Epidemiological studies suggest that a diet high in flavonoids protects against chronic diseases such as CVD and cancer. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the intake of quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, apigenin and luteolin and their corresponding plasma concentrations, and further to explore whether these flavonoids can serve as biomarkers of their intake. Flavonoid intake and their plasma concentrations were analysed in ninety-two subjects consuming their habitual diet. Flavonoid intake was estimated with 7-d dietary records using available data on the flavonoid content of food. Plasma flavonoid concentrations were quantified by HPLC. In addition, we undertook a dietary intervention study to investigate plasma apigenin concentration after the consumption of celery leaf. The mean intake estimates of quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, apigenin and luteolin amounted to 13·58, 14·97, 12·31, 4·23 and 8·08 mg/d, respectively. The corresponding mean plasma concentrations were 80·23, 57·86, 39·94, 10·62 and 99·90 nmol/l. The mean 7 d intake of five flavonoids was positively correlated to their corresponding plasma concentrations, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0·33 to 0·51 (P < 0·05). In the dietary intervention study, the plasma apigenin concentration rose after celery leaf ingestion, and fell within 28 h to below the limit of detection (2·32 nmol/l). The present results suggest that quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, apigenin and luteolin are bioavailable from the diet. The levels of fasting plasma flavonoids seem to be suitable biomarkers of short-term intake. The combination of plasma flavonoids with their intake may prove useful when the possible health-protective effects of flavonoids are studied.

Ageing is an important determinant of atherosclerosis development rate, mainly by the creation of a chronic low-grade inflammation. Diet, and particularly its fat content, modulates the inflammatory response in the fasting and postprandial states. Our aim was to study the effects of dietary fat on the expression of genes related to inflammation (NF-κB, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), TNF-α and IL-6) and plaque stability (matrix metalloproteinase 9, MMP-9) during the postprandial state of twenty healthy, elderly people who followed three diets for 3 weeks each: (1) Mediterranean diet (Med Diet) enriched in MUFA with virgin olive oil; (2) SFA-rich diet; and (3) low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet enriched in n-3 PUFA (CHO-PUFA diet) by a randomised crossover design. At the end of each period, after a 12-h fast, the subjects received a breakfast with a composition similar to the one when the dietary period ended. In the fasting state, the Med Diet consumption induced a lower gene expression of the p65 subunit of NF-κB compared with the SFA-rich diet (P = 0·019). The ingestion of the Med Diet induced a lower gene postprandial expression of p65 (P = 0·033), MCP-1 (P = 0·0229) and MMP-9 (P = 0·041) compared with the SFA-rich diet, and a lower gene postprandial expression of p65 (P = 0·027) and TNF-α (P = 0·047) compared with the CHO-PUFA diet. Direct plasma quantification mostly reproduced the findings. Our data suggest that consumption of a Med Diet reduces the postprandial inflammatory response in mononuclear cells compared with the SFA-rich and CHO-PUFA diets in elderly people. These findings may be partly responsible for the lower CVD risk found in populations with a high adherence to the Med Diet.

We have determined the absorption, conjugation and excretion of naringenin-7-O-rutinoside (narirutin) compared to the corresponding glucoside in an orange juice matrix in human subjects. Healthy volunteers (eight men and eight women), in a double blind, randomised, crossover study, consumed orange juice with (1) natural content of naringenin-7-O-rutinoside; (2) α-rhamnosidase-treated to yield naringenin-7-O-glucoside. Blood was sampled at twelve time points and three fractions of urine were collected over 24 h. The area under the plasma–time curve of naringenin from (2) α-rhamnosidase-treated orange juice was increased about 4-fold (P < 0·0001), peak plasma concentration (Cmax) was 5·4-fold higher (P < 0·0001) and Tmax was decreased from 311 to 92 min (P = 0·002) compared to untreated orange juice (1), indicating a change in absorption site from the colon to the small intestine. Furthermore, the amount in urine was increased from 7 to 47 % (P < 0·0001) of the dose after consumption of the α-rhamnosidase-treated orange juice (2). All urine samples contained both naringenin-7- and -4′-O-glucuronides. In addition, to examine the effect of dose and α-rhamnosidase treatment on hesperetin conjugate profiles, a further treatment where (3) orange juice fortified with three times the original content of hesperetin-7-O-rutinoside was used. Five hesperetin metabolites (3′-O-glucuronide; 7-O-glucuronide; 5,7-O-diglucuronide; 3′,7-O-diglucuronide; 3′-O-sulphate) were present after all treatments (1–3), with the same profile of the conjugates. The present data show that bioavailability of naringenin is increased by conversion from rutinoside to glucoside, but the profile of the conjugates of flavanones formed and excreted in urine is neither affected by the absorption site nor by a 3-fold change in dose.

The current growing interest for natural antioxidants has led to a renewed scientific attention for artichoke, due not only to its nutritional value, but, overall, to its polyphenolic content, showing strong antioxidant properties. The major constituents of artichoke extracts are hydroxycinnamic acids such as chlorogenic acid, dicaffeoylquinic acids caffeic acid and ferulic acid, and flavonoids such as luteolin and apigenin glycosides. Invitro studies, using cultured rat hepatocytes, have shown its hepatoprotective functions and in vivo studies have shown the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis in human subjects. Several studies have shown the effect on animal models of artichoke extracts, while information on human bioavailability and metabolism of hydroxycinnamates derivatives is still lacking. Results showed a plasma maximum concentration of 6·4 (sd 1.8) ng/ml for chlorogenic acid after 1 h and its disappearance within 2 h (P < 0·05). Peak plasma concentrations of 19·5 (sd6·9) ng/ml for total caffeic acid were reached within 1 h, while ferulic acid plasma concentrations showed a biphasic profile with 6·4 (sd1·5) ng/ml and 8·4 (sd4·6) ng/ml within 1 h and after 8 h respectively. We observed a significant increase of dihydrocaffeic acid and dihydroferulic acid total levels after 8 h (P < 0·05). No circulating plasma levels of luteolin and apigenin were present. Our study confirms the bioavailability of metabolites of hydroxycinnamic acids after ingestion of cooked edible Cynara scolymus L. (cultivar Violetto di Provenza).

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether probiotic supplementation (Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS)) prevents diet-induced insulin resistance in human subjects. A total of seventeen healthy subjects were randomised to either a probiotic (n 8) or a control (n 9) group. The probiotic group consumed a LcS-fermented milk drink twice daily for 4 weeks, whereas the control group received no supplementation. Subjects maintained their normal diet for the first 3 weeks of the study, after which they consumed a high-fat (65 % of energy), high-energy (50 % increase in energy intake) diet for 7 d. Whole-body insulin sensitivity was assessed by an oral glucose tolerance test conducted before and after overfeeding. Body mass increased by 0·6 (se 0·2) kg in the control group (P< 0·05) and by 0·3 (se 0·2) kg in the probiotic group (P>0·05). Fasting plasma glucose concentrations increased following 7 d of overeating (control group: 5·3 (se 0·1) v. 5·6 (se 0·2) mmol/l before and after overfeeding, respectively, P< 0·05), whereas fasting serum insulin concentrations were maintained in both groups. Glucose AUC values increased by 10 % (from 817 (se 45) to 899 (se 39) mmol/l per 120 min, P< 0·05) and whole-body insulin sensitivity decreased by 27 % (from 5·3 (se 1·4) to 3·9 (se 0·9), P< 0·05) in the control group, whereas normal insulin sensitivity was maintained in the probiotic group (4·4 (se 0·8) and 4·5 (se 0·9) before and after overeating, respectively (P>0·05). These results suggest that probiotic supplementation may be useful in the prevention of diet-induced metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

An in vitro faecal incubation system was used to study the metabolism of complex carbohydrates by intestinal bacteria. Homogenates of human faeces were incubated anaerobically with added lactulose, pectin, the hemicellulose arabinogalactan, and cellulose, both before and after subjects had been pre-fed each carbohydrate. Fermentation of added substrate was assessed by the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and suppression of net ammonia generation over 48 h of incubation. Control faecal homogenates to which carbohydrate was not added yielded an average increment of SCFA of 43 mmol/l, equivalent to 172 mmol/kg in the original stool. The addition of lactulose, pectin and arabinogalactan each increased the yield of SCFA by a similar amount, averaging 6·5 mmol/g carbohydrate or 1·05 mol/mol hexose equivalent; organic acid yield was not increased by pre-feeding these substances for up to 2 weeks. Acetate was the major SCFA in all samples at all times and, after pre-feeding with extra carbohydrate, butyrate concentrations exceeded propionate in all samples. Faecal homogenates incubated with cellulose showed no greater SCFA production than controls over the first 48 h, but there was a slight increase when samples from two subjects pre-fed cellulose were incubated for 14 d. Net ammonia generation was markedly suppressed by addition of lactulose to faecal incubates with an initial period of net bacterial uptake of ammonia. Pectin and arabinogalactan also decreased ammonia generation, but the reductions were not significant unless subjects were pre-fed these materials; cellulose had no effect on ammonia generation.

The effect of heated sunflower oil consumption on α-tocopherol status, fatty acid composition and oxidative stability of chicken tissues was investigated. Chicks were fed on diets containing (g/kg): fresh sunflower oil (FSO) 40, heated sunflower oil (HSO) 40 or heated sunflower oil (40) supplemented with α-tocopheryl acetate (HSE) to a similar α-tocopherol concentration as the FSO diet. Concentrations of α-tocopherol in tissues of chicks fed on HSO and HSE were significantly lower than those of chicks fed on FSO. Significant correlations were observed between plasma α-tocopherol concentration and the α-tocopherol concentrations of other tissues (r < 0·67, P < 0·005) and between log plasma α-tocopherol and plasma thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS) concentrations (r – 0·851, P < 0·001). The concentrations of TEARS in tissues of chicks fed on the various diets were generally very similar before stimulation of peroxidation with Fe–ascorbate. Susceptibility of tissues to Fe–ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation was increased by feeding HSO. Supplementation with α-tocopheryl acetate reduced susceptibility tc lipid oxidation to varying degrees, depending on the tissue. The results suggest that chronic ingesrion of oxidized lipids may compromise free-radical-scavenging activity in vivo by depleting α-tocopherol in the gastrointestinal tract, or possibly in plasma and other tissues.

1. Male weanling rats were fed on diets either adequate (55 mg/kg), or severely deficient (0.4 mg/kg) in zinc, either ad lib. or in restricted amounts in four experiments. Measurements were made of growth rates and Zn contents of muscle and several individual tissues.

2. Zn-deficient rats exhibited the expected symptoms of deficiency including growth retardation, cyclic changes in food intake and body-weight.

3. Zn deficiency specifically reduced whole body and muscle growth rates as indicated by the fact that (a) growth rates were lower in ad lib.-fed Zn-deficient rats compared with rats pair-fed on the control diet in two experiments, (b) Zn supplementation increased body-weights of Zn-deficient rats given a restricted amount of diet at a level at which they maintained weight if unsupplemented, (c) Zn supplementation maintained body-weights of Zn-deficient rats fed a restricted amount of diet at a level at which they lost weight if unsupplemented (d) since the ratio, muscle mass:body-weight was lower in the Zn-deficient rats than in the pair-fed control groups, the reduction in muscle mass was greater than the reduction in body-weight.

4. Zn concentrations were maintained in muscle, spleen and thymus, reduced in comparison to some but not all control groups in liver, kidney, testis and intestine, and markedly reduced in plasma and bone. In plasma, Zn concentrations varied inversely with the rate of change of body-weight during the cyclic changes in body-weight.

5. Calculation of the total Zn in the tissues examined showed a marked increase in muscle Zn with a similar loss from bone, indicating that Zn can be redistributed from bone to allow the growth of other tissues.

6. The magnitude of the increase in muscle Zn in the severely Zn-deficient rat, together with the magnitude of the total losses of muscle tissue during the catabolic phases of the cycling, indicate that in the Zn-deficient rat Zn may be highly conserved in catabolic states.

High dietary intakes of tomato products are often associated with a reduced risk of CVD, but the atheroprotective mechanisms have not been established. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of increased dietary intake of tomato products on plasma lipids and LDL oxidation. The diet intervention included a baseline period, a 3-week low tomato diet (no tomato products allowed) and a 3-week high tomato diet (400 ml tomato juice and 30 mg tomato ketchup daily). Twenty-one healthy study subjects participated in the study. Total cholesterol concentration was reduced by 5·9 (sd 10) % (P = 0·002) and LDL cholesterol concentration by 12·9 (sd 17·0) % (P = 0·0002) with the high tomato diet compared to the low tomato diet. The changes in total and LDL cholesterol concentrations correlated significantly with the changes in serum lycopene (r 0·56, P = 0·009; r 0·60, P = 0·004, total and LDL, respectively), β-carotene (r 0·58, P = 0·005; r 0·70, P < 0·001) and γ-carotene concentrations (r 0·64, P = 0·002; r 0·64, P = 0·002). The level of circulating LDL to resist formation of oxidized phospholipids increased 13 % (P = 0·02) in response to the high tomato diet. In conclusion, a high dietary intake of tomato products had atheroprotective effects, it significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels, and increased LDL resistance to oxidation in healthy normocholesterolaemic adults. These atheroprotective features associated with changes in serum lycopene, β-carotene and γ-carotene levels.

Anthocyanins, phenolic acids and carotenoids are the predominant phytochemicals present in purple carrots. These phytochemicals could be useful in treatment of the metabolic syndrome since anthocyanins improve dyslipidaemia, glucose tolerance, hypertension and insulin resistance; the phenolic acids may also protect against CVD and β-carotene may protect against oxidative processes. In the present study, we have compared the ability of purple carrot juice and β-carotene to reverse the structural and functional changes in rats fed a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet as a model of the metabolic syndrome induced by diet. Cardiac structure and function were defined by histology, echocardiography and in isolated hearts and blood vessels; liver structure and function, oxidative stress and inflammation were defined by histology and plasma markers. High-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rats developed hypertension, cardiac fibrosis, increased cardiac stiffness, endothelial dysfunction, impaired glucose tolerance, increased abdominal fat deposition, altered plasma lipid profile, liver fibrosis and increased plasma liver enzymes together with increased plasma markers of oxidative stress and inflammation as well as increased inflammatory cell infiltration. Purple carrot juice attenuated or reversed all changes while β-carotene did not reduce oxidative stress, cardiac stiffness or hepatic fat deposition. As the juice itself contained low concentrations of carotenoids, it is likely that the anthocyanins are responsible for the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of purple carrot juice to improve glucose tolerance as well as cardiovascular and hepatic structure and function.

1. The effects of dietary energy level and dietary energy source on protein utilization by plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) were examined by giving diets containing 400 g crude protein/kg to nine groups of fish. Five of these diets contained only lipid as a source of energy (in addition to protein) and their energy contents were varied by increasing the lipid level in a step-wise manner from 56 to 176 g/kg. The remaining four diets contained both lipid and carbohydrate (glucose+dextrin) together as energy sources: two levels of carbohydrate (100 and 200 g/kg) being used at each of two (56 and 86 g/kg) lipid levels

2. Weight gains of plaice given the diets containing only lipid as an energy source did not differ significantly from each other. Weight gains of plaice given diets containing carbohydrate as well as protein and lipid were superior to those given diets lacking carbohydrate

3. Values obtained for protein efficiency ratio (PER) and net protein utilization (NPU) increased with increasing dietary energy level in both those fish given the diets containing carbohydrate and those given diets lacking it. Both PER and NPU values were greater for plaice given diets containing carbohydrate than for fish diets without carbohydrate even when the total energy content of the diets was approximately the same

4. Liver glycogen levels were significantly higher in plaice given diets containing 200 g carbohydrate/kg than in plaice given diets without carbohydrate. Blood glucose levels and hepatic hexokinase (EC 2.7.I.I) levels were not significantly different in plaice given these diets. No glucokinase (EC 2.7.I.2) was detected in plaice given either diet

5. The metabolic fate of glucose carbon in plaice was investigated by injecting the fish intraperitoneally with [U-14C]glucose and examining, 18 h afterwards, the distribution of radioactivity in different biochemical fractions from the fish

6. Glucose was respired much less rapidly in the carnivorous plaice, irrespective of dietary treatment, than in omnivorous mammals (mouse and rat). The rate of production of 14CO2 from [U-14C]glucose by plaice given diets containing carbohydrate was not significantly greater than that by plaice given diets lacking carbohydrate

7. More glucose was incorporated into liver glycogen when plaice were given carbohydrate in their food than when it was absent. Otherwise no differences were apparent in the fate of glucose C by plaice which could be related to the diets used

8. No mortalities occurred nor was any histopathology observed in the plaice as a consequence of the inclusion of carbohydrate in the food.

Many women associate one or more of their pregnancies with the development of adult obesity. Such an association has not been fully explored. This longitudinal study examines the changes in maternal anthropometric indices during pregnancy and postpartum. Seventy-seven pregnant subjects were investigated longitudinally at about 13, 25 and 36 weeks gestation, of whom forty-seven continued taking part into the postpartum period. Maternal weight, height and skinfold thickness (triceps, biceps, subscapular, suprailiac and mid thigh) were measured at each visit. Maternal fat mass was estimated from the conversion of the first four skinfold thicknesses. Maternal waist and hip circumferences were also measured at the first visit and 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. Weight and fat gain during pregnancy (13–36 weeks gestation) was 10·9 (SD 4·7) KG AND 4·6 (sd 3·3) kg (P < 0·001) respectively. A significant increase in fat mass from 13 weeks gestation to 6-months postpartum was observed (2·6 (sd 4·5), P < 0·001). The increased weight at 6-months postpartum, however, was not statistically significant (1·1 (sd 6·0) kg, P = 0·20). Based on BMI in early pregnancy, the subjects were divided into groups of underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. The last three groups were compared using ANOVA. The obese group showed a significant difference in the pattern of changes in the skinfold thickness, waist: hip ratio and fat mass at the postpartum period, in comparison with the other two groups. In conclusion, there is a tendency in the obese group to develop central obesity at the postpartum period.

The effects of phytic acid and microbial phytase on the flow and composition of endogenous protein at the terminal ileum of broiler chickens were investigated using the peptide alimentation method. Phytic acid (fed as the sodium salt) was included in a synthetic diet at 8·5, 11·5 and 14·5 g/kg (or 2·4, 3·2 and 4·0 g/kg phytate-phosphorus) and each diet was fed without or with an Escherichia coli-derived microbial phytase at 500 phytase units/kg diet. A control containing no phytate was fed as a comparison to estimate basal endogenous flows. Ingestion of phytic acid increased (P < 0·05) the flow of endogenous amino acids and N by an average of 47 % at the lowest phytic acid concentration and 87 % at the highest. The addition of microbial phytase reduced (P < 0·05) the inimical effects of phytic acid on endogenous amino acid flow at all dietary phytic acid levels. The composition of endogenous protein was also influenced (P < 0·10–0·001) by increasing phytic acid concentrations and phytase addition. The effects of phytic acid and phytase on endogenous flow and composition of endogenous protein, however, varied depending on the amino acid. It is concluded that the effects of phytase on amino acid digestibility may be mediated, in part, through a route of reduced endogenous loss.

Incorporation of N-acetylglucosamine-specific agglutinins from wheat germ (Triticum aestivum; WGA), thorn apple (Datura stramonium) or nettle (Urtica dioica) rhizomes in the diet at the level of 7 g/kg reduced the apparent digestibility and utilization of dietary proteins and the growth of rats, with WGA being the most damaging. As a result of their binding and endocytosis by the epithelial cells of the small intestine, all three lectins were growth factors for the gut and interfered with its metabolism and function to varying degrees. WGA was particularly effective; it induced extensive polyamine-dependent hyperplastic and hypertrophic growth of the small bowel by increasing its content of proteins, RNA and DNA. Furthermore, an appreciable portion of the endocytosed WGA was transported across the gut wall into the systemic circulation, where it was deposited in the walls of the blood and lymphatic vessels. WGA also induced the hypertrophic growth of the pancreas and caused thymus atrophy. Although the transfer of the gene of WGA into crop plants has been advocated to increase their insect resistance, as the presence of this lectin in the diet may harm higher animals at the concentrations required to be effective against most pests, its use in plants as natural insecticide is not without health risks for man.

The present study describes findings in relation to perceived body size and ‘desire for thinness’ by age and residential areas (‘metropolitan areas’, ‘large cities’, ‘small cities’ and ‘towns’) among young Japanese women. Data on 1731 non-pregnant, non-lactating women aged 15–39 years from the 1998 National Nutrition Survey of Japan were used. Current body size was evaluated by BMI percentiles (lean, < 5th; underweight, 5th ≤  BMI < 25th; normal, 25th ≤  BMI <  75th; overweight, 75th ≤ BMI < 95th; obese, ≥ 95th), calculated for 5-year age groups. Perceived body size was obtained by self-report. We defined ‘overestimation’ as non-overweight, non-obese women who perceived themselves as being ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’. Desired body size was evaluated by applying the desired BMI to these cut-off points. Of all the women, 48·4 % perceived themselves as being ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’, and 43·7 % desired a ‘lean’ or ‘underweight’ body size. Adjusted for the current BMI, the OR for ‘overestimation’ calculated by a logistic regression model was significantly elevated in the 15–19-year age group (OR 2·79; 95 % CI 1·76, 4·43), compared with the 25–29-year age group. The OR for ‘desire for thinness’ was significantly high in the 35–39-year age group (OR 2·74; 95 % CI 1·93, 3·89) and the 15–19-year age group (OR 2·26; 95 % CI 1·57, 3·24). Women living in metropolitan areas had higher OR for ‘desire for thinness’ (but not for ‘overestimation’) than did women in towns (OR 1·47; 95 % CI 1·05, 2·07). The findings suggest the nature of excessive weight concerns of young women in Japan; thus efforts to control such health-risk behaviours at a national level are urgent.

Both acute and chronic dehydration can have important implications for human behaviour and health. Young children, non-autonomous individuals and the elderly are at a greater risk of dehydration. Mild hypertonic dehydration could be related to less efficient cognitive and physical performance and has been reported to be associated with frequently occurring pathological conditions, especially nephrolithiasis. The assessment of hydration status in a large sample appears to be of interest for conducting epidemiological and large clinical studies aimed at improving preventive and curative care. Especially in large-population studies, methods that are used have to be accurate, cheap, quick and require no technical expertise. Body weight change is widely used to determine acute hydration changes, but seems to be insufficiently accurate in longitudinal studies. Bioimpedance analysis methods enable the assessment of total body water content, but their use is still under debate. Because plasma osmolality directly reflects intracellular osmolality, it constitutes a good marker to assess acute hydration changes, but not chronic hydration status because it changes constantly. Moreover, venepuncture is considered to be invasive and is not suitable for a large-sample study, especially in children. Urinary markers appear to be good alternatives for assessing hydration status in large populations. Collection of urine samples is non-invasive and cheap. High technical expertise is not required to perform urinary marker measurements and these measurements can be carried out quickly. Thus, methods based on urinary markers are very well suited for field studies. Urine colour is probably the least sensitive marker despite its high specificity. Urine osmolality and especially urine specific gravity could be easily used for determining hydration status in large-sample studies.

The present study focused on the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with medium-chain TAG (MCT) will improve cognitive function in aged dogs by providing the brain with energy in the form of ketones. Aged Beagle dogs were subjected to a baseline battery of cognitive tests, which were used to establish cognitively equivalent control or treatment groups. The dogs in the treatment group were maintained on a diet supplemented with 5·5 % MCT. After an initial wash-in period, all the dogs were tested with a battery of cognitive test protocols, which assessed sequentially landmark discrimination learning ability, egocentric visuospatial function and attention. The groups were maintained on the diets for 8 months. The MCT-supplemented group showed significantly better performance in most of the test protocols than the control group. The group differences also varied as a function of task difficulty, with the more difficult task showing greater supplementation effects than the easier tasks. The group given the MCT supplement showed significantly elevated levels of β-hydroxybutyrate, a ketone body. These results indicate, first, that long-term supplementation with MCT can have cognition-improving effects, and second, that MCT supplementation increases circulating levels of ketones. The results support the hypothesis that brain function of aged dogs can be improved by MCT supplementation, which provides the brain with an alternative energy source.

There is a need for studies on colonic fermentation in order to learn more abouthealth and diseases of the colon. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the fate of twodifferent doses of fructo-oligosaccharides (5 and 15 g/d) v. glucose in the intestine of healthy men. Twenty-four volunteers participated in a 5-weekstudy. The study was a completely balanced multiple crossover trial using an orthogonal Latin-square design for three periods, with supplement periods of 7 d and two 7 d wash-out periods. Breath samples and faecal samples were collected. There was a clear gaseous response to the consumption of fructo-oligosaccharides. The highest dose significantly increased 24 h integratedexcretion of breath H2 (P < 0·05). Breath H2 excretion after ingestion of 5 g fructo-oligosaccharides was higher than control, but did not reach significance. No effects on the total concentration of short-chain fatty acids in faeces were observed, no modification of the molar proportions of the various short-chain fatty acids was observed. The faecal pH did not change. No changes in faecal weight were observed. No fructo-oligosaccharides were recovered in faeces. We conclude that fructo-oligosaccharides added to the diet of young Western subjects are fully metabolized in the large intestine. The level of fermentation seems to be dose-dependent.

Soya proteins and isoflavones have been reported to exert beneficial effects on the serum lipid profile. More recently, this claim is being challenged. The objective of this study was to comprehensively examine the effects of soya consumption on the lipid profile using published trials. A detailed literature search was conducted via MEDLINE (from 2004 through February 2014), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trials Register) and ClinicalTrials.gov for randomised controlled trials assessing the effects of soya on the lipid profile. The primary effect measure was the difference in means of the final measurements between the intervention and control groups. In all, thirty-five studies (fifty comparisons) were included in our analyses. Treatment duration ranged from 4 weeks to 1 year. Intake of soya products resulted in a significant reduction in serum LDL-cholesterol concentration, –4·83 (95 % CI –7·34, –2·31) mg/dl, TAG, –4·92 (95 % CI –7·79, –2·04) mg/dl, and total cholesterol (TC) concentrations, –5·33 (95 % CI –8·35, –2·30) mg/dl. There was also a significant increase in serum HDL-cholesterol concentration, 1·40 (95 % CI 0·58, 2·23) mg/dl. The I2 statistic ranged from 92 to 99 %, indicating significant heterogeneity. LDL reductions were more marked in hypercholesterolaemic patients, –7·47 (95 % CI –11·79, –3·16) mg/dl, than in healthy subjects, –2·96 (95 % CI –5·28, –0·65) mg/dl. LDL reduction was stronger when whole soya products (soya milk, soyabeans and nuts) were used as the test regimen, –11·06 (95 % CI –15·74, –6·37) mg/dl, as opposed to when ‘processed’ soya extracts, –3·17 (95 % CI –5·75, –0·58) mg/dl, were used. These data are consistent with the beneficial effects of soya proteins on serum LDL, HDL, TAG and TC concentrations. The effect was stronger in hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Whole soya foods appeared to be more beneficial than soya supplementation, whereas isoflavone supplementation had no effects on the lipid profile.

1. The degree to which disruption by mastication affects the glycaemic response to four different carbohydrate foods was investigated in healthy human volunteers; each food was eaten by six subjects.

2. Subjects ate meals of sweetcorn, white rice, diced apple or potato on two occasions; on one occasion they chewed the food thoroughly, on the other occasion they swallowed each mouthful without chewing it.

3. When the foods were chewed the postprandial blood glucose levels rose to levels which vaned according to the food ingested.

4. Swallowing without chewing reduced the glycaemic response to each food, achieving a similar effect as administration of viscous polysaccharides or ‘slow-release’ carbohydrates.