FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND NUTRITION

 

 

PUBLICATION RECORD

 

Al Masri, H., N. Hwalla, M. Kanj, B. Jabr, and N. Kseifi. 2000. Health and Happiness: Nurition guide for Arab Women. NOUR-Arab Women's Association.

Barbour, E., L. El-Jurdi, C. Issa, and R. I. Tannous. 2000. Preliminary attempts towards production of table eggs from Salmonella Enteritidis. Journal of Cleaner Production 9:69–73.

Bistanji, G., S. Hamadeh, S. Hajj Hassan, F. Tami, and R. I. Tannous. 2000. The potential of Agro-Industrial by-products in Lebanon as feeds for livestock. Livestock Research for Rural Development 12:3

Dagher, S. M., R. S. Talhouk, S. S. Nasrallah, R. I. Tannous, and S. M. Mroueh. 1999. Relationship of dietary intake to DDE residues in breast milk of nursing mothers in Beirut. Food Additives and Contaminants 16 (7):307–312.

 

Fuleihan, G. H., M. Nabulsi, M. Choucair, M. Salamoun, C. Shahine, A. Kizirian, and R. I. Tannous. 2001. Hypovitaminosis D in healthy school children. Pediatrics 107.

Hwalla, N. 2000. Dietary intake and nutrition related disorders in Lebanon. Nutrition and Health 14:33–40.

 

Hwalla, N., Z. Ghossoub, and Z. Habbal. 2000. Differential effects of dietary oils on plasma lipids, lipid peroxidation and adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase activity in rats. Nutrition Research 20 (8):1113–1123.

 

Hwalla, N., S. Sawaya, N. Torbay, Z. Habbal, S. Azar, and S. Hashim. 1999. High protein vs high carbohydrate hypoenergetic diet for the treatment of obese hyperinsulinemic subjects. International Journal of Obesity 23:1202–1206.

 

Hwalla, N., R. Sultan, N. Cortas, and Z. Habbal. 1999. Diet composition affects weight gain, adiposity and blood parameters in healthy human volunteers. Nutrition Research 19 (9):1313–1326.

 

Toufeili, I., Y. Habbal, S. Shadarevian, and A. Olabi. 1999. Substitution of wheat starch with non-wheat starches and cross-linked waxy barley starch affects sensory properties and staling of Arabic bread. Journal of the science of food and agriculture 79 (13):1855–1860.

Toufeili, I., B. Ismail, S. Shadarevian, R. Baalbaki, B. Khatkar, A. E. Bell, and J. D.  Schofield. 1999. The role of gluten proteins in the baking of Arabic bread. Journal of Cereal Science 30 (3):255–265.



ABSTRACTS, CONFERENCES, AND PROCEEDINGS

 

Ghossoub, Zeina, Zuheir Habbal, and Nahla Hwalla Baba. May 2000.  Abstract: Effects of dietary mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids on lipid peroxidation in rats. Abstracts of the FASEB, San Diego, California, USA. 

 

Hwalla, Nahla. March 2001. Administrative-recognition of ND Program by ADA. American Overseas Dietetic Association (AODA)- 24th Annual Conference, Alicante, Spain.

 

Masri, T., R. I. Tannous, and R. Zreik. July 1999. The potential of growing lupine in a pine forest as a fertilizing agent and a preventive technique to forest fires. Proceedings of the 6th International Meeting on Soils with Mediterranean type of climate, Spain.

Paoli, Jennifer, Nahla Hwalla, Camille Nassar, and Naji Torbey. May 2001. Abstract: Effects of energy restriction on small intestinal absorption in normal and colectomized rats. Abstracts of 11th European Congress on Obesity, Vienna, Austria.

Tannous, R. September 1999. Good manufacturing practices. FAO Food Control Workshop, Beirut, Lebanon.

———. April 2001. Hygiene and food sanitation. HORECA 2001 of the Syndicate of Restaurants’ owners, Beirut, Lebanon.

———. June. 2001. Food Safety Laws in Lebanon. UNIDO Workshop on Food Safety in Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon.

 

 

GRADUATE THESES AND PROJECTS

 

Abou Jaoude, M. September 1999. Effect of pasteurization and addition of whey proteins and alginates on the sensory and microbiological quality of yogurt. R. Tannous.

Al-Kadamany, E. June 2001. Monitoring changes in selected physico-chemical, sensory, and microbiological parameters during storage and their utilization in the determination of shelf-life of concentrated yogurt. I. Toufeili.

Andari, N. October 2000. Effects of a hypocaloric high carbohydrate diet vs. high monounsaturated fat diet in hyperinsulinemic obese subjects. N. Hwalla.

Aziz, A. May 2000. Effects of oil blends on blood lipids, lipid peroxidation, thrombotic factors and lipoprotein lipase activity in rats. N. Hwalla.

Bajjani, R. October 1999. Weight loss, body composition and serum lipid responses to hypocaloric dietary regimens in normoinsulinemic obese male subjects. N. Hwalla.

El-Jadam, Gh. October 2000. Some selected physico-chemical parameters and sensory properties of breast muscles of layers at different ages. I. Toufeili.

Kaedbey, R. May 2001. Dietary, behavioural and metabolic characterization of hyper versus normoinsulinemic normoglycemic obese subjects. N. Hwalla.

Kizirian, A. May 2000. Evaluation of the intake of calcium and vitamin D by adolescents in Beirut. R. Tannous and Gh. Fuleihan.

Malek, A. February 2001. Formulation of high fiber Arabic bread. I. Toufeili.

Najjar, N. May 2001. Glycemic and insulinemic indices of hot versus cooled potato in healthy subjects with varied insulin sensitivity. N. Hwalla.

Paoli, J. September 2000. Effects of energy restriction on intestinal absorption in colectomized rats. N. Hwalla.

Saifi, G. January 2001. Effect of pH, soaking time and blanching time on some quality attributes of canned faba beans Vicia faba L. I. Toufeili.

Shaker, L. May 2001. Post prandial substrate utilization in obese subjects with varied insulin sensitivity in response to high carbohydrate vs. high protein meals. N. Hwalla.

Zard, C. January 2000. Comparison of the nutritional status of the elderly from different socioeconomic background at home and in institutions. N. Hwalla.

Zeidan, R. January 2000. The effects of the ratio of N-6 to N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in rat diets on serum lipids, lipid peroxidation, and lipoprotein lipase activity. N. Hwalla.

 

 

 

RESEARCH PROJECTs

 

Effect of hypoenergetic high protein diet in contrast to hypoenergetic high carbohydrate diet on weight loss, metabolic rate and hyperinsulinemia in obese, normal and hyperinsulinemic male subjects.

 

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that hyper and normoinsulinemic obese subjects would respond differently with respect to weight loss and certain metabolic parameters to changes in composition of hypoenergetic diets.


SUBJECTS: Twenty seven obese male subjects, aged 20-40 years, 13 hyperinsulinemic (HI) and 14 normoinsulinemic (NI), were fed, as two groups, either a high protein (HP) or a high carbohydrate (HC) hypoenergetic diet.

RESULTS: On the HP diet, weight loss was significantly higher in the HI as compared to the NI group. The HC diets resulted in a considerable reduction in REE in both HI and NI groups. Fasting insulin levels decreased in both HI and NI subjects. However, the insulin levels normalized to below 25 mU/ml with HP diet.

CONCLUSION: Hyperinsulinemic obese subjects, in contrast to normoinsulinemic obese subjects, achieve better weight reduction, similarly less decline in energy expenditure, and normalization of insulin levels on high protein hypoenergetic diet.   Hwalla, N.

 

Supported by URB (1999-2000)

Completed or in progress at AUB

 

 

Prevalence and selected determinants of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women in Lebanon

 

This study investigated the prevalence and determinants of iron deficiency anemia in Lebanese pregnant women with different socioeconomic statuses. A sample of 306 pregnant women was selected from Beirut and Tripoli, attending either Out Patient Departments (OPD) or private clinics.

Results showed that an average of 18.60f Lebanese pregnant women had deficient hemoglobin levels. The percentage of hemoglobin deficiency in Lebanese pregnant women increased with gestation age. Iron stores, as measured by serum ferritin, were deficient in 39.50f pregnant women. Iron deficiency anemia, as measured by plasma transferin receptor (P-TfR), was in approximately 41.10f pregnant women.  Dietary intake data showed that serum ferritin deficient pregnant women with plasma transferin receptor (P-TfR)>8.5 mg/l had lowest animal protein and heme iron intake.

Diet seems to be an important factor contributing to the deficiency prevalence. Hwalla, N.

 

Supported by LNCSR (1999-2000)

Completed or in progress at AUB

 

 

Assessment of malnutrition in older adults from different socioeconomic backgrounds in Lebanon

 

The study assessed the nutritional status of elderly Lebanese and investigated the possible factors that could be contributing to their ill health.  A random sample of 200 elderly subjects, from different socioeconomic backgrounds, living in institutions and at home, was selected.  Anthropometric, biochemical and dietary results demonstrated a higher degree of undernutrition and anemia in the elderly living in institutions as compared to those living at home. With the exception of calcium that was adequate for the elderly living in institutions, inadequate intakes of energy, zinc, iodine, magnesium, alpha-tocopherol and vitamins A, D, B6 were noted in both groups and were more pronounced in the elderly living in institutions. In conclusion, nutrition education addressed to the elderly is encouraged, in order to provide appropriate information useful in daily food selection. Moreover, institutions should not only provide the adequate food but also ascertain that the food is being consumed by the elderly persons. Hwalla, N., and A. Sibai.

 

Supported by LNCSR (2000-2001)

Completed or in progress at AUB

 

Effect of hypoenergetic high protein diet in contrast to hypoenergetic high carbohydrate diet on weight loss, metabolic rate and hyperinsulinemia in obese normal and hyperinsulinemic female subjects

 

This study attempts to test the hypothesis that hyperinsulinemic obese female subjects are a sub-group of the obese female population which is sensitive to diet composition in weight-reducing regimens. 


Thirty-two female obese subjects will be divided into four groups of eight females. Groups 1 and 2 will be obese hyperinsulinemic normoglycemic females who will be fed either a hypoenergetic high protein or a high carbohydrate diet and groups 3 and 4 will be normoinsulinemic normoglycemic obese females who will be fed the same above-mentioned dietary regimens. The hypoenergetic diets will contain 800f their Resting Energy Expenditure (REE). Anthropometric measurements, serum lipids, fasting insulin levels and REE will be performed for each subject before and after the feeding period.

Results will determine whether hyperinsulinemic normoglycemic obese females differ from normoinsulinemic normoglycemic ones in their response to variations in diet composition as far as weight reduction, blood parameters, and composition of weight loss are concerned. Hwalla, N., and N. Torbay.

 

Supported by URB (2000-2001)

Completed or in progress at AUB

 

Microbiological quality of some traditional Lebanese fast foods

 

Because of the present lifestyle in Lebanon, a major part of the population is eating a variety of fast foods on a daily basis. Recent studies on the safety of these foods are lacking. Lack of sanitation and proper cooking of these foods present a public health hazard associated with their consumption.

This research project is focusing on two traditional popular fast foods prepared with meat, Shawarma and Lahm-bi-ajeen. The objective is to investigate their microbiological quality and the safety of their consumption.

The samples, in statistical numbers, are tested microbiologically for aerobic plate count, Staphilococcus aureus, Clostridium perfinigens and Salmonella.

The results may indicate the microbiological quality of these foods and the extent of their contamination with harmful microorganisms, and consequently give a clearer picture of their safety or hazard to the consuming population. Tannous R. (PL), W.  Sawaya, and E. Barbour.
 
Supported by URB (2000-2001)
Completed or in progress at AUB

 

Determination of shelf-life of labneh (concentrated yogurt)

 

Concentrated yogurt, labneh, produced by straining yogurt in a cloth bag and with a nozzle separator, was stored at 5C, 15C and 25C and monitored for changes in selected microbiological, physico-chemical and sensory parameters. Total plate count, psychrotrophic count, phsycrotrophic yeasts, yeasts and molds, lactic acid bacteria and coliforms were enumerated, and physico-chemical tests, including pH, titratable acidity and syneresis were carried out along with sensory testing of the stored products. Flavor difference, surface smoothness, yeasts and molds count and phsycrotrophic yeasts count were the most correlated quality indices, according to Spearman's rank test. Failure times as determined by specific cut-off points for flavor, surface smoothness, yeasts and molds count and psychrotrophic yeasts count, were fitted to Weibull's distribution to determine the time at which the product is expected to fail at different probability levels. At 95 onfidence level, the nominal shelf-life of nozzle-type labneh, at 5C, ranged between 18.5-19 days, at 15C, between 8-9 days and at 25C, between 63.9-73.2 hours. The nominal shelf-life of cloth-bag labneh ranged between 8.5-10.5 days, 4.7-5.8 days and 54.8-65.3 hours at 5C, 15C and 25C, respectively.


Q10 and activation energy for sensory and microbiological changes ranged between 1.79-1.99 & 2.48-2.66 and 9.25-10.89 & 14.35-15.55 kcal/mole for cloth-bag and nozzle-type labneh, respectively.  Toufeili, L. (PL), Y. Abou Jawdeh, and S. Shadarevian.

Supported by URB
Completed or in progress at AUB