Heavy metal, total arsenic, and inorganic arsenic contents of algae food products

The total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury contents of 18 algae food products currently on sale in Spain were determined. The suitability of the analytical methodologies for this type of matrix was confirmed by evaluating their analytical characteristics. The concentration ranges found for each contaminant, expressed in milligrams per kilogram of dry weight, were as follows: total arsenic, 2.3-141; inorganic arsenic, 0.15-88; lead, < 0.05-1.33; cadmium, 0.03-1.9; and mercury, 0.004-0.04. There is currently no legislation in Spain regarding contaminants in algae food products, but some of the samples analyzed revealed Cd and inorganic As levels higher than those permitted by legislation in other countries. Given the high concentrations of inorganic As found in Hizikia fusiforme, a daily consumption of 1.7 g of the product would reach the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake recommended by the WHO for an average body weight of 68 kg. A more comprehensive study of the contents and toxicological implications of the inorganic As present in the algae food products currently sold in Spain may be necessary, which might then be the basis for the introduction of specific sales restrictions.     

S-sulfonate contents in raw and cooked meat products

S-Sulfonates (R-S-SO3-) are compounds formed by the reaction between the sulfites added to foodstuffs and the disulfide bonds of cystine, peptides, and proteins. The content of S-sulfonates has been determined in raw sausages and burgers (n = 62). The range of variation in the contents of the determined S-sulfonates is very wide and varies between 47 and 267 microg of SO2/g. The degree of formation of S-sulfonates with regard to the determined sulfite (total SO2 + S-sulfonates) is similar in all of the samples and does not seem to be conditioned by the meat compound (chicken or beef) or by the process of elaboration or type of product (burgers or sausages). In grilled burgers (n = 20) significant losses are produced in the levels of the additive in any of its forms. The value for the S-sulfonates is 31 +/- 9.8%, 29 +/- 6.6% corresponding to the free sulfite and a very similar percentage to the total sulfite (free + reversibly bound) 28 +/- 6.7%. It is possible that during the cooking process cleavages of some bound compounds occur, releasing SO2 and reacting to form new adducts.     

Effect of cooking temperatures on chemical changes in species of organic arsenic in seafood

The concentrations of arsenobetaine (AB), tetramethylarsonium ion (TMA(+)), and trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO) were determined in samples of sole, dory, hake, and sardine, raw and after being subjected to cooking processes--baking, frying, and grilling--at various temperatures. In all cases, the temperature attained inside the product during the cooking process was measured. The arsenic species extracted from the samples with methanol/water were separated by means of a column switching technique between a PRP-X100 column and a PRP-X200 column. AB was detected by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry, whereas TMA(+) and TMAO were detected by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The results obtained showed that, in all of the types of seafood studied, TMA(+) appeared after cooking, possibly because heating facilitates decarboxylation of AB to TMA(+).     

Organoarsenical species contents in fresh and processed seafood products

A study was carried out to determine organic species of arsenic in the main varieties of seafood consumed in the Basque country (Spain). The concentrations of arsenobetaine (AB), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), arsenocholine (AC), and tetramethylarsonium ion (TMA(+)) in 64 samples corresponding to different food items are presented. The study provides information about a possible distribution pattern of organoarsenical species in seafood products. AB was detected in all of the samples [0.3-104.1 microg g(-1) dry weight (dw)]. DMA was detected in all of the samples except squid and salted cod (0.027-1.757 microg g(-1) dw). MMA was detected only in certain fatty fish (0.004-0.028 microg g(-1) dw) and bivalves (0.031-0.047 microg g(-1) dw). AC was only present in some samples of lean fish (0.014-0.089 microg g(-1) dw), and TMA(+) was detected only in anchovy (0.039-0.169 microg g(-1) dw) and crustaceans (0.044-0.966 microg g(-1) dw).     

Vegetables collected in the cultivated Andean area of northern Chile: total and inorganic arsenic contents in raw vegetables.

High levels of arsenic are found in the soil and water of the Second Region in Chile as a result of natural causes. Total and inorganic arsenic contents were analyzed in the edible part of 16 agricultural products (roots, stems, leaves, inflorescences, and fruits) grown in this area. The total arsenic contents varied in the range 0.008-0.604 microg g(-1) of wet weight (ww), below the maximum level allowed by Chilean legislation (1 microg(-1) of ww). Inorganic arsenic contents (range = 0.008-0.613 microg(-1) of ww) represented between 28 and 114% of total arsenic. The concentrations of total and inorganic arsenic found in edible roots and leaves were higher than those found in fruit. The highest concentrations were found in a sample of spinach. High quantities of this vegetable would have to be consumed (250 g/day) to reach the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake for inorganic arsenic. The vegetable group may make a considerable contribution to the total intake of inorganic arsenic.     

Cancer risk to Japanese population from the consumption of inorganic arsenic in cooked hijiki

The cancer risk posed by inorganic arsenic (iAs) ingestion via the consumption of hijiki seaweed, a common Japanese food item known to accumulate pentavalent arsenic, was estimated. Fourteen households were asked to supply three portions of cooked hijiki (boiled and fried with vegetables and fried bean curd, etc.), as usually cooked and served per person in each household. The monthly consumption frequency of cooked hijiki was assessed by questionnaire: it was typically two to three times a month in most households. The mean daily consumption of cooked hijiki was estimated to be 6.5 g/day (range = 1.1-14 g/day, median = 5.5 g/day) by multiplying one serving quantity (grams) by the monthly frequency of consumption. The concentration of iAs [As(III) + As(V)] in the cooked hijiki was determined after homogenization, freeze-drying, 0.07 mol/L HCl extraction, and high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICPMS). The concentration of iAs ranged from 0.4 to 2.8 mg/kg (wet weight basis) in the cooked hijiki, and iAs intake from cooked hijiki was calculated to be 0.0005-0.023 mg/day. On the basis of these data and the oral slope factor [1.5E0 (mg/kg/day) (-1)] reported by the U.S. EPA for iAs, the mean skin cancer risk through cooked hijiki consumption was calculated to be 2.4 x 10(-4) (range = 1.6 x 10(-6) -7.0 x 10(-4)), which exceeded the acceptable level of 10(-5). Taking the risk of other cancers (bladder, lung, etc.) into consideration, the contribution to cancer occurrence through the consumption of hijiki seaweed may not be negligible.     

Bioavailability of inorganic arsenic in cooked rice: practical aspects for human health risk assessments

Arsenic is present in rice grain mainly as inorganic arsenic. Little is known about the effect of cooking on inorganic arsenic content in rice and its bioavailability. This study evaluated total arsenic and inorganic arsenic in rice cooked with arsenic-contaminated water, the bioaccessibility of As(III) and As(V) after simulated gastrointestinal digestion, and the extent of arsenic retention and transport by Caco-2 cells used as a model of intestinal epithelia. After cooking, inorganic arsenic contents increase significantly. After simulated gastrointestinal digestion, the bioaccessibility of inorganic arsenic reached 63-99%; As(V) was the main species found. In Caco-2 cells, arsenic retention, transport, and total uptake (retention + transport) varied between 0.6 and 6.4, 3.3 and 11.4, and 3.9 and 17.8%, respectively. These results show that in arsenic endemic areas with subsistence rice diets, the contribution of inorganic arsenic from cooked rice should be considered in assessments of arsenic health risk.     

Total and inorganic arsenic in fresh and processed fish products

Total arsenic and inorganic arsenic contents were determined in 153 samples of seafood products consumed in the Basque Country (Spain): fish (white fish and blue fish), mollusks, crustaceans, and preserved fish. White fish presented higher levels of total arsenic and lower levels of inorganic arsenic than the blue fish, indicating possible differences in the metabolization of inorganic arsenic. For total arsenic, 66% of the samples exceeded the maximum permitted level by the strictest international legislation in seafood products [1 microg g(-)(1), wet weight (ww)]. The levels of inorganic arsenic were considerably lower than the maximum authorized in New Zealand (2 microg g(-)(1), ww), the only country with legislation for inorganic arsenic in fish and fish products. It is recommended that legislation based on levels of inorganic arsenic should be established.     

Effect of cooking conditions on creatinine formation in cooked ham

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different cooking procedures on the concentrations of creatine and creatinine and the ratio of creatinine/creatine in cooked ham. Two cooking methods (constant temperature and increasing temperature, constant T and DeltaT, respectively) were tested on different locations in porcine longissimus dorsi muscle and ham (semimembranosus, biceps femoris, and gluteus muscles). The results showed larger creatine conversion into creatinine in the surface layer than in the core as well as higher creatinine/creatine ratio values when applying the DeltaT in comparison to the constant T method. A correlation between the creatinine/creatine ratio and the heat treatment was established, and 15 samples of commercial cooked hams were analyzed to support these results. This creatinine/creatine ratio analyzed in the surface of the ham could be used as a rapid and nondestructive indicator to determine the effectiveness of the heat treatment in cooked ham processes.     

Survey of total and inorganic arsenic content in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) from Norwegian fiords: revelation of unusual high levels of inorganic arsenic

The present study reports the findings of unusual high levels of inorganic arsenic in samples of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.). A total of 175 pooled samples of blue mussels from various locations along the Norwegian coastline were analyzed for their content of total arsenic and inorganic arsenic. Total arsenic was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) following microwave-assisted acidic digestion of the samples. Inorganic arsenic was determined using an anion-exchange HPLC-ICPMS method following microwave-assisted alkaline solubilization of the samples. For the majority of the samples (78%) the concentration of total arsenic was below 3 mg kg(-1) wet weight (ww) and inorganic arsenic constituted <9% of the total arsenic (i.e., <0.25 mg kg(-1) ww). However, in some samples higher concentrations of total arsenic were found (up to 13.8 mg kg(-1) ww) and the inorganic arsenic content constituted up to 42% of the total arsenic (up to 5.8 mg kg(-1) ww). These are among the highest inorganic arsenic concentrations reported so far for marine animals. The findings of samples with concentrations of inorganic arsenic above 0.53 mg kg(-1) ww were restricted to sampling sites from two counties, Sogn and Fjordane and Hordaland, whereas samples from the rest of the country showed lower inorganic arsenic concentrations. Consumption of a meal containing 200 g of the blue mussels with the highest content of inorganic arsenic would for a 70 kg person lead to a 10% excess of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) value for inorganic arsenic of 15 microg kg(-1) of body weight week(-1).     

蒸煮工艺对米饭中淀粉消化性能的影响

为研究蒸煮工艺对米饭中淀粉消化特性的影响,为米饭的营养评价和新型电饭煲的开发提供试验数据,该文以3种大米为原料,采用不同加热工艺的机械煲、电脑煲、高压锅和微压力锅蒸煮米饭,用胰酶和糖化酶进行米饭的体外消化试验,研究酶解过程还原糖和葡萄糖含量,用指数模型模拟淀粉的酶解过程。结果表明:蒸煮工艺对米饭酶解后还原糖和葡萄糖的含量有较大影响。不同种类米饭的消化特性有差异,粳稻米饭较籼稻易于消化。采用具有较高的压力和较长焖饭时间的高压锅或微电脑煲制作的米饭的淀粉消化速度较快,酶解生成还原糖和葡萄糖最高,且消化中前期的快消化淀粉(RDS)和慢消化淀粉(SDS)含量较高。建立的基于葡萄糖含量的消化动力学指数方程具有较高的拟和精度。     

蒸煮工艺和化学成分对米饭应力松弛特性的影响

用4种工艺制作米饭，用质构仪测定米饭的应力松弛曲线，并分析米饭的主要化学成分，研究米饭的应力松弛参数与化学成分的关系，为米饭蒸煮工艺的优化和新型炊具的开发提供基础数据。结果表明，不同工艺蒸煮的米饭的应力松弛参数有较大的差异性，较低温度下蒸煮的米饭的硬度较大，较高温度下蒸煮米饭的黏性较大。米饭的平衡弹性系数E₀为15.754～89.323 Pa；衰减弹性系数E₁为34887.528～35213.051 Pa；松弛时间τ为0.130～0.179 s；松弛非线性指数n为0.019～0.054，黏度系数η为4538.085～6248.998 Pa·s。米饭为具有一定交联程度的黏弹性体，其松弛参数与米饭的化学成分有较大关系，蛋白质含量较高的米饭的E₀、τ和η较大；脂肪含量较高的米饭的E₀较小；直链淀粉含量较高的米饭的E₁和τ较小。建立的基于米饭的化学成分与米饭松弛参数的多元幂函数式方程具有较高的拟合精度。     

欧姆加热对米饭蒸煮过程能耗及其品质的影响

针对电饭煲蒸煮米饭存在电热转化效率低、温度不易控制等不足,该研究设计了一种加热速率和保温温度自动可控的欧姆加热试验系统,研究了浸泡时间（5、15、30、50、80 min）和水米比（1.25∶1、1.50∶1、1.75∶1、2.00∶1 mL/g）对水米混合物的电导率、欧姆蒸煮加热速率、能耗以及米饭品质（膨胀率、吸水率、物性值和颜色）的影响,并与电饭煲蒸煮米饭的能耗和品质进行比较。结果表明：浸泡能够增大水米混合物电导率,水米比越小电导率增加越快,有效提高欧姆加热蒸煮米饭加热速率;浸泡还有利于减少米饭蒸煮能耗（P<0.05）,促进米饭软化;因此大米浸泡处理30 min后采用欧姆加热蒸煮米饭可行。欧姆蒸煮加热速率越快,米饭硬度上升（P<0.05）,而黏性和弹性则略有减小（P<0.05）,加热速率在3～9 ℃/min范围内为宜;水米比可取1.25∶1～1.50∶1 mL/g。蒸煮相同质量的大米,欧姆加热所需能耗仅为电饭煲蒸煮的20%～25%;相较于电饭煲蒸煮,欧姆加热蒸煮米饭硬度最大可减小21%,且膨胀率和吸水率较大（P<0.05）、亮度L*值较小（P<0.05）。研究结果可为研发基于欧姆加热的快速高效米饭自动蒸煮装置提供技术支撑。     

Arsenic speciation in food and estimation of the dietary intake of inorganic arsenic in a rural village of West Bengal, India

Arsenic (As) species were quantified by HPLC-HG-AFS in water and vegetables from a rural area of West Bengal (India). Inorganic species predominated in vegetables (including rice) and drinking water; in fact, inorganic arsenic (i-As) represented more than 80% of the total arsenic (t-As) content. To evaluate i-As intake in an arsenic affected rural village, a food survey was carried out on 129 people (69 men and 60 women). The data from the survey showed that the basic diet, of this rural population, was mainly rice and vegetables, representing more than 50% of their total daily food intake. During the periods when nonvegetarian foods (fish and meat) were scarce, the importance of rice increased, and rice alone represented more than 70% of the total daily food intake. The food analysis and the food questionnaires administrated led us to establish a daily intake of i-As of about 170 microg i-As day (-1), which was above the tolerable daily intake of 150 microg i-As day (-1), generally admitted. Our results clearly demonstrated that food is a very important source of i-As and that this source should never be forgotten in populations depending heavily on vegetables (mainly rice) for their diet.     

中轻度砷污染土壤-水稻体系中砷迁移行为研究

通过土-砂根袋培养生物学模拟试验,运用砷形态分级的连续提取方法研究了水稻整个生育时期内砷在中轻度砷污染土壤-氧化性根际-水稻体系中的时空分布规律。结果表明:(1)该品种水稻(远诱一号)生长旺期(第三生长时期和第四生长时期)由于根系活化作用产生明显根际效应,根际土壤中各砷形态总量、无定形态砷含量均显著高于非根际土(p0.05),而有效性最低的残渣态则低于非根际土。(2)水稻根表铁氧化物膜(简称:铁膜)主要以无定型态铁和结晶态铁为主(90%),在生长旺盛期老化程度最高,且对砷富集能力与第一时期相比降低60%,与第二时期相比降低10%;根表铁膜对砷的富集作用并不完全随铁膜数量的增减而变化,还与铁膜中铁的组成形态(尤其无定形态铁)密切相关。(3)砷在土壤-根际-水稻(远诱一号)体系中迁移规律:砷随铁氧化物的还原由非根际向根际迁移并在氧化性根际富集,由于铁膜的缓冲层作用,砷很少进入作物根系,迁移至地上部的砷含量低于根中砷含量;生育初期(前两个生长时期),水稻根表铁膜主要起富集库作用,具有很强的富集砷能力,但富集的砷易解吸进入作物根系,生育后期(后三个生长时期),铁膜逐渐老化,主要起缓冲层作用,使根系砷含量与生育初期相比降低50%～90%。     

Determination of total dietary fiber in foods and food products: collaborative study

A collaborative study was conducted to determine the total dietary fiber (TDF) content of food and food products, using a combination of enzymatic and gravimetric procedures. The method was basically the same as published earlier (J. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem. (1984) 67, 1044-1052), with changes in the concentration of alcohol and buffers, time of incubation, sample preparation, and some explanatory notes, all with the intent of decreasing the coefficient of variation (CV) of the method. Duplicate blind samples of soy isolate, white wheat flour, rye bread, potatoes, rice, wheat bran, oats, corn bran, and whole wheat flour were analyzed by 9 collaborators. TDF was calculated as the weight of the residue minus the weight of protein and ash. CV values of the data from all laboratories for 7 of the samples ranged from 1.56 to 9.80%. The rice and soy isolate samples had CV values of 53.71% and 66.25%, respectively; however, each sample contained only about 1% TDF. The enzymatic-gravimetric method for determining TDF has been adopted official first action.     

Contribution of water, bread, and vegetables (raw and cooked) to dietary intake of inorganic arsenic in a rural village of Northern Chile

Total and inorganic As contents of cooked vegetables obtained from an arsenic endemic area of Chile were analyzed. Inorganic As intake from those foods, bread, and water was estimated. The study was performed in two different periods, in which the water used by the population for drinking and cooking purposes contained 0.572 (first period) or 0.041 microg mL(-)(1) (second period). In the first period, the FAO/WHO reference intake was exceeded by all of the persons interviewed. In the second period, the reference intake was exceeded by all of the persons interviewed ages 13-15. The foods studied contributed 4% (first period) or 25% (second period) of the inorganic As intake. The results show the contribution of food to inorganic As intake and the risk to which those ages 15 or younger are exposed.     

Use of methanolysis for the determination of total ellagic and gallic acid contents of wood and food products

Anhydrous methanolic HCl has been found to be an excellent reagent for releasing ellagic acid and gallic acid (as methyl gallate) from biomass substrates. Optimization of both the reaction conditions and the gradient HPLC analysis has led to the development of a new protocol. The method provides ellagic acid yields significantly higher than those obtained previously, indicating total ellagic acid contents of several substrates have previously been underestimated.