Peptide Characterization and Functional Stability of a Partially Hydrolyzed Whey-Based Formula over Time

Human clinical trials have shown that a specific partially hydrolyzed 100% whey-based infant formula (pHF-W) reduces AD risk in the first yeast of life. Meta-analyses with a specific pHF-W (pHF-W1) confirm a protective effect while other meta-analyses pooling different pHF-W show conflicting results. Here we investigated the molecular composition and functional properties of the specific pHF-W1 as well as the stability of its manufacturing process over time. This specific pHF-W1 was compared with other pHF-Ws. We used size exclusion chromatography to characterize the peptide molecular weight (MW), a rat basophil degranulation assay to assess the relative level of beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) allergenicity and a preclinical model of oral tolerance induction to test prevention of allergic sensitization. To analyze the exact peptide sequences before and after an HLA binding assay, a mass cytometry approach was used. Peptide size allergenicity and oral tolerance induction were conserved across pHF-W1 batches of production and time. The median MW of the 37 samples of pHF-W1 tested was 800 ± 400 Da. Further oral tolerance induction was observed using 10 different batches of the pHF-W1 with a mean reduction of BLG-specific IgE levels of 0.76 log (95% CI = -0.95; -0.57). When comparing pHF-W1 with three other formulas (pHF-W2 3 and 4), peptide size was not necessarily associated with allergenicity reduction in vitro nor oral tolerance induction in vivo as measured by specific IgE level (p < 0.05 for pHF-W1 and 2 and p = 0.271 and p = 0.189 for pHF-W3 and 4 respectively). Peptide composition showed a limited overlap between the formulas tested ranging from 11.7% to 24.2%. Furthermore nine regions in the BLG sequence were identified as binding HLA-DR. In conclusion, not all pHF-Ws tested have the same peptide size distribution decreased allergenicity and ability to induce oral tolerance. Specific peptides are released during the different processes used by different infant formula producers.

AB0819 PROFILE OF RHEUMATOLOGIC EMERGENCIES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF RHEUMATOLOGY OF THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF IBN ROCHD IN 2019

Background:

Rheumatology is a medical field often referred to as “cool” because of the low frequency of life-threatening pathologies in common practice (1). However, rheumatologists may be solicited to manage situations that are often depicted as urgent from the point of view of the patient.

Objectives:

To profile the consultations received in the emergency unit of the Department of Rheumatology of the University Hospital of Ibn Rochd in Casablanca.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective study on the 2019 emergency consultations register of the Department of Rheumatology of the University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, Casablanca. We collected epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic data.

Results:

407 emergency consultations were carried out in 2019. The average age of the patients was 50.7 (range 14 - 88). 20% of the consultants were 65 years old or older. The sex ratio M/F was 0.4. 95.6% of the patients were from the Casablanca-Settat region. 86.4% of the patients came from the emergency department of the hospital, 10.6% came from other intra-hospital services, and 3% were referred directly to our department. The most represented socio-professional categories were respectively people without professional activity other than retirees (67.6%), followed by intermediate professions (9.7%), executives and higher intellectual professions (5.8%), and retirees (5.3%). Regarding social insurance, 49.4% of the consultants benefited from a public health assistance scheme, 30% had a public health insurance, 14.4% had no health insurance, and 9.9% had a private health insurance. The most frequent reasons for consultation were polyarthralgia (26.8%), oligoarthralgia (18.9%), low back pain (22.6%), lumbar radiculalgia (16.7%), monoarthralgia (11,8%), neck pain (8.1%), cervicobrachial neuralgia (6.4%), monoarthritis (5.4%), polyarthritis (3.4%), and oligoarthritis (2,7%). The general condition of the patients was good in 83% of cases, 5.2% had asthenia, 4.4% had a fever above 38°C, and 3.7% had anorexia. Extra-articular signs were present in 24.7% of cases. At the end of the consultation, a diagnosis could be made in 57.2% of cases. The diagnoses comprised degenerative (51%), inflammatory rheumatic (8.6%), infectious (7.3%), metabolic (6.7%), and tumor (2.1%) pathologies. The main treatments prescribed were level 1 analgesics in 65.6% of cases, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in 45% of cases, local treatment in 28.9% of cases, symptomatic slow-acting drugs in 21.9% of cases, muscle relaxants in 17% of cases, rest in 12.5% of cases, and supportive orthotics in 11.6% of cases. Regarding the outcomes of the consultants, 75.4% were referred to a conventional hospital consultation for rheumatology follow-up, 13.6% of patients were referred to other specialized departments, 9.1% of patients were lost to follow-up, and 3.9% were hospitalized in our department.

Conclusion:

The polyarthralgia and the low back pain were the most frequent reasons for consultation in our rheumatology emergency unit. Degenerative pathology is in the lead of the etiologies. Level I analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs play an important role in symptomatic emergency treatments.

References:

[1]Gutiérrez-González LA. Rheumatologic emergencies. Clin Rheumatol. 2015 Dec;34(12):2011–9.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

AB0662 IMPACT OF THE SARS-CoV-2 PANDEMIC IN A POPULATION OF PATIENTS FOLLOWED IN A RHEUMATOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic had various impacts onpatients’ realities. It had many physical but also psychological repercussions. It led to the onset of general stress, anxiety and depression affecting different age groups. In this study, we report the frequency of anxiety in patients followed in the department of rheumatology during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Objectives:

To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in patients followed for inflammatory rheumatic disorders (IRD) or degenerative diseases in the Department of Rheumatology during the period of breakdown and health restrictions.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the department of rheumatology over a 5-month period from August 2020 to December 2020.Included patients were followed for IRD or degenerative pathology in the department. A pre-established questionnaire collected the symptoms and results of COVID-19 tests, the possible deterioration of the general condition since breakdown, as well as the increase of the disease activity of the rheumatism, pain, fatigue, anxiety, and the onset of signs of depression or sleep disturbances.The impact of the decrease in physical activity and the cessation of basic treatments of rheumatism with the different causes was also collected.

Results:

159 patients were included: 27 with Rheumatoid arthritis, 58 with Spondyloarthropathies, 32 with chondrocalcinosis, 9 with gouty arthropathies, and 33 with osteoarthritis. Of these, 15% had symptoms consistent with COVID-19. 25 patients performed the PCR test, of which 17 were positive and only 3 required hospitalization.None were put on oxygen. 32% reported a worsening of their rheumatism since the beginning of the epidemic, of which 35.9% reported increased pain and 21 noted a decrease in physical activity. 27.1% felt more stressed and irritated, and 14% felt more depressed. 54% had more sleepdisturbance, 22.2% had more fatigue compared to their state before the epidemic. 41.2% were afraid to come for consultation or hospitalization. 11.8% had stopped the basic treatment of their rheumatism, either for a shortage of the product in the pharmacy, or for the inability to obtain a travel authorization from the authorities

Conclusion:

The physical and mental impact of the COVID-19pandemic affected approximately one-third of our population. Patients described worsening rheumatism and pain, as well as impaired sleep, fatigue and anxiety[1].Decreased physical activity was associated with increased rheumatism activity and pain. More than 50% of the patients presented a deterioration in their physical and mental health linked to the health situation[2]. Our results are consistent with the literature. It is classically admitted that rheumatic pathologiesare disabling and therefore lead to a withdrawal into oneself, generating an anxious state. It is essential to assess the psychological status of patients followed for rheumatism in order to develop preventive treatments and prevent its worsening linked to the impact of the pandemic[3].

References:

[1]ChenN,ZhouM,DongX,etal.Epidemiologicalandclinicalcharacteristicsof99casesof2019novelcoronaviruspneumoniainWuhan,China:adescriptivestudy.Lancet2020;395:50713

[2]GuanWJ,NiZY,HuY,etal.Clinicalcharacteristicsofcoronavirusdisease2019inChina.NEnglJMed2020,http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2002032

[3]HuangC,WangY,LiX,etal.Clinicalfeaturesofpatientsinfectedwith2019novelcoronavirusinWuhan,China.Lancet2020;395:497–5064

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared.

AB0829 WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUNG AND ELDERLY SUBJECTS IN URGENT RHEUMATOLOGY CONSULTATIONS?

Background:

The pattern of rheumatological diseases shows significant differences depending on age. It is commonly admitted that inflammatory rheumatic diseases is the prerogative of young people (1), while degenerative pathology is more important in older ages (2). In the context of the emergency, little epidemiological data exist about the differences between young and old populations.

Objectives:

To study the influence of age on emergency rheumatology consultations received in the Department of Rheumatology of the University Hospital of Ibn Rochd.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective study on the 2019 emergency consultations register of the Department of Rheumatology of the University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, Casablanca. Patients were divided in 2 groups: young subjects included patients aged less than 65 years, and the elderly subjects included people aged 65 and above. The studied parameters were gender, medical coverage, socio-professional category, reasons for consultation, joint involvement, duration of symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments.

Results:

407 emergency consultations were carried out, including 81 in the elderly (19.9%) and 326 in young subjects (80.1%). The characteristics are summed up in Table 1. Although we noted a female predominance in both groups, men were more represented in the elderly group. Radiculalgia was a more frequent reason for consultation in the elderly population, while arthralgia was more frequent in the young population. Young subjects more frequently had peripheral joints complaints. Degenerative and tumor pathologies were more common in the elderly population, while inflammatory, septic, and tendon pathologies were more prominent in the young population. Regarding treatments, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were more prescribed in young subjects, while the other treatments had a homogeneous distribution in the two groups.

Conclusion:

In our emergency unit, the epidemiological distribution of our patients according to age matches the general epidemiological characteristics of rheumatological pathologies: inflammatory causes are more frequent in young ages, while degenerative pathologies are found at a later age.

References:

[1]Kobak S, Bes C. An autumn tale: geriatric rheumatoid arthritis. Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal. 2018 Jan;10(1):3–11.

[2]Loeser RF. The Role of Aging in the Development of Osteoarthritis. Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc. 2017;128:44–54.

Table 1.

Patients’ characteristics depending on age

≥ 65 years (81 cases)19,9%< 65 years (326 cases)80,1%Sex-ratio M/F0,500,38Social coveragePublic health assistance scheme32 (39,5%)122 (37,42%)Public/Private insurance21 (25,92%)91 (27,91%)Without28 (34,57%)113 (34,66%)ProfessionPrécisé = 45Précisé = 162Without36 (80%)104 (64,2%)Retirees7 (15,55%)4 (2,47%)Farmer1 (2,22%)1 (0,62%)Intermediate professions1 (2,22%)18 (11,11%)Higher intellectual professions012 (7,41%)Employees09 (5,55%)Traders and craftsmen09 (5,55%)Workers05 (3,09%)Reason for consultationBack pain35 (43,2%)137 (48,15%)Radiculalgia22 (27,16%)55 (16,87%)Arthralgias34 (41,97%)165 (50,61%)Arthritis10 (12,34%)37 (11,35%)Joint involvementAxial41 (50,61%)170 (52,15%)Peripheral53 (65,43%)248 (76,07%)Duration of symptomsAcute (< 3 weeks)21 (25,92%)73 (22,39%)Chronic (≥ 3 weeks)60 (74,08%)253 (77,61%)DiagnosesOsteoarthritis30 (58,82%)89 (48,9%)Knee osteoarthritis21 (41,17%)50 (27,47%)Lumbar osteoarthritis16 (31,37%)44 (24,17%)Septic2 (3,92%)11 (6,04%)Metabolic6 (13,35%)9 (4,94%)Inflammatory1 (1,96%)22 (12,08%)Tumor3 (5,88%)2 (1,09%)Tendinopathies3 (9,68%)29 (15,93%)TreatmentsAnalgesics47 (71,21%)155 (63,52%)NSAIDs19 (28,78%)118 (48,36%)Corticosteroids1 (1,51%)2 (0,82%)Local treatments18 (27,27%)72 (29,5%)Symptomatic slow-acting drugs19 (28,78)49 (20,08%)DMARDs0 (0%)2 (0,82%)

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

AB0600 VISCOSUPPLEMENTATION VERSUS PHYSICAL REHABILITATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS COMPARATIVE STUDY ABOUT 117 CASES

Background:

Viscosupplementation with hyaluronic acid, and physical rehabilitation are part of the adjunct treatments for osteoarthritis, and particularly knee osteoarthritis.They can be used alone or combined.

Objectives:

To compare the efficacy of rehabilitation and viscosupplementation in patients followed for stage II and III osteoarthritis.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study, conducted in the department of rheumatology of the University Hospital ofIbn Rochd, Casablanca, between August 2020 and December 2020. Inclusion criteria: patients with stage II and III knee osteoarthritis fulfilling the ACR criteria. The diagnosis was made on standard x-rays including antero-posterior and lateral views. The functionalassessmentwas made with functional algo indices, WOMAC and Lequesnne. Pain was assessed with a visual analogue scale (VAS) on Day 0 and after 3 months. The patients were divided into 3 groups of 39 patients, the first (G1) received an infiltration of hyaluronic acid according to different protocols (multiple injections or single injection), the second (G2) benefited from a rehabilitation program twiceor three timesa week for three months, and the third group (G3) benefited from viscosupplementation associated with rehabilitation. Patients who received an intra-articular corticosteroid injection in the last 3 months were excluded.

Results:

There were 117 patients. The mean age was 59.6 ± 8.6, with a female predominance of 96.8%. Knee osteoarthritis was clinically patent for 5.8 years, with an average of 7.4 painful flares. Gonarthrosis was bicompartmental in 52 patients and tri-compartmental in 18 patients. 45% had a family history of osteoarthritis. 28% were hypertensive, 18 patients were diabetic and 51.87% were obese according to the body mass index, with an average of 30.5 ± 5.2 kg/m2. 65% had already received oral anti-arthritis drugs for an average of 1 year. Functional improvement was approximately 38% in G1, 26% in G2, and 42% in G3. A significant algo-functional improvement was noted in G1 (p = 0.04) and G3 (p = 0.03). LEQUESNE’s index went from an average of 8 in the 3 groups to an average of 4 inG1 and G3 versus 6 in G2, which corresponds to an average handicap (p = 0.2). The final value of the WOMAC index in G1 was 26.57 versus 32.21 in G2 (p = 0.01) and versus 22.36 in G3 (p = 0.02).

Conclusion:

In our study, the final evaluation showed a decrease in pain and an improvement in functional capacity ranging from 36 to 58%. This improvement in algo-functional indices was significantly more marked in G3[1]. Our study shows that the combination of visco-supplementation with physical rehabilitation gives better results by improving the algo-functional indices than by visco-supplementation alone. Our findings are consistent with the results of the literature[2].

References:

[1]Lebib S, Ben SalahFZ, Ksibi I, Dziri C. The ’rapeutiques non me ’dicamen-teuses de l’arthrose des membres infe ’rieurs: e ’tats de lieux et perspectives. RevFr Geriat Gerontol 2006;126(XIII):296–30

[2]Bruyere O, Cooper C, Pelletier JP, Branco J, Luisa BrandiM, GuilleminF, etal. AnalgorithmrecommendationforthemanagementofkneeosteoarthritisinEuropeandinternationally:areportfromataskforceoftheEuropeanSocietyforClinicalandEconomicAspectsofOsteoporosisandOsteoarthritis(ESCEO). Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2014;44(3):253–26

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared.

POS0998 SPONDYLOARTHRITIS AND SLEEP DISORDERS

Background:

Spondyloarthropathies (SpA) are a group of chronic and progressive diseases, characterized in particular by a progressive stiffening of the spine, spreading to neighboring joints or to certain tissues, which could lead in the long term to progressive stiffening and functional impairment. This conditioncancauseinsomnia problems and impaired sleep quality.

Objectives:

To assess the impact of SpA on the quality of sleep.

Methods:

This is a retrospective study over a period of 4 years from January 2015 to December 2019, including all the medical records of patients with SpA followed in the Department of Rheumatology of the University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, Casablanca. We evaluated for each patient two validated scores: the Epworth somnolence scale rated from 0 to 24, and the Pittsburgh sleep score rated from 0 to 21 with 7 components. Patients with a psychiatric history or who were followed up for neurological pathologies were excluded.

Results:

178 patients were included. 60.67% were men with an average age of 36.32 years (14-68 years). 45.01% had axial SpA, 29.77% had psoriatic arthritis, and 25.22% were followed for SpA associated with inflammatory bowel disease. 45% had associated comorbidities: there were 18 diabetics and 34 hypertensive, 16.58% were smokers. Clinically, 85.42% presented a back pain initially on examination, 55% presented a polyarthralgia, and 39.88% an oligoarthritis. 63% had radiological sacroiliitis, and 35.14% had bilateral coxitis. 13.48% had a positive HLA B27 and 58.89% had a positive inflammatory assessment with very high activity indices,with a mean of 4.6. 64.66% of the patients received NSAIDs,of which 11% responded well. 57% were treated with csDMARDs, and 17.86% were treated with biologics. At the time of our study, the mean visual analog scale was 5.84 ± 1.7 out of 10 (2-9). The mean Epworth score was 8.38 ± 5.2 (0-21). 56.1% of patients had no sleep debt, 33.3% had a sleep deficit, and only 10.6% had signs of drowsiness. For the overall Pittsburgh score, the mean was 7.02 ± 3.6 (1-18). The mean of “subjective quality of sleep” was 1.12, “sleep latency” was 1.22, “duration of sleep” was 1.06, “usual sleep efficiency” was 0.74, “Sleep disturbance” of 1.28, “use of a sleep medication” of 0.54, and the average of the component concerning “poor shape during the day” was 1.03 out of 3. The LEQUESNE index went from an average of 6 to 8, which corresponds to an average handicap (P = 0.2) over a period of 3 years. 68% of the patients had an alteration in the quality of sleep, starting on average three years after the onset of symptoms. 11% reported having experiencedanxiety and depressive symptoms, and reported having used antidepressants or anxiolytics in the past 5 years.

Conclusion:

Our study showed the negative impact of SpA on the duration and overall quality of sleep. The degree of pain as well as functional impairment can cause and worsen sleep disturbances in SpA. We have shown that the Pittsburg score increases significantly with the increase of pain.The Lequesne score and that the Epworth score increase with disease activity[1].

References:

[1]StolwijkC,vanTubergenA,Castillo-OrtizJD,BoonenA.Prevalenceofextra-articularmanifestationsinpatientswithankylosingspondylitis:asystematicreviewandmeta-analysis.AnnRheumDis2015;74:65—73.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared.

AB0828 INFLUENCE OF SEASONAL VARIATIONS ON EMERGENCY RHEUMATOLOGY CONSULTATIONS

Background:

The influence of the seasons on the onset of diseases has been demonstrated in epidemiological studies, particularly in infectious pathologies. In rheumatology, recent studies have suggested the role of seasons in the disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis (1,2). However, no epidemiologic data exist on the influence of seasons in urgent rheumatology consultations, all causes combined.

Objectives:

To study the influence of seasonal variations on urgent rheumatology consultations received in the Department of Rheumatology of the University Hospital of Ibn Rochd in Casablanca.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective study on the 2019 emergency consultations register of the Department of Rheumatology of the University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, Casablanca. The seasons were divided as follows: winter from December to February, spring from March to May, summer from June to August, and fall from September to November. The studied parameters were age, sex, reasons for consultation, affected joints, and diagnoses.

Results:

407 emergency consultations were carried out, with an average patient age of 50.7 years (range 14 - 88), and a sex ratio M/F of 0.4. The characteristics of the patients throughout the seasons is summed up in Table 1. The distribution of consultations by season was as follows: 29.5% in winter, 26.3% in spring, 25.4% in summer, and 18.8% in fall. The average age of the consultants depending on the season was homogeneous. The most frequent reasons for emergency consultation were respectively back pain (48.6%), polyarthralgia (23.1%), followed by arthritis (12.0%). Back pain slightly predominant in the cold seasons (fall, winter). Polyarthralgias had a winter peak. Arthritis presented a bimodal distribution in seasons of transition (spring, fall). The knees and lumbar spine were the most frequently involved joints throughout the year, with no major differences between the seasons. The most frequent diagnoses over the year were degenerative (51%), inflammatory (8.6%), infectious (7.3%), metabolic (6.7%), and tumor (2.1%) pathologies, respectively. %). Osteoarthritis flares were less frequent in spring and summer. Inflammatory pathologies have not experienced a seasonal peak. Gout flares and infectious pathologies peaked in the spring. Finally, tumor pathologies peaked in the fall.

Conclusion:

Seasonal variations seem to have an impact on the distribution of the reasons for consultation as well as the diagnoses made in the context of the rheumatologic emergencies. The cold seasons seemed to favor the onset of back pain and polyarthralgia, while the seasons of transition were conducive to the development of arthritis.

References:

[1]Mori H, Sawada T, Nishiyama S, Shimada K, Tahara K, Hayashi H, et al. Influence of seasonal changes on disease activity and distribution of affected joints in rheumatoid arthritis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2019 Dec;20(1):30.

[2]Azzouzi H, Ichchou L. Seasonal and Weather Effects on Rheumatoid Arthritis: Myth or Reality? Pain Research and Management. 2020 Sep 7;2020:1–5.

Table 1.

Characteristics of the patients throughout the seasons

Wintern = 120(29.5%)Springn = 107(26.3%)Summern = 104(25.4%)Falln = 76(18.8%)Totaln = 407(100%)Age51,2 (16 – 86)51,6 (14 – 84)51,3 (16 – 88)48 (16 – 79)50,7 (14 – 88)Sex-ratio M/F0,250,440,60,360,4Reasons for consultationArthritis (%)8,31511,51412,0Polyarthritis (%)3021,520,218,523,1Back pain (%)51.744.945.254.048.6Joint involvementShoulder (%)33,321,522,122,427,2Hand (%)16,720,015,413,216,5Knee (%)49,241,048,146,146,2Ankle (%)13,314,013,514,513,8Cervical spine (%)6,010,39,67,98,4Lumbar spine (%)44,239,338,047,041,8DiagnosesOsteoarthritis (%)53,443,947,556,850,2Knee osteoarthritis (%)31,522,828,838,630,0Lumbar osteoarthritis (%)28,822,830,531,828,3Septic (%)2.77.01.72.33.4Gout (%)5.510.55.16.86.7Inflammatory (%)9.68.86.76.89.9Tumor (%)1.31.81.74.52.1

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Proteomics of Human Milk: Definition of a Discovery Workflow for Clinical Research Studies

Milk is a complex biological fluid composed mainly of water, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and diverse bioactive factors. Human milk represents a unique tailored source of nutrients that adapts during lactation to the specific needs of the developing infant. Proteins in milk have been studied for decades, and proteomics, peptidomics, and glycoproteomics are the main approaches previously deployed to decipher the proteome of human milk. In the present work, we aimed at implementing a highly automated pipeline for the proteomic analysis of human milk with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (MS). Commercial human milk samples were used to evaluate and optimize workflows. Centrifugation for defatting milk samples was assessed before and after reduction, alkylation, and enzymatic digestion of proteins, without and with presence of surfactants. Skimmed milk samples were analyzed using isobaric labeling-based quantitative MS on an Orbitrap Tribrid mass spectrometer. Sample fractionation using isoelectric focusing was also evaluated to more deeply profile the human milk proteome. Finally, the most appropriate workflow was transferred to a liquid handling workstation for automated sample preparation. In conclusion, we have defined and describe herein an efficient highly automated proteomic workflow for human milk sample analysis. It is compatible with clinical research, possibly allowing the analysis of sufficiently large cohorts of samples.

Total Amino Acids by UHPLC–UV in Infant Formulas and Adult Nutritionals, First Action 2018.06

Background: An acid hydrolysis ultrahigh-performance LC–UV method was evaluated for the determination of total amino acids in infant formula and adult/pediatric nutritional formula. Objective: It was assessed for compliance against AOAC INTERNATIONAL Standard Method Performance Requirements (SMPR®) established by the Stakeholder Panel for Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals (SPIFAN). Methods: A single-laboratory validation (SLV) study was conducted as a first step in the process to validate the method. In this SLV, 17 SPIFAN matrices representing a range of infant formula and adult nutritional products were evaluated for their amino acid content. Results: The analytical range was found to be within the needs for all products; some may require a dilution. Evaluation of trueness performed on Standard Reference Material 1849a (Infant/Adult Nutritional Formula) showed all compounds met the SMPR theoretical value, with exceptions for threonine and tyrosine. These may have a bias for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) data, depending on hydrolysis used in the determination of the NIST certificate of analysis. Conclusions: Based on the results of this SLV, this method met the SMPR and was approved as a First Action method by the AOAC Expert Review Panel on Nutrient Methods on August 28, 2018.

Total Amino Acids by UHPLC-UV in Infant Formulas and Adult Nutritionals, First Action 2018.06

Background: An acid hydrolysis ultrahigh-performance LC-UV method was evaluated for the determination of total amino acids in infant formula and adult/pediatric nutritional formula. Objective: It was assessed for compliance against AOAC INTERNATIONAL Standard Method Performance Requirements (SMPR^®) established by the Stakeholder Panel for Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals (SPIFAN). Methods: A single-laboratory validation (SLV) study was conducted as a first step in the process to validate the method. In this SLV, 17 SPIFAN matrices representing a range of infant formula and adult nutritional products were evaluated for their amino acid content. Results: The analytical range was found to be within the needs for all products; some may require a dilution. Evaluation of trueness performed on Standard Reference Material 1849a (Infant/Adult Nutritional Formula) showed all compounds met the SMPR theoretical value, with exceptions for threonine and tyrosine. These may have a bias for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) data, depending on hydrolysis used in the determination of the NIST certificate of analysis. Conclusions: Based on the results of this SLV, this method met the SMPR and was approved as a First Action method by the AOAC Expert Review Panel on Nutrient Methods on August 28, 2018.

Removal of organochlorines from vegetable oils and its benefits in preventing formation of monochloropropanediol diesters

This paper reports the first results on depleting certain organochlorines from vegetable oils without the use of any solvent in order to mitigate monochloropropanediol diesters (MCDPE). The concept is based on separating the organochlorines from the bulk oil by using trapping agents (e.g. monoacylglycerols) that can be easily separated from the oil. The process starts by mixing and homogenizing crude vegetable oils with the trapping agent and subsequently separating the trapping agent from the oil bulk via crystallization. The proof-of-concept of the approach is demonstrated on a spiked sunflower model system, solvent extracted crude sunflower oil, industrially produced crude soybean and corn oils. The depletion of organochlorines in the crude oils and its beneficial effect on the MCPDE content in the heat treated samples is measured by LC-MS. The depletion efficacy of the monitored organochlorines was estimated to be in the 60-95 % range. Both the melting point and polarity of the trapping agents affected the depletion efficacy of the organochlorines. Trapping agents with higher melting point and polarity, such as monostearin were more effective in comparison to high melting point but less polar agents such as palm stearin or agents rich in polar but low melting point monolinolein/monoolein. The effect of organochlorine depletion on the subsequent MPCDE levels in heat treated oil was in the range of 60-90 % reduction depending on the type of the studied oil.