Probiotics May Reduce Risk of Infant Eczema

Source: L Niers et al., "The Effects of Selected Probiotic Strains on the Development of Eczema," Allergy, published online ahead of print (May 2009).

Daily supplements of a multibacterial probiotic strain may reduce the risk of eczema development in infants by 58% during the first three months of the infant's life, according to a new study from The Netherlands.

Eczema is one of the first signs of allergy development in infants and is said to be due to delayed development of the immune system. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, it affects 10–20% of infants. Approximately half of these infants will cease showing symptoms of eczema by the time they are between ages 5 and 15.

During the study, researchers from University Medical Center, Wageningen University, and Saint Antonius Hospital recruited 157 pregnant women and randomly gave them the probiotic strain mixture or a placebo during the last two weeks of pregnancy. After birth, the infants were also given the supplements throughout the first year of their lives.

The Dutch researchers reported that during the first three months of the infants' lives, parental reports of eczema were 58% lower in the strain-mixture group than the placebo group. In subsequent months of the infants' lives, reports of eczema were similar between the groups.

"The results of this study suggest that primary prevention of eczema by peri-natal administration of probiotic bacteria involves modulation of the early colonization of the intestinal microbiota, which may result in modulating the development and maturation of the infants' immune systems," wrote the researchers in the study's conclusion.

Chewing Almonds May Boost Satiety

Chewing almonds may increase the absorption of unsaturated fat and suppress hunger for longer periods of time, a new study concludes. Photo by ISTOCKPHOTO.

Source: B Cassady et al., "Mastication of Almonds: Effects of Lipid Bioaccessibility, Appetite, and Hormone Response," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 89, no. 4 (May 2009): 794–800.

Chewing almonds may increase the body's absorption of unsaturated fat and suppress hunger for longer periods of time, conclude findings from Purdue University researchers.

In the study, researchers found that chewing almonds 40 times before swallowing led to the body's absorption of significantly more unsaturated fat than those who chewed the almonds only 10 or 25 times before swallowing. The findings were presented last month at the 17th European Congress of Obesity in Amsterdam.

"These findings also emphasize the importance of examining chewing in the context of a weight management plan because participants reported that their hunger was suppressed and their fullness was enhanced as a result of increased chewing of the almonds," said study author Richard Mattes, PhD, RD.

The study was supported by a research grant from the Almond Board of California.

The small study involved only 13 people with an average age of 24 and an average BMI of 23.1. The subjects were randomly assigned to chew 55 g of almonds either 10, 25, or 40 times. Blood was collected from the subjects, and their appetite was monitored for three hours after the almonds were eaten. The subjects were also monitored for the next four days, and their fecal samples were collected.

Chewing almonds 40 times was found to suppress hunger and elevate the feeling of fullness more than chewing 25 times.

Levels of the appetite-suppressing hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were found to be significantly higher in the subjects following 40 chews of almonds, compared with levels of GLP-1 in the subjects after 25 chews. Insulin concentrations were also observed to decline faster in the subjects after 25 and 40 chews than after 10 chews.

"This new almond research indicates that chewing more thoroughly may increase the availability of unsaturated fat [to the body]. Previous research suggests that smaller particle size also impacts the availability of other nutrients present in the fat, like vitamin E, to the body," said Mattes.

Orange Juice Shelf Life May Be Extended by Natural Chitosan

Source: A Martin et al., "Orange Juices Enriched with Chitosan: Optimization for Extending the Shelf Life," Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, published online ahead of print (May 2009).

Chitosan, an ingredient extracted from fungi cell walls, may act as an antimicrobial ingredient for orange juice and eliminate the need for pasteurization, concludes a new study.

Adding one gram of chitosan to one liter of fresh orange juice was found to reduce both enzymatic and nonenzymatic browning of orange juice, while also controlling spoilage during storage time.

The data taps into a growing body of research exploring novel sources of natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives to slow down the oxidative deterioration of food, the researchers said.

The study also provides an alternative approach to pasteurization, and may address concerns raised by FDA (Washington, DC) that consumers should avoid consumption of unpasteurized orange juice due to potential contamination with salmonella.