Samples of some domestic and imported food products of nutritive importance to both the child population and the adult population in Nigeria were collected and analysed in order to determine their radionuclide contents. The samples were collected from open markets in major commercial cities in the country. Gamma-ray spectrometry was employed in the determination of the radionuclide contents in the products. The gamma-ray peaks observed with reliable regularity in all the samples analysed belong to naturally occurring radionuclides, namely (226)Ra, (228)Th and (40)K. The activity concentrations of these radionuclides in both the domestic and imported products were observed to be not significantly different. Essentially radioactive elements such as (137)Cs were not detected in any of the samples. The non-detection of (137)Cs in the imported products may be attributed to the suitably modified agricultural practices and countermeasures being employed to reduce caesium uptake by plants after the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident. It seems unlikely that the elemental concentrations in the food products analysed will contribute significantly to public health risks in the country, as the cumulative ingestion effective dose values from (226)Ra and (228)Th were found to be low. Although (40)K has the highest activity concentrations in all the samples analysed, it is usually under homeostatic control in the body, and hence the concentrations are irrelevant to possible contamination in the food products analysed.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0952-4746/28/3/N02 | DOI Listing |
BMC Public Health
January 2025
Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Background: Developing interventions along with the population of interest using systems thinking is a promising method to address the underlying system dynamics of overweight. The purpose of this study is twofold: to gain insight into the perspectives of adolescents regarding: (1) the system dynamics of energy balance-related behaviours (EBRBs) (physical activity, screen use, sleep behaviour and dietary behaviour); and (2) underlying mechanisms and overarching drivers of unhealthy EBRBs.
Methods: We conducted Participatory Action Research (PAR) to map the system dynamics of EBRBs together with adolescents aged 10-14 years old living in a lower socioeconomic, ethnically diverse neighbourhood in Amsterdam East, the Netherlands.
Sci Rep
January 2025
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
Residual nitrite (NO) and nitrate (NO) have been widely studied in the past few decades for their function to improve processed meat quality and their impact on human health. In this study we examined how the residual nitrite and nitrate (NO) content of major classes of processed meats products (n = 1132) produced locally from three regions (East Coast, Midwest and West Coast) and plant protein-based meat analogues (n = 53) available at retail in the United States was influenced by their composition, processing, and geographical attributes. We also conducted time-dependent depletion studies and observed different patterns of NO depletion and conversion during processing and storage and correlated them with product quality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMikrochim Acta
January 2025
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, "Iuliu Hațieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4 Pasteur Street, 400349, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
A label-free, flexible, and disposable aptasensor was designed for the rapid on-site detection of vancomycin (VAN) levels. The electrochemical sensor was based on lab-printed carbon electrodes (C-PE) enriched with cauliflower-shaped gold nanostructures (AuNSs), on which VAN-specific aptamers were immobilized as biorecognition elements and short-chain thiols as blocking agents. The AuNSs, characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), enhanced the electrochemical properties of the platform and the aptamer immobilization active sites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Asian Development Bank Institute, Research, Tokyo, 100-6008, Japan.
Global food production predominantly depends on a limited number of cereal crops; however, numerous other crops have the potential to support the nutrition and economy of many local communities in developing countries. The different crop species characterized as having relatively low perceived economic importance or agricultural significance are known as underutilized crops. Millet is one of the underutilized crops with significant potential to address nutrient and hunger-related challenges in many developing countries like Nepal due to its versatility and climate resilience.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Biosci Bioeng
January 2025
Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A8, Canada. Electronic address:
Starch-rich faba bean, yellow lentil, and yellow field pea flours were subjected to submerged fermentation using Aspergillus oryzae and Lactobacillus plantarum starter mono- or co-cultures, to increase protein contents of the flours. Fermentation mixes were supplemented with up to 35 g/L urea, ammonium sulfate and/or monoammonium phosphate as nitrogen sources. Protein contents of the flours increased 2-2.
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