Estimated Dietary Intake Research Articles

Estimated dietary intake of essential elements from four selected staple foods in Najran City, Saudi Arabia

The estimated dietary intake (EDI) of essential elements selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu) has not been previously investigated for Najran city, Saudi Arabia. This type of information can be valuable for protecting public health. The aim of this study was to estimate the EDI of these elements. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was completed by the study participants (n = 80) to obtain dietary intake of selected staple foods (rice, wheat, meat and chicken). The concentrations of Se, Zn, Mn and Cu in these staple foods were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The ranges of concentrations (mg/kg, wet weight) were as follows: Se (0.07–0.24), Zn (3.91–20.89), Mn (0.63–14.69) and Cu (0.69–2.41). The calculated ranges of EDIs (mg/kg bw/day) for the essential elements were as follows: Se 9.55 × 10−5–5.75 × 10−4, Zn 1.33 × 10−2–5.83 × 10−2, Mn 1.49 × 10−3–3.31 × 10−2, Cu 1.65 × 10−3–5.42 × 10−3. The highest EDI for Cu and Mn came from wheat. In the case of Se and Zn, the foods that contributed the highest EDI were chicken and meat, respectively. The lowest EDIs were found for Se in wheat, Zn in rice and both Mn and Cu in chicken. The percentages (%) of provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) for Se, Zn, Mn and Cu were 13%, 11%, 14% and 3.4%, respectively when contributions from all the four classes of foods were combined. The percentage of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) derived from these foods were 80%, 20%, 17% and 5.6% for Se, Zn, Mn and Cu were, respectively. This raises the possibility of Cu deficiency in the Najran population. However, a total diet study and human biomonitoring study is needed in the future to fully assess if people in Najran city are at risk of deficiency or excessive exposure to trace elements.

Tagged sources of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in China's marine environment and fish

Most emitters of short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) in China are located in eastern China, posing potential risks to the marine environment and food web. Here we employed a comprehensive atmospheric transport model combined with multiple environmental compartment exchange modules and a marine food web model to simulate levels and risks of SCCPs in the marine environment and fish in the Yellow Sea (YS), East China Sea (ECS), and South China Sea (SCS). Results unveiled a decreasing SCCP level in seawaters and sediments towards offshore. The modeled SCCP total (dry + wet) loadings to the three seawater bodies ranged from 0.0013 to 0.1635 mg/m2/season and gaseous diffusive deposition ranged from 43 to 4443 kg/month. The meteorological factors and secondary emission contributing to seasonal changes in SCCPs were also discussed. A tagging technique was used to trace origins of SCCPs, demonstrating that source proximity contributes most in SCCP contamination to these seawater bodies. Modeled SCCP levels in 5 marine fish in the YS, ECS, and SCS ranged from 23 to 111 ng/g. Our results showed the current SCCP levels in the marine environment and fish did not pose exposure risks to fish consumers for different age groups and genders. However, if consumed fish were harvested and imported from more seriously contaminated seawaters by SCCPs, the estimated dietary intake (EDI) would considerably increase.

Identification and dietary exposure assessment of tetracycline and penicillin residues in fluid milk, yogurt, and labneh: A cross-sectional study in Lebanon.

Background and Aim:The safety and quality of dairy products are considered to be of significant importance to human health. Although antimicrobial drugs are essential for disease treatment in modern medicine, the use of these drugs can have undesired consequences for human and animal health. This study aimed to investigate the presence of tetracycline and penicillin residues in raw, pasteurized, and UHT cow’s milk of different fat contents, as well as in the dairy products yogurt and labneh, a traditional Lebanese product.Materials and Methods:A total of 44 samples, 4 raw, 9 UHT, 9 pasteurized milk, 10 yogurt, and 12 labneh samples from common local brands available in the Lebanese market were collected from Keserwan regions in May 2016. Tetracycline and penicillin residues were determined using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique.Results:The mean values for tetracycline and penicillin were all below the limit of detection (LOD) of the ELISA kit of a maximum standard concentration of 1.80 µg/kg and 4.00 µg/kg, respectively. All samples tested positive for antibiotic residues. The detection rate for tetracycline in milk (n=22) samples was 86.4% with a mean residues value of 1.16±0.70 μg/kg. The detection rate of tetracycline in labneh (n=12) and yogurt (n=10) samples was 50% for each with a mean value of 1.76±0.40 μg/kg and 0.63±0.12 μg/kg, respectively. As for penicillin residues, 90.9% of the milk (n=22) samples tested positive with a mean value of 0.52±0.25 μg/kg. The detection rate in labneh (n=12) and yogurt (n=10) samples was 0% for penicillin residues, where mean values were all below the LOD (<1.25 μg/kg) for these dairy products. None of the samples exceeded the maximum residue levels. The estimated dietary intake (EDI) for tetracycline and penicillin residues for all dairy products is 2.09 ng/kg body weight (BW)/day resulting in 0.007% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) and 1.83 ng/kg BW/day resulting in 0.006% of the ADI, respectively.Conclusion:All EDI values were below the ADI set for each antibiotic residue and do not exceed relevant toxicological reference values. However, concerns might still be present from consumption of other animal food products containing residues. Moreover, the long-term exposure to such residues is still unknown as a result of bioaccumulation; it is a challenging process to determine the actual dietary consumption of foods containing antibiotic residues; hence, the human health risk cannot be easily predicted.

Concentration, uptake and human dietary intake of novel brominated flame retardants in greenhouse and conventional vegetables

The possible adverse effects of organic pollutants entering vegetables have attracted increasing attention in recent years. However, research on the behavior of novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) in soil-vegetable systems is still limited. This work was initiated to investigate the uptake of seven representative NBFRs by vegetables from bulk soil and suspended soil particles under greenhouse and conventional conditions. The mean concentrations of the sum of seven NBFRs (Σ7 NBFRs) were 2.8 and 3.8 ng g−1 dw in greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers, respectively, and 1.1 and 1.7 ng g−1 dw in conventional tomatoes and cucumbers, respectively. Greenhouse vegetables had higher concentrations of Σ7 NBFRs than conventional vegetables. The root bioaccumulation factors (RBCFs) of tomatoes and cucumbers in response to NBFRs ranged from 0.6 to 6.3. The range of fruit bioaccumulation factors (FBCFs) was 0.3–7.0. The bioaccumulation factors (BCFs) in greenhouse vegetables were significantly higher than those in conventional vegetables, indicating that greenhouses increased the uptake of NBFRs by vegetables. To address human dietary exposure to NBFRs, the estimated dietary intake (EDI) and the amounts available for human absorption (EDIba) were calculated using vegetable consumption and gastrointestinal absorption, respectively. The mean EDI values of NBFRs from greenhouse and conventional tomato consumption were 344 ng d−1 and 109 ng d−1, respectively. The mean EDI values of NBFRs from greenhouse and conventional cucumber consumption were 445 ng d−1 and 217 ng d−1, respectively. The higher EDI values of NBFRs implied that consuming greenhouse vegetables was associated with higher health risks than consuming conventional vegetables. The mean EDIba values of the DBDPEs were 68 ng d−1 and 46 ng d−1 for tomatoes and cucumbers, respectively, and were significantly different from the EDI values due to lower bioaccessibility. Gastrointestinal absorption should not be neglected during risk assessments of human exposure to pollutants.

Dechlorane plus in greenhouse and conventional vegetables: Uptake, translocation, dissipation and human dietary exposure

In an attempt to evaluate the behavior of Dechlorane plus (DP) in soil-vegetable systems, this work investigated the uptake and translocation of DP by vegetables and the dissipation of DP in soil under greenhouse and conventional conditions. To address human dietary exposure to DP, estimated dietary intake via vegetable consumption was calculated. The uptake potential indexes of DP from soil into root for tomato and cucumber cultivated under different conditions ranged from 0.089 to 0.71. The ranges of uptake potential indexes of DP from resuspended soil particles into stem, leaf and fruit were 0.68–0.78, 0.27–0.42 and 0.39–0.75, respectively. The uptake potential indexes in greenhouse vegetables were generally higher than those in conventional vegetables when the vegetables had been planted in contaminated soil, indicating that greenhouse enhanced the uptake of DP with a high soil concentration by vegetables. The translocation factor (TF) values of DP in vegetables were in the range of 0.022–0.17, indicating that DP can be transported from root to fruit even though it has a high octanol water partition coefficient (KOW). The half-lives of DP dissipation in soil ranged from 70 to 102 days. The dissipation of DP in greenhouse soil was slightly slower than that in conventional soil. Higher estimated dietary intake (EDI) values of DP via greenhouse vegetables were observed due to the higher concentration of DP in greenhouse vegetables than conventional vegetables. These results suggested that greenhouses should not be adopted for vegetable production in contaminated regions.

Estimated Dietary Intakes of Toxic Elements from Four Staple Foods in Najran City, Saudi Arabia.

Exposure of the inhabitants of Najran area in Saudi Arabia to the toxic elements As, Cd, Cr, and Pb through foods has not been previously investigated. Exposure to such elements is an important public health issue, so the study described here was performed with the aim of determining estimated dietary intakes (EDIs) for these metals in Najran area. The As, Cd, Cr, and Pb concentrations in four staple foods (rice, wheat, red meat, and chicken) were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was completed by 80 study participants. These data were used to estimate dietary intakes of the metals in the four staple foods. The mean As, Cd, Cr, and Pb EDIs in the four food types were 1.1 × 10−6–2.6 × 10−5, 1.42 × 10−5–2.2 × 10−4, 3.4 × 10−4–8.0 × 10−4, and 2.3 × 10−5–2.1 × 10−3 mg/kg bw day, respectively. Hazard Quotients (HQ) for all elements did not exceed one. The highest Pb concentration was found for chicken and the source of this toxic element in this food needs to be investigated in the future. The lowest As concentration was found for wheat highest in rice. The EDIs for all elements in the four food types were below the provisional tolerable weekly intakes set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Analysis of total petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and risk assessment of heavy metals in some selected finfishes at Forcados Terminal, Delta State, Nigeria

Edible aquatic fin fishes (I. africana, S. scrombrus, C. saira, T. crocodilus, O. niloticus, T. lepturus and M. cephalus) obtained from Forcados Terminal river in Delta State, Nigeria were analyzed for content in total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals. Health risks to human through dietary consumption of seafood were assessed by estimated dietary intake (EDI), estimated weekly intake (EWI) and Target hazard quotient (THQ). Total Aliphatic Hydrocarbon (TAH) showed highest concentration of 0.49 ± 0.29, 0.59 ± 0.94 and 0.97 ± 0.64 mg/kg in hexadecane (I. africana), tetracosane and tetradecane (S. scrombrus). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) like naphthalene, methylnaphthalene, Acenaphthene and Acenaphthene showed highest mean concentrations of 0.06 ± 0.03, 0.08 ± 0.05, 0.05 ± 0.03 and 0.05 ± 0.04 in I. africana. The result of total petroleum hydrocarbon showed S. scrombrus revealed the highest mean concentration of 3.64 ± 0.94 mg/kg while M. cephalus gave the least Concentration of 0.08 ± 0.01 mg/kg. Heavy metals like Fe, Zn and Cu had their peak concentrations of 46.59 ± 0.34 (S. scrombrus), 10.56 ± 0.18 (C. saira) and 5.95 ± 0.03 mg/kg (S. scrombrus) respectively and it shows a significant difference (p < .05) when compared to the control. Other heavy metals of health concern like Pb, Cd and showed highest concentration as follows 5.54 ± 0.02 (M. cephalus), 0.68 ± 0.01 (Tilapia) and 0.01 ± 0.00 mg/kg (C. saira). The results showed that the THQ for Fe, Cr and Zn and were less than 1 while that of Pb was greater than 1. The findings from this study show that there is a considerable health risks connected with consumption of some sea animals from our study locale and these aquatic animal bioaccumulate heavy metals, PAHs and TPHs levels which are potentially poisonous to humans who consume them.

Dietary Intake and Omega-3 DHA Status in Pregnant Women Who Are Overweight

ObjectiveTo estimate dietary intake of pregnant women who are overweight, assess their omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) status, and compare results between Black and White women. DesignCross-sectional study with a longitudinal component (dietary assessment). SettingOutpatient clinics at Woman’s Hospital, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and telephone calls. ParticipantsPregnant women (N = 21) who were overweight (body mass index = 25.0–29.9 kg/m2). MethodsRepeated 24-hour dietary recalls using the University of Minnesota Nutrition Data System for Research were conducted to determine nutrient intakes. Red blood cell fatty acids were analyzed with gas chromatography to determine omega-3 DHA status. Descriptive statistics, one- and two-sample t tests, Fisher’s exact tests, chi-square test, and analysis of covariance were used to analyze data. ResultsOn average, participants consumed 72 ± 63 mg omega-3 DHA/day. Age, race, and socioeconomic status did not affect the probability of achieving recommended omega-3 DHA dietary intake (p > .05). Black women had lower omega-3 DHA status (7.98 ± 0.94 weight percentage) than White women (9.29 ± 1.68 weight percentage; p ≤ .05). ConclusionAnalysis of our data suggests a need for nutrition education regarding the benefits of omega-3 DHA consumption during pregnancy for women of childbearing age. The current finding warrants further exploration.

The occurrence, exposure and risk assessment of perfluoroalkyl acids in food from mainland, China

ABSTRACTTo study the contamination of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in Chinese food and the risk of dietary exposure for the Chinese population, the data of 17 PFAAs covering 38 cities throughout China in 15 groups of foods were collected for meta-analysis from published and available research literature. Using food consumption and body weight parameters, estimated dietary intakes (EDIs) were calculated for evaluation using the Scenario-Based Risk Assessment (SceBRA) modelling. Among food groups, the highest ΣPFAAs concentrations and EDI contributions were both found in poultry (363 ng/g), fish and shrimp (313 ng/g), dark vegetables (309 ng/g), fruits (116 ng/g) and pork (25 ng/g). The EDI of adults in the high-exposure scenario was about twice that of the intermediate-exposure scenario, while the EDI of children was about twice that of adults’ EDI in the intermediate-exposure scenario. In addition, the PFOS EDI for children under high exposure approached its tolerable daily intake (TDI). Therefore high dietary exposure to PFAAs is giving rise to an increased health risk, especially for children.

Chemical Safety of Unpolished Nigerian Rice

Levels of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), calcium (Ca), chromium (Cr), potassium (K), sodium (Na), and zinc (Zn) in locally cultivated rice consumed in Ondo and Ekiti States of Nigeria were investigated. The rice samples were obtained from six different rice-producing towns; Akure, Ondo, Ado, Igbemo, Ikole and Erinjiyan. The estimated dietary intake (EDI) of these elements were determined and compared with the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) and dietary reference intake (DRI) values for toxic and essential elements respectively. The measured mean levels of Pb, As, Cr, Cd, Zn, Na, Ca and K were 0.047 ± 0.007, 0.041 ± 0.004, 0.570 ± 0.032, 0.026 ± 0.003, 7.856 ± 0.659, 42.15 ± 0.191, 337.11 ± 0.315, and 2650.09 ± 0.337 µg/g respectively while the average EDI were 00.101 ± 0.042 µg/day, 0.088 ± 0.14µg/day, 1.234 ± 0.045 µg/day, 0.057 ± 0.002 µg/day, 0.017 ± 0.071 mg/day, 0.091 ± 0.013 mg/day, 0.73 ± 0.018 mg/day and 5.742 ± 0.337 mg/day respectively. The EDIs were not significantly higher than the reference values for the elements except Cr. Also the rice samples were not rich enough in sodium, calcium and potassium compared to the dietary reference intakes for these elements. It is recommended that rice diets should be supplemented with other food items such as meat, fruits and vegetables.

Methodology for estimating dietary data from the semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire of the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012.

To describe the methodology used to clean up and estimate dietary intake (DI) data from the Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SFFQ) of the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012. DI was collected through a shortterm SFFQ regarding 140 foods (from October 2011 to May 2012). Energy and nutrient intake was calculated according to a nutrient database constructed specifically for the SFFQ. A total of 133 nutrients including energy and fiber were generated from SFFQ data. Between 4.8 and 9.6% of the survey sample was excluded as a result of the cleaning process.Valid DI data were obtained regarding energy and nutrients consumed by 1 212 pre-school children, 1 323 school children, 1 961 adolescents, 2 027 adults and 526 older adults. We documented the methodology used to clean up and estimate DI from the SFFQ used in national dietary assessments in Mexico.

Evaluating heavy metal accumulation and potential health risks in vegetables irrigated with treated wastewater

Effect of irrigation with treated municipal wastewater on the accumulation of heavy metals in soils and food crops and potential health risks to human via consumption of these food crops are evaluated. The higher concentrations of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr) and zinc (Zn) were found in lettuce, radish and carrots, respectively. However, trace metal levels in all vegetables were far lower than the food safety criteria of World Health Organization and European Union. Bioaccumulation factors (BAF) for heavy metals in different vegetables showed a trend in the order: Fe > Zn > Cu > Cr. The trends of estimated dietary intake (EDIs) for adults were in the order of Fe > Zn > Cr > Cu. The highest level of total coliform was recorded in spinach, followed by radish, egg plant, tomatoes and lettuce. The low uptake of heavy metals by vegetables shows that the health risks for human are insignificant. As the variations in transfer factor of metals is related to absorption capability of vegetables, soil properties and nutrient management, the risk of human exposure to metal contamination can be significantly reduced by selecting appropriate crops.

Occurrence of mycotoxins in refrigerated pizza dough and risk assessment of exposure for the Spanish population

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by filamentous fungi, as Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. The first objective of this research was to study the presence of mycotoxins in 60 samples of refrigerated pizza dough, by extraction with methanol and determination by liquid chromatography associated with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Then, the estimated dietary intakes (EDIs) of these mycotoxins, among the Spanish population, was calculated and the health risk assessment was performed, comparing the EDIs data with the tolerable daily intake values (TDIs). The mycotoxins detected in the analyzed samples were aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), aflatoxin G1 (AFG1), zearalenone (ZEA), enniatin A (ENA), enniatin A1 (ENA1), enniatin (ENB), enniatin B1 (ENB1) and BEA (beauvericin) with average concentration of the positive samples of 4.09 μg/kg, 0.50 μg/kg, 0.79 μg/kg, 77.78 μg/kg, 14.96 μg/kg, 4.54 μg/kg, 3.37 μg/kg, 1.69 μg/kg and 22.39 μg/kg, respectively. The presence of ZEA, ENA1, ENB and ENB1 was detected in 100% of the samples, AFB2 in 32%, AFB1 in 23%, ENA in 8% and BEA in 3%. Twelve percent of the samples contaminated with AFB1 and 12% of the doughs contaminated with ZEA exceeded the EU legislated maximum limits. The dietary intakes were estimated considering three different age groups of population, and the EDIs calculated for the mycotoxins detected in the samples were all below the established TDI.

An examination of the association of cognitive functioning, adherence to sodium restriction and Na/K ratios in Korean heart failure patients.

Maintaining adequate ratios of sodium-to-potassium requires heart failure patients to be adherent to recommended dietary guidelines. A potential deterrent to adherence is poor cognitive functioning. The aims of this study were to (1) estimate dietary sodium and potassium intake and sodium-to-potassium ratios and (2) examine the associations between cognitive functioning and sodium-to-potassium ratios. Cognitive impairment may impact levels of adherence and subsequently sodium-to-potassium ratios; however, little is known about the relationship of cognitive functioning, adherence to dietary restrictions and sodium-to-potassium ratios. This study used a descriptive correlational design. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with heart failure patients with preserved or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Standard cognitive measures were used and included neuropsychological tests of global cognition, immediate and delayed recall, and executive function. Further, patients were instructed to complete a three-day food diary as an indirect measure of sodium-to-potassium intake. Ninety-one Korean patients with heart failure participated in this study (age 57years, women 33%, education 10years). A major underlying cause for heart failure was dilated cardiomyopathy (40%), followed by ischaemic cause (24%); the mean heart failure duration was 37months. Average sodium intake was 3982mg/day, with men consuming a significantly higher amount than women (4207 vs. 3523mg). Potassium intake was 2583mg/day, with both men and women consuming similarly insufficient amounts. Sodium-to-potassium ratio was 1·60, with men having a significantly elevated ratio compared with women (1·68 vs. 1·44). Cognitive function by sodium-to-potassium quartile groups showed nonlinear associations. Participants in the study consumed excessive sodium and insufficient potassium; correspondingly, elevated sodium-to-potassium ratios showed significant associations with cognitive function (memory). Dietary guidelines tailored to levels of cognitive function as well as Korean dining culture may be important in ensuring sodium-to-potassium balance in these heart failure patients.

Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in the Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in the Changseon area, Korea, and Assessment of Potential Risk to Human Health

From 2008 to 2013, the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis were collected from a major area of mussel production (Changseon area), which is a designated shellfish-cultivating area for export, located on the southern coast of Korea. The samples were analyzed for mercury (Hg) using a direct Hg analyzer and for other metals, such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The concentrations and bioaccumulation of the heavy metals were determined, and a potential risk assessment was conducted to evaluate their hazards towards human consumption. The concentration and bioaccumulation ratio of Cd were the highest of the three hazardous metals (Cd, Pb, and Hg). The concentrations of hazardous metals in all samples were within the limits set by Korea and other countries. The estimated dietary intake (EDI) was compared to the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) adopted by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EDIs of all heavy metals tested for mussel samples ranged from 0.01 to 4.99% of the PTDI; the highest value was measured for As. The hazard index (HI) can be used to assess the risk of heavy metal consumption associated with contaminated food. The HI for all samples was far less than 1.0, which indicates that the mussels produced in the Changseon area do not represent an appreciable hazard to humans and are fit for consumption.

Assessment of dietary intakes of nineteen pesticide residues among five socioeconomic sections of Hyderabad—a total diet study approach

Total diet study approach was used to assess the dietary intakes of pesticide residues among the select population in Hyderabad. When assessed by a food frequency questionnaire, it was found that the food intakes varied among five socioeconomic sections (SES). Therefore, we intended to compare the intakes of pesticide residues through these foods among the five SES. A total of 195 foods from different markets were collected and analyzed for 19 pesticides. The residues were analyzed with a gas chromatograph and were confirmed with mass spectrometry. About 51% of the samples were detected with one or more residues. Thirteen out of the 19 residues were present in levels above detection limits in various concentrations. The median concentrations of the residues in all the samples tested, ranged from 0.00010 to 0.33mg/kg. Highest median concentration was for β-HCH in water samples. Exposures to all the residues were below the respective ADIs at both mean and 95th percentile levels of food intakes with highest estimated dietary intakes (EDIs) of β-HCH in both the cases. The EDIs of β-HCH were the highest among all the residues at both the intake levels among all the SES. The EDIs of β-HCH were significantly higher in lower SES than higher SES possibly due to the consumption of rice cooked in water contaminated with β-HCH. EDIs for other residues did not differ significantly among the five SES.

Bioavailability of heavy metals in fresh water Tilapia nilotica (Oreachromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758): Potential risk to fishermen and consumers

The study was undertaken to assess the accumulation of some heavy metals (Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb and Cd) in different tissues (muscle, gills, heart, liver, brain, bone and skin) of Tilapia nilotica. It is one of the most edible fish species in Egypt and was collected from a commercial fish farm in order to evaluate their potential risk to fishermen and consumers. This fish farm is fed with discharged water containing agricultural, industrial, sewage and domestic wastes. The length-weight relation and condition factor calculation of Tilapia nilotica samples showed a significant linear regression (r2 = 0.920) and an average condition factor of 4.1 g/cm3. This indicated that the health status for the studied fish samples was good. Metal pollution index (MPI) values for the determined heavy metals in the different tissues reflected that the muscle was the only tissue that had the lowest content. Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) values for the investigated heavy metals were lower than those reported for the permissible limits. The data were evaluated by using ANOVA statistical analysis. For appraising the human health risk effects of heavy metals in fish muscle, estimated dietary intake (EDI) and hazard quotient (HQ) were determined. HQ levels indicated that Cr and Co were the only heavy metals among the determined ones that had values more than unity. Also, their relative contributions in fish consumptions were Cr> Co> Pb> Ni> Cu> Cd> Zn. The highest average HQ value of chromium determined in this study referred to the possible adverse effects of Cr on human health. Accordingly, the potential public health risks from dietary exposure to hazardous contaminants in fish species from fish farms must be continually subjected to research, regulation and debate.

The occurrence of perfluorinated alkyl compounds in human milk from different regions of China

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), especially perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), are known to occur throughout the environment and in the human population (Houde et al., 2006). The occurrence of PFCs in human umbilical cord blood and human milk, coupled with the potential developmental toxicity of PFCs, suggests the need for determining the exposure sources and magnitudes of PFCs in infants. In this study, 10 PFCs were measured in 24 pooled samples consisting of 1237 individual human milk samples. The samples were collected from 12 provinces of China in 2007. PFOS and PFOA were the predominant PFCs found in all the samples tested. The geometric mean (GM) and median of the concentrations were 46 pg/mL and 49 pg/mL for PFOS, 46 pg/mL and 34.5 pg/mL for PFOA respectively. A large variation in geographical distribution was observed for PFCs in human milk. High concentrations of PFOA (814 pg/ml for the rural samples and 616 pg/ml for the urban samples) were found in human milk from Shanghai. Estimated dietary intakes (EDI) were established and the median, GM and the highest EDI of the total PFCs were 17.2 ng/kg/d, 17.8 ng/kg/d and 129.1 ng/kg/d respectively. The EDI for PFOA (88.4 ng/kg/d) for Shanghai was close to the tolerable daily intake (100 ng/kg/d) proposed by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and the Drinking Water Commission. The results suggest both mothers and infants have a high exposure to PFCs in the Shanghai region. The potential health impact of postnatal exposure through breastfeeding to infants should therefore be comprehensively evaluated.

Calcium Analysis of Selected Western African Foods

Because mineral composition data for Western African foods are incomplete, it is essential to obtain analyses of foods in order to assess the quality of existing food as well as to estimate dietary intake of various minerals, such as calcium. Twenty-eight Western African foods were analyzed for calcium using the method described by Ferguson et al., (1993) and the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) (Padmore, 1990). Calcium concentrations were determined using an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer (ICP). Calcium recovery was 94.4% of the expected value with respect to a standard reference material (corn husk). For all foods assessed, the content of calcium ranged from 3.04 to 3630 mg/100 g dry wt. Based on dry weight, the top five foods for calcium in rank order were sorrel leaves (3630 mg/100 g), amaranth leaves (3590 mg/100 g), okra leaves (2850 mg/100 g), onion leaves (2540 mg/100 g), and baobab leaves (2240 mg/100 g). Data from this study provide calcium analyses of some commonly eaten Western African foods, which should help in planning food-based intervention programs to improve mineral nutrition.

Food Sources and Dietary Intakes of Vitamin K-1 (Phylloquinone) in the American Diet: Data From the PDA Total Diet Study

Objective To identify important food sources and estimate dietary intake of vitamin K-1 (phylloquinone) in the American diet. Design Core foods from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Total Diet Study (TDS), which was based on the 1987-88 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey (NFCS), were analyzed for vitamin K-1. These nutrient values were then applied to the FDA TDS consumption model. Subjects Of the NFCS participants within the 14 selected age-gender groups, 3,634 who had 3 days of dietary data were included in the FDA TDS consumption model. Main outcome measures Vitamin K-1 intakes were estimated for each of the age-gender groups; the percentage contribution of each food item to total intake of vitamin K-1 was calculated from the FDA TDS model. Results Of the 14 age-gender groups selected, the 25- to 30-year-old women and men consumed less than the current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin K. In contrast, formula-fed infants had estimated vitamin K-1 intakes six times greater than the RDA. All other groups consumed amounts within the recommended daily intakes but lower than 90 μg/day. The top contributors to total vitamin K-1 intake were dark-green vegetables, although the fats and oils added to mixed dishes and desserts were also important contributors. The proportion of vitamin K-1 obtained from vegetables increased with age. Applications The data identify important dietary sources of vitamin K-1 in the American diet. This knowledge can be used to develop dietary assessment instruments for use in epidemiologic studies. J Am Diet Assoc. 1996; 96:149-154.