Organic nutrient content of the US Food and Drug Administration's Total Diet and its possible use as a standard reference material

Abstract

Mixed diet composites containing 201 different foods from the United States Food and Drug Administration's Total Diet Study have been prepared to represent the intake of a 25- to 30-year-old male in the US. To date, foods from ten different collections have been received and composites representing six collections have been prepared and assayed. Each composite, representing one of four different geographical areas of the US (West, South, Northeast, North Central), was assayed for proximates (fat, protein, moisture, carbohydrates, and ash), elemental composition and organic nutrient content. The elemental content is reported separately. This paper deals with the proximate and organic nutrient content. The organic nutrients determined were thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid and biotin. The results to date show no significant variations in the contents among the individual collections. Portions of the collections have been freeze-dried and mixed to prepare a total diet reference material. Analytical results for nutrient content of the dry material are equivalent to those of the original composite.