Trace elements of minerals

The mineral elements form part of the skeleton i.e. bones and teeth, they stabilise body fluids both inside and outside the cells and they are part of enzymes or their cofactors.

Mineral elements account for approximately 4% of body weight. Some, such as calcium and phosphorus, are present in the body in relatively large amounts whereas others occur in very small quantities and are known as trace elements.

Trace elements are found only in very small quantities, i.e in a matter of milligrams. Examples are iodine (20-50 mg), copper (100 mg) manganese (2000 mg) and zinc (1-2 mg).

The definition of ‘trace elements’ is arbitrary and not fixed: a trace element is one which is essential of normal cell function, but is required only in tiny amounts.  Many of the trace elements are concerned in enzymes system of the body.

Trace elements (Fe, I, F, Zn, Se, Cu, Mn, Cr, Mo, Co, Ni) are essential in concentrations of less than 50 mg/day; their biochemical actions have been elucidated. Some of the elements are never in short supply because the food eaten, whatever the diet contains ample amounts.
Trace elements of minerals

Minerals in Food

Minerals in foods include a range of inorganic elements that are required by living organisms to support biochemical processes, including building bones and teeth, transmitting nerve signals, energy conversions from food and vitamin biosynthesis.

All foods from both plants and animals contain varying amounts of minerals. The mineral material may be present as inorganic or organic salts or may be combined with organic material, as the phosphorus is combined with phosphoproteins and metals are combined with enzymes.

Animals tissue contain minerals in the proportions that the animal needs, so animal derived foods are more reliable mineral sources.

Minerals from animals foods can be absorbed more easily than those from plants.

Plants foods can be excellent of several minerals but the mineral content of plants can vary dramatically depending on the minerals in the soil where the plants are found.

More than 60 elements may be present in foods.

It is customary to divide the minerals into two groups, the macro-minerals or essential minerals and the trace elements.

The macro minerals includes potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulfate, phosphate and bicarbonate. These minerals required at more than 100 mg/day by the adult.

Trace elements are all others and are usually present in amounts below 50 parts per million (ppm).

There is also a group of minerals called ultra trace minerals, including vanadium, tin, nickel, arsenic, and boron that are being investigated for possible biological function.

Some mineral elements have been documented to be toxic to the body and should, therefore, be avoided in the diet.

The trace elements can be divided into the following three groups:
1. Essential nutritive elements, which include Fe, Cu, I, Co, Mn, Zn, Cr, Ni, Si, F, Mo and Se.
2. Nonnutritive, non toxic elements, including Al, B and Sn.
3. Nonnutritive, toxic elements, including Hg, Pb, As, Cd and Sb.

The levels of trace elements/minerals in foods very according to inherent, environmental and processing factors.

Food processing may reduce the amount of minerals available for absorption. For examples, processing whole wheat flour into white flour does cause significant losses of mineral because the whole grain is not used.

Because the difficulty obtaining high enough levels of some minerals naturally, fortification of manufactured foods has become commonplace.
Minerals in Food

Minerals

Minerals
Minerals are the constituents which remain as ash after the combustion of plant and animals tissues. Minerals are divided into:

• Main elements

• Trace elements

• Ultra trace elements

The main elements (Nam, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, P) are essential for human beings in amounts >50 mg/day. Sulfur also belongs to this group.

Trace elements (Fe, I, F, Zn, Se, Cu, Mn, Cr, Mo, Co, Ni) are essential in concentrations of <50 mg/day; their biochemical actions have been elucidated.

Ultra – trace element (Al, As, Ba, Bi, B, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, Hg, Li, Pb, Rb, Sb, Si, Sm, Sn, Sr, TI, Ti, W) are elements whose essentially has been tested in animal experiments over several generations and deficiency symptoms have been found these extreme conditions.

For one of these elements, if it is possible to detect a biochemical function in a vital tissue or organ, the element is assigned to the trace elements.

Main and trace elements have very varied functions, e.g., as electrolytes, as enzymes constituents and a building materials, e.g., in bones and teeth.

The importance of minerals as food ingredients depends not only on their nutritional and physiological roles. They contribute to food flavor and activate or inhibit enzymes- catalyzed and other reactions and they affect the texture of food.
Minerals