Injecting meatballs with collagen can help the meat to retain the important nutrients iodine and thiamine, a new study by researchers from the Agricultural University of Poznan in Poland shows.
During the processes of storing and cooking, pork meatballs tend to lose a percentage of iodine and thiamine. Adding collagen fibre or collagen hydrolysate saturated with potassium iodide to meat makes it more stable than potassium iodide introduced using iodized table salt. The collagen enhancement works on fresh meat before cooking, but the effect also lasts during cold- or freezer-storage (SCI's Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, doi 10.1002/jsfa.2844).
In this study, collagen was injected into meatballs to act as a carrier of iodine salts. After storage and cooking of the meatballs, levels of iodine and thiamine were measured and they were shown to have maintained within the meat.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) helps the body's cells to convert carbohydrates into energy. It is found in many foods, like lean meats, but especially pork. Insufficient amounts of thiamine can lead to nerve damage, weakness, fatigue and psychosis.
A lack of iodine in a diet can lead to iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), such as goiter or impeded mental development, which are a considerable problem in many countries. This study could help countries suffering from a great percentage of IDD to increase the iodine in their diets.
Professor Hans Burgi of the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD) in Switzerland agrees iodide in food can be unstable. While he doesn't think that it is necessary to inject all meats with collagen, he believes there can be some benefits. 'since in iodine deficient areas, iodine is supplemented by salt as a carrier, improving its stability with collagen is of interest," he said.
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LaFerla and his research team studied the effects of Martek's microalgal DHA in mice bred to develop brain plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease. Mice in the control group were given chow that mimics a typical American diet, with the ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids being 10:1. Mice in three test groups were given chow with a balanced 1:1 ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids. One of these groups received supplemental DHA only with no long chain omega-6 fatty acids, and two groups received DHA with long chain omega-6 fatty acids. After three months, mice in all of the test groups had lower levels of beta amyloid and tau than mice in the control group; however, by nine months of treatment, mice on the DHA only diet had lower levels of both proteins while this effect was not seen in the other two test groups.
The scientists also determined the mechanism by which DHA leads to lower levels of beta amyloid. They found that DHA supplementation leads to lower levels of presenilin, an enzyme responsible for cutting beta amyloid from its parent, the amyloid precursor protein. Without presenilin, beta amyloid cannot be generated. When clumped into plaques, beta amyloid disrupts communication between cells and leads to symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Additional research investigating the effects of Martek's DHA on cognitive function is currently underway. A trial, co-sponsored by the National Institute of Aging (NIA) and being conducted by the Alzheimer's disease Cooperative Study (ADCS), is examining the effects of Martek's DHA in slowing the progression of cognitive and functional decline in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. A second trial, sponsored by Martek, is evaluating the effects of Martek's DHA on age-related cognitive decline in healthy, older adults with mild memory complaints. For more information on these studies, visit www.clinicaltrials.
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