Nitrate and nitrite in vegetables from north China: content and intake

The contents of nitrate and nitrite in potato, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, scallion (shallot), celery, cucumber, tomato, eggplant and wax gourd taken from the north China market from 1998 to 1999 were determined. These vegetables provide the major contribution to the nitrate intake from the diet. The highest content of nitrate was found in celery followed by Chinese cabbage, cabbage, scallion, wax gourd and eggplant. For all the products, a great variation in the content of nitrate was found. Generally, the nitrite content was low. The average intake of nitrate and nitrite from these vegetables was estimated as approximately 422.8 and 0.68 mg day -1 , respectively.     

2015—2021年内蒙古地区市售蔬菜中禁限用农药残留调查分析

目的 了解内蒙古地区市售蔬菜中禁限用农药残留状况,为有关部门制定针对性强的、有效的禁限用农药监管防治对策提供科学依据。方法 2015—2021年,在内蒙古地区12个盟市采集市售蔬菜,采用气相色谱-质谱联用法、液相色谱-质谱联用法对蔬菜中禁限用农药残留进行检测,检测结果按照《食品安全国家标准 食品中农药最大残留限量》（GB 2763—2021）中规定的限量值来判定。结果 共采集市售蔬菜样本1 721份,监测禁限用农药20种,包括氨基甲酸酯类、有机磷类及有机氯类农药,20种禁限用农药的总检出率为9.24%（159/1 721）,总超标率为5.35%（92/1 721）。在20种禁限用农药中,除丁硫克百威、灭多威、涕灭威、氯唑磷未检出外,其他16种农药均有检出,检出率最高的是久效磷,为4.64%（21/453）。超标率最高的是乐果,为2.50%（24/959）。叶菜类蔬菜中禁限用农药检出率和超标率均为最高,分别为12.11%（77/636）和8.18%（52/636）。结论 内蒙古地区市售蔬菜检出多种禁限用农药,建议相关部门加强禁限用农药的监管,保障人民群众舌尖上的安全。     

High-pressure treatments induce folate polyglutamate profile changes in intact broccoli (Brassica oleraceae L. cv. Italica) tissue

In plant matrices, folates exist largely as folylpoly-γ-glutamates requiring deglutamylation to monoglutamates prior to absorption, which might impair dietary folate bioavailability. This study investigated folylpoly-γ-glutamate stability and conversions in broccoli tissue during thermal (25–90 °C, 30 min) and high-pressure treatments (0.1–600 MPa, 25–45 °C, 30 min) after vacuum packaging. Folates were analyzed based on poly-γ-glutamate side chain length by RP-HPLC. During thermal treatments, folates were stable up to 90 °C, whereas differences in folylpoly-γ-glutamate profiles towards higher conjugated folylpoly-γ-glutamates were observed at elevated temperatures (70–90 °C). High-pressure treatments resulted in significant folate losses (48–78%). Depending on the pressure–temperature combinations studied, folylpoly-γ-glutamates were converted to folylmono- and folyldi-γ-glutamates, which was shown to occur mainly during the initial stages of the high-pressure treatments, i.e. during pressure build-up and subsequent equilibration. Targeted application of high-pressure treatments can hence be applied to obtain broccoli with higher monoglutamate folate content. Implications towards folate bioavailability in relation to the observed folate degradation, however, requires further investigation.     

Folate content in frozen vegetarian ready meals and folate retention after different reheating methods

Folate content and retention were evaluated in 10 different precooked vegetarian ready meals before and after reheating. Folate was quantified using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method. The only form of folate found was 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. Folate content in thawed ready meals varied from 23 to 81 μg/portion (400 g) on fresh weight basis. Products served with couscous and potatoes contained more folate than products served with rice. Folate retention during reheating was investigated in the microwave oven (900 W/5.5 min), in a saucepan on stove until the food reached 85 °C, and in oven (225 °C/40 min). The true vitamin retention varied for the three investigated portions as follows: on stove (63-93%), microwaving (55-89%) and in oven (50-92%). Our results indicate that folate content in the ready meals prior to reheating, contributed to 6-27% of the recommended intake (300 or 400 μg folate per day). After reheating folate content was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in some meals but were kept constant in others and folate content was reduced to 3-25% of the recommended value. No clear pattern in folate retention between different heating methods was seen. However, the meals with ingredients suggesting high concentrations of antioxidants were less prone to loose folate when heated since the antioxidants probably protected the folates.     

Bioprotective Leuconostoc strains against Listeria monocytogenes in fresh fruits and vegetables

Ten Leuconostoc mesenteroides and one Ln. citreum strains isolated from fresh fruit and vegetables were tested for their antagonistic capacity against Listeria monocytogenes. Genetic differences among strains were analyzed by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD). All the isolates clustered together and differed from the type strain Ln. mesenteroides ATCC 8293 as well as from Ln. fallax and Ln. citreum. Organic acids, hydrogen peroxide and bacteriocins were detected as main inhibition mechanisms. Characterization of culture supernatants from the bacteriocinogenic strains, CM135 and CM160 revealed a high resistance of antibacterial activity to temperature and pH, and a bactericidal mode of action against L. monocytogenes. Produced bacteriocins belonged to the Class IIa and sequencing of genes showed complete homology with mesentericin Y105. A study of the effect of the relative dose of pathogen and LAB on control of L. monocytogenes in wounds of Golden Delicious apples and Iceberg lettuce leaf cuts was performed. A comparison of the dose of bioprotective strain needed for a ten fold reduction of the viable pathogen concentration (ED(90)) revealed that strain CM160 was the most effective against L. monocytogenes. ED(90) values varied from 1.3.10(4) to 5.0.10(5) cfu.g(-1) or wound, at ranges of pathogen levels from 1.0.10(3) to 5.0.10(4) cfu.g(-1) of lettuce or wound of apple. The efficiency of the strains was also calculated as the ratio of the ED(90) value to the pathogen dose inoculated. The lowest ratio was found for strain CM160 at 5 to 50 cells of LAB per cell of pathogen. The strain offers potential application for prevention of the presence of L. monocytogenes in fresh fruit and vegetables.     

The addition of spices and herbs to vegetables in the National School Lunch Program increased vegetable intake at an urban,economically-underserved,and predominantly African-American high school

Vegetable intake is far below recommendations among African-American adolescents living in economically-underserved urban areas. While the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) helps overcome access barriers, vegetable intake remains challenging and novel interventions are required. A two-year, multi-phase, school-based intervention was conducted at an urban, economically-underserved, and predominantly African-American high school in Baltimore, Maryland to determine whether stakeholder-informed addition of spices and herbs to NSLP vegetables would increase intake. The stakeholder engagement phase included assessment of NSLP vegetable attitudes/preferences among 43 school stakeholders and subsequent student sensory testing. The second phase was conducted in the school cafeteria and consisted of eight weeks comparing student intake of typical vegetable recipes versus otherwise-identical recipes with spices and herbs. 4570 student lunch plates were included in the vegetable intake comparison. Vegetable intake was measured by lunch tray plate waste. Willingness to try vegetables was assessed by the difference between plate waste and estimated mean vegetable served weight. Intake of typical vegetable recipes and vegetable recipes with spices and herbs was compared with student’s t-test. Chi-square test was used to compare willingness to try vegetables. Total vegetable intake was 18.2% higher (8.22 g per meal, p < 0.0001) with spices and herbs than with typical recipes. There were no differences in trying vegetables with spices and herbs, although student-led advocacy was associated with increased trying vegetables with spices and herbs (78.8% with advocacy, 67.5% without advocacy, p < 0.0001). The addition of spices and herbs to vegetables in the NSLP was feasible and associated with small increases in vegetable intake at an urban, economically-underserved, and predominantly African-American high school.     

基于空间统计方法的蔬菜中农药残留风险分析

目的分析蔬菜中农药残留空间格局分布变化及规律,找到聚集热点区域,为蔬菜中农药残留监测、监管提供科学依据。方法用空间统计方法对某省2014—2016年蔬菜中农药残留监测信息结合地理信息进行空间格局分布及空间聚集性分析。结果 2014—2016年区域内监测的蔬菜中农药残留检出率和超标率两者分布格局较一致,但三年对比变化较大,检出较高区域集中分布在西南部和东北部;超标率涉及区县较少,散在分布在西南部和东北部。2014年监测区域的蔬菜中农药检出率全局存在正相关性(P0.05,Moran's I=0.410),局部相关主要分布在西南部、北部和南部地区;2016年监测区域的蔬菜中农药超标率全局存在正相关性(P0.05,Moran's I=0.111),局部相关主要分布在西南部地区;2016年监测区域的蔬菜中农药检出率全局存在负相关性(P0.05,Moran's I=-0.087),局部相关主要分布在中部地区。时空扫描统计量分析结果显示监测区域内超标率和检出率均有聚集性,超标率有一个聚类区域(LLR=27.11,P0.05,RR=20.04),分布在东北部区县;检出率有两个聚类区域,一类聚类区域(LLR=43.24,P0.05,RR=6.9)分布在东北部和南部区县,二类聚类区域(LLR=19.13,P0.05,RR=4.13)分布在西南部区县。结论 2014—2016年监测区域的蔬菜中农药残留检出率和超标率呈现较为一致的下降趋势。空间自相关性和时空扫描统计量结果显示存在聚集性,聚集区域主要为东北部和西南部邻近区县,且聚集区域的相对风险度RR值均4,提示这些聚集区县较其他区县农药残留风险高,是监管部门应该关注的热点区域。     

Determination of ultratrace levels of selenium in fruit and vegetable samples grown and consumed in Portugal

The selenium content in fruit and vegetable samples from two regions in Portugal were analysed using hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS) and radiochemical nuclear activation analysis (RNAA) – two analytical methods with very low limits of detection. The lower detection limits of HG-AFS, 3 μg kg⁻¹ and 8 μg kg⁻¹ (according to conditions used for digestion), and for RNAA, 10 μg kg⁻¹, meant that it was possible to determine selenium in samples previously analysed using the replicate sample instrumental nuclear activation analysis (RSINAA) with a higher detection limit associated.     

Total antioxidant activity in 35 Ugandan fruits and vegetables

The objective of this study was to analyse antioxidant activity (AA) in fruits and vegetables from Uganda and to investigate whether AA in traditional food is sufficiently high to prevent oxidative stress and thus combat disease. We used the FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma) procedure. The results showed great variation in AA, ranging from 72.3 ± 13.5 (Syzygium cuminii seed) to 0.09 ± 0.05 (Cucurbita maxima fruit) mmol/100 g fresh weight (FW). We estimated serving sizes and determined the total antioxidant capacity (TDAC) per day of three traditional Ugandan diets. The dietary plants with highest AA per serving size were pomegranate (Punica granatum), Canarium schweinfurthii, guava (Psidium guajava), mango (Mangifera indica) and tree tomato (Cyphomandra betacea) with values ranging from 8.91 to 3.00 mmol/serving. Of the traditional diets, the central/eastern (C/E) and the western (W) diets had almost the same AA (9.31–9.78 and 9.75 mmol/day), while the northern (N) diet had an AA of 7.50–8.02 mmol/day.     

Electrochemical Determination of Phenothrin in Agricultural Formulations, Vegetables, and Storage Bags of Wheat and Rice by Differential Pulse Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry (DP-AdSV)

An electroanalytical method has been developed for the determination of the pesticide phenothrin by differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry on a hanging mercury drop electrode in universal buffer as supporting electrolyte. The best adsorption conditions were found to be pH 6.0, an accumulation potential of −0.6 V, and an accumulation time of 75 s. Effects of stirring rate, scan rate, pulse amplitude, and purge time were examined for the optimization of instrumental conditions. Calibration curve is linear in the range 2 × 10⁻⁹ to 2 × 10⁻⁷ mol l⁻¹ with a detection limit of 1.9 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol l⁻¹. The correlation coefficient and relative standard deviation were 0.995% and 1.1%. The method is applied to the determination of the phenothrin in agricultural formulations, vegetables, and storage bags of wheat and rice under Food Corporation of India’s storage system.