Migration of antimony from PET trays into food simulant and food: determination of Arrhenius parameters and comparison of predicted and measured migration data.

Migration experiments with small sheets cut out from ovenable PET trays were performed in two-sided contact with 3% acetic acid as food simulant at various temperatures. The fraction of diffusible antimony (Sb) was estimated to be 62% in the PET sample under study. Apparent diffusion coefficients of Sb in PET trays were determined experimentally. Measurement of migration between 20 and 150°C yielded a linear Arrhenius plot over a wide temperature range from which the activation energy (E(a)) of 188 ± 36 kJ mol(-1) and the pre-exponential factor (D(0)) of 3.6 × 10(14) cm(2) s(-1) were determined for diffusing Sb species. E (a) was similar to previously reported values for PET bottles obtained with a different experimental approach. E (a) and D (0) were applied as model parameters in migration modelling software for predicting the Sb transfer in real food. Ready meals intended for preparation in a baking oven were heated in the PET trays under study and the actual Sb migration into the food phase was measured by isotope dilution ICP-MS. It was shown that the predictive modelling reproduces correctly experimental data.

Furan in food: headspace method and product survey.

Headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been adapted for the efficient determination of furan in foods. Levels of furan in various foods were measured in order to identify the products that contribute most to the human intake of furan. Highest amounts were found in products that were heat treated in sealed containers such as jarred and canned food products and in crusty and dry products such as snacks, biscuits, bread crust, roasted wheat flour and roasted coffee beans. Of the analysed jarred baby food products those containing only meat and starch from rice and corn had low levels of furan. In addition, the fruit products showed similar low levels. Clearly higher concentrations were found in the vegetable and vegetable-meat products. For the adult population coffee seems to be an important product with respect to furan intake. Coffee brews from espresso-type machines had considerably higher amounts of furan than other coffee brews. This type of coffee is considered by experts to have the best coffee aroma. It is assumed that for regular coffee consumers coffee is the most important source of furan intake.

Endometrial collection and interpretation using the Tao brush and the CytoRich fixative system: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: The cytological assessment of endometrium entails: (1) a collection device that is easy to use, collects material only from the endometrium, and obtains adequate samples; (2) a fixation process that ensures the preservation of individual cells, maintains cell polarity, and allows the recognition of three-dimensional tissue structures (microbiopsies); and, (3) interpretative algorithms that translate histopathologic to cytopathologic diagnoses. The purpose of this study is to show that it is feasible to achieve these ends when endometrial brush sampling is coupled with suspension fixation. METHODS: Obtain endometrium from 100 consecutive hysterectomy uteri using an Indiana University Medical Center sampler (Tao Brush), suspension-fix it in CytoRich fixative, prepare it with a cytocentrifuge using large diameter sample chambers, and compare the cytologic diagnosis to the histologic diagnosis of the hysterectomy specimen. RESULTS: There were no inadequate collections. Cytology regularly separated (1) benign endometrium, (2) low-grade (non-atypical) hyperplasia, (3) high-grade (atypical) hyperplasia/FIGO Grade I adenocarcinoma, and (4) higher-grade carcinomas from one another. Endometrial atrophy was diagnosed in three patients whose histology showed clinically asymptomatic, benign fibrous endometrial polyps. A low volume of abnormal cell aggregates interpreted as endometrial intraepithelial carcinoma was detected in one patient whose initial histology was reported as simple hyperplasia, but whose histology on review after p53 staining revealed intraepithelial surface cancer. In the remaining 96 cases, the cytologic diagnosis consistently represented the histologic diagnosis of the hysterectomy specimen. On a case-by-case basis, any one cytology slide accurately represented the diagnosis of the other cytology slides. CONCLUSION: Endometrial brushing with suspension-fixation is advocated for the detection of endometrial lesions because (1) fixation is uniform, (2) there is substantial preservation of three-dimensional structures among cell aggregates, which allows pattern-based histologic diagnostic criteria to be applied to cytologic samples, and (3) only a limited number of slides need to be examined.

Excretion of cannabinoids in urine after ingestion of cannabis seed oil.

Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) quantitation of 25 cannabis sed oils determined delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations from 3 to 1500 micrograms/g oil. In a pilot study, the morning urine of six volunteers who had ingested 11 or 22 g of the oil, which contained the highest THC content (1500 micrograms/g), was collected for six days. The urine samples were screened by immunoassay, and the content of 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta 9-THC (THCCOOH) was determined by GC-MS. Urine samples were found cannabis positive for up to six days with THCCOOH-equivalent concentrations up to 243 ng/mL. by the Abuscreen OnLine immunoassay and THCCOOH contents from 5 to 431 ng/mL by the GC-MS method. All subjects reported THC-specific psychotropic effects.

Identification of uncommon amino acids in the lentil seed (Lens culinaris Med.).

The fraction of the free basic amino acids in the lentil seed was shown to contain gamma-hydroxyarginine, gamma-hydroxyornithine and homoarginine besides the common amino acids. Similar distribution was found in 5 varieties of lentil, with hydroxyarginine and arginine dominating. The significance of these findings with regard to chemotaxonomy and lentil consumption is discussed.