1. Mixtures of skim milk and free amino acids were compared as diets for pigs which would allow manipulation of dietary amino acid levels. Piglets gained 208 g/d between 3 and 14 d of age on the skim-milk diet, but replacement of 600 g/kg of the dietary nitrogen with free amino acids reduced growth rate to 148 g/d.

2. Supplementation of a lysine-deficient diet with lysine reduced the catabolism of [14C]phenylalanine showing that phenylalanine catabolism could be used as an indicator of the adequacy of diet with respect to another essential amino acid.

3. The dietary level of phenylalanine which would provide an excess for catabolism by the piglet was estimated directly by measuring the influence of dietary phenylalanine level on [14C]phenylalanine oxidation. Reduction of the dietary phenylalanine level below 7 g/kg had no effect on phenylalanine oxidation, whereas increasing the dietary phenylalanine level above 7 g/kg resulted in a linear increase in phenylalanine oxidation.

4. An indirect estimate of histidine requirement was made by examining the influence of dietary histidine level on [14C]phenylalanine oxidation. In diets containing more than 4 g histidine/kg, phenylalanine oxidation was minimal. In diets containing less than 4 g histidine/kg, [14C]phenylalanine oxidation increased as the level of dietary histidine was reduced. This showed that the utilization of the essential amino acid phenylalanine, for protein synthesis, was not limited by histidine supply in diets containing more than 4 g histidine/kg.

5. A direct estimate of histidine requirement was made by examining the influence of dietary histidine level on [14C]histidine oxidation. Diets with more than 4 g histidine/kg contained an excess which was catabolized: there was a linear increase in histidine oxidation in response to dietary histidine levels greater than 4 g/kg. This confirmed the previous indirect estimate of histidine requirement.

The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of consumption of a yoghurt-based drink enriched with 1–2 g plant sterols/d on serum lipids, transaminases, vitamins and hormone status in patients with primary moderate hypercholesterolaemia. Thirty patients were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: a low-fat low-lactose yoghurt-based drink enriched with 1 g plant sterol extracted from soyabean/d v. a low-fat low-lactose yoghurt, for a period of 4 weeks. After a 2-week wash-out period, patients were crossed over for an additional 4-week period. Second, after a 4-week wash-out period, eleven patients were treated with 2 g plant sterols/d in a second open part of the study for a period of 8 weeks. The yoghurt enriched with plant sterols significantly reduced, in a dose-dependent manner, serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels and LDL-cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol (P<0·001), whereas no changes were observed in HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels, either in the first or the second part of the study. There were only slight, not statistically significant, differences in serum transaminase, vitamin and hormone levels. To conclude, a low-fat yoghurt-based drink moderately enriched with plant sterols may lower total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol effectively in patients with primary moderate hypercholesterolaemia.

Propionate is a short-chain fatty acid formed in the colon and supposedly involved in the cholesterol-lowering effect of soluble fibre. To explore the underlying mechanism(s) of this fibre action, we have used human hepatocytes in primary culture to study the effects of propionate on hepatic lipid synthesis. Initial experiments with mevalonate and mevinolin, a competitive inhibitor of hydroxymethylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase (EC 1·1·1·88) were performed to evaluate basic regulatory mechanisms in these cells; results were compared with those obtained with rat hepatocytes. Incubation for 24 h with mevalonate caused a similar, concentration-dependent inhibition of [14C]acetate incorporation. into cholesterol in human and rat hepatocytes. Likewise, mevinolin (100 μmol/l) inhibited the formation of cholesterol from radiolabelled acetate by about 80% in cells from both species. Propionate inhibited cholesterol as well as triacylglycerol synthesis from [14C]acetate with a similar concentration-dependency in rat hepatocytes. Fifty percent inhibition was obtained at a propionate concentration of only 0·1 mmol/l· This propionate-induced inhibition was not affected by a 100-fold excess of unlabelled acetate. Human hepatocytes were much less susceptible in this respect: propionate concentrations of 10–20 mmol/l were required to obtain similar inhibitory effects in these cells, i.e. values greatly exceeding reported portal propionate concentrations in humans. The results suggest the existence of differences in the regulation of hepatic cholesterol (and triacylglycerol) synthesis between human and rat liver cells. These results do not support the hypothesis that the fibre-induced decrease in plasma cholesterol concentration in man is mediated by a direct effect of propionate on hepatic cholesterol synthesis.

1. Monozygous twin cattle with permanent rumen fistulas were used to measure the rate of degradation of casein and ovalbumin. One twin was used as a control and the other had protein administered by fistula about 4.75 h after eating a standard ration.

2. Casein was rapidly degraded with a half-life in the range 5.6–21.5 min, with the formation of peptides, free amino acids and finally ammonia. Up to 43% of the casein nitrogen was found as ammonia in the rumen fluid. Most of the amino acids present in casein were found in the free state in the rumen fluid to an extent of less than 7%, but valine, leucine, isoleucine and lysine were present as 25, 27, 21 and 38% respectively of the amounts present in the casein administered.

3. When acid-hydrolysed casein was given, ammonia was rapidly formed, the maximum amount found in the rumen being equivalent to 39% of the casein N. The individual amino acids were rapidly broken down except for valine, leucine, isoleucine and lysine of which synthesis in addition to degradation may occur.

4. Ovalbumin was degraded slowly with a half-life of 175 min, which was reduced to 132 min by feeding the cattle with ovalbumin for 5 d. Ammonia was produced slowly.

5. When added together the two proteins were degraded in the rumen independently at their own rates.

6. δ-Amino-n-valeric acid was produced in large quantity when casein or casein hydrolysate was degraded in the rumen.

Low- and intermediate-molecular-weight polyphenols are usually extracted by using different solvents (e.g. water, methanol, aqueous acetone). The aim of the present work was to study the possible effects of some extractable polyphenols (EPP) on fat and protein digestibilities and on the colonic microflora. Degradability of these compounds through the intestinal tract was also studied. Catechin and tannic acid (TA) were chosen as representatives of the most common basic structures of EPP (flavonoids and gallic acid respectively). Three groups of eight male Wistar rats were given either a control diet free of EPP, or diets containing 20 g/kg dry matter of catechin and TA. Body-weight and food intake were monitored during a 3-week experimental period. Faeces and urine were collected daily during the third experimental week. EPP and fat were determined in faeces, and N in both urine and faeces. Only 3.1 and 4.6% of the ingested catechin and TA respectively were excreted in faeces, indicating that absorption and/or degradation of these EPP had occurred. HPLC analysis of the poly phenolic content of faeces showed qualitative differences between groups. A significant increase of total faecal weight as well as water, fat and N excretion was produced by TA. Catechin only caused an increase in fat excretion. In vitro fermentation assays were also performed to study the effect of EPP on the colonic microflora. Both catechin and TA affected the yield of end-products of fermentation, and were also degraded during the fermentation process.

The aim of this study was to derive dietary patterns associated with cardio-metabolic traits and to examine whether these predict prospective changes in these traits and incidence of the metabolic syndrome (iMetS). Subjects from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study cardiovascular cohort without cardio-metabolic disease and related drug treatments at baseline (n 4071; aged 45–67 years, 40 % men) were included. We applied reduced rank regression on thirty-eight foods to derive patterns that explain variation in response variables measured at baseline (waist circumference, TAG, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose and insulin). Patterns were examined in relation to change in cardio-metabolic traits and iMetS in subjects who were re-examined after 16·7 years (n 2704). Two dietary patterns (‘Western’ and ‘Drinker’) were retained and explained 3·2 % of the variation in response variables. The ‘Western’ dietary pattern was inversely associated with HDL-cholesterol and positively with all other response variables (both at baseline and follow-up), but there was no association with LDL at follow-up. After adjustment for potential confounders, the ‘Western’ dietary pattern was associated with higher risk of iMetS (hazard ratio Q4 v. Q1: 1·47; 95 % CI 1·23, 1·77; Ptrend=1·5×10−5). The ‘Drinker’ dietary pattern primarily explained variation in HDL and was not associated with iMetS. In conclusion, this study supports current food-based dietary guidelines suggesting that a ‘Western’ dietary pattern with high intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages and red and processed meats and low intakes of wine, cheese, vegetables and high-fibre foods is associated with detrimental effects on cardio-metabolic health.

1. Intestinal contents, collected from the human jejunum after a test meal (milk-protein, gelatin or low-protein) were fractionated by centrifugation and gel filtration on G-75Sephadex. The fractions were hydrolysed and the proportion of the total amino acid in each fraction was determined. The amino acids were measured with an EEL Amino Acid Analyser.

2. The free amino acid concentrations were determined in samples of the contents of the small intestine collected from various levels after the three types of test meal.

3. Intestinal contents collected from two levels of the jejunum after a milk-protein meal, were incubated in vitro at 37° for periods up to 80 min and the rates of release of the individual free amino acids were determined.

4. There was a rapid breakdown of the proteins of the test meals to fragments of molecular weight under 5000. The further breakdown (during incubation in vitro) to free amino acids was sufficiently rapid to account for the absorption in the free form of arginine, lysine, tyrosine, valine, phenylalanine, methionine and leucine. It was not rapid enough to account for the absorption of glycine, threonine, serine, the imino acids or the dicarboxylic amino acids in the free form.

5. The free amino acid concentrations in the intestinal lumen bore very little relationship to the concentrations in hydrolysates of the test meals or to those in hydrolysates of the intestinal contents. Many of the free amino acids in the intestinal samples were present in approximately equimolar concentrations.

6. It is suggested that experiments in which amino acid mixtures, simulating a dietary protein, are fed to experimental animals to determine the rates of amino acid absorption do not present a true picture of the events in the small intestine following the ingestion of a protein meal.

1. Anthropometric variables, resting heart rate and respiratory gas exchange were measured in twelve male and nine female Asiatic adult Moslems during the month of Ramadan, the week before and the month after Ramadan.

2. Energy intakes were estimated from dietary recall during fasting and non-fasting conditions.

3. Both male and female subjects experienced a decrease in body mass with the reduction in energy intake during fasting. Males experienced a greater reduction than females in resting heart rate; females lost more body weight and subcutaneous fat than males.

4. Urine output and fluid intake were measured in twelve male subjects for 1 d during each week of fasting and 1 d during the pre-fasting control period. Among the subjects examined, the Ramadan regimen did not result in changes in the pattern of fluid exchange.

Consumption of tea has been shown to improve endothelial function. It is assumed that catechins are the tea components responsible for these beneficial effects. In black tea, catechin concentrations are significantly lower than in green tea. The present study was designed to compare green and black tea with regard to amelioration of endothelial function. Endothelial function in response to both teas was assessed in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) and rat aortic rings. To elucidate whether these findings are also applicable to humans, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and nitro-mediated dilation (NMD) were assessed by ultrasound in twenty-one healthy women before and 2 h after consumption of green and black tea (2 h of FMD and NMD), in comparison with water (control). In BAEC, green and black tea significantly increased endothelial NO synthase activity to the same extent. Similarly, both teas induced comparable endothelial-dependent vasodilation in rat aortic rings. In human subjects, ingestion of green and black tea led to significant increases in FMD: from 5·4 (sd 2·3) to 10·2 (sd 3) % (baseline-adjusted difference (BAD) for 2 h of FMD, green tea v. water: 5·0 (95 % CI 3·0, 7·0) %; P < 0·001) and from 5 (sd 2·6) to 9·1 (sd 3·6) % (BAD for 2 h of FMD, black tea v. water: 4·4 (95 % CI 2·3, 6·5) %; P < 0·001), respectively. The increase in FMD was not significantly different between the two tea preparations (BAD for 2 h of FMD, green tea v. black tea: 0·66 (95 % CI − 0·76, 2·09) %; P = 0·36). NMD did not vary between any of the groups. In conclusion, green and black tea are equally effective in improving endothelial function.

In order to study the rate of intestinal absorption and hepatic uptake of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), six growing pigs, mean body weight 65 kg, were fitted with a permanent fistula in the duodenum and with three catheters in the portal vein, carotid artery and hepatic vein respectively. Two electromagnetic flow probes were also set up, one around the portal vein and one around the hepatic artery. A mixture of octanoic and decanoic acids, esterified as medium-chain triacylglycerols, together with maltose dextrine and a nitrogenous fraction was continuously infused for 1 h into the duodenum. Samples of blood were withdrawn from the three vessels at regular intervals for 12 h and further analysed for their non-esterified octanoic and decanoic acid contents. The concentration of non-esterified octanoic and decanoic acids in the portal blood rose sharply after the beginning of each infusion and showed a biphasic time-course with two maximum values, one after 15 min and a later one between 75 and 90 min. Only 65 % of octanoic acid infused into the duodenum and 54 % of decanoic acid were recovered in the portal flow throughout each experiment. The amounts of non-esterified MCFA taken up per h by the liver were close to those absorbed from the gut via the portal vein within the same periods of time, showing that the liver is the main site of utilization of MCFA in pigs. These results have been discussed with a special emphasis laid on the possible mechanisms of the biphasic time-course of MCFA absorption and the incomplete recovery in the portal blood of the infused fatty acids.

The effects of moderate red wine consumption on the antioxidant status and indices of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress associated with CHD were investigated. A randomised, controlled study was performed with twenty free-living healthy volunteers. Subjects in the red wine group consumed 375 ml red wine daily for 2 weeks. We measured the total concentration of phenolics and analysed the individual phenolics in the wine and plasma by HPLC with tandem MS. The antioxidant capacity of plasma was measured with electron spin resonance spectroscopy while homocysteine and fasting plasma lipids were also determined. The production of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were measured in Cu-oxidised LDL. Plasma total phenolic concentrations increased significantly after 2 weeks of daily red wine consumption (P≤0·001) and trace levels of metabolites, mainly glucuronides and methyl glucuronides of (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin, were detected in the plasma of the red wine group. These flavan-3-ol metabolites were not detected in plasma from the control group. The maximum concentrations of conjugated dienes and TBARS in Cu-oxidised LDL were reduced (P≤0·05) and HDL cholesterol concentrations increased (P≤0·05) following red wine consumption. The findings from the present study provide some evidence for potential protective effects of moderate consumption of red wine in healthy volunteers.

Pre-eclampsia is a serious hypertensive condition of pregnancy associated with high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Se intake or status has been linked to the occurrence of pre-eclampsia by our own work and that of others. We hypothesised that a small increase in the Se intake of UK pregnant women of inadequate Se status would protect against the risk of pre-eclampsia, as assessed by biomarkers of pre-eclampsia. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot trial, we randomised 230 primiparous pregnant women to Se (60 μg/d, as Se-enriched yeast) or placebo treatment from 12 to 14 weeks of gestation until delivery. Whole-blood Se concentration was measured at baseline and 35 weeks, and plasma selenoprotein P (SEPP1) concentration at 35 weeks. The primary outcome measure of the present study was serum soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (sFlt-1), an anti-angiogenic factor linked with the risk of pre-eclampsia. Other serum/plasma components related to the risk of pre-eclampsia were also measured. Between 12 and 35 weeks, whole-blood Se concentration increased significantly in the Se-treated group but decreased significantly in the placebo group. At 35 weeks, significantly higher concentrations of whole-blood Se and plasma SEPP1 were observed in the Se-treated group than in the placebo group. In line with our hypothesis, the concentration of sFlt-1 was significantly lower at 35 weeks in the Se-treated group than in the placebo group in participants in the lowest quartile of Se status at baseline (P= 0·039). None of the secondary outcome measures was significantly affected by treatment. The present finding that Se supplementation has the potential to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women of low Se status needs to be validated in an adequately powered trial.

Dietary assessment is strongly affected by misreporting (both under- and over-reporting), which results in measurement error. Knowledge about misreporting is essential to correctly interpret potentially biased associations between diet and health outcomes. In young children, dietary data mainly rely on proxy respondents but little is known about determinants of misreporting here. The present analysis was conducted within the framework of the multi-centre IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants) study and is based on 6101 children aged 2–9 years with 24 h dietary recall (24-HDR) and complete covariate information. Adapted Goldberg cut-offs were applied to classify the 24-HDR as ‘over-report’, ‘plausible report’ or ‘under-report’. Backward elimination in the course of multi-level logistic regression analyses was conducted to identify factors significantly related to under- and over-reporting. Next to characteristics of the children and parents, social factors and parental concerns/perceptions concerning their child's weight status were considered. Further selective misreporting was addressed, investigating food group intakes commonly perceived as more or less socially desirable. Proportions of under-, plausible and over-reports were 8·0, 88·6 and 3·4 %, respectively. The risk of under-reporting increased with age (OR 1·19, 95 % CI 1·05, 1·83), BMI z-score of the child (OR 1·23, 95 % CI 1·10, 1·37) and household size (OR 1·12, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·25), and was higher in low/medium income groups (OR 1·45, 95 % CI 1·13, 1·86). Over-reporting was negatively associated with BMI z-scores of the child (OR 0·78, 95 % CI 0·69, 0·88) and higher in girls (OR 1·70, 95 % CI 1·27, 2·28). Further social desirability and parental concerns/perceptions seemed to influence the reporting behaviour. Future studies should involve these determinants of misreporting when investigating diet–disease relationships in children to correct for the differential reporting bias.

High doses of n–3 PUFA found in fish oils can reduce the circulating concentration of triacylglycerol (TG), which may contribute to the positive impact of these fatty acids on the risk of CVD. The present study aimed to establish the differential impact of EPA and docosahexaenoic (DHA) on plasma lipids and apo in adults. Forty-two normolipidaemic adult subjects completed a double-blind placebo controlled parallel study, receiving an EPA-rich oil (4·8 g EPA/d), DHA-rich oil (4·9 g DHA/d) or olive oil as control, for a period of 4 weeks. No effects of treatment on total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol or HDL-cholesterol were evident. There was a significant 22 % reduction in TG level relative to the control value following the DHA treatment (P=0·032), with the 15 % decrease in the EPA group failing to reach significance (P=0·258). There were no significant inter-group differences in response to treatment for plasma apoA1, -C3 or -E levels, although a significant 15 % within-group increase in apoE was evident in the EPA (P=0·006) and DHA (P=0·003) groups. In addition, a within-group decrease in the apoA1:HDL-cholesterol ratio was observed in the DHA group, suggesting a positive impact of DHA on HDL particle size. The DHA intervention resulted in a significant increase in the proportion of EPA P=0·000 and DHA P=0·000 in plasma phospholipids, whilst significant increases in EPA P=0·000 and docosapentaenoic acid P=0·002, but not DHA P=0·193, were evident following EPA supplementation (P>0·05). Our present results indicate that DHA may be more efficacious than EPA in improving the plasma lipid profile.

Besides being an indispensable amino acid for protein synthesis, arginine (Arg) is also involved in a number of other physiological functions. Available data on the quantitative requirement for Arg in different teleosts appear to show much variability. So far, there are very limited data on the maintenance requirements of indispensable amino acids (IAA) in fish. In the present study, we compared N and Arg requirements for maintenance and growth of four finfish species: rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), turbot (Psetta maxima), gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Groups of fish having an initial body weight close to 5–7 g were fed semi-purified diets containing graded levels of N (0 to 8 % DM) and Arg (0 to 3 % DM) over 4 to 6 weeks. For each species, N and Arg requirements for maintenance and for growth were calculated regressing daily N gain against daily N or Arg intakes. N requirement for maintenance was estimated to be 37·8, 127·3, 84·7 and 45·1 mg/kg metabolic body weight per d and 2·3, 2·2, 2·6 and 2·5 g for 1 g N accretion, in rainbow trout, turbot, gilthead seabream and European seabass respectively. The four species studied appear to have very low or no dietary Arg requirements for maintenance. Arg requirement for g N accretion was calculated to be 0·86 g in rainbow trout and between 1·04–1·11 g in the three marine species. Turbot required more N for maintenance than the other three species, possibly explaining its reputedly high overall dietary protein requirement. Data suggest a small but sufficient endogenous Arg synthesis to maintain whole body N balance and differences between freshwater and marine species as regards Arg requirement. It is worth verifying this tendency with other IAA.

The present study aimed to assess the metabolic consequences of the chronic ingestion of two starches giving different postprandial glycaemic responses in normal and diabetic rats. The two starches chosen were mung-bean (Phaseolus aureus) starch (97% pure starch) and wheat starch presented as ground French toast. First, we studied the characteristics of these two starches. In vitro the α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) digestibilities of these starches were 40 (SE 3) and 62 (SE 4)% respectively at 30 min, whereas the contents of resistant starch were 77 (SE 4) and 22 (SE 4) g/kg respectively. In vivo the mung-bean starch produced lower postprandial glycaemic responses than the wheat starch (areas under the curve were: 91 (SE 28) and 208 (SE 33) mmol.min/I, P < 0·05) in normal rats (n 8). We then submitted twenty-eight normal and twenty-eight diabetic (neonatal streptozotocin on second day of birth) male Sprague-Dawley rats (6 weeks old) to a diet containing 570 g starch/kg as either mung-bean starch or wheat starch (n 14 rats/group). After 5 weeks on the diets food intakes and body weights were identical in each group. Liver and kidney weights were comparable when expressed as relative weight. The mung-bean-starch diet slightly decreased epididymal fat-pad weight (P < 0·14, ANOVA) and led to a marked decrease in adipocyte volume (P < 0·05). Plasma triacylglycerol and phospholipid concentrations were lower after the mung-bean-starch diet than after the wheat-starch diet in both normal and diabetic rats, whereas free fatty acid concentrations were lower only in normal rats. Similarly, non-fasting plasma glucose concentrations decreased (P < 0·05) in normal rats fed on mung-bean starch but not in diabetic ones (P < 0·14). Insulin levels tended to be lower, but not significantly, after mung-bean-starch feeding than after wheat starch. We conclude that the replacement of 570 g wheat starch/kg diet with mung-bean starch for 5 weeks resulted in (1) lowered non-fasting plasma glucose and free fatty acid levels in normal but not in diabetic rats, (2) a reduction in plasma triacylglycerol concentration and adipocyte volume in both normal and diabetic rats. Thus, the type of starch mixed into the diet may have important metabolic consequences in normal and diabetic rats

1. A study has been made of the effects of dietary zinc supplementation on the development of copper toxicosis in three groups each of eight 12-week-old lambs.

2. None of the lambs receiving 420 mg Zn/kg diet developed Cu toxicosis in the 24-week experimental period, compared with three in the control group receiving 43 mg Zn/kg and possibly one in the group receiving 220 mg Zn/kg.

3. Liver Cu concentrations were reduced by up to 40% in the Zn-supplemented animals, with concomitant reductions, especially in the early stages of the experiment, in the extent of liver damage, as assessed by measurement of plasma aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) and arginase (EC 3.5.3.1) activities.

4. Plasma and liver Zn concentrations were increased only slightly in the lambs receiving the Zn-supplemented diets, and the only indication of possible toxic effects of the Zn supplements was the development of a slight anaemia in those animals receiving 420 mg Zn/kg diet.

5. The results suggest that the incidence of Cu toxicosis in sheep may be controlled by increasing their dietary Zn intake.

The present cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the vitamin D status of pregnant Indian women and their breast-fed infants. Subjects were recruited from the Department of Obstetrics, Armed Forces Clinic and Army Hospital (Research and Referral), Delhi. A total of 541 apparently healthy women with uncomplicated, single, intra-uterine gestation reporting in any trimester were consecutively recruited. Of these 541 women, 299 (first trimester, ninety-seven; second trimester, 125; third trimester, seventy-seven) were recruited in summer (April–October) and 242 (first trimester, fifty-nine, second trimester, ninety-three; third trimester, ninety) were recruited in winter (November–March) to study seasonal variations in vitamin D status. Clinical, dietary, biochemical and hormonal evaluations for the Ca–vitamin D–parathormone axis were performed. A subset of 342 mother–infant pairs was re-evaluated 6 weeks postpartum. Mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) of pregnant women was 23·2 (sd 12·2) nmol/l. Hypovitaminosis D (25(OH)D < 50 nmol/l) was observed in 96·3 % of the subjects. Serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in winter in the second and third trimesters, while serum intact parathormone (iPTH) and alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly higher in winter in all three trimesters. A significant negative correlation was found between serum 25(OH)D and iPTH in mothers (r − 0·367, P = 0·0001) and infants (r − 0·56, P = 0·0001). A strong positive correlation was observed between 25(OH)D levels of mother–infant pairs (r 0·779, P = 0·0001). A high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was observed in pregnancy, lactation and infancy with no significant inter-trimester differences in serum 25(OH)D levels.

The effect of dietary conjugated linoleic acid isomers (CLA) on growth performance, carcass composition, fatty acid composition of adipose and muscle tissues, and serum lipoproteins was investigated in broiler chickens. A total of 160 (eighty male and eighty female) chickens were allocated to four dietary treatments (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 % CLA) and fed a standard starter diet from 8 to 21 d, and a grower-finisher diet from 22–42 d. When determined for the total period 8–42 d, feed intake and body weight gains of broiler chickens were significantly reduced (from 3.31 to 3.12 kg and from 1615 to 1435 g respectively; P<0.05), particularly at the 1.5 % dietary CLA level. Feed conversion efficiency and carcass yield values showed no significant effects of dietary CLA. Abdominal fat deposition was significantly reduced (from 2.68 to 1.78 %; P<0.05), the relative proportion of breast muscles was unaffected, and that of leg muscles significantly increased (from 19.0 to 20.6 %; P<0.05). The concentration of CLA isomers (% of total methyl esters of fatty acids) increased linearly in tissue samples from broilers fed 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 % dietary CLA. The relative proportions of saturated fatty acids (16:0, 18:0) were significantly (P<0.01) increased, and those of monounsaturated (16:1, 18:1) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (18:2, 20:4 in muscle tissues) significantly (P<0.05) reduced. Total serum cholesterol concentrations reached a maximum in broilers fed 1.0 % CLA and then decreased slightly (from 141.73 to 136.47 mg/dl; P<0.01). The same was true also for HDL-cholesterol (from 113.58 to 109.97 mg/dl; P<0.01). The HDL cholesterol:total cholesterol ratio and serum triacylglycerol concentration was unaffected. In conclusion, feeding CLA to broiler chickens resulted in substantial incorporation of CLA isomers into their tissue lipids, thus providing a potential CLA-rich source for human consumption.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker for low-grade inflammation. Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have anti-inflammatory effects. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect on serum levels of CRP of n-3 PUFA at two different doses. We also investigated correlations between CRP and the cellular contents of PUFA. Sixty healthy volunteers (twenty-five women and thirty-five men) were randomly assigned to three treatment groups in a double-blind design. The subjects received a supplement of either 6·6 g n-3 PUFA/d, 2·0 g n-3 PUFA/d or placebo (olive oil) for 12 weeks. CRP was measured using a highly sensitive assay. The median serum CRP concentration was 0·78 mg/l. No significant correlations were found between CRP and the content of n-3 PUFA in granulocytes or platelets. Subjects receiving n-3 PUFA had a significant (P<0·01) increase in the cellular contents of 20: 5n-3, 22: 5n-3 and 22: 6n-3, with the largest increase occurring in the group receiving 6·6 g PUFA/d. A significant (P<0·01) decrease in cellular content of 18: 2n-6 and 20: 4n-6 was observed simultaneously. Serum CRP concentrations, however, were unaffected by the PUFA-containing supplements. The present study shows that dietary supplementation with PUFA-containing supplements has no effect on serum concentrations of CRP, measured with a highly sensitive assay, in healthy subjects.