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Abstract: The present study was carried out with the purpose of identifying the critical points of inspection control for hot-dogs before being sold on the streets. Data were collected from 20 vending sites using interviews, questionnaires, the observation of food handling and storage, the temperature of the meat and the pH measurements of sauce. In 30% of the studied sites, hygiene conditions were rated as regular to extremely poor. Mashed potatoes, chicken and beef preparations were high risk. These findings showed unsuitable hygienic practices for food preparation and a lack of basic knowledge regarding food handling—a public health problem. Given the scarcity of literature and official data about street food in Brazil, further studies are recommended. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The method offered adequate recovery values of 4 PAHs. • PAHs in greater quantities were found for white chocolates and 70 % cocoa chocolate. • White and 70 % cocoa chocolate had the highest concentrations of benzo[ a ]pyrene. • The consumption of chocolate presents a low risk for human health. Chocolate is widely consumed worldwide and its market grows every year, with emerging demands for new high-quality products. However, this product is susceptible to contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), representing a risk for humans. In this study, a methodology for the evaluation of benzo[ a ]pyrene, benzo[ a ]anthracene, benzo[ b ]fluoranthene and chrysene in chocolate by high performance liquid chromatography was validated. The occurrence, dietary exposure, and health risks of 4 PAHs in 38 commercial chocolate samples was investigated. The methodology demonstrated adequate accuracy and precision, with recovery (95.25 %–108.12 %) and relative standard deviation (0.14 %–5.83 %). Benzo[ a ]pyrene and the ∑4 PAHs concentrations varied between 1.09 and 10.42 µg/kg and 8.38–41.58 µg/kg, respectively. The results of risk assessment suggest low potential health risk for chocolate consumers, considering the margin of exposure (MOE) and the incremental life cancer risk (ILCR) values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the US and several other countries such as Brazil and Colombia. Coffee has been recognized for a myriad of health benefits including those arising from its antioxidant properties. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no literature addressing the fate of phenolic compounds from espresso capsules considering the role of caffeine as well as the interaction with milk upon in vitro digestion. In this study, regardless of the sample (regular or decaffeinated espresso coffee capsule), oral and gastric digested samples showed lower contents of caffeine and phenolic acids than their undigested counterparts. In contrast, with recovery of up to 48%, only caffeic acid was present in the intestinal phase. Regular coffee samples showed a prooxidative action during the intestinal phase. In contrast, decaffeinated coffee prevented milk lipid peroxidation during the gastric and intestinal phases. A significant positive correlation existed between the caffeine concentration and the milk lipid peroxidation during the gastrointestinal phase. Thus, under the experimental conditions employed, decaffeinated coffee from commercial espresso capsules was considered the best choice in terms of prevention of the potential exposure of the gastrointestinal tract to products of milk lipid peroxidation. • Bioaccessibility of phenolics from decaffeinated (DC) and regular coffee (RC). • All phenolic acids were detected in the gastric phase. • Only caffeic acid was bioaccessible in the intestinal phase. • Positive correlation between the caffeine concentration and the lipid peroxidation. • DC prevented lipid oxidation in milk model during all phases of in vitro digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nuts consumption is related to cardioprotective effects on primary cardiovascular prevention, but studies conducted in secondary prevention are small, scarce and controversial. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effects of a regional and sustainable cardioprotective diet added or not with an affordable mixed nuts on cardiometabolic features in patients with previous myocardial infarction., Methods: DICA-NUTS study is a national, multi-center, and superiority-parallel randomized clinical trial. Males and females over 40 years old diagnosed with previous myocardial infarction in the last 2 to 6 months were included. Patients were allocated into two groups: the Brazilian Cardioprotective diet (DICA Br) supplemented with 30 g/day of mixed nuts (10 g of peanuts; 10 g of cashew; 10 g of Brazil nuts) (intervention group, n = 193); or only DICA Br prescription (control group, n = 195). The primary outcome was low-density lipoprotein cholesterol means (in mg/dL) after 16 weeks. Secondary outcomes were other lipid biomarkers, glycemic and anthropometric data and diet quality., Results: After adjustment for baseline values, participating study site, time since myocardial infarction and statin treatment regimen (high potency, moderate and low potency/no statins), no significant difference was found between the groups in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (intervention-control difference: 3.48 mg/dL [-3.45 to 10.41], P = 0.32). Both groups improved their overall diet quality at the end of the study without differences between them after 16 weeks (intervention-control difference: 1.05 (-0.9 to 2.99); P = 0.29). Other lipids, glycemic profile and anthropometrics were also not different between study groups at the end of the study., Conclusion: Adding 30 g/day of mixed nuts to the DICA Br for 16 weeks did not change lipid, glycemic and anthropometric features in the post-myocardial infarction setting., Trial Registration: This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov website under number NCT03728127 and its World Health Organization Universal Trial Number (WHO-UTN) is U1111-1259-8105., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Adherence to a nutrient-dense diet can have an impact on depression and other mental health issues. Little is known whether this is attributed to some or all components and how these differ in a country that is known to have a vast diversity of nutrient-dense foods. The aim was to examine whether there is a relationship between individual food groups with depression and other mental health disorders., Methods: Data was from 89,955 Brazilians from the National Health Survey. Mental health and diet were accessed using a screener questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were calculated., Results: Persons living with depression had significantly lower diet scores for vegetables/fruits (β = -0.08, 95 % CI -0.13, -0.02), grains/roots (β = -0.05; 95%CI (-0.07, -0.03)), beans (β = -0.03; 95%CI (-0.04, -0.01)) and higher scores for sweetened beverages (β = 0.04; 95%CI (0.01, 0.07)), sweets and sugars (β = 0.03; 95%CI (0.01, 0.05) and high fat/sodium products (β = 0.04; 9%CI (0.01, 0.07). Individuals living with other mental disorders showed lower scores for grains/roots (β = -0.03; 95%CI (-0.06, -0.01)) and higher scores for sweets and sugars (β = 0.06; 95%CI (0.03, 0.09)) and high fat/sodium products (β = 0.05; 95%CI (0.01, 0.09))., Conclusion: People with mental health disorders are more likely to have an unhealthy diet. Relationships were slightly stronger with depression in particular food groups as other mental disorders. Further studies are needed to help in the prevention of these disorders., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Jua ( juá in Portuguese) is an underexplored fruit from Brazil's northeast. This fruit is rich in antioxidant substances. However, there is a dearth of information about jua's bioactive potential. The present study evaluated two extraction methods (continuous agitation and ultrasound-assisted extraction-UAE) and employed three different solvents (water, ethanol, and acetone) to efficiently recover soluble phenolic compounds. Aqueous extracts obtained by UAE showed the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and antiradical activity. Besides being an eco-friendly procedure, extraction and/or solubility in an aqueous medium is also important for food application. Ellagic acids were the predominant phenolics (80%) found in aqueous jua pulp extract obtained by UAE, as determined by HPLC, while its TPC was 405.8 gallic acid equivalent per gram of fruit. This extract also exhibited a higher scavenging activity towards peroxyl radicals when compared to that of several other fruits from the literature, including grape, strawberry, cranberry, and walnuts, which are known references in terms of antioxidants. This is the first report that demonstrates jua pulp's potential as an alternative source of ellagic acid and other phenolic acids and flavonoids. Therefore, the outcome of this study provides new information that can be useful for functional food and nutraceutical industries.

This study evaluated the protective effect of ground aroeira (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) fruit addition against fatty acids and cholesterol oxidation in model systems containing sardine oil (Sardinella brasiliensis) during heating (150 and 180 °C). High temperatures reduced the amount of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids and caused the formation of oxidized products. Total cholesterol oxides content increased from 58.9 ± 0.26 to 577.5 ± 2.14 μg/g oil, after heating at 180 °C. However, aroeira significantly protected lipids from oxidation. Although the synthetic antioxidant applied as standard (butylated hydroxytoluene) showed greater results, it was used in the maximum concentration permitted by Brazilian legislation (0.01%), suggesting that aroeira fruit could be used as a natural antioxidant for the food industry. The protective effect of aroeira may be correlated to its antioxidant capacity and the presence of bioactive compounds which were identified by UHPLC-ESI-MS in the aroeira extract., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The Brazilian Food Supplement Law recently recognized that guarana ( Paullinia cupana ) contains bioactive substances, hence supporting its role as a functional food ingredient. The health benefits of guarana are associated, at least in part, to its phenolic compounds. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no literature addressing the presence of phenolic compounds in the fraction containing insoluble-bound compounds and its contribution in terms of alpha-glucosidase inhibition. The concentration of phenolic extracts released from the insoluble-bound fraction required to inhibit 50% of alpha-glucosidase (IC 50 ) activity was 5.8-fold lower than that present in the soluble counterpart. Both fractions exhibited a mixed inhibition mode. Fourteen proanthocyanidins (dimers to tetramers) present in the insoluble-bound fraction were tentatively identified by MALDi-TOF-MS. Future studies aiming at increasing the concentration of the soluble counterpart are deemed necessary. The results presented here enhance the phenolic database of guarana and have a practical impact on the procurement of nutraceuticals and functional ingredients related to the prevention and/or management of type 2 diabetes. The Brazilian normative on food supplements has been recently revised. This study lends support to the future inclusion of guarana powder in the list of sources of proanthocyanidins for the industry of food supplements., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

This study aimed at evaluating the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contamination of commercial vegetable oils and examined the identity through the fatty acids profiles. Coconut, safflower, evening primrose, and linseed oils marketed in São Paulo (Brazil) were investigated totaling 69 samples. Four PAHs, benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), chrysene (Chr), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), were detected in 96% of the samples at individual levels ranging from not detected to 14.99 μg kg -1 . Chrysene was the abundant hydrocarbon found among all types of oils, with the highest median values. The results of the fatty acid profiles revealed that 43% showed different profiles according to the ones on their labels, with a higher incidence of adulteration of evening primrose oils. The maximum tolerable limits by European Regulation No. 835/2011 were exceeded for BaP in 12%, and for total 4 PAHs in 28%, with a greater contribution of adulterated samples., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Proinflammatory biomarkers levels are increased among patients with cardiovascular disease, and it is known that both the presence of insulin resistance and diet may influence those levels. However, these associations are not well studied among patients with established cardiovascular disease. Our objective is to compare inflammatory biomarker levels among cardiovascular disease secondary prevention patients with and without insulin resistance, and to evaluate if there is any association between plasma fatty acid levels and inflammatory biomarker levels among them., Methods: In this cross-sectional sub-study from the BALANCE Program Trial, we collected data from 359 patients with established cardiovascular disease. Plasma fatty acids and inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), adiponectin, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha) were measured. Biomarkers and plasma fatty acid levels of subjects across insulin resistant and not insulin resistant groups were compared, and general linear models were used to examine the association between plasma fatty acids and inflammatory biomarkers., Results: Subjects with insulin resistance had a higher concentration of hs-CRP (p = 0.002) and IL-6 (p = 0.002) than subjects without insulin resistance. Among subjects without insulin resistance there was a positive association between stearic fatty acid and IL-6 (p = 0.032), and a negative association between alpha-linolenic fatty acid and pro-inflammatory biomarkers (p < 0.05). Among those with insulin resistance there was a positive association between monounsaturated fatty acids and arachidonic fatty acid and adiponectin (p < 0.05), and a negative association between monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and pro-inflammatory biomarkers (p < 0.05), as well as a negative association between polyunsaturated fatty acids and adiponectin (p < 0.05). Our study has not found any association between hs-CRP and plasma fatty acids., Conclusions: Subjects in secondary prevention for cardiovascular disease with insulin resistance have a higher concentration of hs-CRP and IL-6 than individuals without insulin resistance, and these inflammatory biomarkers are positively associated with saturated fatty acids and negatively associated with unsaturated fatty acids.

This paper aimed to evaluate the influence of seasonality on the chemical composition of oysters (Crassostrea rhizophorae). Samples were collected during summer and winter from the estuary and lagoon complex of the municipality of Barra de São Miguel, Alagoas, Brazil. Statistical differences (p<0.05) between summer and winter were observed in relation to chemical composition. The oysters cultivated in the winter presented some nutritional advantages because of the higher levels of proteins and functional nutrients, such as the eicosapentaenoic-docosahexaenoic acid combination and percentages of polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 and n-6), and the lower levels of saturated fatty acids. Therefore, the animals in winter presented a higher content of cholesterol oxides. The levels of cholesterol oxides found in these products during winter may encourage researchers to investigate the composition of oysters cultivated in different climates all over the world., (Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The study objective was to identify the circumstances where there was risk of contamination of food (hot dogs) prepared and sold on the streets and to establish a preventive action through the creation of key surveillance sites. Data were collected from 20 vending sites using interviews, questionnaires, observations of food handling and storage, and temperature and pH measurements of both meat and sauce, respectively. In 30% of the studied sites, hygienic conditions were rated as regular to extremely poor. Mashed potatoes, chicken and beef preparations were of high risk. These findings showed inappropriate hygienic practices of food preparation and lack of basic knowledge regarding food handling - a public health problem. Given the scarcity of literature and official data on food sold in the streets of Brazil, further studies are recommended.