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The impact of fava bean processing methods (soaking, autoclaving, fermentation) on a legume-based bars' quality, protein characteristics, and digestibility was shown. The antioxidant and the angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory capacity before and after in vitro digestion were investigated to reveal the potential advantages of fava bean usage for snacks. All bars have demonstrated high protein content, varying from 22.1 to 25.1 g/100 g DB. Based on the fermented fava beans of Pleurotus ostreatus, the samples were characterized by a higher concentration of essential amino acids by 8.6% and a reduction of tannins by 18.5% compared with bars based on soaked fava beans. Sensory evaluation improved the color, texture, and overall acceptability of the bars with fermented legumes. Various types of bean processing did not significantly affect the protein digestibility of the bars. The fermentation method positively affected the angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory properties of bars and increased by 16.5% (before digestion) and 15% (after digestion) compared with other samples. After digestion, samples were characterized by a high level of Fe bioaccessibility (100, 83, and 79% for the bars based on soaked, autoclaved, and fermented fava beans, respectively) and increased total phenolic content. These findings highlight the potential health benefits of fava bean usage for snack products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of plant-based protein consumption has been increasing recently because of the growing health consciousness among people. Mung bean is one of the most consumed legumes with a dense nutrient profile. Hence, current research is aimed to study the effect of mung bean protein-based products including mung bean snack (MBS) and textured vegetable protein (TVP) for treatment groups against the control groups, commercial ingredients group consisting of mung bean powder (MBP) and pea powder (PP) and commercial products group include commercial pea texture (cPT) and commercial textured vegetable protein (cTVP) for their proximate composition, digestibility, gut microbial profile and fatty acid metabolite profiling. The MBS and TVP samples had significantly higher digestibility of 74.43% and 73.24% than the commercial products. The protein content of TVP was 0.8 times higher than its commercial control. Gut microbiome profiling showed that all the samples shared around 162 similar genera. Post-fermentation analysis provided promising results by reflecting the growth of beneficial bacteria (Parabacteroides, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus) and the suppression of pathogens (Escherichia-Shigella, Dorea and Klebsiella). The dual relationship between gut microbiota and nutrient interaction proved the production of abundant short- and branched-chain fatty acids. The MBS sample was able to produce SCFAs (41.27 mM) significantly and BCFAs (2.02 mM) than the TVP sample (27.58 mM and 2.14 mM, respectively). Hence, our research outcomes proved that the mung bean protein-based products might infer numerous health benefits to the host due to enriched probiotics in the gut and the production of their corresponding metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cereal products comprise a significant portion of the human diet, serving as staple foods in various cultures. However, their high carbohydrate content and low nutritional quality pose several challenges in terms of overall dietary balance and health-related disorders. Besides, the demand for high-protein foods underscores the need for the supplementation of cereal products with sustainable protein-rich ingredients. In recent years, edible insects have emerged as a promising alternative, owing to their exceptional nutritional composition, environmental sustainability, and economic viability. Despite historical precedents of entomophagy and recent endorsements by organizations, insects are rarely industrialized in cereal products. Therefore, this review focuses on the potential use of edible insects in baked goods, noodles, and pasta products to expand their industrial-scale applications. The incorporation of edible insects into these products not only can improve the nutritional values of the final products but also may affect their techno-functional and sensory properties. Thus, it is necessary to optimize the formulation of these value-added products and educate consumers about the potential health benefits of edible insects. Overall, this study elucidates the opportunities and challenges associated with utilizing edible insects as functional ingredients in cereal-based foods, offering insights into future directions for further innovation and market acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous taro is a notable carbohydrate-rich food ingredient with significant dietary fiber. However, its natural itchiness has limited its widespread use. A new non-itchy variant, Febi521, was developed through in-vitro soma-clonal induction. This study aimed to create a high-fiber snack, specifically egg-roll cookies, using non-itchy taro (Colocasia esculenta var. Febi521). The cookies underwent comprehensive evaluation for their physical, chemical, and nutritional characteristics, including polyphenol content, glycemic index (GI), and glycemic load (GL). By fully substituting taro Febi521 flour in the recipe, we produced egg-roll cookies that were sensorially preferred, high in fiber (19.2 % wet basis), and had a low GI (39) and low GL (3). This formulation also met nutritional requirements for claims related to total fat, saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol. Substituting taro flour increased fiber content threefold compared to wheat flour-based egg-roll cookies. This research highlights the potential of indigenous taro for diverse product development aimed at enhancing fiber intake among the population.

Food waste is increasingly becoming a global challenge, and school canteens are a significant and severe source of food waste. Reducing food waste is conducive to ensuring food security and environmental sustainability. A good understanding on the influencing factors of food waste is a prerequisite for exploring effective measures to reduce food waste. We obtained senior high school first-hand food waste data through field survey using the methods of face-to-face interview, questionnaire survey, and direct weighing in September 2019. Our survey data showed that the per capita per meal food waste of senior high school students (SHSS) was 44.48 g. The specific performance was as follows: the per capita per meal food waste of breakfast, lunch, and dinner was 22.39, 55.28, and 54.24 g, respectively. The empirical results showed that the frequency of eating snacks had a significant effect on whether the SHSS had food waste behavior and significantly affected the amount of food waste by SHSS. With the increased frequency of eating snacks, the food waste probability was increased and the amount of food waste was greater. This study suggested that we could eat snacks but reduced the frequency of eating snacks to achieve the goal of mitigating food waste. This was a simple and effective way to reduce food waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rich in fiber and bioactive compounds, roselle calyx decoction residues offer opportunities in food processing. This study sought to develop a directly expanded snack with a mixture of corn and roselle calyx decoction residues, optimizing its physical qualities. It was conducted in 2023, using the response surface methodology with three factors and three responses. The directly expanded snack showed expansion index values between 1.75 to 2.64, bulk density of 0.15 to 0.38 g cm-3 and firmness of 6.8 to 19.6 N, with attractive purple-lilac shades. The regression models were adequate and using the desirability method, optimal conditions (OT= 132.3 °C, SS= 240 rpm) and roselle inclusion level (J= 12.4%) were determined for an optimized directly expanded snack. It was concluded that the inclusion of up to 12.4% of roselle calyx allowed obtaining snacks with excellent physical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring proper energy, nutrient intake, and sleep is vital for athlete health and competitiveness. Despite previous studies investigating the nutrient intake among top-level collegiate female athletes in Japan, the status of snack consumption remains unclear. This study addressed this gap by surveying 70 top-level female university athletes. The survey included a self-administered diet history questionnaire, a qualitative food intake frequency survey, and a survey on snack and dietary supplement use. The results revealed a low frequency of snack intake (2.1 ± 2.3 days/week), with 55.7% of athletes reporting snack consumption. The energy intake in the snack-intake group was significantly higher than that in the without-snack-intake group (31.5 ± 10.0 vs. 26.6 ± 9.92 kcal/kg of BM, p = 0.047). Similarly, carbohydrate intake was significantly higher in the snack-intake group than in the without-snack-intake group (4.84 ± 1.71 vs. 3.96 ± 1.65 g/kg of BM/day, p = 0.035). However, neither group reached the recommended value of 5–8 g/kg of BM/day during the medium training period. Overall, this study emphasizes inadequate energy intake even among athletes with a high snack intake frequency, highlighting the necessity to enhance overall food consumption and underscoring the importance of nutritional education for incorporating appropriate complementary meals to improve performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluate college students' perception of the effectiveness of different vending machine (VM) interventions for improving snack selection. A total of 194 college students with the age of ≥18 years. A cross-sectional survey among a purposive sampling near VM. Most students use VM frequently or occasionally (63.4%). The intervention perceived as most helpful for choosing healthier snacks was labeling (on or near) which snack is healthy (score 3.83/5) followed by lowering the price of healthy options (score 3.33/5), while the least helpful was having posters nearby explaining which snacks are healthier (2.35/5). Participants suggested including snacks high in protein (58.8%) and low in sugar (56.2%). Most would like to see more healthy options in VM (83.5%) and will purchase them if available (67%). Lowering the price for healthy snacks and including labels to indicate which are healthy may be the interventions to test for improving snack intake among college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The type of diet is one of the important causes of caries and one of the techniques to evaluate the carcinogenicity of foods is to measure the pH of saliva after consuming them. This study aimed to measure the pH of artificial saliva after exposure to a series of common snacks in the community. In this laboratory study, all samples (including 18 common snacks in the community) were completely crushed. Then, 8 g of each sample was dissolved in 50 ml of artificial saliva and continuously mixed with a magnet in a human. The pH of the solutions was then measured by a digital pH meter at intervals of 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 minutes after the onset of dissolution. Statistical analysis was performed with related tests and SPSS statistical software version 22. The pH of all groups except chocolate and whole wheat biscuits decreased significantly during 10 minutes (P-value <0.05). The obtained results indicated that the groups lowered the pH of artificial saliva below the critical pH (5.5) including vinegar chips, peanut vinegar, cherry industrial dish, home-made dish, industrial swallow, house swallow, and plum. The pH level of the other groups was higher than the limit was critical. The snack with the least pH change and the snack with the most and most severe pH change were whole-grain biscuits and homemade desserts, respectively. All snacks tested except chocolate and whole wheat biscuits significantly reduced the pH of artificial saliva. The pH drop was high for acidic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Agroindustri Halal is the property of Universitas Djuanda and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Background Inadequate fruits and vegetables intake is associated with several diseases. This study aimed to explore changes in fruits and snack consumption during the COVID-19-related lockdown in Iran. Methods An online cross-sectional survey among Iranian households was conducted from the 4th to 25th April 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown. Data were collected about any changes in frequency consumption of the fruits and snacks and the reasons for the changes. Ordinal logistic regression was performed to examine which factors contributed to changes in consumption. To account for the complex sampling design and allow inferences valid for the population, sampling weights were used in all analyses. Results A total of 21,290 households took part in the survey. During the epidemic, consumption of fruits and snacks decreased by 35% and 44%, respectively. Among the households whose fruit intake was decreased, about 21% fully omitted it from their food baskets. Residing in rural areas, having more than six members in the household, income loss, and residing in deprived provinces were directly associated with decreased consumption of fruits and snacks. Being a female-headed household was positively associated, and having persons with COVID-19 in the households was inversely associated, with decreased consumption of fruits. The main reason for reducing fruit and snack consumption was income loss. Conclusions A significant decline in fruit and snack consumption because of COVID-19 lockdown was seen among the Iranian households. It is likely that these changes in dietary habits will become longstanding with consequent adverse health outcomes.

The impact of fava bean processing methods (soaking, autoclaving, fermentation) on a legume-based bars’ quality, protein characteristics, and digestibility was shown. The antioxidant and the angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory capacity before and after in vitro digestion were investigated to reveal the potential advantages of fava bean usage for snacks. All bars have demonstrated high protein content, varying from 22.1 to 25.1 g/100 g DB. Based on the fermented fava beans of Pleurotus ostreatus, the samples were characterized by a higher concentration of essential amino acids by 8.6% and a reduction of tannins by 18.5% compared with bars based on soaked fava beans. Sensory evaluation improved the color, texture, and overall acceptability of the bars with fermented legumes. Various types of bean processing did not significantly affect the protein digestibility of the bars. The fermentation method positively affected the angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory properties of bars and increased by 16.5% (before digestion) and 15% (after digestion) compared with other samples. After digestion, samples were characterized by a high level of Fe bioaccessibility (100, 83, and 79% for the bars based on soaked, autoclaved, and fermented fava beans, respectively) and increased total phenolic content. These findings highlight the potential health benefits of fava bean usage for snack products.

Snacking outside main meals may contribute to the high intakes of discretionary foods (i.e., unhealthful foods) among young adults. This study assessed the snacking behaviours of Australian young adults including the contribution of snacking to energy and nutrient intakes, the main foods consumed, and portion sizes. A secondary analysis of the MYMeals study of adults aged 18–30 years who consumed at least one snack food during the recording period (n = 889) was conducted. All food consumed over 3 consecutive days was recorded using a purpose-designed smartphone app. Snack foods contributed 13.2% of energy, 23.4% of total sugars, and 16.2% of saturated fat. Females consumed more energy (13.8% vs. 12.2%, p = 0.007) and total sugars (25.8% vs. 20.8%, p = 0.009), from snacking than males. Fruit (20.2%), chocolate (9.9%), cake-type desserts (8.4%), sweet biscuits (6.1%), and ice-cream-type desserts (5.6%) were the most frequently consumed snacks by young adults. The median portion sizes for the top five snack foods consumed were fruit—106 g (IQR: 73), chocolate—26 g (IQR: 36), cake—95 g (IQR: 88), sweet biscuits—26 g (IQR: 29), and ice cream—75 g (IQR: 42). The current findings may inform population-wide strategies to encourage healthful snacks such as fruit, inform portion control by individuals, and persuade the food industry to reduce the serving size of discretionary snack foods such as cake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, different fiber sources such as inulin, peas and carrots were used to produce fruit snacks enriched with dietary fiber. The effect of these fiber sources on the proximate composition, pH, titratable acidity, water activity, color, texture, total phenolic content, microbial load, and sensory acceptability of fruit snacks was determined. Results showed that fruit snacks enriched with inulin (5.0%) had the highest content of total dietary fiber while snacks enriched with carrot fiber (5.0%) had the highest total phenolic content. The moisture content of fruit snacks with different fibers decreased in comparison to control snacks as fiber was added into their formulation. Moreover, the water activity values of fruit snacks (aw) were lower than 0.7, indicating a low risk for bacterial growth and affirming a favorable shelf life. Compared to control snacks, increasing the dietary fiber addition from 2.5 to 5.0% significantly increased the hardness, gumminess and chewiness values of fruit snacks. The microbiological analysis of fruit snacks indicated that snacks were safe. Additionally, results showed that fruit snacks (2.5%) enriched with inulin and pea fiber were found to have higher sensory acceptability scores than others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, 1 in 2 people want to consume more plant-based foods, so developing nutritionally balanced foods for this area is a response to a growing need of the population. The objective was to develop snack alternatives with amaranth, quinoa and chia seeds, supplemented with protein. For this purpose, three mixtures were prepared, the first of rice flour with lentil flour (M1), another of rice flour with pea flour (M2) and another of wheat flour with chickpea flour (M3). The same amount of amaranth, quinoa and chia seeds were added to all three. The same proportion of the rest of the ingredients was used, varying only the seasonings. The cooking time was 10 min at 180 °C in all cases. The preparations were carried out in triplicate and analyses in duplicate. Once prepared, protein, total fat, ash, moisture and fiber were determined using official analytical techniques, carbohydrates using difference, energy value using calculations and fatty acid profile using gas chromatography. For statistical analysis, the Tukey test was applied. The highest protein value was 15.84 ± 0.34 g% (M1). The highest lipid value was 21.44 ± 0.13 g% (M3), providing omega 9, 3 and 6 fatty acids and, to a much lesser extent, saturated fatty acid. All options have a good contribution of dietary fiber: 7.39 ± 0.14 g% (M1); 7.71 ± 0.09 g% (M2) and 7.55 ± 0.23 g% (M3). The acceptability was above 94% in all cases. It was possible to formulate healthy snacks suitable for vegetarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data regarding the effect of specific dietary behaviors, such as meal frequency, on multi-morbidity are scarce. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effect of meal frequency on multi-morbidity in a Cypriot population. A representative sample of 1255 adults >18 years old was surveyed during 2022–2023. Data regarding sociodemographic characteristics, multi-morbidity, and meal frequency consumption were collected through validated questionnaires. Diseases were listed according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision [ICD-10]. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS Statistics v.19.0. Responders who consumed more than three meals and snacks daily had a higher probability of multi-morbidity [OR: 1.505 [95% CI: 1.505–2.069]] compared with those who consumed three or fewer meals and snacks daily. The relation was not statistically significant after adjusting for age and gender and for socioeconomic characteristics. Furthermore, participants who consumed more than three snacks per day had a 1.776 [AOR: 1.616 [95% CI: 1.054–2.476]] higher risk of having multi-morbidity compared with participants who did not consume any snack or consumed one snack per day. The findings suggest that people with multi-morbidity have a higher risk when consuming three or more snacks per day regardless of age, gender, and socioeconomic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the composite flour obtained by mixing chestnut, lupine and pumpkin flours in equal proportions was used in gluten-free and regular cookie formulations to increase diversify and improve snack products. Composite flour was used as replaced with wheat flour in regular cookie and replaced with corn starch: rice flour mixture in gluten-free cookie at 12, 24, 36 and 48 ratios. Physical, chemical and sensory properties of cookies were evaluated. With increasing ratio of composite flour, L* value of cookies decreased, but a* and b* values increased in both cookie varieties. Spread ratio of regular cookie decreased with the use of 36-48% composite flour. The hardness of regular and gluten-free cookies increased at 12% and above composite flour usage ratios. With utilization of 48% composite flour in the cookie formulations, protein and antioxidant activity values increased 2.4 and 2.5 times for gluten-free samples, and increased 1.4 and 2.6 times for regular cookie samples compared to their controls. Ca, K, Mg, Mn and P content of both gluten-free and regular cookies increased at even the lowest usage ratio of composite flour. The highest general acceptability values were obtained in both cookie types with 12% usage ratio of composite flour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of 'snackification' in Singaporean diets, leading to increased dietary acrylamide exposure. Acrylamide concentrations in commonly consumed foods within and outside the main meals were measured using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). High acrylamide concentrations were detected in vegetables cooked at high temperatures (ranging from 0.5 to 478.4 µg/kg) and potato-based crackers and chips (ranging from 81.8 to 2095.8 µg/kg). The estimated total dietary exposure for the Singapore population was 0.165 µg/kg bw/day for general consumers and 0.392 µg/kg bw/day for high consumers (95th percentile). The acrylamide exposure from outside main meals was nearly equivalent to that from within the main meals. The calculated margins of exposure (MOE) were below 10,000, indicating potential human health concern. These findings highlight the need for industry practices and consumer advisories to reduce acrylamide exposure from foods consumed both within and outside main meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: It has been reported that the consumption of fruit granola (FG), mulberry leaves, and barley cookies as an afternoon snack suppresses the postprandial increase in glucose levels at dinner. However, there have been no reports on the second-meal effect of snacking on popular snacks, such as potato chips (PC), roasted sweet potato (SP), and black beans (BB), or on the interval between snacking and dinner. Method: The present study was an open-label randomized crossover trial of five study groups (PC, SP, BB, FG, and no snack) regarding the second-meal effects with different intervals between snacks and dinner. The subjects consumed prescribed meals for lunch and dinner at 12:00 and 19:00, and a snack fixed at 838 kJ (= 200 kcal) at 15:00 or 17:00. Results: When the participants snacked at 15:00, the postprandial glucose elevation at dinner was suppressed in the FG and SP groups, and the area under the curve (AUC) was also low. When they snacked at 17:00, the postprandial glucose elevation was suppressed in all the groups. The AUCs for PC, FG, and SP were lower than those for no snacking. On the other hand, carbohydrate intake increased with snacking, but the total AUC of snacks and dinner did not differ in any of the groups. The duration of hyperglycemia decreased with snack intake, as did the glucose amplitude. Conclusion: We believe that the intake of carbohydrates and soluble fiber in snacks is an important factor in the second-meal effect at dinner. These results will contribute to the development of snacking and research into the second-meal effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objectives: Childhood obesity increases risk factors related to metabolic diseases. Watermelon's bioactive components can help reduce these risk factors. However, no study has investigated the effects of whole watermelon including both the flesh and rind or have assessed the impacts of any form of watermelon on children with overweight or obesity. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of whole‐blenderized watermelon (BWM) consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors. Methods: A randomized, cross‐over clinical design was implemented. Boys and girls ages 10–17 years with overweight or obesity (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) consumed one cup of BWM or an isocaloric sugar‐sweetened beverage (control) every day for 8 weeks with a 4‐week washout between trials. Anthropometrics, dietary, biochemical and clinical measures were obtained before and at the end of each trial. Results: A total of 17 participants completed the study. Eight weeks of BWM intake significantly decreased BMI (p = 0.032), BMI percentile (BMIP) (p = 0.038), body fat percentage (p = 0.036), and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (p = 0.012) compared to the sugar‐sweetened beverage. Sugar‐sweetened beverage consumption increased BMIP (p = 0.014) compared to baseline. No significant differences were observed for inflammation, blood glucose, insulin, lipids, liver function enzymes, and satiety hormones. Conclusions: The results support that BWM consumption improved some cardiometabolic risk factors including BMI, BMIP, body fat, and HbA1c. Watermelon is a potential alternative to unhealthful snacks for improving anthropometry and some risk factors related to obesity in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popping and puffing are adiabatic expansion process in which the grains are exposed to high temperature for short time. The heat increases vapour pressure inside the grain leading to rupture of outer shell with expansion of starchy endosperm to several folds creating a crispy and aerated puffed snack. Conventional puffing methods use hot air, oil and sand as medium of puffing, whereas nonconventional puffing methods make use of microwave, fluidized air and pressure differential in system. Although it is commonly believed that processing conditions solely influence the quality of expanded grains, many other variables such as physical, chemical and genetic characteristics of grain, post-harvest handling practices, storage conditions and pre-treatments can also largely affect quality indices of expanded grains. As exposed to heat for only short time, expanded grains retain majority of nutrients and even improved digestibility and nutrient bioavailability traits. Flour obtained by milling of expanded grains exhibit desired functional properties expected in bakery products. This paper briefly discussed the factors influencing puffing quality and effects of puffing on physicochemical and morphological characteristics of grain along with its applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aim Few studies considered the association between snack patterns and metabolic abnormalities. Here we aimed to characterize the major snack patterns among Iranian adults and determine their association with the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods This study was conducted on 1713 MetS-free adults who participated in the third phase of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS). At baseline, dietary intake of snack was assessed using a validated 168-items food frequency questionnaire, and snack patterns were obtained by principal component analysis (PCA). Adjusted Hazard Ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the association of incident MetS with the extracted snack patterns. Results PCA identified five major snack patterns, defined as “healthy pattern”, “low-fructose pattern”, “high-trans pattern”, “high-caffeine pattern” and “high-fructose pattern”. Participants in the highest tertile of the “high-caffeine pattern” had lower risk of MetS (HR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.65–0.99, P for trend = 0.032). Other snack patterns have not shown any significant association with MetS incidence. Conclusions Our findings suggest that consuming a snack pattern with high loads of caffeine, defined as “High-caffeine pattern” in the present study, could reduce the risk of MetS in healthy adults. Further prospective studies are needed to more fully determine the association between snack patterns and MetS incidence.

Ensuring proper energy, nutrient intake, and sleep is vital for athlete health and competitiveness. Despite previous studies investigating the nutrient intake among top-level collegiate female athletes in Japan, the status of snack consumption remains unclear. This study addressed this gap by surveying 70 top-level female university athletes. The survey included a self-administered diet history questionnaire, a qualitative food intake frequency survey, and a survey on snack and dietary supplement use. The results revealed a low frequency of snack intake (2.1 ± 2.3 days/week), with 55.7% of athletes reporting snack consumption. The energy intake in the snack-intake group was significantly higher than that in the without-snack-intake group (31.5 ± 10.0 vs. 26.6 ± 9.92 kcal/kg of BM, p = 0.047). Similarly, carbohydrate intake was significantly higher in the snack-intake group than in the without-snack-intake group (4.84 ± 1.71 vs. 3.96 ± 1.65 g/kg of BM/day, p = 0.035). However, neither group reached the recommended value of 5–8 g/kg of BM/day during the medium training period. Overall, this study emphasizes inadequate energy intake even among athletes with a high snack intake frequency, highlighting the necessity to enhance overall food consumption and underscoring the importance of nutritional education for incorporating appropriate complementary meals to improve performance.

This study investigated the possibility of using asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) to produce healthy snacks using vacuum frying. The tip and middle part of asparagus Grade C were soaked in 0.1% Calcium chloride solution and blanched at 95–98°C for 45 s, immediately soaked in water at 30°C for 2 min and packed in the bags to freeze at −18°C before vacuum frying. The samples were fried at 80°C and 986 mbar for 38, 40 and 42 min, and then excess oil in the sample was removed by a centrifuge before being measured properties. The effects of different frying times on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the vacuum-fried asparagus were analysed. A scanning electron microscope was used to study the structure of the vacuum-fried product. The result reveals that increasing frying time decreased moisture content, aw, yield, greenness value and crispiness of vacuumed snacks but increased lightness and yellowness values. SEM showed that vacuumed snacks with increasing frying time resulted in a gradual increase in the size of pores inside the product. When the frying time increased to 42 min, collapsed pores were observed, indicating a breakdown structure. A sensory evaluation of seasonings on vacuum-fried asparagus found that fried asparagus with truffle seasoning had the highest preference levels for all sensory attributes. The truffle seasoned fried asparagus at 80°C under vacuum at a pressure of 986 mbar for 40 min contained protein and fibre content of 14.21 and 15.55%, respectively, vitamin A and beta-carotene of 2.717 μg and 16.30 μg, respectively, and calcium and iron of 182.68 mg and 2.88 mg, respectively. Microorganisms found are under the regulated amount according to the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health. This study demonstrates that asparagus Grade C can be used to produce healthy and acceptable fried snacks.

Abstract Onion peel waste is generated in huge amount during processing. This waste is a huge source of antioxidants specially quercetin. Therefore, it can be utilized to increase the phenolic and flavonoid content of food products. The present study proposed the use of different onion peel extracts (OPE) in a South Asian snack called “sew.” Sew is a cold‐extruded rod‐shaped snack made from chickpea flour and spices. After extrusion, it is deep fried till appearance of golden‐brown color. The polyphenols from onion peels were extracted in (a) EWE (ethanol and water‐based) medium, (b) EAAE (ethanol and acetic acid‐based) medium, and (c) WE (water extract). These three OPEs were separately sprayed over chickpea grits before making flours, which were then used for making sew. Antioxidant activity of EWE, EAAE, and WE extracts were found to be 59.06%, 36.85%, and 28.07%, respectively, and both gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria were inhibited by these three extracts. Addition of OPE led to a significant increase in antioxidant activity of snack (sew), and panelists were unable to perceive any statistical difference in control and extract added snacks in terms of sensory attributes. Interestingly, marked improvement was observed in textural characteristics (measured objectively) of snacks containing extracts and the percent decline in hardness as observed in EAAE, EWE, and WE containing fried snacks were found to be 56.83%, 37.95%, and 34.55%, respectively, after 60 day's storage, whereas 71.28% decline was recorded for control snack. Thus, incorporation of OPE proved to be an innovative method to improve the nutraceutical profile of chickpea‐based fried snack.

Background and Objectives: Gevrek is grissini/breadstick like snack product. In this study, whole flours of modern wheat (Esperia), ancient wheats (einkorn, emmer, and spelt) and pseudocereal (amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa) were used in gevrek formulation instead of refined wheat flour, and the effects on the physical, nutritional, and functional properties of gevreks were researched. Findings: The use of pseudocereals in the gevrek formulation decreased the lightness and yellowness value compared to the control and ancient wheat gevreks. Also, pseudocereals especially buckwheat decreased the hardness of gevreks significantly (p <.05). The phytic acid content of Esperia and buckwheat gevrek were 50.98% and 51.21% less than amaranth gevreks, respectively. The use of buckwheat and emmer contributed greatly to the increase in total phenolic content as well as antioxidant activity. Amaranth gevrek was superior in terms of Ca, Fe, and Mg content among all gevrek samples. Esperia and emmer gevreks were the most liked by the panelists when all parameters were taken into account. Conclusions: The use of ancient wheats and pseudocereals in the gevrek formulation yielded products with improved protein, antioxidant activity and phenolic content, acceptable technological quality and distinctive sensory properties. Significance and Novelty: Compared to traditional gevrek, our findings were the first to show that it is possible to produce nutritionally superior ancient wheat and pseudocereal‐enriched functional snacks (gevrek). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Few studies considered the association between snack patterns and metabolic abnormalities. Here we aimed to characterize the major snack patterns among Iranian adults and determine their association with the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: This study was conducted on 1713 MetS-free adults who participated in the third phase of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS). At baseline, dietary intake of snack was assessed using a validated 168-items food frequency questionnaire, and snack patterns were obtained by principal component analysis (PCA). Adjusted Hazard Ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the association of incident MetS with the extracted snack patterns. Results: PCA identified five major snack patterns, defined as "healthy pattern", "low-fructose pattern", "high-trans pattern", "high-caffeine pattern" and "high-fructose pattern". Participants in the highest tertile of the "high-caffeine pattern" had lower risk of MetS (HR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.65–0.99, P for trend = 0.032). Other snack patterns have not shown any significant association with MetS incidence. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that consuming a snack pattern with high loads of caffeine, defined as "High-caffeine pattern" in the present study, could reduce the risk of MetS in healthy adults. Further prospective studies are needed to more fully determine the association between snack patterns and MetS incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eating frequency has been associated with nutrient intake and diet quality. The aim of this study was to examine the association between daily nutrient and food group intake and consumption of breakfast and/or snacks among young Japanese adults, as secondary analysis of the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan involved 1420 men and 1659 women aged 20–39 years. Dietary intake data were collected using a one-day semi-weighed household dietary record. Participants were classified into four groups based their breakfast and snack consumption, defined as the consumption of any food or beverage that contained energy based on participant-defined eating occasions; both breakfast and snack consumption (B+S+), breakfast consumption without snacking (B+S–), breakfast skipping and snack consumption (B–S+) and breakfast skipping without snacking (B–S–). The proportion of breakfast skippers among men and women was 11·8 % and 6·6 %, whereas that of snack consumers among men and women was 55·3 % and 68·2 %, respectively. Energy, Mg potassium (in both sexes), vitamin B2, Ca, (only men) and folate and dietary fibre (only women) intakes were higher among breakfast and snack consumers than in the B+S– group. The nutrient intake level of the B+S– group was similar to that of the B–S+ group, whereas the B–S– group had lower energy (both sexes), Cu, dietary fibre and potassium (only women) intakes than the B+S– group. Snack consumption could supplement nutrients that may not be adequately consumed by three meals among young Japanese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of extrusion process parameters on the physicochemical, pasting and technological properties of ready-to-eat snacks were evaluated. The aim was to develop fortified extruded products with fig molasses by-product powder (FMP), which is created as a result of the production of fig molasses, is not currently used in food industry, and may cause environmental problems. The feed humidity was changed to 14–17–20%, the die temperature was 140–160–180 °C and the ratio of FMP was 0–7–14% at a fixed screw speed of 325 rpm. The study showed that adding FMP to extruded products had a significant effect on colour properties, water solubility and water absorption index properties. İncreasing the FMP ratio had a significant reducing effect on dough properties of non-extruded mixtures such as peak viscosity (PV), final viscosity (FV) and setback viscosity (SB). The optimum conditions for the production of snacks were found to be 7% FMP, 155.44 °C die temperature and 14.69% humidity. It was determined that the estimated values of water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI) for the products manufactured under ideal extrusion conditions were close to the obtained values, and that there was no significant difference between the estimated values of the other response variables and their actual values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the eating frequency (EF) in children over age, and examined the influence of country, sex, feeding mode and weight status on EF. We used the dietary data of the Childhood Obesity Project, which comprised European children from five countries. Dietary data of 3-days weighed and estimated records were available monthly from 1 to 9 and at 12-, 24-, 36-, 48-, 60-, 72- and 96-months old. Generalized additive mixed effects models were used to estimate EF trajectories with EF as outcome and applying age splines. Additionally, the models were further adjusted for country, feeding mode, sex or weight status. Data from 1244 children were analysed. EF was highest at 1 month with on average 7.3 ± 1.9 feeds per day, and fell to 5.1 ± 1.1 eating occasions at the age 96 months. Night feeding was similarly often than day feeding at 1 month but declined thereafter. Significant differences in EF were observed between countries (p < 0.05), with the highest EF in Poland, and between infant feeding modes, with a higher EF in breastfed than non-breastfed infants (p < 0.05). Sex and body weight were not associated with EF. Despite the importance of EF towards total energy intake, no association with weight status was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The growing prevalence of depression has become a major public health problem. There is limited evidence regarding the relationship between dietary behaviors and depression. The present study was designed to evaluate the association between dietary behaviors and depression score. Methods A total of 933 Iranian adolescent girls aged 12 to 18 years were included in this cross-sectional study. Depression severity score was assessed using a validated Persian version of Beck’s depression inventory. Dietary behaviors were pre-defined and assessed in ten domains using a standard questionnaire. To investigate the association between dietary behaviors and depression score, the linear regression analysis in crude and adjusted models was used. Results 67.7% of participants had no or minimal depression symptoms and 32.3% of participants were categorized with mild-to-severe depression symptoms. There were significant inverse relationships between main meal consumption (Beta: -0.141; 95% CI: − 3.644 to − 1.000; P = 0.001), snack consumption (Beta: -0.100; 95% CI: − 2.400 to − 0.317; P = 0.002), regular meal consumption (Beta: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.13–0.42; P = 0.001) and food chewing (Beta: -0.152; 95% CI: − 2.279 to − 0.753; P = 0.03) with depression score. These associations remained significant after adjustment for confounding variables. In addition, frequency of intra-meal fluid intake (Beta: 0.096; 95% CI: 0.288 to 1.535; P = 0.004) and spicy foods consumption (Beta: 0.076; 95% CI: 0.098 to 1.508; P = 0.02) were directly associated with depression score in the crude model. These significant relations were disappeared in full adjusted model. No significant association was found between breakfast consumption, intake of fried foods, chewing ability, and tooth loss with depression score (P > 0.05). Conclusions Significant associations were observed between specific eating behaviors with depression score. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Street food is a major source of food in middle- and low-income countries as it is highly accessible and inexpensive. However, it is usually perceived as unhealthy due to the high levels of sodium, sugar, and fat content. However, there is little analytical data on the sodium levels in the street foods of Malaysia. This study started with a survey to determine the most frequently available street foods in every state in Malaysia, followed by food sampling and the analysis of sodium (reported mg/100 g sample). Street food in the snack category contained the highest amount of sodium (433 mg), followed by main meals (336.5 mg) and desserts (168 mg). Approximately 30% of the local street food in this study was deep-fried. Snacks from processed food (8%) contained high sodium content (500–815 mg). Fried noodles and noodle soup contained the highest amount of sodium (>2000 mg sodium) based on per serving. Most main dishes that use a variety of sauces contained high amounts of sodium. These findings were recorded in the Malaysian Food Composition Database. Moreover, this study could raise awareness and serve as baseline data for future interventions on the sodium content in the street foods of Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kemang fruit is a seasonal fruit that can only be enjoyed in certain seasons and has yet to be used optimally. Processing Kemang fruit into fruit leather is one of the efforts to optimize the consumption of Kemang fruit. This study aims to determine Kemang and machete gourd fruit leather's physical, chemical, and sensory qualities. It used a completely randomized design (CRD) in which the proportion of Kemang and machete gourd puree was the factor. It consisted of three treatment levels (2:3, 1:1, 3:2). Data analysis used ANOVA and DMRT as the further test with a 95% confidence level. The results showed the proportion of Kemang and machete gourd puree affected physical characteristics (strong), chemical characteristics (water content and crude fiber content), and sensory quality tests (taste, color, texture). The selected fruit leather was fruit leather with a ratio of Kemang and machete gourd A1 (2:3), which has an average value of physical and chemical characteristics, namely tensile strength of 0.06 N/mm2, elongation of 9.484%, moisture content of 26.48 %, water activity (Aw) 0.78, fiber content 4.34%, and crude level (pH) 4.2. The average value of the sensory quality test, namely taste 4,940, color 7,200, aroma 5.8, texture 4.5, and the hedonic test, namely taste 6.3, color 7.0, aroma 6.5, texture 6.6, and overall 7.2. It can be concluded that the less proportion of Kemang puree compared to the machete gourd puree (2:3) will give the best characteristics of fruit leather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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High free sugar intake is associated with an increased risk of various non-communicable diseases. We aimed to systematically review articles investigating the association between free sugar intake and periodontal diseases. This systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42022337828). We obtained articles from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus in April 2022. The study selection was performed according to predefined eligibility criteria based on the following PECOS: (P) general population, (E/C) free-sugar-containing food/beverage intake, (O) clinically measured periodontal diseases, and (S) observational study and clinical trial. Of the 839 screened records, 13 studies were included in the review. Most studies (n = 12) had a cross-sectional design. The age groups in the included studies were children/adolescents (n = 5) and adults (n = 8). Among the included studies, 11 reported a significant association between the frequent intake of free-sugar-containing food or beverages and a higher prevalence or incidence of periodontal diseases. The quality of most of the included studies was scored "fair" based on the Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Although the majority of the included studies reported a significant positive association between high free sugar intake and periodontal diseases, the evidence is considered to be limited due to the study designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Research evidence suggests that physiological state of hunger might affect preference for female body weight, such that hungrier, compared to satiate, men prefer heavier body weight and rate as more attractive heavier female figures. Here, we seek to extend these findings by comparing the effects of fasting and snack on aesthetics judgements of the bodies and faces of conspecifics and of objects in a sample of female and male participants. Methods Forty-four participants (women: n = 21, mean age = 23.70 yrs ± 0.62) provided aesthetic liking judgments of round and slim human bodies, faces and objects, under at least 12 h of overnight fasting and immediately after having eaten a snack (i.e., bananas). An anthropometric measure of adiposity (i.e., Body Mass Index, BMI) was also collected from each observer. Results Overall, we found that participants’ aesthetic judgements were higher for slim stimuli compared to round ones. However, after fasting, participants rated round stimuli as more attractive compared to when they had a snack. This hunger-based shift in ratings not only was apparent when stimuli depicted a human body or face, but also when they depicted an object, thus suggesting a general modification of observers’ aesthetic preference related to hunger. Importantly, this effect was modulated by participants’ BMI so that only participants with a high BMI provided higher aesthetic judgements for round stimuli after fasting than after a snack. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that both the modification of the physiological state and the individual differences in adiposity level of the observers might affect the aesthetic appreciation of the external world.

The growing interest in environmentally friendly and protein-rich food choices has prompted the food industry to explore alternative protein sources. Lentils have garnered attention due to their versatile culinary applications and the range of health benefits associated with their nutritional composition. Furthermore, lentils offer an environmentally sustainable solution as they require fewer resources than animal protein sources. In this study, a new muffin recipe was developed, using high-polyphenol green lentil flour as a partial substitute for oatmeal flour. The main goal was to compare the lentil-based muffin's nutritional attributes with a muffin made exclusively from oatmeal flour, and to evaluate their environmental impact, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Research on incorporating lentil flour into muffins, particularly considering its environmental impact is limited, highlighting the importance of this study. Regarding the results, compared with the oatmeal muffin, the lentil-based muffin exhibited improved nutritional properties, including a reduction in fat, an increase in protein, and fibre, and the presence of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. The LCA revealed that the lentil-based muffin had a lower environmental impact across various categories than the oatmeal muffin. Overall, incorporating lentil flour into muffin recipes not only results in a gluten-free product but also enhances its overall nutritional profile and offers a sustainable alternative for environmentally conscious consumers. The study contributes to the expanding field of sustainable and nutritious food alternatives, providing valuable insights for both consumers and the food industry. [Display omitted] • The study underscores the health and environmental benefits of lentils. • Development of green lentil-based muffin as a partial substitute for oatmeal flour. • Substituting oatmeal with lentil flour improved the muffin's nutritional properties. • The developed muffins offer healthier, sustainable options for the food industry. • The environmental impact of the muffins using LCA showcased their sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, 1 in 2 people want to consume more plant-based foods, so developing nutritionally balanced foods for this area is a response to a growing need of the population. The objective was to develop snack alternatives with amaranth, quinoa and chia seeds, supplemented with protein. For this purpose, three mixtures were prepared, the first of rice flour with lentil flour (M1), another of rice flour with pea flour (M2) and another of wheat flour with chickpea flour (M3). The same amount of amaranth, quinoa and chia seeds were added to all three. The same proportion of the rest of the ingredients was used, varying only the seasonings. The cooking time was 10 min at 180 °C in all cases. The preparations were carried out in triplicate and analyses in duplicate. Once prepared, protein, total fat, ash, moisture and fiber were determined using official analytical techniques, carbohydrates using difference, energy value using calculations and fatty acid profile using gas chromatography. For statistical analysis, the Tukey test was applied. The highest protein value was 15.84 ± 0.34 g% (M1). The highest lipid value was 21.44 ± 0.13 g% (M3), providing omega 9, 3 and 6 fatty acids and, to a much lesser extent, saturated fatty acid. All options have a good contribution of dietary fiber: 7.39 ± 0.14 g% (M1); 7.71 ± 0.09 g% (M2) and 7.55 ± 0.23 g% (M3). The acceptability was above 94% in all cases. It was possible to formulate healthy snacks suitable for vegetarians.

Snacking outside main meals may contribute to the high intakes of discretionary foods (i.e., unhealthful foods) among young adults. This study assessed the snacking behaviours of Australian young adults including the contribution of snacking to energy and nutrient intakes, the main foods consumed, and portion sizes. A secondary analysis of the MYMeals study of adults aged 18–30 years who consumed at least one snack food during the recording period (n = 889) was conducted. All food consumed over 3 consecutive days was recorded using a purpose-designed smartphone app. Snack foods contributed 13.2% of energy, 23.4% of total sugars, and 16.2% of saturated fat. Females consumed more energy (13.8% vs. 12.2%, p = 0.007) and total sugars (25.8% vs. 20.8%, p = 0.009), from snacking than males. Fruit (20.2%), chocolate (9.9%), cake-type desserts (8.4%), sweet biscuits (6.1%), and ice-cream-type desserts (5.6%) were the most frequently consumed snacks by young adults. The median portion sizes for the top five snack foods consumed were fruit—106 g (IQR: 73), chocolate—26 g (IQR: 36), cake—95 g (IQR: 88), sweet biscuits—26 g (IQR: 29), and ice cream—75 g (IQR: 42). The current findings may inform population-wide strategies to encourage healthful snacks such as fruit, inform portion control by individuals, and persuade the food industry to reduce the serving size of discretionary snack foods such as cake.

Data regarding the effect of specific dietary behaviors, such as meal frequency, on multi-morbidity are scarce. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effect of meal frequency on multi-morbidity in a Cypriot population. A representative sample of 1255 adults >18 years old was surveyed during 2022–2023. Data regarding sociodemographic characteristics, multi-morbidity, and meal frequency consumption were collected through validated questionnaires. Diseases were listed according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision [ICD-10]. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS Statistics v.19.0. Responders who consumed more than three meals and snacks daily had a higher probability of multi-morbidity [OR: 1.505 [95% CI: 1.505–2.069]] compared with those who consumed three or fewer meals and snacks daily. The relation was not statistically significant after adjusting for age and gender and for socioeconomic characteristics. Furthermore, participants who consumed more than three snacks per day had a 1.776 [AOR: 1.616 [95% CI: 1.054–2.476]] higher risk of having multi-morbidity compared with participants who did not consume any snack or consumed one snack per day. The findings suggest that people with multi-morbidity have a higher risk when consuming three or more snacks per day regardless of age, gender, and socioeconomic characteristics.

This study investigated the influence of ‘snackification’ in Singaporean diets, leading to increased dietary acrylamide exposure. Acrylamide concentrations in commonly consumed foods within and outside the main meals were measured using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). High acrylamide concentrations were detected in vegetables cooked at high temperatures (ranging from 0.5 to 478.4 µg/kg) and potato-based crackers and chips (ranging from 81.8 to 2095.8 µg/kg). The estimated total dietary exposure for the Singapore population was 0.165 µg/kg bw/day for general consumers and 0.392 µg/kg bw/day for high consumers (95th percentile). The acrylamide exposure from outside main meals was nearly equivalent to that from within the main meals. The calculated margins of exposure (MOE) were below 10,000, indicating potential human health concern. These findings highlight the need for industry practices and consumer advisories to reduce acrylamide exposure from foods consumed both within and outside main meals.

ObjectiveTo explore the correlation between dietary behaviors and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among primary and high school students in urban and rural regions of Nanjing municipality, China. MethodsUsing multistage random cluster sampling, we recruited 4 498 students of grade 4 – 12 in 108 classes of 36 primary and junior/senior high schools in all administrative districts of Nanjing. On-site self-administered questionnaire survey and anthropometric measurement were conducted among the students during May – June 2018. Child Health Utility 9D – Chinese Version (CHU9D-CHN), Item-Specific Physical Activity Scale for Chinese Children and Adolescents (I-PASCA), and the Food Frequency Questionnaire were adopted in the survey. Multivariate linear regression model was used to analyze the association of dietary behavior with HRQoL among the students.ResultsFor the 4388 participants completed the survey (response rate = 97.6%), the mean value of HRQoL was 0.78 (standard deviation = 0.17). After adjusting for confounders and potential class-level clustering effects, the score of CHU9D decreased for the students with low frequency of vegetable intakes (mean difference [MD] = – 0.022, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: – 0.043 – – 0.001) and fruit intakes (MD = – 0.015, 95% CI: – 0.034 – 0.004) compared to those with high frequency of vegetable and fruit intakes; decreased CHU9D scores were also measured in the students with high consumption frequency of snack (MD = – 0.030, 95% CI: – 0.041 – – 0.020) and soft-drink (MD = – 0.024, 95% CI: – 0.034 – – 0.013) in comparison to those with low frequency of snack and soft-drink consumption; moreover, the results of multivariate analysis demonstrated that a – 0.22 (95% CI: – 0.03 – – 0.01) increment in the CHU9D score was correlated with each of the four unhealthy dilatory behaviors additively (low intake of vegetable and fruit and high consumption of snack and soft-drink) after adjusting for other variables.ConclusionThe intake frequency of vegetables and fruits are inversely associated with HRQoL, but the frequency of snack and soft-drink consumption are positively correlated to HRQoL; the four dietary behaviors are of synergistic effect on HRQoL among primary and high school students in Nanjing, China

Coconut flour is the pulverized residue obtained after the extraction of milk from coconut copra, regarded as coconut waste. The objective of this study was to find a use for this underutilized industrial waste by producing flakes from coconut flour using different binding agents and to evaluate their physical, functional and chemical properties. Coconut flour was produced from coconut copra, followed by processing of six batches of coconut flakes with different binders (xanthan gum, guar gum, ofor seed gum, achi seed gum and cassava starch) and a control sample with no binding agent. The proximate composition, mineral content, caprylic acid, colour and functional properties of the coconut flake samples were evaluated using standard methods. The crude protein, ash, crude fat, crude fibre and moisture content of the coconut flakes ranged from 8.46-10.21%, 1.01-1.40%, 0.94-0.99%, 2.55-2.82% and 1.89-2.45% respectively. The binding agents had a significant effect in retaining the aroma compound (caprylic acid) of the coconut flakes (1.48 - 2.45%), compared with the sample without a binding agent (1.37%). The calcium, iron, magnesium and sodium content in coconut flake samples ranged from 2.71 to 4.52 mg/100g, 1.57 to 2.06 mg/100g, 9.58 to 10.53 mg/100 g and 502 – 943 mg/kg respectively. The binding agents had no significant effect on the bulk density (0.13 to 0.15 g/cm3), but significantly increased the water absorption capacity of the coconut flakes from 78.23% to 126 – 164%. The L*, a* and b*colour parameters of the coconut flakes ranged from 72.41 to 93.38; -0.12 to +4.89 and 10.04 to 21.95 and the colour difference (delta Chroma), colour intensity and hue angle varied from 1.90 to 12.07, 6.75 to 24.17 and 77.13-91.44 respectively. This study showed that coconut flakes, a nutritious and less dense meal can be produced from coconut flour with or without a binding agent, which could serve as a breakfast meal or snack.