Rafaella Regina Alves Peixoto

Cadmium and Lead in Chocolates Commercialized in Brazil

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) concentrations and their relationship to the cocoa content of chocolates commercialized in Brazil were evaluated by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS) after microwave-assisted acid digestion. Several chemical modifiers were tested during method development, and analytical parameters, including the limits of detection and quantification as well as the accuracy and precision of the overall procedure, were assessed. The study examined 30 chocolate samples, and the concentrations of Cd and Pb were in the range of <1.7-107.6 and <21-138.4 ng/g, respectively. The results indicated that dark chocolates have higher concentrations of Cd and Pb than milk and white chocolates. Furthermore, samples with five different cocoa contents (ranging from 34 to 85%) from the same brand were analyzed, and linear correlations between the cocoa content and the concentrations of Cd (R(2) = 0.907) and Pb (R(2) = 0.955) were observed. The results showed that chocolate might be a significant source of Cd and Pb ingestion, particularly for children.

Estimation of the bioaccessibility of metallic elements in chocolate drink powder using an in vitro digestion method and spectrometric techniques

As fracoes bioacessiveis de Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mn e P em amostras de achocolatado foram estimadas usando um metodo de digestao in vitro e tecnicas espectrometricas de analise. Como metodo de digestao in vitro foi utilizado um procedimento de tres etapas, nas quais sao simulados os processos digestivos que ocorrem na boca, no estomago e no intestino com a preparacao de fluidos digestivos sinteticos. Para o tratamento da amostra e do quimo (porcao soluvel) obtido no metodo de digestao in vitro, utilizou-se mineralizacao assistida por radiacao micro-ondas, considerando os altos teores de materia orgânica. Os teores de Al, Ba, Cu, Mg, Mn e P foram quantificados por espectrometria de emissao optica com plasma indutivamente acoplado, enquanto os teores de Cd e Cr foram quantificados por espectrometria de absorcao atomica com forno de grafite. Considerando os teores totais dos elementos estudados, as fracoes bioacessiveis obtidas foram: 5 ± 3% para Al, 9 ± 2% para Ba, 13 ± 3% para Cd, 5 ± 2% para Cr, 29 ± 4% para Cu, 54 ± 3% para Mg, 11 ± 3% para Mn e 31 ± 6% para P. De uma maneira geral, elementos que desempenham funcoes essenciais no organismo humano apresentaram maior bioacessibilidade quando comparados aos elementos potencialmente toxicos em niveis tracos. The bioaccessible fractions of Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mn and P in chocolate drink powder were estimated using an in vitro digestion method and spectrometric techniques. A three-step procedure was used as an in vitro digestion method, in which the digestive process occurring in the mouth, stomach and intestine are simulated with the preparation of synthetic digestive fluids. Mineralization assisted by microwave radiation was used for the treatment of the sample and the chyme (soluble portion) obtained in the in vitro digestion method, considering their high organic content. Aluminum, Ba, Cu, Mg, Mn and P were quantified by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, whereas Cd and Cr were quantified by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Considering the total content of these elements in chocolate drink powder, the bioaccessible fractions found were 5 ± 3% for Al, 9 ± 2% for Ba, 13 ± 3% for Cd, 5 ± 2% for Cr, 29 ± 4% for Cu, 54 ± 3% for Mg, 11 ± 3% for Mn and 31 ± 6% for P. In general, elements that perform essential functions in the human organism presented higher bioaccessibility when compared with potentially toxic elements at trace levels.

Multielemental Determinations in Chocolate Drink Powder Using Multivariate Optimization and ICP OES

In this work multivariate experiments were conducted to optimize the operating conditions for inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) for multielemental determinations in chocolate drink powder. The operating conditions were investigated using a 2(3) central composite design, where the variables studied were radio frequency power, nebulization flow rate, and auxiliary argon flow rate. The effects of these parameters on plasma robustness and on signal to background ratio (SBR) were considered in parallel, allowing the evaluation of robustness and detectability using few and fast experiments to select the best conditions for the determination of the analytes. In this case, the proposed experiments were applied to the optimization of a method aimed at the determination of Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, V, and Zn in chocolate drink powder. The compromise conditions that allowed obtaining a robust and sensitive analytical method were radio frequency power of 1200 W, nebulization flow rate of 0.6 L/min, and auxiliary argon flow rate of 0.3 L/min. Using these conditions, recoveries between 95 and 105% and relative standard deviations lower than 5% were obtained for the majority of the analytes. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of 15 samples of chocolate drink powder. The highest concentrations of metallic species were found in diet and light products.

COMPOSIÇÃO ELETROLÍTICA E MINERAL DO LEITE DE LACTANTES A TERMO PRÉ E PÓS-PASTEURIZAÇÃO E DE LEITE CRU DE MÃES DE RECÉM-NASCIDOS PRÉ-TERMO

OBJECTIVE To determine and compare the concentrations of electrolytes and minerals in three different types of maternal milk samples: term donor milk before pasteurization, term donor milk after pasteurization and raw milk of mothers of preterm newborns at bedside. METHODS Descriptive cross-sectional study. Concentrations of calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) were measured in random samples of three human breast milk groups. Samples were analyzed using acid mineralization assisted by microwave radiation and further analysis by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Concentrations were expressed in mg/L, described as mean and standard deviation. The one-way ANOVA and Tukeys post-test were applied to determine the variability between the means of each group. Significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS There was a significant reduction in the content of Ca (259.4±96.8 vs. 217.0±54.9; p=0.003), P (139.1±51.7 vs. 116.8±33.3; p=0.004) and K (580.8±177.1 vs. 470.9±109.4; p<0.0001) in donor maternal milk before and after pasteurization. Samples of raw milk presented higher contents of Na than the donated milk (twice). The elements P and Ca would only reach the daily intake levels recommended by the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition if at least 60 mL of milk could be offered every 3 hours. Mg levels were not different between the three groups. CONCLUSIONS There was a significant reduction in Ca, P and K levels in samples after pasteurization. The Na value in raw milk, collected at bedside, was higher than in the samples of donors milk before pasteurization.ABSTRACT Objective: To determine and compare the concentrations of electrolytes and minerals in three different types of maternal milk samples: term donor milk before pasteurization, term donor milk after pasteurization and raw milk of mothers of preterm newborns at bedside. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Concentrations of calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) were measured in random samples of three human breast milk groups. Samples were analyzed using acid mineralization assisted by microwave radiation and further analysis by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Concentrations were expressed in mg/L, described as mean and standard deviation. The one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post-test were applied to determine the variability between the means of each group. Significance level was set at 5%. Results: There was a significant reduction in the content of Ca (259.4±96.8 vs. 217.0±54.9; p=0.003), P (139.1±51.7 vs. 116.8±33.3; p=0.004) and K (580.8±177.1 vs. 470.9±109.4; p<0.0001) in donor maternal milk before and after pasteurization. Samples of raw milk presented higher contents of Na than the donated milk (twice). The elements P and Ca would only reach the daily intake levels recommended by the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition if at least 60 mL of milk could be offered every 3 hours. Mg levels were not different between the three groups. Conclusions: There was a significant reduction in Ca, P and K levels in samples after pasteurization. The Na value in raw milk, collected at bedside, was higher than in the samples of donor’s milk before pasteurization.

Risk assessment of cadmium and chromium from chocolate powder

ABSTRACT An evaluation of the exposition of cadmium and chromium via chocolate drink powder consumption was conducted. The element levels were determined in 34 samples of chocolate drink powder samples of several types (traditional, light, diet, and organic) available in the Brazilian market. The samples were previously treated using acid mineralisation assisted by microwave radiation and analysed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Concentrations of Cd were in the range 14–124 and 81–4790 µg kg−1 for Cr. The contributions of daily consumption of chocolate drink powder for children would represent 4–35% of the provisional tolerable weekly intake of Cd and 0.03–0.14% of the tolerable daily intake of Cr. Target hazard quotients lower than 0.04 and 0.001 were obtained for Cd and Cr, respectively, indicating that the exposure to these elements through chocolate drink powder do not present any potential risk to human health.