Essential and non-essential/toxic trace elements in whey protein supplements

Twenty-six (26) trace elements (essential and non-essential/toxic) were determined in 49 whey protein (WP) supplements available for sale in the Portuguese market by inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry. The most abundant essential trace element was Fe (13.7 ± 16.7 μg/g) and the least abundant was Co (0.040 ± 0.028 μg/g). The estimated daily intake was calculated and, considering a daily consumption of 50 g of WP supplement, on average, 100 % of the recommended dietary allowance for Mo and ca. 40 % for Se is met. A safety assessment was also performed based on the Permitted Daily Exposure limits settled by the USP, general chapter <2232> . The daily consumption of 50 g of WP supplement does not contribute for more than 12.1 % (Cd) of those limits, as regards As, Cd, Pb and Hg. Thus, WP supplements can be considered safe products, regarding the presence of potentially toxic elements.     

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.     

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.     

Rapid determination of toxic and rare-earth elements in teas by particle nebulization-ICPMS

Toxic elements profiling of teas is vital in terms of both quality control as well as a means to generate a comprehensive database for human-health-risk assessment. Accordingly, in the present study, a rapid method using direct nebulization of tea particles for inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ionization and subsequent detection of toxic elements by mass spectrometry (MS) was developed. Dried and well grounded tea particles were stably dispersed in 0.5% polyethylene-imine and the particle slurries were analyzed by ICP-MS using aqueous standard calibration. Monitoring the nebulization, transportation, and ionization behaviors of particles of different sizes revealed that particles with a mean size of 1 μm provide values comparable with those of aqueous standards containing equivalent concentrations of the analyte. The excellent recoveries of the method (90–105%) were verified by analyzing two tea certified reference materials, and the detection limits ranged from 0.03 (for Tm) to 1.2 (for Cr) μg kg⁻¹. Then, we performed screening analysis of five toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb) and 16 rare-earth elements in 20 Pu’er teas, and the results revealed that the contents of all the toxic elements and heavy rare earth oxides were low level, where those of the light rare-earth oxides were high. Furthermore, the total rare-earth oxides content of 30% of the Pu’er teas exceeded the Chinese National limit.     

Inter- and intra-variability in the mineral content of rice varieties grown in various microclimatic regions of southern Brazil

The most common goal for rice breeding is to improve the nutritional content and to reduce toxic components. Fourteen varieties of rice were grown for this purpose in six microclimatic regions in southern Brazil. The elemental composition of rice and As-Species were measured by ICP-MS and HPLC-ICP-MS, respectively. Intra- and inter-species variations of essential and non-essential elements in husked grains from an important rice-producing region in Brazil are presented. Arsenic, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Se, and Zn were significantly affected by the microclimatic region and the rice varieties. The only exception observed was the effect of Pb variety selection, with 35.4 % associated with random fluctuations. Varieties with both higher levels of Fe/Zn and lower levels of As/Cd were identified in all regions studied. All regions and varieties were able to produce rice with Cd < 10 μg kg⁻¹, but the Santa Vitoria do Palmar region where varieties with Cd < 45 μg kg⁻¹ were selected. Well-established varieties result in a higher daily intake of essential elements than the varieties under development. Therefore, our findings may provide information to support the selection procedures for varieties, as well as to encourage improvements in management practices between regions.     

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.     

Element content and daily intake from dietary supplements (nutraceuticals) based on algae,garlic, yeast fish and krill oils—Should consumers be worried?

The element content of sixty seven food supplements falling into five different categories was determined with an Agilent 8800 Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS and the maximum daily intake calculated. The determined elements were: Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, V, Cr, Mn, Fe Co, Cu, Zn, Mo, Se, I, Br, B, Al, As, Cd, Sb and Pb. The majority of supplements contained significantly less essential elements than the recommended daily intake. Exceptions were two algae based products leading to a very high iron intake. The use of 3 other algae based products would result in increased iodine intake. Of the non-essential elements determined the intake of inorganic arsenic from all supplements was below the limit set by ANSI 173, but several algae based and one garlic based supplement contained levels of inorganic arsenic above the limit set in China for food supplements. Generally garlic, fish oil and krill oil based products pose little risk of inadvertent increased intake of essential and non-essential elements. Algae based products can lead to intakes above the recommended limits for specific elements and generally contain higher amounts of all elements. None of the tested food supplements poses a direct risk to healthy adults.     

A Brazilian Total Diet Study: Evaluation of essential elements

Total Diet Study (TDS) has been adopted worldwide and is based on the evaluation of food samples representing a Market Basket, which shows dietary habits of a large-scale population. This TDS presents results of the element concentrations, daily dietary intakes and contributions to the total daily intake of essential elements, Na, K, Ca, Fe, Zn and Cr in 30 food groups of a Market Basket of São Paulo State, Brazil. The methodology for the first Brazilian TDS for the São Paulo State population and its respective Market Basket was developed. Food consumption data and information were obtained from the National Household Food Budget Survey, Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares (POF) 2002–2003 conducted by the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics, which includes 5440 foods. The selection criteria to carry out the Market Basket were the foods consumed at more than 2 g/day/person, which represented 72% of the total weight of the foods for this population. Element concentrations were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis and ranged in mg kg⁻¹ as follows: Na: 1.5–256,185; K: 0.51–532; Ca: 22–1827; Fe: 0.08–49; Zn: 0.030–98; and in μg kg⁻¹ Cr: 2.6–799. The dietary intakes contributed by the Market Basket were: 1928 mg/day⁻¹ Na; 861 mg/day⁻¹ K; 275 mg/day⁻¹ Ca; 5.70 mg/day⁻¹ Fe; 4.25 mg/day⁻¹ Zn and 20.7 μg/day⁻¹ Cr. The observed low levels are probably due to the fact that Market Basket represented 72% of the weight of the household consumed foods. The highest contributions to the total intake of the essential elements were: salts, 78.9% of Na; breads, 36.9% of Fe and 46.4% of Cr; cereals, 18.7% of Zn; and milk/cream, 58.7% of Ca and 23.6% of K.     

Estimating the daily intake of essential and nonessential elements from lamb m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum consumed by the population in Missouri (United States)

This paper estimated the daily intake of essential and nonessential elements from lamb muscle longissimus thoracis et lumborum (m. LTL) available to the population in Missouri. Missouri grain-finished (n = 36), Missouri grass-finished (n = 40) and imported New Zealand grass-finished (n = 40) lamb m. LTL were purchased and assayed for their element composition. Total mercury in samples was quantified by atomic absorption spectrometry and other elements were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Analysis of certified reference materials (DORM-2 and TORT-2) gave recovery rates ranging from 86 to 108% and 85 to 104%, respectively. The abundance of essential elements in Missouri grain-finished and Missouri grass-finished lamb m. LTL followed the order: Potassium > phosphorus > sodium > magnesium > calcium > zinc > iron. The order in the imported New Zealand grass-finished group was: Potassium > phosphorus > sodium > calcium > magnesium > zinc > iron. Since many variables lacked normality, non-parametric (Kruskal–Wallis) comparison test was performed and the results suggested no significant difference (P > 0.05) in element composition among the lamb m. LTL groups. The estimated daily intake of 14 elements from consumption of 100 g lamb m. LTL posed no hazard to consumers.     

Elemental (As,Zn, Fe and Cu) analysis and health risk assessment of rice grains and rice based food products collected from markets from different cities of Gangetic basin,India

The present study measured arsenic (As), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) concentrations in grains of different rice varieties and rice based food products collected from various cities located in Gangetic basin in India. Total 44 rice samples were collected from local markets from different locations and analyzed for elemental concentrations by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The results showed that the mean concentration of As, Zn, Cu and Fe were 0.15 ± 0.10, 117 ± 24, 4.6 ± 0.5 and 32.5 ± 5.7 μg g^-1 dw, respectively in rice grains and 0.17 ± 0.09, 193 ± 241, 4.5 ± 1.0 and 45.7 ± 25 μg g^-1 dw, respectively in rice based food products. The hazard quotient (HQ) of As was the lowest in Patna (2.4) and the highest in Kolkata (5.0) but it was always higher than threshold value of one. The carcinogenic risk of the As for rice grains was found to be higher (10^-3) than safe range of 10^-6-10^-4 set by USEPA except Jabalpur. Daily consumption analyses also indicated that consumption of rice and rice products was not sufficient to fulfill daily requirement of Fe in most of the cities. The present results implicate that the consumption of rice and rice products may act as source of As on one hand and may not provide sufficient essential elements on the other.     

Evaluation of microwave-assisted ultraviolet digestion method for rice and wheat for subsequent spectrometric determination of As,Cd, Hg and Pb

The aim of this study was to optimize a sample preparation method for rice and wheat using microwave-assisted ultraviolet digestion (MW-UV) for subsequent determination of toxic elements. Cadmium and Pb were determined by sector-field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS), while As and Hg were determined by chemical vapor generation coupled to atomic absorption spectrometry (CVG-AAS). A systematic evaluation of the microwave heating program, nitric acid concentrationand sample mass was performed to optimize the MW-UV digestion method for rice and wheat samples. The relationship between nitric acid concentration and sample mass was monitored by determination of the residual carbon content (RCC) and residual acidity (RA) in order to obtain a high efficiency of digestion. The MW-UV method was successful at digesting up to 1100 mg of rice and wheat using 4 mol L⁻¹ HNO₃ with RCC and RA lower than 1.5 %, and 10 %, respectively. Recovery results ranging from 88 % to 117 % and agreement with certified reference values (t-test, 95 % confidence level) were obtained after digestion using the MW-UV method for spiked samples and certified reference materials (peach leaves-NIST 1547 and tomato leaves-NIST 1573), respectively. The optimized method was suitable for analysis of toxic elements in rice and wheat in compliance with the maximum levels reported in official directives.     

Essential and toxic elements in three Pakistan's medicinal fruits (Punica granatumZiziphus jujuba and Piper cubeba) analysed by INAA

Three important medicinal fruits generally used by the people of Pakistan for the treatment of different diseases have been studied for their mineral contents. Twenty-two major and minor trace elements (essential, toxic and non-essential) were identified in Punica granatum (pomegranate), Ziziphus jujuba (jujube) and Piper cubeba L. (cubeb) by employing instrumental neutron activation analysis technique. The studied medicinal herbs are a good source of the essential elements while toxic elements are found in trace amounts. K is detected as a major element in pomegranate, jujube and cubeb with respective values of 1.20%, 1.18% and 2.01%. Pomegranate has significant concentrations of Na, Zn, Cr and Se; jujube has high Cl, Zn, Mn and Co contents while cubeb is a good source of K and Fe. The baseline data presented in this work can be used in understanding the role of mineral elements in nutritive, preventive and therapeutic properties of medicinal herbs.     

Determination of chemical,insoluble dietary fibre,neutral-detergent fibre and in vitro digestibility in rice types commercialized in Czech markets

This study aimed to characterize non-traditional types of rice imported to the Czech Republic. Several chemical parameters of rice types were evaluated, and easy procedures for determination of insoluble dietary fibre, neutral-detergent fibre and the in vitro digestibility were suggested. Twelve imported rice types commonly available in the Czech market were purchased and subjected to analyses. Dry matter, ash, crude oil, starch and protein were determined in all samples of rice types. Additionally, in vitro organic matter digestibility, dry matter digestibility, dietary and neutral-detergent fibre contents were determined too. The highest amount of dietary fibre was detected in red (3.49%) and basmati natural rice (3.26%) (P < 0.05) and the highest content of neutral-detergent fibre was found in red (8.22%), red jasmine (7.61%) and brown jasmine rice (7.98%) (P < 0.05). While the best digestibility was assessed in parboiled (97.51%), parboiled with Indian (97.79%), lilac (96.12%) and milky round-grained rice (96.25%) (P < 0.05), the poorest digestibility was found in Thaibonnet natural (77.82%) and basmati natural rice (87.48%) (P < 0.05). High values of dry matter digestibility and organic matter digestibility are in relation with low amounts of dietary and neutral-detergent fibre and also with higher starch and protein content of rice grains.     

Simultaneous analysis of 21 elements in foodstuffs by ICP-MS after closed-vessel microwave digestion: Method validation

This paper describes a validation process for the simultaneous analysis of 21 elements: lithium (Li), aluminium (Al), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), arsenic (As), strontium (Sr), molybdenum (Mo), silver (Ag), cadmium (Cd), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), barium (Ba), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) in food samples by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after closed-vessel microwave digestion. This validation was realized in parallel with the analysis of the 1322 food samples of the second French Total Diet Study (TDS) by the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) of the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA). Several criteria such as linearity, limits of quantification (LOQ), specificity, precision under repeatability conditions and intermediate precision reproducibility were evaluated. Furthermore, the method was supervised by several internal and external quality controls (IQC and EQC). Results indicate that this method could be used in the laboratory for the routine determination of these 21 essential and non-essential elements in foodstuffs with acceptable analytical performance.     

Application of multidimensional scaling technique to differentiate sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) cultivars according to their chemical composition

Proximate composition (moisture, protein, starch, amylose, total dietary fibre, Brix degree, fat, ash, ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, acidity and pH), minerals (Na, K, Ca, Mg) and trace elements (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn) were determined in 30 cultivars of sweet potato from the Canary Islands (Spain). There were significant differences between the sweet potato cultivars for all the parameters studied; in addition, both the island of production and the cultivation cycle showed a noteworthy influence on the mineral and trace element composition of the tubers. It is worth mentioning that the consumption of sweet potatoes contributes relatively high intake levels of vitamin C, phenolic compounds and mineral and trace elements (K, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe and Cu). Application of multidimensional scaling (MDS) correctly classified the sweet potato cultivars according to the island of production and maturation cycle.     

Mineral elements content of wild growing edible mushrooms from the southeast of Spain

Wild-growing mushrooms could be a potential source of mineral elements The aim of this study was to analyze the mineral composition of 18 species of wild-growing mushrooms collected in a natural park from the Spanish southeast (province of Granada). Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Cu and Zn, were determined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy and P was analyzed colorimetrically by the vanadomolybdate procedure; the accuracy of methods was assessed by the use of certified reference materials. The contribution of mushrooms consumption to the mineral daily recommended intakes was calculated. Although large variations were observed between species, the most abundant mineral elements in the analyzed mushrooms were K and P, with average contents of 29.3 ± 8.1 and 8.60 ± 4.8 g/kg dry matter (dm), respectively. Low Na concentrations were observed (26.5–579 mg/kg dm), with the only exception of Amanita ovoidea, and high Fe values, exceeding in some cases 1000 mg/kg dm (such as in Lactarius deliciosus and Morchella conica). Mushrooms may be significant contributors of K and P in the human diet and also good sources of trace elements, especially Cu and Fe, providing negligible quantities of Na. Strong correlations were observed for Ca/Mg and Cu/Zn contents in the mushrooms analyzed.     

Trace elements in blood and serum of Swedish adolescents: relation to gender,age, residential area,and socioeconomic status

The influence of gender, age, residential area, and socioeconomic status on the blood and serum levels of 13 trace elements was studied in boys and girls living in two Swedish cities with different socioeconomic and environmental characters. The same groups of adolescents were sampled twice, at ages 15 (n=372) and 17 (n=294) years. All the investigated factors were shown to be of importance. Age was important for most elements; e.g., copper levels in both blood and serum increased in girls, and selenium increased in serum from both genders. Lead decreased approximately 10% in blood from the first to the second sampling, and cadmium increased in blood, however not in nonsmokers. The age factor may also reflect temporal changes in environmental exposure, especially for nonessential elements. Girls had higher levels of cobalt and copper, while lead in blood was higher in boys. Smoking girls had higher copper levels than nonsmoking girls. Residential area influenced all elements. The teenagers with university-educated mothers had higher levels of cadmium in blood than those with only primary school-educated mothers.     

南方某市2012年市售大米镉污染状况及膳食暴露评估

目的了解南方某市市场大米中镉污染状况,评价居民食用大米摄入镉情况。方法随机采集该市各区县超市和农贸市场出售的大米,用石墨炉原子吸收法检测镉含量;用人均月摄入大米量和平均体重估算米镉月摄入量占暂定每月允许摄入量(PTMI)的比重。结果 100份大米中,镉含量均值为0.19mg/kg,超标率46.0%;地产大米镉含量和超标率最高(P50=0.23,P90=0.35mg/kg,61.4%);外省产最低(P50=0.13,P90=0.22mg/kg,16.1%)。估算居民每月通过大米摄入镉为19.9μg/kg·BW。结论该市市售大米镉污染较普遍,镉含量偏高,应加强监测,控制污染。     

Evaluation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Circassian cheese by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in traditional/industrial smoked and unsmoked Circassian cheeses available in Turkish markets were analysed using solid-phase extraction, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. Mean levels of a total of 9 PAHs in smoked traditional and industrial Circassian cheeses were 19.6 and 6.73 μg kg⁻¹, while levels in unsmoked traditional and industrial cheeses were 0.77 and 0.49 μg kg⁻¹, respectively. The dominant individual PAHs found were naphthalene and acenaphthene. Benzo[a]pyrene, a marker compound representing carcinogenic PAHs, was found in 90% and 30% of traditional smoked and unsmoked Circassian cheeses, 52% and 24% of industrial smoked and unsmoked cheeses, respectively. Correlation statistical analysis showed that benzo[a]pyrene was a good marker for total 9 PAHs in Circassian cheese samples (r_{B[a]P/sum of 9 PAHs} = 0.816, p < 0.01) as well as the best marker for 5 carcinogenic PAHs (r_{B[a]P/carcinogenic PAHs} = 0.904, p < 0.01). Risk assessment conducted using daily intakes of sum of 9 PAH levels found in both traditional and industrial smoked Circassian cheese samples showed high risk compared with unsmoked cheeses.     

Free and bound amino acids,minerals and trace elements in matcha (Camellia sinensis L.): A nutritional evaluation

This study provides an overview of free and bound amino acids, minerals and trace elements content in matcha including evaluation of their dietary intakes. The analyses employed IEC and ICP-MS methods. Theanine followed by Glu, GABA, Thr and Me were the most abundant free amino acids. Considering bound amino acids, Glu, Asp, Leu, Lys, Arg and Val were the most frequent. The amino acid score (AAS) for matcha (40.2 %) is comparable to the AAS for wheat and sunflower proteins. Ile and Thr were evaluated as limiting amino acids. Regarding recommended daily allowance (RDA), the contributions of Cys and Met were up to 8%. Matcha is contributor to Adequate Intake (AI) or RDA for males in the following order: Mn (up to 15 %) > Cu > Fe (up to 7%). Similarly, for females, matcha contributes to RDA or AI values in this order: Mn (up to 19 %) > Cu > Zn (up to 5%). It has not been proved that matcha is a significant source of Se and Cr. A daily serving portion of 5 g does not contribute to PTWI (Provisional tolerable weekly intake) and PTMI (Provisional tolerable monthly intake) for Al, Sn, Cd and Hg.