can be significant and therefore overalls should be changed on a regular and frequent basis.     

Cereal Processing By-Products as Rich Sources of Phenolic Compounds and Their Potential Bioactivities

In today’s society, we can see a progressive paradigm shift that tends towards a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. The proof is represented by the growing interest in food loss and waste of different sectors, from the political to the academic, or even to the private sector. In order to reduce food waste and to increase sustainability, the European Union (EU) has planned a circular bioeconomy. This action plan includes an approach based on reducing, reusing, recovering, and recycling materials and energy. Every year, there are high amounts of waste and by-products resulting from agricultural producing and agro-industrial processing, impacting the environment and the socio-economic sector. Cereal food products cover over 20% of daily diet, so it can be assumed that cereal production and processing are one of the most important sectors of agri-food industries. It is estimated that the waste generated from cereal processing and manufacturing is up to 13%, a percentage that can be decreased by converting the by-products in raw materials for biofuels, biodegradable plastics, alcohols, antioxidants, food additives, or pharmaceutic ingredients due to their content in macro- and micro-nutrients or bioactive compounds. Based on the fact that diet plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of our body, it is important to capitalize on any source of bioactive compounds to which we have access. This review aims to highlight the need to recirculate by-products for the purpose of extraction and use of their key compounds, polyphenols, which have not only antioxidant effects, but also preventive and therapeutic effects against cancer. For these, it is necessary to understand the biotechnologies needed for processing the most consumed cereals, the methods of extraction of phenolic compounds, and the main effects that these compounds have, summarizing the most relevant in vitro and in vivo studies performed so far.     

Tomato By-Products,a Source of Nutrients for the Prevention and Reduction of Malnutrition

Malnutrition is a global phenomenon that mainly affects children under five years old, the elderly and food insecure people. It can be linked to undernourishment or overnutrition. To prevent it, a healthy and balanced diet, rich in energy and micronutrients, is necessary. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional composition and contribution of tomato by-products to prevent and reduce malnutrition. Thus, standard methods were used for proximate composition and bioactive compounds. Results showed that tomato by-products are rich in macronutrients and micronutrients capable of preventing undernutrition and reducing the incidence of the effects of overnutrition. The average carbohydrate, protein and lipid contents were 15.43%, 11.71% and 5.4% (DM) in peels and for seeds the contents were 58.75%, 15.4% and 22.2%, respectively. The average energy values were 280.47 kcal/100 g and 472.8 kcal/100 g DM for peels and seeds, respectively. The main minerals found were, in decreasing order, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron and zinc. High contents of phenolic compounds, lycopene, β-carotene and vitamin C were also found in these by-products. They also presented important antioxidant activities. Due to their nutritional and bioactive compounds, tomato by-products may be included in functional food formulation programs to reduce the incidence of nutritional diseases.