No abstract

This study investigated and compared the potential hypocholesterolemic activities of different insoluble fibers (IFs) prepared from carambola and orange pomace with or without micronization processing. After micronization, the cation-exchange and water-holding capacities of these pectic polysaccharide-rich IFs were effectively increased (from 140 to 180% and from 260 to 290%, respectively). The abilities of these microsized fruit IFs to lower the concentrations of serum triglyceride (by 15.6-17.8%) and serum total cholesterol (by 15.7-17.0%) were significantly (p < 0.05) improved, possibly by means of enhancing the excretion of cholesterol (123-126%) and bile acids (129-133%) in feces. Fecal moisture content was also increased (127-131%) by the consumption of microsized IFs. These results demonstrated that particle size is an important factor in affecting the characteristics and physiological functions of insoluble fibers. The approach of micronization processing might offer the industry an opportunity to improve the physiological functions of food fibers in fiber-rich functional food applications.

Hunger has been a concern for generations and has continued to plague hundreds of millions of people around the world. Although many efforts have been devoted to reduce hunger, challenges such as growing competitions for natural resources, emerging climate changes and natural disasters, poverty, illiteracy, and diseases are posing threats to food security and intensifying the hunger crisis. Concerted efforts of scientists to improve agricultural and food productivity, technology, nutrition, and education are imperative to facilitate appropriate strategies for defeating hunger and malnutrition. This paper provides some aspects of world hunger issues and summarizes the efforts and measures aimed to alleviate food problems from the food and nutritional sciences perspectives. The prospects and constraints of some implemented strategies for alleviating hunger and achieving sustainable food security are also discussed. This comprehensive information source could provide insights into the development of a complementary framework for dealing with the global hunger issue.

The effects of particle size changes by micronization on the intestinal health-promotion ability of orange insoluble fiber fraction (IFF) were investigated in a hamster model by feeding 3 diets, which contained unmicronized IFF (control), jet-milled IFF, and high-pressure micronized IFF as the sole fiber source in diet. The results showed that the micronization treatments significantly altered the physicochemical properties of insoluble fiber. The consumption of the micronized fibers (6.26 to 11.4 microm) at a level of 50 g/kg diet, especially those prepared by high-pressure micronization, resulted in significant (P < 0.05) improvements in cecal and fecal parameters such as reduced cecal ammonia concentration (-37.1%), increased fecal moisture (164%), and decreased activities of beta-D-glucuronidase (-68.3%) and mucinase (-28.5%) in feces. Both the particle size and treatment were important factors affecting the composition and physiological functions of fibers, and the consumption of micronized fiber might exert favorable effects on improving the intestinal health of hamsters. This study might give some hints for the potential applications of micron technology in food industry and provide opportunities to develop new formulations of fiber-rich functional foods.

Intestinal mucositis is a commonly encountered toxic side effect in patients undergoing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy. Numerous studies have shown that probiotics enable improving chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis, but the beneficial effects of probiotics differ depending on the strain. Therefore, in the present studies we suggest that S. thermophilus ST4 separated from raw milk may assess mucoprotective activity in 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis. In our causal-comparative study design, fifteen mice were randomized assigned into three groups (n = 5/each group): control group, 5-FU group and 5-FU+S. thermophilus ST4 group. The control group was orally administrated saline only, and the 5-FU group was followed by intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU for 3 days after 10-day saline administration, and the 5-FU+S. thermophilus ST4 group was intragastrically subjected for S. thermophilus ST4 once per day during the whole experiment, starting from the first day of the experiment, followed by 5-FU intraperitoneal injection for 3 days after 10-day S. thermophilus ST4 pretreatment. Diarrhea score, pro-inflammatory cytokines serum levels, intestinal histopathology and short chain fatty acid were assessed. Here, we demonstrated the beneficial effects of S. thermophilus ST4 derived from raw milk against 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis, including body weight reduction, appetite loss and diarrhea. Intrinsically, S. thermophilus ST4 effectively maintained epithelium structure in small intestines and colons as well as reduced the intestinal inflammation. Besides, S. thermophilus ST4 significantly increased the expression of acetic acid, reinforcing the muco-protective effects. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that S. thermophilus ST4 supplementation ameliorates 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis. This suggests probiotic may serve as an alternative therapeutic strategy for the prevention or management of 5-FU-induced mucositis in the future.