Levels of some trace elements in hospital diets

Composite diets served to patients at the University College Hospital, Ibadan were collected and analysed for their concentration of zinc, copper, iron, manganese and cadmium. Data collected indicate that the concentration of zinc for breakfast foods was highest in bread and fried egg and lowest in bread alone. Copper was highest in yam and corned beef stew but not detected in any of the bread-containing breakfast foods. Iron and manganese were highest in hot pap and moinmoin and lowest in yam, stew and meat.For lunch and dinner diets, the concentration of zinc was highest in dodo, stew and meat and lowest in dodo alone; copper was highest in eba, melon soup and meat and was non-detectable in jollof rice and meat, pounded yam, melon soup and meat. Iron was highest in amala, melon soup and meat and lowest in dodo alone. Manganese was highest in agidi, vegetable soup and fish and was non-detectable in pounded yam, okro soup and fish. The levels found appear sufficient to meet daily dietary requirements.