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Background & Aims: It is well known that dietary fiber positively impacts the microbiome and health as a whole. However, the health effects of β-glucan, a dietary fiber extracted from oats, have been questioned when administered alone or incorporated into other foods. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the impact of oats or β-glucan supplements on the lipid profile. Methods: Randomized controlled trials with parallel-arm or crossover blinded interventions at least two weeks in duration, for hyperlipidemic or non-hyperlipidemic men and women ≥ 18 years of age were selected. Only single (participants blinded) or double-blinded studies that compared oat or isolated β-glucan with a placebo/control group were considered for this review. The databases EMBASE, PubMed, Web of science and CINHAL were searched, from the earliest indexed year available online to the end of January 2022. Random-effects models were used to combine the estimated effects extracted from individual studies, and data were summarized as standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Results: A total of 811 articles were screened for eligibility, and relevant data were extracted from 28 studies, totaling 1494 subjects. Oat interventions TC (-0.61, 95%CI: -0.84;-0.39, p0.05). Conclusion: Overall, this review showed that both oat and isolated β-glucan interventions improved lipid profiles. Furthermore, the ingestion of oats or isolated β-glucan supplements are effective tools to combat dyslipidemia and should be considered in cardiovascular disease prevention.

This study evaluated the variations in fecal pH and particle size due to changes in dietary starch, and the potential of these variations as a tool to detect the risk of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in dairy cows. Nine ruminally cannulated, non-lactating, non-pregnant Holstein cows were used in two 6-week experimental periods. In each period, cows were first fed a forage diet for 1 wk., then transitioned over 1 wk. to a 65% concentrate ration, which they consumed for 4 wk. continuously. Measurements were conducted when cows consumed 17.3, 21.9 and 28.8% dietary starch. Fecal pH and particle size were measured at 0, 4, 8 and 12 h relative to feeding in days 7, 11, 21, 28, 35, and 42 of each period. Ruminal pH was measured every 15 min. Data were analyzed with SAS, the statistical model included concentrate level, time of sampling and period as fixed effects and cow was considered as random effect. Data showed an interaction between dietary starch level and time relative to feeding on fecal pH, with a shift in its pattern due to diet change. Specifically, during low starch feeding (17.3%), fecal pH was highest before feeding and decreased thereafter, reaching lowest value 12 h post-feeding (P 0.05). With the 21.9% starch diet, fecal pH did not change significantly after feeding. However, during high starch feeding (28.8%), fecal pH decreased, being lowest before feeding and increased (P 0.05) during the day reaching highest values at 8 and 12 h post-feeding. Fecal pH was lower (P 0.01) during the days of high starch feeding; though, it was maintained relatively stable through this timeframe. Increasing dietary starch decreased the proportion of small fecal particles (0.5 to 1.18 mm), but increased the proportion of large (1.18 mm) and soluble particles (0.5 mm). There were significant correlations among ruminal pH, fecal pH and fecal particle size of feces collected before feeding. For example, fecal pH was correlated with minimum and daily mean ruminal pH; the proportion of fecal particles 0.5 to 1.18 mm correlated with minimum and daily mean ruminal pH (P 0.01). Log-linear dependency analyses indicated a strong effect of starch intake on fecal pH so that for every kg increase in starch intake, there was a reduction in fecal pH by 0.38 units. In addition, regression analysis showed that the proportion of fecal particles between 0.5 and 1.18 mm showed strong dependency on the ratio dietary physically effective fiber to starch (P 0.01). Ruminal pH also correlated with fecal particle size of frozen/thawed samples, but with lower strength than fresh samples. Overall, evaluating variations of fecal pH and particle size holds potential as a non-invasive on-farm tool for assessing rumen pH and SARA risk.

The negative effect on dietary nutrient profiles is the most obvious mechanism explaining the higher risk of cardiometabolic diseases associated with increased dietary share of UPF observed in large cohort studies. We estimate the proportion of diets with excessive energy density, excessive free sugars or saturated fat contents and insufficient fiber that could be avoided, if UPF consumption was reduced to levels among lowest consumers across eight countries, as well as the proportion of diets with multiple inadequacies.Using nationally-representative cross-sectional surveys from Brazil (2008-09), Chile (2010), Colombia (2005), Mexico (2012), Australia (2011-12), the UK (2008-16), Canada (2015), and the US (2015-16), inadequate energy density (≥2.25 kcal/g) or contents of free sugars (10% of total energy intake), saturated fats (10% of total energy intake) and fiber (25 g/2000 kcal) population attributable fractions were quantified. Substantial reductions in nutrient inadequacies would be observed ranging from 50.4% in Chile to 76.8% in US for dietary energy density, from 15.5% in Colombia to 68.4% in Australia for free sugars, from 9.5% in Canada to 35.0% in Mexico for saturated fats, and from 10.3% in UK to 37.9% in Mexico for fiber. Higher reductions would be observed for diets with multiple nutrient inadequacies: from 27.3% in UK to 77.7% in Australia for ≥3 and from 69.4% in Canada to 92.1% in US, for 4 inadequacies.Lowering dietary contribution of UPF to levels among country-specific lowest consumers is a way to improve population cardiometabolic-related dietary nutrient profiles.

A 56-day feeding trial was conducted to assess the effects of different viscous guar gum on the growth, intestinal flora, and intestinal health of Micropterus salmoides. Four practical diets with 42.5 % crude protein and 13.7 % crude lipid were formulated to contain 8 % cellulose and three different viscosities (2500, 5200, and 6000 mPa·s) of guar gum. Dietary guar gum inhibits fish growth and feed utilization, decreases the α-diversity of the intestinal flora, and negatively alters the intestinal flora structure and metabolite composition. High viscous guar gum down-regulated the intestinal tight junction, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic related gene's expression, decreased digesta butyrate/histamine ratio; and increased the abundance of Plesiomonas shigelloides. These results suggest that dietary guar gum adversely affects intestinal health by disrupting intestinal flora structure and metabolite composition, and that viscosity should be considered when using guar gum as a binder in aquafeeds.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous abortion, pregnancy loss before the 20th week, has adverse psychological and physical sequelae. Some medical conditions with conditions known to affect insulin sensitivity, including polycystic ovary syndrome and diabetes, may affect risk of spontaneous abortion. No prior studies have examined glycemic load and incidence of spontaneous abortion in populations without conditions known to affect insulin sensitivity.OBJECTIVES: We prospectively evaluated the association between preconception glycemic load and intake of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and added sugar and risk of spontaneous abortion.METHODS: During 2013-2020, we recruited pregnancy planners from Denmark (SnartForaeldre.dk; SF) and the United States and Canada (Pregnancy Study Online; PRESTO). Participants completed a baseline questionnaire and a cohort-specific food frequency questionnaire evaluated for validity. We estimated preconception glycemic load and intake of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and added sugar from individual foods and mixed recipes. We included 2,238 SF and 4,246 PRESTO participants who reported a pregnancy during the course of the study. SAB data were derived from questionnaires and population registries. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).RESULTS: In the study population, 15% of SF participants and 22% of PRESTO participants experienced SAB. Across both cohorts, there was no appreciable association between glycemic load, carbohydrate quality, dietary fiber, or added sugar intake and SAB. Compared with daily mean glycemic load < 110, the HR for women with daily mean glycemic load ≥ 130 was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.52-1.10) in SF and 1.01 (95% CI: 0.86-1.19) in PRESTO.CONCLUSIONS: Diets with high glycemic load, carbohydrates, and added sugars were not consistently associated with risk of SAB in parallel analyses of two preconception cohort studies of women, in North America and Denmark.

In our study, two high efficiency cellulose degrading strains were screened, isolated and identified as Cochliobolus kusanoi and Aspergillus puulaauensis by 18S rDNA gene sequencing. In addition, the composite microbial system was constructed to develop the synergistic effect among different strains. Under the optimum conditions, the yield of soluble dietary fiber from tea residues by mixed fermentation method (MF-SDF) dramatically increased compared to single strain fermentation. The structural analysis demonstrated that all samples possessed the representative infrared absorption peaks of polysaccharides, whereas MF-SDF revealed more loose structure, lower crystallinity and smaller molecular size. For the adsorption capacities indexes, MF-SDF also owned the highest adsorbing capacity for the water molecule, oil molecule, cholesterol molecule and nitrite ion. Overall, our data showed that mixed fermentation method could be better choices to improve the functional properties of dietary fiber, and screening of cellulose degrading strains could provide new thinkings for the study of dietary fiber modification and realize high-quality utilization of crop residues.

In the present study, we explored the effects of a novel xylanase from camel rumen metagenome (CrXyn) on wheat bran hydrolysis. CrXyn was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and showed maximum activity at 40 °C and pH 7.0. Furthermore, CrXyn exhibited preferential hydrolysis of xylan, but no obvious activity toward other substrates, including carboxymethylcellulose and Avicel. Using wheat straw xylan as a substrate, the Km and Vmax values for CrXyn were 5.98 g/L and 179.9 μmol xylose/min/mg protein, respectively. Mn

Research into the effects of nutrition on depression is often performed by examining the effects of singular nutrients and dietary styles (e.g.: vegan, Mediterranean). The present study is the first one to establish the effects of patterns of nutritional deficiency within the American population and examines their effects on depression.Data was drawn from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Latent class analysis was performed to identify homogeneous groups of nutrient deficiency. A 3-step analysis was performed to establish class-dependant differences in depression severity. BCH analysis revealed unique predictors of depression dependant on most probable class.Analysis revealed 4 classes of nutrient deficiency. Magnesium and dietary fibre were the least endorsed. 'Nutrient deprived' individuals showed the highest depression severity (Mean = 4.137, SD = 0.337). Profiles were predicted by different socioeconomic and anthropogenic predictors with meeting minimum calories showing the strongest odds of not being nutrient deprived (OR between 5.44 and 11.11). Overall, age (β = -0.115, p ≤ 0.01) and income (β = -0.147, p ≤ 0.01) were the strongest protecting factors while being female (β = 0.128, p ≤ 0.01) and arthritis (β = 0.130, p ≤ 0.01) were the strongest risk factors.The study involved binary variables based on minimum daily intakes and did not account for positive effects of exceeding minimum recommended doses.The study supports the notion of a negative relationship between good nutrition and depression. Finding unique risk factors for depression symptoms supports the utility of nutrient deficiency profiling.

This study describes a new method for producing high-quality resistant glucan by characterizing the structural mechanism of indigestibility. The structures and properties of resistant glucans were characterized before and after in vitro simulated digestion. The results demonstrated that high-pressure processing (HPP) led to the complete disappearance of crystal peaks and increased the efficiency of the two enzymes (α-amylase and transglucosidase). Moreover, α-1,6 and β-linkages were abundant in the connecting parts of the long and branching chains in the resulting resistant glucans, thus hindering the ability of digestive enzymes to hydrolyze short chains with a degree of polymerization (DP) ≤ 6. In addition, transglucosidase activity led to a higher proportion of short chains (DP 3-6), further promoting indigestibility. We demonstrated that, without rectification and decolorization, the dietary fiber content was75 %, and the degree of branching increased to 50.9 %, indicating higher indigestibility than that resistant glucans produced by traditional methods.

Dietary fibers are a major source of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the body, and the fermentation products of SCFAs induced by intestinal microbiota affect energy metabolism. Apart from serving as an energy source in the intestines, SCFAs also inhibit autophagy, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein, LRR, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 inflammasome. SCFAs provide numerous therapeutic benefits through their influence on cognitive functioning and neurodegenerative diseases (NDD) pathophysiology. Additionally, NDDs are associated with abnormalities in the gut microbiota, including an increased load of pathogens and opportunistic microbes. SCFAs maintain the healthy mitochondrial function and stimulate the maturation of microglia, which consequently suppresses the progression of NDD and cognitive decline by regulating inflammation and oxidative stress. Basically, SCFAs function as cofactors for the host's mitochondrial enzymes and are being studied for their ability to reverse the alteration in the gut microbiota seen in many NDDs and cardiac diseases. In the present review, the focus is on the detrimental and beneficial roles of SCFAs in NDD, emphasizing the effects of SCFA on following phenomenon: (1) alteration in gut microbiota profile associated with NDD, (2) the molecular mechanism of metabolic regulation by SCFA's, and its co-relation with NDD, (3) use of mitochondrial antioxidants as a strategy for maintaining microbiota diversity in the gut, and (4) the future direction of metabolism and neurodegeneration in the gut-brain axis. In addition, the interplay between gut microbiota, SCFAs, epithelial barrier, and neuroimmune signaling in neurodegeneration has been reviewed.

Chronic constipation is a prevalent disorder that remains challenging to treat. Studies suggest increasing fiber intake may improve symptoms, although recommendations on the fiber type, dose, and treatment duration are unclear.We investigated the effects of fiber supplementation on stool output, gut transit time, symptoms, and quality of life in adults with chronic constipation via a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Studies were identified using electronic databases, backward citation, and hand searches of abstracts. RCTs reporting administration of fiber supplementation in adults with chronic constipation were included. Risks of bias (RoB) was assessed with the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool. Results were synthesized using risk ratios (RRs), mean differences, or standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% CIs using a random-effects model.Sixteen RCTs with 1251 participants were included. Overall, 311 of 473 (66%) participants responded to fiber treatment and 134 of 329 (41%) responded to control treatment [RR: 1.48 (95% CI: 1.17, 1.88; P = 0.001); I2 = 57% (P = 0.007)], with psyllium and pectin having significant effects. A higher response to treatment was apparent in fiber groups compared to control groups irrespective of the treatment duration, but only with higher fiber doses (10 g/d). Fiber increased stool frequency [SMD: 0.72 (95% CI: 0.36, 1.08; P = 0.0001); I2 = 86% (P 0.00001)]; psyllium and pectin had significant effects, and improvement was apparent only with higher fiber doses and greater treatment durations (≥4 weeks). Fiber improved stool consistency (SMD: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.46; P 0.0001), particularly with higher fiber doses. Flatulence was higher in fiber groups compared to control groups(SMD: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.47, 1.13; P 0.00001).Fiber supplementation is effective at improving constipation. Particularly, psyllium, doses10 g/d and treatment durations of at least 4 weeks appear optimal, though caution is needed when interpreting the results due to considerable heterogeneity. These findings provide promising evidence on the optimal type and regime of fiber supplementation, which could be used to standardize recommendations to patients. The protocol for this review is registered at PROSPERO as CRD42020191404.

In healthy adults, higher dietary potassium intake is recommended given that potassium-rich foods are major sources of micronutrients, antioxidants, and fiber. Yet among patients with advanced kidney dysfunction, guidelines recommend dietary potassium restriction given concerns about hyperkalemia leading to malignant arrhythmias and mortality.Given sparse data informing these recommendations, we examined associations of dietary potassium intake with mortality in a nationally representative cohort of adults from the NHANES.We examined associations between daily dietary potassium intake scaled to energy intake (mg/1000 kcal), ascertained by 24-h dietary recall, and all-cause mortality among 37,893 continuous NHANES (1999-2014) participants stratified according to impaired and normal kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rates60 and ≥60 mL · min-1 · 1.73 m-2, respectively) using multivariable Cox models. We also examined the impact of the interplay between dietary potassium, source of potassium intake (animal- compared with plant-based sources), and coexisting macronutrient and mineral consumption upon mortality.Among participants with impaired and normal kidney function, the lowest tertile of dietary potassium scaled to energy intake was associated with higher mortality (ref: highest tertile) [adjusted HR (aHR): 1.18; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.38 and aHR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.28, respectively]. Compared with high potassium intake from plant-dominant sources, participants with low potassium intake from animal-dominant sources had higher mortality irrespective of kidney function. Among participants with impaired kidney function, pairings of low potassium intake with high protein, low fiber, or high phosphorus consumption were each associated with higher death risk.Lower dietary potassium scaled to energy intake was associated with higher mortality, irrespective of kidney function. There was also a synergistic relation of higher potassium intake, plant-based sources, and macronutrient/mineral consumption with survival. Further studies are needed to elucidate pathways linking potassium intake and coexisting dietary factors with survival in populations with and without chronic kidney disease.

Objective This study aims to explore the associations between diet quality, uraemic toxins, and gastrointestinal microbiota in the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population. Methods This is a baseline cross-sectional study of adults with CKD participating in a randomized controlled trial of prebiotic and probiotic supplementation. Dietary intake was measured using a seven-day diet history method, administered by a specialist dietitian. Diet quality was assessed using plant-based diet index (PDI) (overall PDI, healthy PDI, and unhealthy PDI), food group analysis, protein intake, fiber intake, and dietary protein-to-fiber ratio. Serum uraemic toxins (free and total; indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate) were determined by ultraperformance liquid chromatography. Gastrointestinal microbiota richness, diversity, composition, and functional capacity were analyzed via metagenomic sequencing. Results Sixty-eight adults [median age: 70 (interquartile range: 58-75) years, 66% male] with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 34 ± 11 mL/min/1.73 m2 were included, with 40 participants completing the optional fecal substudy. Dietary fiber intake was associated with lower levels of total indoxyl sulfate, whereas the healthy plant-based diet index was associated with lower levels of free p-cresyl sulfate. A higher protein-to-fiber ratio was associated with an increased relative abundance of unclassified members of order Oscillospirales. Intake of vegetables and whole grains was correlated with Subdoligranulum formicile, whereas an unclassified Prevotella species was correlated with potatoes and food items considered discretionary, including sweet drinks, sweet desserts, and animal fats. Conclusions Diet quality may influence uraemic toxin generation and gut microbiota diversity, composition, and function in adults with CKD. Well-designed dietary intervention studies targeting the production of uraemic toxins and exploring the impact on gut microbiome are warranted in the CKD population. Keywords Kidney disease; diet quality; gut microbiota; p-cresyl sulphate; indoxyl sulfate

To clarify the effect of quinoa bran soluble dietary fiber (QBSDF) on gut inflammation and homeostasis, ulcerative colitis (UC) mice induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) were fed QBSDF for four weeks. Histological staining, immunofluorescence, western blot and 16S rRNA sequencing analysis were carried out to investigate the action mechanism of QBSDF. Results showed that QBSDF alleviated DSS-induced colitis symptoms accompanied by significant mitigation of colon shortening and colonic epithelial damage. Moreover, QBSDF supplementation downregulated the mRNA and protein expression level of TNF-α and IL-1β, while elevated the expression of tight junction proteins, and significantly reduced colonic cells apoptosis. In addition, the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota in QBSDF fed mice were significantly increased compared to that of UC mice. Moreover, QBSDF notably increased the abundance of Firmicutes at phylum level, while decreased the abundance of Bacteroidetes and pathogenic Helicobacter. Besides, the levels of short-chain fatty acids, especially acetic acid and butyric acid were significantly increased by QBSDF administration. These findings suggested the promising potential of QBSDF as a functional food ingredient to prevent ulcerative colitis through maintaining intestinal barrier function and modulating gut microbiota.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of endometriosis is not well understood. Limited evidence suggests that dietary factors influence risk, but prospective data related to carbohydrate, fiber, and gluten consumption are scarce. Despite this, recommendations concerning fiber, gluten intake, and endometriosis are pervasive in the lay literature. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the associations of carbohydrate quality [glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL)], fiber intake (total, legume, vegetable, cruciferous vegetable, fruit, cereal), and gluten intake with incident laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study using data collected from 81,961 premenopausal women in the Nurses’ Health Study II (mean age = 36 y in 1991). Diet was assessed with a validated FFQ every 4 y. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate rate ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: A total of 3810 incident cases of laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis were reported over 24 y of follow-up. Women in the highest quintile of GI had 12% (95% CI: 1.01, 1.23; P(trend) = 0.03) higher risk of endometriosis diagnosis than those in the lowest quintile. Total vegetable and cruciferous vegetable fiber intakes were also associated with higher risk (highest compared with lowest quintile RR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.24; P(trend) = 0.004 and RR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.29; P(trend) = 0.02, respectively). Higher intake of fruit fiber was associated with lower risk of endometriosis but the association was not significant after adjusting for the Alternative Healthy Eating Index. Gluten intake was also associated with lower risk (highest compared with lowest quintile RR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.02; P(trend) = 0.01), but these results were not consistent in direction nor statistical significance across sensitivity analyses. No association was observed for GL or total, legume, or cereal fiber intake. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that carbohydrate quality and specific types of fiber—total vegetable and cruciferous vegetable fiber—are associated with endometriosis diagnosis in premenopausal women. These results also indicate it is unlikely that gluten intake is a strong factor in the etiology or symptomatology of endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: Hybrid methodologies have gained continuing interest as unique data reduction techniques for establishing a direct link between dietary exposures and clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare partial least squares (PLS) and reduced rank regression (RRR) in identifying a dietary pattern associated with a high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in Canadian adults, construct PLS- and RRR-based simplified dietary patterns, and assess associations between the 4 dietary pattern scores and CVD risk. METHODS: Data were collected from 24-h dietary recalls of adult respondents in the 2 cycles of the nationally representative Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)-Nutrition: CCHS 2004 linked to health administrative databases (n = 12,313) and CCHS 2015 (n = 14,020). Using 39 food groups, PLS and RRR were applied for identification of an energy-dense (ED), high-saturated-fat (HSF), and low-fiber-density (LFD) dietary pattern. Associations of the derived dietary pattern scores with lifestyle characteristics and CVD risk were examined using weighted multivariate regression and weighted multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models, respectively. RESULTS: PLS and RRR identified highly similar ED, HSF, and LFD dietary patterns with common high positive loadings for fast food, carbonated drinks, salty snacks, and solid fats, and high negative loadings for fruit, dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, other vegetables, whole grains, and legumes and soy (≥|0.17|). Food groups with the highest loadings were summed to form simplified pattern scores. Although the dietary patterns were not significantly associated with CVD risk, they were positively associated with 402-kcal/d higher energy intake (P-trends < 0.05) and higher obesity risk (PLS: OR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.62, 2.70; RRR: OR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.44, 2.17) (P-trends < 0.0001) in the fourth quartiles. CONCLUSIONS: PLS and RRR were shown to be equally effective for the derivation of a high-CVD-risk dietary pattern among Canadian adults. Further research is warranted on the role of major dietary components in cardiovascular health.

Double network (DN) gels based on wheat bran arabinoxylan (WBAX) and pea protein isolate (PPI) were fabricated by a two-step sequential gelation method with laccase catalyzed cross-linking followed by heating. The rheological properties, water holding capacity, microstructure and molecular structure of WBAX/PPI DN gels were investigated. Increasing the concentrations of WBAX and PPI contributed to an enhanced viscoelastic modulus of DN gel, which exhibited an interconnected, bicontinuous and compact structure with smaller pore sizes, as a result of higher cross-linking intensity of WBAX molecules. Low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) results showed that increasing the contents of PPI and WBAX could further restrict the water mobility within DN gel, which was beneficial for enhancing the water holding capacity of gel samples. The molecular structure analysis showed that the crosslinking of WBAX-WBAX, PPI-PPI and WBAX-PPI participated in the formation of WBAX-PPI DN gels.

The physicochemical, mechanical, thermal as well as morphological characteristics of alkali treated cellulosic Grewia Flavescens are reported in this paper. Using standard test methods, the chemical constituents of Grewia Flavescens fiber (GFF) are evaluated. Fiber treated in 5% (w/v) NaOH for 45 min soaking time is regarded as optimally surface-modified fiber. After optimal alkalization, there is an enhancement of cellulose content from 58.46% to 68.31%. Mechanical properties of GFF are determined by single fiber tensile test and improved tensile strength is achieved after alkalization. Weibull statistical analysis is performed for diameter and mechanical parameters of raw as well as treated GFF. FTIR spectroscopy reveals the removal of amorphous material from the fiber post-treatment and XRD analysis confirms improvement in crystallinity index from 16.01% to 26.72% and crystal size from 62.90 nm to 68.43 nm after alkalization. Thermal stability and thermal degradation temperature are found to be improved after alkali treatment. Morphological analysis of raw and alkali treated cellulosic GFF shows enhanced rough surface of fiber after alkalization because of elimination of impurities and foreign particles from the fiber surface. Presently studied GFF seems to be a good substitute to the harmful man-made fibers for making of bio composites.

The addition of potato to wheat flour extends the nutritional values of bread. However, the adverse effects mediated by high dietary fiber in potato flour could affect the formation of gluten matrix. The water dynamics and distribution determined by the Low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) demonstrated a competitive water binding of dietary fiber, resulting in the partial dehydration and conformational changes of gluten protein complexes. Besides, the microstructure of the dough characterized by Scanning electron microscope (SEM) suggested that the insoluble cellulose could block the continuity of gluten from the spatial position, thereby negative affecting the mechanical properties of the dough. In our study, addition of cellulase and/or pectinase apparently mitigated the gluten aggregation and dehydration, contributing to the formation and the continuity of the three-dimensional gluten network. As a consequence, the specific volume of the bread was increased by 40.2%, and the hardness was reduced by 64.48%.

Background and aims: Aleurone is the innermost layer of wheat bran, rich in fiber, minerals, vitamins, phenolic compounds, and betaine. The metabolic effects of aleurone rich foods are still unknown. Our aim was to investigate the effects of consuming a Wheat Aleurone rich diet vs. a Refined Wheat diet for 8 weeks on fasting and postprandial glycemic and lipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress in overweight/obese individuals. Methods and results: According to a randomized cross-over study design, 23 overweight/obese individuals, age 56 +/- 9 years (M +/- SD), were assigned to two isoenergetic diet - Wheat Aleurone and Refined Wheat diets - for 8 weeks. The diets were similar for macronutrient composition but different for the aleurone content (40-50 g/day in the Wheat Aleurone diet). After each diet, fasting and postprandial plasma metabolic profile, ferulic acid metabolites and 8-isoprostane concentrations in 24-h urine samples were evaluated. Compared with the Refined Wheat Diet, the Wheat Aleurone Diet increased fasting plasma concentrations of betaine by 15% (p = 0.042) and decreased the excretion of 8-isoprostane by 33% (p = 0.035). Conversely, it did not affect the fasting and postprandial glucose, insulin and triglyceride responses, homocysteine, and C-Reactive Protein concentrations, nor excretion of phenolic metabolites. Conclusion: An 8-week Wheat Aleurone Diet improves the oxidative stress and increases plasma betaine levels in overweight/obese individuals with an increased cardiometabolic risk. However, further studies with longer duration and larger sample size are needed to evaluate the benefits of aleurone-rich foods on glucose and lipid metabolism in individuals with more severe metabolic abnormalities. (c) 2021 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND: The increasing colorectal cancer (CRC) survivor population highlights the need for dietary recommendations in order to enhance health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and alleviate symptoms of fatigue, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and gastro-intestinal problems.OBJECTIVES: Because of the therapeutic potential of dietary fiber on the gut, we aim to assess longitudinal associations of post-diagnostic dietary fiber, fruit and vegetable intake, a major source of dietary fiber, with HRQoL, fatigue, CIPN and gastro-intestinal symptoms in CRC survivors from 6 weeks to 24 months post-treatment.METHODS: In a prospective cohort among stage I-III CRC survivors (n = 459), five repeated study measurements between diagnosis and 24 months post-treatment were executed. Dietary fiber and fruit and vegetable intake were measured by 7-day dietary records. HRQoL, fatigue, CIPN and gastro-intestinal symptoms were measured by validated questionnaires. We applied confounder-adjusted linear mixed-models to analyze longitudinal associations from 6 weeks until 24 months post-treatment, and used hybrid models to disentangle the overall association into intra-individual changes and inter-individual differences over time.RESULTS: Higher dietary fiber intake, fruit and vegetable intake were longitudinally associated with statistically significant better physical functioning and less fatigue. Intra-individual analyses showed that an increase of 10 g/d in dietary fiber within individuals over time was associated with better physical functioning (β: 2.3; 95% CI: 0.1, 4.4), role functioning (ability to perform daily activities - 5.9; 1.5, 10.3), and less fatigue (-4.1; -7.7,-0.5). An average increase in fruit and vegetable intake of 100 g/d between individuals over time was predominantly associated with less fatigue (-2.2; -4.2,-0.3). No associations were found with CIPN and gastro-intestinal symptoms.CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that increasing dietary fiber, fruit and vegetable intake is related to better physical and role functioning and less fatigue in the first two years after the end of treatment for CRC.Registration: The EnCoRe study was registered at trialregister.nl as NL6904 (former ID: NTR7099).

Background Plant-sourced intrinsic dietary fiber (PIDF), mainly composed of nondigestible polysaccharides in a cell wall form, is often existed in plant tissue particles in which the physical structure of the particle size, density and spatial organization of food component as well as the intactness and porosity of cell wall are critical to its physicochemical properties and health functions. However, there is limited information of PIDF compared to isolated and purified DF that is a chemical entity without association with the food context. Scope and approach The health benefit and physical structures of PIDF are emerging as a new research area in the field of DF although there is still limited information in the literature reports. In the current article, available information on the relationship between the physical structure and the physiological function as well as resulted health benefits of PIDF in a whole food context were reviewed in conjunction with food processing. Key findings and conclusions The physical structure of PIDF is a critical factor modulating the intestinal digestion and bioavailability of intracellular nutrients. PIDF can exert its health function through a physical structure-specific microbial fermentation and/or microbiota-independent pathways. A holistic approach to reveal the relationship between the physical structure and health function of PIDF will shed novel insight into the designing of PIDF enriched functional foods.

Biologically active bacterial cellulose (BC) was efficiently synthesized in situ using wine pomace and its hydrolysate. The structural and biomechanical properties together with the biological functions of the BC were investigated. Functional BC from wine pomace and its enzymatic hydrolysate were of high purity and had higher crystallinity indexes (90.61% and 89.88%, respectively) than that from HS medium (82.26%). FTIR results proved the in-situ bindings of polyphenols to the functionalized BC. Compared to BC from HS medium, wine pomace-based BC had more densely packed ultrafine fibrils, higher diameter range distributions of fiber ribbon, but lower thermal decomposition temperatures, as revealed by the SEM micrographs and DSC data. Meanwhile, wine pomace-based BC exhibited higher loads in tensile strength and higher hardness (4.95 ± 0.31 N and 5.13 ± 0.63 N, respectively) than BC in HS medium (3.43 ± 0.14 N). Furthermore, BC synthesized from wine pomace hydrolysate exhibited a slower release rate of phenolic compounds, and possessed more antioxidant activities and better bacteriostatic effects than BC from wine pomace. These results demonstrate that BC synthesized in situ from wine pomace (especially from enzymatic hydrolysate) is a promising biomolecule with a potential application in wound dressing, tissue engineering, and other biomedical fields.

Psyllium husk (Plantago ovata Forssk.), is an excellent source of natural soluble fiber. Arabic flatbread formulation standardized in a laboratory was scaled up for production in a commercial bakery. The water holding capacity (WHC) of wholegrain wheat flour (WGF), white wheat flour (WWF) and psyllium husk (PS) were found to be 2.9, 2.3 and 59.2 g water/g dry matter, respectively. The total dietary fiber (TDF) for WWF control bread (3.20 ± 0.23%) increased significantly to 5.62 ± 0.16 and 7.56 ± 0.18% with the addition of 3% and 5% psyllium, respectively. The corresponding soluble dietary fiber (SDF) values for these samples were 1.31 ± 0.13, 3.02 ± 0.16 and 4.15 ± 0.14%, respectively. The WWF Arabic flatbread samples also followed a similar trend for TDF and SDF contents with the addition of psyllium husk. At a level of 5% psyllium, the WWF test bread had a puncture force of 2.97 ± 0.16 N (much softer) compared with 3.40 ± 0.35 N for the WWF control bread (0% psyllium), whereas the WGF with 5% psyllium addition had a puncture force of 3.05 ± 0.19 N at the zero day of storage compared to that of 3.94 ± 0.19 N for WGF bread with no psyllium added. The major objective of this study was not only to enhance the soluble dietary fiber content in Arabic flatbread, but also to improve the consumer acceptability of this staple food of this region. Incorporation of psyllium husk did not adversely affect the objective color of crumb or overall consumer acceptability, and produced Arabic flatbread with softer texture, better flexibility (folding) and superior eating quality.

We sought to determine whether radiation to the colorectum had an impact on parameters of hippocampal neurogenesis and, if so, whether it could be modulated by a fiber-rich diet. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a diet containing bioprocessed oat bran or a fiber-free diet, starting two weeks before colorectal irradiation with 4 fractions of 8 Gray or sham-irradiation. Diets were then continued for 1, 6 or 18 weeks, whereafter parameters of hippocampal neurogenesis were analyzed and correlated to serum cytokine levels. No statistically significant changes in neuronal markers or cell proliferation were found at one week post-irradiation. Six weeks post-irradiation there was a decreased cell proliferation in the subgranular zone that appeared slightly more pronounced in irradiated animals on a fiber-free diet and increased numbers of immature neurons per mm2 dentate gyrus in the irradiated mice, with a statistically significant increase in mice on a fiber-rich diet. Microglial abundancy was similar between all groups. 18 weeks post-irradiation, a fiber-free diet had reduced the number of immature neurons, whereas irradiation resulted in an increase. Despite this, the population of mature neurons was stable. Analysis of serum cytokines revealed a negative correlation between MIP1-α and the number of immature neurons one week after irradiation, regardless of diet. Our findings show that pelvic radiotherapy has the potential to cause a long-lasting impact on hippocampal neurogenesis, and dietary interventions may modulate this impact. More in-depth studies on the relationship between irradiation-induced intestinal injury and brain health are warranted. (Less)

BACKGROUND: A growing body of literature suggests chronically higher bile acid (BA) concentrations may be associated with multiple health conditions. Diet may affect BA metabolism and signaling; however, evidence from human populations is lacking. OBJECTIVES: We systematically investigated cross-sectional associations of a priori–selected dietary components (fiber, alcohol, coffee, fat) with circulating BA concentrations. METHODS: We used targeted, quantitative LC-MS/MS panels to measure 15 circulating BAs in a subset of the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (ATBC; n = 2224) and Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO; n = 986) comprising Finnish male smokers and United States men and women, respectively. We used multivariable linear regression to estimate associations of each dietary component with log-transformed BAs; exponentiated coefficients estimate proportional differences. We included the median of the dietary component quartile in linear regression models to test for trend. RESULTS: In ATBC, fiber was inversely associated with multiple circulating BAs. The proportional difference was –10.09% (95% CI: −19.29 to 0.16; P-trend = 0.04) when comparing total BAs among those in the highest relative to the lowest fiber quartile. Alcohol, trans fat, and polyunsaturated fat were positively associated with BAs in ATBC. The proportional difference comparing total BAs among those in the highest relative to the lowest alcohol quartile was 8.76% (95% CI: –3.10 to 22.06; P-trend = 0.03). Coffee and monounsaturated fat were inversely associated with BAs. The proportional difference comparing total BAs among those in the highest relative to the lowest coffee quartile was –24.03% (95% CI: –31.57 to –15.66; P-trend

BACKGROUND The degree of ileal organic matter (OM) fermentation appears to be comparable to hindgut fermentation in growing pigs. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine if dietary fiber sources with known different total gastrointestinal tract (GIT) fermentability in humans affect ileal and hindgut microbial communities and ileal fermentation in growing pigs used as an animal model for human adults. METHODS Male pigs (21 kg bodyweight; 9 wk old; PIC Camborough 46 × PIC boar 356L; n = 8/diet) were fed for 42 d a diet containing cellulose (CEL, low fermentability) as the sole fiber source (4.5%) or diets in which half of the CEL was replaced by moderately fermentable fiber, psyllium (PSY), or kiwifruit (KF) fiber. For each diet, terminal jejunal (substrate) and ileal (inoculum) digesta were collected from euthanized animals for in vitro ileal fermentation (2 h). Terminal ileal (substrate) and cecal (inoculum) digesta were used for in vitro hindgut fermentation (24 h). After in vitro fermentations, OM fermentation and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production were determined. Ileal digesta and feces were collected for microbial analysis. Data were analyzed by 2-factor ANOVA (diet × GIT region). RESULTS In vitro ileal OM fermentation was on average 22% and comparable to hindgut OM fermentation. Ileal and hindgut OM fermentation, SCFA production, and microbial community composition changed (P

Background In the last decade, the sharply increasing population has fueled the development of food industry to fulfill the demand of daily consumption. The processing of food products inevitably brings about some by-products, which tend to weigh the burden of environment. Pitaya (Hylocereus spp.) is consumed in most regions of the world due to good taste and health-promoting effects. Peels, accounting for approximately one third of whole fruits, are the main by-products generated by pitaya processing. However, pitaya peels promise to be recycled as great reservoirs of nutritional and bioactive compounds. Scope and approach This review summarizes the nutritional and phytochemical profiles of pitaya (Hylocereus spp.) peels in detail. Further, the bioactive activities of pitaya peels based on the findings of in vitro and in vivo studies are deeply reviewed. Besides, the research progress with regard to the reutilization of pitaya peels by food industry is comprehensively discussed. Key findings and conclusions Pitaya peels are a rich source of nutrition, especially pectin and dietary fiber, and bioactive phytochemicals such as betacyanins. Recent literatures have demonstrated the potent health-promoting effects of pitaya peels or their extracts, suggesting the application in the development of innovative food products. Moreover, pitaya peels demonstrate great potentials to be applied in food industry, including: 1) applications in food products; 2) applications in recovery of high added-value materials (amylase, pectinase, pectin and betacyanins); 3) applications in food packaging and edible coatings. The reutilization of pitaya peels would assist in increasing overall added value and alleviating the environmental burden.

BACKGROUND Wheat bran (WB) has been associated with improved gastrointestinal health and a reduced risk of metabolic disorders. Reducing the particle size of WB might increase its fermentability and facilitate cross-feeding between the gut bacteria and in this way produce health effects. OBJECTIVES We investigated the impact of WB with reduced particle size (WB RPS) on colonic fermentation and host health in normal-weight (NW) and obese (OB) participants compared with placebo (PL). METHODS During 1 mo, 36 NW and 14 OB participants daily consumed 20 g WB RPS or PL (maltodextrin). Before and after the intervention, fasting serum and fecal SCFAs, fecal metabolite profiles, and microbiota composition were measured as fermentation parameters. Fecal output, fecal dry weight (%), fat excretion, transit, stool consistency, intestinal permeability, and serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and C-reactive protein concentrations were measured as health parameters. The impact of WB RPS on the fermentation of other carbohydrates was assessed by quantifying postprandial cumulative serum 13C-SCFA after a challenge with 13C-inulin. RESULTS WB RPS increased fasting serum acetate (P

Dietary fiber intake helps to maintain gut homeostasis. Fiber deficiency causes commensals to utilize mucins as an energy source to destroy mucus layer, thus promoting susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease. Here, we reported that oroxylin A, a natural flavonoid, ameliorated low-grade colonic inflammation caused by fiber deficiency, alleviated colitis, and further prevented colitis-associated colon cancer in mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of oroxylin A was due to its alteration of gut microbiota. We found that the levels of Eubacterium coprostanoligenes was significantly increased by oroxylin A and the colonized Eubacterium coprostanoligenes significantly protected against colitis and carcinogenesis in colon of mice. Together, our results in this study suggest that oroxylin A may reduce the susceptibility to intestinal diseases by increasing the level of Eubacterium coprostanoligenes which could provide a therapeutic alternation for the treatment of intestinal diseases.

Pomelo peel, a by-product of fruit processing, is an excellent source of pectin. We aimed to study the effects of thermal treatments on the extraction and in vitro fermentation patterns of pectins from pomelo peel. We used subcritical water extraction and hot water extraction, with or without chelator (citric acid or EDTA-2Na) assistance to obtain the pectins. The pectin fractions were characterized by their constituent monosaccharide composition and molecular weight (Mw) distribution. The degree of methyl esterification of pomelo pectins was determined using FT-IR spectroscopy. We also compared the fermentation patterns of the pectin using an in vitro simulated human gut fermentation model, monitored Mw changes during fermentation by high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), and analyzed short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) using gas chromatograph. Our results showed that both chelator assistance and subcritical water treatment increased the pectin yield. Chelator-assisted extraction increased the pectin Mw and decreased the degree of methyl esterification (DM) whereas, subcritical water treatment had the opposite effect. Pectin with low rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) and high homogalacturonan (HG) domain can be obtained from the used pomelo peels by citric acid-assisted extraction. Although gut microbiota intensively utilized uronic acid (UA) of pomelo during early fermentation stages, constituent neutral monosaccharides were consumed even faster than UA. Pomelo pectins enhanced the relative abundance of Bacteroides and Prevotella 9, and stimulated the production of SCFA, particularly acetic acid. Generally, pomelo pectin could be considered a new source for modulating gut microbiota towards a healthy pattern in functional foods.

Plant foods are universally promoted for their links to improved human health, yet carbohydrate-containing foods are often maligned based on isolated, reductionist methods that fail to assess carbohydrate foods as a matrix of nutrients and food components. Currently accepted positive carbohydrate quality indices include plant food, whole-grain content, and dietary fiber, while negative health outcomes are linked to high intakes of added sugar and high glycemic index. More recently, negative health aspects have been linked to ultra-processed foods, which are often high in carbohydrates. Yet, carbohydrate staples such as grains and dairy products are both enriched and fortified, resulting in these carbohydrate foods containing important nutrients of concern such as dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin D, and calcium. This Perspective analyzes carbohydrate metrics used in dietary guidance and labeling and finds limitations in accepted indices included in standardized quality carbohydrate definitions and also proposes additional indices to benefit both human and environmental health. As nutrition recommendations shift away from a single-nutrient focus to a more holistic dietary pattern approach that is flexible and adaptable for each individual, it is necessary to determine the quality components that make up these patterns. This review concludes that current approaches that demonize staple carbohydrate foods do little to promote the recommended patterns of foods known to improve health status and reduce disease risk.

Background Functional and healthier foods has been seen as important elements in a healthier lifestyle. In order to obtain these products, reformulation is the main strategy to develop health-oriented solutions. In addition to the health benefits, increasing evidence have been suggesting that functional foods can also influence satiety, a major factor related to the frequency of food consumption and, consequently, the health. Scope and approach The aim of this review is to discuss the current evidence associating the consumption of functional foods with satiety. The studies with healthier and functional food products disclose the relation between protein, dietary fiber, fat, sugar, and salt with satiety. Key findings and conclusions Satiety is a complex and dynamic process that can be modified, at some extent, with food ingredients. Increasing dietary fiber and modifying fat and sugar composition are the main strategies to obtain healthier and functional foods with increased satiating effect. Major advances are still necessary to optimize the satiety of products with high protein content and clarify the relation between salt and satiety.

Background SCFAs are involved in regulation of body weight and bone health. Objectives We aimed to examine whether genetic variations related to butyrate modified the relation between dietary fiber intake and changes in bone mineral density (BMD) in response to weight-loss dietary interventions. Methods In the 2-y Preventing Overweight Using Novel Dietary Strategies trial, 424 participants with BMD measured by DXA scan were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 diets varying in macronutrient intakes. A polygenic score (PGS) was calculated based on 7 genetic variants related to the production of butyrate for 370 of the 424 participants. Results SCFA PGS significantly modified the association between baseline dietary fiber intake and sex on 2-y changes in whole-body BMD (P-interaction = 0.049 and 0.008). In participants with the highest tertile of SCFA PGS, higher dietary fiber intake was related to a greater increase in BMD (β: 0.0022; 95% CI: 0.0009, 0.0035; P = 0.002), whereas no such association was found for participants in the lower tertiles. In the lowest tertiles of SCFA PGS, men showed a significant increase in whole-body BMD (β: 0.0280; 95% CI: 0.0112, 0.0447; P = 0.002) compared with women. In the highest tertile, no significant difference was found for the change in BMD between men and women. Conclusions Our data indicate that genetic variants related to butyrate modify the relations of dietary fiber intake and sex with long-term changes in BMD in response to weight-loss diet interventions.

The complex glycans comprising 'dietary fiber' evade the limited repertoire of human digestive enzymes and hence feed the vast community of microbes in the lower gastrointestinal tract. As such, complex glycans drive the composition of the human gut microbiota and, in turn, influence diverse facets of our nutrition and health. To access these otherwise recalcitrant carbohydrates, gut bacteria produce coordinated, substrate-specific arsenals of carbohydrate-active enzymes, glycan-binding proteins, oligosaccharide transporters, and transcriptional regulators. A recent explosion of biochemical and enzymological studies of these systems has led to the discovery of manifold new carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) families. Crucially underpinned by structural biology, these studies have also provided unprecedented molecular insight into the exquisite specificity of glycan recognition in the diverse CAZymes and non-catalytic proteins from the HGM. The revelation of a multitude of new three-dimensional structures and substrate complexes constitutes a 'gold rush' in the structural biology of the human gut microbiota.

Background Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet and is known to attenuate postprandial glycemia. Orange pomace (OP) is a by-product of orange juice (OJ) production and is a rich source of fiber. Objective Two separate studies determined the impact of added OP to 100% OJ on postprandial glycemic response compared with sugar-matched OJ or whole orange fruit (WOF). Methods Study 1 included 17 adults [65% female, age 39.3 ± 3.1 y, and BMI (in kg/m2) 24.6 ± 0.7], and study 2 included 45 different adults (47% female, age 25.1 ± 4.3 y, and BMI 22.5 ± 1.6). Studies were conducted at separate locations using a randomized, 3-arm, crossover design to test the glycemic response to sugar-matched OJ, OJ with 5 g fiber from OP (OPF), or WOF. The primary outcomes were 2-h glucose incremental area under the curve (iAUC) in study 1, analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA, and maximum glucose concentration (Cmax) in study 2, analyzed using PROC MIXED (ANCOVA). Glucose and insulin concentrations were measured at fasting and multiple time points over 2 h after test product consumption (study 1, serum; study 2, plasma). Results In study 1, glucose iAUC was not significantly lower in OPF compared to the OJ or WOF (825 ± 132 compared with 920 ± 132 and 760 ± 132 mg · min · dL-1, respectively, P = 0.57 for both). In study 2, glucose iAUC was significantly lower in WOF compared with OPF and OJ (689 ± 70.7 compared with 892 ± 70.7 and 974 ± 70.7 mg · min · dL-1, P = 0.02 and 0.001, respectively). Data from both studies indicated OPF reduced Cmax compared with OJ and that the reductions were comparable to WOF (study 1: OPF, 115 ± 4.06 compared with OJ, 124 ± 4.06 and WOF, 114 ± 4.06 mg · dL-¹, P = 0.002 and 0.75, respectively; study 2: OPF, 128 ± 1.92 compared with OJ, 136 ± 1.92 and WOF, 125 ± 1.92 mg · dL-¹, P = 0.001 and 0.28, respectively). Conclusion Data from both studies demonstrated no significant effect of OPF on postprandial iAUC compared with OJ. However, adding OP into OJ attenuates the postprandial glucose Cmax, and the responses were comparable to WOF in healthy adults.

Background Rising health awareness has driven tremendous public interest among food manufacturers and academicians in identifying and developing novel functional foods. Studies on the health-promoting benefits of soy products and their quality improvement measures have become the hotspot across the globe. However, there is limited information summarizing the existing soy products and their improved quality attributes associated with different technical strategies. Scope and approach New processing strategies (physical, chemical, and biological) applied in the modification of various soy products are summarized and their pre- and post-modified quality attributes are systematically reviewed. The current review also highlights the role of fermentation in enhancing the nutritional, sensory, and health-promoting features of soy products. Key findings and conclusions Traditionally processed soy products exhibit intrinsic quality defects such as beany flavor, high anti-nutrients content, complex structure, and low bioavailability of soy protein and isoflavones. New processing strategies including blending with extra ingredients, non-thermal treatment, dietary fiber modifications, acid treatment, germination and tailored fermentation could render these soy products with improved nutritional and sensory characteristics, especially, fermentation has been reported to provide soy products with enhanced health-promoting features such as anti-diabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects as well as improving the cardiovascular and bone health. The information accumulated in this review may provide up-to-date evidence supporting diversified soy products as a class of important functional foods.

Background Corn fiber gum (CFG) belongs to a class of soluble, highly branched arabinoxylans derived from corn fiber. It can be isolated from deoiled and destarched corn fiber by mild-alkaline hydrogen peroxide treatments. This polysaccharide contains a small percentage of proteins, lipids, and nutraceutical phenolic compounds in the backbone. CFG has presented various practical applications in the food industry. It shows potential as an emulsifier for oil-in-water emulsion systems, whose emulsifying property is mostly related to the hydrophobic proteins and lipids bound to the carbohydrate moiety in CFG. CFG also exhibits unique biological activities, such as antioxidative activity, fermentability and immunomodulatory property, due to the nutraceutical phenolic compounds in CFG chains. Scope and approach This review summarizes recent findings on the isolation, physicochemical properties, biological activities, and functional properties of CFG. First, the review opens with a sketch of the extraction process of CFG from corn fiber. Then, the physicochemical properties and biological activities of CFG are comprehensively discussed. Thereafter, the current and potential applications of CFG in the food industry are introduced in detail. Finally, state-of-the-art approaches for improving the functional properties of CFG, especially its emulsifying property, are highlighted. Key findings and conclusions Corn fiber gum exhibits different biological activities and functional properties, which are highly dependent on the extraction method. The biological activities and functional properties of CFG are closely related to its fine structural features, such as its molecular weight, protein content, and nutraceutical phenolic compound content. The bound ferulic acid contributes to CFG antioxidative activity. The emulsifying property of CFG is highly dependent on the protein content in the main backbone. However, the insufficient protein content in CFG chains limits the adoption of CFG as an emulsifier. Thus, the chemical or physical modification of CFG may boost its functional properties or endow it with new technologically important features. Overall, CFG has great potential use in the food industry as an antioxidant, immunomodulator, dietary fiber, and emulsifier.

Background Resistant starch (RS) has been unanimously identified as a replacement for dietary fiber due to its balanced nutritional functionality and sensory implications. Main source of resistant starch is presently from tubers and cereals. However, on the basis of dependence on resource intensiveness, these crops were questioned recently and a necessity of shifting starch source to a sustainable source was highlighted. This resulted an increase in interest for millet sourced RS, lately. Recently, this fact attracted research community's attention and numerous studies have been reported. However, a literature compiling the recent developments and highlighting the importance, opportunities of RS sourced millets as a cereal replacement is limited. Scope and approach This review is focused on comprehending the recent developments and food application of millet RS. Starch profile of different millets and influence of different millet and various unit operations in millets RS formation has been also conferred. Research prospects and importance of millet RS in meeting future RS demand sustainably is highlighted. Commercial viability of high RS millet flour and conventional corn RS has been evaluated. Key Findings and Conclusion: Millets is a sustainable raw-material for RS manufacturing and a potential replacement to cereals. The inherent nutraceutical functionality and climatic tolerance gives millets an edge over cereals. Thermal and chemical treatments are efficient manufacturing processes for millet RS. Influence of millet protein and fat could increment the RS content. The versatility of millet RS permit multiple food applications.

Summary Background & aims To date, the prevalence of Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in China was 17.5%. Given the substantial relevance of GDM for medium- and long-term health of both mother and offspring and the paucity of existing data on the link between maternal diet and glucose homeostasis during pregnancy in Asian population, additional studies are needed. To examine the relevance of dietary glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL) and fiber intake before and during pregnancy for the development of GDM and glucose homeostasis over the course of pregnancy. Methods Cox proportional hazards analysis and linear mixed effects regressions were performed on data from 9317 women for whom three food frequency questionnaires (pre-pregnancy, 1st and 2nd trimesters) and biochemical measures during pregnancy were available. Investigated outcome variables included GDM risk, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Results Women in the highest tertile of dietary GI (or GL) before pregnancy, in the 1st, or the 2nd trimester respectively had a 12% (15%), 25% (23%) or 29% (25%) higher risk of developing GDM than those in the lowest tertile (all p for trend ≤ 0.02). Women with the highest dietary fiber intake before pregnancy, in the 1st or 2nd trimester had a 11%, 17% or 18% lower GDM risk (all p for trend ≤ 0.03). Moreover, increases in GI or GL and decreases in fiber intake over the course of pregnancy (1st to 3rd trimesters) were independently associated with adverse concurrent developments in FPG, HbA1C and HOMA-IR (p ≤ 0.03). Conclusions Our study indicates that dietary GI, GL and fiber intake before and during pregnancy affects glucose homeostasis of pregnant Chinese women.

No previous investigation has summarized findings from prospective cohort studies on the association between dietary intake of fiber, fruit, and vegetables and risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Dietary fiber and its major sources can influence the risk of IBD by modulation of the gut microbiota. This study summarizes findings from published cohort studies on the association between dietary fiber, fruit, and vegetable consumption and risk of IBD. Relevant articles published up to January 2019 were searched via PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. All prospective cohort studies investigating the association between dietary fiber, fruit, and vegetable intake and risk of IBD were included. Combining 7 effect sizes from 6 studies, no significant association was found between dietary intake of fiber and risk of ulcerative colitis (UC) (RR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.88, 1.34). However, a significant inverse association was found between dietary fiber intake and risk of Crohn disease (CD) (RR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.74), based on 5 studies with 6 effect sizes. Pooling information from 4 studies, we found a significant protective association between dietary intake of fruit and risk of UC (RR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.55, 0.86) and CD (RR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.58). We also found a significant inverse association between vegetable consumption and risk of UC (RR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.66) and CD (RR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.59). In conclusion, dietary intake of fruit and vegetables was inversely associated with risk of IBD and its subtypes. Dietary fiber intake was also inversely associated with incidence of IBD and CD, but not with UC. Further studies are warranted to examine the association of other fiber-rich foods with IBD.

Soluble dietary fiber is prompted as an important part of reducing blood glucose, ameliorating insulin resistance and controlling body weight. Thus, we performed this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to quantify and synthesize the effects of soluble fiber supplementation on glycemic control and BMI modification in adults with type 2 diabetes.We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Cochrane databases until February 13, 2020 to identify RCTs that detected the effects of soluble fiber supplementation on glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. A random-effects model with the generic inverse variance method was used to analyze the pooled data. The meta-regression and subgroup analyses were conducted to identify the variables that influenced the pooled results. The robust error meta-regression model was used to conduct the dose-response test. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was undertaken to evaluate the overall quality of the evidence.A total of 29 RCTs (33 comparisons) involving 1517 participants were identified in this meta-analysis. Results showed that supplemental soluble dietary fiber significantly reduced glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c, MD -0.63%, 95% CI [-0.90, -0.37]; P 0.00001), fasting plasma glucose (FPG, MD -0.89 mmol/L, 95% CI [-1.28, -0.51]; P 0.00001), fasting insulin (SMD -0.48, 95% CI [-0.80, -0.17]; P = 0.003), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, SMD -0.58, 95% CI [-0.86, -0.29], P 0.0001), fructosamine (SMD -1.03, 95% CI [-1.51, -0.55]; P 0.0001), 2-h postprandial plasma glucose (SMD -0.74, 95% CI [-1.00, -0.48]; P 0.00001), and BMI (SMD -0.31, 95% CI [-0.61, -0.00], P = 0.05) compared with control diets in patients with type 2 diabetes. Specifically, dose-response meta-analyses presented that a daily dosage of 7.6-8.3 g was recommended.Intake of soluble fiber supplementation is effective in improving glycemic control and BMI level in type 2 diabetes and is also a convenient way to help individuals meet standard dietary fiber needs. But due to the evidence of substantial heterogeneity in most pooled estimates, further long-term and high-quality RCTs are needed.

Summary Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) rapidly undergo expansion in population size and functional maturation in response to cytokines that signal infection, tissue damage or changes in physiology. Optimal ILC responses are shaped, in part, by the microbiota but the mechanisms remain unclear. We report that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by the commensal microbiota from dietary fibers, support optimal expansion of ILCs, including ILC1, ILC2 and ILC3 in the intestines through their G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). While this function is primarily important for intestinal ILC populations, it can also boost ILC responses in other tissues depending on host condition. ILCs express multiple GPCRs that detect SCFAs. Interestingly, we found that the expression of SCFA receptors, such as Ffar2 and Ffar3, by ILCs is induced by SCFAs. GPCR triggering by SCFAs co-stimulates the activation of Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), Stat3, Stat5, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which is important for ILC proliferation. While Ffar2 signaling promotes ILC2 proliferation, SCFAs can suppress ILC2 proliferation through a non-Ffar2-mediated mechanism. In conclusion, our findings indicate that SCFAs, as the major mediator of healthy microbiota and nutritional status, function to maintain optimal numbers of ILCs in peripheral tissues during infection and inflammatory responses.

Background Whole grain wheat (WGW) products are advocated as a healthy choice when compared with refined wheat (RW). One proposed mechanism for these health benefits is via the microbiota, because WGW contains multiple fibers. WGW consumption has been proposed to ameliorate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, in which microbiota might play a role. Objectives We investigated the effect of WGW compared with RW intervention on the fecal microbiota composition and functionality, and correlated intervention-induced changes in bacteria with changes in liver health parameters in adults with overweight or obesity. Methods We used data of a 12-wk double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel trial to examine the effects of a WGW (98 g/d) or RW (98 g/d) intervention on the secondary outcomes fecal microbiota composition, predicted microbiota functionality, and stool consistency in 37 women and men (aged 45–70 y, BMI 25–35 kg/m2). The changes in microbiota composition, measured using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, after a 12-wk intervention were analyzed with nonparametric tests, and correlated with changes in liver fat and circulating concentrations of liver enzymes including alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, γ-glutamyltransferase, and serum amyloid A. Results The WGW intervention increased the mean (± SD) relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014 (baseline: 2.2 ± 4.6%, differential change over time (Δ) 0.51 ± 4.2%), Ruminiclostridium_9 (baseline: 0.065 ± 0.11%, Δ 0.054 ± 0.14%), and Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group (baseline: 0.37 ± 0.56%, Δ 0.17 ± 0.83%), and also the predicted pathway acetyl-CoA fermentation to butyrate II (baseline: 0.23 ± 0.062%, Δ 0.035 ± 0.059%), compared with the RW intervention (P values

Benefiting from its favorable effects in promoting intestinal peristalsis, increasing satiety and reducing postprandial blood sugar, wheat bran insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) could be added to noodles to improve the nutrition value of noodle products. However, the addition of IDF usually results in an adverse effect on the quality characteristics of fiber fortified products, leading to unfavorable texture and consumption drop. It was found that IDF could weaken dough characteristics, thereby causing the quality deterioration of noodles, but the mechanism is unclear as yet. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different amounts of IDF on the texture quality and cooking quality of noodles. The water distribution, rheological properties, pasting properties and cooking properties of the noodles were determined by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), dynamic rheometer, and rapid visco-analyzer. The results of the LF-NMR showed that the increased IDF in the noodles resulted in a contraction of relaxation time and an increase in the proportion of loosely bound water. At a high amount of IDF, the water absorption and tensile distance of the noodles significantly decreased and the cooking loss rate increased, with a downward trend in peak viscosity, final viscosity and setback values. Moreover, IDF could improve the storage modulus and loss modulus of sheeted dough and enhance the texture of noodles. Furthermore, the correlations between IDF addition amounts and rheological properties as well as cooking properties were analyzed, and the results confirmed that noodles with the IDF amount of 2%–4% had higher nutrition and quality. This study provides the basis for future development and improvement of IDF-enriched health foods.

Gelation of soybean proteins with different coagulates as affected by okara nano-sized dietary fiber (NDF) were investigated. As compared with the MgCl

Ricebean accessions (n = 38) cultivated in India were evaluated for their comprehensive nutrient, anti-nutrients and mineral composition. Protein and total dietary fibre ranged between 23.23 and 27.33 and 12.27 to 16.69 g/100 g, respectively. Among the oligosaccharides, verbascose was not detected, however, raffinose and stachyose ranged between 47 and 186 and 117 to 5765 mg/100 g, respectively. Among the free sugars, sucrose was found dominating (up to 370 mg/100 g). Resistant starch (4.13 to 8.62 %), iron (3.49 to 7.46 mg/100 g), zinc (1.90 to 3.72 mg/100 g) and selenium (0.28 to 4.48 µg/100 g) varied significantly (p 0.05) among ricebean samples. Phytic acid, saponin, trypsin inhibitor and oxalate analysed in ricebean accessions ranged between 303 and 760 mg/100 g, 19 to 46 mg/g, 309 to 1076 mg/100 g and 219 to 431 mg/100 g, respectively. Multivariate analysis using hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), and principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to decipher the diversity of nutrients and anti-nutrients across the ricebean accessions. Based on HCA, dendrogram-1 (nutrients) and dendrogram-2 (minerals, anti-nutrients) were produced, having four clusters in each. In the dendrogram-1 and 2, the largest cluster had (n = 21) and (n = 15) accessions, respectively. The PCA analyse the uncorrelated set of variables (principal components) and it condenses a large set of data variables. Based on the eigenvalue1, a total of eight PCs were formed contributing total variance of 78.8 %. The factor loading contribution in the PC1 and PC2 were from iron, fructose, glucose, raffinose and total dietary fibre, selenium (Se) and protein, respectively.

This study investigated the effects of the sugarcane flavones diosmin, diosmetin, luteolin, and tricin, and their interactions with sugarcane fiber on the modulation of gut microbiota using in vitro batch fermentation. The alteration of fecal fermentation bacterial profile was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing data, while the bioavailability of fiber was indicated by short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production and metabolism of polyphenols was measured directly by phenolic metabolites. Application of diosmin, diosmetin, luteolin, and tricin without fiber had no significant effect on the overall microbiota profile after 24 h of fermentation. When fiber alone was added, total SCFA production increased, specifically that of propionic and valeric acids. However, when flavones were combined with fiber, synergistic effects on the modulation of relative abundances of different bacterial taxa was noted. In particular, the proportion of Prevotella spp. was significantly increased by the combinations of diosmin, luteolin, and tricin with fiber.