Lebanese bread is a staple food consumed with every meal and great vehicle for a range of nutrients. Nowadays, manufacturers use nutrition and health claims (NHC) to communicate the nutrients contents and benefits of the food while increasing sale and competitiveness. In absence of stringent standards regulations and control, misleading claims could jeopardize consumers’ public health. The aim of this study was to examine pre-packaged Lebanese breads in Mount Lebanon, to assess their compliance with the Lebanese (LIBNOR NL 661:2017) and/or international standard CODEX (CAC/GL 23-1997) to carry ...

Background: High prevalence of suboptimal vitamin D status has paralleled the obesity epidemic; thus there has been a growing scientific interest in understanding the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and adiposity. Given the 1) high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Lebanon 2) lack of evidence on the association between body fat distribution (BFD), particularly direct measures of BFD, and serum vitamin D levels 3) lack of simultaneous control for important confounding variables, including indices of body composition, our study is the first to explore the association between a ...

Introduction: Eating Disorders (ED) are currently among the most important mental disorders in adolescents and young adults. Contradictory results are observed when studying the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among people with ED. Moreover, this vitamin plays several important roles in the human body which makes its deficiency an additional concern. Objectives: To assess the prevalence and correlates (mainly vitamin D status) of a positive screen for ED among Notre Dame University (NDU) employees. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed among 270 NDU employees working at the main, ...

Background: School-based breastfeeding education (SBBE) may help increase breastfeeding rates in the long run by targeting the young generation’s knowledge and attitudes towards breastfeeding. Breastfeeding rates in Lebanon are suboptimal in part due to negative attitudes and misinformation. While recent evidence suggests Lebanese schools offer limited SBBE, high school teachers at two large Lebanese schools seemed keen to receive training and incorporate SBBE into their classes. Determinants of their students’ breastfeeding intentions have been identified, but the need to assess parents’ consent ...

Pomegranate fruit and its derived products are rich sources of bioactive compound that were shown to have many biological activities. Pomegranate molasses (PM) is a thick traditional Middle Eastern syrup used in many recipes for international cuisines from around the world, including the Lebanese cuisine. It is considered to be a highly nutritious product which makes it of great interest to researchers. The purpose of this study is to assess the phytochemical composition, antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties of homemade and commercial PM consumed in Lebanon using samples collected from ...

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment, have a higher risk to foodborne infections as compared to other populations. Oncology nurses, having a direct significant contact with these patients, could be the first information source concerning food safety and play a pivotal role in reducing these risks. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge regarding food safety among oncology nurses, as well as their attitudes and practices in private hospitals in Lebanon. An observational cross-sectional study was carried out, using a self-administered questionnaire, recruiting 134 oncology ...

Introduction: Orthorexia Nervosa (ON), or the obsession with healthy eating is a new eating disorder that has gained popularity in the recent years. A very limited amount of literature exists regarding ON in Arab countries including Lebanon. The objective of the current study was to assess the prevalence of ON in a representative sample of Lebanese university students, and different factors that might affect ON development. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on 349 university students from three Lebanese regions: Mount Lebanon, North, and Shouf. The ORTO-15 scale was used to assess ON ...

Background and objective: The world average yield of wheat, rice, and maize has doubled 20 folds since 1964 due to the increase in pesticide use. Glyphosate, a broad spectrum herbicide, is globally used in crop production and is residual in soil and water. Several research findings on glyphosate residues in different food groups and human exposure remain controversial as to whether or not it increases the risk of cancer and other health implications. In Lebanon, there is no current data to estimate glyphosate concentration and exposure in different food groups. This study quantified glyphosate ...

Background: Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. The prevalence of smoking and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing globally and in Lebanon. The objectives of this study are to assess the prevalence of tobacco use (waterpipe, cigarette, cigar, pipe, smokeless tobacco products) and to examine the independent associations between tobacco and MetS/ MetS components (low high-density lipoprotein, elevated triglyceride, hypertension, impaired fasting glucose and abdominal obesity) among a sample of Lebanese adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried ...

Food packaging has a critical role in all food types and along the food chain from product preservation to transportation, distribution, storage, retailing, and end-use. However, it can become a source of contamination and transfer of microorganisms to the packed food when its hygienic status is not well maintained. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Prerequisite programs (PRPs) implementation in 5 food packaging companies across Mount Lebanon through on-site inspections and to assess the compliance of contact surfaces, employee hands and packaging materials to microbiological specifications. ...