Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Ratios of Food and Beverage in Brazil

Laboratory of Isotope Ecology, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Av. Centenário, 303, São Dimas, Piracicaba CEP 13416-000, SP, Brazil

Ecology Department, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Asa Norte, Brasília CEP 70910-900, Brazil

National Institute of Criminalistics, Federal Police, Asa Sul, Brasília CEP 70610-200, Brazil

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Department of Statistics and Informatics, Rural Federal University of Pernambuco, R. Manuel de Medeiros, 35, Dois Irmãos, Recife CEP 52171-050, Brazil

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Academic Editors: Nives Ogrinc and Federica Camin

Molecules 2020, 25(6), 1457; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25061457

Received: 27 January 2020 / Revised: 4 March 2020 / Accepted: 6 March 2020 / Published: 24 March 2020

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotopic Techniques for Food Science)

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Abstract

Several previous studies on targeted food items using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in Brazil have revealed that many of the items investigated are adulterated; mislabeled or even fraud. Here, we present the first Brazilian isotopic baseline assessment that can be used not only in future forensic cases involving food authenticity, but also in human forensic anthropology studies. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N were determined in 1245 food items and 374 beverages; most of them made in Brazil. The average δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of C₃ plants were −26.7 ± 1.5‰, and 3.9 ± 3.9‰, respectively, while the average δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of C₄ plants were −11.5 ± 0.8‰ and 4.6 ± 2.6‰, respectively. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of plant-based processed foods were −21.8 ± 4.8‰ and 3.9 ± 2.7‰, respectively. The average δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of meat, including beef, poultry, pork and lamb were -16.6 ± 4.7‰, and 5.2 ± 2.6‰, respectively, while the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of animal-based processed foods were −17.9 ± 3.3‰ and 3.3 ± 3.5‰, respectively. The average δ¹³C of beverages, including beer and wine was −22.5 ± 3.1‰. We verified that C-C₄ constitutes a large proportion of fresh meat, dairy products, as well as animal and plant-based processed foods. The reasons behind this high proportion will be addressed in this study. View Full-Text

Keywords: processed foods; staple foods; photosynthesis metabolism; isotopes; Brazil

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MDPI and ACS Style

Martinelli, L.A.; Nardoto, G.B.; Perez, M.A.Z.; Junior, G.A.; Fracassi, F.C.; Oliveira, J.G.G.; Ottani, I.S.; Lima, S.H.; Mazzi, E.A.; Gomes, T.F.; Soltangheisi, A.; Filho, A.L.A.; Mariano, E.; Costa, F.J.V.; Duarte-Neto, P.J.; Moreira, M.Z.; Camargo, P.B. Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Ratios of Food and Beverage in Brazil. Molecules 2020, 25, 1457. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25061457

AMA Style

Martinelli LA, Nardoto GB, Perez MAZ, Junior GA, Fracassi FC, Oliveira JGG, Ottani IS, Lima SH, Mazzi EA, Gomes TF, Soltangheisi A, Filho ALA, Mariano E, Costa FJV, Duarte-Neto PJ, Moreira MZ, Camargo PB. Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Ratios of Food and Beverage in Brazil. Molecules. 2020; 25(6):1457. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25061457

Chicago/Turabian Style

Martinelli, Luiz A., Gabriela B. Nardoto, Maria A.Z. Perez, Geraldo A. Junior, Fabiana C. Fracassi, Juliana G.G. Oliveira, Isadora S. Ottani, Sarah H. Lima, Edmar A. Mazzi, Taciana F. Gomes, Amin Soltangheisi, Adibe L.A. Filho, Eduardo Mariano, Fabio J.V. Costa, Paulo J. Duarte-Neto, Marcelo Z. Moreira, and Plinio B. Camargo. 2020. "Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Ratios of Food and Beverage in Brazil" Molecules 25, no. 6: 1457. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25061457

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