[Trans fatty acids: consumption effect on human health and regulation challenges]. / Ácidos grasos trans: un análisis del efecto de su consumo en la salud humana, regulación del contenido en alimentos y alternativas para disminuirlos.

Trans fatty acids (TFA) are stable to oxidative rancidity which allows them to have a long shelf-life: also they have an intermediate melting point between saturated and unsaturated fats. For these reasons they have been widely used by the food industry. However, in recent years a large number of epidemiological and clinical evidence has indicated that trans fats are a significant risk factor to suffer a cardiovascular event and appear to be involved in the process of inflammation, diabetes and cancer. The increase of 2% of the daily energy by TFA is associated with a 23% increase cardiovascular risk. Therefore, international organizations like WHO and PAHO recommend virtually eliminate them or make their consumption as low as possible, less than 1%. Considering this recommendation and the risk involved in its consumption, some countries in Europe and America have legislated to achieve a gradual reduction of these fats. Denmark is a country that has shown a reduced prevalence of cardiovascular disease by reducing sources of trans fats in the diet. Despite the evidence of their impact on health in many countries still do not take any action and significant amounts of TFA remain in their foods and therefore in the diet of its population.

Alimentos dietéticos: evoluçäo do conceito, da oferta e do consumo / Diet foods: evolution of the concept, consumption and offer

As expressöes "produtos dietéticos" e "alimentos dietéticos" aparecem, pela primeira vez, na legislaçäo brasileira, em 1965, sendo classificados como medicamentos. Somente a partir de 1988, os produtos dietéticos passam a ser considerados como alimentos, adquirindo importância nas gôndolas dos supermercados e conquistando näo apenas os consumidores necessitados de uma dieta isenta de açúcares, mas também aqueles preocupados com a saúde e o corpo. A evoluçäo do mercado "diet" e "light" levou à necessidade de contínuas adaptaçöes na legislaçäo de alimentos, para a garantia da qualidade dos produtos oferecidos ao consumidor. Em 1995, surge a portaria que regulamenta os "Alimentos para Fins Especiais", entre os quais encontram-se os "alimentos dietéticos". Com as reformulaçöes desta portaria - a mais recente é de 1998- o termo "dietético" tende a desaparecer, sendo substituído por alimentos para dietas com restriçäo de nutrientes. Ao lado do avanço da legislaçäo e da oferta destes alimentos, faz-se necessário o desenvolvimento de mecanismos que possibilitem ao consumidor o conhecimento de sua finalidade, das vantagens e desvantagens de sua utilizaçäo e o esclarecimento de dúvidas quanto aos termos utilizados nos rótulos, entre outras, de maneira que possa escolher, de acordo com suas necessidades fisiológicas, metabólicas e nutricionais.

Teor de vitamina A em alimentos enriquecidos / Vitamin A concentration in enviched foods

A diversidade de produtos alimentícios adicionados de vitaminas, inclusive de vitamina A, vem aumentando no Brasil e o controle desses produtos é nescessário. Os objetivos desse estudo foram: 1) verificar o teor de vitamina A em alimentos enriquecidos avaliando a concentraçäo em relaçäo ao declarado no rótulo; 2) verificar a variabilidade dos níveis de enriquecimento desse nutriente em diferentes amostras de um mesmo produto; 3) avaliar a quantidade de vitamina A oferecida em uma porçäo individual de cada alimento em relaçäo à Dose Diária Recomendada (DDR) pelo National Research Council. Foram estudados 20 produtos enriquecidos. A concentraçäo de vitamina A foi determinada em 5 amostras provenientes de lotes diferentes de cada produto, totalizando 100 amostras. Dentre as amostras avaliadas, 45 apresentaram teor de vitamina A na faixa compreendida entre 20(por cento) abaixo e 20(por cento) acima do declarado no rótulo, 14 amostras apresentaram teor abaixo dessa faixa e 41 acima. A maioria dos produtos apresentou níveis de enriquecimento homogênio em cinco amostras diferentes. Os alimentos estudados supriam de 18 a 120(por cento) das DDR em uma porçäo única. Sugere-se que a legislaçäo brasileira estabeleça, para alimentos enriquecidos, níveis mínimo e máximo de vitamina A por porçäo diária habitualmente consumida; que se estenda o benefício dos alimentos enriquecidos com vitamina A às populaçöes de baixa renda através da adiçäo desse nutriente nos alimentos consumidos pela mesma; que se avalie melhor os alimentos que näo podem e aqueles que podem e devem ser enriquecidos

Avaliaçäo, segundo determinaçöes de impurezas, fraudes e matérias estranhas, do café torrado e moído produzido e/ou comercializado na Regiäo de Säo José do Rio Preto - Säo Paulo / Valuation, occurence to determination of impurity, fraud and extraneous materials, toasted and ground coffee produced and/or traded in area of Säo José do Rio Preto - Säo Paulo

Foram colhidas 121 amostras de café torrado e moido, de 21 marcas, no periodo de setembro/96 e março/97, em estabelecimentos industriais e comerciais da Regiäo de Säo José do Rio Preto/SP. As amostras foram analisadas para: a) determinaçäo e quantificaçäo de impurezas (cascas e paus), utilizando o método descrito nas Normas Analíticas do Instituto Adolfo Lutz; b) identificaçäo de elementos histológicos estranhos (fraudes) realizada pelo método descrito na Normas Analíticas do Instituto Adolfo Lutz e através do metódo de descoramento e hidrólise alcalina e c) determinaçäo de matérias estranhas pelo método descrito na Association of Official Analytical Chemists - 1995. Os resultados mostraram que 79,3(por cento) das amostras estavam em desacordo com a legislaçäo de alimentos vigente, sendo que 60,3(por cento) continham matérias estranhas, 18,2(por cento) apresentaram simultaneamente matérias estranhas e impurezas >1(por cento) e 0,8(por cento) impurezas >1(por cento) (acima do limite tolerado). Quanto a matérias estranhas, fragmento de inseto foi a mais detectada, com o maior percentual de amostras 33,8(por cento) apresentando até 5 fragmentos e valor máximo encontrado de 69 fragmentos. Para impurezas, o valor máximo detectado foi de 7(por cento). Em relaçäo a fraudes, o método proposto de clareamento e hidrólise alcalina da amostra mostrou-se mais eficiente que a peneiraçäo atualmente utilizada. Na análise dos rótulos das embalagens de café, 14 das 21 marcas colhidas apresentaram os dizeres obrigatórios definidos na legislaçäo, porém em 2 delas constavam 2 números de registro no Ministério da Saúde; 4 marcas näo apresentaram data de fabricaçäo/prazo de validade e/ou a expressäo "Indústria Brasileira" e 1 marca näo continha o número de registro

GRAS evaluation of flavoring substances by the Expert Panel of FEMA.

The review describes the evolution of the process of GRAS evaluation of flavoring substances by the Expert Panel of FEMA during the past 30 years. These materials possess prominent olfactory and gustatory effects and, therefore, are added to foods in very small quantities. The procedures used and criteria employed for GRAS determinations are noted. Attention is called to the process for the re-review of the GRAS status of flavoring substances.

Regulation of food-related carcinogens in Japan.

Use of hazardous environmental substances in Japan is regulated, based on their risk assessment, by laws of various ministries, depending upon the chemicals concerned. Food additives and food contaminants are controlled by the Food Sanitation Law of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. When manufacture or import of new food additives is intended, their physicochemical and biological data are evaluated by the Food Sanitation Investigation Council. When new data become available on the carcinogenicity of food additives that have been approved and are in use, these compounds are reevaluated. Between 1974 and 1986, twelve chemicals were proved to be carcinogenic in Japan by task groups for evaluation of the carcinogenicity of food additives, medical drugs and pesticides, which were organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Of these compounds, 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide was banned from use, but use of hydrogen peroxide and potassium bromate was permitted, provided that these compounds were decomposed or removed from the final products. The use of butylated hydroxyanisole within fixed limits in some foodstuffs was also permitted. Decisions on the use of these compounds were based on the prevailing opinion on carcinogens at the time. This paper reports these facts with a consideration of future problems on the regulation of food carcinogens.

Risk assessment and the credibility of federal regulatory policy: an FDA perspective.

FDA's fundamental goals are to protect and promote the public health, using the best possible science and the law. The evolution of food safety policy toward potential carcinogens reflects a conscious decision by the agency and Administration to use risk assessment in carrying out these goals. Examples include FDA policies toward assessing the safety of animal drug residues, setting specifications for constituents of food and color additives, and most recently, a common sense de minimis interpretation of the "Delaney clause." While committed to risk assessment as a useful tool, FDA acknowledges that judgments must be made on less than perfect data. In addition, recent history shows that there may be a serious "credibility gap" in public acceptance of regulatory toxicology. To ensure that there is an adequate science base for regulatory decisions, the challenge is twofold: First, the data necessary for sound safety evaluations in individual cases must be developed, based on current knowledge; and, second, the validity of assumptions underlying risk assessment should be tested and refined and scientific consensus achieved. Otherwise, risk management policy will rely on assessments based on extremely conservative assumptions, tending to overestimate risk. Risk assessment assumptions must also be better communicated to policymakers and the public. If these challenges are successfully addressed, public confidence in marketed products, and in science-based regulatory policy, will be enhanced.

Pesticides and food safety.

This report reviews recent developments regarding the environmental, toxicological, and regulatory issues surrounding pesticide residues in food. Factors affecting the establishment of regulatory limits are discussed. Pesticides monitored by state and federal agencies are compiled and the need for improvements in analytical techniques and enforcement procedures in governmental monitoring programs is pointed out. Specific incidents of concern related to pesticides in food including EDB in grain and grain products, aldicarb in watermelon, demeton-methyl in wine, DDT in fish, S,S,S-tributylphosphorotrithioate in chili peppers, and daminozide in apples and processed apple products are described. The National Academy of Science's study on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) method for setting tolerances for pesticide residues is discussed, especially the dietary cancer risk estimates from pesticides and the inconsistencies in regulating oncogenic pesticides in raw and processed foods existing under the Delaney Clause. The EPA's Tolerance Assessment System is identified to improve the quality of the tolerance establishment process. New California laws to ensure food safety include mandated activities in identifying the toxicological data gaps for pesticides and evaluating pesticide tolerances. Already initiated, tighter regulatory activities at both the federal and the state levels are expected to improve scientific information development, regulatory decisions, and public health protection.

The perils of prudence: how conservative risk assessments distort regulation.

An analysis of several agencies' risk assessments reveals that the present conservative approach through several stages of estimates of amounts of regulated substances, the exposure levels, and cancer risks often tends to distort the actual final regulation. Changes in this process are desirable and possible and would reduce overestimation of cancer risk assessments. These possible changes are discussed.

Food safety: revising the statute.

There is increasing recognition that federal food safety laws and policies need to be revised. Congressional debate on proposed amendments to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act has generated several different perspectives on how the food safety laws should be changed. Before a consensus can be reached, scientists, regulators, the food industry, and consumers will have to review such complex and controversial issues as the level of acceptable risk, the value of risk-benefit analysis, the proper role of independent scientific review, and the reliability of quantitative risk assessment.