Estimation of daily exposure to 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals in Korean foods containing n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
4-Hydroxy-2-alkenals are cytotoxic aldehydes generated from the oxidation of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The compounds have shown various biological effects via Schiff base adducts or Michael addition adducts at levels higher than physiological ones. To assess human exposure to 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals in the diet, 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals in vegetable oils, fish and shellfish were monitored using GC/MS/SIM. 2001 National Health and Nutrition Survey (2002) data were employed for the dietary intake pattern. The Korean daily exposure to 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals, excluding a possible one from fried food, was 4.3 microg day-1, constituted of 1.6 microg 4-hydroxy-2-hexenal (HHE) and 2.7 microg 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE). It was calculated that Koreans could be additionally exposed to more than 11.8 microg day-1 4-hydroxy-2-alkenal from fried foods. Thus, the combined exposure would be 16.1 microg day-1, which corresponds to 0.3 microg kg-1 body weight day-1 for a 60 kg Korean adult. In spite of the biological toxicity of 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals, the risk for human could not be quantified due to the lack of a virtually safe dose of the compounds. However, considering the basal level of 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals in many tissues, the present value from the diet may not pose a significant risk for human health.
Surh
J
J
Department of Food and Nutrition, Seoul National University, San 56-1, Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
Kwon
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis*; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012758:Shellfish / Q000032:analysis
D000447:Aldehydes; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010938:Plant Oils; C045934:4-hydroxy-2-hexenal; C027576:4-hydroxy-2-nonenal