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 Background and Objectives: Food insecurity and hunger not only affect physical health, but also have social and psychological consequences. Therefore, monitoring food security and fighting against food insecurity and hunger is necessary in a society. This study was carried out to investigate the determinants of food insecurity in northwest of Tabriz (Asadabadi region).

 Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 300 subjects in 2004-2005. The prevalence of food insecurity was assessed using a short questionnaire. Information regarding the socio-economic and cultural status of the subjects was collected through a questionnaire. In order to assess the status of food security on the basis of income, occupation, education level and family size, distribution of secure and insecure groups was individually determined, and then Chi-Square test was used to test the significance of the relationship between these groups. Nutritional status was assessed using food frequency questionnaire. Food groups that had significant correlation with income (relationship between groups and subgroups of foods with income was determined using Pearson correlation coefficient) were selected as a criterion for comparing secure and insecure groups. Mean frequency of criteria foods consumption in two groups was compared using independent-sample t-test.

 Results: The prevalence of food insecurity was 36.3%. Food insecurity increased with family size and declined with income, education and job status of the head of the family (p<0.01). The results of food frequency showed that the mean frequency of bread and potato consumption in food insecure group was meaning fully higher compared to food secure group. Mean frequency consumption of rice, vegetable, fruit, red meat and dairy products in food insecure group was significantly lower compared to food secure group (p<0.001).

 Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed the impact of socio-economic and cultural status of the families on food security. It also indicated that nutritional problems are prevalent in society. Therefore, it is necessary to give practical solutions to fight against food insecurity as a major problem in society.

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  Background and purposes: Because of huge growth of snack food industry in the last few years the nation’s eating habits are undergoing major transformation with a replacement of traditional main meals by more frequent snacking. Dietary changes have been notable in children and particularly students so they are the major consumers of these foods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the snack and sweet drinks consumption at school times and its relationship with first molar cavities level in a group of students .

  Methods: The study was carried out in a group of 400, 8-12 year-old boy students in Area 5 Tabriz school. Data were collected through simple examination and questionnaire completed by a interveiwer. Findings were analyzed with descriptive statistic methods and chi-square Test .

  Results: The findings showed that nearly all the students (91%) had one or more snack or sweet drinks at school time. Biscuits, dried berries and raisins and packed fruit juice were the most popular. First molar cavities as expressed in DMFT increased significantly with high intake of snacks.

  Conclusion: Snack and sweet drinks consumption is high among Tabriz students, and first molar cavities level is increased with high snacks intakes.

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  Background & Objectives : Urolithiasis is the third common urinary disease. While, relationship between the urinary stones and diet is known to some extent, but there are controversies about it. The aim of this study was to determine the association between food habit, nutrients intake and kinds of urinary stone disease.

  Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive analytical study was performed on 150 patients (91 male and 59 females) with urinary stone disease in Ardabil during 2008-2009. Data of urinary stones analysis, type of stone in the graph, type of stone, preventive emprise and type of drinking water were recorded. Food data were recorded using 24-hour dietary recalls three days in week and food frequency questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS, Food Processor III software, and ANOVA Statistical program .

 Results: Findings showed that the most common and lowest form of urinary stone disease in men and women were calcium oxalate and ammonium phosphate, respectively. There was significant inverse association between beta-carotene intake and the percentage of uric acid stone disease (p<0.05). We observed significant relationship between vitamin A and folacin intake with percentage of uric acid stone disease (p<0.05). There was significant relationship between consumption of cheese and pickles with calcium phosphate stone disease (p<0.05). There was no significant association between other foods and nutrients intake with types of urinary stone disease .

 Conclusion: This study showed the consumption of some nutrients including folacin, vitamin A and some foods such as cheese was associated with the incidence of urinary stone disease. Therefore, taking accurate diet could possibly prevent the incidence of urinary stone diseases.

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  Background & objectives: Nitrate is one of the major contaminants in food and water. Excess intake of this substance can increase the risk of stomach cancer and also cause other health problems. The objectives of this study were estimation of dietary nitrate consumption in the Varzaghan with high and Parsabad with low stomach cancer incidence in country, and also the comparison dietary nitrate consumption with World Health Organization standards.

  Methods: In this comparative study performed during autumn and spring of 2011 about 216 food samples (including all food groups) and drinking water collected and their nitrate concentration was determined by colorimetric method. Then daily dietary consumption of nitrate calculated based on daily diet of each person (according to national study on food consumption pattern in Iran) and nitrate concentration in each group of food and drinking water.

  Results: Daily consumption of nitrate in Varzaghan and Parsabad was 8.53 ± 0.35 and 8.17 ± 0.54 mg per kg of body weight (of adults), respectively, which is much greater than the amount recommended by FAO/WHO (0-3.7 mg per kg of body weight). Significant difference was not observed in the dietary consumption of nitrate in two cities at studied period (P> 0.05).

  Conclusion: Despite of no significant difference in dietary consumption of nitrate in two cities, the daily consumption of nitrate in both of studied cities was significantly greater than the recommended level. Therefore monitoring sources of contamination and reduction of environmental pollution for decreasing food nitrate concentration are recommended.

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Background & objectives: The relationship between dietary patterns and esophageal cancer has not been documented yet. However, recent studies have shown that the Western dietary pattern is associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer. The current study was performed a comparative evaluation of the food habits and serum nitrate level in patients with esophageal cancer and healthy individuals in Gorgan city.
Methods: In a case-control study, 44 patients with esophageal cancer (the case group) and 44 healthy subjects (control group) were selected for one year in Gorgan city. Anthropometric factors were measured, and then demographic and dietary data were recorded using general and food frequency questionnaires (FFQs), respectively. Fasting blood samples from both groups were collected to measure serum nitrate levels. Data were analyzed by independent t-test, Chi-square, Fisher, and Monte Carlo tests.
Results: the mean weight, body mass index (BMI) and serum nitrate levels were statistically lower in the case group than in control group (p<0.05). Salt intake, smoking cigarette or hookah was higher in patients than in control group (p<0.05). Based on nutritional habits , consumption of bread , rice, saturated fats, hot tea, sausages and industrial soft drinks was statistically higher in the patient group than control group, but intake of vegetables, fruits, unsaturated fats, honey and grilled meat was lower in patients  than control group (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Consumption of fast foods, hot tea and saturated fats may be associated with esophageal cancer. Serum nitrate levels were lower in patients than control group, probably indicating the need for further research in this field.

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Background & objectives: Probiotic dairy products as a functional food have a positive effect on the health of consumers that have been confirmed by scientific evidence. Yoghurt is considered as one of the most popular dairy foods in Iran, which the incorporation of the probiotics into the yoghurt matrix can improve their microbiological and sensory properties and subsequently will play a vital role in promoting the health of the community. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus on the microbial and sensorial properties of probiotic yoghurt during refrigerated storage.
Methods: In this in vitro study, the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus PTCC=5189 was used to produce probiotic yoghurt and Aspergillus parasiticus PTCC=5018 (IR 63) and Penicillium chrysogenum PTCC=5074 were used as known pathogens and the main spoilage agents in yoghurt. Changes in the number of probiotic yeasts and spoilage species as well as the sensory acceptability of the samples during 28 days of storage at 4°C were evaluated and compared with the control samples.
Results: The population of both species, involved in yoghurt spoilage, during refrigeration were significantly reduced by the presence of Kluyveromyces marxianus (p<0.01). After 28 days of storage, the number of Kluyveromyces marxianus was at the recommended level of the International Dairy Federation with a 7.35 log CFU/g. The sensory evaluation results demonstrated that the control yoghurt samples were more acceptable.
Conclusion: Kluyveromyces marxianus has a significant effect on improving microbiological properties and can be used in the formulation and production of probiotic yoghurt with high storage capability and optimal sensory acceptability.