Major and trace elements levels in multifloral and unifloral honeys in Croatia

Different honey types were collected in Croatia during 2010 and 2011: 7 multifloral orchard honeys, 7 multifloral meadow honeys, 19 black locust, 9 chestnut, 11 lime and 6 sage honeys. Elements were measured using graphite (As, Cu, Cd, Pb, Se) and flame atomic absorption spectrometer (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Zn) and by mercury analyser (Hg). Significant differences in Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Zn, As and Hg levels were observed between honey types. In chestnut honey were determined (K, Ca, Mg: mg kg⁻¹; Hg, Ad, Cd: μg kg⁻¹): the highest concentrations of K 2824.4, Ca 486.7, Mg 59.1 and Hg 2.52; the lowest of As 24.1 and Cd 2.52. Lime honey has been shown the highest content of Cu (20.6 mg kg⁻¹), Zn (6.78 mg kg⁻¹), Cd (2.14 μg kg⁻¹) and Pb (810.3 μg kg⁻¹). The lowest levels of following elements were determined in black locust honey (Fe, K, Mg: mg kg⁻¹; Hg: μg kg⁻¹): Fe 2.77, K 304.7, Mg 8.02 and Hg 0.82. Sage honey had the lowest Ca and Na content (173.9 and 31.8 mg kg⁻¹). Among the multifloral honeys, the following was determined (Fe, Na, Cu: mg kg⁻¹; As, Pb: μg kg⁻¹): orchard honey – highest of Fe 5.17 and As 276.1, lowest Pb 301; meadow honey – highest Na 36.1, lowest Cu 4.38. The average Ca, Cu and Pb levels found in multifloral honey types were much higher than those reported in other European countries. Calcium levels in lime, chestnut and black locust were higher than those from other countries.     

Geographical discrimination of Italian honey by multi-element analysis with a chemometric approach

In this study the concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Na, Al, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Se, Pb, Cd, and As in 39 honey samples of different botanical (orange-blossom, lemon-blossom, chestnut, eucalyptus, acacia, sulla and wildflower honeys) and geographical (Sicily and Calabria, Italy) origin were determined by ICP-OES and ICP-MS. The most abundant minerals decreased in the following order: K (mean value: 1.57 mg g⁻¹) > Ca (0.2 mg g⁻¹) > Mg (0.121 mg g⁻¹) > Na (0.092 mg g⁻¹). Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) values and benchmark levels were employed to assess the honey quality and safety. The data excluded toxicological risks: for an adult of 60 kg, a daily intake of 2 g of honey covered maximum 0.40% of Tolerable Weekly Intake (TWI) for Al, 0.33% of Benchmark Dose of 1% Extra Risk (BMDL01) for Pb, and 0.07% of Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for Ni. Mineral content marks the differences in honey samples from different geographical origin despite the botanical factor weight and can be used as a tool to assess the traceability of honeys. The discrimination between Sicilian and Calabrian honeys was achieved by Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and also the results of Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA) indicate that the 100% of total samples are correctly classified. This research contributes to the studies to determine the geographical origin of honeys.     

Major and trace elements in sclerotium of Pleurotus tuber-regium (Ósū) mushroom—Dietary intake and risk in southeastern Nigeria

This paper presents the results of the determination of Ag, Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sr and Zn in 30 specimens of the sclerotia of Pleurotus tuber-regium mushroom from two markets in southeastern Nigeria. The elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The K and Mg contents ranged from 500 to 10,000 μg/g (dry weight), followed by Ca and Na ranging from 19 to 1700 μg/g. The median concentrations of Fe, Zn, Al, and Mn were generally >10 μg/g, followed by Rb, Cu, Sr, Ba, and P with median between 1.1 and 11 μg/g, while Cr, Ni, Ag, Co, and Cd were <1 μg/g. The Hg concentrations were between 0.0033 and 0.15 μg/g. The Pb (0.05–2.2 μg/g) and Cd (0.0027–0.16 μg/g) contents were below EU limits for these metals in fungi, and thus safe for human consumption. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the concentrations of Ba, Ca, Mg, P, Rb and Sr in sclerotia did not vary considerably, depending on the sampling location, as did Cd, Cu, and Mn. PCA also revealed that the Hg and Pb in sclerotia could be related to anthropogenic sources.     

Content of macro- and microelements and evaluation of the intake of different dairy products consumed in Croatia

Macromineral and microelement contents were measured by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry in 51 dairy products (milk, four types of cheese and butter). Significant differences in the concentrations of Ca, K, Na, Mg, Zn and Cu were observed (p < 0.05, all) between dairy products. Higher levels of Ca, Na, Mg and Se were measured in hard cheese than in semi-hard, fresh and cream cheese samples. The highest mean levels of elements were measured in products (mg kg⁻¹): milk: K 2070; hard fat cheese: Ca 10,700, Na 10,300, Mg 440, Zn 91.3, Se 0.78; cream cheese: Cu 3.12, Fe 3.9; butter: Se 0.79. The estimated daily intakes (EDIs) calculated for milk show contribution to the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for the elements (%): Ca 42, K 13.2, Mg 10.3–13.3, Zn 11.4–15.7, Se 13.1. The highest contribution of elements to the RDA values was determined for hard fat cheese (%): Na 7.93, Zn 16.6–22.8, Se 28.4. However, a contribution to the RDA of less than 1% was determined for K, Mg and Fe in cheeses. The contribution of Cu to the RDA value ranged in cheese samples between 2.78 and 6.93%, though this was less than 1% in milk.     

Comparison of the chemical composition of British and Continental European bottled waters by multivariate analysis

The elemental composition of 37 bottled waters from the UK and continental Europe has been determined. Ca, K, Mg, Na, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sr, U, V and Zn were determined by ICP-OES and ICP-MS, in addition to inorganic and total organic carbon. The composition of all the waters analysed fell within the guideline values recommended by the World Health Organization. Na, Ca, Sr and Ba showed the widest variation in concentrations, ranging over two orders of magnitude. Levels of Fe were below the limit of detection (30 μg L⁻¹) in all samples analysed. Waters produced in the UK generally showed lower levels of most major elements and trace metals, with the exception of Ba (up to 455 μg L⁻¹). Italian waters showed the highest concentrations of Sr (3000–8000 μg L⁻¹) and U (8–13 μg L⁻¹), whereas waters produced in Slovakia and the Czech Republic showed the highest levels of Pb (0.7–4 μg L⁻¹). The use of multivariate analysis reveals an association between high alkaline metal content and high concentrations of As and Cr. There also appears to be a correlation between high Ca and Sr content and high levels of U. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicates that the composition of bottled water can be distinguished primarily by the country of origin, over other factors including the geological environment of the source. This would suggest that composition reflects, and is biased towards, consumer preferences.     

Direct atomic absorption spectrometry determination of arsenic,cadmium, copper,manganese, lead and zinc in vegetable oil and fat samples with graphite filter furnace atomizer

The article presents the results of optimization of operation parameters, investigation of analytical characteristics and the abilities of a graphite filter-furnace (FF) atomizer for the direct electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy (ET AAS) determination of trace amounts of Mn, As, Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn in some vegetable oils and fats. The effect of pyrolysis and atomization temperatures of the graphite FF atomizer on atomic absorbance values of the listed elements at their evaporation from some organic solutions in the presence of a Pd-Mg chemical modifier (CM) was investigated. For the ET AAS determination of As, Pb, Cd and Zn with Pd-Mg CM, the temperature of the graphite FF atomizer for the pyrolysis step can be raised by 250–350 °C. This mode allows to eliminate the background absorption, to increase the sensitivity of the elements to be analyzed and to enhance the total content of vegetable oils or fats in organic solutions up to 0.5 g mL⁻¹. The obtained limits of quantification for Mn, As, Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn were 0.002, 0.004, 0.004, 0.002, 0.0008, 0.0004 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) varied between ∼3 and 8% and the time of one element determination did not exceed ∼3–5 min. The reliability of the proposed method was checked using the reference method. A paired Student's t-test showed no significant difference between the results obtained by both methods on a 95% confidence level.     

Recognition of organic rice samples based on trace elements and support vector machines

A simple approach is proposed for the authentication of organic rice samples. The strategy combines levels of concentration of trace elements and a data mining technique known as support vector machine (SVM). Nineteen elements (As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Ce, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, La, Mg, Mn, Mo, P, Pb, Rb, Se and Zn) were determined in organic (n = 17) and conventional (n = 33) rice samples by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (q-ICP-MS) and the variations found in their elemental composition resulted in profiles with useful information for classification purposes. With the proposed methodology, it was possible to predict the authenticity of organic rice samples with an accuracy of 98% when using the 19 original elements. An accuracy of 96% was found using only the elements Ca and Cd.     

Levels of major,minor and trace elements in commercially available enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.), Cheesman) food products (Kocho and Bulla) in Ethiopia

Kocho and Bulla are starchy foods obtained from fermenting edible part of the leaf sheath and corm of enset plant (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.), Cheesman). In the present study, the levels of selected metals (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, Cr, Co, Cd, and Pb) in Kocho and Bulla sampled from different markets of Woliso (Oromiya region) and Welkite (SNNPRG) of Ethiopia were analyzed. Known weight of oven-dried Kocho and Bulla samples were wet-digested using 2 mL of (69–72%) HNO₃ and 2 mL of (70%) HClO₄ for 2 h at variable temperature (120–270 °C). The contents of the minerals in the digests were analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrometer. The following concentrations (mean±95% confidence limit) (μg/g) were recorded in Kocho and Bulla, respectively: K (3567±16) and (792±4); Na (575±3) and (422±4); Ca (541±7) and (416±4); Mg (235±10) and (74±1); Fe (114±5) and (48.2±1.3); Zn (29±0.6) and (19.2±0.7); Cu (3.85±0.25) and (2.77±0.17); Mn (9.34±0.28) and (2.99±0.14); Ni (⩽5.61±0.29) and (⩽4.0±0.2); Cr (5.73±0.15) and (⩽5.38±0.22); Co (5.8±0.14) and (5.45±0.27). The toxic metals Cd and Pb were not detected in both types of foodstuffs. The concentration of K was highest followed by Na, Ca, and Mg in both foodstuffs. From trace elements analyzed, Zn was found to be highest next to Fe. Generally, Kocho contained higher concentration compared to Bulla for the majority of the mineral nutrients determined. In general, Kocho and Bulla are rich in Ca and Zn compared to other similar foodstuffs and contains comparable concentration of Cu, Fe, and Mn. Besides Kocho and Bulla are free of heavy metal (Cd and Pb) contaminations compared to others.     

Investigation of heavy metal concentrations in some Turkish wines

Research studies analysing heavy metal or trace elements in Turkish wines is scarce. This study was designed to fill this gap, analysing 43 wines produced in 4 different regions in Turkey. A total of 37 red and 6 white wines produced from various grapes from 2006 to 2008 in Marmara, Aegean, Central Anatolia and Eastern Anatolia regions were studied. Wines were analyzed for Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb using atomic absorption spectrometer equipped (AAS) with electrothermal atomization unit (ET). Average results for red and white wines, respectively, were: Cr, 38.6 and 29.4 μg/L; Mn, 697 and 101 μg/L; Fe, 1.7 and 0.7 mg/L; Co, 6.3 and 0.5 μg/L; Ni, 134 and 573 μg/L; Cu, 131 and 158 μg/L; Zn, 389 and 2099 μg/L; Cd, 2.8 (red wine; white wine results were under limit of detection); Pb, 6.3 (red wine; white wine results were under limit of detection). These results were interpreted for grape types and regions. Accuracy was tested with standard addition method. Recoveries ranged from 96% to 107% after standard addition. Cr, Fe and Mn in red wines were higher in comparison to white wines, whereas white wines were higher in Ni and Zn. Non-essential Cd and Pb concentrations were very low in both red and white wines. Comparison with literature shows all heavy metal concentrations in the analyzed Turkish wines to be below the limits designated by World Health Organization.     

Determination and chemometric evaluation of the mineral profile of maize flours

Maize flour is a food rich in nutrients important for the proper functioning of the human body. Nevertheless, for the determination of metals in maize flour there are few studies, which raise concern about quality and its mineral composition for consumption. In this work, it was evaluated the concentration of essential (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mg, Cr and Zn) and non-essential (Cd and Cr) metals in yellow and white maize flour samples produced in Paraná State - Brazil. For this purpose, it was performed a sample treatment employing wet digestion in a digester block and determination of metals by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The highest concentrations found in the flour were Ca (55.4 mg kg⁻¹) and Mg (86.9 mg kg⁻¹) and the lowest concentrations were Cr (0.11 mg kg⁻¹) and Cd (0.01 mg kg⁻¹). In yellow and white maize flour the highest concentration was for Mg, 81.5 mg kg⁻¹and 98.4 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that some samples had a similar mineral profile, such as the relationship with the place of origin of the cereal.     

Mineral and trace element concentrations in seaweeds from the sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes (Chile)

The P, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn concentrations were determined in seventy-three samples of seaweeds belonging to different genera (classified as brown, red and green seaweeds), which were collected from three zones in the sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes (Chile). There were clear differences in the concentrations between the considered genera. Brown seaweed had the highest mean K (31.4 g/kg) and Ca (10.3 g/kg) concentrations compared with red (14.1 g/kg for K and 3.11 g/kg for Ca) and green (13.9 g/kg for K and 7.58 g/kg for Ca) seaweed, and green seaweed had the highest mean Mg (15.0 g/kg), Fe (1260 mg/kg) and Cu (7.46 mg/kg) concentrations. The consumption of a serving (8 g) from of the three groups of brown, red and green seaweed is a good source of Fe, Mg and Mn (>25% of the Dietary Recommended Intake). Significant differences were observed in the mean concentrations of all the minerals and trace elements, except for Fe, Cu and Mn, between the three collection zones. Factor and discriminant analysis were used to differentiate the type of seaweed and sampling zone. Besides which, good classifications were obtained according to the type of seaweed using discriminant analysis.     

The risk of high mercury accumulation in edible mushrooms cultivated on contaminated substrates

Mercury (Hg) exposures represent a significant worldwide health issue. At the same time its content in cultivated mushrooms is not effectively regulated. The present study investigated how substrate contamination with Hg (0.1–0.5 mM) affects its accumulation in stipes and caps of Agaricus bisporus E58, Pleurotus ostreatus H195 and Hericium erinaceus HE01, mushroom growth and composition of macronutrients. The greatest Hg accumulation was demonstrated for caps. Generally, Hg uptake increased in a concentration-dependent manner and exceeded 44 mg kg⁻¹ (P. ostreatus), 116 mg kg⁻¹ (A. bisporus) and 53 mg kg⁻¹ (H. ercinaceus) in caps after 0.5 mM was added to the substrate. Importantly, an increase in Hg accumulation was also significant and potentially hazardous for human health at the lowest assayed concentration. A. bisporus and P. ostreatus revealed high resistance to Hg and declined its biomass only at 0.4 and 0.5 mM concentration. The presence of Hg did not alter the macronutrient composition (total carbohydrates, proteins and fats). These results highlight the significant role of proper substrate selection in mushroom cultivation to avoid exposing consumers to harmful Hg levels and further health consequences.     

Determination and evaluation of element bioaccessibility in some nuts and seeds by in-vitro gastro-intestinal method

Element bioaccessibility in some nuts and seeds has been determined by performing a physiologically based extraction test. Nine elements (B, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mg, Ni and Zn) in gastric and intestinal phase extractions of nuts and seeds were determined using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, cashew nuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and pistachio nuts were used as the materials in this study. The bioaccessible portions of magnesium and calcium were higher than for the other elements whereas B bioaccessibility was the lowest for each of the different types of nuts and seeds. Based on an ingestion rate of 10 g day⁻¹, the amounts of B, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mg, Ni and Zn from the nuts and seeds accessible to the body were found to be lower than the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels. The data were also subjected to chemometric evaluation using tools such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Linear Discriminant Analyses (LDA) in an attempt to classify the nuts and seeds according to these elements bioaccessibility and to find out which elements are more bioaccessible in gastric and intestinal ingestions.     

Cadmium levels in food containing crab brown meat: A brief survey from UK retailers

As the brown meat of crabs accumulates cadmium (Cd) to elevated concentrations, the European Commission has recommended consumer advice on the consumption of such seafood products. To supplement available data, 397 samples (including whole crabs and products containing brown crab meat) were collected from UK retailers. Cd concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 26 mg kg −1 wet weight (ww) and mean and median concentrations of 3.4 and 2.8 mg kg⁻¹ were found, respectively. Although there is no regulatory limit for Cd in brown crab meat, mean concentrations were above the permitted maximum of 0.5 mg kg⁻¹ that applies to the white meat component derived from claws and legs. These data will support the UK Food Standards Agency’s risk assessment and management measures regarding the consumption of brown crab meat by UK consumers.     

Calcium,magnesium, sodium and potassium levels in foodstuffs from the second French Total Diet Study

Calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) contents in 1319 foodstuffs habitually consumed by the French population were determined for the second French Total Diet Study (TDS), using micro-sampling flame atomic absorption spectrometry after microwave-assisted digestion. Concentration and distribution of these minerals in food samples were reported and compared with results from the previous French TDS. For Ca, the results indicate that the food presenting the highest levels are dairy products (1597 mg kg^?1), tofu (802 mg kg^?1) and some fish and cereal products; for Mg, tofu (1340 mg kg^?1), “Sweeteners, honey and confectionery” (672 mg kg^?1) especially dark chocolate (2225 mg kg^?1) and certain grains such as nuts and oilseeds (1069 mg kg^?1) and some cereal products; for Na, processed meats such as delicatessen (12,422 mg kg^?1), “Salts, spices, soup and sauces” (21,028 mg kg^?1), some cheeses and cereal products; and for K, “Cereal and cereal products” (4378 mg kg^?1), “Meats and offal” (3993 mg kg^?1), “Nuts and oilseeds” (7355 mg kg^?1) and “Sweeteners, honey and confectionery” (3445 mg kg^?1) (especially chocolate).     

Essential and non-essential elements in Brazilian infant food and other rice-based products frequently consumed by children and celiac population

Rice and its derivatives are important source of essential and non-essential elements. Essential elements as cobalt (Co) and selenium (Se) are vital for human homeostasis. However, non-essential elements such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) may be present in rice-based food and consequently, people can be exposed—especially children and the celiac population. This study aimed to determine essentials and non-essentials elements in rice-based products and baby food and also to evaluate nutritional risk by estimating the daily intake of non-essential elements. Regarding essential elements, Co and Se presented the highest concentrations in rice flour (56 μg kg⁻¹) and porridge (254 μg kg⁻¹), respectively. For non-essential elements, the highest concentrations of As, Cd and Pb were 104 μg kg⁻¹ (porridge), 16 μg kg⁻¹ (flour), and 188 μg kg⁻¹ (bread), respectively. Total As concentration in Brazilian rice-based baby food was <29 μg kg⁻¹. However, As-speciation revealed inorganic-As (i-As) as the main specie. The highest estimated daily intake of Cd, Pb and i-As were 1.37 (rice-based baby food); 10.39 (pasta); and 3.34 (pasta) μg d⁻¹, respectively. Therefore, continuous food monitoring for nutritional and toxicological purpose is necessary, especially concerning these particular populations and discussions for maximum levels of non-essential elements.     

Essential and non-essential/toxic elements in rice available in the Portuguese and Spanish markets

Eighty-six rice samples, representing the most common rice brands sold in Portuguese and Spanish markets (either locally produced or imported), were analyzed for their content of 35 essential and non-essential/toxic elements using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The mean content of essential elements was: 1189 mg/kg (P), 746 mg/kg (K), 294 mg/kg (Mg), 84.7 mg/kg (Ca), 13.3 mg/kg (Zn), 8.8 mg/kg (Na), 8.3 mg/kg (Mn), 7.5 mg/kg (Fe), 1.9 mg/kg (Cu), 0.55 mg/kg (Mo), 0.18 mg/kg (Se) and 0.12 mg/kg (Co). However, significant differences exist between the different types of rice, with brown rice showing the highest content of most essential elements. The daily intake of essential elements resulting from the average Iberian (Portugal and Spain) per capita consumption of rice was calculated and its contribution to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or Adequate Intake (AI) was estimated. Data showed that rice can be an important dietary source of P, Zn, Mn, Cu, Mo and Se but does not significantly contribute to the daily dietary intake of Ca, Na and Fe. The content of toxic elements was very low, indicating that rice can be regarded as a very safe food.     

Levels and daily intake of lead (Pb) and six essential elements in gari samples from Ondo State,Southwest Nigeria: A potential risk factor of health status

Gari, a staple food in most West African countries is a processed product of cassava plant. It supplies about 70% of the daily calorie intake in these countries. In this study, levels of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca) and iron (Fe) in gari samples that were collected from four major Nigerian cities: Akure, Ondo, Isua and Ore – all located in Ondo State, Southwest, Nigeria were determined. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of these elements were determined and compared to the recommended dietary intake limits or requirements. The mean concentrations of Pb in gari samples was 0.16 ± 0.09 mg/kg while for essential elements the concentrations were 4.13 ± 0.95, 0.00497 ± 0.00078, 12.98 ± 1.48, 1.01 ± 0.47, 512.6 ± 9.12 and 23.22 ± 2.32 mg/kg for Zn, Mn, Co, Cu, Ca and Fe, respectively. The mean estimated dietary intakes were 0.0333 ± 0.00443, 0.88 ± 0.21, 1.06 ± 0.36, 0.00278 ± 0.00068, 0.22 ± 0.04, 109.7 ± 4.22 and 4.97 ± 1.07 mg/day for Pb, Zn, Mn, Co, Cu, Ca and Fe respectively. The estimated mean Pb dietary intake from gari consumption alone was almost the same as the benchmark dose lower confidence limit (BMDL) for Pb, thus inferring that dietary route is a potential source of Pb contamination for gari consumers in Southwest Nigerian. Also, the data from this study indicated that gari is a good source of some essential elements like Mn, Co, and Cu but not exceptionally rich in Zn, Fe and Ca. It is therefore recommended that gari diets should be complemented with other food substances like beef, vegetables and low fat cheese that are good sources of the deficient elements.     

Comparisons and selection of rice mutants with high iron and zinc contents in their polished grains that were mutated from the indica type cultivar IR64

Developing rice varieties biofortified with iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) is an important strategy to alleviate nutritional deficiencies in developing countries, where polished rice is consumed as the staple food. In this study, the contents of several macro- and micro-minerals in polished rice grains of cultivar IR64 and its 254 sodium azide-induced mutants (M8 generation) were assessed. The results indicated that the contents of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc varied among the tested mutants. The polished rice grains of mutants M-IR-75 and M-IR-58 accumulated more Fe (28.10 and 27.26 mg kg⁻¹, respectively) than cultivar IR64 (3.90 mg kg⁻¹). Mutant M-IR-75 also produced higher yield (average of 8.65 ton ha⁻¹ over two crop seasons) than cultivar IR64 (average of 7.27 ton ha⁻¹). Mutants M-IR-180, M-IR-49 and M-IR-175 contained more Zn (26.58, 28.95 and 26.16 mg kg⁻¹, respectively) than cultivar IR64 (16.00 mg kg⁻¹), but only mutant M-IR-180 showed a grain yield comparable to cultivar IR64. Thus, the mutant M-IR-75 can be recommended to rice growers to produce Fe-rich rice grains. Additionally, the high-Fe (M-IR-75 and M-IR-58) and high-Zn (M-IR-180, M-IR-49 and M-IR-175) mutants can be used as genetic resources for rice improvement programs.     

Microgreens of Brassicaceae: Mineral composition and content of 30 varieties

The mineral element composition was analyzed for 30 varieties of microgreens, representing 10 species within 6 genera of the Brassicaceae family. Brassicaceae microgreens were assayed for concentrations of macroelements, including calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), phosphorous (P), sodium (Na), potassium (K), and of microelements, including copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn). Determinations of mineral elements in microgreen samples were performed using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrophotometer (ICP OES). Potassium was the most abundant macroelement ranging from 176 to 387 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW), followed by P (52–86 mg/100 g FW), Ca (28–66 mg/100 g FW), Mg (28–66 mg/100 g FW), and Na (19–68 mg/100 g FW). Among the microelements, Fe tended to be most abundant (0.47–0.84 mg/100 g FW), followed by Zn (0.22–0.51 mg/100 g FW), Mn (0.17–0.48 mg/100 g FW), and Cu (0.041–0.13 mg/100 g FW). Based upon the analysis of 30 varieties, the results demonstrate that microgreens are good sources of both macroelements (K and Ca) and microelements (Fe and Zn.). Consumption of microgreens could be a health-promoting strategy to meet dietary reference intake requirements for essential elements beneficial to human health.