Sensory analysis and consumer surveys of fat- and salt-reduced meat products and their use in an energy-reduced diet in overweight individuals.

Meat and meat products are of high nutritional value; however, they frequently provide salt and fat in high amounts, which can have negative health effects when consumed in excess. We investigated salt- and fat-reduced meat products, i.e. sensory evaluation and consumer surveys were carried out as well as a dietary intervention study was carried out in overweight individuals who used salt- and fat-reduced products as a part of an energy-restricted diet. Although differences were detected in the sensory evaluation between reduced and regular meat products, the participants in the consumer surveys and in the dietary intervention study gave good ratings for the fat and fat-reduced meat products. The intervention study led to weight loss and improved cardiovascular risk, but did not reveal side effects associated with the consumption of these products. Our study indicates that such products are well accepted by potential consumers and can be included successfully in a weight loss programme.

Cadmium, mercury, iron, copper, manganese and zinc in the liver and kidney of the Icelandic lamb.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the levels of cadmium, mercury, iron, copper, manganese and zinc in lamb liver and kidney from six areas in Iceland and to compare the results against aerial deposition data for the same elements obtained using moss as an indicator organism. The total number of samples was 96 for each organ. Cadmium was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry, mercury by cold-vapour atomic absorption, and iron, copper, manganese and zinc by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometry. Analysis of variance determined significance differences among means for areas, and Pearson's correlation coeffcients were calculated to study correlation among trace elements in liver and kidney. The mean fresh weight concentrations in lamb liver and kidney respectively were 0.045 and 0.058 mgkg(-1) for cadmium, 0.009 and 0.012 mgkg(-1) for mercury, 141 and 52.7 mgkg(-1) for iron, 28.1 and 2.89 mgkg(-1) for copper, 4.01 and 1.13 mgkg(-1) for manganese and 48.7 and 25.2 mgkg(-1) for zinc. Concentrations of cadmium, mercury and copper in the liver and kidney of the Icelandic lamb were low compared with data from other countries. Iron concentrations in the organs, however, were high. No sample exceeded 46% of the proposed maximum level for cadmium in organs for human consumption in the EC. Cadmium, mercury, iron and copper in the liver and kidney differed significantly between areas. Deposition of cadmium and copper in moss was not a usefull indicator in the evaluation of the susceptibility of the Icelandic lamb to accumulation of cadmium and copper. However, iron levels in Icelandic lamb liver showed the same pattern as results for iron from the moss study. The cadmium and mercury levels of organs from lambs grazing in the vicinity of Mount Hekla a few months after its eruption did not indicate a significant contamination from volcanic activity.