Studies in dietary intake and extreme food consumption.
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Diet Surveys↗
Biomedical subjects
J C Sherlock
Publications and source records attributed to J C Sherlock.
Duplication diet study on mercury intake by fish consumers in the United Kingdom.
Hair samples were analyzed for mercury in 942 persons living in either one of two coastal areas of the United Kingdom who reported above average fish consumption. A duplicate diet study group was selected from the 942 individual's who had elevated concentrations of mercury in their hair. The study group's fish consumption averaged 0.36 kg/person . wk during the duplicate diet. Concentration of total mercury in the blood of the study group ranged from 1.1 to 42.3 micrograms/L with an arithmetic mean of 8.8 micrograms/L. The linear curve fitted to the data on the concentration of total mercury in blood vs. mercury intake was similar to that observed in a previous study made in the United Kingdom, but different from that observed in other studies. The results from the present study indicate that people in the United Kingdom are unlikely to be adversely affected by the presence of methylmercury in the fish they consume.
Adult↗
Cadmium intake and cadmium in the human kidney.
The diet and cigarette smoking are the main sources of cadmium intake in people not occupationally exposed to cadmium. Using data gathered from the literature, it is shown that there is a statistically significant relationship between the average cadmium intake in various countries and the average kidney cadmium concentration in 40-60 year old people living in those countries. It is estimated that a regular dietary intake of cadmium of 175 micrograms/day would cause the concentration of cadmium in the renal cortex to reach the critical level in 50 years.
Adult↗
Tin in foods and the diet.
The diet is the main source of tin intake by man. Nearly all the tin in the UK diet is associated with canned food. Canned tomatoes, tomato products, pineapple, pears and similar fruits contain the highest concentrations of tin. Average dietary tin intakes in the UK are about 3 mg/day and have been falling since 1976.
Diet↗
Chromium in foods and the diet.
Food is the main source of chromium intake by man. Chromium is fairly evenly distributed throughout the various food groups examined, but highest concentrations of chromium are found in the meat, fish, fruit and sugar groups. Mean dietary chromium intakes in the UK (1976-78) were between 80 and 107 micrograms/day.
Air↗
Relationship between blood lead concentrations and dietary lead intake in infants: the Glasgow Duplicate Diet Study 1979-1980.
In 1979-1980 a duplicate diet study of 131 infants was carried out in Glasgow where the water was plumbosolvent and water lead levels were known to be often above 100 micrograms/l. The main aim of the study was to establish the form of the relationship between water lead, dietary lead and blood lead in infants. The study was designed so that there was a balanced number of measurements over a wide range of lead intakes. Blood lead concentrations of the mothers were measured as well as those of the infants. Results from the study showed that high values of lead in water, diet and blood were closely associated with each other. Blood lead concentrations appeared to have non-linear (cube root) relationships with water lead concentrations and dietary intakes of lead, with steadily smaller increases in blood lead as amounts or concentrations of ingested lead increased. However, infants who were wholly breast fed showed a much weaker effect of water lead on blood lead. Some diets had much higher lead concentrations than the water lead concentration would have suggested because they had been made up with water from the hot tap (rather than the kitchen cold water tap).
Diet↗
Lead in alcoholic beverages.
Following the finding that blood lead concentrations in middle-aged men were positively associated with alcohol consumption, the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution recommended that information on lead in alcoholic beverages be obtained. The results reported here were obtained in response to the Royal Commission's request. About 90% of canned and bottled beers contained less than or equal to 10 micrograms/l of lead, whereas nearly half the draught beers sampled contained greater than 10 micrograms/l and 4% contained greater than 100 micrograms/l. Opening the cans and bottles and pouring the contents into a glass had no significant effect on the lead concentration in the beer. All wines sampled directly from the bottle, that is without pouring, contained less than 250 micrograms/l of lead. However the lead concentration in some wines contained in lead-capped bottles increased significantly when the wine was poured from the bottle, in one instance the increment was 1890 micrograms/l. It is concluded that consumption of beer containing 50 micrograms/l of lead could make a substantial contribution to blood lead concentrations in man. Consumption of 1 l/day of wine containing 150 micrograms/l of lead could also make a major contribution to blood lead concentrations. Lead contamination of wine when it is poured from a bottle, which had been lead-capped, can sometimes greatly increase lead concentrations in the wine.
Beer↗
Thallium in foods and the diet.
Sources of thallium in food and normal levels of thallium in food are discussed. Information on dietary intakes of thallium in the UK is presented, current intakes are estimated to be about 0.005 mg/day. The dietary intake and published data on urinary excretion are consistent. It is considered that brassicae are likely to be the main source of dietary exposure to thallium in food produced on contaminated land.
Brassica↗
Relationships between elemental intakes within the United Kingdom total diet study and other adult dietary studies.
Elemental concentrations from the UK total diet study reflecting the contents of foodstuffs of the diet and their preparation have been compared with the elemental concentration of the study reflecting the contents of the foodstuffs alone. A relationship is defined for a group of elements for which intake concentrations are constant from both studies. A second group is composed of elements for which there are sources other than foods, eg., from food processing, food preparation or from adventitious contact. The defined relationship enables the results from any subsequent adult dietary study to be assessed in terms of the dietary concentration of elements and this is exemplified by a control duplicate diet study.
Adult↗
Nickel in foods and the diet.
Food has been found to be the main source of nickel intake by man. Nickel was fairly evenly distributed throughout the various food groups examined but highest concentrations of nickel were found in the canned vegetables, sugars and preserves, and bread and cereals food groups, suggesting a contribution from food processing equipment and, possibly, food cans. Mean dietary nickel intakes in the UK (1981-4) were between 0.14 and 0.15 mg/day. The contribution made to dietary nickel intakes by nickel from food utensils and cookware is discussed.
Air↗
Dietary intakes of lead and other metals: a study of young children from an urban population in the UK.
In a 7-day duplicate diet study of 97 pre-school age children from the Birmingham area, mean dietary lead intakes of 0.185 mg/week were found compared with values of 0.15 and 0.11 mg/week found from similar studies carried out previously elsewhere. Nine per cent of the children at Birmingham exceeded the current Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake for lead for the one week of study. None of these children however exceeded the DHSS advisory action level for lead in blood (25 micrograms/dl). Dietary intakes of other metals (cadmium, copper, iron, lead, nickel, tin and zinc) were generally similar to or less than those found from previous studies.
Beverages↗
Lead in alcoholic beverages: a second survey.
Results are presented of a survey of lead in beers and wines. Evidence of low level lead contamination of draught beer was found in an earlier survey conducted previously but remedial action initiated by the Brewers' Society has apparently been successful in reducing this contamination. The position in respect of lead contamination of wine is less satisfactory. Wine poured from bottles which have been fitted with tin-coated lead closures may sometimes become contaminated by deposits of lead salts produced by corrosion of the lead closure. Results of a survey of wines from lead-capped bottles show that for bottles sampled during 1985/1986 the lead concentration in 20 out of 100 samples exceeded 1000 micrograms/l (equivalent to the statutory limit for lead in wine of 1 mg/kg as sold). Such contamination could give rise to undesirably high intakes of lead. Action being taken to reduce exposure from this source is described.
Beer↗
The correspondence between U.K. 'action levels' for lead in blood and in water.
This paper considers whether the Department of the Environment's water lead concentration criterion for lead pipe replacement and action in individual cases, i.e. 50 micrograms/l in any sample, is too high when set against the Department of Health's advisory action limit for blood lead concentration of 25 micrograms/100 ml. The relationships between blood lead and water lead concentrations found in the Glasgow and Ayr duplicate diet studies, together with unpublished data from Glasgow and Liverpool, indicate that over 10% of people exposed to an average water lead concentration of 100 micrograms/l (the earlier action level) would have blood lead concentrations above 25 micrograms/100 ml, as would about 4% of those exposed to 50 micrograms/l (the Maximum Admissible Concentration in an EEC Directive). For adults, average water lead concentrations should not exceed 30 micrograms/l to ensure compliance with the limit for blood lead, i.e. so that not more than 2% exceed 25 micrograms/100 ml. However, for one of the critical groups, bottle-fed infants (whose diet is 90% water), average water lead concentrations should not exceed 10-15 micrograms/l. The WHO's Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) for children (25 micrograms/kg body weight) also implies that their water lead concentrations should not exceed 10-15 micrograms/l.
Humans↗
Lead and tin in canned foods: results of the UK survey 1983-1987.
Concentrations of tin and lead in canned foods have been monitored since 1983 to determine the effects of recent changes in can-making technology. In the sample studied the proportion of foods contained in non-soldered as opposed to soldered cans has risen consistently during the survey and now accounts for 83% of all samples (excluding sardines). Foods contained in non-soldered cans have lower lead concentrations than those contained in soldered cans and this changeover is likely to result in a decrease in dietary lead intakes in the UK.
Food Contamination↗