Abstract
Vitamin K content of foods is known to vary substantially by geographical location. In Australia, no Vitamin K database of food exists, thereby creating ambiguity when trying to develop national dietary intake guidelines. This investigation aimed to develop a Vitamin K database for commonly consumed foods that are commercially available in Australian supermarkets. The Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone; PK) and K2 (menaquinone; MK4, MK7) content of 60 foods known to contain Vitamin K were assessed (e.g., vegetables fruits, oils, animal products, dairy and fermented foods). A liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LCMS/MS) method was developed and used to measure PK and MKs in different foods with an improved chromatographic separation and detection of Vitamin K's and their analogs. The LOD and LOQ for PK and MK4 was 0.1, 0.5 ng/ml and 0.5, 1.0 ng/ml, respectively. The majority foods contained detectable PK (53/60), about half contained MK4 (31/60), and few contained MK7 (3/60). PK was highest in green leafy vegetables, with moderate amounts in oils. Highest MK4 content was in chicken eggs and meat products such as ham and chicken. This database enables nutritional epidemiologist to estimate dietary Vitamin K intake, especially in Australian cohorts, for a range of health outcomes.
Highlights
Vitamin K refers to a group of fat-soluble vitamins best known for their role in blood coagulation
We present an Australian food composition database for Vitamin K
Food items analyzed comprised a wide range of food groups known to provide the majority of dietary Vitamin K1 and K2, including vegetables, oils, meat, and dairy
Summary
Vitamin K refers to a group of fat-soluble vitamins best known for their role in blood coagulation. Other biological processes that Vitamin K has been implicated include blood calcium regulation, vascular anti-calcification, and bone metabolism [1]. There are two main forms of Vitamin K; Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone; PK) and Vitamin K2 (menaquinones; MK). Phylloquinone is most abundant in green leafy vegetables and their oils, but is present in smaller concentrations in the majority of food groups such as fruit, meat, and dairy products [2]. MK4 is synthesized from PK by animals, and is obtained in the diet from animal products [3]. All other MK are synthesized by anaerobic bacteria and are found in fermented foods, such as cheese [4]
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