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The global adoption of predominantly plant-based, sustainable, healthy diets will help reduce the risk of obesity-and malnutrition-related noncommunicable diseases while protecting the future health of our planet. This review examines the benefits and limitations of different types of plant-based diets in terms of health and nutrition, affordability and accessibility, cultural (ethical and religious) acceptability, and the environment (i.e., the 4 pillars underlying sustainable healthy diets). Results suggest that, without professional supervision, traditional plant-based diets (vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian diets) can increase the risk of nutritional deficiencies among infants, children/adolescents, women, pregnant/lactating women, and the elderly. In contrast, flexitarian diets and territorial diversified diets (TDDs; e.g., Mediterranean and New Nordic diets) that include large quantities of plant-sourced foods, low amounts of red meat, and moderate amounts of poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy can meet the energy and nutrition needs of different populations without the need for dietary education or supplementation. Compared with vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian diets, more diverse flexitarian diets and TDDs are associated with reduced volumes of food waste and may be more acceptable and easier to maintain for people who previously followed Western diets. Although flexitarian diets and TDDs have a greater impact on the environment than vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian diets, the negative effects are considerably reduced compared with Western diets, especially if diets include locally sourced seasonal foods. Further studies are required to define more precisely optimal sustainable healthy diets for different populations and to ensure that diets are affordable and accessible to people in all countries. © 2021 The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.

The consumption of large amounts of meat is associated with a high environmental burden and a negative impact on human health. A reduction in meat consumption in Western diets is needed. Consumers differ in their attitudes, norms and behaviours related to meat. The aim of the current study is to improve our understanding of meat consumption and reduction. Segments of meat consumers are identified and shifts in these segments, their attitudes and norms in the 2010 decade are examined. Two online surveys have been conducted among Dutch adults, one in 2011 (N=1253) and one in 2019 (N=1979). In both years, similar consumer segments were identified: two meat-oriented segments (compulsive meat eaters and meat lovers) and three segments of meat reducers (unconscious, potential and conscious flexitarians). The segments differed in their attitudes, norms and motives towards meat reduction, their meat consumption and intentions and in their socio-demographic and psychological profile. A comparison over the years showed minor, though positive changes. We conclude that meat consumers can be classified into several groups that form a continuum from strong meat attachment to significant meat moderation. Targeted approaches should be developed to stimulate these groups towards shifting their diet into more flexitarian directions. The development of flexitarianism in the Netherlands during the 2010s suggests that there is still a long way to go to a predominantly plant-based flexitarian diet.

Increased intake of Western diets and ultra-processed foods is accompanied by increased intake of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs can be generated exogenously in the thermal processing of food and endogenously in the human body, which associated with various chronic diseases. In food, AGEs can be divided into free and bound forms, which differ in their bioavailability, digestion, absorption, gut microbial interactions and untargeted metabolites. We summarized the measurements and contents of free and bound AGE in foods. Moreover, the ingestion, digestion, absorption, excretion, gut microbiota interactions, and metabolites and metabolic pathways between free and bound AGEs based on animal and human studies were compared. Bound AGEs were predominant in most of the selected foods, while beer and soy sauce were rich in free AGEs. Only 10%–30% of AGEs were absorbed into the systemic circulation when orally administered. The excretion of ingested free and bound AGEs was approximately 90% and 60%, respectively. Dietary free CML has a detrimental effect on gut microbiota composition, while bound AGEs have both detrimental and beneficial impacts. Free and bound dietary AGEs changed amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism. And besides, bound dietary AGEs altered vitamin metabolism, and glycerolipid metabolism.

In this paper, we reviewed the role of dairy products in dietary zinc absorption. Dairy products can have a reasonable contribution for dietary zinc intake in Western diets, where dairy consumption is high. However, the co-ingestion of dairy products can also improve zinc absorption from other food products. Such improvements have been observed when dairy products (e.g., milk or yoghurt) were ingested together with food such as rice, tortillas or bread products, all of which are considered to be high-phytate foods with low inherent zinc absorption. For foods low in phytate, the co-ingestion of dairy products did not improve zinc absorption. Improved zinc absorption of zinc from high-phytate foods following co-ingestion with dairy products may be related to the beneficial effects of the citrate and phosphopeptides present in dairy products. Considering that the main dietary zinc sources in areas in the world where zinc deficiency is most prevalent are typically high in phytate, the inclusion of dairy products in meals may be a viable dietary strategy to improve zinc absorption.

Western diets are poor in healthy n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid. Since microalga Aurantiochytrium sp. is rich in docosahexaenoic acid, a functional food based on lean yogurt and this microalga was tested. This study entailed characterizing the lipid fraction and determining the fatty acid bioaccessibility. The tested yogurts (control and 2% w/w, Aurantiochytrium sp.) had differences. Docosahexaenoic acid was not detected in the control product, but it was the second most important fatty acid in Aurantiochytrium sp. and Aurantiochytrium yogurt, 29.7 ± 0.4% and 18.7 ± 2.0%, respectively. Based on the fatty acid profile only, an amount of 158.7 g of Aurantiochytrium yogurt in wet weight terms would be required to ensure an appropriate intake of healthy fatty acids. Generally, the fatty acid bioaccessibility was not high, remaining below 60-70% in almost all cases. Considering the docosahexaenoic acid bioaccessibility (44 ± 3%), an amount of 360.7 g of Aurantiochytrium yogurt would be advisable. A reasonable dietary prescription would be a daily consumption of 125 ml of Aurantiochytrium yogurt.

Today, awareness has been raised regarding high consumption of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in western diets. A comprehensive analysis of total and individual postprandial fatty acids profiles would provide insights into metabolic turnover and related health effects. After an overnight fast, 9 healthy adults consumed a mixed meal comprising 97 g carbohydrate and 45 g fat, of which 26.4 g was linoleic acid (LA). Nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), phospholipid fatty acids (PL-FA) and triacylglycerol fatty acids (TG-FA) were monitored in plasma samples, at baseline and hourly over a 7-h postprandial period. Total TG-FA concentration peaked at 2 h after the meal and steadily decreased thereafter. LA from TG18:2n-6 and behenic acid from TG22:0 showed the highest response among TG-FA, with a biphasic response detected for the former. PL-FA exhibited no change. Total NEFA initially decreased to nadir at 1 h, then increased to peak at 7 h. The individual NEFA showed the same response curve except LA and some very-long-chain saturated fatty acids (VLCSFA, ≥20 carbon chain length) that markedly increased shortly after the meal intake. The similarities and dissimilarities in lipid profiles between study subjects at different time points were visualized using nonmetric multi-dimensional scaling. Overall, the results indicate that postprandial levels of LA and VLCSFA, either as NEFA or TG, were most affected by the test meal, which might provide an explanation for the health effects of this dietary lifestyle characterized by high intake of mixed meals rich in n-6 PUFA.

OBJECTIVES: Young adults tend to consume western diets with low microbe-accessible carbohydrates (MACs), which are fermentable carbohydrates that may reduce the risk of developing non-communicable diseases. The importance of dietary fiber (only one type of MAC) in the prevention of chronic diseases led to recommendations for increasing fiber intake. However, a reference to other MACs such as resistant starches, non-starch polysaccharides, polyols (lactitol, sorbitol, etc.), and oligosaccharides (fructo-oligosaccharides, etc.) is still lacking and their relationship with diet quality is far less understood. The healthy eating index (HEI) score is a measure of diet quality, independent of quantity, and is useful to assess compliance with U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The primary aim of this study was to determine the MACs consumption in healthy US college students and their association with dietary quality as indicated by the HEI-2015. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, data were collected from consenting students (≥ 18years old) in an introductory nutrition course (n = 592, age (mean ± standard deviation) 19.5 ± 3.5; 83.7% white; 78.4% female). Dietary intake was measured via a web-based dietary history questionnaire (DHQ-II), which is able to quantify the consumption of MAC's and subclasses such as polyols and soluble dietary fibers. DHQ website provided step by step instructions to calculate HEI in SAS (SAS enterprise guide 7.4). Linear regression was run to determine the association between the average daily intake of MACs and the HEI-2015 score. RESULTS: Average MAC intake was 7.7 ± 4.4 grams with most of the amounts coming from soluble dietary fibers (6.6 ± 3.8). The mean HEI-score of this population was 64.9 ± 10.8. Average daily consumption of MAC was significantly associated with HEI score, F(1,590) = 65.22, P = 0.000, accounting for 10% of the variation in HEI-score with adjusted R(2) = 9.8%, a medium-size effect according to Cohen (1988). An extra gram of daily average intake of MAC led to a 0.78 (95% CI, 0.59 to 0.97) increase in HEI-score. CONCLUSIONS: MAC intake was associated with an increase in HEI-2015 score; however, the total MAC intake was low in this population of college students. Therefore, more efforts are needed to increase the consumption of MACs not just dietary fibers in college students. FUNDING SOURCES: None.

Oat represents an important agricultural resource whose potential use in the bakery industry is insufficiently exploited. The investigation of this potential starts from the transformation of oat kernel into flour and ends with obtaining the wheat-oat mixtures bakery products. Oat flour contains no gluten but provides significant amounts of lipids and fibers with important nutritional value. β-Glucans from oat lower blood cholesterol and decrease blood glucose level. The lack of gluten and the fibers intake limit the oat flour potential for use in bakery, the products obtained exclusively from oat, being characterized by an unacceptable volume and texture. However, using conventional technologies and addition of whole oat flour up to 30% to wheat flour (WF), bakery products with good sensory characteristics accepted by consumers can be obtained. These products are characterized by a higher nutritional profile than those obtained exclusively from WF and contribute to the diversification of Western diets.

Food additives such as titanium dioxide (E171), iron oxides and hydroxides (E172), silver (E174), and gold (E175) are highly used as colorants while silicon dioxide (E551) is generally used as anticaking in ultra-processed foodstuff highly used in the Western diets. These additives contain nanosized particles (1–100 nm) and there is a rising concern since these nanoparticles could exert major adverse effects due to they are not metabolized but are accumulated in several organs. Here, we analyze the evidence of gastrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and the impact of microbiota on gut-brain and gut-liver axis induced by E171, E172, E174, E175 and E551 and their non-food grade nanosized counterparts after oral consumption. Although, no studies using these food additives have been performed to evaluate neurotoxicity or alterations in animal behavior, their non-food grade nanosized counterparts have been associated with stress, depression, cognitive and eating disorders as signs of animal behavior alterations. We identified that these food additives induce gastrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and alterations in gut microbiota and most evidence points out oxidative stress as the main mechanism of toxicity, however, the role of oxidative stress as the main mechanism needs to be explored further.

Increased consumer demand to reduce or replace animal-derived food products with more sustainable plant options has created new opportunities for pulse research. Pulses are important sources of proteins and fiber but widespread applications in Western diets have been limited due to the presence of off-flavours. Volatile and non-volatile off-flavour compounds contribute to beany and grassy aromas that are unacceptable to consumers. Research focused on studying off-flavours has primarily utilized high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography to help characterize these compounds. Recent reviews on pulses have summarized the development and classification of off-flavours in pulses, but to date no systematic reviews have focused on the analytical instruments used to evaluate off-flavours compounds in pulses and their by-products. In this review, the main chromatography approaches used to study off-flavour compounds present in pulses and their by-products will be discussed. Special emphasis will be paid to analytical instrument and method variation between studies. Complexities in the off-flavour analysis of pulses will also be addressed. Lastly, gaps in the literature and opportunities for future research will be suggested.

In the last years the production of functional food systems enriched with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) has gained great interest, not only because of the health benefits attributed especially to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; C20: 5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6 n-3), but also because the imbalanced intake ratio of omega-6/omega-3 in Western diets. However, ω-3 PUFAs are highly prone to lipid oxidation. This is a big drawback since it leads to the loss of their nutritional properties together with the appearance of odor/flavor active compounds and other toxic lipid oxidation products. In this regard, the development of efficient delivery systems (e.g. emulsions or encapsulates) which prevent ω-3 PUFAs oxidation when incorporated to complex food matrices is of great importance. This chapter aims to review the most important advances of the last decade regarding ω-3 PUFAs stabilization techniques, either by chemical means (e.g. addition of antioxidants), physical means (e.g. encapsulation) or both (e.g. ω-3 PUFAs encapsulation in presence of antioxidants) and subsequent addition to food matrices. In addition, the new trends in electrohydrodynamic processing (electrospraying and coaxial electrospraying) in order to produce ω-3 PUFAs-loaded encapsulates are also discussed.

Despite edible seaweeds being a source of protein, amino acids, minerals and vitamins and being part of some traditional cuisines, they are not widely consumed and are not normally included within western diets. Some studies have reported a growing interest in seaweeds among consumers in some European countries; furthermore, there have recently been initiatives in the field of gastronomy to open up new prospects for the future consumption of edible seaweed. Within this context, this study aims to explore Italian consumer attitudes and perceptions of edible seaweed and to profile them in clusters based on different characteristics. Data were collected from a sample of 257 Italian consumers by using a web-based survey. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to reduce the number of variables and a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on the PCA scores. The study findings showed that 76% of the sample were willing to eat seaweed. This this may be due to a familiarity with some traditional Italian dishes that use seaweed or to the spread of Asian gastronomy in the country. This willingness to consume seaweed may indicate that consumers are becoming more receptive to novel foods, in particular those that are healthy options or are more sustainable food alternatives. However, only 57% of respondents had eaten seaweed once in the past. The profiling of the sample produced an optimal solution with seven clusters based on different food habits and attitudes towards edible seaweed. This could be useful for developing the sector and promoting seaweed consumption. In five out of seven clusters, ranging from those with a very good to a poor conception of seaweed, consumers consistently paid attention to the health characteristics of food. For several clusters, seaweed characteristics and seaweed availability were revealed as important drivers for influencing consumer attitudes. More information about the health and organoleptic characteristics of seaweed should be at the center of any marketing tools aimed at promoting consumer acceptance. Such tools should also address main factors that could lead consumption choices and policy action such as including edible seaweed within recommended dietary guidelines. Furthermore, the development of the culinary and gastronomic potential of seaweed could be useful for increasing consumption amongst present and future consumers in western countries. These opportunities should be seized in particular regard to those consumer profiles that have shown good disposition towards and willingness to consume seaweed.

Obesity afflicts 36.5% of the US population and 600 million individuals world-wide. Thus, it is imperative to understand the risk factors underlying metabolic disease including diet, activity level, sleep, and genetics. Another key contributory factor is the gut microbiota given its widely reported role in the development of metabolic disease. The gut microbiota, particularly its structure and function, is heavily influenced by Western style diets rich in a complex mixture of fats and high in simple sugars. In this review, the profound impact of obesity and Western diets on the gut microbiota will be illustrated, and the following research questions will be addressed: 1) to what extent do high fat diets (HFDs) alter community membership and function and does this depend upon the amount or type of fat consumed?, 2) how rapidly do dietary shifts alter gut microbial communities?, 3) are these alterations sustained or can the microbiome recover from dietary stress?, 4) how does diet drive host-microbe interactions leading to obesity?, and 5) what can be done to restore the detrimental impact of HFD on the gut microbiota? The goal of this review is to address these questions by parsing out the effects and underlying mechanisms of how Western diets impact the gut microbiota and host. By doing so, potential avenues for further exploration and strategies for microbiome-based interventions to prevent or treat diet-induced obesity may become more apparent.

There is a push for Western diets to be more plant-based due to the negative environmental, food system, and health implications associated with the conventional meat-centric diet. One plant-forward strategy to maintain consumer acceptability is to modify dishes and desserts to have proportionately more plant-based ingredients and fewer animal-based ingredients. We tested four versions of a main course (bowl) in a natural consumption dining setting (n = 144) with a between-groups design (conventional spicy, conventional mild, plant-forward spicy and plant-forward mild), with two versions of a dessert afterwards. Here we show that plant-forward main course dishes and desserts are just as acceptable, satiating, and satisfying as conventional bowls. This demonstrates that these recipe modifications are a successful strategy in the plant-based diet movement. Of the two dessert options, more consumers selected the conventional dessert after consuming the plant-forward bowls, and more consumers selected the plant-forward dessert (increased fruit/reduced cake) after consuming the conventional bowls. This finding warrants further investigation.

Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is currently being increasingly researched for its usability and suitability in human nutrition. The inclusion of alternative protein sources, such as spirulina, in familiar products is a possible strategy to nudge consumers towards dietary change in Western societies. Filled pasta variants with three levels of spirulina-soy-extrudate in the filling (10%, 30% or 50%) were developed and investigated for their sensory characteristics and consumer liking. Recipe development was based on the concepts of flavor-flavor learning (beet-ginger or tomato) and masking (lemon-basil) to account for the musty and earthy notes of the alga. Consumer tests were conducted in Germany (n = 139), the Netherlands (n = 137) and France (n = 144), and conventional sensory profiling was accomplished with trained panelists (n = 12). Consumers preferred the lemon-basil flavor over tomato and beet-ginger flavored fillings. As expected, liking decreased with increased extrudate content, regardless of the flavor. For all flavors expected liking was higher than liking after product exposure; for the lemon-basil flavor the gap was the smallest. It was shown that low general food neophobia and familiarity with spirulina promoted consumer liking. The sensory profiling revealed that the spirulina-soy-extrudate content affected all sensory attributes identified across all flavors, but for the tomato flavor the most. Overall, this study confirms that it is important to consider differences in consumer motivation as well as the product’s conceptual and intrinsic sensory characteristics in new product development.

The biscuit industry has evolved in the last decades with the inclusion of alternative cereals, pseudo-cereals and other ingredients in traditional recipes, which allows current consumers’ needs to be met. The dough composition, thermal treatment applied during baking, low moisture, and high rate of consumption make biscuits important contributors to daily exposure to acrylamide in Western diets. Acrylamide was determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS in 80 commercial biscuits marketed in Spain. The mean acrylamide content was 343 μg kg−1 (from, This work was partially supported by the Comunidad of Madrid and European funding from FSE and FEDER programs (project S2018/BAA-4393, AVANSECAL-II-CM) and by the project CSIC-201770I025 (Spanish National Research Council)., We acknowledge support of the publication fee by the CSIC Open Access Support Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI)

The contents of N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs), N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) and endocannabinoids (ECs) in 43 food products were assessed and daily intakes, based on consumption of Mediterranean, vegetarian and Western diets, were simulated. NAPEs and NAEs were more abundant in plant-based foods than in animal food products; NAPEs were in the ranges 0–4032 vs 4–398 µg/g dw and NAEs were in the ranges 0–35 vs 0.1–0.7 µg/g dw, respectively while ECs were in the range 0–0.1 vs 0–34 µg/g dw. Daily intakes of NAPEs and NAEs were higher from Mediterranean (263 and 0.25 mg/day) and vegetarian (242 and 0.28 mg/day) diets than the Western diet (163 and 0.08 mg/day). Conversely, ECs intakes were higher from Western and Mediterranean diets (0.17 mg/day) than the vegetarian diet (0.01 mg/day). Future studies will evaluate the physiological role of dietary NAPEs, NAEs and ECs in humans.

The study’s objective was to determine whether variations in the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association 10-year risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) were associated with differences in food consumption and diet quality. Findings from the baseline wave of Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study 2004–2009, revealed participants consumed a Western diet. Diet quality measures, specifically the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and the Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR), based on two 24-h recalls collected during follow-up HANDLS studies from 2009–2013, were used. Reported foods were assigned to 27 groups. In this cross-sectional analysis, the participants (n = 2140) were categorized into tertiles based on their 10-year ASCVD risk. Lower and upper tertiles were used to determine significantly different consumption rates among the food groups. Ten groups were used in hierarchical case clustering to generate four dietary patterns (DPs) based on group energy contribution. The DP with the highest HEI-2010 score included sandwiches along with vegetables and cheese/yogurt. This DP, along with the pizza/sandwiches DP, had significantly higher DASH and MAR scores and a lower 10-year ASCVD risk, compared to the remaining two DPs–meats/sandwiches and sandwiches/bakery products; thus, Western dietary patterns were associated with different levels of ASCVD 10-year risk.

Milk is an important source of vitamins and minerals in Western diets. Both genetic and management factors influence the mineral content of milk. Furthermore, milk contains relatively high levels of riboflavin. However, little is known about factors influencing variation in riboflavin level in milk. The seasonal variation in the content of riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium of bulk tank milk from one organic and two conventional dairies was therefore investigated. Results showed lower mineral contents for milk from the organic dairy compared with milk from the conventional dairies. For all minerals, there was a significant effect of season, whereas the riboflavin content varied only significantly across the year in milk from the organic dairy, resulting in lower levels during summer and higher levels during the indoor winter period. Despite this variation, milk from the organic dairy generally contained more riboflavin than milk from the two conventional dairies.

In this report, an overview of the health benefits of omega-3 long-chain (≥C20) polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) and recent progress in using alpha linolenic acid (ALA) rich sources derived from oilseeds to enhance productive performance, n-3 PUFA profiles and sensory properties of lamb for human consumption is reviewed. Omega-3 LC-PUFA can prevent mental health issues and chronic human disorders including cancer, cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. The median amount of n-3 LC-PUFA consumption is generally lacking in Western diets. More attention is now being paid to the use of innovative nutritional strategies to improve PUFA content in ruminants, which could subsequently increase the content of health-benefitting n-3 LC-PUFA for human consumption. The richest sources of dietary n-3 LC-PUFA are derived from marine products, while forage and oilseeds such as flaxseed, canola, and their oils are abundant in ALA. Numerous studies have shown that dietary ALA increases n-3 LC-PUFA levels of edible tissues. However, other studies concluded that ALA rich supplementation led to no differences in tissue FA profiles because of extensive biohydrogenation of dietary ALA, limited conversion from ALA to n-3 LC-PUFA and low incorporation of n-3 LC-PUFA into edible tissues. Generally, the inclusion of ALA rich sources in lamb diets potentially increases ALA content in lamb. It is proposed that supplementing ruminants with ALA-rich sources at or below 6% can promote n-3 PUFA profiles in lamb and is unlikely to have negative effects on feed intake, growth, carcass and sensory properties. Keywords: Alpha linolenic acid, Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, Lamb, Canola, Flaxseed, Dietary supplementation

Recent studies report that microbiota in the human intestine play an important role in host health and that both long- and short-term diets influence gut microbiota. These findings have fueled interest in the potential of food to promote health by shaping the intestinal microbiota. Despite the fact that large populations in Asia consume high quantities of carbohydrates, such diets have been ignored in comparison to the attention received by Western diets containing high quantities of fat and animal protein. We gathered data that suggest an association between imbalanced high-carbohydrate intake and gut microbiota and host health. In this review, we identify not only the effect of total carbohydrates on the intestinal microbiota specifically and the health of their hosts in general, but also how specific types of carbohydrates influence both factors.

OBJECTIVES: Design a research diet that can be used to evaluate the relationship between nutrition and inflammation in a randomized, cross-over study in adults. METHODS: Dietary components were established for a Mediterranean menu and a Western menu based on a literature review. Three-day menu cycles were planned using the established components. Recipes were developed and adapted to meet menu goals at the 2000 calorie level. Proportional increments of menu items at the 2000 kcal level were used to establish 2500, 3000, and 3500 daily kcal levels to allow for varying energy requirements of participants. Meal plans were analyzed using Nutrition Data System for Research 2017 (NDSR). Healthy Eating Index was calculated using NDSR data. RESULTS: 100% of grains in the Mediterranean diet, none in the Western diet, were whole grains. Sweets and pastries were included in the Western diet daily but not the Intervention diet. Mean HEI score for the three-day menu cycle was 91.1 and 37.2 for the Mediterranean and Western diet, respectively. Preliminary results from three participants fed both diets for 6 days: All three participants consumed within 5% of the planned diet with the exception of one participant, who, during the Mediterranean diet cycle, consumed 64%. Mean HEI calculated for actual participant intake (n = 3, 6 days each) was: 89.7 Mediterranean, 36.4 Western CONCLUSIONS: The Mediterranean diet had a 10-fold higher ratio of omega-6: omega-3 fat than Western. A three-day menu cycle was planned and met goals for an anti-inflammatory feeding study. Recruitment is ongoing to study the feasibility of providing a Mediterranean style and Western style diet to adults with asthma in Baltimore City. Mean HEI for the first three recruits was similar to that of the planned menu, indicating that lack of strict diet adherence did not alter HEI goal of the diet. Although diet design was successful, there were challenges to feeding study participants that must be considered in future feeding studies. Adequate freezer space is key in food preparation and delivery. Acceptability of foods in the Mediterranean diet may effect diet compliance in those who typically eat a Western diet. Dietary restrictions and allergies excluded potential study subjects. FUNDING SOURCES: This publication was made possible by the Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) which is funded in part by Grant Number UL1 TR001079 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the Johns Hopkins ICTR, NCATS or NIH. SUPPORTING TABLES, IMAGES AND/OR GRAPHS

Dietary isothiocyanates are a group of promising chemopreventive agents obtained primarily from cruciferous vegetables. Due to their potent chemopreventive and/or anti-cancer activities, there is a growing interest in assessing dietary isothiocyanate exposure and its impact on human health. Using the HPLC-based cyclocondensation assay, the current study measured total isothiocyanate yield from raw cruciferous vegetables. A total of 73 samples comprising nine types of cruciferous vegetables were analyzed. We observed a wide range of isothiocyanate content across the individual vegetables with an average level of 16.2 μmol/100 g wet weight, ranging from 1.5 μmol in raw cauliflower to 61.3 μmol in raw mustard greens. The data represent the maximum amount of isothiocyanates released from the intake of raw cruciferous vegetables. Given that the vegetables assayed in this study include the most commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables in western diets, the data may be particularly useful in estimation of dietary isothiocyanate exposure in these populations. However, due to the variation observed within each vegetable, biomarkers such as urinary isothiocyanate level may be necessary for accurate estimation of individual exposure.

Two features of indigenous food supply systems stand out. One is that materials from cultivated crops and domesticated animals, are supplemented with a wide variety of foods from wild sources. The other is that, taken overall and in unstressed conditions, traditional diets are healthy ones, coming much closer to World Health Organization targets than do many Western diets. “Relishes” from wild species materials often represent compact sources of vital nutrients and effectively complement bulky starchy staples. Additionally, traditional techniques for flour grinding retain more fibrous material and B vitamins than do modern milling processes. Perhaps most importantly, traditional diets lack the undesirably high concentrations of simple sugars, saturated fats and salt that characterise most Western diets mainly for commercial reasons.

El objetivo de la presente revisión es estudiar la relación entre los flavonoides y el cáncer de pulmón, postulando que su consumo habitual en la dieta occidental podría resultar beneficioso para proteger a los pacientes contra el cáncer de pulmón. Se realizó una extensa búsqueda de publicaciones científicas recientes en las siguientes bases de datos electrónicas especializadas: PubMed central (PMC)-NCBI, Elsevier Journal, SciELO España, Scirus y Science Direct, incluyendo estudios en células, animales y humanos sobre el efecto de los flavonoides en la prevención y el desarrollo de cáncer de pulmón. Pese a que los estudios in vitro y en modelos animales muestran la capacidad potencial de los flavonoides para actuar contra diferentes tipos de cáncer, y en especial contra el riesgo de padecer cáncer de pulmón, la presencia de datos contradictorios en los estudios epidemiológicos y la falta de estudios clínicos en humanos actualmente impiden realizar recomendaciones dietéticas basadas en la evidencia científica para los pacientes con cáncer de pulmón. Así, los autores del presente artículo recomiendan seguir los consejos de las guías de alimentación saludable, las cuales promocionan el consumo de alimentos ricos en flavonoides y reflejan el conocimiento necesario para tratar a los pacientes con cáncer de pulmón.Erratum in: Rev Esp Nutr Hum Diet. 2013;17(2):91-92Link: http://www.renhyd.org/index.php/renhyd/article/view/6/17

The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2011.11.006 Western and guideline based diets were compared to determine if dietary improvements resulting from following dietary guidelines reduce acrylamide intake. Acrylamide forms in heat treated foods and is a human neurotoxin and animal carcinogen. Acrylamide intake from the Western diet was estimated with probabilistic techniques using teenage (13–19 years) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) food consumption estimates combined with FDA data on the levels of acrylamide in a large number of foods. Guideline based diets were derived from NHANES data using linear programming techniques to comport to recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005. Whereas the guideline based diets were more properly balanced and rich in consumption of fruits, vegetables, and other dietary components than the Western diets, acrylamide intake (mean ± SE) was significantly greater (P < 0.001) from consumption of the guideline based diets (0.508 ± 0.003 lg/kg/day) than from consumption of the Western diets (0.441 ± 0.003 lg/kg/day). Guideline based diets contained less acrylamide contributed by French fries and potato chips than Western diets. Overall acrylamide intake, however, was higher in guideline based diets as a result of more frequent breakfast cereal intake. This is believed to be the first example of a risk assessment that combines probabilistic techniques with linear programming and results demonstrate that linear programming techniques can be used to model specific diets for the assessment of toxicological and nutritional dietary components. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

SCOPE: High‐sodium and low‐potassium (HNaLK) content in Western diets increases the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is investigated if the dietary minerals interact with gut bacteria to modulate circulating levels of biogenic amines, which are implicated in various pathologies, including hypertension and CVD. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a metabolomic approach to target biogenic amines, the effects of gut bacteria depletion and HNaLK intake on circulating levels of biogenic amines in rats are examined. Forty‐five metabolites whose plasma levels are significantly altered by gut bacteria depletion (p < 0.05) are found, indicating their regulation by gut bacteria. Many of them are not previously linked to gut bacteria; therefore, these data provide novel insights into physiological or pathological roles of gut bacteria. A number of plasma metabolites that are altered both by gut bacteria and HNaLK intake are also found, suggesting possible interactions of the diet and gut bacteria in the modulation of these metabolites. The diet effects are observed with significant changes in the gut bacterial taxa Porphyromonadaceae and Prevotellaceae (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The dietary minerals may regulate abundances of certain gut bacteria to alter circulating levels of biogenic amines, which may be linked to host physiology or pathology.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to critically examine the dominance of an ascetic discourse of veg*anism in social research literature, and to relate it to a dominant hierarchical ordering of Western diets (to refer collectively to veganism and vegetarianism).Design/methodology/approachA review of the extant social research literature on veg*anism was undertaken in order to discern whether a consistent type of descriptive language existed. This facilitated an understanding of the way in which that language is constitutive of research generated understandings of veg*anism.FindingsAn ascetic discourse of veg*anism is dominant in social research. This is reflected in the phraseology used by authors. Typical descriptive terms of a veg*an diet include “strict”, “restrictive”, or “avoidance”. This ascetic discourse reproduces the hierarchical ordering of Western diets such that veg*anism is denigrated and made to seem “difficult” and abnormal.Research limitations/implicationsVeg*anism arguably promises multiple benefits for human, environmental, and nonhuman animal well‐being. The potential to realize those benefits is hampered by the perpetuation of an understanding of veg*anism as an ascetic practice.Originality/valueThis paper provides the first comprehensive examination of the language used to describe veg*anism within social research. It can enhance reflexivity on the part of social researchers interested in veg*anism, and help inform research design. In providing an alternative hedonic discourse of veg*anism, this paper also makes a contribution towards realizing the potential benefits of veg*anism through making it a more attractive dietary practice.

Western diets are typically low in ω-3 fatty acids, and high in saturated and ω-6 fatty acids. There is a need to increase dietary ω-3 fatty acid content. Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) has the highest botanical source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) known, and recently has been receiving more attention because of this. Feeding ALA to animals has been shown to increase the ω-3 fatty acid content of the foods they produce, and hence offers consumers an easy way to increase their intake of ω3 fatty acids without altering their diet. Broilers were fed rapeseed, flaxseed, chia seed and chia meal to assess the ability of these feed ingredients to increase the ω-3 fatty acid content of the meat, and also to determine whether any negative effects on bird production would arise. Flaxseed produced significantly (P < 0.05) lower body weights, weight gains and poorer conversion ratios than did the other feeds. Except in the case of the chia meal with the dark meat, the chia seed significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content of the white and dark meats compared with the control diet. Adding ALA increased the ALA, LCω-3 fatty acid and total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ω-3 fatty acid content of both meat types, except in the case of the white meat of the birds fed rapeseed. Chia seed gave the highest total PUFA ω-3 increase, yielding 157 and 200% increases for the dark and white meat, respectively, compared with the control. The ω-6:ω-3 and SFA:ω-3 ratios dramatically improved in both types of meat when chia seed, chia meal or flaxseed was added to the diet. The study also showed that not all ALA-rich seeds are biologically equivalent sources in terms of producing ω-3 enriched broiler meat. Chia proved to be superior to the other sources examined in this trial. Key words: Chia seed, flaxseed, rapeseed, omega-3, alpha-linolenic, broiler meat, fatty acid

The primary source of sodium in most Western diets is sodium chloride more commonly known as salt. Overwhelmingly the evidence supports the fact that despite sodium being an essential mineral, our current high intakes are not necessary and for some, may increase the risk of hypertension and many other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, and kidney disease. This chapter outlines how it is possible to develop food products for consumers with low sodium/salt requirements using a variety of ingredient and technical approaches.

The current diet in Western societies contains large amounts of linoleic acid instead of α-linolenic acid, which clearly differs from the previous diets developed by Paleolithic people. Accordingly, in Western diets, the omega-6/omega-3 ratio ranges between 15/1 and 16.7/1, instead of the traditional safe range of 1−2:1. To improve this ratio, Mediterranean edible wild plants constitute a wide reservoir of useful plants that can be consumed as salads, seeds, fruits, and spices. Depending on the consumed organ, edible wild plants provide different fatty acids; usually leaves, fruits, and stems constitute a valuable source of α-linolenic acid, while the seeds typically contain linoleic acid. This chapter discusses about the fatty acid content of different organs of Mediterranean wild edible plants, which can contribute to fulfill the daily need of essential fatty acids for human beings.

Selenium is an essential nutrient and deficient intakes compromise health in domestic animals and humans. A recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of 55 µg d−1 has been set for adult males and females in the United States; most North Americans consume more than this amount, but many residents of Europe, Asia and Africa consume less. While there are very few reports of outright Se deficiency in people consuming mixed Western diets that have Se intakes below the RDA, there is evidence that dietary intakes of selenium greater than the requirement may help reduce the risk of cancer, especially prostate cancer, to men. Selenium metabolism depends on the chemical form of Se in the diet, and some forms are better for some actions (e.g., cancer reduction) than other forms. Foods may contain different amounts and chemical forms of Se; consequently the benefits of Se may depend on the particular foods consumed. There are many reports of the chemistry and health benefits of Se from plant foods; animal foods also contain Se, but there are fewer reported studies. Fully understanding the health benefits of Se that may be gained by consumption of Se-enriched foods will require multidisciplinary approaches by teams of medical researchers, chemists, nutritionists, and agricultural scientists. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry

There is increasing consumer demand for the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) because of their well-recognized benefits for human health and the observation that current western diets are deficient in these important polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). This has led to the need for additional cost-effective and sustainable dietary sources of DHA and EPA beyond the traditional resource, oceanic fish. Recent advances in plant biotechnology have shown that DHA and EPA can be produced in vegetable oils using two approaches involving different sets of genes. One approach incorporates genes that direct sequential rounds of desaturation and elongation of native plant fatty acids. The other approach uses microalgal PUFA synthase genes to make DHA de novo without the need for native fatty acid precursors. These strategies offer the potential for sustainable production methods for DHA and EPA via land-based oilseed crops.

Bread made partially with soy may represent a viable alternative for increasing soy consumption in populations consuming Western diets. The potential health-promoting activity of soy isoflavones may depend on their abundance and chemical form. The objective of this study was to characterize the changes in isoflavone distribution and β-glucosidase activity during the soy breadmaking process. Soy bread ingredients were combined and mixed to form a dough that was subsequently proofed at 48°C for 1–4 hr and baked at 165°C for 50 min to produce breads. The isoflavone composition and β-glucosidase activity in bread ingredients, doughs, and breads were monitored. Soy ingredients and wheat flour (not bread yeast) were the major contributors of the β-glucosidase activity in bread. No degradation of isoflavones was observed during breadmaking but the isoflavone distribution was largely altered. Proofing and baking have important but different roles in changing the isoflavone distribution. Proofing converte...

There is ample reason to believe that diets rich in phytochemicals provide protection from vascular diseases and many cancers; direct antioxidant activity as well as modulation of enzyme expression or hormone activity contribute to this effect. Phytochemicals derived from diverse foods presumably can interact additively and (possibly) synergistically; thus, the total dietary load of phytochemicals may have important implications for health. As a means of very roughly quantifying this load, a "phytochemical index" (PI) is proposed, defined as the percent of dietary calories derived from foods rich in phytochemicals. Calories derived from fruits, vegetables (excluding potatoes), legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruit/vegetable juices, soy products, wine, beer, and cider - and foods compounded therefrom - would be counted in this index. Partial credit could be given for antioxidant-rich extra virgin olive oil. Other added oils, refined sugars, refined grains, potato products, hard liquors, and animal products - regrettably, the chief sources of calories in typical Western diets - would be excluded. Although the PI would provide only a very rough approximation of the quantity or quality of phytochemical nutrition, it nonetheless could aid epidemiologists in exploring the health consequences of diets high in phytochemical-rich plant foods, and could also help clinical nutritionists in their efforts to improve the phytochemical nutrition of their clients.

Polyphenols are known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which constitute an enormous health problem with a high socioeconomic impact worldwide. The main source of phenolic acids and hydroxycinnamic acids in Western diets is coffee. Considerable research has been dedicated to the effects of coffee as a beverage but only few studies, mainly in vitro, cell, and animal studies, have focused on the specific effects of its main phenolic compound, chlorogenic acid (43–117 mg/100 ml). Some of these studies have found that chlorogenic acid has potential cardiovascular benefits related to the lowering of blood pressure, endothelial function improvement, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol oxidation, and nitric oxide bioavailability. However, further work is needed to investigate the long-term effects of human ingestion of chlorogenic acid from coffee, especially in subjects with cardiovascular diseases.

Health benefits associated with omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acid consumption have been extensively demonstrated. Moreover, the absence of ω-3 fatty acids in a normal diet, particularly those known as long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), has been related to a wide variety of diseases. Even though they can be easily obtained from animal and vegetable sources, typical Western diets contain low levels of long chain ω-3 fatty acids. This has led to the development of different kinds of PUFA-fortified foods to increase the uptake of these essential lipids. Microencapsulation has been introduced as an effective strategy to incorporate polyunsaturated ω-3 oils into foods and to avoid their oxidation during manufacture and storage. Many technologies have been developed for oil encapsulation, some of which have been successfully scaled up. Microencapsulated oil powders are now commercialized, and ω-3 containing functional foods are starting to spread worldwide.

As the substantial contribution of resistant starch to food nutritional quality and disease prevention becomes more obvious, the challenge of incorporating it in the diet and increasing its intake remains. Western diets in particular, are estimated to have very low levels of resistant starch, and this has been linked to the prevalence of some of the non‐infectious diseases such as colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes. There is a need therefore to increase the consumption of foods high in resistant starch. Resistant starch levels in food are determined by the nature of the starch and the processing techniques applied in production. Application of processes that optimize and stabilize resistant starch and its utilization as an ingredient in functional food product development will greatly contribute to its availability for consumption. This will enable attainment of the attendant physiological benefits of resistant starch, primarily in the area of disease prevention.

Fats are prevalent in western diets; they have known deleterious effects on muscle insulin resistance and may contribute to bone loss most notably in the elderly population. Because current treatments for osteoporosis may lead to important side effects, several studies aimed at investigating the relevance of nutritional approaches and most notably the role of lipid diets on bone health status. Literature has widely linked lipid intake and inflammation status, a key protagonist involved in bone resorption. Regarding inflammation, lipids exhibit a duality, with both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects depending on their structures and metabolism. In this light, a growing body of evidence has revealed that ω-6 increase bone loss while ω-3 are believed to protect bone health. Nevertheless, this debate remains controversial and the mechanisms of action are poorly understood.

Whether China's diet will follow western diets or not is an important question in predicting the future world food shortage. To address this question, world dietary patterns were grouped using the principal component analysis. The results show that China's dietary pattern is indeed moving from the developing country group toward the developed country group, but its direction is not towards the U.S. China's dietary pattern is moving toward Asian developed countries' like Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong, who depend more on seafood as protein sources than the western countries. Meats are replaced partially with fish in these countries. Estimated expenditure elasticities of meats and seafood also support the above results. This is important to consider in predicting China's future meat and feed grain demand. [Econ-Lit citation: C100, O530, Q110] © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The objective was to review the literature on the cariogenicity of starches and starch-based foods, comparing starch with other carbohydrates and examining the effects of cooking, hydrolysis and other methods of processing on its dental caries potential. The main findings were that starch in its natural state is not cariogenic or of very low cariogenicity. Starch is not consumed in this form in Western diets, however. Cooking and processing denature it and raise its potential cariogenicity. Mixtures of processed starches and sugars are more highly cariogenic than starches alone, providing the substrate for oral micro-organisms to generate acids that can attack dental enamel. It has been suggested that dental caries attack may also be promoted by processed starches contributing to the persistence or adherence of fermentable foods at susceptible sites on the teeth. It is concluded that although carbohydrates in general have similar nutritional and physiological properties, major differences in dental caries...

El objetivo de la presente revisión es evaluar los mecanismos implicados en la posible asociación entre los polifenoles y la disminución del riesgo de padecer enfermedades cardiovasculares, postulando que su consumo habitual en la dieta occidental podría resultar beneficioso para la protección de los pacientes frente las enfermedades cardiovasculares. Se realizó una extensa búsqueda de publicaciones científicas recientes en las siguientes bases de datos electrónicas especializadas: PubMed central (PMC)-NBCI, Elsevier Journal, Scielo España, Scirus, Science Direct, Web of Science, incluyendo estudios en células, animales y humanos, sobre el efecto de los polifenoles en la prevención y desarrollo de enfermedades cardiovasculares. Los estudios in vitro, en modelos animales y en humanos, muestran la capacidad potencial de los compuestos fenólicos para actuar frente a enfermedades cardiovasculares debido a su acción antioxidante, vasodilatadora y de mejora de los perfiles lipídicos con atenuación de las lipoproteínas de baja densidad. Su consumo habitual en la dieta occidental podría resultar beneficioso para la protección de los pacientes frente las enfermedades cardiovasculares.

We assessed dietary patterns of 71 young Asians and 71 old Asians with each pair residing in the same household. The purpose of this study was to discover differences in nutrient intakes between young and old Asians, in particular, fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, potassium and sodium. Our ethnic subgroup comparisons of nutrient intakes in young and old Asians were also performed. We analyzed mean nutrient intakes and percent RDA for Kcal, protein, iron, and zinc, and energy nutrient (% Kcal) distributions for young and old Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese. Three-day dietary records were used as a tool in collecting data. The diets were analyzed by the computer program Nutritionist III (V7) and statistically analyzed by Mystat and SPSS. In general, young Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese consumed lower amounts of dietary zinc and calcium when compared to the RDAs for their age groups. In the old group, Japanese consumed more nutrients overall than those of Vietnamese and Chinese. Our results indicated that both old and young Asians ate rather well. However, both calcium intakes and dietary fiber were relatively low in both groups. Apart from their dietary habits, both groups consumed limited amounts of fruits and vegetables. We found that young Asians had a higher fat diet and consumed more cholesterol than their old counterparts. Based on our findings, the young Asians ate out three times more than the old Asians. Old Asians ate more ethnic foods than young Asians. Young Asians' diets were more Americanized in that they ate more fast foods and drank more juices than old Asians. In the process of acculturation, the young Asians consumed foods that were higher in fat and cholesterol, but lower in fiber. They have acquired a diet in which the positive aspects of their traditional diets were replaced by the negative aspects of the Western diets, which are relatively high in fat and cholesterol, but low in fiber.

Modulation of the gut microbiota is an area of growing interest, particularly for its link to improving and maintaining the systemic health of the host. It has been suggested to have potential to reduce risk factors associated with chronic diseases, such as elevated cholesterol levels in coronary heart disease (CHD). Diets of our evolutionary ancestors were largely based on plant foods, high in dietary fiber and fermentable substrate, and our gut microbiota has evolved against a background of such diets. Therapeutic diets that mimic plant-based diets from the early phases of human evolution may result in drug-like cholesterol reductions. In contrast, typical Western diets low in dietary fiber and fermentable substrate, and high in saturated and trans fatty acids, are likely contributors to the increased need for pharmacological agents for cholesterol reduction. The gut microbiota of those consuming a Western diet are likely underutilized and depleted of metabolic fuels, resulting in a less than optimal gut microbial profile. As a result, this diet is mismatched to our archaic gut microbiota and, therefore, to our genome, which has changed relatively little since humans first appeared. While the exact mechanism by which the gut microbiota may modulate cholesterol levels still remains uncertain, end products of bacterial fermentation, particularly the short chain fatty acids (i.e., propionate), have been suggested as potential candidates. While more research is required to clarify the potential link between gut microbiota and CHD risk reduction, consuming a therapeutic diet rich in plant foods, dietary fiber, and fermentable substrate would be a useful strategy for improving systemic health, possibly by altering the gut microbiota.

Extensive research has shown that increased consumption of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs), namely α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), may lower the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Given that Western diets are deficient in n-3 LCPUFAs, enrichment of food products is seen as an alternative for increasing the intake of these fatty acids. However, because of the high instability of these fatty acids to oxidative deterioration, enrichment of foods with n-3 LCPUFAs has been technically challenging. This review provides an overview of different technical approaches that have been taken to overcome oxidation-related problems. This review also looks at the challenges faced by health organizations, food manufacturers, and food scientists for the delivery of long-chain n-3 fatty acids in functional foods.

The importance of breakfast cereal flakes (BCF) in Western diets deserves an understanding of changes in their mechanical properties and microstructure that occur during soaking in a liquid (that is, milk or water) prior to consumption. The maximum rupture force (RF) of 2 types of breakfast flaked products (BFP)--corn flakes (CF) and quinoa flakes (QF)--were measured directly while immersed in milk with 2% of fat content (milk 2%) or distilled water for different periods of time between 5 and 300 s. Under similar soaking conditions, QF presented higher RF values than CF. Soaked flakes were freeze-dried and their cross section and surface examined by scanning electron microscopy. Three consecutive periods (fast, gradual, and slow reduction of RF) were associated with changes in the microstructure of flakes. These changes were more pronounced in distilled water than in milk 2%, probably because the fat and other solids in milk become deposited on the flakes' surface hindering liquid infiltration. Structural and textural modifications were primarily ascribable to the plasticizing effect of water that softened the carbohydrate/protein matrix, inducing partial collapse of the porous structure and eventually disintegration of the whole piece through deep cracks.

Lipids include a diverse range of molecules, with triglycerides (also known as triacylglycerols) being the principal class in milk. Milk lipids typically contribute 8–10% of total energy intake in Western diets. Considerable research has been conducted on the positive nutritional effects of milk lipids in addition to investigation of their potential negative effects with respect to the so-called ‘diseases of affluence,’ including coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and certain cancers.

Chia was one of the four basic foods of Central American civilizations in pre-Columbian times. Nowadays, this crop is being reintroducedto Western diets to improve human health because it is an important source of n-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, dietary bre, protein, vitaminsand minerals, and when added to animal diets it elicits a reduction in the SFA contents of the animal products and serum lipids