Cornflakes

Abstract: The breakfast habits in adult life of 34 patients with Crohns disease were compared with those of 68 matched controls. Cornflakes were being eaten at least weekly by 23 of the patients (67--6%) at the time that their symptoms began, compared with 17 (25%) of the controls at the corresponding time. Only one of the 34 patients had not eaten cornflakes at all, compared with half of the controls. A significant but weaker association was found between Crohn's disease and the eating of wheat cereals. However, in both patients and controls the taking of cornflakes and of wheat cereals were correlated, and the observed preponderance of wheat eating among the patients was almost entirely ascribable to this association of habits. Eating of rice cereals and of porridge was not associated with Crohn's disease, though it was correlated with eating cornflakes. There was an excess of bran eaters among the propositi, but this, too, was attributable to their being also cornflake eaters. Other breakfast foods were taken with equal frequency, and omission of breakfast was equally common. Six of the 68 controls, but none of the patients, ate cornflakes later in the day but not at breakfast. The results need confirmation. There was no evidence that bias could have caused the correlation found. The association of Crohn's disease with the eating of cornflakes is strong and unlikely to be indirect. Variable digestive secretory behaviour after waking may play a part in determining susceptibility to Crohn's disease.

Abstract: Background: Although it is generally accepted that a weighed intake is the most valid way of assessing nutrient intake, this is not always the most appropriate method. Photographs have been suggested as a useful aid in assessing portion size when other methods of recording dietary intake are used.Method: Male and female subjects (n=100) were recruited to assess portion sizes of served amounts of mashed potato or cornflakes using food photographs. A second group of subjects (n=40) were recruited to assess portion sizes of self-served mashed potato or cornflakes using the same photographs.Results: Estimates varied from −70.6% underestimation to +198.7% overestimation for mashed potato, with less variation for the cornflakes where portions were served.?‚?? Where the food was self-served, results ranged from −38% and −64% underestimation to +61% and +88% overestimation for cornflakes and mashed potato, respectively.Correlation coefficients between estimated and actual weights of food showed them to be of statistical significance (P<0.05).Conclusion: Food photographs are a useful and convenient aid in the estimation of food portion sizes.

Abstract: This paper reports results from a U.S. national telephone survey on genetically modified foods (vegetable oil, cornflakes, and salmon). The survey featured a contingent valuation in which respondents chose between the GM and non-GM alternatives with an option of indifference. The binomial and multinomial logit models yielded estimated willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid the GM alternatives. Respondents were willing to pay 20.9%, 14.8%, 28.4%, and 29.7% of the base prices to avoid GM vegetable oil, GM cornflakes, GM-fed salmon, and GM salmon, respectively. The inclusion of indifference option could increase the sample size and moderate the mean WTP.

Abstract: Experimental browned and unbrowned corn products were formulated and processed from unenriched, degermed yellow corngrits. The browned product (cornflakes) contained more insoluble dietary fiber and bound more zinc (in vitro) than the unbrowned product (corngrits). During processing some of the cornflakes and corngrits were combined with a small amount of yellow corn endospermhull intrinsically labeled with 65Zn. The intrinsically labeled corn products were fed, in a crossover design, as components of two breakfasts to six normal, unconfined volunteers. Each volunteer absorbed more 65Zn from the corngrits than from the cornflakes. The reduced 65Zn absorption from cornflakes was attributed to heating and toasting reaction products, possibly Maillard, which bound zinc and consequently made the zinc less available for absorption.