Liver damage from various diseases can lead to fibrosis, where healthy tissue is replaced by scar tissue. As the liver becomes stiffer over time, it can eventually progress to cirrhosis, a severe and irreversible condition. Dr. Richard Ehman from the Mayo Clinic explained that early detection of fibrosis can allow for intervention and even reversal, but once cirrhosis develops, the damage is typically permanent.

In one study, Dr. Ehman and his team worked with gastroenterologists to evaluate MRE’s ability to detect liver fibrosis in 57 patients with chronic liver disease and 20 healthy volunteers. The results showed that MRE was highly accurate in identifying different stages of fibrosis. Additionally, the research found that fatty changes in the liver, such as fat accumulation or triglyceride deposits, did not interfere with MRE's ability to detect fibrosis.

A second study focused on portal hypertension, a common complication of cirrhosis caused by increased pressure in the blood vessels leading to the liver. Researchers tested 35 patients with cirrhosis and 12 healthy individuals, using MRE to measure the stiffness of both the liver and spleen. They discovered a strong correlation between organ stiffness and the severity of portal hypertension.

According to Dr. Ehman, MRE has the potential to detect a wide range of conditions involving tissue changes. His team is currently exploring its use in detecting breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. These groundbreaking findings were presented at the annual MRI conference in Berlin in May 2007 and at the Digestive Diseases Conference in Washington later that year. ——Midi Medical Network

Natural Food Colorants

what is natural food color?

Natural food coloring refers to pigments extracted or prepared from plants, animals, microorganisms or other natural sources for coloring food. These pigments are naturally produced due to biochemical reactions in living organisms and do not contain synthetic chemical components.
Natural food colors can be divided into the following categories according to their source:
1. Plant pigments: This is the most common source of natural food pigments, including pigments derived from a variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and plant roots. For example, red beets can provide red pigments, carrots can provide orange pigments, turmeric can provide yellow pigments, and blueberries and purple potatoes can provide purple and blue pigments.
2. Animal pigments: These pigments are rare and usually come from the tissues or excretions of certain animals. For example, cochineal is a red pigment derived from the cochineal insects that live on certain cacti.
3. Microbial pigments: Some microorganisms, such as monascus, can produce specific pigments, such as monascus red pigments.
4. Mineral pigments: Although less used, certain inorganic minerals can also be used as natural food pigments, such as titanium dioxide (white) and iron oxide (red, yellow and black). However, due to possible toxicity issues with some mineral pigments, their use is often severely restricted or banned.
Natural food colors are generally considered safer and healthier than synthetic colors due to their nature. However, their color stability, heat resistance, light resistance, and interaction with other food ingredients may not be as good as synthetic pigments, so their application in the food industry sometimes presents some challenges. At the same time, the extraction and processing of natural pigments can also affect their cost and sustainability. Nevertheless, as consumer concerns about food safety and health increase, the demand for natural food coloring is growing.

Natural Food Colorants,Natural Food Pigments, natural food color

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