Food, functional intolerance

Food analysis is a very important field that involves very different applications such as quality food processing, food and health safety, or development of new functional food among other. Therefore, there are many possible analytes all along the food chain, from the farm to the table. It can be cited as most common residues of herbicides/pesticides or veterinary pharmaceuticals, pathogenic microorganisms, and their toxins, toxic substances such as PAHs, additives, and substances related to food allergies, intolerances as well as controllers of food uptake. 

Chronic diseases and disorders of digestion, metabolism and immune function, such as chronic gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, food allergy and intolerance, hypotension, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome and prolapse of organs. 

Enzymatic hydrolysis of food proteins yields peptides that are of great interest to the food industry and are utilized for various purposes, e.g., improving the functional properties of foods, parenteral feeding (casein hydrolyzates), or milk protein substitutes in cases of intolerance. 

Enzyme replacement for exocrine pancreas insufficiency must be adjusted on an individual basis considering age, body weight, weight for height, growth rate, fat intake, supplementary energy needs (particularly for pulmonary function), and clinical as well as laboratory evidence of malabsorption. Clinical symptoms include abdominal pain, distension, intolerance of fatty foods, and character of stools (consistency, number, odor). A more objective assessment involves microscopic examination of stool for neutral and split fats, measurement of fecal chymotrypsin or elastase [96]. 

Arachidonic acid (20 4n - 6) is one of two major PUFA synthesized by the D6D/D5D pathway (Fig. 4). In many tissues and cell types, 20 4n - 6 is esterified to the sn-2 position of membrane PL, and is used for the eicosanoid-mediated signaling to perform specialized cell functions. Arachidonic acid esterified in PL is a storage form of this fatty acid and is hydrolyzed from the PL by phospholipases prior to enzymatic conversion into eicosanoids (Chapter 13). Eicosanoids are autocrine/paracrine hormones that mediate a variety of localized reactions, such as inflammation, homeostasis, and protection of digestive tract epithelium. D6D deficiency in humans leads to severe food intolerance and growth retardation (J. Nwankwo, 2003). These symptoms are reversed by arachidonic acid supplementation to the diet, which supports the essential role of eicosanoids in the protection of digestive tract mucosa in humans. 

This process includes dietary, anthropometric, and biochemical aspects. Nutritional assessment begins with a detailed nutritional history that includes clinical, dietary, socioeconomic, and family issues. Areas of interest include present and past illnesses, family illness history, food allergies or intolerance, medications, nutritional supplements, over-the-counter medications, alcohol use, work environment, and education level. A useful standardized protocol is the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), which incorporates serum albumin, serum transferrin, delayed skin hypersensitivity, and triceps skinfold thickness (20,21). The PNI has been shown to correlate with postoperative complications and mortality (22). Whole body functional assessment by examining overall activity, exercise tolerance, grip strength, respiratory function, wound healing, and plasma albumin concentration can also be useful. 

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