Health promoting attributes

Botrytized wines have historically been reputed to have extraordinary health benefits. Tokaji Aszu has been presumed to have curative powers for a long time (Kallay et ah, 1999). It was actually used as a medicine in 

Due to the long maceration on skin, red wines are particularly rich in phenolic compounds, having higher antioxidant capacity and also higher resveratrol content than white wines. Of the high number of studies on this field, only a few focused on the botrytized white wines. 

Among polyphenols, resveratrol and its derivatives are thought to play a special role. Resveratrol occurs naturally in grapes in both cis-and trans-isomers, and in their respective glucosides (cis- and trans-piceids). All forms inhibit the oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and additional benefits. Resveratrol occurs in most red wines but is undetectable or occurs in negligible amounts in dry white wines (Pour Nikfardjam, 2002). 

Since it is produced in response to fungal attack (see Jeandet et al., 2002), its elevated level in botrytized grapes and wines might be expected. However, studies with Tokaji Aszu (Kallay, 2005) revealed only low quantities of resveratrol isomers (0-2.39 mg/1). In contrast, their 

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Sanchez, M.C., Plaza, L., Ancos, B., and Cano, M.P. 2003. Effect of high-pressure processing on health-promoting attributes of freshly squeezed orange juice (Citrus sinensis L.) during chilled storage. European Food Research and Technology 216 18-22. 

High-performance LC techniques are often applied to various fruit juices and drinks (158-161) to evaluate the antioxidative activity, which is attributed largely to the phenolics, such as flavonoids and phenylpropanoids. Analysis of food phenolics is gaining popularity with the growing evidence of possible health-promoting benefits of phenolics in foods, such as antioxidative, antimicrobial, tumor-inhibiting, free-radical scavenging, and other clinically relevant activities. 

A number of health benefits attributed to Jerusalem artichoke tubers in human and animal diets are related to its role as a promoter of probiotic activity in the large intestine. Probiotics have been a dietary element for thousands of years. However, the term probiotic only gained its current usage... 

As discussed in Part I, superfruits have extraordinary nutrient and phytochemical quality. They exhibit more density and diversity of these attributes than other fruits. For a fruit to be truly super, it must also convince scientists around the world to study and publish their findings regarding its exceptional promise for health-promoting properties, such as by lowering disease risk or slowing the aging process. 

The scientific community has become more aware of the importance of anthocyanins in a regular diet as different experiments have been performed aiming to support and explain some biological and health-promoting features attributed to these molecules. 

Quality assurance is defined by Donaobedian as all actions taken to establish, protect, promote, and improve the quality of health care (Donobedian 2003). He describes quality of care as an attribute of a system (structure), a set of organized activities (process), and an outcome that results from both. The definitions are described in Table 3.1. It should be noted that the efficacy of a drug (the ability for improvement under the most favourable circumstances) is included in the structure and that the effectiveness of a dmg (real improvement in the care) is included in the process. 

The health risks of tobacco smoking are, however, attributable not only to nicotine but also to various other ingredients of tobacco smoke. Some of these promote formation of thrombogenic plaques others possess demonstrable carcinogenic properties (e.g., the tobacco-specific nitrosoketone). 

Microcystins have caused the poisoning of wild and domestic animals worldwide, and in 1996, they caused the death of 76 people in Caruaru, Brazil, which was attributed to the use of microcystin-contaminated hemodialysis water. Microcystins, like the well-documented tumor promoter, okadaic acid, strongly and specifically inhibit the protein phosphatases 1 and 2A and have a tumor-promoting activity in the rat liver. In addition to acute hepatotoxicity, microcystins pose problems to human health—which could result from low-level, chronic exposure to microcystins in drinking water, as suggested by the high incidence of primary liver cancer in the... 

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