Experimental Comparison of Open Sun and Indirect Convection Solar Drying Methods for Apricots in Uzbekistan
Solar drying is an environmentally friendly and sustainable approach to preserve agricultural products, particularly in regions with abundant sunlight. In terms of apricot cultivation, the implementation of solar drying methods can significantly impact post-harvest handling and storage. In the conditions of Uzbekistan, the drying of apricot products in indirect solar dryers is the next stage of development. This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of solar drying techniques for apricots in Uzbekistan, focusing on optimizing drying parameters and assessing the quality of the dried products. This study involves the design and implementation of solar drying systems for apricots. It primarily focuses on comparing and evaluating the drying times of apricots, changes in product moisture, and alterations in apricot color during the drying process using an Open Sun Dryer (OSD) and an Indirect Natural Convection Solar Dryer (INCSD). Various drying parameters such as the temperature, humidity, and drying time are monitored and controlled during the experiment. Additionally, the quality of the dried apricots is evaluated through analyses of their color, texture, and nutrient retention. According to the results, when apricots were dried in a solar dryer at 55 °C and with 35% humidity outside, their moisture content decreased from 85–90% to 12–18% within 15 h. The solar radiation intensity and ambient temperature play a crucial role in the acceleration of the time in the drying process. In general, utilizing equipment-based solar drying methods for apricots in Uzbekistan has the potential to rival traditional drying systems in terms of both quality and drying duration.
https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2024067026
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Single Ascending Dose Study With Single Blind Sentinel Period to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of IGNX001 in Peanut-Allergic Participants
The goal of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose clinical trial is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of IGNX001 in peanut-allergic adults and older Adolescents. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06331728
Successful introduction of peanut in sensitized infants with reported reactions at home
Background and objective: Previous studies have shown efficacy of early introduction of peanut to prevent peanut allergy. It is currently unknown which diagnostic pathway is optimal after parental-reported reactions to peanut at home after early introduction. Methods: The PeanutNL cohort study included high-risk infants that were referred for early introduction of peanut. A subgroup of 186 infants with reactions to peanut at home underwent peanut skin prick tests and a supervised open oral food challenge (OFC) at a median age of 8 months. After a negative OFC, peanut was introduced at home. Results: Sensitization to peanut was detected in 69% of 186 infants, of which 80% had > 4mm wheals in skin prick tests. An OFC with a cumulative dose of 4.4 gr peanut protein was performed in 163 infants with Sampson severity score grade I-III reactions at home; 120 challenges were negative. Peanut was subsequently introduced at home in infants with a negative challenge outcome. After 6 months, 96% were still eating peanut and 81% ate single portions of 3.0 gr peanut protein. One patient was considered to be peanut allergic after reintroduction of peanut at home. Conclusion: These data show that 65% of infants with reported reactions to peanut at home have negative OFCs. In those children, peanut could be introduced safely and 96% were able to consume peanut regularly without reactions. Challenging infants under 12 months of age prevents the misdiagnosis of peanut allergy, and enables safe continued exposure to peanut and the induction of long-term tolerance. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2024.08.047
Tolerance of peanuts and tree nuts in Spanish children with exclusive sensitization to lipid transfer proteins
Background: Allergy to peanuts and tree nuts is a common cause of food allergy in Spain, with lipid transfer proteins (LTP) being the most frequently recognized panallergen. LTP sensitization often leads to multiple food group sensitivities, resulting in overly restrictive diets that hinder patient's quality of life. This study aimed to assess the tolerance of peanuts and tree nuts (hazelnuts and walnuts) in children sensitized to LTP, potentially mitigating the need for such diets. Methods: This prospective study enrolled individuals diagnosed with allergy to peanuts, hazelnuts, or walnuts. Data were collected from medical records, including demographics and clinical history. Allergological assessment comprised skin prick tests using commercial extracts and the nuts in question, alongside measurements of total and specific IgE to nuts and their primary molecular components. Participants showing positive LTP sensitization without sensitzation to seed storage proteins underwent open oral nut challenges. Results: A total of 75 individuals labeled as allergic to peanuts, 44 to hazelnuts, and 51 to walnuts were included. All of them underwent an open oral provocation test with the incriminated nut, showing a high tolerance rate. Peanut was tolerated by 98.6% of patients, 97.72% tolerated hazelnut, and 84.3% tolerated walnut. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the majority of patients allergic to peanuts, hazelnuts, or walnuts, due to LTP sensitization and lacking IgE reactivity to seed storage proteins, can tolerate these nuts. This supports the need for personalized nut tolerance assessments to avoid unnecessary dietary restrictions. https://doi.org/10.1111/pai.14204
Prevalence and Determinants of Food Allergy in the Era of Early Allergen Introduction: the EarlyNuts Population-Based Study
Background: Infant feeding guidelines in Australia changed in 2016 to recommend introducing common allergy-causing foods by age 1 year to prevent food allergy. Although most Australian infants now eat peanut and egg by age 6 months, some still develop food allergy despite the early introduction of allergens. Objectives: To describe the prevalence of food allergy in a cohort recruited after introducing the nationwide allergy prevention recommendations; identify characteristics of infants who developed allergy despite early introduction of allergens; and estimate the causal effect of modifiable exposures on food allergy prevalence and whether this differed between infants who were introduced to allergens before or after age 6 months. Methods: We recruited a population-based sample of 12-month-old infants in Melbourne, Australia. Infants had skin prick tests to four foods and parents completed questionnaires. Infants with evidence of sensitization were offered oral food challenges. Prevalence estimates were adjusted using inverse probability weighting. Results: In a cohort of infants (n = 1,420) in which nearly all infants had been introduced to common allergens such as egg, milk, and peanut by age 1 year, the prevalence of food allergy remained high at 11.3% (95% CI, 9.6-13.4). Infants who developed food allergy despite introduction of the allergen by age 6 months were more likely to have Asian-born parents. Early-onset moderate or severe eczema was associated with an increased odds of food allergy irrespective of whether allergens were introduced before or after age 6 months. Among infants who were introduced to peanut at age 6 months or earlier, antibiotic use by age 6 months was associated with an increased odds of peanut allergy (adjusted odds ratio = 6.03; 95% CI, 1.15-31.60). Conclusions: In a cohort in which early allergen introduction was common, the prevalence of food allergy remained high. Infants who developed food allergy despite introduction of the respective allergen by age 6 months were more likely to have had Asian parents and early-onset eczema. New interventions are needed for infants with a phenotype of food allergy that is not amenable to early allergen introduction. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2024.07.001
Dried fruit intake and lower risk of type 2 diabetes: a two-sample mendelian randomization study
Background: Previous studies have shown controversy about whether dried fruit intake is associated with type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to examine the potential causal effect of dried fruit intake on type 2 diabetes by conducting a two-sample Mendelian randomization study. Methods: We used genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for MR analysis to explore the causal association of dried fruit intake with T2D. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the main analytical method for MR analysis. In addition, the MR-Egger method and the weighted median method were applied to supplement the IVW method. Furthermore, Cochrane's Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, and leave-one-out analysis were used to perform sensitivity analysis. The funnel plot was used to assess publication bias. Results: The results from the IVW analysis indicated that dried fruit intake could reduce the risk of T2D [odds ratio (OR) = 0.392, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.241-0.636, p-value = 0.0001]. In addition, the result of additional method Weighted median is parallel to the effects estimated by IVW. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis illustrates that our MR analysis was unaffected by heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. Finally, the results of the leave-one-out method showed the robustness of our MR results. And the funnel plot shows a symmetrical distribution. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence for the benefits of dried fruit intake on T2D. Therefore, a reasonable consumption of dried fruit may provide primary prevention. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-024-00813-z
Cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale L.) and cashew nut oil reduce cardiovascular risk factors in adults on weight-loss treatment: a randomized controlled three-arm trial (Brazilian Nuts Study)
Introduction: Cashew nut contains bioactive compounds that modulate satiety and food intake, but its effects on body fat during energy restriction remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the effects of cashew nut and cashew nut oil on body fat (primary outcome) as well as adiposity, cardiometabolic and liver function markers (secondary outcomes). Materials and methods: An eight-week (8-wk) randomized controlled-feeding study involved 68 adults with overweight/obesity (40 women, BMI: 33 ± 4 kg/m2). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the energy-restricted (−500 kcal/d) groups: control (CT, free-nuts), cashew nut (CN, 30 g/d), or cashew nut oil (OL, 30 mL/d). Body weight, body composition, and blood collection were assessed at the baseline and endpoint of the study. Results: After 8-wk, all groups reduced significantly body fat (CT: −3.1 ± 2.8 kg; CN: −3.3 ± 2.7 kg; OL: −1.8 ± 2.6 kg), body weight (CT: −4.2 ± 3.8 kg; CN: −3.9 ± 3.1 kg; OL: −3.4 ± 2.4 kg), waist (CT: −5.1 ± 4.6 cm; CN: −3.9 ± 3.9 cm; OL: −3.7 ± 5.3 cm) and hip circumferences (CT: −2.9 ± 3.0 cm; CN: −2.7 ± 3.1 cm; OL: −2.9 ± 2.3 cm). CN-group reduced liver enzymes (AST: −3.1 ± 5.3 U/L; ALT: −6.0 ± 9.9 U/L), while the OL-group reduced LDL-c (−11.5 ± 21.8 mg/dL) and atherogenic index (−0.2 ± 0.5). Both intervention groups decreased neck circumference (CN: −1.0 ± 1.2 cm; OL: −0.5 ± 1.2 cm) and apo B (CN: −6.6 ± 10.7 mg/dL; OL: −7.0 ± 15.3 mg/dL). Conclusion: After an 8-wk energy-restricted intervention, all groups reduced body fat (kg), weight, and some others adiposity indicators, with no different effect of cashew nut or cashew nut oil. However, participants in the intervention groups experienced additional reductions in atherogenic marker, liver function biomarkers, and cardiovascular risk factors (neck circumference and apo B levels), with these effects observed across the OL group, CN group, and both intervention groups, respectively. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1407028
Nut consumption, gut microbiota, and body fat distribution: results of a large, community-based population study
Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationships among nut consumption, gut microbiota, and body fat distribution. Methods: We studied 2255 Chinese adults in the Lanxi Cohort living in urban areas in Lanxi City, China. Fat distribution was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and nut consumption was assessed using food frequency questionnaires. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing was performed on stool samples from 1724 participants. Linear regression and Spearman correlation were used in all analyses. A validation study was performed using 1274 participants in the Lanxi Cohort living in rural areas. Results: Nut consumption was beneficially associated with regional fat accumulation. Gut microbial analysis suggested that a high intake of nuts was associated with greater microbial α diversity. Six genera were found to be associated with nut consumption, and the abundance of genera Anaerobutyricum, Anaerotaenia, and Fusobacterium was significantly associated with fat distribution. Favorable relationships between α diversity and fat distribution were also observed. Similar relationships between gut microbiota and fat distribution were obtained in the validation analysis. Conclusions: We have shown that nut consumption is beneficially associated with body fat distribution and gut microbiota diversity and taxonomy. Furthermore, the microbial features related to high nut intake are associated with a favorable pattern of fat distribution. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.24099
Reducing climate change impacts from the global food system through diet shifts
How much and what we eat and where it is produced can create huge differences in GHG emissions. On the basis of detailed household-expenditure data, we evaluate the unequal distribution of dietary emissions from 140 food products in 139 countries or areas and further model changes in emissions of global diet shifts. Within countries, consumer groups with higher expenditures generally cause more dietary emissions due to higher red meat and dairy intake. Such inequality is more pronounced in low-income countries. The present global annual dietary emissions would fall by 17% with the worldwide adoption of the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet, primarily attributed to shifts from red meat to legumes and nuts as principal protein sources. More than half (56.9%) of the global population, which is presently overconsuming, would save 32.4% of global emissions through diet shifts, offsetting the 15.4% increase in global emissions from presently underconsuming populations moving towards healthier diets. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02084-1
Peanut Allergy News Round-up
Recent developments offer hope for better allergy management
Significant progress is being made in the battle against peanut allergy. Several recent milestones in different countries mark positive steps towards more effective treatments and better management.
- US approves use of oral immunotherapy drug in toddlers with peanut allergy
On July 26, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the oral immunotherapy drug Palforzia for initiation of treatment, up-dosing and maintenance in individuals aged 1 to 3 years with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy to mitigate allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to peanuts. Palforzia has been approved since January 2020 for initiation of treatment in individuals aged 4 to 17 years with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy with up-dosing and maintenance in individuals aged 4 years and older.
- Australia launches national peanut allergy immunotherapy program in babies
Babies with peanut allergies in Australia will be offered a treatment program under a pioneering model aimed at transforming allergy care. Ten children’s hospitals have partnered with the government-funded National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE) to introduce a nationwide peanut oral immunotherapy program. Children taking part in the free program will follow a carefully planned daily dosing schedule of peanut powder, taken at home, over a two-year period. The program is currently only open to children under 12 months of age who have been diagnosed with peanut allergy and are receiving care from an allergist at one of the participating hospitals. If the program proves successful, more hospitals and allergy clinics are expected to join in the future.
- Pioneering trial to study antibody therapy against peanut allergy
A new antibody therapy holds the potential to offer year-long protection from severe allergic reactions with just four injections. A phase 1 randomized controlled trial launched this summer in Australia will study the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the new antibody therapy. The study aims to enroll 24 participants between the ages of 15 and 55 and is expected to be completed in late 2025.