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Artificial sweeteners are widely used all over the world. They may assist in weight management, prevention of dental caries, control of blood glucose of diabetics, and also can be used to replace sugar in foods. In the animal experimentation mice were given oral doses of water solutions of table top artificial sweeteners (saccharin, cyclamate based, acesulfame-K based, and aspartame) the amount of maximum Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) ad libitum. The controls received only tap water with the same drinking conditions as the treated groups. The mice were fed chow ad libitum.We measured food intake and body weight once a week, water and solutions of artificial sweeteners intake twice a week. The data were analysed by statistical methods (T-probe, regression analysis).Consumption of sweeteners resulted in significantly increased body weight; however, the food intake did not change.These results question the effect of non-caloric artificial sweeteners on weight-maintenance or body weight decrease.
Abstract
The soil-to-grass transfer factors and grass-to-milk transfer coefficients were determined for 137Cs and stable Cs in soil, grass and milk samples collected in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The concentrations of 137Cs in the soil and grass samples collected from 25 sampling sites were 13±12 Bq.kg-1 and 2.0±2.1 Bq.kg-1 dry wt., respectively. The geometric mean of soil-to-grass transfer factor of 137Cs was 0.13 and its 95% confidence interval was 0.017-0.98. The transfer factor of 137Cs was higher than that of stable Cs, and they had a positive correlation. The concentration of K in the soil affected both transfer factors. The concentration of 137Cs in milk samples collected from 16 sites was 76±43 mBq.kg-1 fresh wt. and had a good correlation with that of stable Cs. The geometric mean of grass-to-milk transfer coefficient of 137Cs was 0.0027, assuming that a cow's total daily intake was 20 kg of dry grass. The transfer coefficient of 137Cs was positively correlated with that of stable Cs.
Abstract
Concentrations of 15 elements were determined simultaneously in duplicateportion diets of two university student groups from So Paulo Universityconsisting of nine women (20–23 years) and ten men (20–24 years).Thediet samples were prepared by either freeze-drying or drying in a ventilatedoven. About 100–200 mg of diets were irradiated for 2 minutes and 8hours in the IEA-R1m research reactor and Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, K, Fe, Mn,Mg, Mo, Na, Rb, Se, and Zn were determined by instrumental neutron activationanalysis (INAA). The average daily intakes found in the women and men groupswere: 2.1 and 4.3 mg of Br, 501 and 707 mg of Ca; 3.1 and 6.0 g of Cl; 12and 25 mg of Co; 15 and 36 µg of Cs; 53 and 63 µg of Cr; 5.1 and10.8 mg of Fe; 1.3 and 2.8 g of K; 134 and 306 mg of Mg; 1.3 and 4.1 mg ofMn; 134 and 302 mg of Mo, 2.0 and 4.1 g of Na; 2.4 and 4.6 mg of Rb; 29 and41 µg of Se; 6.2 and 10.6 mg of Zn, respectively. The daily intakesof Ca, Se and Zn in both groups and Fe in the women groups appeared to bebelow the U.S. RDA recommendations. For the elements Na and Cl the daily intakeswere higher than the recommended values by RDA.
Abstract
Tea has been one of the most popular simulating beverages which is both heavily produced and consumed in Taiwan. The determination of minor or trace elements in drinking tea and tea leaves is therefore important for estimating the daily intake of Taiwanese considered as a safety indicator. In order to accurately and precisely determine the concentrations of trace elements in samples, several analytical methods such as AAS, NAA and ICP-AES are suggested. This paper attempts to utilize all three methods to determine the concentrations of minor or trace elements in different types of tea leaves and the extracts percolated from them. The influence of fermentation processes on the concentration levels of minor or trace elements in tea samples is investigated. Because only free metal ions are bioavailable for the human body, it is necessary to determine their concentrations in drinking tea. The dissolution of trace elements in drinking tea is therefore studied by simulating the common Chinese style of tea percolation. Concentrations of thirteen elements including Zn, Mn, Ca, Cu, Ni, Al, K, Mg, Cd, Pb, Na, Co and Sc are determined.
Research on the effects of additives produced from sugar beet is aimed at satisfying the daily intake of dietary fibre in the range of 25–35 g. Bakery products are usually consumed several times a day and this offers the possibility of incorporating dietary fibres from sugar beet. The addition of this additive to white flour can eliminate the negative effect of phytic acid, present in whole-grain cereal products, which inhibits the mineral intake. In the aim to decrease and eliminate adverse effects of sugar beet fibres on dough rheology and bread quality, optimal quantities of shortening and milk powder to the recipes were tested in order to counter addition of balance such effects. The influence of shortening and milk powder on characteristics of dough enriched with fibres (proving time and dough level) and parameters of bread quality (volume and crumb quality) was traced in two groups of samples: first without and second with 5% of added gluten. Applying regression analysis on measured parameters a mathematical model was defined. Based on presented data and regression analysis concerning samples with and without gluten, it can be stated that fibres enriched bread of the best quality can be made with gluten, shortening and milk powder at the level of 5%, 5% and 2%, respectively.
The content of potentially antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and antiallergic flavonoid aglycons, quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, apigenin and luteolin of 45 fruits were determined by RP-HPLC with UV detection. Fresh and dried fruits were purchased in the local markets in Budapest at a period of their most frequent consumption. Total flavonoid content of fruits varied between 0–1000 mg kg –1, the average concentration was about 30 mg kg –1 fresh weight. Quercetin could be detected in most fruits, namely in apples, pear, plums, sweet and sour cherry and berries between 10–53 mg kg –1. Luteolin at a concentration of 20 mg kg –1 was found in melons, apples, kiwi and lemon. Myricetin was in detectable amount in redcurrant, and at very high concentration in some berry fruits (mulberry 453 mg kg –1, raspberry 540 mg kg –1, blackberry 636 mg kg –1, strawberry 994 mg kg –1), and in walnut (4565 mg kg –1). Kaempferol and apigenin were not found in the fruits investigated. None of the five flavonoids was found in some variety of grapes, in peach, pear, banana, orange, grapefruit and tangerine, in nuts such as almond, pistachio, nuts, and in dried fruits such as raisin, date, fig and prunes. These data provide a basis for the evaluation of the average daily intake of Hungarian population and for an epidemiological evaluation of health-promoting effects of flavonoids. __
Solidago canadensis L., (Asteraceae) has been used in European phytotherapy as a urological and antiphlogistical remedy for centuries. The behaviour of dissolution of mineral elements into different tinctures and aqueous extracts obtained from Solidaginis herba was investigated in connection with their quercetin glycoside and organic acid amount. Commonly applied aqueous and alcoholic extracts were analysed for Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Pb, S, Ti, V and Zn content. The concentrations of the minerals examined were determined by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Determination of the flavonoids in solidaginis herba and extracts was carried out by a spectrophotometric method, as required by the German Pharmacopoea. For the study of the flavonoid composition of crude drug, the HPLC technique was applied. To determine the relative nutrient contribution of these pharmaceuticals to the diet, data obtained were combined with flavonoid content particulars, then a comparison with U.S Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) was made. For evaluation of the phytotherapeutic relevance, k/Na ratio was also calculated. It has been found that the pharmaceuticals examined are important sources of potassium, chromium, manganese, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and lower sources of iron and zinc, assuming a daily intake of 1-2 l aqueous extracts as recommended for urological diseases. Flavonoid content of the different Solidaginis herba extracts ranged from 62.4 mg l-1 to 305.2 mg l-1.
The mineral composition of mercantile wheat samples and sunflower seed cultivars collected from all Serbian growing regions was determined by means of atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mean element contents of wheat and sunflower seed samples (in mg kg −1 on a dry weight basis) were: 8127.5 and 5038.6 for K, 258.6 and 221.7 for Na, 1022.5 and 147.4 for Mg, 1457.2 and 432.3 for Ca, 56.5 and 35.2 for Fe, 33.9 and 15.2 for Mn, 4.1 and 19.5 for Cu, 23.8 and 64.2 for Zn (in μg kg −1 on a dry weight basis), 5.6 and 0.2 for Hg, 28.8 and 574.5 for Cd, 136.9 and 711.1 for Pb, 55.4 and 346.6 for As, respectively. The calculated mean and median levels of elements in the samples were compared with the regulated maximum levels according to the European Commission and the national legislation. On the basis of the obtained data, intakes of macro-, micro-and toxic elements by consuming white, wholegrain and speciality breads with sunflower seeds were calculated and compared to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) values and Allowed Daily Intakes (ADI) for contaminants.
This study aims to evaluate dairy desserts with (11 g kg −1 ) and without dietary fibres by instrumental measurements of texture and colour and sensory analysis. To maintain a similar texture to that of commercial desserts without fibres, the composition of thickening (corn starch, xanthan and guar gums) and gelling (carrageenan) agents in the basic formulation was also studied. Dietary fibres of bamboo, inulin, wheat, apple, Psyllium and chitosan were tested. Sensory characteristics were evaluated by a non-trained panel. Appearance, flavour, texture and preference were scored using an unstructured line scale. Texture and surface colour were analysed by a Texture Analyser-xT2i and a tristimulus colourimeter (Minolta CR 300). Sensory attributes showed significant differences among treatments. The dessert with chitosan gave the lowest sensory scores. For stress at rupture, the dessert with Psyllium fibre showed the highest value, while the one with chitosan gave the lowest. Apple fibre led to a brownish colour. Panellists preferred inulin or bamboo desserts. Addition of inulin or bamboo fibres to dairy desserts is a good alternative to increase the daily intake of dietary fibres.
The content of the potentially health-defensive and disease-preventive flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, apigenin and luteolin of 31 vegetables were determined by RP- HPLC with UV detection. Vegetables were purchased at the local markets in Budapest at a period of their most frequent consumption. Quercetin levels in the edible parts of most vegetables were generally below 10 mg kg &1, except for onions (67&121.5 mg kg &1), lettuce (13.5&35.0 mg kg &1), dill (74.5 mg kg &1), broccoli (15.5 mg kg &1) and spinach (272.2 mg kg &1). Kaempferol was below 30 mg kg &1 except for parsnip (66.4 mg kg &1) and leek (45.8 mg kg &1). Myricetin could only be detected in lettuce, Swedish turnip, parsley and celery leaves, and dill. Detectable amount of luteolin was in radishes, some representatives of Brassica, sweet peppers, celery leaves and spinach while apigenin was only in Swedish turnip, celery root and celery leaves. These data provide a basis for the evaluation of the average daily intake of Hungarian population and for an epidemiological evaluation of health-promoting effects of flavonoids.