Food & Nutrition Update

Processing food: Is it good or bad for us?

I would ask myself this question before posing others with the same. How I wish I could get fresh fruit and vegetables from my backyard garden! And fresh milk from dairy in the courtyard or eggs from the hens in the hen house at the back of my house! If horses can fly! I live in a city on the sixth floor of a high rise apartment building. I have ten pots in my balcony which I call my garden. It is just a patch of green I can see from my living room and pacify myself that I am contributing to the greenery of this world.

August 2010 Volume 1 Issue 8 Price : Rs. 30

prepared in suitable ways. The staples such as cereals are the exceptions because of their low moisture content. Still minimal processing steps have to be undertaken such as cleaning, dehulling etc. Cereals can be kept for years when dry at ambient temperatures. The early civilizations therefore depended on these cereals and even now cereals/staples are stored by governments to combat food shortages. Some common methods of food processing and preservation:

I do not have the means to even grow a few herbs in my Drying: Traditionally sun drying and smoking were used balcony leave alone getting fresh produce for my kitchen. but nowadays solar energy drying, tunnel drying, spray And if I am a non-vegetarian where do I get my ration of drying and freeze drying are used to produce concentrated chicken or fish? Unless food processing is in existence I forms of foods such as milk powder etc. Bacteria cannot cannot afford to have food on my dining table. Do I really grow without water and autolytic enzymes are inhibited. have A choice to say no to processed food? What with so Freezing: Bacterial growth is prevented because of the many of us living in urban areas away from low temperature and also the water in the food where food is grown or animals are is not in available form for spoilage reactions. raised/slaughtered, we have no choice but to depend on processing of food for our daily Refrigeration: The low temperatures do not rations. Most of us work away from home destroy micro-organisms but stop them from and have limited time to spend on multiplying or slow them down. It also slows cooking/preparation of food and therefore autolysis by enzymes in the food. depend on processed food which needs less Addition of salt or sugar: The water activity time to prepare. Processing of food makes Whole Wheat Bread is lowered by increasing osmotic pressure and our lives easier in more ways than one. preventing bacterial growth. Processing is the treatment of food substances in such a Acidification: This process also prevents microbial manner as to change its properties with a view to growth, foods pickled in vinegar. preserving it, improving its quality or making it The other types of processing are heat processing functionally more useful. (blanching, pasteurization, cooking, canning etc), food Why do we need to process or prepare foods? irradiation, fermentation, chemical preservation etc. 1. Foods are preserved so that they can be kept edible Certain nutrients may be lost to a certain extent while for longer. Preservation reduces wastage and cost. It processing in some foods which cannot be avoided. But for enables people to eat foods all around the year. the foods to be safe, stay long and be economical certain Preservation helps to feed the growing population of compromises have to be made. Also processing may the world. include fortification which makes certain foods more 2. Processing or preparation makes food safe to eat by healthy. We have to make an informed choice while destroying or retarding the growth of pathogenic choosing processed foods also. We should keep away from micro-organisms or inactivating natural toxins/antirefined foods, high sodium snacks and foods containing nutritional factors. trans-fats etc. In this world of convenience we need to educate ourselves to make the right choices. 3. Processing or preparation improves the attractiveness of food, its flavor and its appearance. 4. Processing also provides convenience. The milk which reaches our door every morning is also processed as it is pasteurized. Our foods are made of cells which contain numerous enzymes and biochemical compounds that are similar to those in human body. Foods are also inhabited by micro-organisms. These multiply rapidly after harvesting or slaughter and nearly all the basic foods deteriorate rapidly because of autolytic decay or microbial activity. Foods are not edible because of these activities unless they are treated / processed / Modern food processing technology in the 19th and 20th century was mostly developed to meet military needs. In 1809 Nicolas Appert invented a vacuum bottling technique that would supply food for French troops, and this led to the development of tinning and then canning by Peter Durand in 1810. Pasteurization, discovered by Louis Pasteur in 1862, was a significant advance in ensuring the micro-biological safety of food.
Reference: A.S Truswell. ABC of Nutrition (2003) BMJ Publishing Group. BMA House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 0JR.

Journal Abstract
Soy Food Intake and Breast Cancer Survival
Context: Soy foods are rich in isoflavones, a major group of phytoestrogens that have been hypothesized to reduce the risk of breast cancer. However, the estrogenlike effect of isoflavones and the potential interaction between isoflavones and tamoxifen have led to concern about soy food consumption among breast cancer patients. population based study of breast cancer survival to date and was specifically designed to evaluate the influence of soy food intake on breast cancer outcomes. The authors mentioned that estrogen believed to play a central role in breast cancer development and progression. They in their introduction mention reasons why they took up the study. Soy isoflavones or phytoestrogens are natural estrogen receptor modulators that possess both estrogen like and anti Objective: To evaluate the association of soy estrogenic properties. Soy food intake after diagnosis of breast cancer with constituents have also been shown total mortality and cancer recurrence. to have other anticancer effects Design, Setting, and Participants: The such as inhibition of enzymes, Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study, a angiogenesis, boost immune large, population-based cohort study of 5042 response and possess antioxidative female breast cancer survivors in China. effects. There have also been Women aged 20 to 75 years with diagnoses reports that genistein has shown to Fresh Soybeans between March 2002 and April 2006 were enhance proliferation of breast recruited and followed up through June 2009. cancer cells in vitro and to promote estrogen dependent Information on cancer diagnosis and treatment, lifestyle mammary tumor growth in ovarietomized rats. There were exposures after cancer diagnosis, and disease other concerns that soy isoflavones may exert estrogenic progression was collected at approximately 6 months effects and promote cancer recurrence and they may after cancer diagnosis and was reassessed at 3 follow-up interact with tamoxifen, although both synergistic and interviews conducted at 18, 36, and 60 months after antagonistic interactions had been reported. This study was diagnosis. Annual record linkage with the Shanghai Vital designed and conducted to answer these questions. Statistics Registry database was carried out to obtain They found that soy food intake was safe and was survival information for participants who were lost to associated with lower mortality and recurrence among follow-up. Medical charts were reviewed to verify disease breast cancer patients. It and treatment information. was observed that the Main Outcome Measures: Total mortality and breast association of soy food cancer recurrence or breast cancerrelated deaths. Cox intake with mortality and regression analysis was carried out with adjustment for recurrence followed a known clinical predictors and other lifestyle factors. Soy linear dose-response food intake was treated as a time-dependent variable. pattern until soy intake reached 11g/d of soy Results: During the median follow-up of 3.9 years protein. No additional (range, 0.5-6.2 years), 444 deaths and 534 recurrences benefits on mortality and or breast cancerrelated deaths were documented in 5033 Tofu recurrence were observed surgically treated breast cancer patients. Soy food intake, with higher intakes of soy food. The study suggests that as measured by either soy protein or soy isoflavone moderate soy food intake is safe and potentially beneficial intake, was inversely associated with mortality and for women with breast cancer. They found that soy food recurrence. The hazard ratio associated with the highest intake was associated with improved survival regardless of quartile of soy protein intake was 0.71 (95% confidence tamoxifen use, while tamoxifen use was related to interval [CI], 0.54-0.92) for total mortality and 0.68 improved survival only among women who had low or (95% CI, 0.54-0.87) for recurrence compared with the moderate levels of soy food intake. Tamoxifen was not lowest quartile of intake. The multivariate-adjusted 4related to further improvement of survival rates among year mortality rates were 10.3% and 7.4%, and the 4women who had the highest level of soy food intake. year recurrence rates were 11.2% and 8.0%, Women who took the highest level of soy food intake and respectively, for women in the lowest and highest who did not take tamoxifen had a lower risk of mortality and quartiles of soy protein intake. The inverse association a lower recurrence rate than women who had the lowest was evident among women with either estrogen level of soy food intake and used tamoxifen suggesting that receptorpositive or negative breast cancer and was high soy food intake and tamoxifen use may have a present in both users and nonusers of tamoxifen. comparable effect on breast cancer outcome. Conclusion: Among women with breast cancer, soy The authors also say that more work needs to be done food consumption was significantly associated replicate their results and to get a clear picture of whether with decreased risk of death and recurrence. the benefit of soy food consumption on breast cancer Reference : Xiao Ou Shu, Ying Zheng, Hui Cai, Kai Gu, Zhi Chen, Wei Zheng prognosis is the result of soy isoflavones or other soy and Wei Lu; JAMA 2009;302(22):2437-2443 constituents or is the result of a combination of effects of According to the authors this study is the largest multiple constituents.

Get acquainted with your nutrients - Pantothenic Acid

The adult adequate intake (AI) is 5 mg regardless of age a n d g e n d e r. D u r i n g p r e g n a n c y t h e recommendation for women increases to 6 mg and during lactation it becomes 7 mg. As pantothenic acid is essential in energy metabolism it becomes very What is the function of important to people who exercise and pantothenic acid in the body? athletes to get at least 10 mg of pantothenic acid daily. Deficiency and Pantothenic acid is required for the toxicity of pantothenic acid is very rare. metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and Broccoli protein as well as a number of other compounds. Recommended Dietary Allowance Pantothenic acid forms a part of two very important Foods which provide pantothenic acid include egg yolk, molecules coenzyme A (CoA) and acyl carrier protein animal tissue, whole (ACP). Pantothenic acid is a component of CoA which Years mg/day grain products, functions in acyl transfer reactions of the citric acid legumes, broccoli, milk, Infants (Krebs) cycle. Acetyl CoA is required in many other 0-0.5 1.7 sweet potatoes and processes including synthesis of fatty acids, triglycerides, 1.8 0.5-1.0 molasses. There is a Children cholesterol, sphingosine porphyrin (for heme synthesis) 2 1-3 l i t t l e l o s s o f 3 4-8 and acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter). pantothenic acid 4 9-13 CoA is also necessary for during cooking and Adults 5 cholesterol and derived steroid thawing of food. Pregnant 6 hormone (testosterone, Pantothenic acid is Lactating 7 estrogens) production as well stable to oxidizing as melatonin, hemoglobin and and reducing acetylcholine. Pantothenic agents but it is readily destroyed by heat, acid and acid is the prosthetic group of alkali. In supplements pantothenic acid is usually acyl carrier protein (ACP). ACP found in the form of calcium and sodium pantothenate. Egg Yolk is required in the binding and Pantothenic acid content of some common foods transfer of acyl groups in fatty acid biosynthesis. More than 70 enzymes are known to use CoA or ACP. Food Pantothenic acid (mg/100gm) Chicken Soybean Peanuts Milk Egg Egg yolk Bread (whole wheat) Bread (white) Banana Broccoli Mushroom Mushroom R.J. Williams gave the name pantothenic acid to a substance he proved necessary for the growth of yeast in 1933. R.J. Williams and R.T. Major successfully synthesized pantothenic acid in 1940. Its biologically functional form was discovered in 1947 by F. Lipmann and his colleagues. 0.97 0.45 1.39 0.31 1.26 3.81 0.55 0.39 0.26 0.54 2.16 Pantothenic acid was also called vitamin B5. The term pantothenic acid derived from the Greek word pantothen which means from every side. The name was given to denote the widespread availability of pantothenic acid in foods. It is a water soluble vitamin essential to sustain life. Pantothenic acid requirement

Reference : Robert Wildman, 2009; The Nutritionist-Food, Nutrition, and Optimal Health, Second Edition; Nutrition, Vitamins are vital molecules in food 191; Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, New York and London. David L Young and Idamarie Laquatra (2003). Vitamins 69. Heinz Handbook of Nutrition. 9 th Edition. Distributed by H.J. Heinz Company. Plesofsky, N.S.(2001). Pantothenic acid 317. Handbook of vitamins. Third edition. Eds. R.B. Rucker, J.W. Suttie, D.B. McCormick and L.J. Machlin. Marcel Dekker Inc. 270 Madison Avenue. New York, NY 10016.

About Editor : This News Letter is compiled by Dr. Kavitha Reddy. She has a doctorate in Food Science from CFTRI, Mysore and a Masters in Food and Nutrition from ANGRAU. She worked at Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands and Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research, Purdue University, USA before returning to India. She has authored several popular and scientific articles and also a cookbook. Dr. Reddy worked as a Nutrition Consultant for national and international organizations for several years. Presently she is In-charge Nutrition at "NutriTech Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd.".

Guavas belong to the family Myrtaceae and genus Psidium that contains about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. Guavas are native to Mexico, Central America and northern South America. It is most likely that it spread naturally (by means of ocean drifting) to some parts of Africa, Southeast Asia and the Carribbean. Guavas are cultivated in many tropical and subtropical countries for the edible fruit. Several species are grown commercially Apple Guava (P.guajava) and its cultivars are those most commonly traded internationally. The fruit, exuding a strong, sweet, musky odor when ripe, may be round, ovoid, or pearshaped, 2 to 4 in (5-10 cm) long, with 4 or 5 protruding floral remnants (sepals) at the apex; and thin, light-yellow skin, frequently blushed with pink. Ripe guavas bruise easily and are highly perishable. Guavas kept at room temperature in India are normally overripe and mealy by the 6th day, but if wrapped in pliofilm will keep in good condition for 9 days. Nutritive value per 100 gm
Calories Protein Carbohydrate Fiber Vitamin A Vitamin C Riboflavin 65 kcal 2.5 gm 14.3 gm 5.4 gm 624 IU 228 mg 0.07 mg Thiamin Pantothenic acid Calcium Iron Phosphorous Potassium Magnesium 0.04 mg 0.451 mg 18 mg 0.3 mg 40 mg 417 mg 0.2 mg

Nature's Gift - Guava

Guavas are often marketed as super fruits because they are rich in vitamins A and C. A single Apple Guava (P. guajava) fruit contains over four times the amount of vitamin C in a single orange and also is a good source of dietary minerals. In India, guava fruit is often eaten raw, typically cut into quarters with a pinch of salt and pepper and sometimes masala powder. In Hawaii, guava fruit is eaten with soy sauce and vinegar. Occasionally, a pinch of sugar and black pepper are added to the soy sauce and vinegar mixture. The guava fruit is cut up and dipped into the sauce. Because of the high level of pectin guavas are extensively used to make candies, preserves, jellies, jams, marmalades and juices. Bars of thick, rich guava paste and guava cheese are staple sweets, and guava jelly is almost universally marketed. Guava juice is very popular in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Egypt, Mexico and South Africa. More commonly, the fruit is cooked and cooking eliminates the strong odor guava has. A standard dessert throughout Latin America and the Spanishspeaking islands of the West Indies is stewed guava shells (cascos de guayaba), that is, guava halves with the central seed pulp removed, strained and added to the shells while cooking to enrich the syrup. The canned product is widely sold and the shells can also be quickfrozen. They are often served with cream cheese. Sometimes guavas are canned whole or cut in half without seed removal.
USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

Recipe - Fruit Salad

Ingredients Serve s- 4 Oranges Ripe mangoes Papayas Grapes Guavas Salt The reaction that occurs, which is called oxidation, turns the fruits and vegetables brown. 2 2 100gm 2 to taste Apples Watermelons Musk melon Bananas Pomegranate Black pepper 2 2 1 to taste The bruising seen on some fruit, such as apples and pears, is caused by the same type of reaction. If an apple is damaged by being hit or dropped, the apple's cells in that area are damaged and the enzymes are exposed to the air inside the apple, causing them to turn brown. To avoid browning of cut apples and bananas sprinkle a little lemon juice or vinegar depending on the recipe. Cutting apples under cold water also prevents browning to a certain extent.

Method: Remove the skin of all the fruits and cut it into small cubes. Add salt and black pepper powder according to taste. Mix well. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for about half an hour. Cool it and relish it. When fresh fruits and vegetables are peeled or cut, the enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (tyrosinase) in the cells is exposed to and reacts with the oxygen in the air.

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Publisher, Printer and Editor : Editor - Dr. Kavitha Reddy on behalf of NutriTech Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd. Printed at I.A. Printing Press, C-25, New Brij Puri, New Delhi - 110 051 and Published from NutriTech Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd., Flat No. 601 Plot No. 4, DDA Building, District Centre Laxmi Nagar, Delhi - 110 092