Antimony accumulation in agricultural food crops

A study was made of the antimony content in some farm products of plant and animal origin in the zones of wastes of antimony factories and those having nothing to do with antimony processing. The content of antimony was discovered to be elevated in all foods obtained in the zone where antimony factories are located, especially in vegetables with ground fruit. A high antimony content was detected in milk. The content of antimony in a "standard" diet calculated on the basis of maximally allowable concentrations of the metal in foods and in analogous diets containing products of plant and animal origin grown in the Fergana and Chuisk valleys was 0.405, 8.585 and 1.702, respectively. The high proportion of vegetables and fruit in the local diets makes them, apart from milk and dairy products, the main sources of antimony supply to the human body.     

食品中化学物累积风险评估方法及应用

食品中存在的各种污染物、农药和添加剂等化学物可能会通过多种机制的联合作用对人体形成累积暴露,但传统的风险评估方法多以单一化学物暴露为基础。近年来,化学物累积暴露形成的健康风险受到越来越多的重视,一些累积风险评估方法,如类别每日可耐受摄入量(TDI)、危害指数(HI)、相对效能因子(RPF)、生理毒代动力学(PBTK)模型等也逐渐发展起来。本文对这些方法的特点及其应用进行了讨论。     

Safety of food crops on land contaminated with trace elements

Contamination of agricultural soils with trace elements (TEs) through municipal and industrial wastes, atmospheric deposition and fertilisers is a matter of great global concern. Since TE accumulation in edible plant parts depends on soil characteristics, plant genotype and agricultural practices, those soil- and plant-specific options that restrict the entry of harmful TEs into the food chain to protect human and animal health are reviewed. Soil options such as in situ stabilisation of TEs in soils, changes in physicochemical parameters, fertiliser management, element interactions and agronomic practices reduce TE uptake by food crops. Furthermore, phytoremediation and solubilisation as alternative techniques to reduce TE concentrations in soils are also discussed. Among plant options, selection of species and cultivars, metabolic processes and microbial transformations in the rhizosphere can potentially affect TE uptake and distribution in plants. For this purpose, genetic variations are exploited to select cultivars with low uptake potential, especially low-cadmium accumulator wheat and rice cultivars. The microbial reduction of elements and transformations in the rhizosphere are other key players in the cycling of TEs that may offer the basis for a wide range of innovative biotechnological processes. It is thus concluded that appropriate combination of soil- and plant-specific options can minimise TE transfer to the food chain.     

食品中酚类内分泌干扰物的研究进展

壬基酚、辛基酚和双酚A等以其相似的结构特征和类雌激素效应被称为酚类内分泌干扰物,它们在食品包装材料及食品中的残留已引起了人们的广泛关注。本文以食品中的酚类内分泌干扰物为重点,对壬基酚、辛基酚和双酚A的性质、应用、毒性以及在食品中的污染水平、主要来源和分析测定方法等进行了评述,为我国开展食品领域内酚类内分泌干扰物的限量制定和研究提供参考。      

Metal content in certain food products

The aim of the researches was the determination of the lead, cadmium, iron, copper and zinc content in selected food products available in everyday life in the city of Cracow. It was found that all food products contain lead and cadmium contaminations. The trace element content in the Polish food products was within the range of values obtained by other authors.     

Estimation of the dietary intake of chemicals in food

Methods for estimating the exposure of individuals to chemical substances present in the diet require information to be obtained about the patterns of food consumption in a community as well as the concentration of these chemicals in the diet. Methods of estimating food intakes using food diaries/weighed intake studies, dietary recall studies, food frequency and food disappearance methods are described. Their use, together with calculations derived from the data they provide are described to estimate normal and atypical food consumption patterns. The methods which have been used to estimate the exposure to existing chemicals in food are briefly reviewed and include total diet studies, selective studies on individual foods and duplicate portion studies. These methods are inappropriate for estimating the prospective intake of a chemical in food and the ways in which this issue may be approached, both nationally and internationally, are described with particular reference to the intakes of pesticide residues and food additives.     

Agriculture group symposium nitrogen in crops and food

The following are summaries of the papers presented to a joint meeting of the Agriculture Group of the Society of Chemical Industry and the Fertilizer Society, held on 21 October 1986 at the Society of Chemical Industry, 14–15 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PS. The papers published here are entirely the responsibility of the authors and do not reflect the views of the Editorial Board of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.     

Sharing Malaysian experience with the development of biotechnology-derived food crops

Biotechnology-derived food crops are currently being developed in Malaysia mainly for disease resistance and improved post harvest quality. The modern biotechnology approach is adopted because of its potential to overcome constraints faced by conventional breeding techniques. Research on the development of biotechnology-derived papaya, pineapple, chili, passion fruit, and citrus is currently under way. Biotechnology-derived papaya developed for resistance to papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) and improved postharvest qualities is at the field evaluation stage. Pineapple developed for resistance to fruit black heart disorder is also being evaluated for proof-of-concept. Other biotechnology-derived food crops are at early stages of gene cloning and transformation. Activities and products involving biotechnology-derived crops will be fully regulated in the near future under the Malaysian Biosafety Law. At present they are governed only by guidelines formulated by the Genetic Modification Advisory Committee (GMAC), Malaysia. Commercialization of biotechnology-derived crops involves steps that require GMAC approval for all field evaluations and food-safety assessments before the products are placed on the market. Public acceptance of the biotechnology product is another important factor for successful commercialization. Understanding of biotechnology is generally low among Malaysians, which may lead to low acceptance of biotechnology-derived products. Initiatives are being taken by local organizations to improve public awareness and acceptance of biotechnology. Future research on plant biotechnology will focus on the development of nutritionally enhanced biotechnology-derived food crops that can provide more benefits to consumers.     

Analysis of food packaging UV inks for chemicals with potential to migrate into food simulants

Ultraviolet (UV) inks are an alternative formulation system to the more usual paste or liquid inks (oils or solvents based) that dry mainly by evaporation or penetration into the printed substrate. Based on acrylic acid chemistry, UV inks dry (the exact term is 'curing') by the chemical process of photopolymerization. Their composition (acrylate monomers and oligomers together with photo-initiators) exposed to UV emission lamps on the printing press units enable the transformation of the freshly printed ink layer into a tack-free film. For UV inks intended for primary food packaging, special care has to be paid to potential migrating species like small photo-initiator molecules and acrylate monomers not cross-linked in the formed network. The paper presents chromatographic methods to ascertain the level of ink ingredients potentially available to migrate into food simulants (migration tests). GC/MS was employed to quantify the levels of photo-initiators or acrylic esters (acrylates).     

Effect of solvent and certain food constituents on different antioxidant capacity assays

The effect of the sample solvent in the antioxidant capacity of foods measured by the four most widely used procedures (ABTS, FRAP, DPPH and ORAC) has not been systematically studied. This was the aim of this work. The antioxidant capacity of catechin:gallic acid solutions in different solvents (water, methanol/water, methanol, acetone/water) were determined. Significant differences were found between the values obtained by the same method in different solvents, as well as between the ones obtained by the different method in the same solvent (ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 μmol Trolox/g dw). In addition, certain non-antioxidant food constituents, such as amino acids and uronic acids, also showed an interfering effect on these assays. ORAC was the assay in which all these factors had a greatest interfering effect. Antioxidant capacity values should only be compared when the measurements have been made by the same method in the same solvent.     

即食五谷蛋白糊系列产品研制

开发了以大豆、谷物、蔬菜等为原料的即食五谷蛋白糊系列产品,并经研究试验确定了最佳工艺路线和配方Ⅰ。此类食品为方便、快捷、廉价、营养美味的纯天然食品,有广阔的市场前景。     

农作物和食品中链格孢毒素污染及其脱毒方法研究进展

链格孢菌是多种重要农作物的病原体,可产生70余种链格孢毒素,不仅造成农作物减产和品质下降,也会存在于食品加工制品中,对人类和动物造成安全威胁。链格孢毒素可污染粮食、水果和蔬菜等农作物,在番茄及其产品、小麦和果干等食品中的含量较高,尤其以细交链孢菌酮酸的含量最高。脱除链格孢毒素的方法主要包括物理法、化学法和微生物法,通过降解、吸附毒素或者抑制真菌产毒以降低农作物或食品中链格孢毒素的含量。本文总结了农作物和食品中链格孢毒素污染现状及其脱毒方法,旨在为降低链格孢菌毒素对农作物的危害,提高食品安全提供参考。     

Attitudes toward chemicals are associated with preference for natural food

Consumers express concerns about chemicals in their diet. We hypothesized that general positive and negative attitudes toward synthetic chemicals and dose-response insensitivity influence consumers’ risk perceptions of chemicals in food and preference for natural food. We expected gender differences in these domains. Data was taken from a postal survey. Structural equation modeling was used to test our hypotheses. Positive attitudes toward chemicals were correlated negatively, and dose-response insensitivity was correlated positively, with risk perceptions of chemicals in food. Risk perceptions of chemicals in food were positively correlated with preference for natural food. For all variables, gender differences were observed. Our findings show that general attitudes toward chemicals influence perceptions in the food context. Consumers’ dose-response insensitivity might lead to an inappropriate perception of exposure hazards. Contaminants and additives in food are perceived differently according to their origin. Women are more sensitive than men to chemical exposure hazards.     

Residual chemicals in natural rubber products for food contact use

The residues of additives and other chemicals were investigated by GC/MS in natural rubber products for food contact, which included nipples, packing, gloves and a net for ham. The packings and gloves contained 980-6,570 micrograms/g of vulcanization accelerators, such as zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate, zinc diethyldithiocarbamate (EZ), zinc di-n-buthyldithiocarbamate (BZ) and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole. Some samples contained BHT, Irganox 1076 and Yoshinox 2246R as antioxidants; dibutyl phthalate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate as plasticizers; and palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitamide, stearamide and hydrocarbons as lubricants. Two unknown peaks were identified as stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol, and others were estimated to be fucosterol, oryzanol and alpha-sitosterol. These sterols are widely distributed in plants, so their origin was presumed to be the rubber plants. The sterols were detected at a level of 340-2,940 micrograms/g in all natural rubber samples. A migration test was carried out for some samples. No chemicals were released into water, 4% acetic acid or 20% ethanol at 60 degrees C for 30 min, though BHT, Yoshinox 2246R, EZ, BZ and sterols were released into n-heptane at 25 degrees C for 60 min.