China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
The Role of the Microbiome on Human Health
Published in Aruna Bakhru, Nutrition and Integrative Medicine, 2018
Rodney R. Dietert, Janice M. Dietert
Finally, the industrial chemical melamine is a toxicological risk for both humans and animals. This was a recent problem when melamine contaminated both infant formula and pet food produced in China (Dalal and Goldfarb 2011; Wang et al. 2011). Melamine toxicity results in crystal formation in the kidneys. However, the extent of crystal formation after melamine exposure is affected by the presence of and levels of specific gut microbes (Zheng et al. 2013; Klaassen and Cui 2015). It is another example where the profile of gut microbes determines the actual individual health risk.
Melamine
Published in Linda M. Castell, Samantha J. Stear (Nottingham), Louise M. Burke, Nutritional Supplements in Sport, Exercise and Health, 2015
Melamine (2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazine; tripolycyanimide) is used in the production of plastics and adhesives. It has no documented ergogenic capacity. Given its high nitrogen content, melamine has been illegally used to elevate food protein quantity (as in protein supplements). Melamine and derivatives (e.g. cyanuric acid) are toxic to humans even at low quantities, with strong effects on the kidneys (Hau et al., 2009; Sharma and Paradakar, 2010). Tolerable daily intake amounts vary by country and consumer age, but a typical adult level is 0.5mg/kg/day (Hau et al., 2009; Tyan et al., 2009). Shortly after the 2008 Beijing Olympics, it was discovered that protein products from multiple Chinese manufacturers contained melamine and derivatives, and that those products were distributed internationally (Sharma and Paradakar, 2010). Although screening indicated that Olympic athletes were not exposed (Wu et al., 2010), other populations (particularly Chinese infants) were clinically affected. Athletes should be aware of possible melamine contamination in protein-rich foodstuffs.
Informal markets are not necessarily dangerous and formal markets are not necessarily safe
Published in Kristina Roesel, Delia Grace, Food Safety and Informal Markets, 2014
Kristina Roesel, Delia Grace, Haruya Toyomaki, Cameline Mwai, Fanta Desissa
It is not only that canned chicken sold at a leading up-market supermarket chain in South Africa for more than US$8 can be spoiled prior to its expiry date and, subsequently, the smell of the open can is simply not bearable. It also seems to be a common practice among supermarkets to deliberately sell products to the informal market at a bargain price once they are past their expiry date. Apart from ‘overdue’ products, formally marketed items can be prone to hazards as well (Figure 13). In 2008, melamine was discovered in formally marketed milk from China. Melamine is a chemical compound which is illegally added to food or feed products to increase the apparent protein content, a practice which presents serious health problems.3 Previous studies in Kenya found that compliance with standards was no better for pasteurized milk in the formal sector than for informal sector raw milk hawked from door to door; a similar result was found in studies in India.
Olive oil and oleic acid-based self nano-emulsifying formulation of omega-3-fatty acids with improved strength, stability, and therapeutics
Published in Journal of Microencapsulation, 2021
Abhay Tharmatt, Shubham Thakur, Amrinder Singh, Manjot Kaur, Navid Reza Shahtaghi, Divay Malhotra, Subheet Kumar Jain
Melamine-induced cognitive dysfunction is a more specific paradigm for inducing long-term changes in brain processing and memory functions (Yang et al. 2010). Neuronal damage in infant rats that impact synaptic plasticity and cognitive function has been recorded with melamine (An et al. 2013, Yang et al. 2011). Synaptic plasticity is a neuron mechanism that adapts to different stimuli and processes. It is important to improve the synoptical transition, awareness, and the cognitive capacity to adaptive analysis and awareness during brain development. Melamine often triggers neurological dysfunction by oxidative disruption, a toxic mechanism that is the basis for human findings. Oxidative damage to neurons, combined with learning and memory storage in the hippocampal region, is associated with deficiency of multiple central nervous systems (CNS) functions. Melamine may also be present as an adulterant in infant milk formulas and may overcome the placental barrier to neurodegeneration (An and Sun 2017). There are therefore these particular advantages in the melamine paradigm and it offers a more important context to explain DHA’s function in cognition.
A review on human body fluids for the diagnosis of viral infections: scope for rapid detection of COVID-19
Published in Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics, 2021
Sphurti S Adigal, Nidheesh V Rayaroth, Reena V John, Keerthilatha M Pai, Sulatha Bhandari, Aswini Kumar Mohapatra, Jijo Lukose, Ajeetkumar Patil, Aseefhali Bankapur, Santhosh Chidangil
Several studies have reported the use of different spectroscopic techniques for early diagnosis of various diseases using different body fluids as clinical specimen [91]. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is considered as a versatile tool for separation and analysis of the biological and pharmaceutical compounds. Chromatography column is the heart of chromatography technique and hence a column selection is important to separate the mixture of components in a sample of interest [92]. Generally, chromatography-based techniques are used as standard techniques by industrial sectors, federal agencies, academies, and food and drug administration (FDA). Using chromatography-based-techniques the limit of detection (LOD) for melamine was achieved to the ppb level [93]. The combination of ultrasensitive optical technique Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF), with highly efficient separation technique such as HPLC, detection of ultra-trace quantities of individual biomolecules in complex, multicomponent physiological systems is feasible [94]. Our earlier studies demonstrated the capability of HPLC-LIF for protein profile analysis of micro-quantities of clinical samples such as saliva [95], serum [96], cellular samples [16] and tissue homogenates [97] for the diagnosis of cancers of different types.
Graphene-based materials do not impair physiology, gene expression and growth dynamics of the aeroterrestrial microalga Trebouxia gelatinosa
Published in Nanotoxicology, 2019
Elisa Banchi, Fabio Candotto Carniel, Alice Montagner, Susanna Bosi, Mattia Bramini, Matteo Crosera, Verónica León, Cristina Martín, Alberto Pallavicini, Ester Vázquez, Maurizio Prato, Mauro Tretiach
FLG was prepared by the ball-milling treatment, according to León et al. (2016). A mixture of graphite (7.5 mg of SP-1 graphite powder, from Bay Carbon, USA), and melamine (22.5 mg of 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine, from Sigma-Aldrich, D) was ball-milled at 100 rpm for 30 min using a Retsch PM 100 (Retsch Technology, D) planetary mill. The resulting solid mixture was dispersed in 20 mL bi-distilled water and sonicated for 1 minute. Melamine was afterwards eliminated by dialysis. The precipitate, i.e. poorly exfoliated graphene, was removed from the liquid fraction after stabilization for 5 days. After physico-chemical characterization, the FLG water dispersion was used in a first series of experiments whereas other aliquots were lyophilized until use. This latter material, when resuspended in distilled water, did not show any difference with the original liquid fraction, as shown by a further physico-chemical characterization (data available upon request).