Food and Health
Volume:5 Issue: 4, Autumn 2022

Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot regulate blood sugar levels properly due to insufficient or ineffective insulin. This can cause problems with blood lipids and oxidative stress, which damage cells and tissues. Oxidative stress is measured by MDA, a product of lipid peroxidation. Functional foods are foods that have health benefits beyond nutrition. They can modulate physiological functions, enhance immunity, prevent diseases, or improve health outcomes. One of the functional foods that can prevent or reduce the complications of diabetes is spirulina-enriched yogurt, which has antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties. In this study, we chose low-fat yogurt as a functional food and enriched it with spirulina algae powder. Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic properties. It contains various nutrients, such as protein, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, that can scavenge free radicals and protect cells from oxidative stress. We investigated the effect of daily consumption of spirulina-enriched yogurt on fasting blood sugar (FBS) and serum MDA levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to the body's organs. Sodium intake has many side effects but is also necessary for health. Previous studies on sodium intake have shown inconsistent results, and to our knowledge, no studies have been conducted on this topic in Iran. Therefore, we decided to study the relationship between sodium intake and anthropometric indices in patients with acute heart failure in Tehran in 2021. The study was conducted on 114 patients with acute heart failure aged 16 to 80 admitted to Shahid Rajaei Hospital in Tehran. Demographic information and data related to sodium intake were collected using questionnaires, and anthropometric measurements were made using standard methods. More than half (54.4%) of the patients were men, and 45.6% were women, with an average age of 62. SPSS version 26 software was used for data analysis, and a P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Spearman's correlation test measured the relationship between sodium intake and anthropometric indices. There were no statistically significant differences or correlations between sodium intake and anthropometric indices in patients with acute heart failure

Acne vulgaris is a prevalent skin disorder that affects millions of teens and young adults worldwide, but its link to dietary intake is still unclear and requires more research. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between diet and acne among 150 adolescents aged 12-18 in Tehran province. The participants reported their dietary intake using a 24-hour recall method. Their anthropometric data were measured using standard methods. Their acne severity was assessed using the Global Acne Scoring System (GAGS). Their diet quality was evaluated using the International Diet Quality Index (DQI-I) based on Kim et al. 2003. The mean GAGS scores for the whole sample and for girls and boys were 9.24±8.9, 8.79±8.9, and 9.7±7.13, respectively. The prevalence of acne was 71.5% for the whole sample, 93.3% for boys, and 69.1% for girls. The mean DQI-I score for the whole sample was 48.54. The regression analysis showed no association between acne severity and DQI-I score, food groups, or micro and macronutrients. This study found no evidence of a connection between diet quality and acne among adolescents. Further prospective studies are needed to verify or refute this finding.

The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties and survival of Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG in synbiotic wet Doineh, a traditional Iranian fermented food enriched with different ratios of inulin. Milk and wheat bulgur were cooked in the conventional method and then mixed with LGG strain and different ratios of inulin (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 percent). After 24 h of fermentation at 37ºC, the samples were stored at 4ºC for 21 days. pH, acidity, sensory evaluation, and probiotic culture were measured at 24 h after fermentation and on days 7, 14, and 21, using a pH meter, potentiometric, 5-point hedonic scale, and pour-plate methods, respectively. Protein, fat, solids content, and ash were determined by Kjeldahl, Soxhlet, dry weight at 100–105°C and 550ºC oven methods after 24 h of fermentation. The samples containing inulin showed significantly slower changes in pH and acidity. The viability and survival of LGG increased in the samples with higher amounts of inulin due to its prebiotic effect, and these changes were significant. The 2.5%, 5% and 7.5% inulin models had more acceptable sensory characteristics. Traditional foods and their preparation methods are suitable targets for developing health-oriented products, and functional foods with nutraceutical capabilities can be designed and produced based on them.

An edible coating of chitosan (CH) containing cumin essential oil (CEO) was used in this study to increase the shelf life of chicken fillets during refrigerated storage (4±1 ˚C). CEO was extracted by Clevenger apparatus, and the chemical compounds of CEO were determined. Four treatments were produced to investigate the shelf life of chicken fillets: T1: Control (C), T2: CH, T3: CH-CEO (0.75%), and T4: CH-CEO (1.5%). The chemical parameters (peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid, and total volatile basic nitrogen), microbial parameters (total bacterial counts, psychrotrophic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria), and sensory attributes (taste, odor, color, texture, and general acceptance) of the chicken fillets were periodically evaluated. Cumin aldehyde (25.79%), gamma-terpinene (21.95%), propanol (18.17%), p-menta-1,4-dien 7-al (11.73%), and beta-pinene (9.27%) were the chemical compounds of CEO. It was shown by the results that the microbial load and chemical oxidation of chicken fillets were inhibited by the active edible coating (p<0.05) and that better preservation effects have resulted from higher essential oil concentration (p<0.05). T4 achieved the best chemical, microbial and sensory results in most tests at the end of the storage period. The shelf life of chicken fillets during storage in the refrigerator was increased by the CH edible coating containing CEO, as demonstrated by this study.