A method to analyze carcinogenic acetaldehyde levels in wines was developed and its changes inlevels during storage under different conditions were determined. Levels of acetaldehyde were determined in various wine brands and monitored in selected wines stored under various conditions over prolonged periods using a GC/NPD. Levels of acetaldehyde in selected brand wines ranged from 2.22 ± 0.42 to 17.40 ± 4.16 µg/mL in organic white wines, from undetected to 1.60 ± 0.28 µg/mL in organic red wines, from 15.73 ± 1.18 µg/mL to 26.48 ± 4.01 µg/mL in conventional white wines and from 3.01 ± 0.41 to 20.05 ± 1.75 µg/mL in conventional redwines. When selected wines were stored at 6ºC, 28ºC and 40ºC over 120 days, generally, the levels of acetaldehyde increased for up-to 40 days and then decreased. Both white and red organic wines contained less acetaldehyde than conventional wines. In addition, red wines contain lower levels of acetaldehyde than white wines. There is still insufficient data to assess risk of acetaldehyde in wines. Detailed analyses of acetaldehyde in wines stored under different conditions is one avenue in assessing the safety of wine drinking.

Study background: Wasting in children is a serious form of malnutrition where the affected child has a low weight-for-height. While the severe form has published guidelines for its treatment, moderate wasting has no standardized treatment protocol and consequently, common feeds used to treat it have limited effectiveness. When leucine, an amino acid, is administered in a large dose in catabolic conditions it functions as a nutraceutical that accelerates muscle protein synthesis. The objective of this study was therefore to establish the effectiveness of leucine supplementation in treating moderate wasting in children.

Methods: A double blind placebo controlled trial that involved 144 children aged 6-24 months with moderate wasting was conducted at Mbagathi Hospital (Kenya) between 6th March-23rd June, 2017. Study children were randomly assigned to the treatment group (n = 72) or the control group (n = 72).Children in the treatment group and control group were administered with the leucine supplement and placebo respectively every day for 28 days. Baseline weight and height measurements were taken then measured weekly and at the end of the study. Differences between study groups were analyzed using analysis of variance and Chi-square. The significance level was set at <0.05.

Results: A significant difference (p = 0.00) was observed between the treatment group 67 (93.05 %) and control group 43 (40.28 %) in the proportion of children who recovered from moderate wasting. There was also a significant difference in the mean weight gained between the two study groups (p = 0.02).

Conclusion: Leucine supplementation in moderate wasting results in a significantly greater weight gain than any of the current treatment methods and is therefore effective in the treatment of moderate wasting.