Simultaneous Analysis of Nutrients (Minerals) in Food with Nutrient Function Claims Using ICPE-9820

Introduction

Various Food with Nutrient Function Claims (FNFC) are commercially available for people who take health foods to promote their health or as dietary or supplementary intake of nutrients. FNFCs are a type of Food with Health Claims (FHC) and are allowed to advertise their functionality which is useful in maintaining or promoting health. Table 1 lists the standards for nutrients (minerals) in FNFCs. Of mineral nutrients, calcium (Ca), potassium (K), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) are allowed indication as a specific health benefit. Annex Table 9 of the Food Labeling Standards describes inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) as one of the methods for measuring such minerals. In addition, detailed analysis methods for each nutrient are described in an attachment to the "Concerning Food Labeling Standards". In this research, we conducted simultaneous analysis of nutrients (minerals) within commercially available FNFCs using a Shimadzu ICPE-9820 Simultaneous ICP Atomic Emission Spectrometer. The ICPE-9820 is capable of automatically switching between axial view (AX), which allows high-sensitivity analysis, and radial view (RD), which allows measurement up to high concentrations. Analysis efficiency can be greatly improved by simultaneously analyzing nutrients with different concentrations utilizing both axial and radial view measurements.

March 14, 2018 GMT