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Background and Objectives: Snacks are important parts of diabetes patients’ diet. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of moderate amounts of dates and raisins, as nutritious snacks, on blood glucose, and to compare these effects with sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods: This crossover clinical trial was performed on 15 patients with type 2 diabetes. In each experimental day, fasting blood glucose (FBG) was initially measured, and a breakfast containing 90 g bread was consumed. Two hours later, blood glucose was measured. Then a snack containing 15 g available carbohydrate from dates, raisins, or sugar was given, and postprandial blood glucose was measured at 30, 60, and 120 min. The procedure was performed on 3 days, each day with one of the aforementioned snacks. Comparisons between the different snacks were done with the Friedman’s test. Results: Consumption of dates, raisins, or sugar did not increase blood glucose (alterations in blood glucose at 30 min compared to the time point before snack consumption were -2.23 ± 32.0, -6.33 ± 24.3, and -2.30 ± 16.9 for dates, raisins, and sugar, respectively), and there was no significant difference between the snacks in blood glucose levels at any time point after their consumption, and also in the area under the curve of blood glucose alterations. Conclusions: In moderate quantities, the effects of dates, raisins and sugar on the blood glucose of diabetes patients were similar. However, considering their nutrient content, dates and raisins may be more suitable snacks than sugar for patients with type 2 diabetes. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, Dates, Raisins, Sugar, Blood glucose

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Background and Objectives: Recognizing the impurities of sugar beet and also comparing different methods of juice purification have shown that the chemical purification based on lime and carbon dioxide is really efficient and economic in the sugar industry. Factories have to control and improve purification stages to achieve clear juice with high chemical purity, low color, minimum hardness, sufficient thermal resistance and with no insoluble solid matters in producing white sugar with high purity and efficiency. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of alkalinity changes in preliming and liming stages on improving the color of thin and thick juices.

Materials and Methods: In the current study, changes in pre-liming alkalinity (0.2, 0.3 and 0.9) and liming alkalinity (1.3, 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6) (mg CaO/ 100 ml juice) during the operation were studied in Sharekrod sugar factory. According to the discharge and retention time of each stage (raw juice, thin juice, and thick juice), the samples were taken and the color changes were studied.

Results: The results showed that alkalinity changes of 0.4 in preliming along 1.4 in liming and 0.4 in preliming along 1.3 in liming (mg CaO/ 100  ml juice) caused imbalance of cation/anion, sucrose hydrolysis and invert sugar, and produced undesired color in the thin or thick juice. These changes also had undesired effects on the juice’s resistance. But 0.2 in preliming and 1.6 in liming as well as 0.3 in pre-liming and 1.6 in liming had positive effects. Therefore, a thin juice with pH of 8.9 and low color increase (20%) was produced.

Conclusions: According to the results, some of the enforced changes were more effective in purification process and improved it.

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Background and Objectives: World health organization has identified unhealthy eating behaviors as one of the modifiable behavioral risk factors. Since sugar, salt, saturated and total fats, and trans-fatty acids are consumed much more than recommended, substantial decreases in these components as dietary risk factors are urgently needed. The study reviewed evidence on possible dietary risk decrease strategies to describe prevention programs.
Materials and Methods: In this study, SCOPUS, Web of Knowledge (ISI), EMBASE, PubMed, Google/Google Scholar, ProQuest, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception through 16 November 2022 to find policies that decreased consumption of dietary risk factors. Two researchers independently screened, appraised, and extracted the retrieved papers. Due to heterogeneity, only descriptive analyses were carried out.
Results: Four studies were included in the review. Three studies focused on decreasing sodium/salt and one on decreasing trans-fatty acids in industrial foods. Studies used various indicators and methods to indicate their achievements. The overall results based on the selected indicators demonstrated the projects' relative success in decreasing risk factors of foods.
Conclusions: Despite achievements in decreasing dietary risk factors in industrial foods, there is still a long way to go. Since various indicators show various aspects of the achievements, sufficient considerations in preparing sensitive and specific indicators are warranted.