Mutagenicity and genotoxicity of sorbic acid-amine reaction products

Sodium content and food additives in major brands of Brazilian children’s foods

Abstract The objective of this paper is to evaluate the sodium content and additive usage in packaged food products targeted at Brazilian children. Commercial database and manufactures’ websites were used to identify major brands of child-oriented foods. Samples were categorized as “children’s foods” (n = 214) and “infant’s foods” (n = 86). Nutrition Facts labels were used to calculate the median Na content (mg/serving, mg/kcal, and mg/100g); the ingredient lists to note the use of food additives. The sodium content found in samples varied widely among brands. The amount of sodium was high (> 210 mg/serving) in 20% of the products. Sodium density exceeded 1 mg/kcal in 40% of the products with the savory foods had the highest densities. More than 30% of the foods categories (corn snacks, filled biscuits, sliced loaf bread, and cereals) did not fulfill the 2014 sodium reduction targets. Food additives present in all children’s foods varied from two to nine additives numbers. However, some products had incredible numbers of additives, such as instant noodles and mini cakes. Although some infants’ foods categories were additives free, most products contained up to three numbers of additives. Continuing surveillance is crucial to evaluate the progress of salt reduction and to revise the maximum permissible limit of additives.

Adding Molecules to Food, Pros and Cons: A Review on Synthetic and Natural Food Additives

The pressing issue to feed the increasing world population has created a demand to enhance food production, which has to be cheaper, but at the same time must meet high quality standards. Taste, appearance, texture, and microbiological safety are required to be preserved within a foodstuff for the longest period of time. Although considerable improvements have been achieved in terms of food additives, some are still enveloped in controversy. The lack of uniformity in worldwide laws regarding additives, along with conflicting results of many studies help foster this controversy. In this report, the most important preservatives, nutritional additives, coloring, flavoring, texturizing, and miscellaneous agents are analyzed in terms of safety and toxicity. Natural additives and extracts, which are gaining interest due to changes in consumer habits are also evaluated in terms of their benefits to health and combined effects. Technologies, like edible coatings and films, which have helped overcome some drawbacks of additives, but still pose some disadvantages, are briefly addressed. Future trends like nanoencapsulation and the development of "smart" additives and packages, specific vaccines for intolerance to additives, use of fungi to produce additives, and DNA recombinant technologies are summarized.

Inactivation of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella senftenberg in liquid whole egg using generally recognized as safe additives, ionizing radiation, and heat

The effect of combining irradiation and heat (i.e., irradiation followed by heat [IR-H]) on Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Senftenberg inoculated into liquid whole egg (LWE) with added nisin, EDTA, sorbic acid, carvacrol, or combinations of these GRAS (generally recognized as safe) additives was investigated. Synergistic reductions of Salmonella populations were observed when LWE samples containing GRAS additives were treated by gamma radiation (0.3 and 1.0 kGy), heat (57 and 60 degrees C), or IR-H. The presence of additives reduced the initial radiation Dgamma -values (radiation doses required to eliminate 90% of the viable cells) by 1.2- to 1.5-fold, the thermal decimal reduction times (D,-values) by up to 3.5- and 1.8-fold at 57 and 60 degrees C, respectively, and the thermal D,-values after irradiation treatments by up to 3.4- and 1.5-fold at 57 and 60 degrees C, respectively, for both Salmonella serovars. Of all the additives investigated, nisin at a concentration of 100 IU/ml was the most effective at reducing the heat treatment times needed to obtain a 5-log reduction of Salmonella. Thus, while treatments of 21.6 min at 57 degrees C or of 5 min at 60 degrees C should be applied to achieve a 5-log reduction for Salmonella in LWE, only 5.5 min at 57 degrees C or 2.3 min at 60 degrees C after a 0.3-kGy radiation pretreatment was required when nisin at a concentration of 100 IU/ml was used. The synergistic reduction of Salmonella viability by IR-H treatments in the presence of GRAS additives could enable LWE producers to reduce the temperature or processing time of thermal treatments (current standards are 60'C for 3.5 min in the United States) or to increase the level of Salmonella inactivation.

Alkylating potential of potassium sorbate

A kinetic study of the alkylating potential of potassium sorbate (S)-a food preservative used worldwide-in 7:3 water/dioxane medium was performed. The following conclusions were drawn: (i) Potassium sorbate shows alkylating activity on the nucleophile 4-(p-nitrobenzyl)pyridine (NBP), a trap for alkylating agents with nucleophilic characteristics similar to those of DNA bases, (ii) The NBP alkylation reaction complies with the rate equation r = k(alk)[H+][S][NBP]/(K(a) + [H+]), K(a) being the sorbic acid dissociation constant and k(alk) the rate constant of NBP alkylation by the undissociated acid. In the range of pH 5-6, the alkylation time ranges between 18 days (pH 5.2) and >1 month (pH > or = 6). (iii) NBP alkylation occurs through a reaction with deltaH# = 78 kJ mol(-1), which is much higher than those of NBP alkylation by stronger alkylating agents. (iv) The absorption coefficient of the sorbate-NBP adduct was determined to be epsilon = 204 M(-1) cm(-1) (lambda = 580 nm), this value being rationalized in terms of the adduct structure. (v) The results can help to establish suitable expiration times for products preserved with potassium sorbate.

Potassium sorbate reduces gastric colonization in patients receiving mechanical ventilation

OBJECTIVES

Tube feeding might increase gastric burden of pathogenic bacteria and predispose patients to ventilator-associated pneumonia. We sought to determine whether a tube feeding formula acidified using potassium sorbate could reduce gastric burden of potentially pathogenic bacteria.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized, double-blind trial.

SETTING

RML Specialty Hospital, a facility with expertise in weaning patients from prolonged mechanical ventilation.

PATIENTS

Thirty patients recovering from prolonged mechanical ventilation.

INTERVENTION

Patients were randomized to receive either a standard tube feeding formula (n=14) or a formula acidified using potassium sorbate to a pH of 4.25 (n=16).

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

Weekly quantitative cultures of gastric aspirates. The number of colony-forming units (CFUs) per patient was higher in the control than in the treatment group (53%+/-11% vs 9%+/-3.4%, threshold of >or=100,000 CFU/mL fluid, P=.003). The number of organisms isolated in each patient per week was higher among patients receiving standard tube feeding formula than among patients receiving acidified formula (0.91 +/- 0.20 vs 0.13 +/- 0.05 organisms per patient per week, threshold of >or=100,000 CFU/mL fluid, P=.0014). There was no difference in the incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding or ventilator-associated pneumonia between study groups.

CONCLUSION

Tube feeding formula acidified using potassium sorbate was well tolerated and reduced gastric bacterial burden in patients recovering from prolonged mechanical ventilation.