Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) have been used to replace added sugars in foods/beverages. Research related to NNS consumption and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is of great importance as NNS are often used by individuals who are looking to improve their health. The objectives of this investigation were to determine whether an association between NNS consumption (total and individual types) and MetS exists, and if any of the five risk factors for MetS were more significantly impacted by NNS consumption. Four NNS were included in this study: saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium. Adult participants (n = 125) from Southwest Virginia were recruited for a cross-sectional investigation. Demographics, three 24-hour dietary recalls, and values for MetS (blood pressure, waist circumference, and glucose, triglyceride, and HDL levels) were collected. Statistical analyses included descriptives and multiple linear regressions models. Of the 125 participants, 63 were classified as NNS consumers and 18 met the criteria for MetS. There was a significant positive relationship between MetS and total NNS consumption (p=0.007) and MetS and aspartame (p=0.012). When looking at individual MetS risk factors, waist circumference, triglyceride and glucose values were significantly positively associated with NNS consumption (p≤0.001) and aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin (all p≤0.027). Some limitations to current NNS research were addressed, such as, examining associations between individual NNS types and not using diet soda as a proxy for NNS consumption. More research is needed to address the bias of self-reported data and the lack of randomized controlled trials to inferentially test the impact of NNS consumption. / Master of Science

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1940.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1940.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Agronomy / Doohong Min / Alfalfa is an important forage legume grown in the central Great Plains. However, producers still lack information about the productivity of alfalfa grown with cool-season grasses and the proper time of the last cut of alfalfa in the fall. Two studies are presented in this dissertation. The first study was to determine during a three-year period (2015-2017) the dry matter yield (DMY) and forage nutritive value of alfalfa-grass mixtures compared to alfalfa and grasses grown in monoculture and to assess the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on the dry matter yield and nutritive value of alfalfa-grass mixtures. During the three-years, the DMY was significantly higher in monoculture alfalfa and alfalfa-grass mixtures than in grass monocultures. No significant differences in DMY between alfalfa monoculture and alfalfa-grass mixtures were found. For all treatments, nitrogen application significantly increased DMY compared to the control. In 2016 and 2017, acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in smooth bromegrass and tall fescue were higher than in other treatments. Nitrogen fertilizer application did not affect nutritive values such as crude protein (CP), ADF, NDF, and relative feed value (RFV) in different treatments of the forage species. The second study determined the effect of timing of a fall cut on dry matter yield, nutritive value, and stand persistence of alfalfa in Northeastern Kansas in the United States. The DMY of first cut in 2016 was significantly higher in the Roundup Ready variety of alfalfa than in the low-lignin variety of alfalfa. There were no significant differences in DMY between alfalfa varieties in the remaining seasonal cuttings in 2016 and 2017 and in the annual total yield in both years. The DMY of the last cut in the fall was the highest in 2015, 2016 and 2017 in plots that were harvested on September 30. In 2017 the highest DMY in first cut was found in plots that were cut on October 15 in the previous year. The last harvests of the 2016 season, which were on October 15 and October 30, had the highest nutritive value. Opposite results on October 15 and October 30 were observed in 2017. Alfalfa cut on September 15 and September 30 had a higher stand persistence compared to alfalfa cut on October 15 and October 30. In conclusion, last fall cutting of alfalfa, which could be up to October 15, appeared to be acceptable because it did not affect forage dry matter yield.

Please read the abstract in the section, 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Animal and Wildlife Sciences / MSc / Unrestricted

Master of Science / Department: Food Science / J. Scott Smith / Non-nutritive sweeteners are alternative sweeteners that provide the taste of sweetness without a caloric contribution. In this Florence’s HomeStyle Cha-Cha study, aspartame, acesulfame K, sodium saccharin, and neotame were evaluated as a substitute for sucrose in the formulation. These sweeteners were used at their recommended equivalency levels to match the sweetness potency level to that of sucrose. Because they are more potent than sucrose, minimum amounts were needed to replace sucrose, and the remaining amounts were filled with maltodextrin. Using maltodextrin as bulk filler is common practice in the industry when replacing sucrose with a non-nutritive sweetener. This study evaluated the quality of the finished product in determining which non-nutritive sweetener had similar taste, aroma, and density qualities as the control, which was Cha-Cha sweetened with sucrose. The results of the evaluations indicated that Cha-Cha sweetened with acesulfame K was more similar to the control than the other non-nutritive sweeteners. Of the three taste characteristics evaluated for their degree of intensity, sweetness, saltiness, and bitterness, the acesulfame K sweetened treatment was closer to the control. In the GC/MS analysis in characterizing the volatile aroma compounds, acesulfame K contained all the aroma compounds with smaller differences in concentration than the other experimental treatments. In the density evaluation, the experimental treatments were similar to the control treatment. In conclusion, Florence’s HomeStyle Cha-Cha sweetened with acesulfame K is similar in quality to the sucrose-sweetened control.

Au Nunavik, les communautés inuites dépendent grandement de ressources issues de l'océan. Dans cette étude, la valeur nutritive d'organismes benthiques marins consommés par les humains a été analysée. Des pétoncles, des moules, des oursins et des étoiles de mer ont été analysés pour leur quantité d'acides gras, de pigments et de sélénium. Les objectifs étaient de révéler si les quantités de nutriments sont influencées par la période de retrait des glaces et de voir si ces nutriments sont bioamplifiés selon les niveaux trophiques des espèces. Les résultats ne montrent pas de tendances claires par rapport au temps de retrait des glaces et le contenu de nutriment semble être influencé par d'autres facteurs car ces tendances ne sont pas généralisées à travers tous les éléments analysés. Les résultats d'EPA (C20:5 (cis-5,8,11,14,17)) et de DHA (C22:6 (cis-4,7,10,13,16,19)) indiquent un accroissement en corrélation avec l'augmentation du niveau trophique. Cette tendance n'est, par contre, pas généralisée parmi tous les acides gras analysés. Ces résultats aident à mieux comprendre l'influence de la dynamique des glaces sur les quantités de nutriments trouvées dans des organismes benthiques ainsi que la façon dont ils passent à travers le réseau trophique benthique du Nunavik, au Canada. / In Nunavik, Inuit communities depend greatly on country food that come from the ocean. In this study, the nutritional value of benthic organisms consumed by the human population in these communities were analysed. Scallops, mussels, urchins and seastars had their fatty acid, pigment and selenium quantities evaluated. The goals were to reveal if the nutrient quantities were influenced by the timing of ice withdrawal and if there was bioamplification according to species. Results show that no clear trend can be identified for ice withdrawal and the nutrient contents seem to be influenced by other factors because these trends are not generalized to all nutrients. EPA (C20:5 (cis-5,8,11,14,17)) and DHA (C22:6 (cis-4,7,10,13,16,19)) seem to exibit an increase as the trophic level gets higher. This tendency is not present for all the fatty acids analysed, however. These results help better understand the influence of ice dynamics on the nutrient quantities found in benthic organisms as well as the way they pass through the benthic food web in Nunavik, Canada.

Des cultivars de luzerne (Medicago sativa L.) à digestibilité améliorée, conventionnellement sélectionnés ou génétiquement modifiés (GM), sont utilisés au Québec. L'objectif du projet était de comparer le rendement, la valeur nutritive, la survie à l'hiver et la rentabilité des cultivars de luzerne plus digestibles cultivés sous deux intervalles de coupe au Québec. Huit cultivars ont été évalués : deux GM; quatre sélectionnés conventionnellement, soit deux à faible teneur en lignine, un riche en pectine et un à dégradabilité enzymatique améliorée des tiges; et deux témoins. Chaque cultivar devait être récolté au stade début boutons ou au stade moins de 10 % en fleurs à trois sites. Les cultivars ont tous survécu aux conditions hivernales. En première année de production, les cultivars ont eu un rendement annuel comparable à celui des témoins, sauf le cultivar sélectionné pour une dégradabilité améliorée des tiges (-13 %). Les cultivars GM avaient une digestibilité in vitro de la fibre insoluble au détergent neutre (NDFd) de 4,7 unités de % supérieure et une teneur en fibres insolubles au détergent neutre (aNDF), de 1,0 unité de % inférieure à celles des témoins. Les cultivars sélectionnés conventionnellement avaient une NDFd similaire à celles des témoins. Les cultivars GM offraient une plus grande flexibilité de récolte. Avec une coupe de moins par an lorsque récoltés au stade début floraison, les cultivars GM avaient un rendement annuel de 1,0 Mg MS ha-1 supérieur, une NDFd similaire, une teneur en protéines brutes inférieure (-3,1 unités de %), et des teneurs en aNDF (+5,6 unités de %) et en lignine (+0,16 unité de %) supérieures à ceux des cultivars témoins récoltés au stade début boutons. L'utilisation de cultivars de luzerne GM peut permettre une meilleure flexibilité de récolte, accroître la digestibilité de la ration, et ainsi potentiellement améliorer l'efficacité alimentaire des vaches / Conventionally selected or genetically modified (GM) alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars with improved digestibility are used in Quebec. The objective of the project was to compare the yield, nutritive value, winter survival, and profitability of more digestible alfalfa cultivars grown under two cutting intervals in Quebec. Eight cultivars were evaluated: two GM; four conventionally selected, two with low lignin concentration, one with high pectin concentration, and one with improved enzymatic stem degradability; and two controls. Each cultivar was harvested at the early bud stage or at less than 10% bloom at three sites. All cultivars survived the winter conditions well. In the first post-seeding year, the cultivars had an annual yield comparable to control cultivars, except for the cultivar selected for improved stem degradability (-13%). Both GM cultivars had an in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFd) that was 4.7% unit higher and a concentration of neutral detergent fiber, essayed with a heat stable amylase and sodium sulfite (aNDF), 1.0% unit lower than that of the controls. The conventionally selected cultivars had NDFd similar to that of the controls. The GM cultivars offered greater flexibility in harvesting. The extensively managed GM cultivars had a similar NDFd, a lower CP (-3.1% units), greater aNDF (+5.6% units) and acid detergent lignin (+0.16% units) concentrations, but an annual yield 1.0 Mg ha?1 higher than the intensively managed control cultivars, despite being harvested once less. The use of GM alfalfa cultivars can provide greater harvest flexibility, increase forage diet digestibility, and thus potentially improve cow feed efficiency.

Les recherches démontrent que l’environnement alimentaire dans lequel un individu évolue exerce une influence sur ses choix alimentaires. L’exposition à une offre alimentaire de meilleure qualité, composante de l’environnement alimentaire, est ainsi plus favorable à l’adoption de saines habitudes alimentaires. Davantage influencés par leur environnement, les enfants représentent une population vulnérable à laquelle il est intéressant de s’attarder. Plusieurs études se sont penchées sur la qualité nutritionnelle de produits alimentaires étant destinés aux enfants en raison de leur marketing, observant que la majorité de ces aliments et boissons étaient de faible qualité nutritionnelle. Dans l’optique de connaître la qualité nutritionnelle de l’offre alimentaire au Québec en ayant comme public cible d’intérêt les enfants, la composition nutritionnelle de trois catégories d’aliments portant majoritairement du marketing destiné aux enfants (i.e., céréales à déjeuner, barres granola et yogourts et desserts laitiers) a été analysée à l’aide de données issues des études sectorielles de l’Observatoire de la qualité de l’offre alimentaire. Ce mémoire illustre l’importance de s’intéresser au marketing alimentaire ciblant les enfants afin d’en diminuer les impacts négatifs sur cette population. Les résultats de cette étude ont permis de mettre en lumière que des améliorations sont nécessaires, particulièrement pour la teneur en sucres libres ainsi que la qualité nutritionnelle générale des céréales à déjeuner ciblant les enfants. Ces résultats permettent donc d’établir un portrait de la qualité nutritionnelle de certains produits alimentaires destinés aux enfants dans l’offre alimentaire actuelle au Québec et ainsi appuyer les réflexions en ce qui concerne l’amélioration de l’encadrement du marketing alimentaire à l’égard de cette population vulnérable. / Studies show that the food environment in which an individual lives influences their food choices. Exposure to a food supply of better quality, a component of the food environment, is therefore more favorable to the adoption of healthy eating habits. Highly influenced by their environment, children represent a vulnerable population that is worth focusing on. Several studies have looked at the nutritional quality of food products targeted to children due to their marketing, observing that most of these foods and beverages were of poor nutritional quality. With the purpose of characterizing the nutritional quality of the food supply in Quebec by considering children as a target audience of interest, the nutritional composition of three food categories showing high proportions of marketing intended to children (i.e., breakfast cereals, granola bars and yoghurts and dairy desserts) was analyzed using data from sectoral studies of the Food Quality Observatory. This manuscript illustrates the importance of being interested in food marketing to children in order to reduce its negative impacts on this population. Results of the study showed that improvements are needed, particularly in the amount of free sugars as well as the overall nutritional quality of child-targeted breakfast cereals. These results make it possible to get an overview of the nutritional quality of some food products targeted to children in the current food supply in Quebec and thus support reflections on improving the regulation of food marketing with regard to this vulnerable population.

Au Nunavik, les communautés inuites dépendent grandement de ressources issues de l'océan. Dans cette étude, la valeur nutritive d'organismes benthiques marins consommés par les humains a été analysée. Des pétoncles, des moules, des oursins et des étoiles de mer ont été analysés pour leur quantité d'acides gras, de pigments et de sélénium. Les objectifs étaient de révéler si les quantités de nutriments sont influencées par la période de retrait des glaces et de voir si ces nutriments sont bioamplifiés selon les niveaux trophiques des espèces. Les résultats ne montrent pas de tendances claires par rapport au temps de retrait des glaces et le contenu de nutriment semble être influencé par d'autres facteurs car ces tendances ne sont pas généralisées à travers tous les éléments analysés. Les résultats d'EPA (C20:5 (cis-5,8,11,14,17)) et de DHA (C22:6 (cis-4,7,10,13,16,19)) indiquent un accroissement en corrélation avec l'augmentation du niveau trophique. Cette tendance n'est, par contre, pas généralisée parmi tous les acides gras analysés. Ces résultats aident à mieux comprendre l'influence de la dynamique des glaces sur les quantités de nutriments trouvées dans des organismes benthiques ainsi que la façon dont ils passent à travers le réseau trophique benthique du Nunavik, au Canada. / In Nunavik, Inuit communities depend greatly on country food that come from the ocean. In this study, the nutritional value of benthic organisms consumed by the human population in these communities were analysed. Scallops, mussels, urchins and seastars had their fatty acid, pigment and selenium quantities evaluated. The goals were to reveal if the nutrient quantities were influenced by the timing of ice withdrawal and if there was bioamplification according to species. Results show that no clear trend can be identified for ice withdrawal and the nutrient contents seem to be influenced by other factors because these trends are not generalized to all nutrients. EPA (C20:5 (cis-5,8,11,14,17)) and DHA (C22:6 (cis-4,7,10,13,16,19)) seem to exibit an increase as the trophic level gets higher. This tendency is not present for all the fatty acids analysed, however. These results help better understand the influence of ice dynamics on the nutrient quantities found in benthic organisms as well as the way they pass through the benthic food web in Nunavik, Canada.