The Spanish market offers a significant number of folic acid (FA) voluntarily fortified foods. We analysed FA and (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid ((6S)-5-CH3-H4PteGlu) content in ready-to-eat cereals (RTEC) (n=68) and cow's milk (n=25) by a previously validated affinity chromatography-HPLC method. Contribution to potential FA intakes for children aged 2-13years, was assessed using food consum...

BACKGROUND There are no long-term prospective studies assessing the impact of the vegan diet on vitamin B-12 (B-12) status. Many vegans take B-12 supplements irregularly or refuse to adopt them at all, considering them to be "unnatural" products. The use of B-12 fortified food may be an alternative. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the long-term effect of a vegan diet on serum B-12 concentration...

alcium is a key mineral in the human body, necessary for the normal growth and development of the skeleton as well as for teeth, nerve, muscle and enzyme functions. As the body’s calcium absorption capabilities reduce with age, it is vital for older individuals to have a sufficient calcium intake. Calcium requirements vary throughout an individual’s life and for different population groups. How...

Objectives: Vitamin E is an important human lipophilic antioxidant and is required for many metabolic functions. A high vitamin E intake appears to favorably impact a variety of disease processes. The vitamin E intake, excluding supplemental intake, of the vast majority of adults is below the current recommended level. By consuming vitamin E-enriched food, it is possible to take in adequate amo...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Vitamin D deficiency is common among Saudi Arabian population. To evaluate the current status of vitamin D fortification and calcium content of commonly consumed food items by the Saudi population and to compare it to US data. SETTING AND DESIGN Cross-sectional market survey at markets of Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and State of Illinois, USA. METHODS A dietary...

Both physicians and veterinarians frequently recommend a “bland” diet for nonspecific GI upset. When asked “What is the definition of bland diet?” veterinarians often respond “chicken and rice” or “hamburger and rice” or “baby food” or they name a veterinary therapeutic diet. Interestingly, when pressed for a definition, the most common answer is “easily (or highly) digestible” and the second m...

BACKGROUND The recent dietary reference intakes publication provides updated information on the physiologic and dietary requirements for zinc and proposes new tolerable upper intake levels. OBJECTIVE We analyzed dietary intake data of US preschool children to determine the prevalence of inadequate and excessive intakes of zinc. DESIGN Diets of 7474 nonbreastfeeding preschool children in the...

Functional foods are foods that, by nature or design, can deliver benefits beyond that of sustenance. They bridge the traditional gap between food and drugs, offering consumers greater opportunity to take their health care into their own hands. Rapidly increasing knowledge of the physiological effects of nutrients and their potential health benefits offers exciting prospects for the food indust...

BACKGROUND Food allergy can cause life threatening reactions. Currently, patients with severe food allergy are advised to avoid foods which provoke allergic reactions. This has become increasingly difficult as food proteins are being added to a broader range of consumer products. PATIENTS AND METHODS Here we describe our investigations into the allergenicity of a new drink when two cow's milk...

BACKGROUND The functional food industry has experienced innovative and economic expansion, yet research into consumer perceptions of functional foods and their associated health claims is limited. Among consumers, older adults could benefit from functional foods due to age-related issues pertaining to food and health. The purpose of this research was to identify the need for information related...