J.A. Zee

Determination of genotoxicity of the metabolites of the pesticides Guthion, Sencor, Lorox, Reglone, Daconil and Admire by 32P-postlabeling

Commercial formulations of the pesticides: Guthion (azinphos methyl), Sencor (metribuzin), Lorox (linuron), Reglone (diquat), Daconil (chlorothalonil) and Admire (imidacloprid) were studied for their genotoxicity by 32P-postlabeling. Metabolites of the pesticides were obtained enzymatically using arochlor induced rat liver S9 fraction, in an NADPH generating system. The resulting metabolites were reacted with calf thymus DNA and the DNA was analyzed for presence of adducts by either the nuclease P1 or butanol enrichment. Nuclease P1 enrichment resulted in adducts for all the pesticides. Compared to the level of adducts in control DNA, the levels in pesticide-treated DNA were higher for all the pesticides, except Daconil. The increase in adduct numbers for pesticide-treated DNAs ranged from 4.9-12.4 times the control-DNA indicating pesticide genotoxicity in this in vitro system. Enrichment using butanol extraction gave three adducts unique to Sencor-DNA. These adducts were different from those obtained with nuclease P1 enrichment of the same. B(α)P was the positive control for the in vitro metabolism, and two adduct enrichment procedures: nuclease P1 digestion and butanol extraction.

Effect of storage conditions on the stability of vitamin C in various fruits and vegetables produced and consumed in Quebec

Abstract Nearly 90% of vitamin C in the human diet is obtained from fruits and vegetables as ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids. However, these compounds are sensitive to light and oxygen and may decompose under normal transport and storage conditions, resulting in reduction of the nutritional value of the foodstuffs. In this work, the effect of various commercial and domestic storage conditions (3, 8, 23°C with or without light) on vitamin C contents of some fruits and vegetables produced in Quebec was studied. In general, degradation of vitamin C is a function of time. In some foodstuffs, however, the onset of degradation is delayed during the first few days during which the vitamin content actually increases as a result of continuing endogenous metabolism.

Determination of a cholesterol oxide mixture by a single-run high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis using benzoylation

Abstract A rapid, single-run high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed to separate and quantify benzoate esters of cholesterol oxides, providing high sensitivity via ultraviolet detection. The mobile phase was 85% isopropanol-water (v/v). Analyses of 7-ketocholesterol, cholestane-triol, epoxy-cholesterol, 7-hydroxycholesterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol were done using a 30 cm × 3.9 mm I.D. Novapak C18 column and a variable-wavelength ultraviolet detector (set at 230 nm). Linearity was excellent since a good correlation was observed. As low as 500 ng of cholesterol benzoate per 20 μl of solution can be detected by this method.

High-performance liquid chromatographic-diode-array determination of ascorbic acid, thiamine and riboflavine in goats' milk

Cette methode est precise et apparait utilisable pour lanalyse de routine de ces vitamines biologiquement actives dans le lait de chevre. Les produits de degradation de la riboflavine ne peuvent par contre pas etre detectes

Education and improved iron intakes for treatment of mild iron-deficiency anemia in adolescent girls in southern Benin.

Background To our knowledge, the impact of a nutrition education program combined with an increase in bioavailable dietary iron to treat iron-deficiency anemia has never been studied in adolescent girls. Objective To evaluate the impact of an intensive dietary program for the treatment of iron-deficiency anemia in 34 intervention and 34 control boarding-school girls aged 12 to 17 years from Benin. Methods A quasi-experimental design consisting of 4 weeks of nutrition education combined with an increase in the content and bioavailability of dietary iron for 22 weeks was implemented in the intervention school, but not in the control school. Data were obtained from both groups from a nutrition knowledge questionnaire, 24-hour dietary recalls, anthropometric measurements, measurement of iron status indices, and screening for malarial and intestinal parasitic infections. Results Nutrition knowledge scores and mean intakes of nutrients, including dietary iron, absorbable iron, and vitamin C, were significantly higher in the intervention group (p < .05) than in the control group after 26 weeks. Mean hemoglobin and serum ferritin values were also significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (122 vs. 112 g/L [p = .0002] and 32 vs. 19 μg/L [p = .04], respectively), whereas the prevalence of anemia (32% vs. 85% [p = .005] and iron-deficiency anemia (26% vs. 56% [p = .04]) was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group. No significant differences between the groups were observed in intestinal parasitic infections or malaria status postintervention. Conclusions A multidietary strategy aiming to improve available dietary iron can reduce iron-deficiency anemia in adolescent girls.

Effect of calcium and zinc concentrations and calcium source on in vitro calcium and zinc solubility in a fiber-fortified enteral formula

Abstract The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of simultaneous addition of increasing levels of calcium (60–210 mg/100 g formula) and zinc (1.5–3.9 mg/100 g formula) on calcium and zinc solubility in an enteral formula fortified with soy polysaccharide fiber (2.13 g/100 g formula). The solubility of calcium from various sources, added to the formula, was also examined. Solubility was estimated by the ratio of soluble calcium or zinc in the supernatant, after centrifugal separation of samples subjected to in vitro pepsin and pancreatin digestion, over the total calcium or zinc content of samples. No interaction was found between calcium and zinc levels. Zinc solubility decreased linearly from 17 to 12% with increasing calcium levels (p

Impact of socioeconomic and health related factors on the iron status of adolescent girls from two boarding schools in Southern Benin.

UNLABELLEDnTo our knowledge, the impact of socioeconomic and health related factors on the iron status of adolescent girls has never been studied in Benin.nnnOBJECTIVEnThese factors were studied in 180 girls aged 12 to 17 years living in two boarding schools from South Benin.nnnMETHODSnIron deficiency (ID) was defined as either serum ferritin (SF) < 20 microg/L or SF between 20-50 microg/L plus two abnormal values in the three following parameters: serum iron < 11 micromol/L, total iron binding capacity > 73 micromol/L or transferrin saturation < 20%. Socioeconomic and health related factors were obtained from each participant by mean of an interview using a standardized and pre-tested questionnaire.nnnRESULTSnAlmost half the participants reported some health problems in the last four months before the study, whereas more than 75% auto-medicated before going to the hospital. The majority of the girls believed themselves to be in good health, although only 16% could define the term anemia. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that girls whose mother was a manual worker (P = .002), who came from a larger family (P = .0001), and who auto-medicated (P = .014), had a lower hemoglobin level, whereas girls who had started their menstruation (P = .008) had a lower SF level. In a logistic regression analysis, girls from a large family size and whose mother was a manual worker showed a higher risk of IDA (OR = 3.5; 95% CI = 1.1-2.5; P = .04; OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.2-2.2; P = .04 respectively).nnnCONCLUSIONnThe findings indicate that iron deficiency is related to the occupation of the mother, family size, auto-medication, and menstruation.

Estimated absorbable iron intakes in quebec adults.

In the last 30 years, the prevalence of low dietary iron intake has increased, partly because North Americans have been encouraged to choose lower fat foods, including leaner meats. As a result, there has been a decrease in red meat consumption. The objective of this study was to estimate absorbable iron intakes of a representative sample of the Quebec adult population and to compare these results with the new North American recommendations for iron. Dietary intakes were obtained by 24-hour recall and absorbable iron intakes were estimated using Monsen & coworkers model. While 18.9 % and 2.5% of women and men respectively had an iron intake below the estimated average requirement (EAR), 66.2 % and 25.6% had an estimated available iron intake below the recommended level for absorbed iron. Beef consumption had the strongest association with estimated absorbable iron, followed by vegetables. Subjects with a high education level consumed significantly less meat, beef and heme iron than subjects whose education level was low or moderate. These results indicate that there is a need for improving iron intake in the Quebec adult population.

Nutritional values of some fish and seafood produced and consumed in Quebec

Abstract The moisture, protein, total lipid, carbohydrate, total ash and calcium, sodium, and potassium contents of cod, plaice, haddock, shrimp, crab and lobster (raw or processed) were determined. These values were compared to nutrition tables in the Agriculture Handbook No. 8–15 (USDA) and in the Canadian Nutrient File of Health and Welfare Canada. Energy values, ranging from 279.3u2009kJ for canned crab to 461.9u2009kJ for boiled shrimps, are relatively constant but are higher in species with higher fat content. Differences in lipid contents were observed for all seafoods with the exception of haddock fillets. Differences in mineral contents were also observed. The new data obtained may more accurately reflect the nutritional values of foods produced and consumed in the province of Quebec, and are important factors in the marketing of fishery products and in more accurate meal planning in institutional use.

Utilisation de la féverole dans la fabrication du tofu

Abstract A tofu product was fabricated from faba beans (Vicia Faba L. Minor). Various experimental conditions were modified to optimize product yield and organoleptic properties. Optimum yield (66.8% by weight and 44.8% protein) of the faba bean tofu was obtained with bean to water ratio of 1:10 by the decantation process. Increasing amounts of ascorbic acid increased the protein content and texture firmness and lowered the grey coloration of the product. Colour intensity may further be decreased by removing the cuticle before grinding. Also, increasing amounts of coagulant decreased the protein yield. Glucono-δ-lactone gave a tofu of very pale colour, but the protein yield was less than the other salts. The optimized decantation process gave better yield than the enzymatic process, and the resulting products were of similar texture and firmness as the tofu made from soya.