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Varrà MO, Husáková L, Lanza GT, Piroutková M, Patočka J, Ghidini S, Zanardi E. Multi-elemental composition of botanical preparations and probabilistic evaluation of toxic metals and metalloids intake upon dietary exposure. Food Chem Toxicol 2024; 188:114664. [PMID: 38636597 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the inorganic elemental composition (49 elements) of 29 botanical preparations obtained from fruits, leaves, peels, seeds, roots, fungi, and spirulina by using inductively coupled-mass spectrometry and a mercury analyzer. Simultaneously, the risk associated with the chronic dietary exposure to 12 toxic metals and metalloids among the European population was evaluated by using a probabilistic approach based on Monte Carlo simulations. The analysis revealed worrying intake levels of Al, As, and Ni, primarily stemming from the consumption of spirulina-, peel-, and leaf-based botanicals by younger age groups. The intake of As from all analyzed botanicals posed a significant risk for infants, yielding margins of exposure (MOEs) below 1, while those deriving from peel-based botanicals raised concerns across all age groups (MOEs = 0.04-2.3). The consumption of peel-based botanicals contributed substantially (13-130%) also to the tolerable daily intake of Ni for infants, toddlers, and children, while that of spirulina-based botanicals raised concerns related to Al intake also among adults, contributing to 11-176% of the tolerable weekly intake of this element. The findings achieved underscore the importance of implementing a monitoring framework to address chemical contamination of botanicals, thus ensuring their safety for regular consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Olga Varrà
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Strada del Taglio, 10, 43126, Parma, Italy
| | - Lenka Husáková
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentska 573 HB/D, Pardubice, CZ-532 10, Czech Republic.
| | - Giovanni Tommaso Lanza
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Strada del Taglio, 10, 43126, Parma, Italy
| | - Martina Piroutková
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentska 573 HB/D, Pardubice, CZ-532 10, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Patočka
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentska 573 HB/D, Pardubice, CZ-532 10, Czech Republic
| | - Sergio Ghidini
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Strada del Taglio, 10, 43126, Parma, Italy
| | - Emanuela Zanardi
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Strada del Taglio, 10, 43126, Parma, Italy.
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Khalfalla M, Zsombik L, Nagy R, Győri Z. Promoting the elemental profile of sorghum grain: Driving factors affecting nutritional properties under nitrogen fertilizer conditions. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28759. [PMID: 38601610 PMCID: PMC11004528 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Monitoring nitrogen utilization is crucial in agricultural practices, emphasizing the interrelationship between soil health, nutrient management, and human health. The study was conducted to evaluate the impact of N fertilizer on the nutritional characteristics of diverse S. bicolor varieties, namely Alföldi 1, ES Föehn (Lidea Seeds) with a red pericarp, ES Albanus, Albita, and Farmsugro 180 (all white varieties), the study was conducted in sorghum-producing areas where the crop is non-native. Specifically, the study investigated two soil types: loam clay and sandy soil. Furthermore, the respective varieties were grown under N (27% N CAN) fertilizer conditions, involving 60 kg/ha-1 and 120 kg/ha-1 of the treatment rates applied at each experiment site. We measured the specific element concentration in each sample using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) technology. Certainly, the results demonstrated that the different S. bicolor varieties had unique nutritional characteristics attributed to several factors such as soil type, variety, and treatment, which showed a significance value of (P < 0.05). The findings demonstrated that the treatments had distinct impacts as stimulators and inhibitors for certain elements. Specifically, the application of 120 kg/ha-1 negatively affected the levels of particular elements, such as Ca mg/kg-1, in loam clay and sandy soil. The statistical analysis of trace microelement variance did not show a significance value (P > 0.05) when considering the year factor, which supported the data analysis's reliability and accuracy. In summary, to enhance the nutritional value of sorghum grain and supply nutrient-rich food choices for individuals, consider factors such as fertilizer response, nutrient uptake by grain, element mineral accumulation, and advisory variety. Additional research could enhance the nutritional properties of sorghum to provide the required dietary stuff, such as grain processing, which can render sorghum a proper addition to a healthy and balanced human diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha Khalfalla
- University of Debrecen, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Nutrition Science, Debrecen, Böszörményi utca. 138, 4032, Hungary
| | - László Zsombik
- University of Debrecen, Institutes for Agricultural Research and Educational Farm, Research Institute of Nyíregyháza, Vilmos utca 4-6, 4400, Hungary
| | - Róbert Nagy
- University of Debrecen, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Nutrition Science, Debrecen, Böszörményi utca. 138, 4032, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Győri
- University of Debrecen, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Nutrition Science, Debrecen, Böszörményi utca. 138, 4032, Hungary
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Cruz JD, Vasconcelos V. Legal Aspects of Microalgae in the European Food Sector. Foods 2023; 13:124. [PMID: 38201152 PMCID: PMC10778407 DOI: 10.3390/foods13010124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The interest in microalgae as food in Europe is growing due to its remarkable features that can foster a sustainable economy. The lack of tradition on their use among Europeans is changing and a demand for more sustainable products is increasing. The legal framework from the microalgae stakeholders' point of view has been consistently identified as a bottleneck, regardless of its nutritional value and potential to provide added-value metabolites. Microalgae-based products have been mostly consumed as food supplements, which are characterized by some general uncertainty with regards to food security of products sourced from non-European countries. The novel foods regulation is a landmark in Europe's food law defining the conditions in which a new type of food can be commercialized. Currently, a more simplified and centralized version is in place, and around eleven microalgae-based products are on the market; however, more than half are represented by Schizochytrium sp. derived products (DHA-rich oil). Microalgae have immense potential as a sustainable food source; nonetheless, there is limited experience in assessing the safety of these microorganisms, considering the uncertainty around undesirable substances present in the way they are produced and their diverse metabolites. Here, we overview the regulatory use of microalgae as food in Europe with a focus on market introduction, highlighting the administrative procedures and scientific requirements to assess food safety. We also discuss the implications of the Transparency regulation related to microalgae as novel foods and provide considerations for a more solid interaction between academia and industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Diogo Cruz
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal;
- Interdisciplinary Center of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Vitor Vasconcelos
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal;
- Interdisciplinary Center of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
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Nakamoto MM, Assis M, de Oliveira Filho JG, Braga ARC. Spirulina application in food packaging: Gaps of knowledge and future trends. Trends Food Sci Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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Arthrospira platensis as a Feasible Feedstock for Bioethanol Production. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11156756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In recent decades and to deal with the scarcity of fossil fuels, many studies have been developed in order to set up a sustainable biofuel production sector. This new sector must be efficient (high productivity), economically profitable (low production costs and therefore acceptable fuel prices), and ethical (low carbon balance, no competition with food resources). The production of bioethanol is based on the fermentation of reserve sugars, accumulated in the form of starch in microalgae and glycogen in cyanobacteria. The advantage of this bioenergy production route lies in the fact that the post-crop fermentation process is at the industrial stage since it has already been tested for many years for the production of bioethanol from agricultural resources. One of the most cultivated cyanobacteria is Arthrospira (“Spirulina”) and its production is also already at industrial scale. Depending on the cultivation conditions, this cyanobacteria is able to accumulate up to 65% DW (dry weight) of glycogen, making it a feasible feedstock for bioethanol production. The aim of this review is to provide a clear overview of these operating conditions for glycogen accumulation.
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Physicochemical Evaluation of Edible Cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis Collected from the South Atlantic Coast of Morocco: A Promising Source of Dietary Supplements. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:3337231. [PMID: 34335805 PMCID: PMC8286187 DOI: 10.1155/2021/3337231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis (A. platensis)—a genus of nonheterocystous filamentous cyanobacteria—is used in industrial applications and as a food supply. The current research work aims to study the physicochemical characteristics of A. platensis indigenous to the Moroccan Atlantic coast at Laayoune (Foum El Oued lagoon). The contents of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, lipids, minerals, heavy metals, energy value, humidity, ash, pigments, and tannins in A. platensis were investigated using protocols as described in the earlier literature. The values of protein, carbohydrate, and lipid contents in A. platensis were 58.9 ± 0.07, 14.67, and 45.54% respectively. The values of vitamins B2 and B3 dosed in A. platensis were 1.31 ± 0.19 and 30.8 ± 0.001 mg/kg, respectively. The values of heavy metals including lead and chromium were 70 ± 4.5 and 5 ± 0.5 PPB (parts-per-billion), respectively; however, no trace concerning cadmium was detected. The values of energy value, humidity, and ash content were 346.48 ± 0.21, 11.6 ± 0.17%, and 9.1 ± 0.21% kcal/100 g, respectively. The results of pigment content showed the presence of chlorophyll b, chlorophyll a, and carotenoids of 37.506 ± 3.38, 26.066 ± 3.08, and 9.52 ± 0.22 mg/g, respectively. The results obtained revealed that A. platensis indigenous to the Moroccan Atlantic coast at Laayoune was found to be very rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, ash, and pigments and lower in heavy metals and saturated fats when compared with species investigated in the literature. Thus, A. platensis indigenous to the Moroccan Atlantic coast at Laayoune fulfills the requirements for being used as dietary supplements.
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