Alcohol.

Alcohol consumption affects overall mortality. Light to moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of coronary heart disease; epidemiological, physiological and genetic data show a causal relationship. Light to moderate drinking is also associated with a reduced risk of other vascular diseases and probably of type 2 diabetes.

Different control mechanisms regulate glucoamylase and protease gene transcription in Aspergillus oryzae in solid-state and submerged fermentation.

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) with Aspergillus oryzae results in high levels of secreted protein. However, control mechanisms of gene expression in SSF have been only poorly studied. In this study we show that both glucoamylase (glaB) and protease (alpA, nptB) genes are highly expressed during surface cultivation on wheat-based solid medium, and even higher during cultivation on wheat kernels.

Peanut allergen Ara h 3: isolation from peanuts and biochemical characterization.

Background: Peanut allergen Ara h 3 has been the subject of investigation for the last few years. The reported data strongly depend on recombinant Ara h 3, since a purification protocol for Ara h 3 from peanuts was not available.

Methods: Peanut allergen Ara h 3 (glycinin), was purified and its posttranslational processing was investigated.

Socio-economic status, dietary intake and 10 y trends: the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey.

Objective: To study differences in dietary intake between adults with different socioeconomic status (SES) and trends over time.

Design: Cross-sectional study based on data of three Dutch National Food Consumption Surveys (DNFCS-1 1987/88; DNFCS-2 1992; DNFCS-3 1997/98), obtained from a panel by a stratified probability sample of the non-institutionalized Dutch population.

Subjects: A total of 6008 men and 6957 women aged 19 y and over.

Structural and functional analysis of the S-layer protein crystallisation domain of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356: evidence for protein-protein interaction of two subdomains.

The structure of the crystallisation domain, SAN, of the S(A)-protein of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 was analysed by insertion and deletion mutagenesis, and by proteolytic treatment. Mutant S(A)-protein synthesised in Escherichia coli with 7-13 amino acid insertions near the N terminus or within regions of sequence variation in SAN (amino acid position 7, 45, 114, 125, 193), or in the cell wall-binding domain (position 345) could form crystalline sheets, whereas insertions in conserved regions or in regions with predicted secondary structure elements (positions 30, 67, 88 and 156) destroyed this capacity. FACscan analysis of L.

One repeat of the cell wall binding domain is sufficient for anchoring the Lactobacillus acidophilus surface layer protein.

The N-terminal repeat (SAC1) of the S-protein of Lactobacillus acidophilus bound efficiently and specifically to cell wall fragments (CWFs) when fused to green fluorescent protein, whereas the C-terminal repeat (SAC2) did not. Treatment of CWFs with hydrofluoric acid, but not phenol, prevented binding. Apparently, SAC1 is necessary and sufficient for cell wall binding.

The use of in vitro metabolic parameters and physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to explore the risk assessment of trichloroethylene.

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model has been developed for trichloroethylene (1,1,2-trichloroethene, TRI) for rat and humans, based on in vitro metabolic parameters. These were obtained using individual cytochrome P450 and glutathione S-transferase enzymes. The main enzymes involved both for rats and humans are CYP2E1 and the μ- and π-class glutathione S-transferases.

Filamentous fungi as cell factories for heterologous protein production.

Filamentous fungi have been used as sources of metabolites and enzymes for centuries. For about two decades, molecular genetic tools have enabled us to use these organisms to express extra copies of both endogenous and exogenous genes. This review of current practice reveals that molecular tools have enabled several new developments.

Effect of heat-induced aggregation on the IgE binding of patatin (Sol t 1) is dominated by other potato proteins.

The interaction of the major potato allergen patatin, Sol t 1, with IgE was investigated on a quantitative level as a function of heat treatment at different temperatures. On the basis of a number of publications, potato is considered to be a heat-labile allergen, but the molecular explanation for this behavior was not given. In this work, heat treatment of patatin in the absence and presence of other potato proteins mimicking the proteinaceous environment of the potato was studied.

Approach to setting occupational exposure limits for sensory irritants in The Netherlands.

This article describes how scientists in the Netherlands set occupational exposure limits (OELs) for sensory irritants. When they tackle this issue, a number of key questions need to be answered. For example, did the studies indeed measure sensory irritation and not cytotoxicity? When the irritant is an odorant, can interference of olfactory stimulation be excluded? In the case of subjective measurements, can psychological irritation be excluded? When adaptation is an issue, did the studies indeed measure adaptation and not habituation? When OELs are established in the Netherlands, each of these issues is carefully addressed before a value is suggested.

Fungal peroxidases: molecular aspects and applications.

Peroxidases are oxidoreductases that utilize hydrogen peroxide to catalyze oxidative reactions. A large number of peroxidases have been identified in fungal species and are being characterized at the molecular level. In this manuscript we review the current knowledge on the molecular aspects of this type of enzymes.

Analytical approaches to food-based dietary guidelines in the European setting.

Objective: To show the effects of statistical approaches of data analysis to be used in the development of Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG).

Setting: Databases from dietary surveys in 6 European countries.

Results: Quantile analysis based on iron intake among adult women resulted in differences among European countries regarding (macro) nutrient intake and consumption of food groups.

Quality and safety aspects of reusable plastic food packaging materials: a European study to underpin future legislation.

The objective of this study was to develop a comprehensive package of quality assurance criteria for use by industry and regulatory authorities for ensuring the quality and safety-in-use (sensory, microbiological and chemical) of reused plastics for food packaging. The study included thermal degradation effects, flavour carry-over caused by flavour and off-flavour substances, the influence of washing processes on the materials, and the efficiency of washing processes in removing off-flavour substances and surrogate substances representing misuse chemicals as might be put in bottles by consumers. The microbial safety of the refillable plastic articles in relation to commercial washing processes and the industrial procedures applied has also been investigated.

C-terminal propeptide of the Caldariomyces fumago chloroperoxidase: an intramolecular chaperone?

The Caldariomyces fumago chloroperoxidase (CPO) is synthesised as a 372-aa precursor which undergoes two proteolytic processing events: removal of a 21-aa N-terminal signal peptide and of a 52-aa C-terminal propeptide. The Aspergillus niger expression system developed for CPO was used to get insight into the function of this C-terminal propeptide. A.

Assessment of dietary intake among Moroccan women and Surinam men.

Objective: To establish a method for food consumption data collection in ethnic groups in the Netherlands.

Methods: Two pilot studies have been carried out, one among Moroccan women and one among Surinam men. First, focus group discussions were held to obtain background information from members of the target population.

Purification and substrate specificity of transglutaminases from blood and Streptoverticillium mobaraense.

A procedure for a fast and simple purification of bovine plasma transglutaminase was developed, which resulted in a homogeneous enzyme preparation. Two different procedures were developed for the purification of pig erythrocyte transglutaminase, both of which resulted in partial purification. Both enzymes were used in cross-linking reactions of alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, bovine serum albumin, casein, hemoglobin, glycinin, and myosin.

Biological monitoring the exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of coke oven workers in relation to smoking and genetic polymorphisms for GSTM1 and GSTT1.

Unlabelled: Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) increases the risk of developing lung cancer. Human exposure is often demonstrated by increased internal levels of PAH metabolites and of markers for early biological effects, like DNA adducts and cytogenetic aberrations.

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether the current exposure to PAH of coke oven workers in a Dutch plant induced biological effects, and to determine if these effects are influenced by tobacco smoking and by genetic polymorphisms for the glutathione S-transferase genes GSTM1 and GSTT1.

Determination of the oestrogenic (uterotrophic) activity of extracts of 'general purpose polystyrene (GPPS)' using immature female rats.

In Japan there is growing concern about the possible adverse effects of consumption of food from styrene containers (mainly those made from polystyrene paper) due to the alleged oestrogenic activity of styrene oligomers (dimers and trimers), which may migrate into the food. To examine the possible oestrogenic activity of styrene dimers and trimers, extracts were made from 'general purpose polystyrene (GPPS)' and administered orally to immature female rats over a 4 day period. Increase of uterus weight (wet and blotted) was used for assessment of possible oestrogenic activity.

Quantitative microbiological risk assessment.

The production of safe food is being increasingly based on the use of risk analysis, and this process is now in use to establish national and international food safety objectives. It is also being used more frequently to guarantee that safety objectives are met and that such guarantees are achieved in a cost-effective manner. One part of the overall risk analysis procedure-risk assessment-is the scientific process in which the hazards and risk factors are identified, and the risk estimate or risk profile is determined.

The benchmark approach applied to a 28-day toxicity study with Rhodorsil Silane in rats. the impact of increasing the number of dose groups.

The OECD study design, aimed at obtaining a no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL), may be suboptimal for deriving a benchmark dose. Therefore the present subacute (28-day) study was carried out to evaluate a multiple dose study design and to compare the results with the common OECD design. Seven groups of 10 female rats each were intragastrically administered corn oil without (controls) or with 50, 150, 300, 450, 600 or 750 mg Rhodorsil Silane/kg body weight/day, once daily (7 days/week) for 4 weeks.

Synthesis, processing and export of cytoplasmic endo-beta-1,4-xylanase from barley aleurone during germination.

We have identified the major endo-beta-1,4-xylanase (XYN-1) in the aleurone of germinating barley grain, and show that it is expressed as a precursor of Mr 61 500 with both N- and C-terminal propeptides. XYN-1 is synthesized as an inactive enzyme in the cytoplasm, and only becomes active at a late stage of germination when the aleurone ceases to secrete hydrolases. A series of processing steps, mediated in part by aleurone cysteine endoproteases, yields a mature active enzyme of Mr 34 000.