Contribution of Major Groups of Food Products to the Daily Intake of Selected Elements—Results from Analytical Determinations Supported by Chemometric Analysis

Abstract

Food is a major source of minerals for humans. The main objective of this study was to determine the intake level of 10 essential macro- (Na, K, Ca, and Mg) and trace elements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Cr, and Se) with major food groups among young adults. Dietary intake of elements was evaluated using the 24-h dietary recall technique in combination with F-AASand ICP-OES methods. A very high intake of sodium and a very low intake of calcium, combined with inappropriate sodium/potassium ratio, may be harmful to the health of the population. Dietary intake of trace elements was within the range of reference values in the subjects, with cereals being the major source of a majority of those elements, while meat (38% for Na), vegetables (25% for K), and milk products (75% for Ca) were the main contributors to the daily dietary intake of macroelements. PCA revealed several visible trends in the datasetAmong men, the intake of Zn, Cr Na and K was significantly correlated with the consumption of meat and vegetables, whereas Mg, Se, Fe and Cu with cereals and water and beverages. Among women, the intake of Mg was significantly correlated with the consumption of meat and vegetables.

In Vitro Evaluation of Bioavailability of Se from Daily Food Rations and Dietary Supplements

“…Due to the fact that it is an agricultural region, over 90% of the most important products (cereal products, milk and milk products, meat and meat products, eggs, vegetables and fruit) were of local origin. The dishes were prepared and cooked in the laboratory in a manner similar to local culinary practices, according to the guidelines described in the available literature and using a procedure that was previously checked and validated [ 5 , 6 , 50 , 51 ]. In accordance with the international WHO/GEMS/Food recommendations, the food was prepared using drinking water from the city where the food products were purchased, in this case, Lublin.…”

“…The applied methodology had already been validated and checked for its accuracy and precision in the determination of trace elements, including Se [ 6 , 53 ]. However, due to the use of a different method of mineralization, it was checked once again in terms of its suitability for the determination of selected elements in the studied samples.…”

“…Studies on the concentration of various elements in food products and estimation of their dietary intake using direct chemical analysis have been performed for many years. They are important when it comes to determining element concentrations in various foods and reliable levels of intake [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. However, considering the significance of trace elements for human health, not only the amount consumed but also the bioavailability—the actual amount of a substance that reaches the systemic circulation (blood) and can cause an effect in the body—is of utmost importance [ 10 , 11 ].…”

“…Se enters the body only through the diet, and the amount which is available to the organism is correlated to the dose and chemical form in which the element is consumed [ 22 , 31 , 32 ]. Recent studies revealed that Se intake in Poland varies within a wide range from 36.9 to 106 and from 64.7 to 119 µg/day among women and men, respectively [ 5 , 6 ]. For the majority of the population, it is higher than the recommended RDA standard; however, there are groups of people characterized by low dietary intake and low Se levels in blood and urine [ 33 ].…”

In Vitro Evaluation of Bioavailability of Cr from Daily Food Rations and Dietary Supplements from the Polish Market

“…The majority of them (cereal products, milk and milk products, meat and meat products, eggs, vegetables, and fruits) were of local origin. The dishes were prepared and cooked in the laboratory according to local culinary practices, based on the guidelines presented in the available literature, and using a procedure that had been previously checked and validated [30][31][32][33][34]. The qualitative and quantitative composition of all DFRs used in the study was identical to those designed, reflecting the actual diet of the population.…”