Effect of germicidal UVC light on fungi isolated from grapes and raisins

AIMS: To examine how UVC affects the different genera of fungi commonly isolated from grapes; with the aim of understanding changes in mycobiota during grape ripening and possible applications for preventing grape decay during storage. METHODS AND RESULTS: Spores of Aspergillus carbonarius; Aspergillus niger; Cladosporium herbarum; Penicillium janthinellum and Alternaria alternata (between 100-250 spores/plate agar) […]

Pistachio nut consumption and serum lipid levels.

OBJECTIVE: Clinical and epidemiological studies have reported the beneficial effects of tree nuts and peanuts on serum lipid levels. We studied the effects of consuming 15% of the daily caloric intake in the form of pistachio nuts on the lipid profiles of free-living human subjects with primary; moderate hypercholesterolemia (serum cholesterol greater than 210 mg/dL). […]

Evaluation of the microelement profile of Turkish hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) varieties for human nutrition and health

In this study; the levels of boron (B); cobalt (Co); copper (Cu); chromium (Cr); iron (Fe); lithium (Li); nickel (Ni); selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) microelements in 16 hazelnut samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and atomic absorption spectroscopy after microwave digestion; and are discussed for human nutrition and health. Significant differences […]

Validation of a food-frequency questionnaire for measurement of nutrient intake in a dietary intervention study

OBJECTIVE: To validate a 171-item semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for measurement of nutrient intake in an intervention trial based on walnut supplementation. DESIGN AND SETTING: Free-living adults from Southern California were randomly assigned to either an intervention (walnut-supplemented) or a control diet. The prescribed 6-month intervention was > or = 28 g of walnuts per […]

Antioxidant phytochemicals in hazelnut kernel (Corylus avellana L.) and hazelnut byproducts.

Antioxidant efficacies of ethanol extracts of defatted raw hazelnut kernel and hazelnut byproducts (skin; hard shell; green leafy cover; and tree leaf) were evaluated by monitoring total antioxidant activity (TAA) and free-radical scavenging activity tests [hydrogen peroxide; superoxide radical; and 2;2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical]; together with antioxidant activity in a beta-carotene-linoleate model system; inhibition of oxidation […]

Scalping of flavors in packaged foods.

Food packaging, although an integral part of the food chain, has a major drawback in that, often, the packaging material interacts with the flavor constituents of the food, causing either a selective or an extensive loss of desirable food flavors or absorption of undesirable off-flavors from the packaging material, thereby resulting in an eventual loss […]

Selenium and Aflatoxin levels in raw Brazil nuts from the Amazon Basin.

Whereas selenium (Se) is an important antioxidant in human metabolism to prevent cancer; aflatoxins are highly carcinogenic. Brazil nuts from Eastern and Western Amazon regions were evaluated to find any relationship between Se and aflatoxins levels. A total of 80 (in-shell and shelled) nuts samples were collected directly from different forest sites and analyzed for […]

Long-term adoption of a Mediterranean diet is associated with a better health status in elderly people; a cross-sectional survey in Cyprus

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that there are protective health effects from diets which are high in fruits; vegetables; legumes; and whole grains; and which include fish; nuts; and low-fat dairy products. We sought to investigate the association of Mediterranean diet on clinical status of 150 elderly men and women. METHODS: During 2004 – 2005; […]