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Tocopherols and tocotrienols are natural compounds of plant origin, available in the nature. They are supplied in various amounts in a diet, mainly from vegetable oils, some oilseeds, and nuts. The main forms in the diet are α- and γ-tocopherol, due to the highest content in food products. Nevertheless, α-tocopherol is the main form of vitamin E with the highest tissue concentration. The α- forms of both tocopherols and tocotrienols are considered as the most metabolically active. Currently, research results indicate also a greater antioxidant potential of tocotrienols than tocopherols. Moreover, the biological role of vitamin E metabolites have received increasing interest. The aim of this review is to update the knowledge of tocopherol and tocotrienol bioactivity, with a particular focus on their bioavailability, distribution, and metabolism determinants in humans. Almost one hundred years after the start of research on α-tocopherol, its biological properties are still under investigation. For several decades, researchers’ interest in the biological importance of other forms of vitamin E has also been growing. Some of the functions, for instance the antioxidant functions of α- and γ-tocopherols, have been confirmed in humans, while others, such as the relationship with metabolic disorders, are still under investigation. Some studies, which analyzed the biological role and mechanisms of tocopherols and tocotrienols over the past few years described new and even unexpected cellular and molecular properties that will be the subject of future research.

The present study aimed to identify patterns of dietary changes during the COVID-19 pandemic and their associations with sociodemographics, body mass index (BMI) before pandemic, and lifestyle changes in Polish adults and to examine the effects of lockdowns on dietary-lifestyle changes. This study used a cross-sectional online survey to collect data. The -means algorithm was used to determine of patterns of dietary changes, and logistic regression analyses were performed. During the study period, 43% of respondents decreased physical activity (PA), 49%-increased screen time, and 34%-increased food consumption. Among the three dietary changes patterns, two opposite patterns were found: Prohealthy (28% participants) and Unhealthy (19% participants).The adherence to the Prohealthy pattern was negatively associated with age, but positively with being overweight (aOR 1.31) or obese before pandemic (aOR 1.64). Residing in a macroeconomic region with GDP > 100% decreased adherence to the Prohealthy (aOR 0.73) but increased adherence to the Unhealthy pattern (aOR 1.47). Adults over 40 years old, those living with children, unemployed, those living in a region with a higher GDP, and those not consuming homemade meals could be more exposed to unhealthy behaviors. From a public health perspective, enhancing the message \"to be active\" during the compulsory isolation period should be prioritized.

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease in women of childbearing age that affects approximately 5–15% of the female population. The etiology of endometriosis is complex, multifaceted, and not fully understood. In endometriosis, which is an estrogen-related chronic inflammatory condition, estrogen plays a major role in endometrial cellular growth. High estrogen levels could be another risk factor for developing endometriosis. The aim of this review is to update knowledge on the impact of dietary fats on the development of endometriosis and chronic inflammation in women with endometriosis and diet therapy. Dietary fat may be linked with the progression and development of endometriosis, but studies have been contradictory due to various issues including sample size, different study designs, and different methodological aspects. Results have shown that the risk of endometriosis may increase with a higher consumption of products rich in saturated fats, especially palmitic acid and trans-unsaturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fats and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may likely be connected with a lower risk of developing endometriosis and with reductions in the severity of disease. Monounsaturated fats, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a suitable eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid ratio can be used in diet therapy to improve quality of life by reducing pain and inflammation. Further research is needed in order to fully understand the influence of dietary fats on the risk of development of this disease.

The use of dietary supplements (DSs) has been steadily increasing all over the world and additionally, the sales of DSs have dynamical increased in the wake of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in most of the countries. We investigated DSs phenomenon in 2020 through (1) exploration of Google searches worldwide and in Poland (with Google Trends (GT) tool), and (2) analyses of results of PLifeCOVID-19 Online Studies conducted during the first and second wave of the pandemic. The conducted GT analysis and cross-sectional studies revealed that during the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020, the interest in immune-related compounds and foods like vitamins C and D, zinc, omega-3, garlic, ginger, or turmeric, as well as their consumption increased. Improving immunity was the main reason behind the supplementation and changes in consumption of pro-healthy foods. GT analysis has shown these interests were positively correlated with the interest in COVID-19, but adversely with cumulative cases or deaths. Respondents tended to start supplementation during the first COVID-19 wave rather than the second one. Except for the role of vitamins D and C, zinc, and selenium in patients with deficiencies of those nutrients, there are no clear and convincing studies that support the role of DSs use in COVID-19 prevention and treatment in healthy, well-nourished individuals. Moreover, as the risk of elevated intake of some nutrients due to the popularity of DSs exists, effective education of consumers in rationale use of DSs and health-protecting behaviors against COVID-19 should be developed.

Due to the documented health benefits of tocopherols and tocotrienols as bioactive compounds, it seems important to assess their intake. The aim of this study was to develop a new tool and its application for assessment of tocopherol and tocotrienol intake in adults. Dietary data were collected by semiquantitative FFQ (VitE-FFQ) and by a 1-day dietary record in a group of 447 subjects. The database of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) was used to calculate the individual isoforms of vitamin E and develop the tool—VIT_E.CAL. The assessment of measuring agreement between the two methods was conducted by analysis of the correlations and Bland–Altman plots. The average α-tocopherol intake was 11.3 mg/day for the data obtained using the FFQ method and 12.8 mg/day for the results obtained using the 1-day dietary record. Depending on the adopted recommendation, only 40–57% of the subjects had adequate vitamin E intake. The intake of α-tocopherol did not exceed the UL value in any of the respondents. The dominant forms of vitamin E in the diet of the studied group were α- and γ- forms (55% and 38% of the total sum) among tocopherols and β- and γ- forms (49% and 24% of the total sum) among tocotrienols. VIT_E.CAL allows us to calculate not only the total amount of vitamin E but also its eight isoforms. It can be a useful tool to assess individual and group intake of various forms of vitamin E in the diet. The use of VIT_E.CAL enables the proper assessment of vitamin E (as α-tocopherol and not α-tocopherol equivalent) in the diet of Poles, and most likely also in the European diet. The obtained results indicate the need to take into account the content of individual forms of vitamin E in food/diet, which will allow for a reliable assessment of its consumption. It also seems necessary to standardize the nomenclature regarding the name of vitamin E and its use for correct nutritional assessment.

Provision of healthy and high-quality school meals is an important solution to improve children's health and well-being. Moreover, the meals provided at schools should not only meet dietary guidelines but also questions of sustainability. The aim of the study was to develop a new index to assess the quality of school meal menus, specifically their accordance with actual regulations, dietary guidelines and some sustainability goals. The School Meal Index-Lunch Evaluation (SMI-LE) is an originally created index to evaluate the quality of 5-day school menus. The general idea is to reflect the healthy and sustainability issues that should be present in school canteens according to WHO and EU recommendations. The index was tested in a real-life situation and fifty 5-day school menus available online from primary schools located in different regions of Poland, in rural and urban areas, were assessed with SMI-LE. The median value of SMI-LE equaled 52 /140 points. Most of the analyzed menus (72%) were classified as 'Medium' quality according to SMI-LE. The menus classified as 'Low' were characterized by the lowest energy value, the lowest content of calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and folates, while the highest of sodium. Menus from the 'Good' category had the highest nutritional value, as well as the lowest sodium content. A novel tool to has been provided for measuring the quality of school meals that addresses health and sustainability issues. It responds to the need for new indices that would consider changes in dietary guidelines and increasing knowledge about the impact of food systems on the environment.

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease characterized by ectopic endometrial tissue outside the uterus that can cause chronic pain, dysmenorrhea, fatigue, and infertility. The aim of this study was to assess diet quality and nutritional knowledge of women with endometriosis. A questionnaire was used to collect data on lifestyle, dietary habits and nutritional knowledge from 90 women. More than 80% of women with endometriosis (82.2%) confirmed that diet and lifestyle are related to the progression of endometriosis. After being diagnosed with endometriosis, 77.3% of respondents reported a change in their dietary habits and made various changes to their diet by increasing or eliminating the consumption of certain foods. The majority declared reducing pro-inflammatory products, increasing anti-inflammatory foods, including the consumption of vegetables and fruits, avoiding white/or red/or processed meat, and avoiding sweets. Nevertheless, diet quality as assessed by the pro-healthy diet index (pHDI-10) and the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) showed a low intensity of consumption of pro-healthy food (average pHDI-10 value 31.4%; MDS 7.55/14 points, p = 0.0001). Women with endometriosis reported lower than recommended consumption of fruits, vegetables, dairy products and whole grains. A higher percentage of healthy controls had a “good” level of nutritional knowledge than women with endometriosis. The results of our study highlight the need to improve diet quality and nutritional knowledge among women with endometriosis as well as developing targeted dietary recommendations to help improve well-being and reduce the pain symptoms of endometriosis.

This study investigated the potential of Yarrowia lipolytica, an oleaginous yeast, for producing lipid-rich biomass and its application in food technology. According to EFSA guidelines, lipid-rich biomass is recognized as a novel food with potential nutritional and technological value. However, cost-effective and scalable production of such biomass remains a challenge. The yeast was cultured in a nitrogen-limited medium using a cost-containment strategy based on the use of waste carbon sources, such as post-frying oil and untreated tap water. The composed batch culture approach studied in the experiments presented an example that reduces the cost of yeast biomass biosynthesis. This research aimed to characterize the biomass to assess its nutritional quality and suitability for food applications. Cultures were conducted in a laboratory bioreactor with a working volume of 4 litres. Key kinetic parameters were determined, including biomass yield (X), maximum lipid concentration (Lmax), lipid yield, protein yield relative to substrate and the specific rate of lipid synthesis or protein content and other cellular components. The biomass of Y. lipolytica demonstrated a high lipid content (39.43–50.53%), with significant levels of protein (24.16–27.03%) and unsaturated fatty acids, including oleic acid (62.73–66.44%) and linoleic acid (19.40–21.40%). Lipid-rich biomass produced in cultures with shorter times (20 h), which ended in the logarithmic growth phase, exhibited lower oxidative stability than longer cultures (65 h), which ended in the stationary growth phase. The results of this study highlighted that waste carbon sources and untreated tap water did not significantly impact the biomass yield or the nutritional profile, but did affect the stability of the produced oil. The biomass of Y. lipolytica, containing over 20% lipids, could serve as a promising raw material for food technology, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional vegetable oils. This work makes an important contribution to the development of alternative lipid sources by integrating waste processing in bioreactor-scale culture and kinetic modelling.

Background and Objectives: Milk with A2/A2 β-casein (A2 milk) is currently the subject of numerous studies on the effects of its consumption on health. Commonly consumed milk contains a mixture of β-casein of different genetic variants (most often A1 and A2). In the polypeptide chain of A2/A2 β-casein, proline occurs at position 67, while in β-casein A1/A2, histidine occurs. The main goal of the dietary intervention was to identify and compare the effects of consuming A2 milk, conventional milk (A1) and oat drink on bone health, cardiometabolic health and immune system function in adults. Methods: The controlled IMPA-CT (Investigating Milk and Plant Alternatives Comparative Trial) Study was a randomized study with three groups (A2 Milk group, A1 Milk group, and Oat Drink group). The study included 162 adults with normal and/or overweight, without coexisting chronic diseases, aged 30–60 years. The intervention study consisted of the consumption of 500 mL of an appropriate product (A2 milk/A1 milk/oat drink) daily for 12 weeks. After qualification of the subjects, before the start of the study (T1′), in the 4th week of the study (T2′), in the 8th week of the study (T3′) and at the end of the study, after 12 weeks (T4’), an assessment of the diet and nutritional status was planned. Body composition, bone mineral density (DEXA) and biochemical tests were done. The primary outcome will be the effect of cow’s milk variants and oat drink consumption on bone health. Secondary outcomes will include changes in nutrient intake and cardiometabolic health as well as the immune system in adults. Expected Results and Contributions: The study design, including extensive follow-up and robust endpoint measures, contributed to understanding the therapeutic potential and safety profile or otherwise of β-casein A2/A2 milk and plant-based drinks.

Background: Vitamin E is one of the key dietary antioxidants. However, current evidence remains insufficient to establish a definitive relationship between circulating vitamin E levels, body fat content, and their influence on metabolic health. This study aimed to assess and compare the vitamin E nutritional status in adults with normal and excess body fat and its determinants. Methods: Concentrations of vitamin E isoforms (α- and γ-tocopherols, α- and γ-tocotrienols) were assessed in 127 individuals. Body fat content and other anthropometric indices, as well as biochemical markers such as lipid profile, plasma fatty acid concentration and C-reactive protein, were identified as markers of metabolic health. Participants were divided into two groups: with normal and excess body fat (defined as more than 30% in women and more than 25% in men). Results: The determinants of higher α-tocopherol concentrations were lower body fat content and higher levels of circulating lipids as HDL and LDL (R2 = 0.221, p < 0.001 in a model of multivariate linear regression). The level of circulating vitamin E isoforms correlated with the concentration of CRP (r = −0.464 for α-T, r = −0.453 for αT3, r = −0.270 for γ-T, r = −0.355 for γ-T3). Similarly, elevated concentrations of vitamin E isoforms are linked to lower adipose tissue content, which may contribute to lower inflammation and improved metabolic health (r = −0.359 for α-T, r = −0.333 for αT3, r = −0.276 for γ-T3, no significant correlation for γ-T). Conclusions: These results reveal that the vitamin E status of adults with excess body fat may be inadequate and linked to poorer metabolic health. We found that the determinants of lower plasma vitamin E were higher BF and lower TC and its fraction, with the strongest correlations being found for HDL.