Analysis of Different Brands of Fruit Juice with Emphasis on their Sugar and Trace Metal Content

Ten brands of commercial fruit juice were analysed for pH, specific gravity, total solids, reducing sugar, total sugar, and metal contents. The sugar content was determined using the Lane and Eynon method, sodium and potassium were determined by flame photometry, calcium and magnesium by complexometric titration using EDTA, while the other metals were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The juices had a pH range of 1.80-3.40, specific gravity of 1.002-1.054, total solids of 0.68-12.49%, content of reducing sugar 0.34-8.25% and content of total sugar 0.54-10.69%. Other derived values were calcium (0.01-1.25ppm), magnesium (0.06-0.43ppm), sodium (0.84-3.11ppm), potassium (0.16-7.42ppm), copper (0.28-5.06ppm), zinc (0.01-0.10ppm), chromium (0.03-0.09ppm), manganese (0.11-6.96ppm), cobalt (0.01-0.06ppm), nickel (0.03-0.15ppm), iron (0.45-50ppm), cadmium (0.16-0.38ppm) and lead (0.11-0.33ppm). The Nigerian made fruit juices had higher amount of added sugar. The pineapple juice brand had very high concentration of iron and the presence of cadmium and lead in some of the samples is a clear case of contamination. However the contamination level cannot yet present health threat to the consumer.Keywords: Fruit juice, Added sugar, Reducing sugar, Low level contamination, Trace metal

Levels of essential and toxic metals in milk and baked products

Seven essential metals (Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Se and Zn) and two toxic ones Cd and Pb) were determined in milk and some baked products (bread, meat pie and sausages) by atomic absorption spectrophotometry using air-acetylene flame. The mean concentrations (mg/kg, wet matter) were in the following ranges: Ca (29.12 – 7894.45); Zn (2.75 – 18.00); Fe (1.05 – 33.12); Ni (0.75 – 16.82); Cu (0.03 – 0.08); and Pb (0.001 – 0.003). Cadmium, chromium and selenium were below detectable levels. The results are considered generally low in terms of the essential elements except in the cases of Ca and Zn in milk; and Fe and Ni in the baked products. The levels of Cu are too low that none of the food could be considered a good dietary source of the metal. The lead levels are too low in comparison with the standards set by the Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), indicating that the analyzed samples are not polluted with lead and are safe for human consumption

Effect of mineral-enriched diet and medicinal herbs on Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu uptake in chicken

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The goal of our study was to evaluate the effects of different medicinal herbs rich in polyphenol (Lemon balm, Sage, St. John's wort and Small-flowered Willowherb) used as dietary supplements on bioaccumulation of some essential metals (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) in different chicken meats (liver, legs and breast).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In different type of chicken meats (liver, legs and breast) from chickens fed with diets enriched in minerals and medicinal herbs, beneficial metals (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) were analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Fe is the predominant metal in liver and Zn is the predominant metal in legs and breast chicken meats. The addition of metal salts in the feed influences the accumulations of all metals in the liver, legs and breast chicken meat with specific difference to the type of metal and meat. The greatest influences were observed in legs meat for Fe and Mn. Under the influence of polyphenol-rich medicinal herbs, accumulation of metals in the liver, legs and breast chicken meat presents specific differences for each medicinal herb, to the control group that received a diet supplemented with metal salts only. Great influence on all metal accumulation factors was observed in diet enriched with sage, which had significantly positive effect for all type of chicken meats.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Under the influence of medicinal herbs rich in different type of polyphenol, accumulation of metals in the liver, legs and breast chicken meat presents significant differences from the group that received a diet supplemented only with metal salts. Each medicinal herb from diet had a specific influence on the accumulation of metals and generally moderate or poor correlations were observed between total phenols and accumulation of metals. This may be due to antagonism between metal ions and presence of other chelating agents (amino acids and protein) from feeding diets which can act as competitor for complexation of metals and influence accumulation of metals in chicken meat.</p> <p><b>Graphical abstract</b></p

Chemical Composition and Nutritional Values of Two Local Condiments: Monodora myristica and

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Evaluation Of Three Methods Of Sugar Analyses For Determination Of Low-Level Sugar In Fruits

Chemical methods developed by Lane and Eynon, Knight and Allen, and colorimetric method by Dubois et al were used to determine reducing sugar in eight fruit samples. The methods showed detection limits as follows: Lane and Eynon (1ppt); Knight and Allen (0.1ppt); and Dubois et al ( 0.05). These indicate that the three methods can generally be applied for analysis of reducing sugar in fruits and other food materials low in sugar content. However, Dubois et al method is not recommended for non-climacteric fruits. Keywords: Low sugar content, Fruits, Coefficient of variation, Anova, Detection limitPlant Product Research Journal Vol. 12 2008: pp. 19-2

Determination of Sugar Content in Some Nigerian Fruits

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Heavy metals content of grains commonly sold in markets in south-east, Nigeria

Heavy metals levels in legume and cereal grains were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The ranges of concentrations (mg/kg) in legume grains were: Ni (1.23 – 5.91); Cd (0.03-0.11); Cu (3.03 – 7.94); Zn (38.46 – 57.72); Fe (59.00 – 102.40); Mn (12.86 – 27.65); and Co (0.43 – 0.66); while Pb was below detectable level in all the samples. In the cereal grains, the ranges were; Cd (0.007 – 0.023); Cu (0.351 – 0.764); Zn (0.05 – 0.119); Fe (6.393 – 12.643) and Pb (0.007 – 0.032), in mg/kg, dry weight. The much higher concentrations of these metals in the legume grains is attributable to the fact that legume grains have high protein content, thereby easily accumulate these trace metals which have high affinity for active sites of proteins. The presence of lead in all the cereal grain samples could be possibly attributed to one or more of these factors-soil pollution, use and type of fertilizers and pesticides in the farms. All concentrations in this study were below the WHO recommended limits. However, the legume grains were found to be fairly rich sources of some of the essential nutrients, namely; Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, and Ni. The low levels of heavy metals are indicative of low levels of contamination of farmlands by these trace metals in spite of increasing use of fertilizers and pesticides in modern agriculture, as well as emissions from other anthropogenic sources. The data show largely the background levels of the trace heavy metals in the farms