No abstract

Folate concentrations in selected fruits were measured using the trienzyme extraction and microbiological assay with Lactobacillus casei (subsp. Rhamnosus) as an assay organism. Fruits were purchased from different retail outlets at Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India and were analyzed for total folate content. The folate content in all fruits varied considerably on a fresh weight basis from 10 to 328 microg/100 g, with tropical fruits ranging between 10 and 211 microg/100 g, temperate fruits from 11 to 328 microg/100 g, and the subtropical fruits in the range of 9-237 microg/100 g. Amongst all fruits, plum had the highest content of folate (328 microg/100 g). Data analyzed will assist dietary studies to estimate and evaluate the adequacy of folate intakes of the population, to formulate experimental diets for folate bioavailability studies, and to revise dietary recommendations for the population. In addition, the data will assist the health authorities in planning and executing strategies for intervention programs.

A wide range of Indian foods (cereals, pulses, vegetables and milk based preparations) were analysed for five folate vitamers naturally present in the foods (n = 44). A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method using reversed phase chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry, coupled via positive mode electrospray ionization was used for the detection and quantification of the vitamers. The optimized LC-MS/MS method was capable of analysing the five most commonly-occurring folates (folic acid, 5-methyl tetrahydrofolic acid, tetrahydrofolic acid, 10-formyl folic acid and 5-formyl tetrahydrofolic acid) in 20 min. Quantification of folates was performed using C labelled internal standards. 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate was predominant in cereals, pulses and vegetable preparations. Fermented cereal preparations, beverages (coffee and tea) and green leafy vegetables were the main sources contributing to 5-formyl THF. Folic acid was identified in home-made yoghurt. All the values obtained in the present study using LC-MS/MS were compared to the total folate analysed using the microbiological assay in 2010 to generate data on the same foods. Findings suggest that the data obtained using both techniques showed agreement in the values (total folate calculated by adding the individual vitamers in the case of the LC-MS/MS values) particularly when foods were predominant in 5 methyl tetrahydrofolate.

The prevalence estimate of neural tube defects in India is restricted to some village clusters and has been reported to be 6.57-8.21 per 1,000 live births, one of the highest in the world. Dietary intake data for folate are scant and do not provide an accurate estimate because of the lack of analysed data in commonly consumed cooked/processed foods. A 24-h dietary recall survey of 200 respondents aged 17-24 years in one of the Southern states of India was used to prioritize the common foods consumed. Forty-three foods/preparations were analysed for their total folate content using the tri-enzyme extraction technique and microbiological assay using Lactobacillus casei, subsp. Rhamnosus. The mean dietary intake of the selected population was estimated to be 277 microg/day based on the analytical results obtained through this study. This value is relatively higher (2.8 times) than the calculated values reported on the intakes of the rural population (98 microg/day) reported by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau, India.

This study is the first demonstration of the bioavailability of folate in pectin-coated fortified rice in humans.