Comparison of 24-h Diet Records, 24-h Urine, and Duplicate Diets for Estimating Dietary Intakes of Potassium, Sodium, and Iodine in Children

Accurately estimating nutrient intake can be challenging, yet it is important for informing policy. This cross-sectional validation study compared the use of three methods for estimating the intake of sodium, potassium, and iodine in children aged 9–11 years in New Zealand. Over the same 24 hour period, participants collected duplicate diets (n = 37), weighed food records (n = 84), and 24 hour urine samples (n = 82). Important differences were found between dietary estimates of sodium, potassium, and iodine using the three methods of dietary assessment, suggesting that different methods of assessment have specific limitations for the measurement of these nutrients in children. Bland Altman plots show relatively wide limits of agreement for all measures and nutrients. These results support the World Health Organization’s (WHOs) recommendations to use urinary assessment to measure population sodium and iodine intake, while dietary assessment appears to be more accurate for estimating potassium intake. Compared to reference values, our results suggest that the children in this study consume inadequate iodine, inadequate potassium, and excess dietary sodium. Public health measures to reduce sodium intake, increase intake of fruit and vegetables, and iodine-rich foods are warranted in New Zealand.

Determination of T-2/HT-2 toxins in duplicate diets in the Netherlands by GC-MS/MS: method development and estimation of human exposure

T-2 and HT-2 toxins (T-2 and HT-2) are important trichothecenes. They have been subject of formal risk assessment by various organisations, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The EFSA CONTAM Panel recently established a group Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of 100 ng/kg body weight/day for the sum of T-2 and HT-2. To assess the actual dietary exposure of Dutch consumers to T-2 and HT-2 a study was conducted in the Netherlands, in which duplicate portions of 24-h diets collected in 2011 were investigated for these toxins. This collection comprised 128 duplicate diets of the adult segment of the Dutch population, divided over a spring and autumn collection period. The diets in the study were homogenised and processed to lyophilised powders. Aliquots of every two of the samples were pooled to test portions that were analysed with a method, based on immunoaffinity chromatography clean-up in combination with GC-MS/MS determination. The method had a limit of quantification of 0.01 ?g/kg original non-lyophilised diet for both T-2 and HT-2. Recoveries ranged from 92-114% for T-2 and from 71-106% for HT-2, determined at levels of addition ranging from 0.1-0.3 ?g/kg. In practically all samples investigated, numerical values for the concentrations of T-2 and HT-2 could be obtained. Exposure estimates of the sum of T-2 and HT-2 in the 2011 study ranged from non-detectable to 18.6 ng/kg body weight/day. In addition limited sets of pooled samples of duplicate diets retained from collections in the period 1976-2004 were analysed for T-2 and HT-2. In all samples the mean and individual intakes of the sum of T-2 and HT-2 of the respondents were below the group TDI of the EFSA CONTAM Panel. From this study it was concluded that no health risks are expected from current exposure of adult Dutch consumers to T-2 and HT-2.

Protein Content of Puréed Diets: Implications for Planning

Purpose: Texture-modified diets offered in long-term care (LTC) facilities are often prepared from the regular menu, planned using Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. The appropriateness of protein levels of puréed diets in LTC facilities was determined. Methods: Protein content was measured in 29 duplicate diets, collected from 20 urban LTC facilities in Saskatchewan (SK) and Ontario (ON). Mealtime puréed food intakes of 20 LTC residents were assessed. The target protein levels were calculated as estimated average requirements plus one or two standard deviations of intake, thus allowing for moderate (16%) or low (2.5%) risk of inadequacy, respectively. Results: The duplicate diets provided 57.9 ± 7.9 and 85.4 ± 31.1 g/day of protein in SK and ON, respectively. Protein intake of SK LTC residents consuming puréed food averaged 54 ± 19 g/day. Only 43% of the SK puréed diets provided more than 59 g/day of protein and none provided more than 78 g/day; in contrast, 87% and 40% of ON puréed diets provided more than 59 and 78 g/day of protein, respectively. Conclusions: In-house prepared puréed diets do not consistently provide sufficient protein levels to ensure a low risk of inadequacy for the LTC residents consuming these diets.