Determination of 4-Methylimidazole and 2-Acetyl-4(5)- tetrahydroxybutylimidazole in Caramel Color and Processed Foods by LC-MS/MS
In this study, the quick HPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous separation of 2-acetyl-4(5)-tetrahydrox-ybuthylimidazole (THI) and 4-(5)-methylimidazole (4-MI) in alkaline medium was used for caramel color and processed foods in Korea. After a simple sample pretreatment, 51 4-MI-labeled samples were positive for 4-MI and 2 also contained THI. The concentration of 4-MI was 260.5 ~ 24,499.3 μg/kg in caramel color, less than LOD ~ 1,712.5 μg/kg in sauce, 1,242.3, 5,972.2 μg/kg in balsamic vinegar, 2,118.3 ~ 5,802.4 μg/kg in complex seasoning, 82.7 ~ 5,110.6 μg/kg in curry, and 29.9 ~ 464.4 μg/kg in soft drinks. The recovery rate of 4-MI was 97.1 ~ 111.0% in sauce and 81.9 ~ 110.0% in powder and that of THI was 83.6 ~ 106.4% in sauce and 61.2 ~ 99.4% in powder. Our results concluded a safe amount of 4-MI and THI compared to the limit of Korea additive code but the processed foods do not have a limit of caramel color and 4-MI in Korea. Therefore, research and monitoring of 4-MI and THI is needed for processed foods in Korea.
Caramel colour and process contaminants in foods and beverages: Part II - Occurrence data and exposure assessment of 2-acetyl-4-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydroxybutyl)imidazole (THI) and 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) in Belgium.
In Europe, 2-acetyl-4-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydroxybutyl)imidazole (THI) and 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) are - to a certain level - allowed to be present in the food colours ammonia caramel (E 150c) and sulphite ammonia caramel (E 150d). Besides their presence in food colours, exposure to these contaminants may also include other dietary sources. This study describes the occurrence of THI and 4-MEI in a wide variety of food products (n = 522) purchased from the Belgian market and their dietary intake in Belgian consumers from 15 years old onwards. THI was found to be present in 22.4% of the investigated foods at a level up to 551 µg/kg. For 4-MEI (57.7% quantifiable), concentrations up to 2,835 µg/kg were observed. The average dietary intake amounted to 0.02-0.36 µg kg-1 bw-1 day for THI and 0.4-3.7 µg kg-1 bw-1 day for 4-MEI. Coffee, cola and beer were contributing most to the dietary THI and 4-MEI intake in Belgium.
Primary health care: what is it and what is it not? Views of teaching faculty at an undergraduate medical college in Pakistan.
Over 30 years after the Alma-Ata declaration on primary health care in 1978 there are still misconceptions about the basic concept of primary health care. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and opinions about various aspects of primary health care and its appropriate implementation among the teaching faculty at Shifa College of Medicine in Islamabad, Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was answered by 70 physicians present at the end of the month seminar. Two-thirds of the doctors (67.1%) believed that primary health care involved only basic health care for common illnesses. Few respondents suggested that community-oriented programmes (4.3%), maternal and child health (2.9%), screening (1.0%) or treatment of noncommunicable diseases (2.9%) should be components of primary care. The concepts to primary health care as defined at Alma-Ata in 1978 were not well understood by teaching faculty from the basic and clinical health sciences in this medical college.