Research update: new ideas under the microscope
MEAT NEW IDEA
Strategies for designing novel functional meat products utilising bioactive peptides and/or probiotic bacteria.
Meat-based bioactive compounds - such as carnosine, anserine, L-carnitine, conjugated linoleic acid - have been studied to assess their suitability for improving the health image of meat and developing novel functional meat products. The article concludes that there is an urgent need to inform consumers of the exact functional value of meat and meat products, including new, functional meat products.
By: Arihara, K Source: Meat Science. 2006; 74(1): 52nd International Congress of Meat Science and Technology
SPRAY AGAIN
PROBIF - removal of technological hurdles relating to the application of Bifidobacterium species in functional foods.
This report (MFRC No. 55) describes two projects: PROBIF, in which Bifidobacterium spp. with relative tolerance to heat were identified and used in the preparation of spray dried milk powders and probiotic ice cream; and PROLAC, in which heat tolerance and survival after spray drying and freeze-drying of Lactobacillus paracasei NFBC 338 was enhanced by the addition of protectants, and the bacterium was used to prepare a probiotic cheese and a 60 kb plasmid (pCD01), which was isolated from the bacterium and sequenced.
By: Stanton, C; Ross, R P Source: Moorepark Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Republic of Ireland
NOVEL SWEETS
Toothfriendly sweets that contain sugars?
Scientists have examined the use of the novel sweeteners isomaltulose (palatinose) and D-tagatose for preparation of 'toothfriendly' sugar confectionery, with reference to: benefits for dental health; low glycaemic index values; high intestinal tolerance of isomaltulose; use of tagatose and food labelling.
Source: Innovations in Food Technology. 2006; (30): 74-75
RADICAL TEST
Can black peppercorn, nutmeg, rosehip, cinnamon and oregano leaf help neutralise the effects on the body of free radicals?
Extracts of all samples of these ingredients showed significant radical-scavenging capacities but cinnamon had the best scavenging capacity.
By: Akanksha Mishra; Bapat, M M; Tilak, J C; Devasagayam, T P A Source: Current Science. 2006; 91(1): 90-92; 25 ref.
TAKES BISCUIT
Developing a healthy biscuit.
High-fat and high-sugar biscuits modified to produce a healthy alternative are likely to remain popular with consumers. Vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin C and prebiotic fibre were added to a traditional biscuit mix - while salt was completely removed from it and its sugar content reduced. A blind test was later conducted in which 25 university students could not tell the difference between the original biscuits and the modified ones.
By: Boobier, W J; Baker, J-S; Davies, B Source: Nutrition Journal. 2006; 5(March): 12pp; 36 ref.
MILK STUDY
Effects of probiotic or prebiotic supplemented milk formulae on faecal microbiota composition of infants.
Research has confirmed more bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are present in the microbiota of breast-fed infants than those fed formula milk.
Now a 13-week study of 90 infants close to four months of age has evaluated whether supplementation of infant formula milk with prebiotic fructooligosaccharides, or the probiotic bacterium, Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 (La1), could modulate the composition of the faecal microbiota of formula-fed infants, compared to breastfed (BF) infants.
Three groups were blindly assigned to receive for 13 weeks: an infant formula (control); the same formula with fructooligosaccharides (Prebio); or the same formula with La1 (Probio). Higher counts of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and lower counts of enterobacteria were observed in breast-fed compared to the formula-fed infants but the differences tended to disappear at week seven and 15.
Probio increased faecal Lactobacillus counts and 88% of infants in this group excreted live La1 in their stools at week seven but only 17% at week 15.
Increased Bifidobacterium counts were observed at week seven in the three formula groups, similar to breast-fed infants, confirming that more bifidobacteria and lactobacilli were present in the microbiota of breast-fed infants than that of formula-fed infants.
By: Brunser, O; Figueroa, G; Gotteland, M; Haschke Becher, E; Magliola, C; Rochat, F; Cruchet, S; Palframan, R; Gibson, G; Chauffard, F; Haschke, F Source: Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2006; 15(3)
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Abstracts: a database produced by the International Food Information Service
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