Three different primary rat hepatocyte culture methods were compared for their ability to allow the secretion of fibrinogen and albumin under basal and IL-6-stimulated conditions. These culture methods comprised the co-culture of hepatocytes with rat liver epithelial cells (CC-RLEC), a collagen type I sandwich culture (SW) and a conventional primary hepatocyte monolayer culture (ML). Basal albumin secretion was most stable over time in SW. Fibrinogen secretion was induced by IL-6 in all cell culture models. Compared with ML, CC-RLEC showed an almost three-fold higher fibrinogen secretion under both control and IL-6-stimulated conditions. Induction of fibrinogen release by IL-6 was lowest in SW. Albumin secretion was decreased after IL-6 stimulation in both ML and CC-RLEC. Thus, cells growing under the various primary hepatocyte cell culture techniques react differently to IL-6 stimulation with regard to acute-phase protein secretion. CC-RLEC is the preferred method for studying cytokine-mediated induction of acute-phase proteins, because of the pronounced stimulation of fibrinogen secretion upon IL-6 exposure under these conditions.

Nutrition research has shifted from single nutrients to examining the association of foods and dietary patterns with health. This includes recognizing that food is more than the sum of the individual nutrients and relates to the concept of the food matrix. Like other foods, dairy foods are characterized by their unique matrices and associated health effects. Although the concepts of the food matrix and/or dairy matrix are receiving increasing attention in the nutrition and health literature, there are different terms and definitions that refer to it. This article aims to provide insights into the application of the concepts of the food matrix and dairy matrix and to provide a current overview of the definitions and terminology surrounding the food matrix and dairy matrix. By analysing these aspects, we aim to illustrate the practical implications of the food matrix and dairy matrix on nutrition and health outcomes and evaluate their roles in shaping evidence-based policies for the benefit of public health. There is a need for harmonized definitions within the literature. Therefore, the International Dairy Federation put forward harmonized terms to be internationally applicable: the “dairy matrix” describes the unique structure of a dairy food, its components (e.g., nutrients and non-nutrients), and how they interact; “dairy matrix health effects” refers to the impact of a dairy food on health that extend beyond its individual components.

Cancer cachexia, which is characterized by muscle wasting, is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Because muscle protein synthesis may be increased and protein breakdown reduced by leucine supplementation, we used the C26 tumor-bearing cachectic mouse model to assess the effects of dietary supplementation with leucine on muscle weight and the markers of muscle protein breakdown (mRNA of atrogin and murf). Male CD2F1 mice were subcutaneously inoculated with tumor cells (tumor-bearing mice; TB) or were sham injected (control; C). They were fed standard diets or diets supplemented with leucine [1 gr (TB1Leu) or 8 gr (TB8Leu) supplemented leucine per kg feed]; TB and C received 8.7% Leu/g protein, TB1Leu received 9.6% Leu/g protein and TB8Leu received 14.6 Leu/g protein. After 21 days, the following were determined: body weights, plasma amino-acid concentrations, tumor size and muscle mass of the gastrocnemius (mG), tibialis anterior (mTA), extensor digitorum longus (mEDL) and soleus (mS) muscles. In tumor-bearing (TB) mice, carcass and skeletal muscle masses decreased, and levels of atrogin and murf mRNA in the mEDL increased. Muscle-mass loss was counteracted dose-dependently by leucine supplementation: relative to TB, the mass of the mG was +23% in TB8Leu, and +22% in mTA (p<0.05). However, leucine supplementation did not change atrogin and murf mRNA levels. Total plasma amino acid concentrations increased in TB, especially for taurine, lysine, arginine and alanine (p<0.05). Leucine supplementation attenuated the increase in total plasma amino-acid concentrations (p<0.05). Irrespective of changes in muscle protein breakdown markers, leucine supplementation reduced muscle wasting in tumor-bearing cachectic mice and attenuated changes in plasma amino acids.

In this narrative review, the scientific evidence in support of the front-of-pack label (FOPL) Nutri-Score system is evaluated along with the reasoning for scientific substantiation of health claims in the EU. A health claim could be phrased as ‘Nutri-Score as an FOPL system results in an increased purchase of healthier foods by consumers’. Peer-reviewed scientific literature as found in Pubmed under search terms ”NutriScore” and “Nutri-Score” that investigate the effects of the Nutri-Score on food purchases were evaluated. In total, eight papers were identified. Only three studies were conducted in real-life settings, and five were on online purchases. In the EU, health claims are evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Considering the three basic questions that EFSA uses to evaluate scientific substantiation of health claims, it appears that the (i) food/constituent (the Nutri-Score system) is sufficiently defined/characterised, and (ii) the evidence is sufficient to appraise the system as ‘beneficial to human health’. However, the scientific evidence for a (iii) cause-and-effect relationship is contradictory and limited. In conclusion, based on the EFSA approach for substantiation of health claims, there is insufficient evidence to support a health claim based on the Nutri-Score system, since a cause-and-effect relationship could not be established.