Mineral decline due to modernization of food habits. (1st January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Henry, Christiani Jeyakumar; Bi, Xinyan; Lim, Joseph; Lau, Evelyn
• Is Part Of: Food chemistry. Volume 190(2016)
• Page Start: 194
• Page End: 196
• Publication Date: 2016-01-01
• Subjects: Modernization -- Food consumption -- Mineral decline -- Anchovy; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.05.092
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-8146

Abstract

Highlights: A minor change in dietary habits leads to a reduction in micronutrients intake. Both head and skeleton have higher calcium than cleaned body of anchovy. Entrails are observed to be a major contributor to zinc and iron. Abstract: Calcium and other micronutrients are essential for health and well-being. Dairy products are the main sources of calcium in western countries. In most regions of Asia, the consumption of these products is limited due to the lactose intolerance and costs. A major contributor to the micronutrients intake in this region is the consumption of small fish, such as anchovies. Traditionally, dried anchovies are consumed as a whole body. Recently, an increasingly popular method of eating anchovies has been to eat it in a cleaned, eviscerated form. This brief communication highlights how "modernization" of food habits may have unintentional nutritional consequences. A minor change in the dietary habits of eating cleaned anchovies may lead to a reduction in micronutrients intake. This reinforces the need for caution when we modernize our traditional eating habits.