Production of aflatoxin by Aspergillus flavus (UBMI) in some Nigerian indigenous beverages and foodstuffs

Sixteen samples of some Nigerian indigenous beverages and foodstuffs were analyzed for their aflatoxin content. All the eight samples of beverages tested were found to be contaminated with aflatoxin. Of the eight samples of foodstuffs tested, all contained aflatoxin except ewedu, dawadawa and shoko yokoto. All the beverages used as culture media for Aspergillus flavus (UBMI) supported the growth of the fungus and aflatoxin elaboration. A. flavus was found to grow luxuriantly on all samples of foodstuffs, except dawadawa. However, growth of the fungus on foodstuffs was not synonymous with aflatoxin production.

Fluoride intakes of young male adults in the United States

The total daily fluoride intake for young male adults living in four geographical areas of the United States has been estimated by the analysis of "market basket collections" obtained in 1975 and 1977. The fluoride intake in 1975 vaired from 0.912 mg/day in an unfluoridated city (Kansas City, Mo.) to 1.720 mg/day in a fluoridated city (Atlanta, Ga.). The 1977 collection from San Francisco, Calif. contained more fluoride (1.636 mg/day) than the 1975 collection (1.213 mg/day). The level of intake found in this study is less than that reported by San Filippo and Battistone (Clin. Chem. Acta 31: 453, 1971) who analyzed similar collections from Baltimore, Md. in 1967 to 1968 (2.09 to 2.34 mg/day). This study, as well as the earlier one, indicates that relatively low levels of fluoride are being consumed in the United States by the young adult male 16 to 19 years of age.

Effect of cupric ions on the analysis of ethylenebis(dithiocarbamate) residues in tomato juice

Cupric ions interfered with the carbon disulfide evolution assay method for dithiocarbamate residues in tomato juice and in aqueous solution. Amounts of residue determined were reduced when CuSO4 and a formulation of copper fungicide (Copper-Count-N) were present in the solutions analyzed.

Pesticides and other chemical residues in infant and toddler total diet samples-(I)-August 1974-July 1975

Since 1964, the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, has reported residues of pesticides and other chemicals present in the average diet of the young adult male. The present report is the first in a series of market baskets whose purpose is to monitor the average diet of infants and toddlers for the same residues. Ten market baskets were collected in 10 cities which ranged in population from less than 50,000 to 1,000,000 or more. Averages and ranges of residues found are reported by food class. Results of recovery studies of known residues and chemicals within various food classes are also presented.

Rapid determination of quinine in soft drinks by reversed phase ion pair chromatography

Quinine can easily be determined in soft drinks by means of reversed-phase ion-pair chromatography. Sample preparation is not necessary. Quinine is detected by fluorescence and UV spectrophotometry by continuous monitoring of the column effluent. A rectilinear response is obtained in the concentration range of 20--100 mg/l. The complete assay procedure takes about 8 min.

Oral fluid therapy: sodium and potassium content and osmolality of some commercial "clear" soups, juices and beverages

Analysis of nearly 90 commercial "clear" fluids, including soups, juices, fruit-flavoured drinks and ices, carbonated beverages and gelatins, showed a range of 0.1 to 251 mmol of sodium and 0.0 to 65 mmol of potassium per litre; the osmolality ranged from 246 to more than 2000 mOsm/kg of water. Knowledge of these values is useful in the home or hospital management of patients for whom control of fluid and electrolyte intake is indicated. The results of the analyses are presented in tabular form for use by physicians and nutritionists when counselling patients to ingest clear-type fluids for various illnesses. Examples are given using these data to show how clear-fluid therapy can be tailored in one such illness--gastroenteritis (infectious diarrhea).

High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of sodium saccharin, sodium benzoate, and caffeine in soda beverages: collaborative study

A collaborative study for the determination of sodium saccharin, sodium benzoate, and caffeine in 3 types of soda beverage, cola, grape, and lemon-lime, has been completed using reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography with a muC18 column and acetic acid mobile phase. Recoveries for sodium saccharin were 98.6, 98.0, and 99.1%; for sodium benzoate, 100.6, 102.6, and 100.6%; and for caffeine, 100.8, 101.4, and 101.1%, respectively. The method has been adopted as official first action.

Atomic absorption determination of tin in foods: collaborative study

Samples of green beans, applesauce, and a fruit juice were fortified with tin at 3 levels. Collaborators were asked to digest the samples, using HNO3-H2SO4, add methanol to enhance the absorption signal, and aspirate directly, using a nitrous oxide-acetylene flame. Results were received from 8 laboratories including 4 from Europe. However, only 6 laboratories used the prescribed methodology. All results were considered acceptable. The method has been adopted as interim official first action.

Quantitation of polymethoxylated flavones in orange juice by high-performance liquid chromatography

A quantitative high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure for the determination of the five major polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) in orange juice has been developed. It employs a unique ternary solvent system with coupled UV-fluorescence detection. The dual detectors were employed to determine the presence of interfering substances and served as a cross check on quantitation. Stop flow UV and fluorescence scanning was used to identify peaks and determine the presence of impurities. Although all five citrus PMFs fluoresce, some HPLC fluorescence peaks were too small to be of much practical use. All five citrus PMFs could be quantitated satisfactorily with the fixed wavelength UV (313 nm) detector. The HPLC procedure has been used to evaluate each step in the preparation. The optimum extracting solvent was selected and one time consuming step was eliminated, as it was found to be unnecessary. HPLC values for nobiletin and sinensetin are in good agreement with the thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) values in the literature. HPLC values for the other three flavones were considerably lower than those reported in the literature. The HPLC procedure is considerably faster than the TLC procedure with equal or superior precision and accuracy.

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of adipic acid in crackling candy and soft drinks

A procedure was developed for the simple and rapid determination of adipic acid in crackling candy and also in soft drinks. An alkaline solution of sample was extracted with ethyl ether to remove fatty substances, and H2SO4 was added to water layer to adjust the pH to less than 2. The acidified layer was saturated with NaCl and then extracted with ether. After drying, the ether layer was concentrated and the adipic acid in the concentrate was methylated using the diazomethane methograph equipped with a flame ionization detector. Recovery of adipic acid from crackling candy and from 2 kinds of soft drinks that had been fortified at the 200 ppm level was 96%. An interlaboratory test was carried out on the determination of adipic acid in orange soft drink. The results obtained by 6 laboratories were between 91 and 100% compared with the theoretical value.

Gas-liquid chromatographic-mass fragmentographic determination of low levels of diethylcarbonate in beverages

Sodium chloride and ethanol (omitted for samples with greater than 10% alcohol) are added to the beverage sample and the sample is allowed to equilibrate in a 30 degrees C water bath. An aliquot of the headspace is injected into a gas chromatography containing a column packed with 0.2% Carbowax 1500 on 80--100 mesh Carbopack C. During the elution of diethylcarbonate (DEC), an impurity that is present in diethylpyrocarbonate, the column effluent is vented to a mass spectrometer with a multiple ion detection system and operated in the electron impact mode. The ions at m/e 63 and 91 are monitored. Lemonade, fruit drinks, wine, and beer samples (138 total) were analyzed for DEC. Sixteen samples had greater than 30 ppb DEC. Eight analyses of a lemonade sample gave a mean of 88 ppb with a coefficient of variation of 11%.