Avaliação da contaminação por bromato em pães do tipo francês / Analysis on the occurrence of bromate contamination in French type bread

O setor de panificação no Brasil tem realizado esforços para acompanhar as tendências de um mercadoexigente e competitivo, e uma das alternativas tem sido os agentes oxidantes. O bromato de potássio(KBrO3) é um agente oxidante que fortalece as cadeias de glúten. Apesar de benefícios tecnológicose econômicos, sua toxicidade como aditivo alimentar tem sido demonstrada. No Brasil o emprego doKBrO3 é proibido em qualquer quantidade nas farinhas e nos produtos de panificação. Foram investigadasamostras de pão Francês provenientes de 25 pontos comerciais, que foram analisadas em triplicatas,totalizando-se 75 ensaios. A determinação de bromatos foi realizada em duas etapas: primeiramente pelaprova de triagem utilizando-se o método analítico qualitativo, para identificar amostras positivas paraagentes oxidantes e, posteriormente, a determinação de BrO3- usando o reativo fucsina-bissulfito. Em todasas amostras foram detectados agentes oxidantes. Na análise confirmatória de bromato, foi identificadaa presença deste aditivo em amostras de seis estabelecimentos dos 25 analisados, correspondendo àfrequência de 24 % nas amostras examinadas. Este estudo mostra que apesar da proibição do emprego deKBrO3 em produtos de panificação, há ainda o uso deste componente pelos estabelecimentos comerciais,e isto representa risco à saúde da população...

Accidental potassium bromate poisoning in nine adults.

Accidental Potassium bromate poisoning is uncommon in adults, can have varied manifestations in different patients and can sometimes be deceiving. Potassium bromate white powder and oxidizing agent is used predominantly in bakeries as a maturing agent for flour and as a dough conditioner. It is also occasionally used as a neutralizer in hair kits. This paper deals with nine cases of accidental potassium bromate poisoning working in a bakery. Almost all the patients present with pain abdomen, vomiting and diarrhea. Severe gastritis leading to hematemesis is one of the dreaded complications. Acute renal failure can ensue after 24-48 hours of intake and thus patient must be investigated in this line. All of them ingested potassium bromate powder considering it to be milk powder. Potassium bromate poisoning must be considered as a possibility in every case presenting as acute gastroenteritis like symptoms after intake of bakery products. Strict legislation is required to decrease the risk of such incidents.

Acute Kidney Injury due to Sodium Bromate Intoxication: A Report of Two Cases

Sodium bromate is a strong oxidant used as a neutralizing solution in hair permanents, as well as an auxiliary agent in printing and dyeing. Accidental or deliberate ingestion of bromate solution has rarely been reported in Korea. The clinical manifestations of bromate intoxication are vomiting, diarrhea, central nervous system symptoms, oliguric or non-oliguric acute kidney injury, hemolytic anemia, and deafness; most of these manifestations are reversible, with the exception of renal failure and deafness. Here, we report on two patients who demonstrated distinct clinical progressions. In the first case, a 16-year-old woman was successfully treated with hemodialysis and recovered renal function without hearing loss. However, in the second case, delayed hemodialysis resulted in persistent renal failure and hearing loss in a 77-year-old woman. This suggests that emergency therapeutic measures, including hemodialysis, should be taken as soon as possible, as the rapid removal of bromate may be essential to preventing severe intoxication and its sequelae.

Histological study of the effect of potassium bromate on the thyroid gland of adult male albino rats and the protective role of vitamin C supplementation

Thirty adult male albino rats were used in this study aiming to study the effect of chronic oral administration of potassium bromate on the structure of the thyroid gland and to study the possible protective role of the concomitant supplementation of vitamin C. The animals were divided equally into three groups [10 animals each]; a control group and two experimental ones. The animals of the first experimental group were subdivided equally into 2 halves. The animals of the first half were given a daily oral dose of potassium bromate 30 mg/kg body weight for successive 2 months. While the animals of the other half were given the same daily oral dose of potassium bromate for successive 6 months. The animals of the second experimental group were also subdivided equally into 2 halves. These animals were given a daily intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg body weight of vitamin C for 2 and 6 months respectively simultaneous with a daily oral dose of potassium bromate as in the first experimental group. At the time of sacrifice, all the animals of each group were anaesthetized with ether inhalation and their thyroid glands were dissected out carefully and processed for light and electron microscope examinations. Light microscope observations of the thyroid glands of the potassium bromate treated rats for 2 months revealed alterations of many thyroid follicles. Their follicular cells became squamous with deeply stained nuclei. Ultrastructurally, the follicular cells contained irregular heterochromatic nuclei. Their cytoplasm contained dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum and swollen mitochondria. Mast cells were seen in the connective tissue between the affected follicles. Light microscope examination of the thyroid glands of the rats treated with potassium bromate for 6 months showed loss of the architectures of the glands. The follicular cells appeared with deeply stained nuclei and marked cytoplasmic vacuolations. Ultrastructrually, the follicular cells contained dilated and fragmented rough endoplasmic reticulum. Their nuclei showed irregular outlines and much clumps of heterochromatin. While light and electron microscope examinations of the thyroid glands of the animals treated with vitamin C concomitant with potassium bromate revealed preservation of the architectures of the glands. Most of their follicles appeared with few colloid. The follicular cells contained well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum with some dilated cisternae, numerous mitochondria with few swollen ones and cytoplasmic vacuolations. In conclusion, the results of this study revealed that chronic oral administration of potassium bromate led to structural changes in the thyroid gland which were duration dependant. Vitamin C supplementation with potassium bromate showed a moderate protection against these alterations

La prevención de las enfermedades alimentarias / The prevention of foodborne diseases

Introducción: Las gastroenteritis y otras enfermedades alimentarias son relativamente frecuentes en el país pero no se han efectuado hasta el presente diagnósticos de situación suficientemente específicos que permitan determinar las características de las mismas. Materiales y métodos: se estudiaron casos y brotes de enfermedad alimentaria, denunciados en el Departamento de Vigilancia Alimentaria, INAL-ANMAT, entre abril de 1993 y diciembre de 1995. La mayor parte de las denuncias correspondieron a la ciudad de Buenos Aires y al Gran Buenos Aires. Ocasionalmente informaron 9 provincias. Se determinaron agentes causales, tipos de alimentos involucrados, lugares de ingestión, deficiencias detectadas. Resultados: Se registraron en total 177 denuncias en las que 1298 personas enfermaron. El 38 por ciento de las veces se confirmó el agente causal en el laboratorio. Los agentes microbianos representaron el 70 por ciento del total y el 30 por ciento de los agentes químicos. Entre los primeros, los más frecuentes fueron Salmonella y Staphylococcus aureus. Las principales causas de enfermedad por agentes químicos fueron los bromatos en exceso y los zapallitos amargos. Conclusiones: El 63,5 por ciento del total de las personas se enfermó ingiriendo los alimentos fuera de su domicilio. Los alimentos más frecuentemente asociados fueron ensaladas y sandwiches con mayonesa, productos de confitería y golosinas, aguas envasadas, jugos y bebidas, productos cárnicos y lácteos. Los procedimientos de manipulación y la higiene incorrectos fueron las deficiencias más frecuentes. Se enfatiza la necesidad de intensificar las acciones iniciadas para el registro y prevención de estas enfermedades, y de promover actividades educativas.

Determinación y cuantificación de bromato de potasio en harina, mejoradores de masa y estimulación en panes / Determination and cuantification of bromate of potassium in flour, improvemment mass and to estimate in bread

Demostrar la presencia del KBrO3 tanto en harinas como en mejoradores de masas para la elaboración del pan, a pesar de ser una sustancia considerada mutagénica, genotóxicas y carcinogénica y cuyo uso esta prohibido en muchos paises del mundo, sin embargo, en nuestro país, no existe ninguna norma que regule su uso , por la tanto, el presente trabajo pretende de alguna manera contribuir a una posible normalización futura sobre el uso de este aditivo a nivel nacional en la industria de la purificación. Se analizaron 20 muestras de diferentes tipos de harinas, 20 tipos de mejoradores y 20 muestras de panes de 20 unidades cada uno, expendidas en las diferentes panaderias de Lima Metropolitana y alrededores. En el 95 por ciento de mejoradores se determinó y cuantificó la presencia de KBrO3 y se hizo una continuación del contenido que podría aportar en la elaboración del pan, hallándose un contenido de 243 ppm como promedio de KBrO3. En el 75 por ciento de harinas analizadas, se encontró KBrO3 como acelerante de la maduración lo que daría un aporte cuando el pan es elaborado con esto de 29.66 ppm como promedio. El pan es elaborado con 272.66 ppm de KBrO3, lo cual daría un contenido promedio de 109.526 ppm de KBrO3 residual.