Quantitative and Qualitative Changes in Diet Associated with the Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods: A Survey on a Representative Sample of Manufacturing Workers in Brazil

Abstract

The increasing intake of ultra-processed (UP) foods is causing changes in the profile of food and nutrient consumption, negatively influencing consumer behavior. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of UP foods on the diet of Brazilian adults, verifying the association between its increasing contribution to total energy and trends in the consumption of other NOVA groups, food subgroups, energy consumption, and macro- and micronutrients. We conducted an observational, cross-sectional study of a probability sample of 921 manufacturing workers in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, from a combined stratified and two-stage survey. Trends in consumption across quintiles of UP food contribution to the total energy intake were tested with linear regression. The results showed that higher UP food consumption is associated with a higher intake of energy, carbohydrates and total-, mono- and polyunsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans fats, and the micronutrients calcium, iron and thiamine; and higher consumption of ready-to-eat foods, accompanied by lower consumption of foods that require preparation, such as beans, tubers and roots, vegetables and fruits, which may represent a risk for the development of non-transmissible chronic diseases in this population.

Rapid detection of caffeic acid in food beverages using a non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor based on a Bi2S3/CNF nanocomposite

“…1,2 Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) is a significant compound in the category of phenolic acids, and it has been widely used for several pharmacological functions, 3 such as anti-inflammatory, 3 antibacterial, 4 antioxidant, 5 immune-modulatory and anticancer. 6 The German national nutrition survey (NVS) reported that an appropriate phenolic acid intake level is important to sustain a healthy diet, 7 and the average intake level of CA is 206 (mg dL −1 ); 8 hence, it is important to develop simple and effective platforms for monitoring the concentration of CA. To date, numerous traditional methods have been utilized for the determination of CA, such as gas chromatography (GC-MS), 9 liquid chromatography (LC-MS), 10 ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), 11 mass spectroscopy, electrophoresis 12 and electrochemical detection methods.…”