Search

INTRODUCTION Thermal processing, commonly used during food production, may affect food allergenicity by inducing physical and/or chemical changes in proteins and lipids. However, due to the lack of detailed information on processing procedures, available evidences on this topic are presently contradictory. The aim of this study was to investigate how two different roasting techniques, hot air (HA) and infrared (IR), could modify the hazelnut seed structure, the protein profiles and solubility. Moreover, the ability of the IgEs from hazelnut allergic children to bind hazelnut proteins before and after roasting was evaluated. METHODS Experiments were designed on an Italian variety of C. avellana (Cv. Tonda Gentile delle Langhe) obtained from experimental fields. Two pilot-scale ovens infrared (IR) and hot air (HA) and two combinations of time and temperature for each oven were considered: 140 °C for 25 min (low temperature (LT)) and 170 °C for 17 min (high temperature (HT)) in HA; 140 °C for 12 min (LT) and 170 °C for 10 min (HT) in IR. RESULTS A decrease in hazelnut protein solubility was detectable following LT-IR roasting and it became more evident after HT processing, for both roasting types. The immuno-recognition decreased progressively from raw to high temperature processes. The IR-HT processing caused a quite complete disappearance of immune-recognition of hazelnut proteins. Interestingly, different allergens showed different responses to heat processing. The immune-reactivity of Cor a 9, Cor a 11 and Cor a 14 resulted to be stable until 140 °C, while Cor a 8 immuno-recognition was already reduced at 140 °C and completely lost at 170 °C. Differently, oil body (OB) associated protein immuno-recognition was increased after HA roasting at 140 °C whereas was reduced in the remaining treatments and disappeared in the IR-HT. At structural level, microscopical observations showed a cytoplasmic network disruption with an alteration of the structure of the protein bodies and of the cell wall organization. CONCLUSION IR oven is the least conservative processing, especially at high temperatures, both considering protein solubility and immuno-recognition. Our results could be useful for the development of clinical protocols for the process of oral desensitization of hazelnut allergic patients.

Introduction: It is known that thermal processing, commonly used during food production, may affect food allergenicity by inducing physical and/or chemical changes in macronutrients. However, due to the lack of detailed information on processing procedures, available evidences on this topic are presently contradictory. This study aims to evaluate the effects of different types of roasting on hazelnut protein solubility and immune reactivity. Methods: We investigated the IgE-binding capacities of both soluble and insoluble hazelnut protein fractions from C. avellana (Cv. Tonda Gentile delle Langhe), before and after roasting using two different roasting techniques: hot air (HA) as a ''traditional method," and infrared (IR), as an ''innovative method". Two combinations of time and temperature for each oven were considered: 140°C for 25min (LT) and 170°C for 17 min (HT) in HA; 140°C for 12 min (LT) and 170°C for 10 min (HT) in IR. Total protein and oil body associated protein extracts were used for immunoblotting experiments with allergic patient sera. Results: A decrease in hazelnut protein solubility was detectable following LT-IR roasting and it became more evident after HT processing, for both roasting types. Concerning allergenicity, the raw hazelnut proteins extract was the most immune reactive, followed by LT-HA and LT-IR processed hazelnut that showed a very similar immune reactive pattern. The HA-HT treatment resulted in a low, although detectable, immune reactivity, while the IR-HT processing caused a quite complete disappearance of immune reactivity of hazelnut proteins. The different hazelnut allergens (Cor a 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) were differently affected by thermal treatments, in accordance with their thermal stability, as already reported by literature. Discussion: HA oven is the most conservative processing, especially at low temperatures, both considering protein solubility and immune-reactivity. Both the HT treatments demonstrated to reduce immune-recognition of hazelnut proteins by allergic patient sera.

Preterm and low birth weight infants require specific nutrition to overcome the accumulated growth deficit, and to prevent morbidities related to postnatal growth failure. In order to guarantee an adequate nutrient-intake, mother's milk, when available, or donated human milk, are usually fortified with additional nutrients, in particular proteins. Fortification with processed ingredients may result in additional intake in oxidative compounds, deriving from extensive heat treatments that are applied during processing. This study aims to compare the in vitro antioxidant activity and oxidative compound content conveyed by different preterm infant foods and fortifiers, namely raw and pasteurized human milk, two different preterm infant formulas, two bovine milk-based fortifiers and two experimental donkey milk-based fortifiers. The antioxidant activity of the infant foods and human milk fortifiers considered in the present research were evaluated as Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), radical scavenging activity on the radical DPPH and in vitro antioxidant activity using red blood cells as indicators (CAA-RBC). As far as the oxidative content is concerned, the formation of malondialdehydes and protein carbonyls were assessed by HPLC and UV-spectrophotometric method respectively. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses revealed significant differences between the different products. In particular, the choice of the protein source (hydrolysed vs. whole proteins) may greatly impact the resulting total antioxidant capacity of the preterm meal. The addition of fortifiers to human milk may result in higher antioxidant capacity; among bovine milk proteins, hydrolysed whey proteins resulted to provide higher antioxidant capacity than whole proteins. In general, the use of human milk minimizes the amount of oxidative compound in the diet in comparison to infant formulas, irrespectively of pasteurization or fortification, especially when malondialdehyde content is taken into account. The characterization of macro and micronutrients, bioactive compounds, as well as contaminants, deriving from food alteration, is of primary importance in order to guarantee high quality food products and adequate protein intake, especially when intended for infants, as formulas and fortifiers.

Purpose This study was intended to determine whether a simulation-based education addressed to physicians was able to increase the proportion of hospitalized elderly with atrial fibrillation prescribed with oral anticoagulants (OACs) compared with the usual practice. Methods We conducted a cluster randomized trial (from April 2015 to September 2018) on 32 Italian internal medicine and geriatric wards randomized 1:1 to intervention or control arms. The physicians of wards randomized to intervention received a computer-based e-learning tool with clinical scenarios (Dr Sim), and those of wards randomized to control received no formal educational intervention. The primary outcome was the OAC prescription rate at hospital discharge in the intervention and control arms. Results Of 452 patients scrutinized, 247 were included in the analysis. Of them, 186 (75.3%) were prescribed with OACs at hospital discharge. No difference was found between the intervention and control arms in the post-intervention phase (odds ratio, 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-2.64). The differences from the pre- to post-intervention phases in the proportions of patients prescribed with OACs (15.1%; 95% CI, 0%-31.5%) and with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) (20%; 95% CI, 0%-39.8%) increased more in the intervention than in the control arm. Conclusions This simulation-based course did not succeed in increasing the rate of elderly patients prescribed with OACs at hospital discharge compared with the usual practice. Notwithstanding, over time there was a greater increase in the intervention than in the control arm in the proportion of patients prescribed with OACs and DOACs. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03188211.

Thirty-nine Balb-c mice (20 months old) were randomly allotted to three nutritionally balanced, isocaloric and isoproteic diets. Mice were fed for 30 days, with a 22% w/w substitution of the protein content (AA mix from casein hydrolysate - diet A) or with cow's milk containing either the A1/A2 ?-casein (diet B) or the A2/A2 ?-casein (diet C). Following gut inflammatory status and gastrointestinal function were evaluated: intestinal lymphocyte subpopulations quantitation (by flow cytometry targeting CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD45, panNK, TCR??, TCR??); DPP IV activity in jejunal extracts (by fluorimetric activity assay kit). Samples of duodenum and ileum were processed for histomorphological investigations. Gut morphology was evaluated through morphometric measurements of villus height (Vh), crypt depth (Cd) and villus height to crypt depth ratio (Vh/Cd). Histopathological alterations were scored using a semiquantitative scoring system (0-3). Fecal SCFA content was assessed by HPLC-UV. Data were analysed by univariate and multivariate statistics. The study gives preliminary evidences of a positive effect of diet supplementation with A2/A2 ?-casein milk on some gut health associated parameters, in aging mice. The results also suggest intriguing insights on the role of microbial SCFA on the differentiation of intestinal lymphocytes sub-populations.

Introduction: Due to increasing request of consumers for non-bovine milks, and to the increase in the number of dairy donkey farms in Italy, farmers require more sophysticated and reliable processing devices, in order to increase their market share beyond local, and to guarantee a safe product of high quality. To this aim, a new small-scale continuous-flow High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) pasteurizer (72°C for 15 sec), that was initially prototyped by the authors for treating small volumes of human milk, was tested on donkey milk, in order to evaluate its efficacy in producing high quality milk. Materials & Methods: The efficacy of the new HTST device on raw donkey milk microflora was tested by Total Aerobic Bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and Bacillus cereus enumeration. In addition, the biochemical quality of donkey milk after HTST pasteurization was assessed by determining the protein profile in both reducing and non reducing conditions and by measuring lysozyme activity, and compared to that achieved by standard Holder pasteurization (63°C for 30 min). Results and Discussion: The new HTST apparatus was shown to be able to reduce the total bacteria count to undetectable level, as well as to completely eradicate Enterobacteriaceae. Bacillus cereus, when present, was eradicated with variable efficiency, mainly depending on the bacterial loads of the starting raw milk. Changes in the protein profile were observed in the milk pasteurized according to both processes. In detail, HTST seems to preserve the protein profile more than the traditional Holder method, limiting casein degradation. Nevertheless, both methods reduced significantly lysozyme activity with respect to raw donkey milk, thus indicating that structural changes may occurr also in less intense methods. In conclusion, the HTST method should be applied to safely pasteurize donkey milk, despite the low volumes involved in the standard routine of small dairy donkey farms. Moreover, this new device could represent an interesting strategy to ensure a higher retention of some protein fractions. Further evaluations and efficient device prototypation could thus contribute to both consumer safety, in particular for baby nutrition, and to increase of farmers' market consistency.

Il latte umano è la prima scelta nell'alimentazione di tutti neonati, compresi i prematuri. Tuttavia, in questa ultima categoria, dati i particolari fabbisogni nutrizionali, il latte umano deve essere fortificato per alcuni nutrienti, soprattutto proteine e sali minerali. Fornire un maggior apporto proteico richiede un supplemento semplice, ben tollerato, costituito da proteine di alta qualità. Sfortunatamente questo è un obiettivo solo parzialmente raggiunto dai prodotti forniti dall'industria alimentare, che contengono proteine derivate dal latte bovino. E' ormai noto che il profilo biochimico del latte d'asina sia molto più simile al latte umano di quanto non sia il latte vaccino dal punto di vista sia quantitativo sia qualitativo, soprattutto per quanto attiene al contenuto proteico. Scopo dell'attività é stata la progettazione e la produzione su scala pilota di un fortificatore del latte umano derivato dal latte di asina. A questo fine é stato messo a punto di un processo di ultrafiltrazione del latte di asina che consentisse di ottenere due prodotti: (i) un fortificatore multicomponente con contenuto in proteine pari al 20%; , (ii) un concentrato proteico, con contenuto in proteine pari al 45%. I due prodotti sperimentali sono attualmente in uso nell'ambito trial prospettico randomizzato, condotto in un gruppo di nati pretermine presso la Terapia Intensiva Neonatale dell'Università di Torino. Il trial ha lo scopo di valutare se neonati pretermine alimentati con latte umano fortificato con supplementi derivati da latte d'asina possano migliorare la qualità della crescita e l'outcome clinico, auxologico, metabolico, e neurologico a breve e lungo termine, se confrontati con neonati cui viene somminitrato un supplemento disponibile nel commercio derivato dal latte bovino.