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ABSTRACT: Introduction: Tomato is considered a healthy food due to its high content in lycopene and other health-promoting natural compounds. Tomatoes have, undoubtedly, assumed the status of a food with functional properties, considering the epidemiological evidence of reducing the risk of certain types of cancers. Objective: Samples of tomatoes from Morocco were analyzed for the mineral composition. Methods: 94 tomato samples from Morocco were analyzed. Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (FAAS) was used to determine essential elements (Copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn)) and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry with Graphite Furnace (GAAS) was used to analyzed cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). Results: The mean concentrations were 0.17 mg/kg, 0.73 mg/kg, 0.20 mg/kg, 0.44 mg/kg, 7.58 μg/kg and 15.8 μg/kg for Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cd and Pb, respectively. The highest contribution to the intakes was observed for Cu (0.67% for adults) while that Zn showed the lowest contribution (0.14% for adult males and 0.20% for adult females). Conclusions: Tomatoes are a good source of essential elements for the diet, mainly iron and zinc. Tomatoes consumption does not significantly affect the intake of heavy metals.
Nutricion hospitalaria: organo oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Nutricion Parenteral y Enteral 10/2012; 27(5):1605-9. · 1.12 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Mangoes of uniform genetics (Lippens variety) cultivated in the Gomera Island (Canary Islands) by conventional and organic farming were used to analyze the mineral content in order to differentiate crops cultivated in the same geographic area by the cultivation practices. Farming differences as well as soil differences may be reflected in the mineral content of the mangoes cultivated in these extensions. Concentration metal profiles consisting of the content of Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni and Zn in mangoes were obtained by using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Pattern recognition classification procedures were applied for discriminating purposes. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) allows to a classification performance of about 73% and support vector machines (SVM) found up to a 93% of prediction ability. The classification success when applying support vector machines techniques is due to their ability for modeling non-linear class boundaries.
Talanta 08/2012; 97:325-30. · 3.79 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Phytopharmaceuticals are gaining popularity worldwide; however, cases of adverse effects and drug interactions have also increased. One reason is in the high metal content both as ingredients but also as contaminants. Metal monitoring in food, like herbal teas, provides basic information on safety aspects in regulatory processes as well as nutritional values. In the present work, Cd, Pb, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al, B, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Li, Ni, and Mo were determined by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICPS) in 36 samples of Mentha sp. Mint tea bags and loose leaves were randomly obtained from supermarkets, traditional markets, herbal stores, and pharmacies in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). Metal contents varied significantly, dependent on the stores the products were purchased in and on tea packaging (loose leaves versus tea bags). Pb analyses revealed levels (0.65±0.71mg/kg) below legal limits. The maximum permissible limit for Cd, 0.3mg/kg, set by the WHO for medicinal plants, was exceeded by 19.44% of the samples (0.22±0.13mg/kg), but all values were below the limit given in the European Pharmacopoeia for this metal (4mg/kg). We observed high Al (151.24±162.73mg/kg) and Li (5.46±3.94mg/kg) levels. B, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Mo mean levels were 20.51, 14.15, 0.26, 1.65, 10.65, 406.00, 55.05, 1.72, 33.67, and 0.73mg/kg, respectively. Mean Ca, Mg, K, and Na were detected in concentrations of 10.32, 3.83, 7.23 and 1.17g/kg, respectively. In conclusion, metal exposure through herbal mint teas does not seem to be of health concern, as to most of the studied metals, but regulatory limits for Al contents should be imposed.
Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis 08/2012; 71:11-7. · 2.45 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Palm syrup is a typical product from the Canary Islands, traditionally produced from the sap of the tropical palm tree Phoenix canariensis. Its high caloric content has led to its increasing use as a health food supplement for athletes, children and elderly. Furthermore, demand for this natural syrup is continuously increasing due also to its medicinal uses in homeopathic medicine.
Palm Tree syrup samples prepared with palm sap from primary producers in La Gomera island (Canary Islands, Spain) were analyzed for their nutritional composition (moisture, ash, sugars, fat, vitamins and minerals).
35 syrup samples from five different producing regions in La Gomera island were analyzed. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine sugars and vitamins and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (FAAS) was used to analyze the minerals.
Major carbohydrates were sucrose (37.8%), glucose (9.50%) and fructose (4.80%), respectively. The presence of arabinose could not be confirmed. Niacin was the water-soluble vitamin with the highest concentration with an average content of 0.003%. Fat content was found to be under 0.20%. Potassium was the mineral with highest contents (0.45%).
Results suggest that palm tree syrup can play an important role as a sugar and mineral source in human nutrition, suggesting that future applications for this product could be developed.
Nutricion hospitalaria: organo oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Nutricion Parenteral y Enteral 04/2012; 27(2):548-52. · 1.12 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Eight pesticide residues in tomato samples collected in the area of Souss Massa Valley (Southern Morocco) were analyzed. The detected residue levels ranged from 0.001 to 0.400 mg kg(-1) for dicofol, from 0.003 to 0.170 mg kg(-1) for procymidone, from 0.001 to 0.250 mg kg(-1) for chlorothalonil, from 0.050 to 0.500 mg kg(-1) for bifenthrin, from 0.001 to 0.010 mg kg(-1) for λ-cyhalothrin, from 0.001 to 0.300 mg kg(-1) for cypermethrin, from 0.010 to 1 mg kg(-1) for deltamethrin and from 0.003 to 1.123 mg kg(-1) for endosulfan. European MRL for endosulfan in tomatoes set in 0.500 mg kg(-1), was exceeded in 8 samples, and MRL for deltamethrin set in 0.300 mg kg(-1) for tomatoes was exceeded in 2 samples.
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 01/2012; 88(3):358-61. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the levels of metals (Ca, K, Na, Mg) and trace metals (Ni, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cd) in two fish species (gilthead bream [Sparus aurata] and sea bass [Dicentrarchus labrax]) collected from fish farms located along the coast of Tenerife Island. Ca, K, Na, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, whereas Pb, Cd, and Ni were determined using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Mean Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn contents were 3.09, 0.59, 0.18, and 8.11 mg/kg (wet weight) in S. aurata and 3.20, 0.76, 0.24, and 10.11 mg/kg (wet weight) in D. labrax, respectively. In D. labrax, Ca, K, Na, and Mg levels were 1,955, 2,787, 699.7, and 279.2 mg/kg (wet weight), respectively; in S. aurata, they were 934.7, 3,515, 532.8, and 262.8 mg/kg (wet weight), respectively. The Pb level in S. aurata was 7.28 ± 3.64 μg/kg (wet weight) and, in D. labrax, 4.42 ± 1.56 μg/kg (wet weight). Mean Cd concentrations were 3.33 ± 3.93 and 1.36 ± 1.53 μg/kg (wet weight) for D. labrax and S. aurata, respectively. All Pb and Cd levels measured were well below the accepted European Commission limits, 300 and 50 μg/kg for lead and cadmium, respectively.
Journal of food protection 11/2011; 74(11):1938-43. · 1.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This study analyzed the content of gamma-emitting radionuclides in fish farmed on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). The fish species included in this study were sea bass, gilthead bream, and rainbow trout. The first two species are produced in offshore enclosures, while the third is produced in a freshwater fish farm. All measurements were performed using two high-purity germanium gamma-ray detectors. The content of gamma-emitting radionuclides in the fodder used to feed the different species of farmed fish studied was also determined. The following nuclides were often detected in the analyzed samples: 137Cs, 40K, 235U, 228Ac, 214Bi, 208Tl, 212Pb, and 214Pb. As a complement to this analysis, 210Po concentrations in two fish samples were determined by alpha spectrometry. The nuclide presenting the highest concentration was, as expected, the naturally occurring 40K, with an average concentration of 0.13 +/- 0.01 Bq/g (wet weight) (Bq/gww) in gilthead bream and sea bass and 0.12 +/- 0.01 Bq/gww in rainbow trout. The 235U concentrations determined in the same fish species were 0.6 +/- 0.5, 0.8 +/- 0.7, and 1.6 +/- 1.0 mBq/gww, respectively. This nuclide is seldom reported in fish samples. The concentrations of 137Cs (the only artificial nuclide determined in this study) in gilthead bream and sea bass were 0.026 +/- 0.006 and 0.044 +/- 0.01 mBq/gww, respectively. In addition to the radiometric analysis, the contribution of the analyzed nuclides to the effective dose from the mean daily intake of the fish was calculated. The calculated contribution, in terms of dose per person, produced by intake of the analyzed fish was 0.8 microSv/year. This value does not represent a significant risk to the local population.
Journal of food protection 09/2009; 72(9):1941-7. · 1.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Estimating the risk associated with dietary intake of heavy metals by consumers is a vital and integral part of regulatory processes. The assessment of exposure to mercury shown in this paper has been performed by means of a study on the whole diet. Total mercury (Hg) levels were determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in 420 samples of regularly consumed food and drink. The total Hg concentrations measured in the different groups of food ranged from non-detectable to 119 microg kg(-1) w/w. The fish group had the highest concentrations of total Hg. All groups of food with regulated Hg content showed levels that were lower than the legally set values. The food consumption data used in the analysis were taken from the latest nutritional survey made in the Canary Islands, Spain. The estimated total Hg intake of local population (5.7 microg/person day(-1)) did not exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) limit of 0.3 mg week(-1) of total mercury (43 microg/person day(-1)) fixed by the Joint Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives. Fishery products contributed 96% of the total Hg intake. The mean Hg intake for each island in this archipelago, formed by seven, has also been calculated. Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and El Hierro are the islands with the highest level of Hg intake (7.0, 7,0 and 6.1 microg/person day(-1), respectively). La Palma Island, due to its low fish consumption, had the lowest level of Hg intake (4.5 microg/person day(-1)), followed by La Gomera (5.4 microg/person day(-1)), Tenerife (5.5 microg/person day(-1)) and Gran Canaria (5.6 microg/person day(-1)). A comparison has been made of the results obtained in this study with those found for other national and international communities.
Food Additives and Contaminants - Part A Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure and Risk Assessment 08/2008; 25(8):946-52.
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ABSTRACT: The concentrations of three toxic heavy metals, mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd), were determined in preserved variegated scallops (Chlamys varia, Bivalvia, Mollusca), which are often consumed in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). A total of 300 samples of seven commercial brands (A, B, D, H, J, L, and M) and one processed product ("scallop sauce") were analyzed. Samples were collected weekly in a major shopping area in Santa Cruz de Tenerife during a 12-month period. The concentrations of lead and mercury were far below the maximum limit permitted for human consumption by the European Communities Commission regulation (EC) 466/2001 (1 and 0.5 mg kg(-1) wet weight for Pb and Hg, respectively). Concentrations of cadmium were close to the maximum limit permitted by regulation (EC) 466/2001 (1 mg kg(-1) wet weight).
Journal of food protection 01/2008; 70(12):2911-5. · 1.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the levels of lead and cadmium in chicken, pork, beef, lamb and turkey samples (both meat and meat products), collected in the island of Tenerife (Spain). Lead and cadmium were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Mean concentrations of lead and cadmium were 6.94 and 1.68 microg kg(-1) in chicken meat, 5.00 and 5.49 microg kg(-1) in pork meat, 1.91 and 1.90 microg kg(-1) in beef meat and 1.35 and 1.22 microg kg(-1) in lamb meat samples, respectively. Lead was below the detection limit in turkey samples and mean cadmium concentration was 5.49 microg kg(-1). Mean concentrations of lead and cadmium in chicken meat product samples were 3.16 and 4.15 microg kg(-1), 4.89 and 6.50 microg kg(-1) in pork meat product, 6.72 and 4.76 microg kg(-1) in beef meat product and 9.12 and 5.98 microg kg(-1) in turkey meat product samples, respectively. The percentage contribution of the two considered metals to provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) was calculated for meat and meat products. Statistically significant differences were found for lead content in meats between the chicken and pork groups and the turkey and beef groups, whereas for cadmium concentrations in meats, significant differences were observed between the turkey and chicken, beef and lamb groups. In meat products, no clear differences were observed for lead and cadmium between the various groups.
Food Additives and Contaminants 09/2006; 23(8):757-63. · 2.13 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cadmium (Cd) in the human diet constitutes a potential chronic hazard to health. In the nonsmoking general population, diet is the major source of cadmium exposure; therefore, it is important to monitor the dietary intake of this heavy metal to quantify and improve the understanding of Cd accumulation in the human body. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of Cd in a range of food and drink commonly consumed in the Canary Islands. Food samples (420) were analyzed for Cd by atomic absorption spectrometry. The most recent nutritional survey conducted for the Canarian population was used to define the food and drink groups analyzed. The measured Cd concentrations combined with the food consumption data resulted in a total Cd intake in the Canary Islands of 0.16 microg/kg of body weight/day, which is well below the respective provisional tolerable weekly intake of Cd of 1 microg/kg of body weight per day determined by the FAO/WHO. The results are also compared with values reported for other national and international communities.
Environmental Research 02/2006; 100(1):123-9. · 3.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A number of brown (Phaeophyta) and green (Chlorophyta) seaweeds have been collected from the littoral of Tenerife (Canary Islands) and extracts from them have been studied for antibacterial and antifungal activity.Three different solvents, n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol have been used to obtain extracts from the Phaeophyta: Sargassum desfontainesii (Turner) C. Agardh, Halopteris scoparia (Linnaeus) Sauvageau and Stypopodium zonale (Lamouroux) Papenfuss; and the Chlorophyta: Codium intertextum (Collins et Hervey) and Ulva rigida (Clemente) C. Agardh. The activity of the extracts was tested using Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts. The methanol extract showed most antibacterial activity. The extracts were mainly active against bacteria (Gram +) while all the fungi tested proved to be resistant to the extracts of brown seaweeds, however, the methanol extract of Codium intertextum (Chlorophyta) showed considerable action against some yeasts tested.
Phytotherapy Research 01/2006; 9(5):385 - 387. · 2.09 Impact Factor
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Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 09/2001; 67(2):163-70. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The phytic acid content of hand-produced grain derivatives (gofio and frangollo) commonly consumed in the Canary Islands was determined. A total of 380 samples of gofio from different cereals (90 from wheat, 120 from corn, 60 from rye, 110 from barley) and 100 samples of frangollo were analyzed. The method proposed by García-Villanova et al. in 1982 was used for determination of phytic acid content in
cereal flours. Phytic acid concentrations are within the range >3–≥ 12 mg/g for gofio, and >3–≥ 9 mg/g for frangollo. The arithmetic means obtained from all the samples studied were 6.97 mg/g for gofio and 6.54 mg/g for frangollo. On analyzing the phytic acid content in all the gofio samples per cereal, significant differences were observed for the different gofio types. Corn gofio has a lower phytic acid content than rye and wheat gofios and a similar phytic acid content to barley gofio. There are no differences in phytic acid content among wheat, rye and barley gofios.
European Food Research and Technology 02/2000; 210(5):346-348. · 1.57 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A statistical study of recovery has been carried out in five mineralization procedures: i) HNO3/H2SO4 (1:1), 45°C/15 h; ii) HNO3, 100°C (teflon pump)/1 h.; iii) HNO/HzS04 (1:1), 100°C (teflon pump)/1 h; iv) H2SO4/HCl (1:1), 100°C (teflon pump)/1 h; and v) Lumaton, 45°C/24 h, for determination of mercury (cold vapor - A.A.S.) in muscle of fish. Only in method 1 there is no evidence of the systematic error (P > 0.05). This method was applied to 449 samples of fresh and salted fish. Mean concentrations of mercury ranged of 0.014 ppm (Pagellus erythrinus) to 0.970 ppm (Lepidopus caudatus) for fresh fish, and for salted fish between 0.043 ppm (Diplodus sargus cadenati) and 0.172 ppm (Galeorhinus galeus). One can conclude that the low mercury level of analyzed samples was lower than fish species from some polluted areas of the Mediterranean Sea. No significant differences were observed between the mean concentrations of fresh and salted fish.
Journal of food protection 02/1994; 57(3):246-248. · 1.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The consumption of lacteal desserts in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is notably high. However, there are no legal standards in Spain regarding microbiological quality. For this reason, we have decided that it would be of interest to carry out a health-sanitary study of these products, with the aim of discovering their microbial content. 330 samples of lacteal desserts on sale in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife have undergone analysis. They have been divided into three groups: cream caramel (egg and vanilla) (80), mousse (60) and the third group, known as "other desserts", which includes custard and the rest of lacteal desserts not included in the previous groupings (190). Neither E. coli, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., nor Staphylococcus aureus have been detected in any of the samples analysed. In spite of the fact that the results obtained do not reflect high microbiological contamination, we consider it necessary to lay down legal standards, with reference values, for these lacteal products, which will guarantee good microbiological quality.
Food / Nahrung 02/1994; 38(5):538-43.
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Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 01/1994; 51(6):852-6. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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Analytical Letters 09/1993; 26(9):1977-1996. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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Analytical Letters 10/1991; 24(10):1875-1883. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 03/1990; 44(2):309-16. · 1.02 Impact Factor
