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Published on: December 20, 2017
Microscopic appearances of commonly implanted food particles
Reshma Poothakulath Krishnan1, Pratibha Ramani1, S Gheena2
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Background:
Pathologists come across various structures in the microscopic sections that are unrelated to the tissues. Artifacts can occur in the tissue from the time the area is prepared for biopsy, during fixation, grossing, processing, sectioning and staining of the specimen. Food substances may get entrapped into the oral tissues and can lead to misdiagnosis. The aim of this study was to observe the microscopic appearances of commonly implanted food particles.
Methods:
Fourteen food samples were procured from a local market in Chennai, India. This included guava, chilli, chickpeas, channa dal (split chickpeas), cucumber, brinjal, carrot, capsicum, cabbage and urad dal and brown chickpea. The food samples were fixed in 10% formalin for 24 h and were subsequently processed. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed, and the sections were observed under the microscope.
Results:
Each specimen revealed unique, distinct histology of each food type. Channa dal microscopically in hematoxylin- and eosin-stained sections revealed round-to-oval structures with central pale eosinophilic lobulation. Capsicum showed round-to-polygonal structures of different shapes and sizes with clear central areas. Urad dal microscopically showed cluster of 5-6 eosinophilic structures separated by regular partitions.
Conclusion:
It is important to study the microscopic appearances of commonly implanted food particles to prevent any diagnostic dilemmas. Further studies are required involving various other food particles and their microscopic appearances.
Insights
Microscopic examination of common food particles revealed distinct histological features. Identifying these food artifacts in tissue samples is crucial for pathologists to prevent misdiagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Histopathology
- Diagnostic Pathology
- Food Science
Background:
- Microscopic tissue sections can contain artifacts unrelated to native tissues.
- Entrapped food substances in oral tissues can lead to diagnostic challenges and potential misdiagnosis.
- Understanding the microscopic appearance of food particles is essential for accurate pathological interpretation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document and characterize the microscopic appearances of commonly encountered food particles.
- To aid pathologists in differentiating food artifacts from pathological changes.
- To reduce diagnostic errors caused by exogenous material in tissue samples.
Main Methods:
- Procurement of fourteen diverse food samples from a local market.
- Fixation in 10% formalin, followed by standard tissue processing.
- Hematoxylin and eosin staining of prepared sections for microscopic observation.
Main Results:
- Each food type exhibited unique and distinct microscopic histological features.
- Channa dal presented as round-to-oval structures with central pale eosinophilic lobulation.
- Capsicum showed variable round-to-polygonal shapes with clear central areas; Urad dal appeared as clusters of eosinophilic structures.
Conclusions:
- Recognizing the specific microscopic morphology of food particles is vital for accurate histopathological diagnosis.
- Further research is needed to investigate a wider range of food particles and their histological characteristics.
- This study highlights the importance of identifying food artifacts to avoid diagnostic dilemmas in pathology.
