Sample pre-treatment and preparation for analysis of pollutants in food

• Grant number: 24/21510-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Marília Cristina Oliveira Souza
• Grantee: Julia Maria Fioramonte Bardeja
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/06443-0 - Bioavailability and bioaccessibility of pesticides and legacy pollutants in food: a public health risk assessment and creation of a risk-benefit tool for Brazilian consumers, AP.GR

Abstract

Over the years, the potential increase in industrialization, agriculture, and animal production have occurred to meet the growing demand for food due to the population size increases in Brazil. Brazil presents a vast territorial extension and there are some particularities and differences concerning the economy and development of each region. Food consumption frequencies were higher in urban areas than in rural areas for most food. It is important to emphasize that Brazilian food consumption is closely related to the family budget, and the purchasing power is very heterogeneous throughout the country. Moreover, eating habits vary in different regions of the country. Some food is a significant source of nutrients with known health benefits; their consumption is promoted as a healthy food choice. On the other hand, food can also contain potentially hazardous organic environmental pollutants, mainly pesticides and persistent organic pollutants. This duality of benefits and risks gives rise to a nutritional toxicological conflict. Human exposure to these chemicals reflects the combined exposure through several pathways. Many studies have shown that oral ingestion is a very important pathway for many organic pollutants. Therefore, the adoption of programs for the systematic evaluation of the chemical composition of food that make up the basic diet of a given population is of fundamental importance to ensure their food security. In this context, the selection of the samples that represent all Brazilian territory and the consumption habits of the population, the separation and fraction of the samples, and correct storage are fundamental for obtaining accurate results.