Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center

Background/Objectives: Avocados are nutrient-dense fruits rich in monounsaturated fats, fiber, and key micronutrients. Although avocado purchases increased in recent years, comprehensive national data on consumption patterns remains limited. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the prevalence, quantity, and context of avocado intake among the US population and to evaluate its contribution to daily nutrient intake. Methods: Day 1 24-h dietary recall data were analyzed from 19,086 participants aged ≥1 year in NHANES 2017–March 2020 and August 2021–August 2023. Avocado intake was identified using consumption data coded as avocado, avocado for use on a sandwich, guacamole, and guacamole with tomatoes. Weighted estimates described consumption prevalence, amount, form, self-selected eating occasion, location, and source. Nutrient contributions from avocado were calculated overall and by sex, age, and race/ethnicity. Results: 5.8% of participants consumed avocado. Prevalence was highest among women (6.9%), adults aged 19–50 years (7.4%), and Hispanic individuals (9.1%). Among consumers, the mean intake was 67.0 g/day. Plain avocado was the most common form (54.8%), and most intake occurred at dinner (43.4%) and at home (67.7%). Avocado was an important contributor to the mean daily intake among consumers for beta-cryptoxanthin (33.4%), alpha-carotene (27.0%), dietary fiber (19.9%), monounsaturated fatty acids (19.7%), and other nutrients. Conclusions: Although avocado consumption remains relatively modest, it contributes meaningfully to nutrient intake among avocado consumers. These findings provide descriptive insight into avocado consumption patterns and nutrient contributions in the U.S. population.

Carotenoids are naturally occurring plant pigments and play important roles in human health. Low stability and availability of carotenoid standards remain key challenges to the accurate quantification of carotenoids in foods. In this study, a quantification method using relative response factors (RRFs) in HPLC-PDA was developed and validated for the quantitation of carotenoids in plant foods. Authentic standards of 10 carotenoids commonly found in plant-based foods were obtained commercially. The RRF of each individual standard was generated against β-carotene. Method validation was conducted to assess specificity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, linearity and working range, precision, and accuracy. In addition, quantifications of carotenoids in selected food samples by HPLC using RRF and individual standards were conducted and compared. Method validation results suggested that the method is reliable and reproducible. Quantifications of carotenoids in five different leafy green vegetables using RRFs yielded results comparable to and consistent with those using individual standards. The quantification method using RRF provides an accurate, consistent, and cost-effective approach for quantifying major carotenoids in plant foods.

We aimed to investigate the relative efficacy of feeding different bile acids in preventing PNALD in neonatal pigs. Newborn pigs given total parenteral nutrition (TPN) combined with minimal enteral feeding of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) or increasing doses of obeticholic acid (OCA) for 19 days. Enteral OCA (5 and 15 mg/kg), but not CDCA (30 mg/kg) reduced blood cholestasis markers compared to TPN controls and increased bile acids in the gallbladder and intestine. Major bile acids in the liver and distal intestine were CDCA, HCA, HDCA, and OCA, and their relative proportions were increased by the type of bile acid (CDCA or OCA) given enterally. High doses of OCA increased the total NR1H4-agonistic bile acid profile in the liver and intestine above 50% total bile acids. Both CDCA and OCA treatments suppressed hepatic CYP7A1 expression, but only OCA increased hepatobiliary transporters, ABCB11, ABCC4, and ABCB1. Plasma phytosterol levels were reduced and biliary levels were increased by CDCA and OCA and hepatic sterol transporters, abcg5/8, expression were increased by OCA. Both CDCA and OCA increased plasma FGF19 and OCA increased intestinal FGF19, FABP6, and SLC51A. Both CDCA and OCA increased intestinal mucosal growth, whereas CDCA increased the plasma GLP-2, GLP-1 and GIP. Enteral OCA prevented cholestasis and phytosterolemia by increased hepatic bile acid and sterol transport via induction of hepatobiliary transporter NR1H4 target genes and not by suppression of bile acid synthesis genes. We also showed an intestinal trophic action of OCA that demonstrates a dual clinical benefit of NR1H4 agonism in the prevention of PNALD in pigs.

Increasing the energy density of porridges could help meet the needs of moderately malnourished, stunted children. However, it is not clear whether stunted toddlers can adequately digest and obtain energy from energy-dense porridges with thick texture. A clinical study was conducted in Bamako, Mali, using 13C-labeled substrates and serial breath sampling to determine whether stunted toddlers differed from healthy toddlers in their capacity to digest thick and thin sorghum porridges. Experimental porridges, including a traditional porridge (control), a starch-enriched calorie-dense thick porridge, and an α-amylase-thinned calorie-dense porridge, were fed to stunted (n = 24) and healthy (n = 24) 18-30-month toddlers. Breath test results were expressed as Percent Dose Recovery and curve fit using the Weibull function to determine the kinetics of starch digestion. The stunted and healthy toddlers were able to digest and oxidize the starch from traditional porridge equally well, with no statistically significant differences between the kinetic parameters of the two groups. After consumption of thickened porridge, healthy toddlers had slightly faster starch digestion kinetics with PDR curves rising more rapidly (p < 0.05) and peaking earlier in the postprandial period (p < 0.01) for healthy individuals than for stunted individuals, yet these groups did not have differences in the overall extent of starch digestion, as their final CPDR values were not significantly different. Gastric emptying rate did not differ significantly between the healthy and stunted groups. Overall, we found that thick porridge supplied digestible carbohydrates to stunted and healthy toddlers, as well as thinned calorie-dense porridge.

This study aimed to analyze the chemical constituents of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) ethanol extract and evaluate its potential in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe symptom development. Twenty-two compounds were detected, and 12 compounds were tentatively identified in the coriander extract using an ultra high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) approach. The coriander ethanol extract was able to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2 interaction by 100% at a concentration of 3.3 mg dry coriander equivalents/mL (mg CE/mL) and suppressed ACE2 activity by 87% at 5.0 mg CE/mL, suggesting its potential in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The coriander ethanol extract also exhibited free-radical scavenging capacities against the HO•, ABTS•+, and DPPH• at 140, 11, and 0.08 μmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g dry coriander, respectively, suggesting its potential to reduce the oxidative stress which is associated with the severe symptom development after the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The results of this study showed that coriander has potential to mitigate the risks and effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection.