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The involvement of the gut microbiota in metabolic disorders, and the ability of whole grains to affect both host metabolism and gut microbial ecology, suggest that some benefits of whole grains are mediated through their effects on the gut microbiome. Nutritional studies that assess the effect of whole grains on both the gut microbiome and human physiology are needed. We conducted a randomized cross-over trial with four-week treatments in which 28 healthy humans consumed a daily dose of 60 g of whole-grain barley (WGB), brown rice (BR), or an equal mixture of the two (BR+WGB), and characterized their impact on fecal microbial ecology and blood markers of inflammation, glucose and lipid metabolism. All treatments increased microbial diversity, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, and the abundance of the genus Blautia in fecal samples. The inclusion of WGB enriched the genera Roseburia, Bifidobacterium and Dialister, and the species Eubacterium rectale, Roseburia faecis and Roseburia intestinalis. Whole grains, and especially the BR+WGB treatment, reduced plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and peak postprandial glucose. Shifts in the abundance of Eubacterium rectale were associated with changes in the glucose and insulin postprandial response. Interestingly, subjects with greater improvements in IL-6 levels harbored significantly higher proportions of Dialister and lower abundance of Coriobacteriaceae. In conclusion, this study revealed that a short-term intake of whole grains induced compositional alterations of the gut microbiota that coincided with improvements in host physiological measures related to metabolic dysfunctions in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propensity for xylanase to convert insoluble to soluble arabinoxylan is an important parameter in many applications. Current methods for determining xylanase activity on insoluble substrates are nonspecific or utilize artificial substrates which may provide much different results from native substrates. Therefore, a new method for the determination of xylanase activity on insoluble substrates was developed. This method involved incubation of the enzyme with a material containing insoluble arabinoxylan. Arabinoxylan released by the enzyme was quantified as total pentose sugars colorimetrically by reaction with phloroglucinol upon heating in acetic-hydrochloric acid. Absorbance was determined at 552 nm, and interfering hexoses were accounted for by subtracting the absorbance at 510 nm. Because the method measured total pentose sugars released by the enzyme, (arabino)xylanase activity, rather than xylanase activity, was recommended for expressing results. The method was tested using two xylanases and six insoluble arabinoxylan-containing substrates. Sodium acetate and sodium citrate buffers (50 mM) were suitable for the reaction; sodium phosphate buffer substantially interfered with quantification of reaction products by reducing color development. The enzymic release of soluble arabinoxylan was linear for at least 5 min under all reaction conditions tested. Contaminating amylase and cellulase activity did not influence the results, despite the presence of starch and cellulose in many substrate sources. Relative standard deviations were <5% between reactions assayed on different days. Activity on substrates from different botanical origin differed by up to 100-fold, emphasizing the need for the use of application-specific substrates to obtain accurate estimations of enzyme activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samples of hard red wheat packaged for long-term storage, ranging in age from 0 to 32 y, were obtained from donors in residential households. All samples had been stored under nonabusive conditions (7% to 10% moisture, 13 to 27 °C). Selected quality parameters of the wheat (moisture, thiamin, free fatty acids, flour extraction rate, bread loaf volume, and bread firmness) and sensory properties of bread made from the stored wheat (aroma, appearance, texture, flavor, overall liking, acceptance for use as part of the regular diet, and acceptance for use in emergency situations) were evaluated. Free fatty acids increased significantly from 0.897 to 11.8 μmol/g, and flour extraction rate decreased significantly from 76.5% to 69.9% over time. None of the other quality parameters measured (moisture, thiamin, bread loaf volume, and bread firmness) were significantly correlated with wheat storage time. Panelists who frequently or occasionally consume whole wheat bread rated all breads made from the stored wheat with hedonic scores (9-point scale) of at least 6.4 (like slightly to moderately). Consumer ratings of bread texture, flavor, and overall acceptability were negatively correlated with storage time ( P < 0.001); however, at least 70% of panelists indicated that they would consume the bread as part of their regular diet even after 32 y of wheat storage, while over 97% would do so in an emergency. These data indicate that wheat maintains nutritional quality and makes acceptable bread when stored up to 32 y at 13 to 27 °C and 7% to 10% moisture. Wheat stored for the purposes of disaster relief has the potential of being stored for extremely long periods of time, which may result in undesirable changes in milling and baking quality. Therefore, we tested wheat that had been stored under residential conditions for up to 32 y to determine its functional quality and consumer acceptability. Our results indicate that wheat of low moisture (7% to 10%) packaged in sealed cans and stored for up to 32 y at or below typical room temperature retains quality and can be made into bread that is well accepted by consumers. Thus, whole wheat has good long-term storage stability and can be recommended for emergency food supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits of dietary fiber on inflammatory bowel disease may be related to the fermentative production of butyrate in the colon, which appears to decrease the inflammatory response. The benefits of dietary fiber against colon cancer may be related to both fermentative and non-fermentative processes, although poorly fermentable fibers appear more influential. Dietary fiber fermentation profiles are important in determining optimal fibers for colonic health, and may be a function of structure, processing conditions, and other food components. A greater understanding of the relationships between fermentation rate and dietary fiber structure would allow for development of dietary fibers for optimum colonic health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to develop a simple method for measuring lipase activity as an indicator of wheat and wheat bran storage quality. This simplified method does not require the separation or purification of lipase. Optimal conditions for lipase activity measurements were determined by varying the substrate (olive oil) and water concentrations, temperature, and incubation time. Following incubation, FFA were quantified spectrophotometrically using a copper soap assay, and lipase activity was expressed as units/gram (U/g), where 1 U was defined as the microequivalents of oleic acid liberated per hour. The method was tested on one commercial and four pure wheat cultivars. The lipase activity was also correlated with the development of FFA during actual storage of heat-treated commercial bran. Lipase activity in wheat bran ranged from 2.17 to 9.42 U/g, and in whole kernel wheat from 1.05 to 3.54 U/g. Optimal olive oil and water concentrations were 0.4 to 0.8 mL and 0.15 to 0.20 mL per g of defatted sample, respectively. Optimal incubation temperature was 40°C, and incubation times of up to 8 h were linear. Lipase activity was highly correlated with the buildup of FFA in stored wheat bran (R² = 0.97). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Electrical conductivity plays a central role in many areas of space science. However, texts and research articles sometimes misquote the conductivity tensor. This highlights the need for authors and researchers to verify the accuracy of this tensor for their chosen coordinate system. This paper presents a new graphical method to analyze the correctness of the conductivity tensor, applicable to any coordinate system. This method also illuminates the physical meaning of the terms in the conductivity tensor, which is often obscured by standard mathematical derivations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Processing could be a way to reduce gas production by the microbiome. • Germination reduced gas production the most among six processing methods. • Germination also reduced abundance of Bacteroides and Lachnospiraceae. • Germination also reduced production of beneficial microbial metabolites. Flatulence is one barrier to pulse consumption for many people. Therefore, we examined how processing affects gas production by the microbiome in three classes of pulses. Processing did not affect gas production from Navy beans. However, in Pardina lentils and green peas, (−1.9 ± 0.3 mL/24 h, p < 0.001; −2.3 ± 0.3 mL/24 h, p < 0.001, respectively). In Pardina lentils and green peas, germination diminished carbohydrate utilization by the microbiome compared with unprocessed samples. In Pardina lentils germination reduced abundance germination resulted in the greatest reduction in gas production among six processing methods of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) from Bacteroides and Lachnospiraceae and reduced propionate production compared with unprocessed samples. In green peas, germination reduced ASVs from Lachnospiraceae, including one from Roseburia , and reduced proportion of butyrate production during fermentation. Three ASVs from Clostridium sensu stricto (cluster 1), Megasphaera elsdenii , and unclassified Veillonellaceae, were strongly associated with increased gas production across all samples (ρ = 0.67–0.69, p < 0.001). This study showed that processing can reduce gas production by the microbiome in some pulses, but also reduces saccharolytic fermentation and production of beneficial microbial metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the food environment has been implicated in diet-related health disparities, individuals' ability to shape the food environment by limiting attention to a subset of products has not been studied. We examine the relationship between BMI category and consideration set—the products the individual considers before making a final choice—in an online hypothetical shopping experiment. Specifically, we focus on the healthiness of the consideration set the individual selected. Secondly, we examined the interaction of a health prompt (versus a no-prompt control) with BMI category on the healthiness of the consideration set. We used linear probability models to document the relationship between weight status and consideration set, between prompt and consideration set, and the effect of the interaction between prompt and weight status on consideration set. We found that (1) obese individuals are 10% less likely to shop from a consideration set that includes the healthy options, (2) viewing the prompt increased the probability of choosing a healthy consideration set by 9%, and (3) exposure to the prompt affected individuals in different BMI categories equally. While obese individuals are more likely to ignore healthier product options, a health-focused prompt increases consideration of healthy options across all BMI categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the views of the authors on how to explain the properties of electromagnetic plane waves in a vacuum at the introductory course level. It emphasizes that instructors must employ the differential form of Maxwell's equations and the concept of vorticity to allow the students to comprehend the relationship between the electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic plane wave in vacuum. A solution to a simple common law problem of Michael Faraday is also presented.

Background: Early infant feeding with intact or extensively hydrolyzed (EH) proteins or free amino acids (AA) may differentially affect intestinal microbiota composition and immune reactivity. This multicenter, double-blind, controlled, parallel-group, pilot study compared stool microbiota from Baseline (1–7 days of age) up to 60 days of age in healthy term infants who received mother's own milk (assigned to human milk [HM] reference group) (n = 25) or were randomized to receive one of two infant formulas: AA-based (AAF; n = 25) or EH cow's milk protein (EHF; n = 28). Stool samples were collected (Baseline, Day 30, Day 60) and 16S rRNA genes were sequenced. Alpha (Shannon, Simpson, Chao1) and beta diversity (Bray Curtis) were analyzed. Relative taxonomic enrichment and fold changes were analyzed (Wilcoxon, DESEq2). Short/branched chain fatty acids (S/BCFA) were quantified by gas chromatography. Mean S/BCFA and pH were analyzed (repeated measures ANOVA). Results: At baseline, alpha diversity measures were similar among all groups; however, both study formula groups were significantly higher versus the HM group by Day 60. Significant group differences in beta diversity at Day 60 were also detected, and study formula groups were compositionally more similar compared to HM. The relative abundance of Bifidobacterium increased over time and was significantly enriched at Day 60 in the HM group. In contrast, a significant increase in members of Firmicutes for study formula groups were detected at Day 60 along with butyrate-producing species in the EHF group. Stool pH was significantly higher in the AAF group at Days 30 and 60. Butyrate increased significantly from Baseline to Day 60 in the EHF group and was significantly higher in study formula groups vs HM at Day 60. Propionate was also significantly higher for EHF and AAF at Day 30 and AAF at Day 60 vs HM. Total and individual BCFA were higher for AAF and EHF groups vs HM through Day 60. Conclusions: Distinct patterns of early neonatal microbiome, pH, and microbial metabolites were demonstrated for infants receiving mother's own milk compared to AA-based or extensively hydrolyzed protein formula. Providing different sources of dietary protein early in life may influence gut microbiota and metabolites. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02500563. Registered July 28, 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only 5% of Americans consume the recommended amount of dietary fiber. In an online simulated shopping experiment, we examined whether a fiber-focused point-of-decision prompt (PDP) would influence consumers to choose food products that were higher in this important nutrient. We hypothesized that participants exposed to the dietary fiber PDP would choose products with more dietary fiber/serving than those who were not exposed to the PDP. The experiment was completed by 753 participants. Participants were randomly assigned to a condition in which they were not exposed to a PDP (the no-PDP condition), a personalized PDP, or PDP without personalization. Choices in the two PDP conditions were not significantly different. Therefore, the PDP conditions were pooled together into one condition and compared with control participants that did not receive the fiber-focused PDP. Across the three product categories, participants in the PDP condition chose products that had a greater amount of dietary fiber/serving (cereal: 22% increase; bread: 22% increase; crackers: 26% increase; p < 0.01) and products that had a greater healthiness rating (cereals (odds ratio (OR): 1.45, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): (1.10, 1.92)), bread (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: (1.09, 1.91)), and crackers (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: (1.25, 2.21)). Overall, the fiber PDP influenced participants to choose healthier products that contained greater amounts of dietary fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bran friability (particle size distribution after milling) and water retention capacity (WRC) impact wheat bran functionality in whole grain milling and baking applications. The goal of this study was to identify genomic regions and underlying genes that may be responsible for these traits. The Hard Winter Wheat Association Mapping Panel, which comprised 299 lines from breeding programs in the Great Plains region of the US, was used in a genome-wide association study. Bran friability ranged from 34.5% to 65.9% (median, 51.1%) and WRC ranged from 159% to 458% (median, 331%). Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 5D were significantly associated with bran friability, accounting for 11–12% of the phenotypic variation. One of these SNPs was located within the Puroindoline-b gene, which is known for influencing endosperm texture. Two SNPs on chromosome 4A were tentatively associated with WRC, accounting for 4.6% and 4.4% of phenotypic variation. The favorable alleles at the SNP sites were present in only 15% (friability) and 34% (WRC) of lines, indicating a need to develop new germplasm for these whole-grain end-use quality traits. Validation of these findings in independent populations will be useful for breeding winter wheat cultivars with improved functionality for whole grain food applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding programs for purple wheat are underway in many countries but there is a lack of information on the effects of Pp (purple pericarp) genes on agronomic and quality traits in variable environments and along the product chain (grain-flour-bread). This study was based on unique material: two pairs of isogenic lines in a spring wheat cv. Saratovskaya-29 (S29) background differing only in Pp genes and grain color. In 2017, seven experiments were conducted in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey with a focus on genotype and environment interaction and, in 2018, one experiment in Turkey with a focus on grain, flour, and bread quality. The effect of environment was greater compared to genotype for the productivity and quality traits studied. Nevertheless, several important traits, such as grain color and anthocyanin content, are closely controlled by genotype, offering the opportunity for selection. Phenolic content in purple-grained lines was not significantly higher in whole wheat flour than in red-colored lines. However, this trait was significantly higher in bread. For antioxidant activities, no differences between the genotypes were detected in both experiments. Comparison of two sources of Pp genes demonstrated that the lines originating from cv. Purple Feed had substantially improved productivity and quality traits compared to those from cv. Purple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidence suggests that point-of-decision messages may be an effective way to promote healthy food choices. Previous studies show improvements in overall nutritional quality, as well as increases in underconsumed food categories, such as fruits and vegetables, and underconsumed nutrients of public health concern, like dietary fiber. However, there have been multiple approaches used for delivering point-of-decision messages, including very brief messages that remind individuals to consider health during choice, as well as longer messages providing educational information about health benefits. While both approaches have demonstrated positive impacts on outcomes, there is no comparative evidence of the messages' effectiveness. In this study, we examine the impact of four messages on two nutritional attributes of cereals selected in a two-round pre- and post-message breakfast cereal choice exercise with numerous (n = 33) breakfast cereals available. Data were collected via an online survey of adult US residents recruited from the Prolific consumer panel. Three of the messages were simple reminder messages (taste, health, fiber), while there was additionally a longer fiber-focused messaging detailing the health benefits of fiber. Findings show that the simple messages outperformed the longer educational message, though there were some trade-offs between general health and fiber messages. The simple dietary fiber-focused message resulted in significantly higher dietary fiber content in cereals chosen than in any other messaging condition, while the general health message did not result in significantly higher measures of nutritional quality than the simple fiber message. The results of the study suggest that simpler messages may be more effective at increasing the nutritional quality of food choices. Additionally, messages focused on specific nutrients lead to significantly greater increases in the content of those nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioavailability of phytosterols is very low due to their crystalline structure and poor water solubility, limiting their potential health benefits. In this study, a novel approach to forming low crystallinity phytosterol nanoparticles is developed using nanoporous starch aerogels, namely wheat starch aerogels (WSAs) and corn starch aerogels (CSA), in combination with supercritical carbon dioxide (SC‐CO2) to improve the bioaccessibility and in turn bioavailability of phytosterols. Starch aerogels with outstanding properties (WSA with a surface area of 62 m2 g−1 and pore size of 19 nm; CSA with a surface area of 221 m2 g−1 and pore size of 7 nm) were used as a mold to form phytosterol nanoparticles. The highest phytosterol impregnation capacity is obtained with CSA monolith (195 mg phytosterols/g CSA). Impregnation into powder or monolithic forms of the aerogels resulted in different phytosterol morphology where the monolithic form prevented formation of large plate‐like phytosterol crystals. Impregnation into WSA monolith (WSA‐M) generated low crystallinity phytosterol nanoparticles (70 nm). Bioaccessibility of the phytosterols increased by 20‐fold when impregnated into WSA‐M. The hydrolysis of CSA (30–39%) was lower than that of WSA (55–59%) during simulated digestion, which negatively affected the release of phytosterols. Practical applications: Practical applications include: i) a novel process that can decrease the size and crystallinity of phytosterols and thus improve their bioavailability; ii) a blueprint to apply to other water insoluble food bioactives; and iii) the transfer of green technology to food manufacturers. Longer‐term, this novel approach will (i) improve the health benefits of water‐insoluble bioactives; ii) enable food manufacturers to add water‐insoluble bioactives into low‐ and high‐fat foods to produce health‐promoting foods; iii) improve public health through diet; iv) enhance the cost‐benefit ratio of water insoluble bioactives; v) avert toxic chemicals and environmental pollution; and vi) lower the costs of handling, storage, and transportation of bioactives. Bioavailability of phytosterols is very low due to their crystalline structure and poor water solubility, limiting their potential health benefits. Our novel approach to forming first‐of‐its‐kind low‐crystallinity phytosterol nanoparticles are developed using nanoporous starch aerogels in combination with supercritical carbon dioxide to improve the bioaccessibility and in turn bioavailability of phytosterols. The novel low‐crystallinity phytosterol nanoparticles are 20‐folds more bioaccessible compared to the crude phytosterols after simulated digestion. Bioavailability of phytosterols is very low due to their crystalline structure and poor water solubility, limiting their potential health benefits. Our novel approach to forming first‐of‐its‐kind low‐crystallinity phytosterol nanoparticles are developed using nanoporous starch aerogels in combination with supercritical carbon dioxide to improve the bioaccessibility and in turn bioavailability of phytosterols. The novel low‐crystallinity phytosterol nanoparticles are 20‐folds more bioaccessible compared to the crude phytosterols after simulated digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whole grains (WG) and fruits and vegetables (FV) have been shown to reduce the risk of metabolic disease, possibly via modulation of the gut microbiota. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of increasing intake of either WG or FV on inflammatory markers and gut microbiota composition.Methods: A randomized parallel arm feeding trial was completed on forty-nine subjects with overweight or obesity and low intakes of FV and WG. Individuals were randomized into three groups (3 servings/d provided): WG, FV, and a control (refined grains). Stool and blood samples were collected at the beginning of the study and after 6 weeks. Inflammatory markers [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)] were measured. Stool sample analysis included short/branched chain fatty acids (S/BCFA) and microbiota composition.Results: There was a significant decrease in LBP for participants on the WG (- 0.2 μg/mL, p = 0.02) and FV (- 0.2 μg/mL, p = 0.005) diets, with no change in those on the control diet (0.1 μg/mL, p = 0.08). The FV diet induced a significant change in IL-6 (- 1.5 pg/mL, p = 0.006), but no significant change was observed for the other treatments (control, - 0.009 pg/mL, p = 0.99; WG, - 0.29, p = 0.68). The WG diet resulted in a significant decrease in TNF-α (- 3.7 pg/mL; p < 0.001), whereas no significant effects were found for those on the other diets (control, - 0.6 pg/mL, p = 0.6; FV, - 1.4 pg/mL, p = 0.2). The treatments induced individualized changes in microbiota composition such that treatment group differences were not identified, except for a significant increase in α-diversity in the FV group. The proportions of Clostridiales (Firmicutes phylum) at baseline were correlated with the magnitude of change in LBP during the study.Conclusions: These data demonstrate that WG and FV intake can have positive effects on metabolic health; however, different markers of inflammation were reduced on each diet suggesting that the anti-inflammatory effects were facilitated via different mechanisms. The anti-inflammatory effects were not related to changes in gut microbiota composition during the intervention, but were correlated with microbiota composition at baseline.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02602496 , Nov 4, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article is presented "Genotype, environment, seeding rate, and top-dressed nitrogen effects on end-use quality of modern Nebraska winter wheat." by Madhav Bhatta and colleagues, which appeared in the 2017 issue.

Whole grains are generally low in non-digestible carbohydrates that are available for fermentation by the gut microbiota, or microbiota accessible carbohydrates (MAC). However, there is potential to increase MAC in whole grains through food processing. Five processing methods: boiling, extrusion, sourdough bread, unleavened bread, and yeast bread, were applied to whole wheat flour and then subjected to in vitro digestion followed by fermentation using fecal microbiomes from 10 subjects. The microbiomes separated into 2 groups: those that showed high carbohydrate-utilization (CU) and those that exhibited low CU, the former of which exhibited not only enhanced CU but also increased butyrate production (MAC: 31.1±1.1% versus 19.3±1.2%, p<0.001; butyrate: 5.26±0.26 mM versus 3.17±0.27 mM, p<0.001). Only the microbiomes in the high CU group showed significant differences among processing methods: extrusion and sourdough bread led to dichotomous results for MAC and short chain fatty acid production, where extrusion resulted in high MAC but low butyrate production while sourdough bread resulted in low MAC but high butyrate production. Extrusion led to a noticeable decrease in α-diversity and some members of the Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae families, with increases in Acinetobacter, Enterococcus, and Staphylococcaceae. This study demonstrated that only microbiomes that exhibited high CU responded to the effects of processing by showing significant differences among processing methods. In these microbiomes, extrusion was able to increase accessibility of the cell wall polysaccharides, but did not increase butyrate production. In contrast, sourdough bread led to high butyrate production by supporting important butyrate33 producers in the Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The compositional [phytic acid, thiamine, lysine, asparagine, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)] and dough mixing properties, including dough strength and mixing time, and lipolytic activities, including lipase, esterase, and lipoxygenase, were quantified in whole wheat flour obtained from wheat kernels that had been germinated for 24 h, 48 h, or 72 h and dried at either 40 °C or 60 °C. The phytic acid, thiamine, and dough strength of whole grain flour from germinated wheat decreased, whereas lysine, asparagine, GABA, lipase, esterase, and lipoxygenase activities increased compared with flour from ungerminated wheat. Mixing time was not affected by germination time. A small but significant effect of drying temperature was observed for asparagine, GABA, dough strength, and lipase and esterase activities. Drying temperature did not show any differences when the grains were germinated for up to 48 h. Whole grain flour from germinated wheat was added to ungerminated whole wheat flour at 2, 5, and 10% (flour basis). Doughs and breads made from these composite flours had improved mixing properties, loaf volume, and firmness, except at the highest proportions and from longer germination times. This study may provide important information to the food industry when formulating germinated, grain-based products. Highlights • Phytic acid, thiamine, and dough strength decreased due to grain germination. • Lysine, asparagine, and γ-aminobutyric acid increased due to grain germination. • Lipase, esterase, and lipoxygenase activities increased due to grain germination. • Germination time had a greater effect on composition than lot or drying temperature. • Small proportion of germinated flour improved quality of whole wheat flour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have reported a substantial decline in in vitro digestibility of proso millet protein upon cooking. In this study, several processing techniques and cooking solutions were tested with the objective of preventing the loss in pepsin digestibility. Proso millet flour was subjected to the following processing techniques: high pressure processing (200 and 600 MPa for 5 and 20 min); germination (96 h); fermentation (48 h); roasting (dry heating); autoclaving (121 °C, 3 h), and treatment with transglutaminase (160 mg/g protein, 37 °C, 2 h). To study the interaction of millet proteins with solutes, millet flour was heated with sucrose (3–7 M); NaCl (2–6 M); and CaCl 2 (0.5–3 M). All processing treatments failed to prevent the loss in pepsin digestibility except germination and treatment with transglutaminase, which resulted in 23 and 39% increases in digestibility upon cooking, respectively, when compared with unprocessed cooked flours. Heating in concentrated solutions of sucrose and NaCl were effective in preventing the loss in pepsin digestibility, an effect that was attributed to a reduction in water activity (a w ). CaCl 2 was also successful in preventing the loss in digestibility but its action was similar to chaotrops like urea. Thus, a combination of enzymatic modification and cooking of millet flour with either naturally low a w substances or edible sources of chaotropic ions may be useful in processing of proso millet for development of novel foods without loss in digestibility. However, more research is required to determine optimum processing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Fine-tuning production inputs such as seeding rate, nitrogen (N), and genotype may improve end-use quality of hard red winter wheat ( Triticum aestivium L.) when growing conditions are unpredictable. Studies were conducted at the Agronomy Research Farm ( ARF; Lincoln, NE, USA) and the High Plains Agricultural Laboratory ( HPAL; Sidney, NE, USA) in 2014 and 2015 in Nebraska, USA, to determine the effects of genotype (6), environment (4), seeding rate (3), and flag leaf top-dressed N (0 and 34 kg N ha−1) on the end-use quality of winter wheat. RESULTS End-use quality traits were influenced by environment, genotype, seeding rate, top-dressed N, and their interactions. Mixograph parameters had a strong correlation with grain volume weight and flour yield. Doubling the recommended seeding rate and N at the flag leaf stage increased grain protein content by 8.1% in 2014 and 1.5% in 2015 at ARF and 4.2% in 2014 and 8.4% in 2015 at HPAL. CONCLUSION The key finding of this research is that increasing seeding rates up to double the current recommendations with N at the flag leaf stage improved most of the end-use quality traits. This will have a significant effect on the premium for protein a farmer could receive when marketing wheat. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extrusion exposes flour components to high pressure and shear during processing, which may affect the dietary fiber fermentability by human fecal microbiota. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of flour moisture content during extrusion on in vitro fermentation properties of whole grain oats. Extrudates were processed at three moisture levels (15%, 18%, and 21%) at fixed screw speed (300 rpm) and temperature (130 °C). The extrudates were then subjected to in vitro digestion and fermentation. Extrusion moisture significantly affected water-extractable β-glucan (WE-BG) in the extrudates, with samples processed at 15% moisture (lowest) and 21% moisture (highest) having the highest concentration of WE-BG. After the first 8 h of fermentation, more WE-BG remained in fermentation media in samples processed at 15% moisture compared with the other conditions. Also, extrusion moisture significantly affected the production of acetate, butyrate, and total SCFA by the microbiota during the first 8 h of fermentation. Microbiota grown on extrudates processed at 18% moisture had the highest production of acetate and total SCFA, whereas bacteria grown on extrudates processed at 15% and 18% moisture had the highest butyrate production. After 24 h of fermentation, samples processed at 15% moisture supported lower Bifidobacterium counts than those produced at other conditions, but had among the highest Lactobacillus counts. Thus, moisture content during extrusion significantly affects production of fermentation metabolites by the gut microbiota during the initial stages of fermentation, while also affecting probiotic bacteria counts during extended fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whole grain oat flour was extruded under different moisture contents (15%, 18%, 21%), barrel temperatures (100 °C, 130 °C), and screw speeds (160 rpm, 300 rpm, 450 rpm), and selected physicochemical properties, in vitro starch digestibility, and β-glucan extractability of the extrudates were analyzed. An increase in screw speed resulted in an increase in radial expansion index, water absorption index, and water solubility index. Screw speed significantly affected slowly and rapidly digestible starch. Moderate screw speed (300 rpm) led to higher slowly digestible starch with an accompanying decrease in rapidly digestible starch. Low moisture conditions (15%) resulted in the highest resistant starch and water-extractable β-glucan. Under the conditions used in this study, extrusion did not result in changes in water-extractable β-glucan molecular weight. Thus, extrusion might be beneficial in improving functionality and consumer acceptability by affecting physicochemical properties, in vitro starch digestibility, and β-glucan extractability of oat extrudates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dietary fiber in wheat bran, principally non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), is mostly water-unextractable and is poorly utilized by human gut microbiota. The purpose of this study was to determine the change in water-extractability of NSP in wheat bran upon extrusion and then to determine if extrusion impacts the availability of NSP for fermentation by the fecal microbiota during in vitro fecal fermentation. A secondary objective was to incorporate extruded bran into a product formulation to determine if changes in WE-NSP and NSP fermentation were maintained in a finished product. Bran was extruded using combinations of high or low moisture (15% and 30% wb) and high or low screw speed (120 and 250 rpm). All extrusion conditions resulted in increases in WE-NSP and fecal microbiota short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production upon fermentation compared with unextruded bran. Low screw speed and low moisture resulted in the greatest increase in WE-NSP (3-fold) as well as the highest production of SCFA during fermentation (1.4-fold) compared with unextruded bran. Whole wheat breads containing extruded bran did not show increases in either WE-NSP or SCFA production compared with the control. In conclusion, extrusion of wheat bran increased WE-NSP, which enabled greater fermentability by human fecal microbiota. However, once extruded bran was used in a whole wheat bread formulation the changes in fermentation outcomes were no longer evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The millet kernels of four millet varieties (foxtail, finger, and red and white proso millets) were germinated for 24, 48, and 72 h at 30 and 35°C. Changes in proximate composition, activity of α‐amylase, cellulase, and protease, and in vitro protein digestibility, were determined in whole flours obtained from the germinated seeds. Germination increased protein content while decreasing ash and moisture contents in most millet varieties. Enzyme activities in all the millets were influenced by germination time and temperature (p < 0.05). α‐Amylase activity in foxtail and red proso millet significantly increased during the germination (from 1774.05 to 2643.18 U/g, and from 1608.19 to 1816.84 U/g, respectively at 30°C). Protein digestibility increased after germination and correlated with protein content, α‐amylase, and protease activities. Cookies made from the germinated foxtail composite flour presented a comparable sensory acceptance to the reference cookies made from wheat flour. Practical applications: Germination increased protein content while decreasing ash and moisture contents in most studied millet varieties. Enzyme activities (α‐amylase, cellulase) in all the millets, and especially in foxtail millet, were influenced by germination time and temperature. Protein digestibility increased after germination and correlated with protein content, α‐amylase, and protease activities but was reduced in the formulated cookies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Point-of-decision prompts (PDPs) increase healthy food choice. • PDPs act through multiple pathways in complex choice settings. • PDPs directly lead to healthier food choices but also indirectly promote health. • PDPs also direct attention to healthier sets of products and nutrition information. • Attention to healthier products and information result in healthier choices. Health-focused point-of-decision prompts (PDPs) influence consumers to purchase healthier food products, but how PDPs work has not been established. We examined how a PDP focused on fiber consumption, an under-consumed nutrient, influences consumers to select healthier products. US-based participants (n = 753), randomly assigned to a PDP or control condition, completed a simulated online shopping experience that included features of real-world retail settings, such as the ability to examine subsets of products and to choose to access nutrition information. In each condition, participants made choices in cereal, bread, and cracker categories. Participants could choose to view all or subsets of products before making a selection and reported the nutrient information they examined. We used mediation analysis to examine direct and indirect pathways through which the PDP affected the fiber content and healthiness rating of choices. Indirect pathways were whether the set of products the participant considered included healthy options (HCS) and attention to fiber information (AFI) when making choices. The PDP increased fiber content and Guiding Stars (GS) ratings of product choices by a total of 0.53 g dietary fiber/serving and 0.25 GS, respectively. This increase resulted from direct and indirect influences from the PDP. The direct effect increased fiber (GS) by 0.19 g dietary fiber/serving (0.072 GS). The indirect influence of the PDP through HCS increased 0.21 g dietary fiber/serving (0.104 GS) and through AFI increased 0.13 g dietary fiber/serving (0.035 GS). The PDP engendered healthier purchases by influencing consumer behavior at multiple points in the decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkali treatment of maize bran can break ferulate cross-linking and increase utilization of alkali-solubilized arabinoxylan (AX) by the human gut microbiome. However, it is not known how alkali treatment affects the utilization of AX and other non-digestible carbohydrates (NDC) that remain insoluble after alkali treatment, or how varying degrees of alkali treatment affect NDC fermentation. Therefore, maize bran was treated with alkali ranging from 0 to 1.25 M NaOH, neutralized, and then subjected to in vitro digestion and fermentation using human fecal microbiomes. Increasing alkali concentration progressively increased water solubility of NDC, especially AX, and increased microbial fermentation of water-soluble AX (p < 0.001) during fermentation; however, there was a decrease in fermentation of insoluble AX and NDC (p < 0.001). Across microbiomes, more acetate (p = 0.004) and propionate (p = 0.018), but less butyrate (p < 0.001), were produced as alkali treatment of maize bran increased. Higher alkali treatments increased the abundances of Bifidobacterium (q < 0.001), Bacteroides (q = 0.0015), Faecalibacterium (q < 0.001), and several genera in the Bacilli class (q < 0.001), while decreasing Bilophila (q < 0.001), Butyricicoccus (q < 0.001), and several Lachnospiraceae (q < 0.001). Soluble but not insoluble NDC utilization was improved by extracting residual free phenolic compounds from alkali-treated maize bran (p = 0.005 and p = 0.39, respectively). In conclusion, alkali makes maize bran AX more water soluble and fermentable, but it has a negative impact on insoluble AX and NDC utilization, which reduces butyrate production by the microbiome due to decreases in Butyricicoccus and some Lachnospiraceae. [Display omitted] • Alkali treatments progressively increased soluble arabinoxylan fermentation. • Alkali treatments progressively decreased insoluble arabinoxylan fermentation. • Alkali treatments successively decreased butyrate-producing gut microbial taxa. • Alkali treatments successively increased acetate- and propionate-producing taxa. • Residual free phenolic compounds decreased soluble arabinoxylan utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant breeding and disease management practices have increased the grain yield of hard winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) adapted to the Great Plains of the United States during the last century. However, the effect of genetic gains for seed yield and the application of fungicide on the micronutrient and cadmium (Cd) concentration in wheat grains is still unclear. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of fungicide application on the productivity and nutritional quality of wheat cultivars representing 80 years of plant breeding efforts. Field experiments were conducted over two crop years (2017 and 2018) with eighteen hard winter wheat genotypes released between 1933 and 2013 in the presence or absence of fungicide application. For each growing season, the treatments were arranged in a split-plot design with the fungicide levels (treated and untreated) as the whole plot treatments and the genotypes as split-plot treatments in triplicate. The effects on seed yield, grain protein concentration (GPC), micronutrients, phytic acid, and Cd in grains were measured. While the yield of wheat was found to increase at annualized rates of 26.5 and 13.0 kg ha-1 yr-1 in the presence and absence of fungicide (P < 0.001), respectively, GPC (-190 and -180 mg kg-1 yr-1, P < 0.001), Fe (-35.0 and -44.0 μg kg-1 yr-1, P < 0.05), and Zn (-68.0 and -57.0 μg kg-1 yr-1, P < 0.01) significantly decreased during the period studied. In contrast to the other mineral elements, grain Cd significantly increased over time (0.4 μg kg-1 yr-1, P < 0.01) in the absence of fungicide. The results from this study are of great concern, as many mineral elements essential for human nutrition have decreased over time while the toxic heavy metal, Cd, has increased, indicating modern wheats are becoming a better vector of dietary Cd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]