Carla Soraya Costa Maia

Determination of synthetic food dyes in commercial soft drinks by TLC and ion-pair HPLC.

Synthetic food colourings were analyzed on commercial carbonated orange and grape soft drinks produced in Ceará State, Brazil. Tartrazine (E102), Amaranth (E123), Sunset Yellow (E110) and Brilliant Blue (E133) were extracted from soft drinks using C18 SPE and identified by thin layer chromatography (TLC), this method was used to confirm the composition of food colouring in soft drinks stated on label. The concentration of food colouring in soft drink was determined by ion-pair high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. The results obtained with the samples confirm that the identification and quantification methods are recommended for quality control of the synthetic colours in soft drinks, as well as to determine whether the levels and lables complies with the recommendations of food dyes legislation.

Analytical MethodsDetermination of synthetic food dyes in commercial soft drinks by TLC and ion-pair HPLC

Synthetic food colourings were analyzed on commercial carbonated orange and grape soft drinks produced in Ceará State, Brazil. Tartrazine (E102), Amaranth (E123), Sunset Yellow (E110) and Brilliant Blue (E133) were extracted from soft drinks using C18 SPE and identified by thin layer chromatography (TLC), this method was used to confirm the composition of food colouring in soft drinks stated on label. The concentration of food colouring in soft drink was determined by ion-pair high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. The results obtained with the samples confirm that the identification and quantification methods are recommended for quality control of the synthetic colours in soft drinks, as well as to determine whether the levels and lables complies with the recommendations of food dyes legislation.

Immunological response in mice immunised via oral route with açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.)

The açaí berry (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) is a typical fruit of the Amazon region. The consumption of the açaí pulp has grown in both the national and international markets due to its high nutritional and energetic value. The pulp is also rich in phenolic compounds, mainly anthocyanin, giving it antioxidant properties and thereby also the status of being a functional food. This study aims to evaluate the immunological response in mice immunised via oral route with lyophilised açaí pulp (LAP). Swiss mice were immunised by oral route with 200 µg of LAP. Specific antibodies (IgE and IgG1) were detected in the serum through the methods enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting with immunoprecipitation. The results therefore suggest that the açaí berry can be considered a food allergen. Further studies are required to elucidate the immunological mechanisms involved in the allergic reaction to açaí.

Zinco e risco cardiovascular de pacientes nefropatas em tratamento de hemodiálise

Objective: To assess the relationship between zinc concentration and cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis. Methods: Analytical retrospective cross-sectional study carried out in Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil, in 2012 with 43 adult patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis (HD group) and 35 healthy individuals (control group). Socioeconomic and biochemical (total cholesterol - TC, low density lipoprotein - LDL, very low density lipoprotein - VLDL, high density lipoprotein - HDL and triglycerides - TG) were collected. Plasma zinc was determined using coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. HD group’ lipid profile was collected from medical records, and the controls’ lipid profile was analyzed using the Bioclin® kit. Non-HDL cholesterol was = CT – HDL-C. Cardiovascular risk was assessed using the TG/HDL ratio, with risk when >3.8. Student’s t test, Pearson’s test or Spearman’s test were used. Results: Zinc was below the recommended and lower (p<0.001) in the HD group (68.40μg/dL and 85.53μg/dL, respectively). HDL-c in the HD group was below the recommended (39.64±11.58). VLDL (29.02±14.03 mg/dL) in HD patients was higher (p<0.001) than in controls (15.47±10.65 mg/dL). LDL was higher in the HD group than in controls (p=0.05) and TG in the HD group (145.14±70.15 mg/dL) was higher (p<0.001) than in controls (77.35±53.25 mg/dL). The TG/HDL ratio in the HD group was 4.02±2.60 (p=0.04), indicating a higher cardiovascular risk. Individuals with higher TG/HDL had lower zinc (p=0.011). Conclusion: Patients on hemodialysis presented with zinc deficiency and high cardiovascular risk, but there was no correlation between zinc levels and lipid profile.