Spicy food lovers know that milk can relieve heartburn, and some believe that fat is the soothing agent, as whole cow's milk reduces heartburn more than plant milk.
However, a new study conducted by food scientists at Penn State found that protein plays a role in relieving the burning sensation in the mouth as well.
It turns out that whole milk is no more effective than skim milk in relieving the burning sensation, according to the results of controlled laboratory studies at the Sensory Evaluation Center in Pennsylvania.
Scientists explained that ultrafiltration technology involves filtering and retaining various components, then recombining the liquid in a way that increases the contents of nutrients such as protein and calcium. Scientists said milk made in this way offers consumers dairy products with increased health benefits.
Lead researcher Justin Geiser, a doctoral candidate in food science, conducted two experiments with moderate capsaicin consumers to investigate the effectiveness of dairy products and plant-based milks that differ in fat and protein content.
In the first experiment, participants were repeatedly exposed to a capsaicin solution before rinsing it off with conventional whole cow's milk, ultra-filtered whole milk, almond milk, soy milk, and flax milk rich in pea protein.
In the second experiment, the mouth rinse was given with fat-free milk, traditional whole milk, ultra-filtered milk, and three types of soy milk with different protein content.
Both trials showed a significant reduction in burning sensation over time. In the first trial, participants rated conventional, ultra-filtered whole milk as significantly better than water at reducing the burning sensation caused by capsaicin. Soy milk significantly outperformed water in the second experiment.
The results also revealed that highly filtered, high-protein whole milk is the most effective in reducing the burning sensation caused by capsaicin. It also provides some evidence that higher concentrations of protein helped mitigate capsaicin burn, although more research is needed to determine the relative contributions of fat and protein.
“This work has implications not only for sensory testing laboratories and chili heads, but also for food manufacturers,” said John Hayes, professor of food science and director of the center. “Specifically, it means that interactions between protein and capsaicin need to be taken into account when formulating Products".
The results were published in Food Quality and Preference.
A new blood test identifies the cause of brain injury in newborns
A new study suggests that a blood test can determine the cause of brain injury in newborns, and help determine the best treatment for them.
The study looked at children with a type of brain injury caused by hypoxia (lack of oxygen).
It found that signals detectable in the blood can indicate the cause of the injury and tell doctors whether a child is likely to respond to cooling therapy, which is commonly used to treat brain injuries.
Researchers at Imperial College London suggested the findings could eventually lead to a simple test to quickly diagnose brain injuries in newborns and help inform treatment decisions.
The study included children from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as well as high-income countries (HICs).
It found a marked difference in gene expression, the process by which certain genes are activated to produce the desired protein, between the two groups, suggesting a different underlying cause of the brain injury.
According to the researchers, the findings suggest that brain injuries in newborns in poor countries could be the result of multiple factors such as malnutrition or infection. While in wealthier countries, it is more likely to be a single cause such as complications during childbirth.
Lead researcher Professor Sudhin Thayil, from the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London, said: “The gene expression patterns we saw in children from low- and middle-income countries were similar to what you would see in people with sleep apnea, suggesting that they had "From intermittent hypoxia in utero and at birth. We believe this is caused by many chronic stresses during pregnancy such as malnutrition or infection, combined with the normal labor process and uterine contractions, leading to further hypoxia and ultimately injury to the baby's brain."
He added: "On the other hand, gene expression patterns in children from high-income countries point to a single acute cause of brain injury, for example complications during childbirth such as maternal hemorrhage, which leads to a sudden drop in blood oxygen levels in the fetus."
Professor Thiel continued: “The key for doctors, anywhere in the world, is to be able to identify the type of brain injury they are dealing with as quickly as possible, and this is something we are currently working on.”
Experts say that around the world, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) — a type of brain injury sometimes referred to as birth asphyxia, which occurs when a baby's brain does not get enough oxygen before or shortly after birth — is a major cause. Death and disability, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, deafness and blindness, among full-term children, affecting about three million children each year.
The results were published in the journal JAMA Network Open.