Juniper Publishers-Nutrition Food Science International Journal

  Nutrition and Food Science International Journal Abstract The consumption of energy drinks is experiencing a sharp increase in the world as in Benin with a flourishing market. Many questions remain as to their composition and their potential health effects. Although their composition varies depending on the brand. The substances most encountered in these drinks are caffeine, taurine, group B vitamins, sugars, and derivatives. Several cases of caffeine intoxication have been reported by US poison control centers following the consumption of these energy drinks. These facts, despite their seriousness, however, remain poorly documented. We have undertaken through the present study, the identification, and the assay by liquid chromatography UV-visible of caffeine in 34 samples of energy drinks collected in 15 supermarkets of Cotonou in Benin Republic after some preliminary tests of visual inspection, measurements of the beverage volume and pH. From the physicochemical analysis of the...

                    Nutrition and Food Science International Journal Abstract Background:  Cooking salt is widely used to provide iodine to humans. In Benin, the production of salt is still artisanal. Our study focused on salt produced in Sèmè-Kpodji, a secondary site of local salt production in Benin, and on the availability of iodine in salt in this municipality. Methods:  The descriptive cross-sectional study included exhaustive salt producers and randomly selected households in Sèmè-Kpodji. Direct observation was made to describe salt production. In household, a standard questionnaire collected data about the physical characteristic of salt used. Iodine content was determined with the MBI kit and by the iodometric titration method. Results:  A total of 8 producers and 365 participants in the households were surveyed. Salt is produced by drying sea water on tarps for three and a half days. The process is done in eight (...

  Nutrition and food science international journal - Juniper Publishers Abstract Background: Pandanus conoideus Lamk (Red fruit) is a Papuan traditional food which has been used to treat various diseases. Despite these various effects of Red fruit, little is known about the physiological mechanism. Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of Red fruit oil (RFO) and establish the signal pathway of leading compounds. Methods: Raw 264.7 murine macrophage cells were used with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cell viability and the pro-inflammatory factors were investigated using MTT assay, real time PCR, western blot analysis, and Enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA). The quantification of leading compounds in RFO was performed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: RFO did not affect cell viability. RFO significantly reduced the production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and both the protein level and mRN...