Comparison of nutritional composition between plant-based drinks and cow's milk

The high decline in liquid milk consumption in Western countries has been compensated by the increased consumption of processed dairy products and the rapidly increasing number of new plant-based beverages constantly introduced in the market, advertised as milk substitutes and placed on shelves near milk products. To provide better understanding about the nutritional value of these drinks compared with cow's milk, 27 plant-based drinks of 8 different species and two milk samples were purchased from two big retailers in Switzerland, and their composition regarding protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin, and mineral contents and residue load [glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), and arsenic] was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Energy and nutrient intakes were calculated and compared with the dietary reference values for Germany, Austria and Switzerland (D-A-CH). In addition, the digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS) was calculated to estimate the quality of the proteins. Milk contained more energy; fat; carbohydrate; vitamins C, B₂, B₁₂, and A; biotin; pantothenic acid; calcium; phosphorus; and iodine than most plant-based drinks. Soy drinks provided slightly more protein and markedly more vitamins B₁ and B₆, folic acid, and vitamins E and D₂ (with supplemented vitamin D₂) and K₁, magnesium, manganese, iron, and copper than milk and the other plant-based drinks. However, with the exception of cow's milk and soy drinks, which had > 3% protein, most milk alternatives contained ≤ 1% protein; therefore, they cannot be considered good protein sources. In regard to protein quality, milk was outstanding compared with all plant-based drinks and exhibited higher calculated DIAASs. Our results show that the analyzed plant-based drinks are not real alternatives to milk in terms of nutrient composition, even if the actual fortification is taken into account. Improved fortification is still an issue and can be optimized using the most bioavailable and soluble derivatives. Complete replacement of milk with plant-based drinks without adjusting the overall diet can lead to deficiencies of certain important nutrients in the long term.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in tea, herbal tea and iced tea beverages- survey and transfer rates

The transfer rate of 37 pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) found in ten naturally contaminated teas and herbal teas to their brews was studied in detail. Mixed herbal, peppermint, red bush, senna, black tea and green tea infusions were prepared according to the ISO guide and vendor's instructions, respectively, and parameters like herb-to-water ratio, steeping time and multiple extractions studied. In general, a transfer rate of 38-100% (median 95%) for brews following vendor's instructions was determined. The total concentration range of PA in these ten samples was 154-2412 ng/g (median 422 ng/g) in the herb and for single analytes 0.1-170 ng/g. Seven of the 37 PA occurred unexpectedly; these were tentatively identified and quantified by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HR-MS), since their contributions to total PA-content matter. Additionally, 46 iced tea beverages were analysed for their PA-load, determined to be in the range 0-631 ng/L (median 40 ng/L). The applied solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean-up turned out to be capable of separating PA in the free base pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAFB) and their N-oxides (PANO) in a two-step elution, which was a valuable tool to support identification of unexpected PA. Further, atropine was found in 50% of the ten tea herb samples (range: 1-4 ng/g) and in 13% of the iced tea beverage samples (range: 2-65 ng/L).

Urine glyphosate level as a quantitative biomarker of oral exposure

BACKGROUND

Since the classification of glyphosate as a Group 2A substance "probably carcinogenic to humans" by the IARC in 2015, human health concerns have been raised regarding the exposure of operators, bystanders, and consumers. Urine measurement studies have been conducted, but since toxicokinetic data on glyphosate in humans is lacking, a meaningful interpretation of this data regarding exposure is not possible.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine the fraction of glyphosate and AMPA excretion in urine after consuming ordinary food with glyphosate residue, to estimate dietary glyphosate intake.

METHODS

Twelve participants consumed a test meal with a known amount of glyphosate residue and a small amount of AMPA. Urinary excretion was examined for the next 48 h.

RESULTS

Only 1% of the glyphosate dose was excreted in urine. The urinary data indicated the elimination half-life was 9 h. For AMPA, 23% of the dose was excreted in urine, assuming that no metabolism of glyphosate to AMPA occurred. If all of the excreted AMPA was a glyphosate metabolite, this corresponds to 0.3% of the glyphosate dose on a molar basis.

CONCLUSION

This study provides a basis for estimating oral glyphosate intake using urinary biomonitoring data.

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids: The Botanical Origin of Pollen Collected during the Flowering Period of Echium vulgare and the Stability of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Bee Bread

Previous studies have shown that pollen products sold as nutritional supplements and used in apitherapy may contain toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) if bees collect pollen from PA-containing plants, such as Echium vulgare. In this study, the botanical origin of pollen from two observation sites was studied. Despite a high PA content in pollen samples that bees collected during E. vulgare's flowering period, bees were found to collect relatively few Echium pollen loads. Thus, the monitoring of pollen loads collected at the apiaries is unviable to estimate the risk of PA contamination in pollen or bee bread. In a second step, the stability of PAs in bee bread samples containing PAs at concentrations of 2538 ng/g and 98 ng/g was assessed over a period of five or six months, respectively. No significant PA reduction was observed in bee bread stored at 15 °C, but there were overall PA reductions of 39% and 33% in bee bread stored at 30 °C, reflecting hive conditions. While PA N-oxides decreased over time, other types of PAs remained relatively stable. Monitoring PAs in pollen products remains important to ensure consumer safety and should include echivulgarine (and its N-oxide), the major PA type found in pollen from E. vulgare.

Glyphosate residues in Swiss market foods: monitoring and risk evaluation

A total of 243 samples of diverse foodstuffs were analysed for glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) using a liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method with a relatively low limit of quantification in the range of 0.0005-0.0025 mg kg-1. Main contributors for dietary glyphosate and AMPA intake were cereals and pulses. The results suggest that pasta is a very important foodstuff for dietary glyphosate residue intake in Switzerland. Interestingly all samples of wine, fruit juice and nearly all samples of honey tested positive for glyphosate although at very low levels. A dietary risk assessment was conducted. Food products for analysis were not selected purely at random, rather products were selected for which high levels of glyphosate residues were suspected. However, even in samples where high residue levels were expected, no exceedances of maximum residue levels were found. Consequently, human exposure did not exceed neither acceptable daily intake nor acute reference dose. Therefore, glyphosate residues found in the sampled foodstuffs from the Swiss market were of no concern for human health.

Natural occurrence of bisphenol F in mustard

Bisphenol F (BPF) was found in mustard up to a concentration of around 8 mg kg(-1). Contamination of the raw products or caused by the packaging could be ruled out. Also, the fact that only the 4,4'-isomer of BPF was detected spoke against contamination from epoxy resin or other sources where technical BPF is used. Only mild mustard made of the seeds of Sinapis alba contained BPF. In all probability BPF is a reaction product from the breakdown of the glucosinolate glucosinalbin with 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol as an important intermediate. Hot mustard made only from brown mustard seeds (Brassica juncea) or black mustard seeds (Brassica nigra) contained no BPF. BPF is structurally very similar to bisphenol A and has a similar weak estrogenic activity. The consumption of a portion of 20 g of mustard can lead to an intake of 100-200 µg of BPF. According to a preliminary risk assessment, the risk of BPF in mustard for the health of consumers is considered to be low, but available toxicological data are insufficient for a conclusive evaluation. It is a new and surprising finding that BPF is a natural food ingredient and that this is the main uptake route. This insight sheds new light on the risk linked to the family of bisphenols.

A roadmap for hazard monitoring and risk assessment of marine biotoxins on the basis of chemical and biological test systems

Aquatic food accounts for over 40% of global animal food products, and the potential contamination with toxins of algal origin--marine biotoxins--poses a health threat for consumers. The gold standards to assess toxins in aquatic food have traditionally been in vivo methods, i.e., the mouse as well as the rat bioassay. Besides ethical concerns, there is also a need for more reliable test methods because of low inter-species comparability, high intra-species variability, the high number of false positive and negative results as well as questionable extrapolation of quantitative risk to humans. For this reason, a transatlantic group of experts in the field of marine biotoxins was convened from academia and regulatory safety authorities to discuss future approaches to marine biotoxin testing. In this report they provide a background on the toxin classes, on their chemical characterization, the epidemiology, on risk assessment and management, as well as on their assumed mode of action. Most importantly, physiological functional assays such as in vitro bioassays and also analytical techniques, e.g., liquid chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (LC-MS), as substitutes for the rodent bioassay are reviewed. This forms the basis for recommendations on methodologies for hazard monitoring and risk assessment, establishment of causality of intoxications in human cases, a roadmap for research and development of human-relevant functional assays, as well as new approaches for a consumer directed safety concept.

Vitamin D levels and associated factors: a population-based study in Switzerland

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY

To update the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and to identify factors associated with vitamin D status in the Swiss adult population.

METHODS

Data from the 2010-2011 Swiss Study on Salt intake, a population-based study in the Swiss population, was used. Vitamin D concentration in serum was measured by liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry. Major factors that influence vitamin D levels were taken into account. Survey statistical procedures were used to estimate means and prevalences of vitamin D levels and status. Monthly-specific tertiles of vitamin D and ordinal logistic regression were used to determine the associations of covariates of interest with vitamin D status.

RESULTS

The prevalences of vitamin D insufficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D: 20-29.9 ng/ml) and deficiency (<20 ng/ml) were the highest in the January-March period; 26.4% (95%CI: 21.6-31.7) and 61.6% (95%CI: 56.0-67.0), respectively. In the same period, more than 9 of ten men were vitamin D insufficient or deficient. Each unit increase of Body Mass Index was associated with an 8% decreased likelihood of being in a higher vitamin D tertiles. Oral contraceptive, altitude, urinary excretion of calcium, use of vitamin D supplement or treatment, high wine consumption, physical activity were associated with vitamin D tertiles. Compared to the French-speaking region, the Italian-speaking region was independently associated with a higher likelihood of being in higher vitamin D tertiles (OR: 1.66, 95%CI: 1.14-2.43).

CONCLUSIONS

Low levels of vitamin D are common among Swiss adults, in particular during winter months and outside the Italian-speaking region.

Furan in food: headspace method and product survey

Headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been adapted for the efficient determination of furan in foods. Levels of furan in various foods were measured in order to identify the products that contribute most to the human intake of furan. Highest amounts were found in products that were heat treated in sealed containers such as jarred and canned food products and in crusty and dry products such as snacks, biscuits, bread crust, roasted wheat flour and roasted coffee beans. Of the analysed jarred baby food products those containing only meat and starch from rice and corn had low levels of furan. In addition, the fruit products showed similar low levels. Clearly higher concentrations were found in the vegetable and vegetable-meat products. For the adult population coffee seems to be an important product with respect to furan intake. Coffee brews from espresso-type machines had considerably higher amounts of furan than other coffee brews. This type of coffee is considered by experts to have the best coffee aroma. It is assumed that for regular coffee consumers coffee is the most important source of furan intake.

Quinolizidine alkaloids and phomopsins in lupin seeds and lupin containing food

In recent years there has been growing interest in replacing (genetically modified) soya by lupin. Lupin seeds, flours and lupin containing food have been analyzed in order to assess the relevance of a potential health hazard given by mycotoxins and/or naturally occurring alkaloids. Since not all important alkaloids used for quantitation were commercially available, isolation of lupanine, 13alpha-hydroxylupanine and angustifoline from lupin flours of high alkaloid contents was performed. Alkaloids were analyzed by GC-MS/GC-FID in parallel, while the phomopsin mycotoxins were analyzed by ELISA, since chromatographic methods were not sensitive enough and required time-consuming sample cleanup. The analyzed lupin containing foods were free of phomopsins. In foods where lupin was only a minor constituent the alkaloid content was of no concern. However, roasted lupin beans intended as coffee surrogate had alkaloid contents close to the Australian intervention limit of 200 microg/g.

Occurrence of heterocyclic aromatic amines in the Swiss diet: analytical method, exposure estimation and risk assessment

A total of 86 meat samples, prepared in restaurants or homes, ready to eat (including poultry and fish) and 16 commercial samples such as bouillon (cubes) were analysed for heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAA). The analytical method consisted of an acidic extraction, clean-up on a cation exchange cartridge followed by an analogous HPLC step to recover the following HAA: IQ, MeIQ, MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, PhIP and 7,8-DiMeIQx. The HAA containing HPLC-fractions were collected, the HAA identified and quantified using two RP-HPLC-systems of different retention properties (UV-detection). The limit of quantitation was in the range of 0.2-0.4 ng/g and the relative repeatability 6-15%. The recovery of PhIP was lower than for the other HAA analysed (less than 80%) and a correction factor was applied. No significant differences of the HAA-concentration were found in samples from homes and restaurants, half of the total samples contained HAA at the following frequencies: PhIP and MeIQx 33% (each), 4,8-DiMeIQx 11% and MeIQ 4%; 7,8-DiMeIQx and IQ were not detected. The frequencies in commercial products were for MeIQx 31%, 7,8-DiMeIQx 19%, IQ 13% and PhIP 6%; MeIQ and 4,8-DiMeIQx were not found. Based on these data, the average exposure of Swiss adults to HAA was estimated to be 5 ng/kg body mass per day, commercial products contributing less than 10%. The theoretical excess cancer risk due to this intake was estimated on the base of the carcinogenic potency of the HAA in long-term animal experiments by linear extrapolation. The resulting risk in the order of 10(-4) at the maximum is discussed in terms of Swiss epidemiological data.

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and the corresponding acid in hemp containing foods with special regard to the fluorescence properties of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol

A solvent programmed reversed-phase HPLC method with UV detection for the determination of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and delta9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A (THCA-A) in foods containing parts of hemp such as edible oil, herb-teas (infusion), herbal hemp or hempseed is presented. The THC peak is also detected by fluorescence. The detection limits with UV detection are 0.01 ng for THC and 0.05 ng for THCA-A and with fluorescence detection 0.1 ng for THC. The relative standard deviation under repeatability conditions of the chromatographic procedure is about 0.5% and that of the over-all analytical procedure for THC in vegetable oils 2% (concentration range of 10-100 mg/kg).

Induction of apoptosis reduces immunogenicity of human T-cell lines in mice

Apoptotic cells, e.g. postinflammatory neutrophils, were reported to be engulfed by phagocytes without induction of an inflammatory response. We investigated the humoral immune response of BALB/c mice after repeated injection of viable or apoptotic human T cells. Following interleukin-2 (IL-2) deprivation, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)/IL-2 expanded human T-cell lines were irradiated with UV-B light to induce apoptosis, confirmed by propidium iodide staining of Triton X-100-lysed cells. Indirect immunofluorescence was used to detect antilymphocyte antibodies 7 days after each injection. We found high levels of antilymphocyte antibodies in all animals immunized with viable T cells, whereas animals injected with apoptotic cells showed a significantly reduced humoral immune response. We conclude that apoptotic cells induce poor xenoreactive T-cell responses when compared with viable cells.

The effect of azodicarbonamide concentrations on ethyl carbamate concentrations in bread and toast

A series of baking experiments have been undertaken in order to test the proposition that the use of the flour improver azodicarbonamide influences ethyl carbamate concentrations in baked bread. Samples were prepared in a laboratory and contained 0, 20 and 45 mg azodicarbonamide/kg; 20 mg/kg reflecting normal commercial usage and 45 mg/kg the UK statutory limit. Samples incorporating 0 and 20 mg/kg of the additive were also prepared in a commercial bakery. Toast made from these breads was examined since it is known that toasting can lead to increased ethyl carbamate concentrations. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that, at 45 mg/kg, azodicarbonamide led to significant increases in ethyl carbamate concentrations in both bread and the toasts made from it. At 20 mg/kg some small increases in ethyl carbamate were seen for bread and this approached statistical significance for those samples made in the commercial plant. When these breads were toasted an increase in ethyl carbamate was observed but this was not attributable to the use of azodicarbonamide.