Sodium and potassium in composite food samples from the Canadian Total Diet Study

Sodium (Na) and potassium (K) are essential nutrients. Like people in many Western societies, Canadians consume too much Na and not enough K, both of which contribute to hypertension. We analysed the Na and K content of 154 food composites, broadly representative of the foods most commonly consumed in Canada, from the Canadian Total Diet Study collection of 2007. Foods were prepared as if for home consumption before compositing. No salt was added during food preparation. Samples prepared by aqueous extraction were analysed by atomic emission (Na) or atomic absorption spectrometry (K). Processed foods and soups contained large amounts of Na per reference amount (serving) of the food, with 17 samples containing over 1/3 of the Adequate Intake (AI) for adults, or >500 mg Na/serving. Fluid milk, unprocessed meats and several fruits and vegetables contained large amounts of K per reference amount, with 11 samples containing over 10% of the AI for adults, or >470 mg K/serving. Na:K molar ratios were typically either high or low, with few values near unity. Thus, with few exceptions, foods high in Na were lower in K, and vice versa. Through judicious food selection it may be possible for consumers to decrease Na intake while increasing K, with associated health benefits. Such choices would be consistent with common nutrition advice to decrease consumption of processed foods, while increasing intakes of fresh fruits and vegetables.     

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.     

中国总膳食研究食物聚类自动化探索

目的实现中国总膳食研究食物聚类自动化,提高食物聚类计算的质量和效率。方法通过对中国食物成分表中食物编码特点研究,以及总膳食研究食物聚类的原则进行分析,构建能够让计算机语言识别这些特点和原则的算法,实现食物聚类自动化。结果以第五次中国总膳食研究某省膳食调查数据为例,将292种食物聚为53种聚类食物,聚类结果符合总膳食研究聚类要求。结论该方法能够有效地实现中国总膳食研究食物聚类自动化计算,提高了中国总膳食研究中食物聚类的质量和效率。     

Amino acid composition and nutritional value of four cultivated South American potato species

Protein content, amino acid composition, nutritional quality and patatin characteristics were determined in tubers of four South American cultivated potato species (Solanum andigenum, Solanum goniocalyx, Solanum phureja, Solanum stenotomum) and a cultivar of the commonly cultivated cultivar Desirée of Solanum tuberosum. Protein content (on dry matter basis) of S. andigenum and S. stenotomum was highest at 7.9% and 8.0%, respectively, and the relative quantities of patatin for both species were 41.7% and 34.0%, respectively. The nutritional value of patatin, in terms of essential amino acid index with respect to a reference protein of FAO/WHO (EAAI_adult) ranged from 93.0% (S. phureja) to 112.5% (S. goniocalyx). In case S. goniocalyx, the patatin fraction was a nutritionally better protein fraction than a protein concentrate or tuber dry matter, which had EAAI_adult values of 97.6% and 82.9%, respectively. This suggests that this species may have potential in potato breeding programmes and in human nutrition.     

Simultaneous determination of 31 elements in foodstuffs by ICP-MS after closed-vessel microwave digestion: Method validation based on the accuracy profile

This article describes an optimisation and validation process for the simultaneous determination of 31 elements – lithium, boron, sodium, magnesium, aluminium, potassium, calcium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, iron, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, germanium, arsenic, selenium, strontium, molybdenum, silver, cadmium, tin, antimony, tellurium, barium, mercury, lead and uranium – in food samples by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after closed-vessel microwave digestion. In order to improve the limits of quantification of certain elements for risk assessment in the context of the first French Infant Total Diet Study (iTDS), the analytical conditions of the multi-elemental method were optimised. The validation was conducted using the evaluation of several performance criteria such as linearity, specificity, precision under repeatability conditions, intermediate precision reproducibility and limits of quantification (LOQ), with the use of the accuracy profile. Furthermore, the method was supervised by several external quality controls (EQC). Results indicate that this method could be used in the laboratory for the routine determination of these 31 essential and non-essential elements in foodstuffs with acceptable analytical performance. A more sensitive method will be necessary for Hg and Pb to decrease at the lowest the percentage of left-censored data for this iTDS.     

Amino acid and fatty acid compositions of Agrocybe chaxingu, an edible mushroom

The amino acid profiles and fatty acid composition of Agrocybe chaxingu were studied to evaluate the nutritional value of this species. The most abundant essential amino acid and non-essential amino acid were leucine and glutamate, respectively. The fruiting body of A. chaxingu contained 0.61 g leucine/100 g of edible weight, while those of Pleurotus ostreatus and Flammulina velutipes contained 0.53 g and 0.38 g leucine/100 g of edible weight, respectively. The content of glutamate ranged from 1.00 to 1.20 g/100 g of edible weight. Total amount of the essential amino acids of A. chaxingu (2.70 g/100 g of edible weight) was higher than those of the P. ostreatus and F. velutipes used in this study. Linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, was the major component in A. chaxingu (69.3% of total fatty acids), and the second highest component of fatty acids was palmitic acid (13.7%). The amount of MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acid) and PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid) in the fruiting body of A. chaxingu was 5.0% and 69.3% of the total fatty acid content, respectively.     

Amino acid,fatty acid,and mineral compositions of fruit,stem, leaf and root of Rubus amabilis from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The amino acid, fatty acid, and mineral content of Rubus amabilis harvested from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau were analyzed. Results revealed that the total amino acids in the leaves, fruits, roots, and stems of R. amabilis were 17.1, 7.5, 6.5, and 5.7 g, respectively. Further analysis of the amino acids showed that the protein contained nutritionally useful quantities of essential amino acids. The total essential amino acids in the leaves of R. amabilis were 9.3 g ETAAs/100 g. Total fatty acids varied in different parts of R. amabilis. Stearic acid, linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid in the leaf samples were 41.4%, 13.7%, 11.9%, and 6.7%, respectively. Lauric acid, oleic acid, docosahexoenoic acid, and eicosenoic acid were present only in small quantities. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium were the most abundant minerals in the leaf samples. Among the essential trace mineral elements, Fe exhibited the highest content in different parts of R. amabilis.     

Availability of foods and beverages in nationally representative samples of Portuguese households from 1990 to 2000: the DAFNE initiative

The aim of the study was to identify time trends and socio-demographic disparities in Portuguese food habits and to compare Portuguese food habits to those of other European countries. Data collected through the Portuguese Household Budget Surveys (HBS) of 1989/1990, 1994/1995 and 2000/2001 were analysed. The classification scheme developed in the context of the Data Food Networking (DAFNE) initiative was applied to form comparable food and beverage groups. The mean availability in quantity/person per day was estimated for the overall population and by socio-demographic groups (according to locality of the dwelling, education and occupation of the household head). Trends in food availability suggest a departure from the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern. In 2000, Portugal was among the European countries with high daily availability of several of the components of the Mediterranean diet. The Portuguese were identified among the highest consumers of cereals, pulses, fruits, potatoes, fish and seafood, fats and oils (mainly of vegetable origin) and alcoholic beverages (wine in particular), but also of meat and meat products, and among the lowest consumers of vegetables, milk and milk products, eggs, sugar and sugar products, fruit and vegetable juices, soft drinks and stimulants (coffee, tea and cocoa). Even if socio-demographic disparities in food availability have narrowed in the 1990s, they can still be identified in the most recent 2000 data. Despite some methodological constraints, data derived from the DAFNE databank contributed to better documentation of Portuguese food habits and allowed evaluation of the country’s situation compared to other European countries.     

Meat physicochemical properties,fatty acid profile,lipid oxidation and sensory characteristics from three North African lamb breeds,as influenced by concentrate or pasture finishing diets

This study investigated the meat quality of lambs from three North African breeds (Barbarine, BB; Queue Fine de l’Ouest, QFO; and Noire de Thibar, NT) reared on concentrate (S) or on pasture (P). A total of 18 P and 18 S lambs (20 kg initial body weight) were used, with 6 P and 6 S lambs for each breed. After 67 days, all lambs were slaughtered at 26 kg final body weight and meat quality was studied. The pH of S lambs 1 h post-mortem was lower than that of P lambs (p = 0.001). Water cooking loss, colour and sensory quality were not affected by both factors. The pasture and the concentrate meats had the same proportions of lipids and proteins; however QFO and BB breeds had more intramuscular fat than NT breed. The saturated fatty acid proportion was higher for S than P groups (50.63 vs. 44.48%, respectively) and for QFO compared to other breeds. C18:1 was higher for S groups, while C18:2, C18:3 and CLA were higher for P groups. The S group had higher lipid oxidation, while the QFO breed had the highest TBARS. P lambs may have healthier meat than S lambs and the NT breed had the leanest meat with higher concentration of desirable FAs.     

Fatty acid profiles of livers from selected marine fish species

Fish livers (FLs) constitute a rich and underexploited source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs). Unfortunately, FLs are usually discarded when fish are processed in industrial factories for human consumption, thus the nutritional possibilities of LCPUFAs of FLs is wasted. Nevertheless, these organs might be used as a cheaper source of LCPUFAs, such as eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5n-3), docosahexaenoic (DHA, 22:6n-3) and arachidonic acids (AA, 20:4n-6). In the present work, the FA profiles of FLs of 12 fish species commonly consumed in southern Spain have been determined. The output of the analyses showed that the total FA in FLs ranged between 10.8% in European anchovy to 70.0% in great weaver. FLs from shortfin mako yielded the most unsaturated oil, showing also the higher amount of LCPUFAs (51.4%) and n-3 LCPUFAs (46.3%). FLs from great weever and European anchovy were characterized by a high LCPUFA content. All species show a good n-3/n-6 ratio, with blue whiting (10.2) at the top of the range. Saturated FAs (SFAs) reached the highest amounts in European pilchard (35.8%) and axillary seabream (35.5%), while Mediterranean hake showed the higher amounts of monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) (50.2%), although LCPUFA content was also noticeable in this species. A remarkable characteristic of FLs confirmed in this work is that this organ constitutes a rich source of n-3 LCPUFA, especially of EPA and DHA.     

Discriminant amino-acid components of Bactrian (Camelus bactrianus) and Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) meat

Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) and Bactrian (Camelus bactrianus) camels are close species and their hybrids fertile, but until now no comparative data on the nutrient composition of their meat has been available. Six muscle samples were collected from nine Bactrians and 10 dromedaries from Kazakhstan and the Sultanate of Oman, respectively. They were used for amino-acid pattern determination. The essential amino-acid index was higher for all muscles in the dromedary meat than in Bactrian meat with a mean value of 216.9 and 191.6, respectively, which is high compared to other red meats. The between-muscle variability was higher in dromedary than in Bactrian meat and was more important than the between-species variability. However, the two species were well discriminated on the second factor of the linear factorial discriminant analysis with 93.14% well-classed meat based on 7 discriminant amino-acid including 4 essential ones. The Bactrian camel meat was richer in proline and leucine and the dromedary camel meat in serine, tyrosine, histidine, threonine and arginine. In spite of these differences, both meats were characterized by their richness in methionine and leucine. Consequently, the dromedary and Bactrian meats could provide an excellent source of high-quality proteins for human consumers.     

Influence of commercial cut on proximate composition and fatty acid profile of Rasa Aragonesa light lamb

The aim of this work was to assess the proximate and fatty acid (FA) composition of the edible portion, including fat and muscle, of different commercial cuts in lamb. Ten entire males belonging to the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Ternasco de Aragón’, weaned at about 50 days old and intensively fed with concentrate and cereal straw ad libitum until reaching 80 days old, were used. Seven commercial cuts were assessed: leg, shoulder, neck, shoulder-ribs, loin + rack, breast and flank. The leanest cut, considering the edible composition, was the leg, with a fat content of 11.5%, although not statistically different from the neck, shoulder and shoulder-ribs. The fattest cut was the breast (42%), although it contributed little to the total fat content of the animal representing only 4.5% of the whole carcass weight. Few differences were found in the percentages of FA and were mainly associated with the minor FA, although shoulder-ribs and loin + rack had the highest percentage of stearic acid. However large differences were found in the amount of FA among commercial cuts.     

Amino acids,major carotenoids and vitamin A activity of some traditional sauces consumed in the Far North Region of Cameroon

The aim of this study was to determine the amino acids major carotenoids and vitamin A activity in the 22 most frequently consumed traditional sauces in the Far North Region of Cameroon. Results showed that the most abundant amino acids in all sauces were glumatic acid (119–192 mg/g protein), aspartic acid (61.3–132 mg/g protein), leucine (34.5–99.2 mg/g protein) and phenylalanine (22.1–64.3 mg/g protein). High levels of amino acids were found in Gouboudou. Essential amino acids in most of the sauces represented up to 33% of total amino acids, indicating a good equilibrium between amino acids. Essential amino acids in most of these sauces met the recommended children requirement of the FAO/WHO/UNU for children 1–2 years old, except methionine and cysteine. Methionine + cysteine and lysine were the limiting amino acids in these sauces. Carotenoids and vitamin A activity (0.02–0.15 mg retinol activity equivalents/100 g dry weight) were present only in small quantities in all sauces when compared with other African sauces.     

Determination of zinc concentrations in foods of animal origin,fish and shellfish from Croatia and assessment of their contribution to dietary intake

Zinc concentrations were determined in a total of 121 samples of meat and meat products, fish and fish products and shellfish collected and marketed in Croatia. The concentrations were determined in the following ranges (mg/kg): meat 4.65–64.9, meat products 4.55–51.8, fish 3.12–19.5, fish products 12.3–31.2, mussels 21.1–30.9, oysters 129–431. The highest and lowest mean zinc levels determined were 222 mg/kg in oysters and 6.15 mg/kg in fish. Average zinc recovery of the method used was 100.4% with precision expressed as RSD of 1.5%. Significant differences were found among the tested food items. The estimated mean daily intake (EDI) of zinc in different types of food contributing to the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for women and men were (%): meat 0.13–1.29 and 0.09–0.94; oysters 0.93 and 0.67, meat products < 0.5, both; fish, fish products and mussels < 0.15, both. The ranges of the average daily intake of zinc of the provisional maximum tolerable daily intakes (PMTDI) were (%): meat and oysters 1.05–10.3; meat products < 5; fish, fish products and mussels < 1. The results found in tested foods items were similar to results from other countries used for comparison.     

Validity and reliability of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire for the JPHC study: The assessment of amino acid intake

Background

The Japanese database of food amino acid composition was revised in 2010 after a 24-year interval. To examine the impact of the 2010 revision compared with that of the 1986 revision, we evaluated the validity and reliability of amino acid intakes assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).

Amino acid composition of the whole body,flesh and exoskeleton of female common West African fresh water crab Sudananautes africanus africanus

The amino acid composition of the whole body (edible parts), flesh and exoskeleton of the female common West African fresh water crab Sudananautes africanus africanus was determined on a dry weight basis. The total essential amino acids ranged from 349.8 mg/g to 387.3 mg/g crude protein or from 48.5% to 49.8% of the total amino acid. Both the total amino acid and the total essential amino acid showed no significant differences among the samples at P<0.05. The amino acid score showed that lysine ranged from 0.9 to 1.2, making it a good food fortifier. The predicted protein efficiency ratio was 2.6–3.4, showing that the quality of protein was high. The carbohydrate content was high (57.5–59.1 g/100 g) but the protein was lower (15.7–18.6 g/100 g). The low level of the crude fibre in the flesh will make it good to serve as a food complement.     

Flavonoid intakes in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

Major sources of flavonoids were identified, and mean intakes over several decades were reported, among 1638 participants (mean age 62.1 ± 16.0 y), of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Dietary data were collected using 7-d diet records during three time periods (1980s, 1990s and 2000-present), and the USDA flavonoid, proanthocyanidin and isoflavone databases were used to estimate dietary flavonoid intakes. Dietary intake data were divided according to decade of visit. Foods were matched with appropriate foods in the USDA databases. Mixed dishes were disaggregated to individual foods and a similar procedure was followed. Total flavonoids and five sub-classes of flavonoids, including flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols and anthocyanidins, were computed by summing appropriate compounds. The median intakes of flavonoids and the contributions of various foods to intakes were calculated by decade. Age and sex adjusted mean (SE) daily intakes of flavonoids increased from 250 (7.4) in the 1980s to 280 (9.9) mg in the 2000s. Top contributors of flavonoids were tea, apple/pear (and juices), citrus fruits (and juices), peaches, plums, grapes, nectarines (and juices) and chocolate. The data show an increase in the consumption of flavonoids over the three decades, which appears to be related to intake of fruit.     

Nutrient profile of black coffee consumed in Serbia: Filling a gap in the food composition database

Accurate food composition data is essential in calculating the nutrient intake of a population based upon its consumption statistics. In the Serbian Food Composition Database (FCDB) there is a lack of reliable analytical data for black coffee, even though this is one of the most abundantly consumed beverages. In addition to evaluating the nutritional significance of black coffee consumption in Serbia, this work provides analytical data for inclusion in the Serbian FCDB, and the interchange through EuroFIR FoodEXplorer. Macronutrient, caffeine, chlorogenic acids (CGA), fatty acids and mineral content were analysed in a composite sample of roasted ground coffee, as well as in weak and strong infusions prepared in a traditional way. The macronutrient content of black coffee is in accordance with data from other FCDBs, confirming it to be of low-energy value and a modest contribution to the dietary intake of macronutrients. At the same time, consuming 200 mL (2 cups) of a strong infusion per day could provide more than 7.5% of the daily reference intake of potassium. The obtained results for caffeine and CGA in the investigated coffee infusions highlight the generally high daily consumption of these biologically active non-nutrient compounds among the Serbian population.     

Proximate composition and fatty acid profile of edible tissues of Capoeta damascina (Valenciennes, 1842) reared in freshwater and brackish water

This study aimed to determine the proximate composition and fatty acid profile of edible tissues of Capoeta damascina reared in freshwater and brackish water. The Juveniles of freshwater originating C. damascina were acclimated to brackish water of different salinities (6, 12, and 24 g/l); and grown in same conditions as their counterparts in freshwater. Increase in salinity led to higher moisture and lower lipid content (P < 0.05) in muscle, but had no marked impact (P > 0.05) on proximate composition of liver. In both tissues, the contents of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and n-3 PUFAs were significantly (P < 0.05) increased, while the content of total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) by increase in salinity. The contents of eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3), docosahexanenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3), and arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6) were significantly increased (P < 0.05), while linoleic acid (18:2 n-6) and α-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3) were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) by salinity. Considering the contents of fatty acids in 100 g of edible portions, fillets of C. damascina reared in 6 and 12 g/l salinities as well as freshwater group were good sources of n-3 PUFAs particularly EPA and DHA.     

Amino acid content in seaweeds from the Magellan Straits (Chile)

Total proteins, amino acid (AA) profile and AA score (AAS) were determined in 73 red, green and brown seaweeds collected in the sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes. Significant differences were found between the genera and seaweed colour for protein contents, essential AA (EAA), non-essential AA (NEAA) and ratio EAA/NEAA. A serving of brown seaweed would contribute to a lower protein intake than a portion of red or green seaweed. However, AAS and the EAA index (EAAI) showed that brown seaweeds had a better protein quality than red and green seaweeds. Sulfur AA were the limiting AA in red and green seaweeds while leucine was the limiting AA in brown seaweed. A high concentration of lysine was found, which is often the limiting amino acid in animal feeds. Seaweeds might be important sources of proteins with high level of EAA, however the protein and AA content varies depending on the seaweed colour and genus.