AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

Phosphorus (P) intake in Western countries exceeds the nutritional recommendations 2- to 3-fold, and the increased use of food additive phosphates (FAPs) in the food industry has augmented total P (TP) intake; an estimated 10-50% of TP intake comes from additives. However, in food composition databases, the amounts of FAPs may have not been taken into account. Difficulties in measuring true P intake occur also because bioavailability of P differs between foodstuffs; inorganic P from additives is absorbed better in the intestine than natural, organic P. The harmfulness of high P intake to kidney patients has been known for years, and dietary P restriction is used in the treatment of the disease to avoid vascular calcification, which occurs due to calcium-phosphate deposition in the vascular vessel wall. However, recently, concerns have been raised about the role of elevated serum phosphate concentrations in cardiovascular health in the general population, but data on dietary P is scarce. This thesis aims to offer new insights into the potential health risks related to high dietary P intake in Finland by providing knowledge on the bioavailability of P in foodstuffs, and on the association of high dietary P intake with cardiovascular disease risk factors in the general population. In Study I, a new method was developed for analysis of in vitro digestible P (DP), indicating bioavailable and absorbable P. DP and TP contents of certain differently processed cereals were analyzed. The calculated uncertainty of the new analysis method had little effect on the DP contents in the samples. Soured cereals contained more DP than unsoured cereals, and the long processing time increased the amounts of DP. In Study II, the DP contents of selected plant-based foodstuffs with or without FAPs were determined by the analysis method developed in Study I. The analyzed plant-based products contained varying amounts of P, but most P was not digestible, except in FAP-containing foodstuffs (cola drinks and baking powder-leavened muffins). In Study III, the associations between TP intake, P density of the diet (TP intake related to energy intake), FAP intake, and a risk factor of cardiovascular disease, carotid intima-media thickness were investigated in a middle-aged Finnish population (n=546). Linear associations among P density of the diet, FAP intake, and carotid intima-media thickness were found when all subjects were included in the analysis, and between FAP intake and carotid intima-media thickness in females (n=370). However, among males (n=176) no significant associations were found. In conclusion, results of this thesis reinforce the previous understanding about the importance of the source of P when assessing P intake in a population. The plant-based foodstuffs generally contain low amounts of DP, but the FAP-containing plant-based products have relatively higher DP contents than FAP-free products. The method developed for the analysis of DP is reliable but requires validation against an in vivo method before these results can…