Dietary plant polyphenols are natural bioactive compounds that are increasingly attracting the attention of food scientists and nutritionists because of their nutraceutical properties. In fact, many studies have shown that polyphenol-rich diets have protective effects against most chronic diseases. However, these health benefits are strongly related to both polyphenol content and bioavailability, which in turn depend on their origin, food matrix, processing, digestion, and cellular metabolism. Although most fruits and vegetables are valuable sources of polyphenols, they are not usually consumed raw. Instead, they go through some processing steps, either industrially or domestically (e.g., cooling, heating, drying, fermentation, etc.), that affect their content, bioaccessibility, and bioavailability. This review summarizes the status of knowledge on the possible (positive or negative) effects of commonly used food-processing techniques on phenolic compound content and bioavailability in fruits and vegetables. These effects depend on the plant type and applied processing parameters (type, duration, media, and intensity). This review attempts to shed light on the importance of more comprehensive dietary guidelines that consider the recommendations of processing parameters to take full advantage of phenolic compounds toward healthier foods.

Total polyphenol content and radical scavenging activity of functional yogurt enriched with dates | Leila Arfaoui | Agricultural Journals

Background: Few studies have investigated the knowledge and attitudes towards the nutrition facts label, the nutrient content and health claims (NHCs) among consumers from different countries/cultures. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed the knowledge and self-reported use of the nutrition facts label and NHCs among Saudi adults. A total of 722 participants were recruited using an online questionnaire. Results: Total knowledge score was 5.8 ± 2.5/13 points (45%). Approximately, 18%, 77%, and 5% of the participants had low, medium, and high levels of knowledge, respectively. Participants were more knowledgeable on the nutrition facts label (2.6 ± 1.6/5 points) and health claims (2.7 ± 1.2/4 points) versus nutrient content claims (0.5 ± 0.7/4 points). The total use score was 20.1 ± 5.7/30 points (67%); approximately, 2%, 61%, and 37% of the participants were classified as low, medium, and high use level, respectively. Participants’ use of the nutrition facts label, nutrient content claims, and health claims was 10.0 ± 3.1/15, 6.5 ± 2.2/9, and 3.6 ± 1.8/6 points, respectively. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for more education and public awareness programs to enhance consumer knowledge and use of the nutrition facts label and NHCs, and consequently lead to healthy dietary choices.

Background: Biobanking is a critical cornerstone of the global shift towards precision medicine (PM). This transformation requires smooth and informed interaction between a range of stakeholders involved in the healthcare system. In Saudi Arabia, there is still insufficient awareness of the importance of biobanking and its potential benefits for patients, the healthcare system, and society as a whole. The purpose of this study was to determine the biobanking knowledge of Saudi healthcare providers and the potential factors that might influence their self-reported attitudes toward biospecimen donation and biobanking. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted targeting 636 healthcare providers in Makkah province using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Results: The study had a response rate of 61%. The mean knowledge level about biobanks was 3.5 (±1.8) out of 7. About one-third of the participants were aware of the Human Genome Project (HGP) (35%) or the term “biobank” (34%). The mean rating of their attitude was 37.3 (±4.3) out of 55. Most participants (74%) had a positive attitude toward medical research. Job position, general health, previous blood tests, knowledge of biobanking, and attitudes toward biomedical research were significantly related and predictors of willingness to donate biospecimens (p < 0.05). However, concerns about biospecimen misuse and confidentiality were the main reasons for not donating biospecimens. Conclusions: This study has shown that healthcare providers mostly lack basic knowledge about HGP and biobanks and their roles and activities, and therefore are generally disinclined to actively participate in biospecimens’ collection and management. It is recommended that medical trainees receive more education and awareness about biobanks and the latest personalized healthcare approaches to improve translational research outcomes and achieve precision medicine.

Although it is commonly known that viruses cannot multiply in food as they need a living host for growth, adenoviruses and corona viruses can reportedly survive on surfaces and food packages for several days. Therefore, food item mishandling could increase the risk of infection. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the changes in the food purchasing habits, food safety behavior, and food handling practices among Saudi women during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 1356 women who were randomly approached via convenience sampling using an anonymous questionnaire distributed through various social media platforms. The variables were described in terms of frequency and percentage, and the Chi-square test was applied to assess the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Approximately 62.5% of the participants were aware that SARS-CoV-2 is not transmitted via food. Most participants (90%) reported a shift from outdoor to indoor meal preparation, along with avoidance of visits to grocery stores for food purchase (55%) and increased usage of online grocery delivery services (27%). Most participants obtained good overall scores for food safety behavior during grocery shopping (mean score: 10.83

Background: Sociodemographic status, dietary intake, and physical activity have been linked to body mass index (BMI) among adolescents. However, there is a scarcity of research investigating these factors in relation to BMI standard deviation score (BMI_SDS) in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we examined the roles of sociodemographic status, dietary habits, and physical activity in relation to body mass index among Saudi female adolescents aged 11–18 years attending public and private schools in the city of Jeddah. Methods: This school-based cross-sectional study was performed between February and April 2019 in Jeddah. A total of 920 female adolescent students were recruited from both public and private schools. Data was collected using questionnaires conducted via interview as well as anthropometric measurements. Results: About 37.4% (n = 344) of the participants were overweight or obese. The majority of the participants (61.6%, n = 567) had a healthy dietary intake score. More than half of the participants (52.6%, n = 484) had a low physical activity and screen time score, with 36.5% (n = 336) never engaging in ≥60 min of physical activity per day and 61.4% (n = 565) reporting a daily screen time of >4 h. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that students aged over 16 years were less likely to have overweight/obesity compared to those aged <14 years (adjusted odds ratio “aOR” = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.35–0.79, p = 0.002). Participants enrolled in private schools were at higher risk of being overweight/obese compared to those enrolled in public schools (aOR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.16–2.08, p = 0.003). Adolescent females with daily vegetable intake were less likely than those who never consumed vegetables to be overweight or obese (aOR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.29–0.77, p = 0.002). However, no associations were found with the other sociodemographic, dietary intake, physical activity, and screen time exposure variables. Conclusions: This study shows a trend of elevated obesity prevalence among Saudi female adolescents in Jeddah, highlighting the need for gender-sensitive, school- and community-based interventions targeting diet, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding, studies involving nationally representative samples, encompassing all cities across Saudi Arabia and exploring broader aspects of nutrition and physical activity, are essential.