Food allergy knowledge; attitudes; and beliefs in the United States

BACKGROUND: Members of the general public play a significant role in the well-being of food-allergic children; although little is known about the knowledge; attitudes; and beliefs of food allergy among the public. OBJECTIVE: To provide insight into food allergy knowledge and perceptions among the general US population. METHODS: A national sample of adults was recruited […]

Effect of pistachio diet on lipid parameters; endothelial function; inflammation; and oxidative status: A prospective study

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have suggested that nuts have favorable effects beyond lipid lowering. We aimed to investigate effect of the Antep pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) on blood glucose; lipid parameters; endothelial function; inflammation; and oxidation in healthy young men living in a controlled environment. METHODS: A Mediterranean diet was administered to normolipidemic 32 healthy young […]

Oleic acid and peanut oil high in oleic acid reverse the inhibitory effect of insulin production of the inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha both in vitro and in vivo systems

BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammation is a key player in pathogenesis. The inflammatory cytokine; tumor necrosis factor-alpha is a well known inflammatory protein; and has been a therapeutic target for the treatment of diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Crohn's Disease. Obesity is a well known risk factor for developing non-insulin dependent diabetes melitus. Adipose tissue has […]

Effectiveness of Sanitizers; Dry Heat; Hot Water; and Gas Catalytic Infrared Heat Treatments to Inactivate Salmonella on Almonds

The majority of almond-related foodborne outbreaks have been associated with Salmonella. Therefore; it is necessary to find an effective method to inactivate these organisms on raw almond prior to market distribution. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of sanitizers (strong or mild electrolyzed water; ozonated water; and distilled water); dry heat treatment; and […]

Identification of two pistachio allergens; Pis v 1 and Pis v 2; belonging to the 2S albumin and 11S globulin family

BACKGROUND: IgE-mediated allergic reactions to pistachio appear to be occurring more frequently; however; little is known about its allergenic proteins. OBJECTIVE: We attempted to identify pistachio allergens and to clone the encoding genes. METHODS: Pistachio proteins were extracted and separated by SDS-PAGE. Immunolabelling was performed with sera from 28 pistachio-allergic individuals. Proteins of interest were […]

Component-resolved in vitro diagnosis of hazelnut allergy in Europe

BACKGROUND: Food allergy to hazelnut occurs both with and without concomitant pollen allergy. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate a panel of hazelnut allergens for diagnosis of hazelnut allergy in Spain; Switzerland; and Denmark. METHODS: Fifty-two patients with a positive double-blind; placebo-controlled food challenge result with hazelnuts; 5 patients with a history of anaphylaxis; 62 patients […]

Serum sterol responses to increasing plant sterol intake from natural foods in the Mediterranean diet

BACKGROUND: Phytosterols in natural foods are thought to inhibit cholesterol absorption. The Mediterranean diet is rich in phytosterol-containing plant foods. AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess whether increasing phytosterol intake from natural foods was associated with a cholesterol-lowering effect in a substudy of a randomized trial of nutritional intervention with Mediterranean diets for primary cardiovascular […]

Grape Juice; Berries; and Walnuts Affect Brain Aging and Behavior

Numerous studies have indicated that individuals consuming a diet containing high amounts of fruits and vegetables exhibit fewer age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Research from our laboratory has suggested that dietary supplementation with fruit or vegetable extracts high in antioxidants (e.g. blueberries; strawberries; walnuts; and Concord grape juice) can decrease the enhanced vulnerability to […]