Lipids play an important role in human nutrition. Although adequate lipid consumption is necessary for an optimal functioning of the human body, overconsumption of saturated fatty acids can lead to postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia, which triggers the development of atherosclerosis. Important parameters that impact postprandial lipaemia and inflammation are related to the matrix structure and the fat-soluble micronutrient profile of ingested foods/lipids, but the specific effect of these parameters should be further studied, as most of the available studies evaluate their effect at fasting state. This review specifically explores the effects of food structure and fat-soluble micronutrients, from either micronutrient-rich foods or supplements, on postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia and inflammation. The review also highlights the potential of emerging biomarkers such as miRNAs or circulating microvesicles, as an alternative to the widely use biomarkers (e.g. low-density lipoproteins or blood concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines), to identify inflammation associated with postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia at early stages.

Most of the eggs for consumption are produced in a conventional housing system although the demand for organic eggs is increasing because consumers assume better nutritional characteristics. This study was conducted to compare the quality of organic eggs and enriched cage eggs. A total of 409 organic eggs and 385 eggs from hens housed in enriched cages were directly collected from 15 different farms, located in Spain and were analyzed within 4 days after laying. The differences in quality by removing the time bias that can be caused by marketing time were thus determined. All the hens were of three different lines, 47–50 weeks old and consumed commercial feed with the same nutritional composition. The quality traits evaluated were egg weight (EW g), egg shape index (SI), shell thickness (ST), shell percentage (SP), Haugh units (HU), dense albumen percentage (DAP), total albumen percentage (TAP), yolk color (YC), yolk percentage (YP), Roche scale (RS), moisture (M), ash content (AC), total protein (TP), total yolk carotenoids (TYC), total fat (TF), saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PFA). Estimates of differences were obtained by generalized least squares using housing system, genetic line and their interaction as factors. Significant differences were observed for EW (65.3 vs 62.9), SI (77.60 vs 76.10), HU (83.60 vs 81.80), TAP (66.5 vs 64.17), YC (3.11 vs 1.89), RS (11.79 vs 9.48), TP (9.99 vs 8.55), TYC (4.188 vs 2.650), SFA (32.20 vs 30.00) and MFA (53.40 vs 44.20) in favor of the enriched cage system. In the organic system, the quality parameters that had higher and significant values were ST (0.34 vs 0.32), SP (10.52 vs 9.41), YP (25.20 vs 24.30), AC (1.12 vs 0.93) and PFA (26.00 vs 14.00). Significant interactions between the housing system and the hen line followed the same pattern observed for fixed effects. Organic eggs were lighter, less rounded with better shell quality and therefore showed lower Haugh unit values and a lower albumen percentage. Total protein, total fat, and lipid profile were within the usual average values for commercial eggs, although the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial for consumers, was higher in organic eggs.

Carotenoids, a group of phytochemicals found in plant-based foods with yellow, red, or orange pigments, have been shown to be stored in the skin upon consumption of carotenoid-rich foods(1). Skin carotenoid levels can be measured using skin reflectance spectroscopy, which assesses skin lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*)(2). Previous research has demonstrated significant increases in skin yellowness (b*) after a 4-week high-carotenoid diet(2). The aim was to examine shorter-term changes (two weeks) in skin yellowness following the consumption of a Healthy Australian Diet rich in carotenoids compared to a Typical Australian Diet with low carotenoid content. The study analysed data from an eight-week randomised, cross-over feeding trial involving 34 adults (53% female, aged 38.44 ± 18.05 years). Participants were randomly assigned to each diet for two weeks, separated by a two-week washout period. The Healthy Australian Diet adhered to the Australian Dietary Guidelines(3), emphasising the consumption of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin, tomatoes, red capsicum, and sweet potatoes. In contrast, the Typical Australian Diet was formulated based on apparent consumption patterns in Australia(4) and emphasised the intake of fruits and vegetables low in beta-carotene, such as white potatoes, onions, cauliflower, and pears. Skin carotenoids were measured using skin reflectance spectroscopy at three sites (palm, inner and outer arm), and each measurement was taken thrice. Overall skin yellowness (b*) was calculated as the average of all three measurements at all three sites. Measurements were conducted at four key visits: week 0 (end of run-in; baseline 1), week 2 (post-feeding phase 1), week 4 (end of washout; baseline 2), and week 8 (post-feeding phase 2). Differential changes in skin carotenoid levels between intervention groups were assessed using linear mixed-effect models, adjusting for diet sequence, feeding phase, body fat percentage, total fat intake, and subject ID as a random variable to account for potential autocorrelation. Post-hoc pairwise comparisons were conducted to evaluate the relative effects of each diet. Although there was a trend towards higher skin yellowness (0.215 ± 0.517; p = 0.41) following consumption of the Healthy Australian diet relative to baseline, and an inverse trend following the Typical Australian Diet (−0.118 ± 0.539, p = 0.56), the difference in change between the two diets was not statistically significant (p = 0.32). Notably, baseline values within this participant cohort were higher than previously reported at b* = 16.7(1) (baseline 1 b*: 17.57 ± 2.23, baseline 2 b*: 17.71 ± 2.26), which may influence the magnitude of observable change. The findings suggest that the two-week intervention duration may be insufficient to achieve statistically significant changes in skin carotenoid levels. Future investigations into whether plasma carotenoids increase first, with skin changes occurring later, could offer valuable insights into the potential utility of this as a biomarker validation of change in fruit and vegetable intake.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the most prevalent eye diseases among the ageing population worldwide. It is a leading cause of blindness in individuals over 55, particularly in industrialised Western countries. The prevalence of AMD increases with age, and genetic factors and environmental influences are believed to contribute to its development. Among the environmental factors, diet plays a significant role in AMD. This review explores the association between dietary components, dietary patterns and AMD. Various nutrients, non-nutrient substances and dietary models that have the potential to counteract oxidative stress and inflammation, which are underlying mechanisms of AMD, are discussed. Consuming fruits, vegetables, fish and seafood, whole grains, olive oil, nuts and low-glycaemic-index foods has been highlighted as beneficial for reducing the risk of AMD. Adhering to the Mediterranean diet, which encompasses these elements, can be recommended as a dietary pattern for AMD. Furthermore, the modulation of the gut microbiota through dietary interventions and probiotics has shown promise in managing AMD.

Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata) is a palm tree native from Brazil, whose pulp is rich in oil that has a high content of oleic acid and carotenoids. Macauba pulp oil can bring health benefits due to its bioactive compounds; however, its effects on gut health are unknown. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of macauba pulp oil on the intestinal health in mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet. Male C57BL1/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups (10 animals/group): control diet, HF diet and HF diet with 4 % of macauba pulp oil (HFM). Concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), faecal pH and histomorphometric analysis of the colon were performed. Content of colon samples was used on microbiome analysis using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Animals from the HFM group had higher butyric acid content and goblet cells number, greater circular and longitudinal muscle layer and higher α-diversity compared with the HF group. Moreover, consumption of MPO reduced Desulfobacterota phylum, Ruminococcaceae, Oscillospiraceae, Prevotellaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae family, Faecalibacterium, Prevotella, Ruminococcus and Enterorhabdus genus. Therefore, macauba pulp oil was able to modulate the gut microbiota and enhance intestinal barrier morphology, showing preventive effects on gut dysbiosis in mice fed a HF diet.

Carotenoids are important bioactive substances in breast milk, the profile of which is seldom studied. This study aimed to explore the profile of carotenoids in breast milk and maternal/cord plasma of healthy mother–neonate pairs in Shanghai, China, and their correlation with dietary intake. Maternal blood, umbilical cord blood and breast milk samples from five lactation stages (colostrum, transitional milk and early-, mid- and late-term mature milk) were collected. Carotenoid levels were analysed by HPLC. Carotenoid levels in breast milk changed as lactation progressed (P < 0·001). β-Carotene was the primary carotenoid in colostrum. Lutein accounted for approximately 50 % of total carotenoids in transitional milk, mature milk and cord blood. Positive correlations were observed between five carotenoids in umbilical cord blood and maternal blood (P all < 0·001). β-Carotene levels were also correlated between maternal plasma and three stages of breast milk (r = 0·605, P < 0·001; r = 0·456, P = 0·011, r = 0·446; P = 0·013, respectively). Dietary carotenoid intakes of lactating mothers also differed across lactation stages, although no correlation with breast milk concentrations was found. These findings suggest the importance of exploring the transport mechanism of carotenoids between mothers and infants and help guide the development of formulas for Chinese infants as well as the nutritional diets of lactating mothers.

This research communication describes a pilot study measuring skin carotenoid levels of lactating dairy cows. Carotenoids are natural antioxidants, involved in cell communication and immune function, protecting against oxidative stress. They are precursors of vitamin A, important for reproduction efficiency, growth and male fertility. Therefore, easy-to-use, inexpensive methods to measure carotenoids in cattle would provide interesting data for farmers to monitor the health and nutritional status of their herds. In this study, we used a commercially available sensor based on multiple spatially resolved reflection spectroscopy (MSRRS), intended for human use, to measure the carotenoid content in bovine skin in three research herds in France, Ireland and Scotland. Carotenoid levels were measured by applying the sensor to the teat barrel, avoiding pigmented areas of skin. Mean sensor values differed significantly between herds and between diets, with pasture-based animals showing significantly higher carotenoid levels. Our results suggest that MSRRS can be used to accurately to measure skin carotenoids in cows. However, further calibration in bovines is needed to improve of the accuracy of the MSRRS sensor in cattle.

Barrett’s oesophagus (BE) is the precursor of oesophageal adenocarcinoma, which has become the most common type of oesophageal cancer in many Western populations. Existing evidence on diet and risk of BE predominantly comes from case–control studies, which are subject to recall bias in measurement of diet. We aimed to investigate the potential effect of diet, including macronutrients, carotenoids, food groups, specific food items, beverages and dietary scores, on risk of BE in over 20 000 participants of the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Diet at baseline (1990–1994) was measured using a food frequency questionnaire. The outcome was BE diagnosed between baseline and follow-up (2007–2010). Logistic regression models were used to estimate OR and 95 % CI for diet in relation to risk of BE. Intakes of leafy vegetables and fruit were inversely associated with risk of BE (highest v. lowest quartile: OR = 0·59; CI: 0·38, 0·94; P-trend = 0·02 and OR = 0·58; CI: 0·37, 0·93; P-trend = 0·02 respectively), as were dietary fibre and carotenoids. Stronger associations were observed for food than the nutrients found in them. Positive associations were observed for discretionary food (OR = 1·54; CI: 0·97, 2·44; P-trend = 0·04) and total fat intake (OR per 10 g/d = 1·11; CI: 1·00, 1·23), the association for fat was less robust in sensitivity analyses. No association was observed for meat, protein, dairy products or diet scores. Diet is a potential modifiable risk factor for BE. Public health and clinical guidelines that incorporate dietary recommendations could contribute to reduction in risk of BE and, thereby, oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

There is emerging evidence linking fruit and vegetable consumption and cognitive function. However, studies focusing on the nutrients underlying this relationship are lacking. We aim to examine the association between plasma nutrients and cognition in a population at risk for cognitive decline with a suboptimal diet. The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) trial is a randomized controlled intervention that examines the effects of the MIND diet to prevent cognitive decline. The primary outcome is global cognition. A multivariate linear model was used to investigate the association between blood nutrients and global and/or domain-specific cognition. The model was adjusted for age, sex, education, study site, smoking status, cognitive activities and physical activities. High plasma α-carotene was associated with better global cognition. Participants in the highest tertile of plasma α-carotene had a higher global cognition z score of 0⋅17 when compared with individuals in the lowest tertile (P 0⋅002). Circulating α-carotene levels were also associated with higher semantic memory scores (P for trend 0⋅007). Lutein and zeaxanthin (combined) was positively associated with higher semantic memory scores (P for trend 0⋅009). Our study demonstrated that higher α-carotene levels in blood were associated with higher global cognition scores in a US population at risk for cognitive decline. The higher α-carotene levels in blood reflected greater intakes of fruits, other types of vegetables and lesser intakes of butter and margarine and meat. The higher circulating levels of lutein plus zeaxanthin reflected a dietary pattern with high intakes of fruits, green leafy, other vegetables and cheese, and low consumption of fried foods. Objective nutrient markers in the blood can better characterize dietary intake, which may facilitate the implementation of a tailored dietary intervention for the prevention of cognitive decline.

There is an inverse association between bioactive compounds intake and disease risk. The knowledge of its consumption according to socio-economic strata is important, which allows identification of potential intervention targets. Thus, we aimed to investigate bioactive compounds intake according to income level in Brazilian population. Data were obtained from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey, a cross-sectional survey which included data on individual food intake of 34,003 subjects aged 10 years and over collected using two 24-h dietary records. Polyphenol and carotenoid content of foods was identified using published databases. Total polyphenol and carotenoid intake were determined according to per capita income, as well as main food sources. Total polyphenols and flavonoids intake increased with income level, and subjects with lower income showed higher phenolic acids intake than individuals in highest income (p = 0.0001). Total carotenoids and classes intake (with exception to β-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin) were higher among subjects in highest income quartile, compared to the lowest quartile (p = 0.0001). Coffee was major source to total polyphenols and phenolic acids intake, and orange juice was main flavonoid provider in individuals from all income levels. In the upper income quartile, total carotenoid was supplied mainly by tomato and kale, and fruits had important contribution to carotenoid intake in the lowest income quartile. There is important influence of income level on diet quality regarding intake of foods with bioactive compounds, and individuals with lower income may experience lower quality diets due to less availability of foods with bioactive compounds.

Carotenoids are increasingly being implicated to have an important role in brain and eye development. This study aimed to quantify the content and profile of carotenoids in human breast milk, maternal plasma and neonatal umbilical cord plasma in Chengdu, an urban area in Southwest China. In this study, fifty-four healthy mothers were enrolled. Maternal blood, umbilical cord blood, colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk were collected. Concentrations of carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, β-carotene and lycopene) were analysed by HPLC. We found that carotenoid concentrations decreased from colostrum to mature milk. Hydrocarbon carotenoids with weaker polarity decreased more than the polar carotenoids. Lycopene concentrations dropped by 99 %, β-carotene by 92 %, β-cryptoxanthin by 83 %, lutein by 32 % and zeaxanthin by 22 %. Lycopene and β-carotene accounted for 70 % of the total carotenoids in colostrum, and lutein predominated amongst carotenoids in transitional milk and mature milk (51–55 %). Carotenoid concentrations in maternal plasma were much higher than that in cord plasma. Lutein predominated in cord plasma. The concentrations of all carotenoids in maternal plasma were correlated with those of cord plasma and human milk. These results are consistent with selective transport mechanisms in the mammary gland related to the polarity of carotenoids, and each carotenoid has its own implications, which may have different priorities in the early life development of infants. These findings may help guide dietary recommendations for carotenoid inclusion in infant formulas.

Human milk fat is specially tailored to supply the developing infant with adequate and balanced nutrients. The present study aimed to quantify the composition of fatty acids, tocopherols and carotenoids in human milk, with special emphasis on the lactational changes. Colostrum, transitional and mature milk samples were collected longitudinally from the same forty-two healthy, well-nourished Chinese mothers. Fatty acids were quantified by GC with carotenoids (carotenes and xanthophylls) and tocopherols (α-, γ-tocopherol) determined by HPLC. Total fatty acid (TFA) content increased from 15·09 g/l in colostrum to 32·57 g/l in mature milk with the percentages of DHA and arachidonic acid (ARA) decreased. The ratio of n-6:n-3 PUFA and ARA:DHA remained constant during lactation at about 11:1 and 1·3:1, respectively. Both α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol decreased over lactation with the ratio of α-:γ-tocopherol declined significantly from 7·21:1 to 4·21:1 (P < 0·001). Carotenoids all dropped from colostrum to mature milk as the less polar carotenes dropped by 88·67 %, while xanthophylls only dropped by 35·92 %. Lutein was predominated in both transitional and mature milk carotenoids (51·64–52·49 %), while colostrum carotenoids were mainly composed of lycopene (32·83 %) and β-carotene (30·78 %). The concentrations of tocopherols and xanthophylls but not carotenes were positively associated with TFA content in milk. These results suggested that colostrum and mature milk contained divergent lipid profiles and selective transfer mechanisms related to polarity might be involved. The present outcomes provide new insights for future breast-feeding studies, which also add in scientific evidences for the design of both initial and follow-on infant formulas.

The aim of the present study was to assess the relative validity of a new web-based 24-h dietary recall (R24W) in terms of vegetable and fruit (VF) intake assessment using serum carotenoid concentrations as reference biomarkers. A total of seventy-four women and seventy-three men (mean age 47·5 (sd 13·3) years; mean BMI 25·5 (sd 4·4) kg/m2) completed the R24W four times to assess their VF intake. Serum carotenoids were obtained from 12-h fasted blood samples and measured by HPLC. Raw and de-attenuated partial Spearman's correlations were performed to determine how usual vegetable and/or fruit intake was associated with serum carotenoids. Relevant confounders were selected using a stepwise regression analysis. Finally, cross-classification was used to determine agreement between intake of VF and serum carotenoids. Intake of total dietary carotenoids was significantly associated (r 0·40; P < 0·01) with total serum carotenoids (without lycopene). Total VF intake was also associated with total serum carotenoid concentrations without lycopene (r 0·44; P < 0·01). HDL-cholesterol, waist circumference and age were identified as confounders in the association between total VF intake and total serum carotenoids (without lycopene). De-attenuated partial correlation adjusted for these confounders increased the associations between dietary carotenoids and total serum carotenoids without lycopene (r 0·49; P < 0·01) and between total VF intake and total serum carotenoids without lycopene (r 0·48; P < 0·01). Almost 80 % of respondents were classified in the same or the adjacent quartile for total VF intake and total serum carotenoids without lycopene, while less than 6 % were classified in the opposite quartile. Overall, these observations support the appropriateness of the R24W to assess the dietary intake of VF.

This study aimed to determine whether increased carotenoids intake was associated with reduced risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We performed a cross-sectional analysis using data from Tongji Maternal and Child Health Cohort study. The dietary carotenoids intake of 1978 pregnant women was assessed using a researcher-administered FFQ before undertaking an oral glucose tolerance test at 24–28 weeks. Multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses were used to obtain the effect estimates. Participants in the highest quartile of lycopene intake showed a lower risk of GDM (OR 0·50; 95 % CI 0·29, 0·86; Pfor trend = 0·007) compared with those in the lowest quartile; each 1 mg increase in lycopene consumption was associated with a 5 % (95 % CI 0·91, 0·99; Pfor trend = 0·020) decrease in GDM risk. No significant association was found between α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin intake and GDM risk. Multiple linear regression analysis suggested an inverse association between lycopene intake and fasting blood glucose (FBG) (Pfor trend < 0·001); each 1 mg increase in lycopene intake was associated with 0·005 (95 % CI 0·002, 0·007; Pfor trend < 0·001) mmol/l decrease in FBG. Interaction analysis indicated consistent effect on each age or pre-BMI subgroup; however, a stronger protective effect of lycopene intake against GDM was observed among primigravid women (OR 0·20; 95 % CI 0·07, 0·55 in the highest v. the lowest quartile of intake; Pfor interaction = 0·036). In conclusion, dietary lycopene intake was mainly assumed via reducing FBG to decrease GDM risk, and the protection was relatively increased among primigravid women.

Determining the predictors of serum retinol at mid-pregnancy is relevant for planning interventions aimed at improving vitamin A status of pregnant women and their offspring. This prospective study assessed predictors of serum retinol at the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy. We enrolled 442 pregnant women living in the urban area of Cruzeiro do Sul, Western Brazilian Amazon. Demographic, socio-economic, environmental and clinical characteristics as well as obstetric history, anthropometric, dietary and biochemical data, including serum retinol, were gathered between 16 and 20 gestational weeks. Serum retinol also measured at the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy (approximately 28 gestational weeks) was the outcome of interest. Multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate associations with the outcome. Overall, the following variables explained serum retinol at the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy in the adjusted model (R2 = 11·1 %): seasonality (winter season – November to April; β=0·134; 95 % CI 0·063, 0·206), weekly consumption of Amazonian fruits (β=0·087; 95 % CI 0·012, 0·162) and retinol concentrations between 16 and 20 gestational weeks (β=0·045; 95 % CI 0·016, 0·074) were positively associated, whereas having a smoker in the house was negatively associated (β=–0·087; 95 % CI: –0·166, –0·009). Consumption of pro-vitamin A-rich fruits by pregnant women should be encouraged. Passive smoking may play a role in decreasing vitamin A status as a proxy of smoking exposure during pregnancy.

Health professionals consider the evaluation of eating habits to be challenging, given the potential biases of dietary questionnaires based on self-reported data. Circulating carotenoid concentrations are reliable biomarkers of dietary carotenoid intake and could be useful in the validation of dietary assessment tools. However, there is a sex difference in circulating carotenoids, with women displaying higher concentrations compared with men independent of intake. The aim of the present study was to identify the correlates of plasma carotenoid concentrations among men (n 155) and women (n 110) enrolled in six fully controlled dietary interventions with varying dietary carotenoid intakes. We looked at the associations of post-intervention fasting plasma carotenoid concentrations (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene and zeaxanthin) with physical and metabolic characteristics. We found that increased body weight (r –0·47, P<0·0001) and waist circumference (r –0·46, P<0·0001) were associated with lower plasma total carotenoid concentrations, while elevated plasma LDL-cholesterol (r 0·49, P<0·0001) and HDL-cholesterol (r 0·50, P<0·0001) concentrations were correlated with higher total carotenoids in plasma. Women had significantly higher plasma total carotenoid concentrations compared with men, despite significantly lower dietary carotenoid intake. Adjustment of circulating carotenoid concentrations for plasma HDL-cholesterol eliminated sex difference in plasma carotenoid concentrations. Our results suggest that physical characteristics as well as plasma lipids are associated with circulating carotenoid concentrations and that these variables should be taken into account when using plasma carotenoids as biomarkers for food intake in men and women.

We propose that retinal-based phototrophy arose early in the evolution of life on Earth, profoundly impacting the development of photosynthesis and creating implications for the search for life beyond our planet. While the early evolutionary history of phototrophy is largely in the realm of the unknown, the onset of oxygenic photosynthesis in primitive cyanobacteria significantly altered the Earth's atmosphere by contributing to the rise of oxygen ~2.3 billion years ago. However, photosynthetic chlorophyll and bacterio chlorophyll pigments lack appreciable absorption at wavelengths about 500–600 nm, an energy-rich region of the solar spectrum. By contrast, simpler retinal-based light-harvesting systems such as the haloarchaeal purple membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin show a strong well-defined peak of absorbance centred at 568 nm, which is complementary to that of chlorophyll pigments. We propose a scenario where simple retinal-based light-harvesting systems like that of the purple chromoprotein bacteriorhodopsin, originally discovered in halophilic Archaea, may have dominated prior to the development of photosynthesis. We explore this hypothesis, termed the ‘Purple Earth,’ and discuss how retinal photopigments may serve as remote biosignatures for exoplanet research.