Demineralization of a wide variety of foods for the renal patient.
OBJECTIVE
To develop the (1) simplest, most efficacious, mineral (phosphorous, potassium, and sodium) reduction procedures applicable to a total dietary selection of foods that will (2) preserve postprocessing food taste and texture expectations.


DESIGN
Preprocessing and postprocessing mineral analysis of more than 245 individual samples.


SETTING
Analysis of mineral content performed at certified food laboratory in Omaha, NE.


PARTICIPANTS
Renal and control volunteers participated as postprocessing test consumers.


INTERVENTION
Food materials were subjected to aqueous mineral extraction involving variations in (1) pretreatment handling, (2) aqueous temperatures, and time depending on cell type and initial state (raw, canned, dried). Measurements of remaining mineral concentrations of phosphorous, potassium, and sodium were performed on samples drawn at various time points.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Determination of remaining postprocessing concentrations of target minerals and calculation of the maximum mineral reduction achieved with each food type.


RESULTS
The phosphorous reduction range for vegetables, legumes, meats, flours, and cheddar cheese was 51% +/- 33%, 48% +/- 25%, 38.5% +/- 22.5%, 70.5% +/- 13.5%, and 19%, respectively; for potassium, the reduction range for vegetables, legumes, meats, flours, cheddar cheese, and fruit was 59% +/- 40%, 78.5% +/- 20.5%, 57% +/- 41%, 94% +/- 3%, 99%, and 43% +/- 16%, respectively; for sodium, the reduction range for vegetables, meats, and cheddar cheese was 83.5% +/- 14.5%, 67.5% +/- 27.5%, and 97%, respectively.


CONCLUSION
Consuming a total dietary selection of demineralized foods is expected to have a significant positive impact on the renal patient's problematic hematologic mineral values and nutritional profile. Reducing food mineral load will make restricted foods permissible once again.