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- Are chloropropanols and glycidyl fatty acid esters a matter of concern in palm oil?Publication . Albuquerque, T.G.; Costa, H.S.; Silva, M.A.; Oliveira, M.B.P.P.Background: Palm oil is the most consumed worldwide, being evident its importance due to several applications by the food industry. The presence of toxic and mutagenic compounds, such as chloropropanols and glycidyl fatty acid esters has increased the attention on this oil. Very recently, there have been several alerts about the safety of certain foods containing palm oil in their composition. Consequently, the European Commission has demanded the evaluation of these hazardous compounds in several food matrices, including palm oil, turning this issue into a public health concern. Scope and approach: This review focuses on chloropropanols and glycidyl fatty acid esters in palm oil, their precursors, occurrence and mitigation strategies, as well as scientific opinions, current legislation and analytical approaches. Key findings and conclusions: Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry detection is preferred in the analysis of chloropropanols and glycidyl esters in palm oil. Concerning the precursors, the presence of chlorides and mono- and diglycerides is related to high amounts of these compounds, especially glycidyl esters. Several differences in the occurrence of these compounds in palm oil were reported, namely in what concerns to applied processing (refining/deodorization conditions; temperature/time of frying in the presence or absence of food). There is still much work to be done to implement efficient mitigation strategies without compromising the safety of palm oil. Furthermore, regarding the maximum levels in foodstuffs, European Commission is finalising the new EU legislation which will include values for the maximum levels of glycidyl fatty acid esters in vegetable oils.
- Desenvolvimento de um método para determinação de Vitamina B12 em alimentos, por cromatografia líquida acoplada a espectrometria de massas (LC-MS/MS)Publication . Tavanez, Patricia; Leitão, Ana Lúcia Monteiro Durão; Motta, Carla Alexandra Fino Alberto daThe aim of the present work was focused on the otimization of the extraction and chromatographic method used with the purpose of determining the B12 vitamin content in fortified samples (soy based vegetable drinks) and natural (raw mackerel). The immunoaffinity columns use as the clean-up method contributed to the optimization of the method and, consequently, to the determination of the diferente vitamers in the different matrices. In the fortified soy based vegetable drinks, simpler matrices, it was possible to identify the present cyanocobalamin, with levels estimated between 0,25 and 0,66 μg/100 mL, values very similar to those obtained by ultracentrifugation. In the mackerel samples, more complex matrices, it was tested two extraction methods: with and without sodium cyanide, in order to determine the different natural forms of vitamin B12 as well as their total content. The obtained results show that hydroxocobalamin is the major present form in this natural sample and it represents 35 to 58% of the total vitamin B12 content, unlike cyanocobalamin which is found in residual levels. The total content of vitamin B12, express by content of cyanocobalamin, the average value is estimated to be 13,9 μg/100 mL. Some parameters were also evaluated for the validation of the method. Linearity was verified for the concentration range of the calibration curves under study and, although the homogeneity of variances was not verified, the analysis of reference materials allowed to evaluate the accuracy, having obtained a z-score < 2. The development of this work thus represents a contribution to the optimization and development of the method, and the results obtained can be considered, although it is necessary to carry out more tests, promising.
- Infeção VIH e SIDA em Portugal – 2020Publication . Direção-Geral da Saúde; Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo JorgeNeste relatório, conjunto da DGS e do INSA, são apresentados os dados mais recentes da vigilância epidemiológica da infeção por VIH em Portugal, bem como os resultados das estimativas relativas à epidemia nacional para o ano 2018 e as iniciativas de prevenção e rastreio em curso no país. Durante o ano 2019, de acordo com as notificações efetuadas até 30 de junho de 2020, foram diagnosticados em Portugal 778 novos casos de infeção por VIH, o que corresponde a uma taxa de 7,6 casos por 105 habitantes, não ajustada para o atraso da notificação. A maioria dos casos correspondiam a homens (2,3 casos por cada caso comunicado em mulheres), a mediana das idades à data do diagnóstico foi de 38,0 anos e em 24,1% dos novos casos os indivíduos tinham idades ≥50 anos. A idade mediana mais baixa (30,0 anos) foi apurada nos casos em homens que têm relações sexuais com homens (HSH), estes correspondem a 65,2% dos casos diagnosticados em indivíduos de idade inferior a 30 anos. A taxa de diagnóstico mais elevada registou-se no grupo etário 25-29 anos, 22,1 casos por 105 habitantes. A residência de 50,4% dos indivíduos situava-se na Área Metropolitana de Lisboa (13,7 casos/105 habitantes) e a região do Algarve apresentou a segunda taxa mais elevada de diagnósticos (13,5 casos/105 habitantes). A maioria dos novos casos ocorreu em indivíduos naturais de Portugal (55,7%). Embora a transmissão heterossexual se mantenha como a mais frequente, os casos em HSH constituíram a maioria dos novos diagnósticos em homens (56,7%). Na primeira avaliação clínica predominaram os casos assintomáticos, contudo, em 15,0% houve um diagnóstico concomitante de SIDA e 49,7% apresentaram-se tardiamente (CD4<350 cél/mm3 ). Durante o ano 2019 foram também diagnosticados 172 novos casos de SIDA (1,7 casos/105 habitantes). A pneumonia por Pneumocystis jirovecii foi a doença definidora de SIDA mais frequente, sendo referida em 37,8% dos casos. Foram ainda notificados 197 óbitos ocorridos em 2019, 22,8% dos quais ocorreram nos cinco anos subsequentes ao diagnóstico da infeção. Entre 1983 e 2019 foram diagnosticados em Portugal 61433 casos de infeção por VIH, dos quais 22835 atingiram estádio SIDA. Entre 2009 e 2018 observou-se uma redução de 47% no número de novos casos de infeção por VIH e de 65% em novos casos de SIDA. Não obstante esta tendência decrescente sustentada, Portugal destaca-se pelas elevadas taxas de novos casos de infeção VIH e SIDA entre os países da Europa ocidental. Como em anos anteriores, o número de novos diagnósticos de infeção por VIH em HSH de idades jovens continua a constituir motivo de particular atenção, reforçando a necessidade de estratégias dirigidas a esta população. Muito embora a evolução em termos de diagnósticos tardios seja encorajadora, o facto de quase metade dos casos serem diagnosticados tardiamente, com particular expressão entre os homens heterossexude prevenção e promoção do diagnóstico. As estimativas realizadas para o ano 2018 revelaram que, em Portugal, viviam 41305 pessoas com infeção por VIH, 6,8% das quais não diagnosticadas. A proporção de infeções não diagnosticadas era mais elevada para os casos em homens heterossexuais (13,1%) e mais baixa em utilizadores de drogas injetadas (UDI) (1,4%). O tempo médio entre a infeção e o diagnóstico era 3,4 anos, no final de 2018. Foram pela primeira vez efetuadas estimativas para as 10 cidades portuguesas que aderiram à iniciativa “Cidades na Via Rápida para acabar com a epidemia de VIH”. Em 2019, foram distribuídos, através do Programa Nacional para a Infeção VIH e Sida (PNVIHSIDA), cerca de cinco milhões e meio de preservativos masculinos e femininos e mais de um milhão e quinhentas mil embalagens de gel lubrificante. No âmbito do Programa Troca de Seringas (PTS) foram distribuídas mais de um milhão e quatrocentas mil seringas entre a população utilizadora de drogas injetadas. Foram realizados mais de sessenta e seis mil testes rápidos para VIH em diversas estruturas de saúde e estruturas comunitárias, mantendo-se a tendência crescente do número de testes rápidos realizados, numa clara aposta na promoção do acesso atempado ao rastreio e diagnóstico da infeção. Adicionalmente, foram dispensados 3.292 unidades de autoteste para VIH pelas farmácias comunitárias, entre outubro de 2019 e agosto de 2020.
- Vitamin E profile of three varieties of Cucumis melo L.: pulp and by-productsPublication . Silva, M.A.; Melo, D.; Alves, R.C.; Albuquerque, T.G.; Costa, H.S.; Oliveira, M.B.P.P.The development of new food products based on the use of fruit by-products is a relevant topic nowadays. Indeed, it is a sustainable solution for the reduction of food losses and waste, as well as for the environmental impact. Cucumis melo L. is a very popular fruit worldwide, due to its excellent sensory and nutritional qualities. On the other hand, it contains a large amount of seeds and peel (by-products) that, until now, have been discarded. These by-products are a rich source of compounds with high antioxidant activity and beneficial properties for human health, such as vitamin E [1]. The aim of this study was to determine the vitamin E profile of pulp and by-products (peel and seeds) of three different Cucumis melo L. varieties (Grand Prix, Soleares and Waikiki). In addition, the vitamin E profile was compared for the Soleares variety at two different seasons (Soleares-I, winter and Soleares-P, spring). The Cucumis melo L. fruits were collected from major supermarket chains in the Lisbon region (Portugal). Vitamin E profile was analysed by HPLC-DAD-FLD, according to the method described by Alves et al. [2]. The results show that γ-tocopherol and α-tocopherol are the main vitamers present in Cucumis melo L. by-products (seeds and peels). The total vitamin E content varied between 6.69 mg/100 g (Grand Prix) and 19.1 mg/100 g (Soleares-P) for Cucumis melo L. seeds and between 3.57 mg/100 g dry weight (Soleares-P) and 25.0 mg/100 g dry weight (Grand Prix) for the peel. For Cucumis melo L. pulp, the levels of vitamin E ranged between 0.78 mg/100 g dry weight (Waikiki) and 1.11 mg/100 g dry weight (Grand Prix). In summary, Cucumis melo L. by-products can be used to enrich and create novel foods, improving their nutritional value and enhance their health promoting properties. It was shown that the contents of vitamin E can contribute for this possible valorization.
- Phenolic Profile of Fruit Industry Byproducts Determined by LC–DAD–MS/MSPublication . Barbosa-Pereira, Letricia; Andrade, Mariana; Barbosa, Cássia; Vilarinho, Fernanda; Sanches-Silva, Ana; Bernaldo de Quirós, Ana; Sendón, RaquelThe bioconversion of fruit by-products into new functional and clean label ingredi ents/additives represents a sustainable approach with great potential for application in the food sector. The aim of this work was the exhaustive characterization of the different extracts yielded from by-products of orange and lemon juice extraction (mix of peel, pom ace and seeds) by the identification and quantification of the polyphenols recognized by their antioxidant properties and thus their potential health benefits. Ethanolic extracts were characterized by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC– MS/MS). Separation was performed on a Kinetex® EVO C18 100 Å (150 × 3 mm, 5 µm) column using water and methanol acidified with 0.1% formic acid as a mobile phase. Liq uid chromatography with diode array detector (LC–DAD) was used for the quantification of the main polyphenols. Orange by-product was that with a high number of polyphenols, while lemon extract was that with high concentrations. The main compounds present in orange by-product were Naringenin-7-O-rutinoside, Hesperetin-7-O-rutinoside, and Iso sakuranetin-7-O-rutinoside. Lemon extract was characterized by the presence of Apig enin-6,8-di-C-glucoside, Eriodyctiol-O-rutinoside, and Hesperetin-7-O-rutinoside. The polyphenolic profiles of the by-products were similar to those described by other authors for the respective fruit juices, but the concentrations could be up to 10-fold higher accord ing to the variety of the fruit [1,2]. The results highlight that the origin of the extract affects its composition and therefore its chemical characterization is mandatory for food applica tion. These fruit by-products may be a low-cost source of polyphenols that could be used as food ingredients/additives minimizing their environmental impact.
- Genetic status of the Portuguese FH Study: Variant description and Next Generation Sequencing panelPublication . Medeiros, A.M.; Alves, A.C.; Bourbon, M.Introduction: Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common autosomal genetic disorder (1/250-1/500 worldwide); FH patients have high levels of cholesterol since birth with a family history of hypercholesterolemia and premature cardiovascular disease; Genetic diagnosis results from the study of 3 genes: LDLR, APOB, PCSK9; Recently, 5 genes have been associated with FH phenotype (LDLRAP1, APOE, LIPA, ABCG5/8) since pathogenic variants in those genes have been identified in clinical FH patients.
- Monitorização da energia e dos teores de açúcar e sal em cereais de pequeno-almoço e bolachas disponíveis no mercado português, 2019Publication . Fernandes, Paulo; Lopes, Andreia; Brazão, Roberto; Dias, M. GraçaTendo em conta a associação universalmente estabelecida entre o consumo excessivo de açúcar e de sal com o desenvolvimento de doenças crónicas, foi aprovada em Portugal a Estratégia Integrada para a Promoção da Alimentação Saudável (EIPAS), assente na promoção de um padrão de alimentação saudável que, entre outros objetivos, pretende uma redução progressiva do consumo diário de açúcar e de sal por parte da população em geral. O Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge tendo como missão contribuir para os ganhos em saúde pública, através do seu Departamento de Alimentação e Nutrição, monitoriza dados relativos aos géneros alimentícios presentes no mercado português, nomeadamente os referentes à composição nutricional. Os dados utilizados neste trabalho foram recolhidos durante o ano de 2019 nas lojas online de hipermercados presentes em Portugal, e referem-se à energia e aos teores de açúcar e de sal de bolachas e cereais de pequeno-almoço. As medianas de valores encontrados para as bolachas foram de 470 kcal/100 g para a energia, de 25,0 g/100 g para o açúcar e de 0,7 g/100 g para o sal. Para os cereais de pequeno-almoço as medianas foram de 391 kcal/100 g para a energia, de 21,0 g/100 g para o açúcar e de 0,5 g/100 g para o sal. Comparando os valores obtidos com os valores preconizados na EIPAS, 98,3% das bolachas e 89,2% dos cereais de pequeno-almoço estavam rotulados com teores de sal e/ou açúcar superiores aos desejáveis.
- Sweet bread products: compliance with the portuguese Integrated Strategy for the Promotion of Healthy Eating (EIPAS)Publication . Rodrigues, H.I.; Silva, M.A.; Costa, H.S.; Oliveira, M.B.P.P.; Albuquerque, T.G.Introduction: Sweet breads are products widely consumed in Portugal. Being foods rich in fats and salt, their high consumption can compromise a healthy diet, leading to an increase in chronic non-communicable diseases. There are several health promoting strategies that aim to reduce the content of these components to contribute to an improvement in global health. Objectives: To determine the total fat and salt content of milk bread products, and to analyze the compliance of the salt content with the recommendation of the Portuguese Integrated Strategy for the Promotion of Healthy Eating (EIPAS). Methodology: During 2020, 12 sweet bread products were acquired from the major stores in Portugal. Then, total fat content (acid hydrolysis followed by Soxhlet extraction with petroleum ether) and salt content (Charpentier-Volhard titration method) were determined. Main findings: Total fat content varied between 5.0 and 21.3 g/100 g with an average of 12.6 g/100 g. Regarding the salt content and according to EIPAS, it is intended to achieve a content lower than 0.3 g/100 g. In this study 91.7% of the sweet bread products have a salt content higher than 0.3 g/100 g. The average was 0.78 g/100 g and the lowest salt content was 0.29 g/100 g. Conclusion: Sweet bread products have high salt and fat contents, thus evidencing the importance of defining strategies for reformulating these products in order to obtain a gradual and effective reduction in the levels of these nutrients, and contribute to promoting public health.
- The chemical composition and lipid profile of the chub mackerel (Scomber colias) show a strong seasonal dependence: Contribution to a nutritional evaluationPublication . Ferreira, Inês; Gomes-Bispo, Ana; Lourenço, Helena; Matos, Joana; Afonso, Cláudia; Cardoso, Carlos; Castanheira, Isabel; Motta, Carla; Prates, José; Bandarra, NarcisaThe seasonal variation in chemical and lipid composition of chub mackerel (Scomber colias) was evaluated monthly over one year (proximate chemical composition and lipid profile: fatty acid (FA) and lipid classes distribution). Significant seasonal changes regarding fat content were noticed (1.3–10.3 g/100 g), with the lowest fat content obtained in February (during spawning period), and the highest in September. Regarding the FA profile, the main fluctuations were recorded in saturated (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The highest SFA content was registered between March and August (25.3–32.3%). PUFA (the most abundant group) reached its maximum percentual content between December and February (60.9 and 66.9%, respectively). In absolute terms, PUFA attained 5352.6 mg/100 g edible part in September, where 2473.8 mg/100 g of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3), representing 46.2% of total PUFA. DHA lowest level was 519.8 mg/100 g, registered in low-fat chub mackerel. Together DHA and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid, C20:5n-3) represented 75% of the total PUFA and 84% of n-3 PUFA. Triacylglycerols (TAG) with 82.2–92.1% of total lipid content) and phospholipids (4.4–8.4%) were the main lipid classes. Polar lipid fraction (phospholipids), was predominantly constituted by PUFA (68.6–74.5%), mainly DHA (45.2–55.1%), with the highest percentage recorded in low-fat chub mackerel. High relative contents of PUFA (36.6–49.1%) were also found in TAG. Having into account the data obtained, chub mackerel is a privileged source of DHA even in a lean species whereby its consumption should be recommended as part a healthy dietary regime.