Dear Susanne and Martine

 

I’d do the same for butyric acid as part of a natural lipid spectrum of a food (eg dairy product) as you. Using the fat-factor.

 

I’m not aware of propionic acid being a relevant component in foods. It’s formed in the colon by bacteria. But as such its energy contribution is already considered by the fiber-factor. If it is present in a food, I’d take the factor for organic acids.

 

But that’s only pragmatic thinking….

 

Have a nice weekend

Esther

 

 

Esther Infanger
Projektleiterin
Dipl. Ernährungsberaterin FH, Master of Nutrition UC

Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Ernährung SGE

Schwarztorstrasse 87 | Postfach 8333 | CH-3001 Bern
T +41 31 385 00 15 | F +41 31 385 00 05

Wissen, was essen.  http://www.sge-ssn.ch

 

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Von: Food Composition Discussion Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Im Auftrag von Susanne Westenbrink
Gesendet: Freitag, 24. Januar 2014 10:48
An: [log in to unmask]
Betreff: {Disarmed} energy factor for acetic acid and other organic or fatty acids

 

Dear all,

Many thanks to Esther, Erling, Anders, Rakesh and Paul for replying to our question. This has helped to get things clearer.
We do use the European legislation to calculate energy in foods, which means that we apply specific factors for e.g. organic acids and polyols. My main question was about where to put acetic acid, as this compount is both indicated as organic acid and fatty acid F2;0. So far we only have zero values in our database, so any change will not have an inpact on energy values. When adding an acetic acid value for vinegar and related foods we need to apply the correct approach.

From the discussion we have concluded that acetic acid (F2:0) must be treated as an organic acid and not as fatty acid. Acetic acid it is a building block of natural fatty acids but, unlike them, does not occur in natural triglycerides (Chebi). And with the usual analytical methods, they do not turn up in the value for fat/fatty acids. You need special analytical methods to determine the amount of organic acids, as indicated by Anders. In the NEVO database we will attribute ~3 kcal /g organic acids, and not include acetic acid in the sum of saturated fatty acids.

To continue the discussion:
Following this, the next question pops up for other short chain fatty acids/organic acids. On internet MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "www.cyberlipid.org" claiming to be (http://www.cyberlipid.org/fa/acid0001.htm#1) I found information that stated that short chain fatty acids (below 4- 6 Carbons) should/could be regarded as organic acids. Up to 6 (or 4) carbon atoms, organic acids are considered "short-chain organic acids", they have substantial solubility in water. Furthermore, they do not behave physiologically like other fatty acids since they are more rapidly digested and absorbed in the intestinal tract and have unique properties in regulating sodium and water absorption through the mucosal epithelium. Biochemically, they are more closely related to carbohydrates than to fats. However I am not sure how reliable this website is.

Propanoic acid is listed as organic acid in the EuroFIR component thesaurus and as fatty acid by Chebi (I could not find it in the INFOODS tagnames). Is this measured through fatty acid analyses methods? Is it a relevant component in food?  If available in a food comp database, should 3 or 9 kcal be calculated for energy?
What is your opinion on this?

Butyric acid (F4:0) is classified as fatty acid in both the EuroFIR component thesaurus and the Chebi database. I know this is measured in fatty acid analyses, we have several values. My conclusion would be that F4:0 must be treated as a fatty acid, yielding ~ 9 kcal/g. (This what we have been doing all the time).
Do you agree on this conclusion for  butyric acid?


EuroFIR component thesaurus:
Acetic acid classified as organic acid, with synonym F2;0
Propanoic acid: classified as organic acid with synonym F3;0

Butyric acid classified as saturated fatty acids (F4:0)

Chebi database:

Acetic acid F2:0 Chebi 15366: building block of natural fatty acids which, unlike them, does not occur in natural triglycerides.
Propanoic acid F3:0 chebi 30768: The smallest H(CH2)nCOOH acid that exhibits the properties of the other fatty cids.
Butyric acid F4:0 Chebi 30772: four carbon straight-chain saturated fatty acid

Looking forward to your reaction,
with best wishes,
Susanne and Martine


Susanne Westenbrink
Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM) / National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Centrum voor Voeding, Preventie en Zorg / Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services
PO Box 1
3720 BA Bilthoven
The Netherlands
tel:  +31 (0) 30 274 2448
fax: +31 (0) 30 274 4466
e-mail:
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for more information on  the Dutch food composition database see
http://www.rivm.nl/nevo
http://nevo-online.rivm.nl




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