Technologically processed and natural foods in pregnant women nutrition

The objective of our study was to find out the tendencies of nutrition among pregnant women and to reveal which products, technologically processed or natural foods, were consumed more. 205 women took part in the first Lithuanian newborn cohort, PLANK-K. 62 questionnaires with 198 questions about products consumed during pregnancy were answered. In the main groups of products the majority of women consumed plant origin food. Most of the women ate bread products, grain and its products, cocoa and its products, dairy products, meat and its products. A lot of women consumed nuts and their products, various drinks, some of them ate eggs and their products. The least consumed during pregnancy were various origin fats and honey. In smaller subgroups the majority of women consumed vegetables, the minority of them ate rare meat (venison, lamb) and mixed origin fat. Speaking about technologically processed food, two groups were fit for comparison: processed meat products and canned corn. Processed meat products had big preponderance against consumption of other meat products and more than half of women chose canned corn. It is clear that in this case technologically processed food was chosen more often than non-processed food. The format of this questionnaire allows to accurately evaluate food products that mothers consume during pregnancy, but makes it harder to evaluate technologically processed and non-processed food consumption.

Zearalenone Removal in Synthetic Media and Aqueous Part of Canned Corn by Montmorillonite K10 and Pillared Montmorillonite K10

The capacities of montmorillonite K10 (K10), aluminum pillared K10 (Al-K10), and iron pillared K10 (Fe-K10) to eliminate zearalenone (ZEN) from synthetic media and the aqueous part of canned corn were studied. Original clay and pillared clays were characterized in terms of X-ray powder diffraction analysis and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. The maximum amounts of adsorption of ZEN by K10, Al-K10, and Fe-K10 at 25°C and pH 7 were 0.202, 1.305, and 1.028 mg/g and 0.264, 0.096, and 0.255 mg/g, calculated from Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, respectively. The adsorption of ZEN was also studied as a function of adsorbent amount (1 to 30 mg), ZEN concentration (2 to 20 mg/liter), pH of solution (pH 4 to 10), and contact time. Pillared clays could be an excellent alternative for removing ZEN in contaminated food samples and are potentially low-cost adsorbents with a promising future as an alternative to more costly materials.

Four-Year Surveillance for Ochratoxin A and Fumonisins in Retail Foods in Japan

Between 2004 and 2007 we examined foods from Japanese retail shops for contamination with ochratoxin A (OTA) and fumonisins B1,B2, and B3. A total of 1,358 samples of 27 different products were examined for OTA, and 831 samples of 16 different products were examined for fumonisins. The limits of quantification ranged from 0.01 to 0.5 μg/kg for OTA and 2 to 10 μg/kg for the fumonisins. OTA was detected in amounts higher than limits of quantification in wheat flour, pasta, oatmeal, rye, buckwheat flour and dried buckwheat noodles, raisins, wine, beer, coffee beans and coffee products, chocolate, cocoa, and coriander. OTA was found in more than 90% of the samples of instant coffee and cocoa, and the highest concentration of OTA, 12.5 μg/kg, was detected in raisins. The concentration of OTA in oatmeal, rye, raisins, wine, and roasted coffee beans varied remarkably from year to year. Fumonisins were detected in frozen and canned corn, popcorn grain, corn grits, cornflakes, corn soups, corn snacks, beer, soybeans, millet, and asparagus. The highest concentrations of fumonisins B1, B2, and B3 were detected in corn grits (1,670, 597, and 281 μg/kg, respectively). All of the samples of corn grits were contaminated with fumonisins, and more than 80% of the samples of popcorn grain and corn snacks contained fumonisins. OTA and fumonisins were detected in several food products in Japan; however, although Japan has not set regulatory levels for these mycotoxins, their concentrations were relatively low.

Study of the effect of DMSO on VOS odour production in a wastewater plant

Odours caused by volatile organic sulphides (VOS) have a history spanning over 20 years for Philadelphia's Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant (NEWPCP). A “canned corn” type of odour has caused residential complaints. Traditional odour control approaches based on hydrogen sulphide failed. This study confirmed that dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) from a chemical facility was the dominant cause of the “canned corn” nuisance odour in the form of dimethyl sulphide (DMS). During a discharge, DMSO concentrations up to 12 mg/L were found in the influent of the NEWPCP. Each DMSO concentration peak induced a DMS peak. DMS concentrations increased from less than 50 μg/L to 6 mg/L with a corresponding decrease in DMSO. Approximately 79% of DMSO from the primary sedimentation influent was passed to the effluent, and to downstream processes, such as the aeration tanks where the DMS was volatilised by the aeration. The DMS partial pressure in ambient air of NEWPCP can be between 0.03 and 0.18 × 10−3 atm during a DMSO discharge. From the above information, the potential of VOS production is estimated and a practical plan for remediation can be designed.

Immunoaffinity Column Coupled with Liquid Chromatography for Determination of Fumonisin B1 in Canned and Frozen Sweet Corn

A modified liquid chromatographic (LC) method for determining fumonisin B1 (FB1) in corn was applied to canned and frozen sweet corn. The corn is extracted with methanol–water (8 + 2), and the extract is filtered. The filtrate is diluted with water and passed through an immunoaffinity column. After the column is washed with water, FBi is eluted with methanol–water (8 + 2). The eluate is evaporated to dryness by using a vacuum concentrator, and the residue is dissolved in acetonitrile–water (1 +1). FB1 is derivatized with o-phthaldialdehyde. The derivative is separated on a reversed-phase C18 LC column using acetonitrile–water–acetic acid (50 + 50 + 1) and quantitated with a fluorescence detector. Recoveries of FB1 from canned and frozen corn spiked over the range of 50–200 ng/g were 76–88%. The limit of determination was about 25 ng/g, and the limit of detection was about 4 ng/g. The method was applied to 97 commercial canned and frozen sweet corn samples collected from different areas of the United States. Sixty samples contained no FB1. Low levels (trace–82 ng FB1/g corn) were found in 35 samples; 235 ng FB1/g was found in 1 canned corn sample, and 350 ng FB1/g was found in 1 frozen corn sample.