Trace nutrients. 2. Manganese in British food

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Food Chemistry
• Public Health

Background:

• Manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element vital for various physiological functions.
• Understanding dietary manganese intake is crucial for assessing nutritional adequacy and potential health implications.
• Previous data on manganese content in the British diet and specific food sources were limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the manganese content in a wide range of foods available in Britain.
• To determine the average daily manganese intake from the British diet.
• To identify major food contributors to dietary manganese.

Main Methods:

• Atomic absorption spectroscopy was employed to measure manganese levels.
• Analysis covered nationally representative samples of prepared and cooked foods.
• Individual food items were also analyzed to identify rich sources.

Main Results:

• The average British diet was estimated to provide 4.6 mg of manganese per day (Mn/d).
• Tea and other beverages contributed approximately 50% of the total daily intake.
• Cereals (30%) and vegetables/fruit (15%) were other significant sources; animal products provided minimal manganese.

Conclusions:

• Dietary manganese intake in Britain is largely influenced by beverages, cereals, and plant-based foods.
• Unrefined and partially refined cereals, tea, spices, and herbs are particularly rich sources of manganese.
• Animal products are not significant contributors to dietary manganese in the British diet.