Ameliorating Effect of Apium graveolens (Celery) Extracts on IL-6 Plasma Level and Expression of Caspase 3 on Liver in Animal Model of Lead Intoxication.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Lead poisoning (Pb) is a big problem because it is found in almost all objects in daily life such as vehicle fuel, water pipes, ceramics, cosmetics and others. Continuous lead exposure can increase ROS resulting in an increase in hepatic IL-6 and caspase 3 which replaces hepatic cell apoptosis. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of <i>Apium graveolens</i> (celery) extract on plasma IL-6 and hepatic caspase 3 levels. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> This study used a post-test control group design. The research subjects were 20 Wistar rats that met the inclusion criteria and were divided into 4 groups randomly, namely (a) Sham group that had no treatment, (b) Negative control group was induced with lead acetate 200 mg kg¹ body weight/day without any treatment (c) Positive control group and (d) Treated group. On the 15th day, blood was taken to check IL-6 levels and tissue was taken for liver caspase 3 examination by immunohistochemical method. Data analysis used the one-way ANOVA test and continued with the <i>post hoc</i> LSD test. <b>Results:</b> The highest mean caspase 3 expression was in the control group 45.84±4.39 pg mL¹, while the mean of IL-6 plasma level was highest in the P1 641.33±39.72 pg mL¹ group. The Mann-Whitney test showed a significant difference in IL-6 levels between the study groups (p = 0.000). The Mann-Whitney test showed a significant difference in caspase 3 levels between the study groups (p = 0.000). <b>Conclusion:</b> Giving celery extract 300 mg kg¹ body weight/day affects plasma IL-6 and hepatic caspase 3 levels in lead acetate-induced rats.

Uptake, accumulation and metabolism of UV-320 in vegetables and its impact on growth and quality.

UV-320 is classified as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) by the European Chemicals Agency and has attracted significant attention due to its presence in the environment. Understanding the uptake, translocation and metabolic patterns of UV-320 in vegetables is essential for assessing their ability to bioaccumulate and potential risks to human health. In this study, we investigated the uptake and translocation of UV-320 in lettuce and radish by hydroponic experiments. The results showed that the root concentration factors (Croot/Csolution, RCF) of lettuce and radish were in the range of 47.9 to 464 mL/g and 194 to 787 mL/g, respectively. The transfer factors (Cshoot/Croot, TF) were observed to be 0.001-0.012 for lettuce and 0.02-0.05 for radish. Additionally, non-targeted screening identified twelve phase I and one phase II metabolites of UV-320 in vegetables, which were confirmed based on their molecular formulas and structures. The metabolic pathways involving oxidation, ketonylation and deamination were proposed in vegetables. Also, we have observed that UV-320 inhibits the growth of vegetables. Meanwhile, we evaluated the health risk of UV-320 in lettuce and radish and found that the consumption of lettuce is relatively safe, while the consumption of radish has a risk of HQ >1 for both adults and children, which should be seriously considered. This study provides valuable insights into the behavior and ecological risks of UV-320 in the environment.

Identification of key factors affecting neonicotinoid residues in crops and risk of dietary exposure.

Neonicotinoids, widely used on farmland, are ubiquitous in food; however, their distribution among various crops and associated exposure risks at the provincial level in China remain unclear. We collected 19 types of crop samples (fruits, vegetables, and tea) from farmland in nine prefectural cities in Zhejiang Province, China. We analyzed nine commonly used neonicotinoids in the edible portions of these crops. A notable detection rate (42.1 %-82.9 %) and high residual neonicotinoid concentrations (278 ± 357 ng/g) were observed. Tea exhibited the highest residue, followed by fruits, and vegetables showed the lowest (P < 0.05). Neonicotinoid ratios in crops to soil (R_C/S) and soil to water (R_S/W) were defined to discern insecticide distribution across different environments. Increased water solubility leads to increased migration of neonicotinoids (R_S/W) from agricultural soils to water through runoff, thereby increasing the relative contribution of nitenpyram and dinotefuran in water. In comparison with other studied compounds, all crops demonstrated the strongest soil uptake of thiamethoxam, denoted by the highest R_C/S value. Elevated R_C/S values in tea, pickled cabbage, and celery suggest increased susceptibility of these crops to neonicotinoid absorption from the soil (P < 0.05). Estimated dietary intake for teenagers, adults and elders was 8.9 ± 0.5, 8.9 ± 0.6, and 8.8 ± 0.3 µg/kg/d, respectively, below the reference dose (57 µg/kg/d). Teenagers, compared to adults and elders, exhibited significantly higher neonicotinoid exposure through fruit consumption, emphasizing the need for increased attention to neonicotinoid exposure among vulnerable populations.

Human gut microbiota fermentation of cooked eggplant, garlic, and onion supports distinct microbial communities.

Heating and cooking vegetables not only enhances their palatability but also modifies their chemical structure, which in turn might affect their fermentation by resident gut microbes. Three commonly consumed vegetables that are known to undergo chemical browning, also known as Maillard reaction, during cooking - eggplant, garlic, and onion - were each fried, grilled, or roasted. The cooked vegetables were then subjected to an in vitro digestion-fermentation process aimed to simulate the passage of food through the human oro-gastro-intestinal tract. In the last step, the undigested fractions of these foods were anaerobically fermented by the complex human gut microbiota. We assessed the structure of microbial communities maintained on each cooked vegetable by high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, measured the levels of furosine, a chemical marker of the Maillard browning reaction, by HPLC, and determined the antioxidant capacities in all samples with ABTS and FRAP methods. Overall, vegetable type had the largest, statistically significant, effect on the microbiota structure followed by the cooking method. Onion fermentation supported a more beneficial community including an expansion of Bifidobacterium members and inhibition of Enterobacteriaceae. Fermentation of cooked garlic promoted Faecalibacterium growth. Among cooking methods, roasting led to a much higher ratio of beneficial-to-detrimental microbes in comparison with grilling and frying, possibly due to the exclusion of any cooking oil in the cooking process.

Current understanding and future directions of cruciferous vegetables and their phytochemicals to combat neurological diseases.

Neurological disorders incidences are increasing drastically due to complex pathophysiology, and the nonavailability of disease-modifying agents. Several attempts have been made to identify new potential chemicals to combat these neurological abnormalities. At present, complete abolishment of neurological diseases is not attainable except for symptomatic relief. However, dietary recommendations to help brain development or improvement have increased over the years. In recent times, cruciferous vegetables and their phytochemicals have been identified from preclinical and clinical investigations as potential neuroprotective agents. The present review highlights the beneficial effects and molecular mechanisms of phytochemicals such as indole-3-carbinol, diindolylmethane, sulforaphane, kaempferol, selenium, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins of cruciferous vegetables against neurological diseases including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, Huntington's disease, autism spectra disorders, anxiety, depression, and pain. Most of these cruciferous phytochemicals protect the brain by eliciting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties. Regular dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables may benefit the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases. The present review suggests that there is a lacuna in identifying the clinical efficacy of these phytochemicals. Therefore, high-quality future studies should firmly establish the efficacy of the above-mentioned cruciferous phytochemicals in clinical settings.

Iodine biofortification of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris var. cicla) and its wild ancestor sea beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima) grown hydroponically as baby leaves: effects on leaf production and quality.

BACKGROUND: About 35-45% of the global population is affected by iodine deficiency. Iodine intake can be increased through the consumption of biofortified vegetables. Given the increasing interest in wild edible species of new leafy vegetables due to their high nutritional content, this study aimed to evaluate the suitability of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris var. cicla) and its wild ancestor sea beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima) to be fortified with iodine. Plants were cultivated hydroponically in a nutrient solution enriched with four different concentrations of iodine (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg L-1 ), and the production and quality of baby leaves were determined. RESULTS: Sea beet accumulated more iodine than Swiss chard. In both subspecies, increasing the iodine concentration in the nutrient solution improved leaf quality as a result of greater antioxidant capacity - the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) index increased by 17% and 28%, at 0.5 and 1.5 mg L-1 iodine, respectively - the content of flavonoids (+31 and + 26%, at 1 and 1.5 mg L-1 of iodine, respectively), and the lower content of nitrate (-38% at 1.5 mg L-1 of iodine) and oxalate (-36% at 0.5 mg L-1 of iodine). In sea beet, however, iodine levels in the nutrient solution higher than 0.5 mg L-1 reduced crop yield significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Both subspecies were found to be suitable for producing iodine-enriched baby leaves. The optimal iodine levels in the nutrient solution were 1.0 in Swiss chard and 0.5 mg L-1 in sea beet, as crop yield was not affected at these concentrations and leaves contained enough iodine to satisfy an adequate daily intake with a serving of 100 g. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

The volatile profile of pasteurized leek (Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum) and Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) (products), as a witness to (bio)chemical reactivity, influenced by pretreatment and successive refrigerated storage.

Processing can affect (bio)chemical conversions in vegetables and can act on their volatile properties accordingly. In this study, the integrated effect of pretreatment and pasteurization on the volatile profile of leek and Brussels sprouts and the change of this profile upon refrigerated storage were investigated. Pretreatments were specifically selected to steer biochemical reactivities to different extents. Volatile profiles were analyzed by headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. For both vegetables, it was observed that different pretreatments prior to a pasteurization step led to diverse volatile profiles. The differences in volatile profiles observed in the different samples were presumably attributed to the different degrees of enzymatic conversions, further conversions of enzymatically formed products and thermally induced reactivities. Interestingly, the observed initial relative differences between volatile profiles of differently pretreated pasteurized samples were still observed after a refrigerated storage of 4 weeks at 4 °C. In conclusion, refrigerated storage only limitedly affected the resulting volatile profile.

Analysis of cyantraniliprole residues in beetroot and beet top using LC-MS/MS, dietary exposure assessment, and evaluation of decontamination techniques.

A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method was standardized for the analysis of cyantraniliprole residues in beetroot and beet top (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris L.) using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. Samples were extracted with acetonitrile and cleaned up by dispersive solid phase extraction. Acceptable recovery of 84.74%-104.24% for beetroot and 80.19%-118.55% for beet top matrix was achieved at fortification levels ranging from 0.02 to 0.025 µg g-1 , with relative standard deviation <20% that signified the application of the method for detecting cyantraniliprole residues. A field experiment was conducted to determine the half-life and preharvest interval for cyantraniliprole residues in beetroot and beet top. The half-life obtained was 1.86-2.7 days for beetroot and 3.65-5.33 days for beet top. The preharvest interval calculated was 9.12-12.90 and 22.12-37.98 days for beetroot and top, respectively. The dietary exposure assessment at studied doses found cyantraniliprole residues below acceptable daily contact limits. Among different decontamination techniques evaluated, peeling + tap water washing resulted in a higher reduction of residues while cooking and juicing resulted in moderate removal of residues.

An Overview of Dietary Flavonoids as a Nutraceutical Nanoformulation Approach to Life-threatening Diseases.

Obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are just a few chronic diseases for which proper nutrition has been demonstrated to be a crucial factor in prevention. Flavonoids, found in many fruits and vegetables, are a type of dietary polyphenol with potent antioxidant activity and anti-carcinogenic characteristics. Flavonoids and foods rich in flavonoids have been shown in recent years to have profound effects on cognitive function, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Foods high in flavonoids, such as green tea, chocolate, blueberries, and other fruits and vegetables, have ameliorated symptoms of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia in several animal models. As a result of their ability to prevent neuronal death generated by neurotoxic chemicals such as free radicals and ß-amyloid proteins. Furthermore, flavonoids are also effective in slowing the evolution of clinical signs of neurodegenerative illnesses. In addition, flavonoids can improve lipid profiles by preventing the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins, and these antioxidant capabilities are responsible for their therapeutic impacts. Finally, the potential of flavonoids to induce vasodilation and control apoptotic processes in the endothelium is another way in which they benefit the cardiovascular system. This review aims to offer up-to-date information on categorizing these compounds, their primary methods of action in the human body, and their positive impacts on the management of neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disorders, and other life-threatening diseases.

Influence of High-Pressure Homogenization on the Physicochemical Properties and Betalain Pigments of Red Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) Juice.

High-pressure homogenization (HPH) is considered an innovative and modern method of processing and preserving liquid and semi-liquid foods. The aim of this research was to examine the impact of HPH processing on the content of betalain pigments and physicochemical properties of beetroot juice. Combinations of the following HPH parameters were tested: the pressure used (50, 100, 140 MPa), the number of cycles (1 and 3) and the applied cooling or no cooling. The physicochemical analysis of the obtained beetroot juices was based on the determination of the extract, acidity, turbidity, viscosity and color values. Use of higher pressures and a greater number of cycles reduces the turbidity (NTU) of the juice. Moreover, in order to maintain the highest possible extract content and a slight color change of the beetroot juice, it was crucial to perform sample cooling after the HPH process. The quantitative and qualitative profiles of betalains have been also determined in the juices. In terms of the content of betacyanins and betaxanthins, the highest values were found in untreated juice at 75.3 mg and 24.8 mg per 100 mL, respectively. The high-pressure homogenization process resulted in a decrease in the content of betacyanins in the range of 8.5-20.2% and of betaxanthins in the range of 6.5-15.0%, depending on the parameters used. Studies have shown that that the number of cycles was irrelevant, but an increase in pressure from 50 MPa to 100 or 140 MPa had a negative effect on pigment content. Additionally, juice cooling significantly limits the degradation of betalains in beetroot juice.

Development of methods for quantitative determination of the total and reactive polysulfides: Reactive polysulfide profiling in vegetables.

Alliaceous and cruciferous vegetables are rich in bioactive organosulfur compounds, including polysulfides, which exhibit a broad spectrum of potential health benefits. Here, we developed novel, accurate, and reproducible methods to quantify the total polysulfide content (TPsC) and the reactive polysulfide content (RPsC) using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry, and analyzed the reactive polysulfide profiles of 22 types of fresh vegetables, including onions, garlic, and broccoli. Quantitative analyses revealed that onions contained the largest amounts of polysulfides, followed by broccoli, Chinese chive, and garlic. A strong positive correlation was observed between the TPsC and RPsC, whereas only a moderate positive correlation was found between the total sulfur content and TPsC. These results suggest that reactive polysulfide profiling can be a novel criterion for evaluating the beneficial functions of vegetables and their derivatives, which may lead to an understanding of the detailed mechanisms underlying their bioactivities.

Health risk assessment of heavy metal exposure through vegetable consumption around a phosphorus chemical plant in the Kaiyang karst area, southwestern China.

The phosphorus chemical industry is an important source of heavy metals in farmland. Vegetables grown on contaminated soil potentially impose adverse effects on human health. In this study, the pollution status and health risks of heavy metals in vegetables around a phosphorus chemical plant in Kaiyang County, Guizhou Province, southwestern China, were assessed, and the low-accumulation vegetables were screened by bioaccumulation factor (BAF) and cluster analysis. Results showed the average concentrations of Hg, As, Cd, Pb, Cr, Mn, Co, and Zn in vegetables were 0.015, 0.728 0.382, 0.227, 0.850, 27.227, 0.525, and 6.438 mg/kg, respectively. The single-factor pollution index showed that Cd was moderately polluted, and Cr, Hg, As, and Pb were slightly polluted. The Nemerow pollution index showed that the overall heavy metal pollution was classified as moderately polluted. The accumulation of heavy metals in different vegetables varied greatly, and chard, crown daisy, chayote, pumpkin, eggplant, white radish, sweet potato, carrot, and potato were selected as the low-accumulator vegetables. The consumption of all vegetables except chayote poses both carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks; among them, the consumption of sweet potato leaves has the highest health risks. The local population needs to adjust plantation structure and change dietary habits, and government should strengthen the management of phosphorus chemical plant pollution.

The integrated exposure assessment and potential risks of five organophosphorus pesticides in vegetables in Zhejiang, China (2018-2020).

This research surveyed the concentrations of five organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) in vegetables with the purpose of assessing the potential integrated health risks of residents. From 2018 to 2020, 870 samples of eight kinds of vegetables from Zhejiang Province were collected. Gas chromatography coupled with a flame photometric detector (GC-FPD) analyzed the five OPs. OPs were most frequently detected in celery (18.9% of samples), cowpeas (18.3% of samples), and leeks (16.9% of samples) compared to other vegetables. Among the 11 cities in Zhejiang, the cities with high detection rates of OPs were Ningbo and Hangzhou. The integrated concentrations of OPs in different cities ranged from 71.9 to 376 µg/kg. The cumulative risk assessment revealed that the estimated daily intake (EDI) of leek in Wenzhou was the highest, which was 0.0077 (mg/kg bw) and 0.0059 (mg/kg bw) in adults and children respectively. The health risks of residents who consume these vegetables were within a safe range. The data provided demonstrate the distribution and potential health hazards of OPs in commonly consumed vegetables.

Automatic Multi-Plug Filtration Cleanup Tip-Filtration with Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry Detection For 22 Pesticide Residues in Typical Vegetables.

An automatic multi-plug filtration cleanup (m-PFC) tip-filtration method was developed to reduce the manual operation workload in sample preparation. In this work, m-PFC was based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes mixed with primary secondary amines and anhydrous magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) in a packed column for analysis of pesticide residues followed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Method validation was performed on 22 pesticide residues in carrot, spinach and leek, at spiked levels of 5, 10 and 50 µg/kg, respectively. The average recoveries were between 70.1 and 119.5% with associated relative standard deviations <20% (n = 6) indicating satisfactory accuracy and repeatability. Matrix-matched calibration curves were performed with the correlation coefficients (R2) higher than 0.9903 within a linearity range of 5-100 ng/mL. The limits of quantification were 5 µg/kg for all the pesticides in carrot, spinach and leek matrices. The developed method was successfully used to determine pesticide residues in market samples.

Advances in the Bioactivities of Phytochemical Saponins in the Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by hardening and narrowing of arteries. AS leads to a number of arteriosclerotic vascular diseases including cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral artery disease, which pose a big threat to human health. Phytochemicals are a variety of intermediate or terminal low molecular weight secondary metabolites produced during plant energy metabolism. Phytochemicals from plant foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains) and traditional herb plants have been shown to exhibit multiple bioactivities which are beneficial for prevention and treatment against AS. Many types of phytochemicals including polyphenols, saponins, carotenoids, terpenoids, organic sulfur compounds, phytoestrogens, phytic acids and plant sterols have already been identified, among which saponins are a family of glycosidic compounds consisting of a hydrophobic aglycone (sapogenin) linked to hydrophilic sugar moieties. In recent years, studies have shown that saponins exhibit a number of biological activities such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, cholesterol-lowering, immunomodulation, anti-platelet aggregation, etc., which are helpful in the prevention and treatment of AS. This review aims to summarize the recent advances in the anti-atherosclerotic bioactivities of saponins such as ginsenoside, soyasaponin, astra-galoside, glycyrrhizin, gypenoside, dioscin, saikosaponin, etc.

Bioaccessibility of Betalains in Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) Juice under Different High-Pressure Techniques.

The influence of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCD) on the bioaccessibility of betalains in beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) juice was investigated. Freshly squeezed juice (FJ) was treated at a mild temperature of 45 °C for 10 min (T45), pasteurization at 85 °C for 10 min (T85), HHP at 200, 400, and 500 MPa at 20 °C for 5 min (HHP200, HHP400, HHP500) and SCCD at 10, 30 and 60 MPa at 45 °C for 10 min (SCCD10, SCCD30, SCCD60). The juice was subjected to an in vitro digestion system equipped with dialysis. The content of betalains was measured with the aid of a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), the antioxidant capacity (AC) (ABTS•+, DPPH•) was analyzed during each digestion step, and the bioaccessibility of betacyanins and betaxanthins was assessed. The SCCD at 30 and 60 MPa significantly increased pigments' bioaccessibility compared with other samples. The 30 MPa proved particularly advantageous, as it increased the bioaccessibility of the total betacyanins and the betaxanthins by 58% and 64%, respectively, compared to the T85 samples. Additionally, higher bioaccessibility of betacyanins was noted in HHP200 and HHP400, by 35% and 32%, respectively, compared to FJ, T45, and T85 samples. AC measured by ABTS•+ and DPPH• assays were not unequivocal. However, both assays showed significantly higher AC in SCCD60 compared to T85 (21% and 31%, respectively). This research contributed to the extended use of the HHP and/or SCCD to design food with higher health-promoting potentials.

Cooking at home to retain nutritional quality and minimise nutrient losses: A focus on vegetables, potatoes and pulses.

Cooking at home has experienced a decline in many countries since the mid-20th century. As rates of obesity have increased, there has been an emphasis on more frequent home cooking, including its incorporation into several food-based dietary guidelines around the world as a strategy to improve dietary quality. With the recent trend towards the adoption of diets richer in plant-based foods, many consumers cooking at home may now be cooking plant foods such as vegetables, potatoes and pulses more often. It is, therefore, timely to explore the impact that different home cooking methods have on the range of nutrients (e.g. vitamin C and folate) and bioactive phytochemicals (e.g. carotenoids and polyphenols) that such plant foods provide, and this paper will explore this and whether advice can be tailored to minimise such losses. The impact of cooking on nutritional quality can be both desirable and/or undesirable and can vary according to the cooking method and the nutrient or phytochemical of interest. Cooking methods that expose plant foods to high temperatures and/or water for long periods of time (e.g. boiling) may be the most detrimental to nutrient content, whereas other cooking methods such as steaming or microwaving may help to retain nutrients, particularly those that are water-soluble. Dishes that use cooking liquids may retain nutrients that would have been lost through leaching. It may be helpful to provide the public with more information about better methods to prepare and cook plant foods to minimise any nutrient losses. However, for some nutrients/phytochemicals the insufficient and inconsistent research findings make clear messages around the optimal cooking method difficult, and factors such as bioaccessibility rather than just quantity may also be important to consider.

Green and Efficient Determination of Fluoroquinolone Residues in Edible Green Fruits and Leafy Vegetables by Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Followed by HPLC-MS/MS.

In this work, a simple, quick and efficient analytical method for determination of human and veterinary fluoroquinolone antimicrobial residues in lettuce, cucumber and spinach is developed. The procedure entails a 6 min ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE, 3 × 2 min) in an alkaline (2% v/v NH3) aqueous solution containing Mg2+ ions (3 × 6 mL), with no need for organic solvents. The extract is submitted to cleanup on the HLB™ cartridge and the fluoroquinolones are separated and quantified by HPLC-MS/MS in a 10 min chromatographic run, using a small amount of acetonitrile in the mobile phase. The method, entirely developed in real matrices, is validated according to the updated analytical guidelines and provided suitable recoveries in the range of 67-116% and precision (RSD ≤ 20%, n = 3) at different concentrations (15, 70 and 150 ng g-1), with method quantification limits of 2-10 ng g-1. Fluoroquinolones were detected and quantified at concentrations from few to hundreds of nanograms per gram in vegetables from supermarkets, demonstrating the applicability of the method for monitoring residues of these pharmaceuticals.

Reliable Quantification of Ultratrace Selenium in Food, Beverages, and Water Samples by Cloud Point Extraction and Spectrometric Analysis.

Selenium is a trace element essential for the proper functioning of human body. Since it can only be obtained through our diet, knowing its concentrations in different food products is of particular importance. The measurement of selenium content in complex food matrices has traditionally been a challenge due to the very low concentrations involved. Some of the difficulties may arise from the abundance of various compounds, which are additionally present in examined material at different concentration levels. The solution to this problem is the efficient separation/preconcentration of selenium from the analyzed matrix, followed by its reliable quantification. This review offers an insight into cloud point extraction, a separation technique that is often used in conjunction with spectrometric analysis. The method allows for collecting information on selenium levels in waters of different complexity (drinking water, river and lake waters), beverages (wine, juices), and a broad range of food (cereals, legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, tea, mushrooms, nuts, etc.).

[Determination of dazomet and its metabolite methyl isothiocyanate residues in plant-derived foods by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry].

Dazomet is a kind of crystal solid that is stable at room temperature and acts as a fumigant. It is commonly used to control soil fungi, as an insecticide, and in sterilization and weeding. It can effectively kill root-knot nematodes, soil pests, weeds, and many soil-borne disease-causing organisms, to provide clean and healthy soil. Dazomet slowly decomposes and releases methyl isothiocyanate, methylamine, carbon disulfide, and hydrogen sulfide in acidic soil, and diffuses upward through the spaces in the soil to kill contact organisms. When agricultural crops are planted in soil treated with cotton wool, the residues in the grown crop can cause harm to human body when consumed. To ensure the quality and safety of food crops, it is important to develop a detection method for dazomet and its metabolites in plant-derived foods. Hence, in this study, a rapid and simultaneous determination method was developed for dazomet and its metabolite methyl isothiocyanate residues in plant-derived foods by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The sample pretreatment and chromatographic conditions were optimized in the experiment. Subsequently, dazomet and its metabolite methyl isothiocyanate residues in vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, tea, and spices were extracted with ethyl acetate, and purified using graphitized carbon, a primary-secondary amine, stearyl-bonded silica gel, and anhydrous magnesium sulfate as dispersive solid-phase extraction sorbents. After centrifugation and filtration, the target compounds were analyzed in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode by GC-MS/MS, and quantified by matrix matching external standard method. The matrix effects of the samples were also evaluated. The matrix effect was found to be in the range of 2.5% to 13.6% for methyl isothiocyanate in 16 matrices. As this matrix effect was weak, there was no need for compensatory measures. In contrast, the matrix effect of dazomet in 16 matrices was in the range of 240.3% to 331.2%. This matrix effect was strong and required compensation. Finally, a matrix matching calibration method was used to compensate the matrix effects. The relative matrix effects of other tested substrates were analyzed using lettuce as the representative substrate; it was found that all showed weak matrix effects. Therefore, the use of lettuce as a representative matrix to prepare a matrix standard curve can effectively correct the matrix effects of dazomet and methyl isothiocyanate in other substrates. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.005-1 mg/L with correlation coefficients higher than 0.99. Recovery tests were conducted by adding mixed standards to blank samples at four levels. The recoveries were in the range of 74.2%-117.2% with relative standard deviations (RSDs, n=6) of 2.8%-9.0%. The limits of quantification (LOQs) of dazomet and methyl isothiocyanate were 0.01 mg/kg. The accuracy and precision of this method met the requirements of pesticide residue determination. The established method was used to detect dazomet and its metabolite methyl isothiocyanate residues in six samples of Chinese cabbage, Chinese chives, cowpea, lettuce, eggplant, ginger, celery, potato, orange, kiwifruit, tomato, chili, rice, tea, almond, and Cuminum cyminum L. in the laboratory, and nothing was detected. The method is simple, rapid, and sensitive; overcomes the shortcomings of existing methods that require two pretreatment steps and two sets of equipment; and meets the requirements for the detection of dazomet and its metabolite methyl isothiocyanate residues in plant-derived foods.