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The objective of this study was to survey the fatty acid profiles of fat spreads, margarines, shortenings, vegetable fat ice creams, vegetable fat milk-based cream substitutes, vegetable fat cheese substitutes, and reduced-fat cheeses on the Finnish market. The evaluation of the nutritional quality of fat in these products is of significance to dieticians and to the development of fat products with enhanced nutritional value. Remarkable differences between fatty acid profiles of vegetable fat products were found. Vegetable fat ice creams may have a lot of saturated fat and, in addition, the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids may be very low. Vegetable fat half creams had, in general, less saturated fat and more polyunsaturated fatty acids than cream. The spreads and shortenings studied contained less than 2% trans fatty acids of total fatty acids. Consumption of reduced-fat cheese in place of full-fat cheese does not negatively affect the nutritional quality of the consumed fat

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Nitrite intake from the consumption of cured meat and tap water was estimated for Finnish children of 1, 3 and 6 years as well as Finnish adults of 25-74 years. Nitrite content in the foods was measured by capillary electrophoresis, and was then used together with individual food consumption data from the FINDIET 2007 and DIPP studies in a stochastic exposure assessment by a Monte Carlo Risk Assessment (MCRA) program. Nitrite intake from additive sources and tap water was assessed, and more than every 10th child between the ages 3 and 6 years was estimated to have a nitrite intake exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of nitrite. The high exposure levels were caused by frequent consumption of large portions of sausages, up to 350 g day(-1) or 750 g in 3 days, among the children. Median nitrite intake from cured meat was 0.016, 0.040, 0.033 and 0.005 mg kg(-1) body weight day(-1) for children of 1, 3 and 6 years and adults, respectively. Bayesian estimation was employed to determine safe consumption levels of sausages and cold cuts for children, and these results gave rise to new national food consumption advice.