FOR RELEASE: Mon, Dec. 15

For further information, contact:
Jim Bohning, 202/872-6041
[email protected]

FOOD CHEMISTRY TIP SHEET

The following research articles will appear in the December issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a monthly peer-reviewed journal published by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

SOY-BASED INFANT FORMULAS CONTAIN BENEFICIAL ISOFLAVONES Isoflavones have been linked to the prevention of some cancers, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, and the improvement of bone health. These potential health effects in soy isoflavones may be an advantage to infants consuming soy formulas, according to a study at Iowa State University. Isoflavone levels were measured in commercially available infant formulas and found to vary significantly by brand name. Depending on the volume consumed, an infant may receive from 5 to 12 mg of isoflavones per kilogram of body weight per day, which is markedly greater than the amount consumed by a typical adult soy food consumer. In use for 60 years, soy-based infant formulas have not shown evidence of any difference in growth and development in children drinking these formulas, compared to those raised on cow's milk or human milk.

SUNFLOWER PECTIN CAN BE USED FOR LOW-CALORIE JELLIES Sunflower heads are a good source of natural pectin, which is used as a gelling agent for jams, jellies and fruit preparations. In a study at North Dakota State University, the measurment of the viscosity and gelling properties of sunflower head pectin showed that it has a high potential as a thickening agent for commercial food applications. The resulting gels were heat reversible and could be considered for use in some food applications that require reheating to produce low- calorie glazes used in baking.

EPOXY FROM CAN COATINGS FOUND IN INFANT FORMULA LIQUID CONCENTRATES Bisphenol A (BPA) is a principal reactant in the preparation of the epoxy polymer resins used to coat metal can surfaces that are in contact with food and beverages. In a study from the Office of Premarket Approval at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, BPA was found in all samples of infant formula taken from four major manufacturers. Levels in the undiluted concentrates ranged from 0.1 to 13 parts per billion. Recently, BPA has been associated with estrogen-like behavior in in-vitro cell culture studies, but its effect in humans is still unclear.

CANADIAN CURED MEAT SHOWS LITTLE DECLINE IN NITRITE LEVELS OVER PAST 25 YEARS Nitrite is used widely as a preservative in the processing of cured meat products, mainly for its antimicrobial properties. Because nitrites have been linked in the past 30 years as precursors to nitroso compounds that are known carcinogens, its use in processing cured meats is strictly controlled by government regulations. A study from the Health Protection Branch of Health Canada has found that the nitrite levels in Canadian cured meat products have decreased only slightly in the past 25 years (nitrite levels in the United States, as reported in one recent study, have decreased significantly and are now about one half of the Canadian amounts). No definite explanation is offered for this discrepancy, although increased use of ascorbates in the U.S. as compared to Canada, differences in the storage conditions of the cured meats prior to analysis in the two studies, or differences in analytical methods used for nitrite determination might account for the difference.

For a copy of the full research article for any of these studies, call the ACS News Service at 202/872-4451.

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