The First Romanian Database of Mineral Nutritional Value and Textural Properties of Romanian Foods of Animal Origin

Introduction: Several food composition databases are available worldwide although the food composition databases are offering valuable information concerning the nutritional value of food groups, the quantity of food consumed by individuals and population groups depends on consumer’s preferences, habits and tradition. Consumers preferences for solid food are, for the majority of foods groups, influenced by their textural properties. For liquid food consumers are influence in their choice by food viscosity. Food composition databases could also contain information on micronutrients as well as on textural properties for the selected food categories. Aims: The purpose of the work was to build the first Romanian food database on mineral nutritional quality and textural properties of foods of animal origin, the MINTEXFOOD database. This database may be used to estimate the populations’ minerals intake in relation to population food preferences related to food texture. Materials and methods: Over 200 products of animal origin were bought between the years 2008 and 2013 from the local markets and supermarkets. Texture profile analyses was conducted for quantifying textural properties such as Hardness, Cohesiveness, Springiness, Springiness Index, Chewiness, Adhesiveness and Stiffness, as well as imitative bite tests using the Volodkevich probe and a Universal Texture Analyzer machine. Samples total concentrations of Al, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, K, Li, Mn, Mg,Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, Zn, Tl were analyzed by ICP-MS and ICP-OES. The textural properties and total mineral concentrations were analyzed simultaneously for all samples. Conclusion: Databases containing information on the mineral nutritional value and textural properties of foods is a valuable tool for scientist studying the link between clinical pathology, mineral nutrition and eating habits.