Food, zinc

Organic chemicals Most organic liquids, other than the stronger acids, only attack zinc slowly. Zinc is, therefore, suitable for storage tanks for liquid hydrocarbons such as motor fuels, for phenols and for trichlorethy-lene degreasers. Zinc or zinc-coated vessels are not recommended for use in contact with acid foodstuffs, but are regularly used for dry foods. Zinc in small quantities is beneficial in the human diet. 

I = Intake of food zinc during a defined time period 0 = fecal output of food zinc corresponding to the... 

Scherz, H. and Kirchhoff, E. (2006). Trace elements in foods Zinc contents of raw foods—A comparison of data originating from different geographical regions of the world. /. Food Compos. Anal. 19,420-433. 

Food Zinc (mg/IOOg) Phytate (mg/IOOg) Phytate.zinc molar ratio... 

The chloride and chromate are also important compounds. Zinc is an essential element in the growth of human beings and animals. Tests show that zinc-deficient animals require 50 percent more food to gain the same weight as an animal supplied with sufficient zinc. 

Calcium—zinc soaps are used in many PVC food container appHcations because these heat stabilizers are universally accepted as safe by the U.S. FDA, German BGA, Japanese JHPA, and other government regulatory groups. 

Some metals used as metallic coatings are considered nontoxic, such as aluminum, magnesium, iron, tin, indium, molybdenum, tungsten, titanium, tantalum, niobium, bismuth, and the precious metals such as gold, platinum, rhodium, and palladium. However, some of the most important poUutants are metallic contaminants of these metals. Metals that can be bioconcentrated to harmful levels, especially in predators at the top of the food chain, such as mercury, cadmium, and lead are especially problematic. Other metals such as silver, copper, nickel, zinc, and chromium in the hexavalent oxidation state are highly toxic to aquatic Hfe (37,57—60). 

Diamine curatives were the first cross-linking agents for fluorocarbon mbbers. They are corrosive to mild steel molds and have been replaced in many appHcations by the bisphenol or other more recent cure systems. Nevertheless, some diamines are stiU used for food-contact appHcations of fluorocarbon mbbers and in zinc-free cures of halobutyl mbbers for pharmaceutical stoppers. Methylene dianiline and triethylene tetramine are cross-linking agents for ethylene—acryflc elastomers. 

Calcium—zinc stabilizers are used in both plasticized PVC and rigid PVC for food contact where it is desired to minimize taste and odor characteristics. AppHcations include meat wrap, water botdes, and medical uses. 

Zinc is also an essential food element in the human diet. Too Httle zinc in the diet can lead to poor health, reproductive problems and a lowered abHity to resist disease. Taking too much zinc into the body through food, water or dietary supplements can also affect health. The levels of zinc that produce adverse effects are higher than the Recommended DaHy AHowances, which are 15 mg/day for men, 12 mg/day for women, 10 mg/day for children and 5 mg/day for infants. 

Agricultural Use. Citric acid and its ammonium salts are used to form soluble chelates of iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, and zinc micronutrients in Hquid fertilizers (97—103). Citric acid and citrate salts are used in animal feeds to form soluble, easily digestible chelates of essential metal nutrients, enhance feed flavor to increase food uptake, control gastric pH and improve feed efficiency. 

Cellulose acetate Silica gel Scoured wool Sawdust Rayon waste Fluorspar Tapioca Breakfast food Asbestos fiber Cotton linters Rayon staple Starch Aluminum hydrate Kaolin Cryolite Lead arsenate Cornstarch Cellulose acetate Dye intermediates Calcium carbonate White lead Lithopone Titanium dioxide Magnesium carbonate Aluminum stearate Zinc stearate Lithopone Zinc yellow Calcium carbonate Magnesium carbonate Soap flakes Soda ash Cornstarch Synthetic rubber... 

There are concerns that land application of sludge will result in an increase of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites, chemicals and metals in drinking water reservoirs, aquifers, and the food chain. This raises additional concerns of cumulative effects of metals in cropped soils. Research shows that if metals such as zinc, copper, lead, nickel, mercury, and cadmium are allowed to build up in soils due to many applications of sludges over the years, they could be released at... 

Tin coatings are widely used in the electrical industry because of their good contact properties and in the food industry because of low toxicity. In addition to pure tin coatings a number of alloy coatings have been developed for special applications, e.g. tin-lead (terne plate), tin-zinc, tin-cadmium, tin-bronze and tin-nickel. Reference should be made to Section 13.5 and to the publication by Britton for data on the corrosion of tin and its alloys. 

Bones of 19 individuals were analyzed for strontium, rubidium and zinc. The number of samples was limited by the availability of bone after the stable isotope analyses were completed. Strontium was analyzed in order to test for trophic level, and to compare to other results obtained in the region on prehistoric peoples (Katzenberg 1984). Rubidium is not expected in human bone, so its presence acts as a measure of contamination. The use of zinc as a paleodi-etary indicator has been questioned recently (Ezzo 1994) and we were interested to see if there was any relationship between zinc content in food and bone. 

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