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Billing and Sherman proposed the antimicrobial hypothesis to explain the worldwide spice use pattern. The present study explored whether two antimicrobial ingredients (i.e. spices and vinegar) are used in ways consistent with the antimicrobial hypothesis. Four specific predictions were tested: meat-based recipes would call for more spices/vinegar than vegetable-based recipes; summer recipes would call for more spices/vinegar than winter recipes; recipes in hotter regions would call for more spices/vinegar; and recipes including unheated ingredients would call for more spices/vinegar. Spice/vinegar use patterns were compiled from two types of traditional Japanese cookbooks. Dataset I included recipes provided by elderly Japanese housewives. Dataset II included recipes provided by experts in traditional Japanese foods. The analyses of Dataset I revealed that the vinegar use pattern conformed to the predictions. In contrast, analyses of Dataset II generally supported the predictions in terms of spices, but not vinegar.

The present study provides a picture of the compositional figure and nutritive value of meat-based dishes typical of Italian culinary tradition. Recipes specific for a bovine meat cut (top-side) were selected among the most widespread ones in Italy: in pan, pizzaiola, cutlet, meat ball, and escalope. The total fat and cholesterol content varied depending on the ingredients utilized (extra-virgin olive oil, parmesan, egg). Meat-based dishes that utilized extra-virgin olive oil showed a significant reduction in palmitic and stearic acids and a parallel increase in oleic acid compared with raw meat; furthermore, the ratio among saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids shifted in favour of monounsaturated fatty acids. B vitamins were affected at different extent by heating; by contrast, vitamin E content increased because of the new sources of this vitamin, which masked losses due to heating. Ingredients (parmesan, discretionary salt) induced significant increases in the calcium and sodium concentrations compared with raw meat. The total iron content did not show marked differences in most of the meat-based dishes compared with raw meat; by contrast, losses in the heme-iron concentration were detected depending on the severity of heating treatments. Our findings suggest that heme iron, because of its important health aspects, might be a useful index of the nutritional quality of cooked meats.

Primary Objective: To provide the calculated nutritional composition of 18 commonly consumed composite dishes among Afro-Caribbeans residing in the United Kingdom., Methods and Procedures: Weighed recipes were collected in Afro-Caribbean households (mainly Jamaicans) in Manchester, UK., Main Outcomes and Results: A total of 30 weighed recipes were collected for a variety of 18 Afro-Caribbean composite dishes. Among them, fried dumpling, Ackee and saltfish, fried chicken and rice and peas were high in energy, providing 201-356 kcal/100 g. Fried fish, Ackee and saltfish, stewed fish, and fried chicken had a high fat content (between 11.5% and 25.9%)., Conclusions: We have provided for the first time some data on the energy, macronutrient and micronutrient content per 100 g for 18 Afro-Caribbean foods. These recipe data provide essential information for accurately assessing dietary intake and for determining associations between diet and chronic diseases among this population.