Biomarker Panels for Fruit Intake Assessment: A Metabolomics Analysis

Jenn Hoskins
29th July, 2024

Biomarker Panels for Fruit Intake Assessment: A Metabolomics Analysis

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • The study from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, evaluated the effectiveness of combining multiple biomarkers to distinguish between fruit consumers and non-consumers
  • Researchers analyzed 24-hour urine samples from 93 healthy adults to identify metabolites associated with the consumption of bananas, grapes, and oranges
  • The combination of metabolites showed strong predictive power for identifying fruit consumption, with high sensitivity and specificity, especially for oranges and citrus fruits
Understanding dietary intake is critical for nutritional research and public health. Traditional methods, like food frequency questionnaires and 24-hour dietary recalls, have limitations due to their reliance on self-reporting, which can introduce errors. To address this, biomarkers—measurable indicators of biological processes—are increasingly used to objectively verify dietary intake. However, identifying a single biomarker for specific dietary components is challenging due to the overlap of compounds from different foods. A recent study from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of combining multiple biomarkers to distinguish between fruit consumers and non-consumers[1]. Researchers selected 93 healthy adults from the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health. They collected 24-hour dietary recalls using the GloboDiet software, a computer-assisted tool that had previously been adapted for use in Latin America[2]. Additionally, 24-hour urine samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify metabolites—small molecules produced during metabolism—present in the urine. The study focused on metabolites associated with the consumption of bananas, grapes, and oranges. To evaluate the effectiveness of these metabolite panels, the researchers used multivariate receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis. These statistical methods help determine how well the combination of metabolites can predict whether an individual has consumed specific fruits. The results showed that the metabolite panels had an area under the curve (AUC) greater than 0.6 for oranges (AUC = 0.665), grapes (AUC = 0.622), bananas (AUC = 0.602), all fruits combined (AUC = 0.679), and citrus fruits (AUC = 0.693). These values indicate strong predictive power and high sensitivity and specificity for identifying fruit consumption, except for bananas and total fruit intake. This study builds on prior research that has highlighted the limitations of self-report dietary assessments and the potential of biomarkers to provide more accurate estimates[3][4]. For example, previous studies have demonstrated that biomarkers can significantly reduce measurement errors in dietary reports, which is crucial for studying gene-environment interactions in complex diseases[3]. Similarly, another review identified reliable urinary biomarkers for various foods, including whole grains and soy, but emphasized the need for further validation studies[4]. The current study adds to this body of knowledge by demonstrating that a combination of biomarkers can effectively classify fruit consumers, thereby enhancing the accuracy of dietary assessments. The findings also have implications for understanding the bioavailability and variability of phenolic compounds, which are bioactive compounds found in fruits. Previous research has shown significant inter-individual variability in the production of phenolic metabolites, which can affect how these compounds impact health[5]. By using a panel of biomarkers, the current study accounts for this variability, providing a more robust method for assessing fruit intake. In conclusion, the study from the University of São Paulo demonstrates that combining multiple biomarkers can effectively distinguish between fruit consumers and non-consumers, offering a more accurate and reliable method for dietary assessment. This approach addresses the limitations of traditional self-report methods and has the potential to improve nutritional epidemiology research, public health surveillance, and dietary recommendations.

FruitsNutritionBiochem

References

Main Study

1) Biomarker panels for fruit intake assessment: a metabolomics analysis in the ELSA-Brasil study.

Published 29th July, 2024

Journal: Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society

Issue: Vol 20, Issue 4, Jul 2024

Related Studies

2) Adapting the standardised computer- and interview-based 24 h dietary recall method (GloboDiet) for dietary monitoring in Latin America.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980017001872

3) Biomarkers in nutritional epidemiology.

Journal: Public health nutrition, Issue: Vol 5, Issue 6A, Dec 2002

4) Urinary biomarkers of dietary intake: a review.

https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuz048

5) Bioavailability and pharmacokinetic profile of grape pomace phenolic compounds in humans.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2018.03.021


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