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Canola/oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) production in Canada has increased to become a foundational crop in the Canadian Prairies and an important economic driver of this region. The increase in seeded area, and by association its reduction in‐crop rotation frequency, has made it easier for pests to overcome current recommended agronomic management practices. The Canola Council of Canada has been successful in involving the entire commodity value chain in promoting and strengthening the Canadian canola industry; however, because of this production increase it is critically important to understand, evaluate and mitigate the potential risks of canola yield losses to current and potential pests. This Perspective provides an overview of what are currently the most damaging insects, pathogens and weeds to canola in the Canadian Prairies, potential future threats and opportunities farmers, agronomists and researchers can take to minimize these risks. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding a fast, reliable, and reproducible approach for an accurate analysis of complex lipid mixtures of emulsifiers is crucial for the food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, cosmetics, and agrochemicals industries. In the current study, a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analysis of a high monoester mixture of soybean oil (HMMS) was conducted using 1H, 13C, and 31P NMR of 2‐chloro‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaphospholane (CTDP) derivatives. The HMMS was produced by enzymatic alcoholysis of soybean oil and 1.2‐propanediol in a supercritical CO2 system. Compositional distribution analysis, quantified by aliphatic carbons with 13C NMR, showed that HMMS is composed of more unsaturated fatty acids, comprised of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (60 ± 1.1%) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (22 ± 0.8%), than saturated fatty acids (18 ± 0.9%). The 31P NMR quantification of HMMS demonstrated that, out of the total amount of monoacylglycerols (MAG), they are composed of 21 ± 2.9% of 2‐MAG and 4 ± 0.3% of 1‐MAG. Among the three techniques, 31P NMR spectroscopy proved to be a practical methodology with high reproducibility for the precise detection and quantification of partially esterified glycerols and free fatty acids in complex lipid mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistant starch (RS) has been well characterized for its glycemic control properties; however, there is little consensus regarding the influence of RS on blood lipid concentrations and lipoprotein distribution and size. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the effect of daily RS supplementation in a controlled capsule delivery on biomarkers of cardiovascular (blood lipids, lipoproteins) and diabetes (glucose, insulin) risk in a pig model. Twelve 8-week-old male Yorkshire pigs were placed on a synthetic Western diet and randomly divided into two groups (n = 6/group) for 30 days: (1) a placebo group supplemented with capsules containing unmodified pre-gelatinized potato starch (0 g/RS/day); and (2) an RS group supplemented with capsules containing resistant potato starch (10 g/RS/day). Serum lipids including total-cholesterol (C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides did not differ (p > 0.05) between the RS and placebo groups. Although the total numbers of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles were similar (p > 0.05) between the two groups, total high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles were higher (+28%, p < 0.05) in the RS group compared with placebo, resulting from an increase (p < 0.05) in the small HDL subclass particles (+32%). Compared with the placebo group, RS supplementation lowered (p < 0.05) fasting serum glucose (−20%) and improved (p < 0.05) insulin resistance as estimated by Homeostatic Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) without a change in insulin. Additionally, total serum glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1) was higher (+141%, p < 0.05) following RS supplementation compared with placebo. This data suggests that in addition to the more well-characterized effect of RS intake in lowering blood glucose and improving insulin sensitivity, the consumption of RS may be beneficial in lipid management strategies by enhancing total HDL particle number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the highly debated role of dairy food consumption in modulating biomarkers of metabolic syndrome, this study was conducted to examine the influence of long-term (6 month) dairy consumption on metabolic parameters in healthy volunteers under free-living conditions without energy restriction. Methods: Twenty-three healthy subjects completed a randomized, crossover trial of 12 months. Participants consumed their habitual diets and were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: a high dairy supplemented group instructed to consume 4 servings of dairy per day (HD); or a low dairy supplemented group limited to no more than 2 servings of dairy per day (LD). Baseline, midpoint, and endpoint metabolic responses were examined. Results: Endpoint measurements of body weight and composition, energy expenditure, blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipid and lipoprotein responses did not differ (p > 0.05) between the LD and HD groups. HD consumption improved (p < 0.05) plasma insulin (-9%) and insulin resistance (-11%, p = 0.03) as estimated by HOMA-IR compared with the LD group. Conclusions: Study results suggest that high dairy consumption (4 servings/d) may improve insulin resistance without negatively impacting bodyweight or lipid status under free-living conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Dietary energy restriction (ER) offers certain health benefits, particularly when ER is controlled through manipulation of dietary fats. Our hypothesis is that cellular immunity is modulated by dietary ER. Furthermore, we believe that the immune response may differ between spleen and colon because their lymphatic and vascular organization is different. The objective of the study was to test this hypothesis by determining the effects of dietary ER through manipulation of energy intake from high-fat (HF) diets on the expression and frequency of the CD4+ (T-helper/T-inducer) and CD8+ (T-cytotoxic/T-suppressor) cells, CD45RA (B-cell–specific marker), and immunoglobulins (Ig) A-, G-, and M-bearing cells in spleen and colon in rats by immunohistochemical method. Rats fed the HF diet had a significantly (P < .05) reduced number of immune cells as compared with those fed ER diets. Energy-restricted diet–fed rats showed higher (P < .05) numbers of CD4+, CD8+, IgA, IgM, IgG, and CD45RA cells in spleen and CD4+, IgA, and CD45RA cells in colonic lamina propria. The IgA-containing cells were markedly higher in the colon compared with the spleen. No change occurred in the number of IgM- and IgG-containing cells in colonic tissues between groups, except for the 20% ER group where IgM-labeled cells were higher (P < .05) compared with HF and 40% ER groups. These findings suggest that ER may modulate adaptive immune function and that CD4+ and IgA cells may serve as biological indicators for dietary energy-modulated immunoresponse in spleen and colon, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]