Trace elements in bean-to-bar chocolates from Brazil and Ecuador.

BACKGROUND: The high quality and unique flavor and aroma of bean-to-bar chocolates have resulted in an increase in the consumption of these products. Nevertheless, cocoa beans may present inorganic contaminants from environmental and anthropogenic sources which can contribute to contamination of the chocolates, despite the fewer processing steps and few ingredients used in bean-to-bar manufacturing process compared to the industrial one. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the content of trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se) in bean-to-bar chocolates and traceable cocoa beans from Brazil and Ecuador. METHODS: Bean-to-bar chocolate samples were acquired in Brazil (n=65) and Ecuador (n=10), considering the main products available: white, milk, semisweet and dark chocolate. Cocoa samples from dedicated farms (n=23) were analyzed for trace elements and inorganic contaminants regulated by Brazil and European agencies. Samples were mineralized using acid digestion (nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide) in a closed microwave-assisted system. Quantification of trace elements was performed using Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP OES) in optimized conditions. The analytical control was performed with certified reference materials (ERM BD512 - Dark Chocolate, Tort-2 and Tort-3 - Lobster Hepatopancreas and SRM 1547 - Peach leaves) and recoveries ranged between 84% and 105% for all elements. RESULTS: The trace element levels in the bean-to-bar chocolates were (mg/kg): As (<0.022-0.023), Cd (<0.002-0.74), Cu (0.11-21.2), Co (<0.003-1.88), Hg (<0.010-<0.010), Pb (<0.007-0.22), and Se (<0.029-0.35). The exposure assessment from inorganic contaminants in chocolates revealed up to 93% of provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI) for Cd and 123% of tolerable upper intake level (UL) for Co for children. Inorganic contaminants were also analyzed in cocoa beans from dedicated farms and Cd and Pb levels were found above the thresholds established by Brazil health agency. CONCLUSION: The results observed for both bean-to-bar chocolates and raw materials (cocoa beans from dedicated farms) indicated a need for monitoring these trace elements.

Selenium in plant-based beverages: Total content, estimated bioaccessibility and contribution to daily intake.

BACKGROUND: The search for alternative protein sources has increased the consumption and commercialization of plant-based beverages (PBBs). This study aimed to determine the total Se content, estimate the bioaccessibility of selenium (Se) in commercial PBBs derived from different raw materials, and evaluate their contribution to the reference daily intake (RDI). METHODS: An ultrasound assisted acid digestion method and ICP-MS was used to determine Se, and the INFOGEST method to estimate the bioaccessible percentages. Validation of this method was also performed, and the parameters obtained were: LOD and LOQ were 2.1 and 4.0 µg/kg, respectively. For accuracy, recovery percentages ranged from 99 % and 111 % (certified reference materials), and 95 % and 101 % (spiked experiments for bioaccessible extracts as recoveries). RESULTS: The PBBs presented total Se content between 4 and 226 µg/kg. Bioaccessible percentages ranged from 63.5 % (mix of plant sources) to 95.9 % (produced with organic cashew nuts). Only one cashew nut PBBs supplied the daily demand of Se, representing 64.6 %, 75.3 % and 82.2 % of the RDI; for lactating and pregnant women, children (≥ 4 years) and adults, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The Se determination method through acid digestion assisted by ultrasound and ICP-MS was considered adequate for the PBBs samples. Se content varied according to the raw material used in sample preparation. High percentages (> 60 %) of bioaccessibility were observed and only one PBBs derived from organic cashew nuts supplied the recommended Se demand for different groups of individuals.

Trace Elements in Soy-Based Beverages: A Comprehensive Study of Total Content and In Vitro Bioaccessibility.

Soy-based beverages are one of the most consumed plant-based beverages, which have been used as a substitute for dairy products. Soy is a source of several nutrients (vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds, etc.) and its consumption is usually associated with several benefits, such as the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and osteoporosis. However, non-essential trace elements can be found in these beverages. Thus, a comprehensive study concerning trace elements Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, and Zn in soy-based beverages was proposed. In vitro digestion allowed to simulate the gastrointestinal juice (bioaccessibility) and the Caco-2 cells culture model was applied for the bioavailability assay. Trace elements measures were performed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). Multivariate analysis classified soy-based beverages according to their soy source (isolate protein, hydrosoluble extract, and beans); Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Sr, Se, and Zn bioaccessible fractions corresponded to approximately 40%-80% of their total content, and soy-based beverages were found to be a good Fe, Se, and Zn source. However, our results showed risk exposure assessment from daily consumption of one glass of soy-based beverage can contribute to 3.5% and 0.9% of Al Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) for children and adults, respectively.

Inorganic Contaminants in Plant-Based Yogurts Commercialized in Brazil.

This study aimed to evaluate the content of 11 inorganic elements (Al, Cr, Co, Ni, As, Mo, Cd, Sb, Ba, Hg, and Pb) in commercial plant-based and animal-based yogurts for comparison purposes. The samples were mineralized using a simple and fast ultrasound-assisted acid digestion method at 80 °C for 35 min, and the determination of inorganic elements was performed by ICP-MS. The method was validated according to the INMETRO guide, obtaining recoveries from 80 to 110%, precision from 6 to 15%, and a limit of quantification (LOQ) ranging from 200 µg/kg (Al) to 4 µg/kg (other elements). The element concentrations in the plant-based yogurts were Al(

Trace elements in ready-to-drink ice tea: Total content, in vitro bioaccessibility and risk assessment.

Tea is one of the most consumed non-alcoholic beverages in world and it has been frequently associated to health benefits. Besides its nutrient composition, non-essential trace elements associated with toxic effects may also be present. Ever since food components undergo biotransformation process along gastrointestinal tract after ingestion, it is important to evaluate both total and bioavailable content of trace elements. Therefore, this study aimed to provide comprehensive data concerning the influence of the in vitro digestion on sixteen trace elements present in ready-to-drink ice tea (black, green, mate and white tea). Essential minerals (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se and Zn) and inorganic contaminants (Al, As, Cd, Li, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn and Sr) contents were determined by ICP OES after microwave acid digestion. Bioaccessibility evaluation was carried out by simulating the gastric (pepsin) and intestinal juice (pancreatin and bile salts) and bioavailability used Caco-2 cells culture as an intestinal epithelial model. Moreover, tannins were evaluated by UV-VIS spectroscopy. Multivariate analysis allowed classifying ice tea samples in three groups, based on their trace elements profile. Al, Cu, Sr, Mn and Zn bioaccessible fractions corresponded to, approximately, 40-60% of their total content. For Mn, bioaccessibility and bioavailability presented the same pattern (green ice tea > black ice tea > mate ice tea) whilst Sr bioavailability in green tea were 50% higher than in black tea samples.

Simple and fast ultrasound-assisted method for mineral content and bioaccessibility study in infant formula by ICP OES.

Infant formula (IF) constitutes the sole source of mineral intake for infants who are only fed IF. The assurance of the amount of minerals declared on the label and the mineral levels and their chemical forms present a major concern related to providing a good amount of nutrients for absorption by these children. Thus, the objectives of this study were: (i) to evaluate several sample preparation methods for minerals in IF; (ii) to validate an analytical method using an ultrasonic bath for simultaneous determination of the Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P and Zn contents in IF by ICP OES and (ii) to establish the optimum analytical conditions of the in vitro method to study the dialyzability of these minerals from IF. The ultrasound-assisted method was shown to conform to 'green chemistry principles', being simple, fast and low cost compared with reference methods. The results were similar to those obtained with reference methods (microwave-assisted acid digestion and dry ashing) with regard to selectivity, sensitivity and linearity (r2 > 0.999). The accuracy and the precision were verified using certified reference materials, with recoveries and coefficients of variation ranging from 91 to 105% and from 1.1 to 5.2%, respectively. For in vitro dialyzability, the conditions established in this study allowed including an overnight step between the gastric and gastrointestinal stages (accuracy and precision ranging from 81 to 108% and 0.4 to 6.3%, respectively), contributing to establishing an in vitro digestion method suitable for infant gastrointestinal conditions.

Aluminum content and effect of in vitro digestion on bioaccessible fraction in cereal-based baby foods.

The aim of this work was to determine the total concentration and the effect of in vitro digestion on the bioaccessible fraction of aluminum (Al) in 35 different cereal-based baby food samples and estimate the exposure to this element considering the consumption of this product. Total Al content was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry after oxidative microwave digestion. An in vitro digestion method was applied and optimized to evaluate the bioaccessible fraction. The methods performance was efficient for both approached analysis and presented limits of detection and quantitation of 53 µg kg-1 and 89 µg kg-1, respectively. Total concentration and bioaccessibility varied according to the product composition (rice, oat, wheat, barley, corn, multicereal and fruit). Multicereals and fruit-based (plum) cereals presented the highest total Al concentrations (8.82 mg kg-1 and 7.49 mg kg-1, respectively), whilst lower values were observed for corn and rice flour cereals (0.92 mg kg-1 and 1.09 mg kg-1, respectively). The bioaccessible fraction varied from 1.5% to 10.4% in the evaluated samples. Exposure to Al was estimated and compared with the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) of 2 mg kg-1 body weight. The results showed that the daily consumption of three portions of cereals contributes up to 10.48% of the PTWI, when considering the total Al concentration reported in this study.

Selenium, total mercury and methylmercury in sardine: Study of molar ratio and protective effect on the diet.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the risk-benefit associated with canned sardine consumption, considering the selenium, the mercury and the methylmercury contents and the Se:Hg molar ratio and the Se-health benefit value (HBV) index. In this study, 63 canned sardine samples were purchased worldwide and for the determination of selenium and mercury species, the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and thermal decomposition and amalgamation atomic absorption spectrometry were employed. The mean results obtained for the Brazilian samples varied between 12.6 and 65.5 µg kg-1 for Hg; <3.7 and 45.4 µg kg-1 for methylmercury; 310 and 1370 µg kg-1 for Se. The MeHg/Hg ratio showed that the most toxic forms of Hg (MeHg) is predominant in 52 and 39% of the Brazilian samples conserved in tomato sauce and in oil, respectively. Nevertheless, the Se-HBV index and the Hg:Se and Se:Hg molar ratios indicated that the selenium content in canned sardine samples is enough to provide a protective effect on the Hg species.

Investigation of twelve trace elements in herbal tea commercialized in Brazil.

In this study twelve trace elements were investigated in herbal tea commercialized in Brazil. Boldo, Chamomile, Mate and Peppermint tea samples were acquired in Brazil local markets and both herbs and their infusions were evaluated. Trace elements were classified in two groups: poorly (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Fe, Pb and Se) and moderately (Cu, Mn, Ni and Zn) extractable. This patterned showed that even levels above threshold established by Brazilian and MERCOSUR regulations were observed in herbal tea (Cd and Pb in 89% and 78% of mate and peppermint tea samples, respectively), their infusions did not presented toxic levels. The estimative of exposure and dietary intake revealed important values for a daily consumption of a single cup of herbal infusion and an unique composition was also verified for herbal tea samples: although age and origin was unavailable, multivariate analysis classified the samples in four distinct groups.

Risk estimation to human health caused by the mercury content of Sushi and Sashimi sold in Japanese restaurants in Brazil.

Although fish is a healthy alternative for meat, it can be a vehicle for mercury (Hg), including in its most toxic organic form, methylmercury (MeHg). The objective of the present study was to estimate the risk to human health caused by the consumption of sushi and sashimi as commercialized by Japanese food restaurants in the city of Campinas (SP, Brazil). The total Hg content was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with thermal decomposition and amalgamation, and the MeHg content calculated considering that 90% of the total Hg is in the organic form. The health risk was estimated from the values for the provisional tolerable weekly ingestion (PTWI) by both adults and children. The mean concentrations for total Hg were: 147.99, 6.13, and 3.42 µg kg-1 in the tuna, kani, and salmon sushi samples, respectively, and 589.09, 85.09, and 11.38 µg kg-1 in the tuna, octopus and salmon sashimi samples, respectively. The tuna samples showed the highest Hg concentrations. One portion of tuna sashimi exceeded the PTWI value for MeHg established for children and adults. The estimate of risk for human health indicated that the level of toxicity depended on the type of fish and size of the portion consumed.

Cadmium, lead, tin, total mercury, and methylmercury in canned tuna commercialised in São Paulo, Brazil.

The objective of this work was to determine levels of inorganic contaminants in 30 samples of five commercial brands of canned tuna, acquired on the local market in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, in the year of 2015. Total mercury and methylmercury (MeHg+) were determined by atomic absorption with thermal decomposition and amalgamation; and cadmium, lead, and tin were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Results indicated that 20% of the tuna samples surpassed limits determined by the Brazilian and European Commission legislation for cadmium; for lead, the maximum value found was 59 µg kg-1 and tin was not detected in any samples. The maximum values found for total Hg and MeHg+ were 261 and 258 µg kg-1, respectively. As from the results obtained, it was estimated that the consumption of four cans per week (540 g) of tuna canned in water could surpass the provisional tolerable monthly intake for MeHg+ by 100%.

Evaluation of raw soapstone (steatite) as adsorbent of trace elements present in Brazilian spirits.

The impact of soapstone (steatite) upon inorganic element contaminant concentrations in alcoholic beverages was investigated. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb levels in 8 Brazilian spirits plus an alcoholic simulant were initially measured, and then measured following each 24h cycle of exposure to raw soapstone cups, for a total of 4 cycles/sample. The results were compared to the levels established by Brazilian and German regulations. The contact between the spirits and the soapstone reduced the Cu content by up to 50.4% and increased the Ni content by up to 622.2%, especially in the first contact cycle. The exposure of spirits to the soapstone exhibits a linear reduction in the Pb content (18.3-54.5%) while As and Cd levels remained unaltered throughout the experiments. In conclusion, crude soapstone in contact with alcoholic solutions acts as an adsorbent of trace elements (Cu and Pb) while releasing Ni.

DESENVOLVIMENTO DE EMBUTIDO RICO EM FERRO ELABORADO A PARTIR DE SUBPRODUTOS COMESTÍVEIS DO ABATE DE CAPRINOS / DEVELOPMENT OF A RICH IRON SAUSAGE PREPARED WITH EDIBLE BY-PRODUCTS OF GOATS SLAUGHTER

Objetivou-se com este estudo elaborar chouriço caprino a partir de subprodutos do abate e determinar sua qualidade físico-química e sensorial. Três formulações foram testadas, sendo um lote defumado e o outro não, com variações nas proporções de vísceras (30, 20 e 10%) e sangue (30, 40 e 50%). Foram avaliados os parâmetros de Aa, pH, cor (L*, a*, b*), composição centesimal e análise do perfil de minerais dos chouriços. Realizou-se pesquisa sensorial exploratória de natureza qualitativa, utilizando-se o método do grupo de foco. A variação nas proporções de subprodutos (sangue, coração e rim) na elaboração do chouriço não apresentou efeito significativo quanto a composição centesimal, pH e Aa. Percentual de ferro mais elevado e maior intensidade de a* (cor vermelha) foram detectados na formulação com maior teor de sangue. O processo de defumação diminuiu a atividade de água, favorecendo a qualidade sensorial do chouriço caprino em relação aos atributos de aroma e sabor.

Avaliação de contaminantes inorgânicos (As, Cd, Cr, Hg e Pb) em espécies de peixes / Inorganic contaminants (As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb) in fish species

O teor dos contaminantes arsênio total, cádmio, crômio, chumbo e mercúrio total, foi avaliado em 240 amostras das espécies de peixes pescada (Macrodon ancylodon), tainha (Mugil liza), corvina (Micropogoniasfurnieri) e sardinha (Sardinella brasiliensis), adquiridas no comércio atacadista da Companhia de Entrepostos e Armazéns Gerais de São Paulo (CEAGESP), no inverno de 2009 e no verão de 2010. As determinações dos contaminantes inorgânicos foram realizadas por espectrometria de emissão óptica em plasma com acoplamento indutivo (ICP OES). Os intervalos de concentração obtidos, em mg.kg-1(peso úmido), foram de As total (<0,1-8,63); Cd (<0,01-0,287); Cr (<0,02-0,44); Pb (<0,02-2,92) e Hg total(<0,002-0,285). As espécies mais contaminadas foram a sardinha e a corvina, sendo encontrados As e Cr em níveis acima dos limites máximos permitidos pela legislação brasileira (1 e 0,1 mg kg-1), em 67 por cento e 7 por cento das amostras analisadas, respectivamente. Este estudo demonstra a ocorrência de contaminação por arsênio, crômio e chumbo nas espécies de pescada, tainha, corvina e sardinha. O maior índice de arsênio foi detectado na espécie sardinha. Na corvina, os contaminantes As, Cr e Pb foram encontrados em teores mais elevados no período de inverno do que na época de verão.

Mercúrio total em pescado da cadeia produtiva da Baixada Santista, estado de São Paulo, Brasil / Total mercury in fishes from the productive chain at the Santos coastal region, São Paulo, Brazil

Neste estudo foi avaliado o teor de mercúrio total em diversas amostras de pescados da cadeia produtiva da Baixada Santista, SP. As amostras foram procedentes de estabelecimentos inspecionados das cidades de Bertioga, Guarujá, Itanhaém, Mongaguá, Peruíbe, Praia Grande, Santos, São Vicente e da Companhia de Entrepostos e Armazéns Gerais de São Paulo (CEAGESP). Após a validação da técnica foram realizadas as determinações do teor de mercúrio total em 257 amostras de pescados, utilizando-se a técnica de espectrometria de emissão com fonte de plasma indutivamente acoplado e gerador de hidretos(ICP OES-HG). A concentração de mercúrio total encontrada nas diversas espécies de peixes variou de 0,166 a 0,878mg/kg. Quase a totalidade das amostras apresentou concentração de mercúrio total abaixo do permitido pela legislação brasileira que é de 0,5 mg/kg para peixes não-predadores e 1,0mg/kg para peixes predadores.

The present study evaluated the total mercury in fish samples from the productive chain of Santos coastal region, SP. Fish samples were collected at Bertioga, Guarujá, Santos, São Vicente, Praia Grande, Mongaguá, Itanhaém, and Peruíbe cities. After validating the technique, the total mercury contents were determined in 257 fish samples by means of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry technique (ICP OES-HG). The concentration of total mercury found in several fish species ranged from 0.166 to 0.878 mg/kg. The majority of fish samples presented total mercury concentration higher than the maximum permitted value according to Brazilian legislation, which is 0.5mg/kg for non-predatory fish species and 1.0mg/kg for predatory species.