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- Influence of geographical conditions on carotenoid content of Portuguese cabbagePublication . Dias, M. Graça; Camões, M. Filomena; Oliveira, LuísaRationale and objectives. Carotenoid content of food plants often varies not only with species and variety but also with natural factors such as light exposition, soil and temperature. The extent of this variation is not established since many non-controllable factors are involved for a long period of time and these factors may affect different plants in different manners. The objective of this work is to study the carotenoid content of the variety Portuguese cabbage in three landraces of three country regions and to contribute to the definition of the respective sampling plan. Materials and methods. Three different samples of Portuguese cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. costata D.C.) landraces, Valhascos, glória de Portugal and penca respectively from Ribatejo (centre), Beira Alta (inland north) and Minho (north) were studied in relation to their carotenoid content which was quantified, after extraction, by a reversed phase HPLC method. Analytical measurement uncertainty was estimated based on data from the in-house method validation. The between samples variance was compared with the measurement uncertainty through an F-test. Results. Lutein and all-trans- -carotene content in Portuguese cabbage samples were, in mg/100 g, respectively 4.7 and 3.6 for Valhascos, 0.52 and 0.46 for glória de Portugal, and 3.3 and 2.8 for penca. Relative analytical measurement uncertainty was 0.19 and 0.21, respectively, for lutein and all-trans- - carotene. At a significance level of 5%, Valhascos and penca landraces did not present statistically significant differences. However, glória de Portugal landrace was statistically different from the last two. Conclusions. The analysed Portuguese cabbages are very good sources of lutein and -carotene presenting diet advantages. The results show that carotenoid content of Portuguese cabbage varies with the geographical region of production easily overshadowing contributions from the analytical process. That factor should be addressed in the production of data for Food Composition Data Bases and based on this study, for the group of Valhascos and penca, and for lutein, 5 primary samples are necessary to estimate the population’s mean value, with a 95% confidence and 10% accuracy. Keywords. Carotenoid, Uncertainty evaluation, Sampling, HPLC, Food
- Portuguese Food Information Resource – sharing of food data, information and knowledgePublication . Oliveira, Luísa; Machado, Claudia; Dantas, M.Ascenção; Viegas, SilviaPortFIR (Portuguese Food Information Resource) is a program for the implementation of national networks of knowledge and data sharing in the areas of nutrition and food safety, and might be considered a spin-off of EuroFIR. The main aims of PortFIR are to promote synergy among the different actors in these fields in order to optimize the usage of national resources, and to manage and deliver data and information. Therefore, Port in PortFIR stands for Portal as well. This Portal, currently in its early stages of development, will include sustainable and quality assured food databases on composition, contamination (chemical and microbiological) and consumption and functionalities to electronically transmit and exchange data with international and national organisations, namely EuroFIR and EFSA. The PortFIR program is coordinated by the National Institute of Health (INSA) in a partnership with GS1 Portugal and with the support of governmental and private organizations encompassing health, agriculture and economy sectors. The Portuguese Food Composition Network was the first PortFIR network to be created and started its activity formally in October 2009 with the ultimate purpose of maintaining and updating the national food composition database (FCDB). Since January 2010, four Working Groups – Sampling, Organization and Transfer of Information, Users, Support to Standardization Work - are developing their activity. The network has currently 58 members, representing namely, food industry and distribution, state and private laboratories, universities, and regulators, of which 28 have declared their willingness to share data with the national FCDB. The Portuguese Food Microbiological Information Network, the second network created, was launched formally in October 2010 during the 3rd PortFIR Annual Meeting, and to date more than 80 entities already responded positively to the invitation to participate. The work in progress reveals that PortFIR activities are important to promote the use and quality of food data at national and international level. Keywords: PortFIR, National Network, Food databases, Food composition, Food Safety