The natural melanoidin from alcohol distillery biogester effluent and synthetic melanoidin, which was prepared in the laboratory from equimolar amounts of glucose and glycine were decolorized by Bacillus subtilis in shake flash culture. After eight days of fermentation at an initial bacterial level of 2.9 x 10 E 9 cfu/mL, natural melanoidin was 61.1 percent decolorized as measured by absorbance readings at 475 nm: the corresponding decolorization of 0.041 M synthetic melanoidin was 71.9 percent. Gel chromatography through Sephadex G-100 of natural melanoidin before and after microbial action showed molecular weight (MW) values of 35.6 and 33.5 kD, respectively; the corresponding MW values of freshly prepared and decolorized synthetic melanoidin were 42.6 and 37.7 kD, respectively. Values of the instrinsic viscosity, which is proportional to MW, of natural melanoidin before and after decolorization were 18.46 and 16.96 mL/g, respectively; corresponding viscosity values for synthetic melanoidin were 19.77 and 17.16 mL/g, respectively. After bacterial action both natural and synthetic melanoidins showed greater absorbance at 220-350 nm and lower absorbance at greater than 370 nm but showed reduced infrared intensities corresponding to C=O, C=C and O-H stretching vibrations; however the C-O infrared intensity increased. The results suggest partial depolymerization and oxidative degradation of both melanoidins caused by the microorganisms

Phthalate acid esters are widely used as plasticizers to impart plastic flexibility in various industrial applications. In this study, the content of seven phthalates, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), di-isononyl phthalate (DINP), and di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP) were determined in paper cups using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, the potential migration of these seven phthalates from paper cups into various food stimulants under different conditions was evaluated. The levels of DBP, DEHA, DEHP, and DNOP were in the ranges of 0.07–3.14, 0.16–42.69, 0.45–58.56, and 0.3–2.4 mg/kg, respectively. Meanwhile, BBP, DINP, and DIDP were not detected in most of the tested samples. In the migration test, DEHA was released to 50 % ethanol and n-heptane in a time-dependent manner and the maximum migration levels were 65.62 ± 3.61 and 95.56 ± 19.76 μg/L, respectively. The release of other phthalates was very low or negligible. These results demonstrated that paper cups are not a significant source of phthalate exposure; however, DEHA could be released from paper cups into alcoholic beverages or oily liquid beverages in the human diet.

Cadmium (Cd), one of the harmful heavy metals, and its accumulation or pollution might cause itai-itai disease. In this study, we investigated the dietary exposure of Cd among residents in Northeast China (including Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning provinces) and also compared the health risks in adult males in terms of dietary intake. Cd contents in 12 categories of foods were derived from original data from the 5th China Total Diet Study (TDS). The following results were obtained in this study: (i) dietary exposure levels of Cd at the margin of safety (MOS) were 4.55, 1.82, and 2.85 in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning provinces, respectively; (ii) the primary dietary sources of Cd included cereals, legumes, potatoes, meat, aquatic products, and vegetables; (iii) Cd contents in the same food category from different regions were not significantly different from the limit of China’s National Standards (LCNSs); (iv) dietary exposure of Cd would not have a detrimental effect on the health of residents in Northeast China; (v) we recommend the government to take precedence of the supervision and spot-checking of cereals, legume-nuts, potatoes, meat, aquatic products, vegetables, and alcoholic beverages because of the higher dietary consumption than others; (vi) 99.99% of the Cd content in cereals, legumes, vegetables, meat, and aquatic products sold in Northeast China was less than the LCNSs at the present situation; and (vii) the harmful effects of Cd to human beings are associated with the Cd content in foods and the consumption of such foods.

Chronic exposure to heavy metals has long been recognized as being capable of increasing head and neck cancer (HNC) incidence, such as laryngeal (LC) and nasopharyngeal (NPC), among exposed human populations. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concentrations of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in the blood of 145 patients (LC and NPC) and 351 controls in order to establish a potential relationship between these factors and the occurrence of LC and NPC. Mean blood levels of As and Cd in patients (5.67 and 3.51 μg/L, respectively) were significantly higher than those of controls (1.57 and 0.74 μg/L, respectively). The blood levels of As and Cd were mostly significantly higher than those of controls (p < 0.05) after controlling the other risk factors of HNC including tobacco smoking and chewing, and alcohol drinking. Cd levels in blood increase significantly with the number of occupational exposure years for patients (p < 0.05). However, seafood was not found to be contributing as an exposure source. Among these risk factors, smoking (>30 pack years) and occupational exposure (>20 years) presented the most significant association with HNC (OR = 10.22 and 10.38, respectively, p < 0.001). Cd level in blood sample of cases that are occupationally exposed/tobacco users (smokers and chewers) were higher than that of non-occupationally exposed/nontobacco users (p < 0.001). The logistic regression model illustrated that HNC (LC + NPC) was significantly associated with blood levels of As (OR = 2.41, p < 0.001) and Cd (OR = 4.95, p < 0.001).