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In this study, antioxidant and antibacterial edible films based on whey protein isolate (WPI) and nettle leaf extract (NLE) were developed. NLE at different concentrations (0, 10, 30, and 50%) was added to the WPI film-forming solution and the bioactive films were produced by the casting method. The results showed that the addition of NLE into the WPI films increased their thickness and elongation, whereas decreased their moisture content, water solubility, water vapor permeability, and tensile strength. The results also indicated that the enriching of WPI films with NLE increased their darkness, yellowness, and greenness. The FTIR spectroscopy showed that the hydrogen bonds were formed in the film matrix between WPI and NLE. The XRD analysis also showed that these interactions have been taken place in the amorphous phase. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity (free radical scavenging activity and reducing power) of WPI were also significantly increased by enriching with NLE. The NLE-enriched films also showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Generally, the findings of this work suggested that the incorporation of NLE into the WPI-based films can lead to the production of eco-friendly antioxidant and antibacterial biopolymer-based food packaging systems.

Background Sniffer dogs are able to detect certain chemical particles and are suggest to be capable of helping diagnose some medical conditions and complications, such as colorectal cancer, melanoma, bladder cancer, and even critical states such as hypoglycemia in diabetic patients. With the global spread of COVID-19 throughout the world and the need to have a real-time screening of the population, especially in crowded places, this study aimed to investigate the applicability of sniffer dogs to carry out such a task. Methods Firstly, three male and female dogs from German shepherd (Saray), German black (Kuzhi) and Labrador (Marco) breeds had been intensively trained throughout the classical conditioning method for 7 weeks. They were introduced to human specimens obtained from the throat and pharyngeal secretions of participants who were already reported positive or negative for SARS-COV-2 infection be RT-PCR. Each dog underwent the conditioning process for almost 1000 times. In the meantime another similar condition process was conducted on clothes and masks of COVID-19 patient using another three male and female dogs from Labrador (Lexi), Border gypsy (Sami), and Golden retriever (Zhico) breeds. In verification test for the first three dogs, 80 pharyngeal secretion samples consisting of 26 positive and 54 negative samples from different medical centers who underwent RT-PCR test were in a single-blind method. In the second verification test for the other three dogs, masks and clothes of 50 RT-PCR positive and 70 RT-PCR negative cases from different medical center were used. Results In verification test using pharyngeal secretion, the sniffer dogs’ detection capability was associated with a 65% of sensitivity and 89% of specificity and they amanged to identify 17 out of the 26 positive and 48 out of the 54 true negative samples. In the next verification test using patients’ face masks and clothes, 43 out of the 50 positive samples were correctly identified by the dogs. Moreover, out of the 70 negative samples, 65 samples were correctly found to be negative. The sensitivity of this test was as high as 86% and its specificity was 92.9%. In addition, the positive and negative predictive values were 89.6 and 90.3%, respectively. Conclusion Dogs are capable of being trained to identify COVID-19 cases by sniffing their odour, so they can be used as a reliable tool in limited screening.

This study aimed to use whey protein fibril (WPF) as a solubility enhancer for the quercetin at an acidic condition (pH 3.5) similar to the food beverages. The fibrillar aggregates formed by 6.0 h heating of whey protein solution showed the highest ability to form the soluble complexes with quercetin due to their high surface hydrophobicity. The sedimentation of quercetin during the storage was considerably decreased by binding to WPF. The association between WPF and quercetin through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding was detected by intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The morphology of complexes was investigated using atomic force microscopy. The surface charge density, apparent viscosity, surface tension, and foaming properties (foaming capacity and foam stability) of WPF were affected by binding to quercetin. The bound quercetin endowed whey protein nanofibrils with a strong radical scavenging activity and reducing power. The release of quercetin from WPF-quercetin complex was investigated under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The results of this study revealed that whey protein nanofibril is an ideal natural nanoscale carrier for improving the water solubility of quercetin, and the resulting complexes can be used as novel multi-functional ingredients in the formulation of food products especially acidic beverages.

In the present study, different forms of whey protein isolate (WPI) including, native, worm-like aggregates, microgel particles, and nanofibrillar aggregates were employed to encapsulate curcumin as a bioactive ingredient. The results showed that the aggregation improved the capacity of WPI for loading of curcumin and the highest encapsulation efficiency and loading amount were related to the fibrillar aggregates. The curcumin-loaded aggregates also showed a good antioxidant activity as measured by ABTS/DPPH free radical scavenging test. The release of curcumin from aggregates was determined during the simulated gastrointestinal digestion and the results indicated that the capsulation of curcumin in whey protein aggregates can be considered as a hopeful method to control the release of curcumin as well as to site-specific delivery of curcumin. After that, the drug release kinetics and mechanism were evaluated using various kinetic models including zero order, first order, Higuchi, and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. The release modelling results also showed that the release of curcumin from whey protein aggregates was controlled by both diffusing and polymer swelling (i.e. anomalous transport). Generally, this study suggested that the WPI-based aggregates can be used as promising carriers for curcumin delivery.

The reduction of microbial contamination in dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) appears to be necessary because of a potential risk of infections in immunocompromised patients and medical staff,...

Background: Athletic soldiers undergo strenuous and high-endurance training to prepare for competition. Stress and deprivation of proper nutrition can weaken the immune system in athletic soldiers. Therefore, enhancing the immune system function in addition to enhancing the performance of athletic soldiers can lead to a reduction in health costs for the military. Objectives: In this study, the effects of probiotic supplementation on the immune response of soldiers were assessed. Methods: In a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, 42 athletic soldiers were randomly divided into two groups of 21 members. Participants in the probiotic group daily received one glass of fruit juice containing Bacillus coagulans (2 × 109 CFU/g). The control group consumed the placebo at the same time. At the beginning and end of the study, as well as at specific times, IgA, CD4, lactate, and urea were measured in blood samples of all participants. Results: Probiotic supplementation increased the concentration of IgA (+115.7 ± 28.3 vs. -108.3 ± 25.7 mg/dL, P < 0.001) and CD4 levels (+129.1 ± 42.6 vs. -54.5 ± 114.6 cells/µL, P < 0.001) after three months in the test group. In addition, a significant decrease was seen in serum lactate (-5.7 ± 10.1 vs. +10.1 ± 7.4. mg/L, P < 0.001) and urea (-9.9 ± 6.7 vs. +2.3 ± 5.6 mg/dL, P < 0.001) concentrations following probiotic supplementation compared to the placebo. Conclusions: Probiotic consumption for 12 weeks has a positive effect on the immune response of soldiers.

Background: Under difficult conditions, the military need high-energy macronutrients and micronutrients during intense physical activities in order to achieve optimal fitness levels. Objectives: This randomized controlled trial aimed to assess the effects of a designed compact food bar (CFB) on the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2Max) and physical fitness in military athletes. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 50 athletes aged 20 - 50 years, who were assigned into two experimental and control groups. The subjects in the compact food bar (CFB) received three packs of CFB (700 kcal each), containing functional compounds (e.g., caffeine and L-arginine), every day for 10 days. The control group consumed the regular food used in military training courses with the same daily calorie count for the same period. The exercise performance was assessed using sports tests, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2Max) as a measure of cardio-respiratory endurance in vitro, cardiopulmonary exercise tests, blood pressure, and anthropometric examinations based on the participants’ body composition and physical activity. The measurements were performed using a pedometer, and the data were recorded at baseline and after the intervention. The data was then analyzed in SPSS software version 16. Results: VO2Max and some of the exercise tests, including push-up, sit-and-reach test, and jump pair length, revealed significant increases in CFB group, compared to the control group (P 0.05). Conclusions: According to the findings, the consumption of the proposed CFB, in comparison to regular food, could effectively improve the exercise performance in military athletes.

In this study the physicochemical, rheological, antioxidant, sensory and survival characteristics of probiotic saffron-based beverage were scrutinized during the fermentation process. Fermentation was carried on at 30 °C for 24 h using four strains of lactic acid bacteria; Lactococcus lactis, Lb. plantarum, Lb. brevis and Lb. casei. Results revealed that Lb. casei caused the most changes in growth kinetics and other factors like pH, acidity and sugar consumption followed by Lactococcus lactis, Lb. plantarum and Lb. brevis. Phenolics and antioxidant capacity of samples increased significantly during the fermentation process, while total anthocyanin content decreased significantly. Lb. casei survived much more time in the fermented extract in comparison with other strains and the total count of this bacterium was still in the probiotics limitation after 2 weeks of storage. Only the beverage fermented with Lactococcus lactis exhibited accelerated apparent viscosity compared to the other samples. Finally, in case of overall acceptance the beverage fermented with Lb. casei and Lactococcus lactis achieved best scores by pilots and other panelists. According to the obtained results saffron-based beverage is a suitable medium for the growth of lactic acid bacteria and production of functional beverages.

Unhealthy foodstuffs are responsible for as many as 2 million deaths every year most whom are young children. Food poisonings are on the top of the list of major food concerns for many politicians. On the other hand, we may also say that application of biological materials against various purposes such as agriculture may take different forms. Such activities can be described in terms of three words: biological war, biological terrorism, and biological crime. New threats against foodstuffs health are emerging every day. Changes made to production methods, distribution and consumption of foodstuffs, changes made in the environment, development of new pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance are a major challenge against the health of foodstuffs. The present research has used descriptive-analytical and inferential methods to analyze the data obtained through library researches. The present research seeks to improve the hygiene level and safety of foodstuff in the chain of production, distribution, storage in the food resources of the Iranian Army and to minimize the level of contaminations and diseases associated with foodstuffs. It also seeks to minimize the food waste. All these goals are accomplished by establishing health management and food safety systems and international standards. These standards form a useful strategy in order to make sure about the food safety in food chain whose key elements are mutual communication, management system, proposed plans, loss analysis principles, and critical points control. A nutrition plan based upon the scientific principles and with due consideration of all our requirements that has no microbial, chemical, etc. contaminations will certainly guarantee human health. By making it possible to have access to healthy food in production, distribution and storage chain, we may prevent food-based diseases among conscripts and army personnel.

Introduction: Impaired glucose metabolism, including diabetes and pre-diabetes, is a major cardiovascular risk factor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the glucose metabolism status of employees based on regular occupational health checkups in a military population to plan a more effective program. Methods: From a registry of regular occupational health checkups covering the years 2011 through 2015 in a military medical organization, the study extracted data on age, gender, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), job (medical or non-medical), smoking, history and/or family history of diabetes and hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, fasting blood glucose (FBS), total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density and high-density lipoproteins. Results: Data were collected for 783 apparently healthy individuals, 536 (68.5%) male and 247 (31.5%) female. According to duplicated FBS tests, 17 cases (2.3%) were at diabetic level (FBS≥126 mg/dL), 100 (13.7%) had pre-diabetes (100≤FBS≤125 mg/dL), and 612 (78.2%) had normal FBS (

To minimize the mortality rates of individuals affected by disasters, providing high-quality food relief during the initial stages of an emergency is crucial. The goal of this study was to develop a formulation for a high-energy, nutrient-dense prototype using linear programming (LP) model as a novel method for developing formulations for food products.; Results: The model consisted of the objective function and the decision variables, which were the formulation costs and weights of the selected commodities, respectively. The LP constraints were the Institute of Medicine and the World Health Organization specifications of the content of nutrients in the product. Other constraints related to the product's sensory properties were also introduced to the model. Nonlinear constraints for energy ratios of nutrients were linearized to allow their use in the LP. Three focus group studies were conducted to evaluate the palatability and other aspects of the optimized formulation. New constraints were introduced to the LP model based on the focus group evaluations to improve the formulation.; Conclusion: LP is an appropriate tool for designing formulations of food products to meet a set of nutritional requirements. This method is an excellent alternative to the traditional 'trial and error' method in designing formulations. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Extreme of professional exercise intensively increase the production of free radicals, damage to body tissues, and production of stress hormones and reduces the immune activity. The use of probiotic supplements has attracted sports community attention to promoting the health and performance of athletes. Objectives:: In this study, the effect of probiotic supplementation was investigated on psychological conditions and the level of oxidative stress enzymes in athlete soldiers. Methods: This double-blind controlled trial was conducted on 40 swimmers that were randomly divided into two groups: A test group (n = 20 receiving one glass of probiotic juice daily for 12 weeks) and a control group (n = 20 receiving placebo juice for 12 weeks). The probiotic juice contained a probiotic strain of Bacillus coagulans at 1 × 109 CFU. The mental health status was evaluated by scoring on the POMS and the concentration of antioxidant enzymes and the total antioxidant capacity in blood samples were determined using the kits at the beginning and the end of the three-month post-test every 15 days. Results: After 12 weeks of intervention, a significant increase was observed in the antioxidants levels in the test group compared to the control group: SOD (43.10 ± 0.1000 vs. 28.25 ± 0.2500 u/mL; P < 0.0001), GPX (289.5 ± 1.500± vs. 160.0 ± 1.000 u/mL; P < 0.0001), total oxidative stress capacity (1.975 ± 0.005000 vs. 1.365 ± 0.005000 u/mL; P < 0.0001). In addition, psychological parameters were more favorable in the probiotic group than in the placebo group. Conclusions: Based on the results, the probiotic juice consumption has beneficial effects on the body's antioxidant system and mental health parameters in athlete soldiers.

To investigate the time trend and distribution of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iranian Army Units (IAUs) and general population (GP). with using census, Data on CL incidence in IAUs (from AJA University of Medical Sciences) and GP (from Ministry of Health) during 2005-2014 were extracted and entered into the GIS software. Cochran-Armitage test, choropleth map, hot-spot analysis and high/low clustering analysis were used to determine time trend, distribution of disease, hot-spots, and possible abnormal clustering, respectively. The number of infected individuals in IAUs and GP were 6533 and 153,499 respectively (with incidence rates of 143.68 per 100,000 and 25.86 per 100,000, respectively). Time trend analysis revealed the departure from linear trend for the incidence in IAUs (p

To minimize the mortality rates of individuals affected by disasters, providing high-quality food relief during the initial stages of an emergency is crucial. The goal of this study was to develop a formulation for a high-energy, nutrient-dense prototype using linear programming (LP) model as a novel method for developing formulations for food products.The model consisted of the objective function and the decision variables, which were the formulation costs and weights of the selected commodities, respectively. The LP constraints were the Institute of Medicine and the World Health Organization specifications of the content of nutrients in the product. Other constraints related to the product's sensory properties were also introduced to the model. Nonlinear constraints for energy ratios of nutrients were linearized to allow their use in the LP. Three focus group studies were conducted to evaluate the palatability and other aspects of the optimized formulation. New constraints were introduced to the LP model based on the focus group evaluations to improve the formulation.LP is an appropriate tool for designing formulations of food products to meet a set of nutritional requirements. This method is an excellent alternative to the traditional 'trial and error' method in designing formulations. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.