Browsing by Author "Nascimento, A."
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- Are Portuguese women of childbearing age exposed to environmental mercury? The One Health perspectivePublication . Santiago, S; Namorado, S.; Dias, C.M.; Nascimento, A.; Martins, C.; Santos, M.; Carvalho, C.; Assunção, R.One health, a transdisciplinary approach, recognizes the interconnection between human, animals and their shared environment. Fish and seafood are important sources of high-biological value proteins, omega-3 fatty acids and essential minerals. However, it can contain environmental contaminants, such as mercury compounds. Long-lived predatory fish species, such as tuna or swordfish, are an important human exposure source. Thus, only through a transdisciplinary approach, namely using one health perspective, is it possible to properly tackle the issue of mercury at different levels. Methylmercury, the most toxic mercury form, mainly targets the central nervous system, and the prenatal period represents a period of greatest vulnerability regarding neurodevelopmental effects on the fetus. Portugal has a tradition of high consumption of fishery and aquaculture products, higher than in the European Union (EU) countries and above both EU and world averages. The present research aimed to evaluate the exposure of Portuguese women of childbearing age to mercury through human biomonitoring and to determine mercury contamination in fish available in Portuguese markets. For this study, 300 Portuguese women of childbearing age (25 to 44 years) were randomly selected in a cross-sectional epidemiological study carried out in Portugal (INSEF, http://www.insef.pt/) in 2015. Also, 24 different species of fish and fishery and aquaculture products acquired on the Portuguese market and representative of Portuguese consumption were selected. This study reinforces the need to develop and implement Portugal risk communication strategies focused on selecting fish species with lower mercury levels to protect susceptible populations from exposure to this chemical while simultaneously promoting the important health benefits of fish consumption and applying a One Health approach.
- Assessment of the salt content in school mealsPublication . Santiago, Susana; Nascimento, A.; Santos, MarianaSchool lunch is an important opportunity for start learning healthy eating habits and shall ensure a nutritionally balanced food supply. Balanced school meals are linked to improved concentration in class and improved academic outcomes. The report from FAO 2019 “Nutrition guidelines and standards for school meals” refers that more emphasis should be given on setting upper limits for saturated fat, sugar and sodium, especially in contexts where overweight and obesity are prevalent among schoolchildren. According to IAN-AF (2015-2016) the average daily consumption estimated of salt is for children (<10 years) 5.4 g/day and for adolescents (11-17 years) 7.2 g/day. The WHO recommends maximum level intake of 5 g/day of salt in adults should be adjusted downward based on the energy requirements of children relative to those of adults, in order to control blood pressure. The purpose of this study was to assess the salt content of the main components of school meals, collected in diferent schools of Lisbon region and to evaluate the contribution of the diferent components to the salt content of meal. These results were also compared to established guidelines and nutritional recommendations for school meals. Meals were analyzed from 12 diferent schools, consisting of bread, soup and main course. The samples were analyzed by optical emission spectrometry with coupled inductive plasma (ICP-OES) after acid digestion, for determination of sodium content, in accordance with the requirements of EN ISO / IEC 17025. Salt content was calculated by formula salt = sodium × 2.5. The amount of salt provided from the components of the school meals ranged between 0.2 and 0.9 g/meal in bread, 0.2 and 1.7 g/meal in soup and 0.6 and 2.9 g/meal in main course. The component that contributed most to the sodium content of the meal was the main course. These results suggest that the salt content of school meals should be controlled by monitoring, with gains in children's health. Once the values remain far above the WHO recommendation for salt consumption, it is necessary to go even further in salt reduction and extend this intervention to other Portuguese schools.
- Building a database for provenance studies of origin wines from the Douro ValleyPublication . Coelho, I.; Matos, A.; Nascimento, A.; Bordado, J.; Donard, O.; Epova, E.; Barre, J.; Berail, S.; Castanheira, I.AIM: The aim of the present work is to produce high quality analytical data suitable for evaluating the provenance of Port wine and Douro wine and integrating an authentic wine reference database. Both wines are produced within the same geographical area, the Douro Valley region located in the northeast of Portugal but follow different vinification procedures. The fermentation of Port wine is interrupted by the addition of a grape based spirit producing a sweet fortified wine typically consumed as digestif and dessert wine. Douro wine, on the other hand, is a table wine. The mineral composition of plants reflects the soil and the environmental conditions under which plants were grown. Minerals and trace elements, as well as some of their isotopes, are potential biomarkers in authenticity studies. We followed two analytical strategies, multielemental analysis and stable isotopes, to understand the parameters common to the region and fundamentally dependent on the soils and the ones influenced by processing methods or environmental contamination. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifteen samples of each type of wine, Port and Douro, were characterized for 26 elements. 7Li, 9Be, 11B, 27Al, 52Cr, 55Mn, 59Co, 60Ni, 65Cu, 66Zn, 75As, 77Se, 85Rb, 88Sr, 95Mo, 107Ag, 111Cd, 118Sn, 205Tl, 208Pb were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) while Fe, Mg , P , Ca , Na , K were analysed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). In addition, two isotopic systems were also studied: 87Sr/86Sr and 18O determined by Multicollector-ICP-MS (MC-ICP-MS) and Isotope Ratios Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), respectively. For all analysis reagents used were of high purity to prevent for contaminations. Ultra pure water of grade I, as defined in EN ISO 3696, was obtained using a Milli-Q plus Millipore System. Concentrated nitric acid, analytical grade (65%; Merck), was purified in the laboratory, using an acid distillation system (Milestone SubPUR), and compared to a commercial ultrapure nitric acid solution (Merck), on a routine basis. Analytical results were combined with chemometric tools, Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), capable of performing multivariate data analysis. RESULTS: Ag, Cd and Tl were mostly below the level of quantification and were therefore removed from statistical analysis. 87Sr/86Sr varied between 0,71652 and 0,72290. PCA revealed 6 principal components that explained 84,6% of the total variance. CONCLUSIONS: The vinification method did not affect significantly stable isotopes, either 87Sr/86Sr or 18O. On the other hand, some elements; namely Cr, Co, Cu, Rb, Se, Ca and Na; showed significant differences between the two types of wine. The produced data can be integrated into an authenticity system for Port and Douro wines.
- Contaminantes Metálicos nos Alimentos - Aula teórico-práticaPublication . Santiago, Susana; Nascimento, A.Aula teórico-prática sobre Contaminantes metálicos nos alimentos .
- Distinction of bakeries that meet the ambitious goal set for the year 2021 for maximum salt content in breadPublication . Santiago, Susana; Nascimento, A.; Santos, Mariana; Calhau, M.A.; Castanheira, IsabelSalt consumption in Portugal (7.4 g/day) is still higher than the maximum recommended dose by the World Health Organization (5 g/day). The consumption of bread in Portugal represents 18% of the daily consumption of salt. In 2009, a Portuguese law limited the maximum salt content in bread to 1.4g of NaCl/100g of bread. The “Bread Stamp with less salt, same flavor" project comes under the protocol established between the General Directorate of Health (DGS), the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge (INSA) and the Associations of Industrial Bakeries, Pastry and Similar, with the aim of agreeing a set of measures to reduce the salt content in bread. This initiative intends to grant a public distinction by giving a distinctive mention to bakeries that currently meet the most ambitious target set for 2021 for maximum salt content in bread (<1g NaCl/100g bread). Bread samples from 12 bakeries distributed throughout the country, were analyzed between September 2018 and January 2019 in two different moments, in a total of 117 samples. At each visit, 4 different types of bread were collected. Samples were analyzed by ICP-OES for sodium content and the salt content determined by calculation (Na x 2.5). In 12 bakeries under study, 8 obtained all the results below 1g of salt / 100g of bread and 4 obtained results that did not fulfill criterion. Thus, 8 stamps were awarded to the bakeries that complied with the salt reduction. There is a growing concern about the reduction of the salt content in bread, since 8 bakeries met the ambitious goal of salt below 1g/100g of bread, with gains for the Portuguese population’s health, with regard to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Caution is required so that bread salt reduction is not accomplished by its replacement with other substances (eg. sugar).
- Levels of manganese, iron, zinc and mercury in vegetarian foodsPublication . Nascimento, A.; Santiago, S.; Lopes, M.; Santos, M.The increasing popularity of vegetarian diet has induced science to better study this foods. As long as it includes the necessary intake of nutrients, such as minerals, can be beneficial to health. In addition, concern about food safety has increased in recent years, leading to studies to evaluate food contamination by toxic metals, regarding food poisoning prevention and public health improvement. The purpose of this work was to quantify manganese, iron, zinc and mercury contents in different foods for a plant-based diet. Mineral levels were determined by Inductive Plasma Coupled Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Total mercury content was determined by a thermal decomposition and amalgamation atomic absorption spectrophotometry (TDA/AAS). Manganese level ranged from 0.10 mg/100g (
- Purés de batata desidratados: quantificação de Bacillus cereus e avaliação nutricionalPublication . Quintino, Andreia; Furtado, Rosália; Coelho, Anabela; Nascimento, A.; Motta, CarlaCom a globalização e as constantes alterações do estilo de vida da população, o recurso a alimentos de confeção rápida e com longos períodos de vida útil, é cada vez mais frequente. Atualmente os consumidores encontram-se sensibilizados para a importância da segurança alimentar e composição nutricional, como fundamentais para a saúde. O perigo de contaminação microbiológica dos alimentos, durante a manipulação e/ou processamento é uma realidade podendo sob condições favoráveis ao desenvolvimento, alterar as características sensoriais e causar deterioração. Podem ainda ser responsáveis por intoxicações alimentares, como é o caso do Bacillus cereus. Esta é uma bactéria ubiquitária, com a capacidade de esporular e produzir toxinas (emética e diarreica), podendo ser isolada de uma diversidade de matérias-primas e alimentos processados, nomeadamente produtos desidratados ricos em amido. Os macronutrientes são macromoléculas como as proteínas, hidratos de carbono e gorduras, que têm como principal função o fornecimento de energia, sendo essenciais ao crescimento, metabolismo entre outras funções. Este estudo teve como objetivos, a quantificação de Bacillus cereus em purés de batata desidratados, a deteção da toxina diarreica, e a avaliação nutricional, tendo sido determinados os teores de humidade, proteína, cinzas, gordura e hidratos de carbono e o teor em sódio.
- Resultados Minerais TDS Na, K, Ca, P, Fe , MgPublication . Nascimento, A.; Santiago, S.; Coelho, I.; Ventura, M.; Gueifão, S.; Coelho, M.Foram analisadas 229 amostras, por ICP-OES para a determinação dos teores de minerais: Na, K, Ca, P, Fe, Mg.
- Salt reduction in different bread types: an intervention study in the Northern PortugalPublication . Nascimento, A.; Santiago, Susana; Santos, Mariana; Mesquita Bastos, José; Silva, Joana; Afreixo, V.; Calhau, Maria AntóniaSalt consumption in Portugal almost doubles WHO recommended maximum level of intake and bread consumption represents 18% of daily salt intake. The aim of this study was to evaluate sodium and correspondent salt levels in Portuguese bread before and after an intervention planned to reduce salt contents, to motivate representative associates of the Northern Portugal Bakery Association (AIPAN) to voluntary reduce salt in bread. Sampling plan included 220 samples of 4 traditional bread types: carcaça, regueifa, broa, pão da avó, collected from two bakeries (control or intervention) per district, from five different districts (Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Braga, Porto, Aveiro), between July and November 2016. After initial quantification (baseline), the intervention group carried out an intervention directed at the bakery owner in order to decrease the salt content in the recipe of the four types of bread, without other change in industrial process. Sodium levels were determined using an Inductively Couple Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry–ICP-OES. Analyses were performed in quality management system according to ISO 17025. Differences between groups were assessed with t test, and tests with a P-value of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Baseline values are in line with the Portuguese law. Mean salt values were: carcaça 1.23g, pão da avó 1.13g, broa 1.05g and regueifa 1.22g. Post-Intervention, salt levels decreased (p-values <0.05) in the four types of bread. Since bread has the highest individual contribution to salt intake, any reduction in salt levels in bread will be equivalent to a significantly decrease of sodium intake in society. Reducing salt levels in bread, without further changes in the production process, would bring important economic and public health benefits, especially related to cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. The outcome of this study provides baseline information to police makers to implement a strategy to reduce salt in bread.
- The impact of cooking process in bioacessibility of minerals from chenopodium quinoaPublication . Mota, Carla; Assunção, Ricardo; Martins, Carla; Nascimento, A.; Santos, M.; Torres, D.; Alvito, Paula; Castanheira, I.Quinoa seeds (Chenopodium quinoa) are usually reported as a good source of minerals; however, information about in vitro bioacessibility is scarce. The aim of the present study was to estimate the minerals bioaccessibility of quinoa seeds using different cooking processes: raw, steamed and boiled. The digestion of samples were performed using the harmonized static “in vitro” digestion protocol method (IVD)1, with a minor modification concerning the oral phase enzymatic composition (bacterial α-amylase). The copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Raw quinoa seeds presented the highest bioaccessibility values for Mn, K, P (100%) and the lowest for Ca (19%). After cooking process the highest values of bioaccessibility were observed for Ca (100% in boiled and 74% in steamed) and Cu (90% in boiled and 78% in steamed). Mn showed the highest decrease in bioacessibility when comparing raw and cooked samples (100% and 20% in raw and cooked samples, respectively). Zn presented bioaccessibility values near 40% for raw, boiled and steamed samples. The boiling process was the procedure that allowed to obtain the highest mineral bioaccessibility values for all the assayed minerals. These are the first results that describe the bioaccesisiblity of minerals of quinoa seeds using the harmonized IVD method.