A Muscle Biosignature Differentiating Between Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy and Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Background: The overlapping clinical presentations of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) and idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) make clinical diagnosis challenging. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the distributions and characteristics of muscle fat substitution and edema and aims to differentiate those two diseases.Methods: This retrospective study reviewed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of seventeen patients with pathologically proved diagnosis, comprising 11 with LGMD and 6 with IIM. The fat-only and water-only images from a Dixon sequence were used to evaluate muscle fat substitution and edema, respectively. The degrees of muscle fat substitution and edema were graded and compared using the appropriate statistical methods.Results: In LGMD, more than 50% of patients had high-grade fat substitution in the majority of muscle groups in the thigh and calf. However, <50% of IIM patients had high-grade fat substitution in all muscle groups. Moreover, LGMD patients had significantly higher grade fat substitution than IIM patients in all large muscle groups (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in edema in the majority of muscle groups, except the adductor magnus (p = 0.012) and soleus (p = 0.009) with higher grade edema in IIM. Additionally, all the adductor magnus muscles in LGMD (100%) showed high-grade fat substitution, but none of them showed high-grade edema.Conclusions: MRI could be a valuable tool to differentiate LGMD from IIM based on the discrepancy in muscle fat substitution, and the adductor magnus muscle could provide a biosignature to categorizing LGMD.

Study on the potential of chia gel usage as a natural fat substitute in cake formulation

In the current study, cakes were prepared with the addition of different levels of chia gel obtained by soaking 1 part of chia seeds in 9 parts of water by weight. Mix was allowed to stand for 30 min for gel formation and seeds were left in the gel and later incorporated into the batter. The addition of chia gel to cake batter to partially substitute the fat from the basic recipe (control) resulted both in improved quality characteristics at all levels of substitution and reduction of caloric value, at the expense of energy from fat, especially at higher reduction levels (40 and 60%). The fat replacement at 40 and 60% had a caloric value decrease by 48 kcal per 100 g compared to the control and respectively the energy at the expense of the fat was 37.9 and 25.7% (reduction by 71.3 and 48.3%). Sensory evaluation demonstrated good acceptability for all the products with slight prevail for the samples with 40% followed closer by those with 20% fat replacement. Hence, chia gel proved to be a good alternative for fat substitution in baking goods recipes while preserving the quality and sensory parameters aiming to produce healthier foods.

Microbial β-glucan Incorporated into Muffins: Impact on Quality of the Batter and Baked Products

Microorganisms can be a promising source of bioactive food ingredients derived from unconventional agricultural farms. The quality of batter and final products in which 20%–80% of the fat has been replaced by β-glucan, obtained from microorganisms, was analyzed. The instrumental texture measurements showed that β-glucan batter and muffins were harder than the control sample. Fat substitution over 40%, while enriching muffins with yeast β-glucan (over 2%), led to a decrease in the quality of products after baking and during 14-day storage. The incorporation of 3% or more β-glucan into the composition increased the hardness of the batter and deteriorated the quality of the muffin crumb, after baking and during storage. The sensory study revealed that fat replacement up to 40% with β-glucan provided acceptable biscuits, but higher replacement decreased the overall acceptability.

Fat substitution by inulin in goat milk ice cream produced with cajá (Spondias mombin) pulp and probiotic cultures: influence on composition, texture, and acceptability among consumers of two Brazilian regions

The production of a goat milk ice cream with a typical Brazilian fruit, probiotic cultures and with the fat substitution by inulin could be an opportunity of products’ diversification for the growing goat dairy sector in Brazil and also to attend the consumers’ demand of healthy indulgence products. However, the probiotic stability and texture could be affected by the fat replacement in a frozen product, and sensory acceptability can vary according to the country region. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of substitution of goat milk cream by inulin on the stability and quality parameters such as fat content, fatty acid profile, lactobacilli viability, hardness and melting rate of goat milk ice cream produced with cajá pulp and probiotic cultures of Lactobacillus rhamnosus or Lactobacillus paracasei. Focusing on the opportunity of spreading food products containing regional ingredients, a sensory evaluation was conducted with consumers of two distinct Brazilian regions (São Paulo and Sobral, south-eastern and north-eastern cities, respectively). Formulations with inulin fitted requirements for low fat and low saturated fat products. Probiotic cultures survived well in all tested formulations since added probiotics maintained viability levels above 8.00 log cfu/g during storage. The full-fat ice creams achieved significant higher acceptability among the consumers of Sobral when compared with those of São Paulo, reinforcing that familiarization with goat milk can influence the acceptability of caprine dairy products. Inulin added ice creams showed lower overrun, with hardness and melt-down profile increased in comparison with milk cream formulations. Nonetheless, inulin successfully substituted milk cream in goat milk ice creams with cajá as their scores of sensory acceptability were above 7.00 and similar within both consumer groups. The multi-functional character of the inulin added ice creams indicate their potential contribution for good health if consumed as part of a well-balanced diet.

Effect of fat replacement by fructooligosaccharide in hamburger: physicochemical, technological and sensorial analysis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of fat substitution by fructooligosaccharide on physicochemical, technological and sensory characteristics of hamburgers. Five hamburgers formulations were prepared: F1 - standard (0% FOS) and the others added 1.25% (F2), 2.50% (F3), 3.75% (F4) and 5% (F5) of FOS. The Acceptability similar to standard sample was found for hamburgers with up to 3.75% prebiotic addition. However, all formulations had acceptability index above 70%. Cooking yield, moisture retention, shrinkage and fat retention have been increased as FOS was added. Substitution of fat by FOS increased carbohydrate and fiber content and decreased lipid and calorie hamburgers content. FOS addition did not change red and yellow values, however it increased brightness of product. FOS is an ingredient with potential for addition in beef hamburger, improving physicochemical and technological parameters and with little influence on sensory characteristics.