SAMPLING & ANALYSIS OF SELECTED FOOD ITEMS FOR MOISTURE, TOTAL LIPID AND FATTY ACIDS

Goals / Objectives
To more fully characterize the lipid components of representative samples of foods. UM cooperators with nationally recognized expertise in the area of research have agreed to cooperate with USDA in investigating contents of trans-fatty acids and sterols in foods. These data will improve and expand USDA Nutrient Databases such as the Nutrient Database for Standard Reference released on the NDL web site, and the Nutrient Databases for Food Composition Surveys.

Project Methods
The Nutrient Data Laboratory (NDL) is responsible for deleloping and dissem inating authoritative food composition databases for foods in the U. S diet. NDL has developed a Key Foods Approach to help establish priorities for foods to be analyzed. Key Foods are identified as contributing up to 75% of any one nutrient of public health significance. Key Foods form the core of foods to be analyzed,supplemented by other foods deemed of particular interest due to their frequent use as ingredients or content of nutrients emerging interest. Foods selected by NDL for subsequent analysis by the Cooperator will generally contain hydrogenated vegetable oil ingredients. These foods are also a source of sterols. Sampling plans will be developed for each type of food sampled, to assure a representative sampling of the food supply. Samples of food will be delivered to the Cooperator for analysis. In some cases, the cooperator may need to develop food matrix specific methods for handling and analyzing samples and preparing aliquots for shipment to other researchers for analysis.

Progress 10/01/00 to 09/30/05

Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and the University of Maryland, College Park. Additional details of research can be found in the report for project 1235-52000-051-00D, "Development of Accurate and Representative Food Composition Data for the U.S. Food Supply." The cooperator has recognized expertise in the analysis of lipid components, specifically the analyses of trans fatty acids in foods. Eighty-nine samples have been analyzed for fatty acids and sterols. These samples include vegetable oil spreads containing 35-37% fat, chocolate and vanilla puddings, cake, vegetable oils and dressings, graham and chocolate crumb piecrusts, cream- filled sponge cakes, crackers, butter-flavored Crisco, and butter- margarine blends. The most significant accomplishment of this Specific Cooperative Agreement has been the release of trans fatty and specific fatty acid isomer data in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR). Additional data will be disseminated in a Special Interest Table of trans-fatty acids. In addition, an effort was made to incorporate new fatty acid ingredient data into formulations for multi-ingredient foods. Fatty acid data from the 2004 University of Maryland industrial vegetable oil analyses were used to update fatty acid data or used in the calculation of new profiles for 303 multi-ingredient food items released in SR18. Consultations were made with the cooperators at University of Maryland on methodology for conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) in ruminant foods and identification of researchers with specific expertise in CLA methodology development.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? D. Progress Report. This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement (SCA) between ARS and the University of Maryland, College Park. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 1235-52000-051-00D, Development of Accurate and Representative Food Composition Data for the U.S. Food Supply. The cooperator, Dr. Joseph Sampugna, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has recognized expertise in the analysis of lipid components, specifically the analyses of trans fatty acids in foods. Ninety-three samples were analyzed for specific fatty acid isomers and sterols, including; industrial oils, shortenings, margarines, egg yolks, skim milk, snack foods, and control samples. The most significant accomplishment of this SCA has been the release of trans fatty and other specific fatty acid isomer data. Data were released in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR). In advance of SR17, trans totals were provided to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for use in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and data on selected snacks before and after reformulation for trans fat reduction were presented in a poster for the Experimental Biology 2004. SR17 contains trans fat data for 236 foods. Data for industrial oils, shortenings and margarines are not only being disseminated in SR17 for the first time, they will also be used to assist in imputing total trans fat in foods for which analytical data are lacking. Guidelines have been developed for imputations using the NDL formulation program. Results of test calculations are being compared with known analytical and industry-calculated values. Samples have been sent to a limited number of analytical labs to assess their expertise in analzing trans fatty acids.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications