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Pulse crops have been known for a long time to have beneficial nutritional profiles for human diets but have been neglected in terms of cultivation, consumption and scientific research in many parts of the world. Broad dietary shifts will be required if anthropogenic climate change is to be mitigated in the future, and pulse crops should be an important component of this change by providing an environmentally sustainable source of protein, resistant starch and micronutrients. Further enhancement of the nutritional composition of pulse crops could benefit human health, helping to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies and reduce risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. This paper reviews current knowledge regarding the nutritional content of pea (Pisum sativum L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.), two major UK pulse crops, and discusses the potential for their genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruits and vegetables (F&V) are often featured in names of commercial baby foods (CBFs). We aimed to survey all available CBFs in the UK market with F&V included in the food name in order to describe the amount and types of F&V used in CBF and their contribution to total sugar content. Food labels were used to identify F&V and total sugar content. Fruits were more common than vegetables in names of the 329 CBFs identified. The six most common F&V in the names were all relatively sweet: apple, banana, tomato, mango, carrot and sweet potato. The percentage of F&V in the foods ranged from a median of 94% for sweet‐spoonable to 13% for dry‐savoury products. Fruit content of sweet foods (n = 177) was higher than vegetable content of savoury foods (n = 152) with a median (IQR) of 64.0 g/100 g (33.0–100.0) vs. 46.0 g/100 g (33–56.7). Fruit juice was added to 18% of products. The proportion of F&V in CBF correlated significantly with sugar content for all the food types except dry‐savoury food (sweet‐spoonable r = 0.24, P = 0.006; savoury‐spoonable r = 0.65, P < 0.001; sweet‐dry r = 0.81, P < 0.001; savoury‐dry r = 0.51, P = 0.06) and explained up to two‐thirds of the variation in sugar content. The F&V content of CBFs mainly consists of fruits and relatively sweet vegetables which are unlikely to encourage preferences for bitter‐tasting vegetables or other non‐sweet foods. F&V contribute significantly to the total sugar content, particularly of savoury foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to characterise the nutrient profile of popular meals and to identify ways to improve this, a methodology was developed to assess the profile of meals by developing meal-based nutritional criteria for macronutrients, fibre, salt and selected food groups and comparing this with recipe analysis of both homemade and partly pre-made dishes (those using products such as cook-in sauces and frozen meal components). Meals were compared with the criteria per portion and with front-of-pack labelling guidelines per 100 g. The results indicate that many popular UK meals, both homemade and partly pre-made, would benefit from changes to improve their nutritional profile. Generally, the dishes made with partly pre-made ingredients met criteria for total energy, total sugars and salt but often exceeded criteria for saturates and did not provide enough fibre or fruits and vegetables. Conversely, the comparable homemade dishes tended to meet the criteria for fibre and fruit and vegetables but were also more likely to exceed the criteria for saturates. A simple visual model, called the N utrition C ompass, for representing key results for each dish was developed. Relatively simple changes to dishes, such as adding extra vegetables and pulses, using wholegrains or potatoes with skins, using less salt or high salt ingredients and swapping higher fat dairy and meat ingredients for lower fat versions, could make significant improvements to the nutrient profile of many popular dishes. Such changes should be communicated to consumers, both by health professionals and by the food industry, in particular via recipes provided on pack or in other media for pre-prepared meal components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To study which salivary proteins form the protective bound mucosal pellicle and to determine the role of transglutaminase in pellicle development. Materials and Methods Oral epithelial cells were collected and underwent washes of different strengths, followed by homogenisation. SDS- PAGE, western blotting, IgA ELISAs and amylase activity assays were completed on cell homogenates and compared to saliva samples to confirm which salivary proteins were bound to cell surfaces. Results Salivary mucins, MUC5B and MUC7, were strongly retained on the oral epithelial cell surface. Other bound proteins including cystatin S, carbonic anhydrase VI, secretory component and IgA could be washed off. IgA was present in concentrated levels in the bound mucosal pellicle compared to amounts in saliva. Amylase, one of the most abundant proteins present in saliva, showed minimal levels of binding. Transglutaminase 3 presence was confirmed, but proteins that it catalyses cross-links between, statherin and proline-rich proteins, showed minimal presence. Conclusion Some protective salivary proteins including mucins and IgA become concentrated on oral surfaces in the bound mucosal pellicle, through specific interactions. Concentration of mucins would contribute to lubrication to prevent abrasion damage to soft tissues, whilst increased IgA could create an 'immune reservoir' against mucosal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]