Are You Getting Enough?

According to research, the average person in the UK eats less than 3 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, instead of the recommended 5. This is even lower amongst young people. It's a worrying fact.

For the last eight years the Dept. of Health has been trying to drive home the "5-A-Day" message. Research proves that eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day has very real health benefits. It can help to prevent heart diseases and some cancers. Evidence shows however, that many of us are not listening to this healthy eating advice. Recent research shows that only 1 in 7 of us achieve the 5 a day quota.

Fruit and vegetables help set you up for a healthier lifestyle. Best of all, there is so much variety to choose from, all year long, there's enough to keep even the fussiest eaters happy. To get the best health benefits, your 5 a day portions should include a combination of a variety of fruit and vegetables. That's 5 portions altogether, not 5 portions of fruit and 5 portions of vegetables. Here are 5 reasons to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day

• They're packed with vitamins and minerals.
• They can help you to maintain a healthy weight.
• They're an excellent source of fibre and antioxidants.
• They help reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.
• They taste delicious and there's so much variety to choose from.

Fruit juice is also included in the 5 a day portions. For example as little as 150ml of undiluted fresh orange juice can equate to one portion of the magical 5 a day. The calcium content in fruit juices, such as apple juice, is measured in accordance with quality control and nutrition facts labeling requirements. The FDA sets the "percent Daily Value" (%DV) for calcium in fruit juice. The amount of calcium is listed on the Nutrition Facts panel on the container label. The direct measurement of ions using Ion Selective Electrodes (ISE) is a well-established technique frequently used as a standard method of analysis in chemistry laboratories today. Metrohm, as market leaders in ion analysis offers a wide range of meters, electrodes and consumables to accurately measure ISE levels in a variety of samples.

Another important component of fruit juices is ascorbic acid, which is better known as vitamin C. Vitamin C can be analysed in fruit juices by potentiometric titration with chloramine-T and bi-voltametric titration with 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol. Since 1943 Metrohm have led the world market in ion analysis. Metrohm are No1 in the world for potentiometric titrators and Karl Fischer moisture analysers and have been producing instrumentation for the food industry since this date. With these many years of expertise in this field Metrohm have also developed many test methods for the food market.

Only now have Metrohm been able to bring all these methods together into one convenient package. The Food Potentiometric Analysis Collection is a know-how package for the practical analyst in the food industry. The Application file contains 96 methods taking into account the latest state of knowledge. The titration methods described here have been tried out many times and are based on the latest editions for the particular sector. The packages, which can be obtained from any Metrohm agency, contain a comprehensive application file with clearly-laid-out and detailed method descriptions, a method memory card, the Metrodoc CD-ROM with the corresponding methods as well as the Metrodata CD-ROM comprising the VESUV, Applications Bulletins, all methods with parameters and titration curve examples as well as examples about the determination of:

• pH value
• Preparing the most important titrants and determining their titer
• Drinking water and mineral water
• Milk and dairy products
• Edible fats and oils
• Cereals, flour milling products, dry pasta products
• Honey, sugar and sweets
• Soft drinks, lemonades
• Fruit and vegetable juices, fruit nectars and jams
• Beer, vinegar, spirits and wine
• Coffee, cocoa and chocolate
• Sweeteners, gelling and thickening agents
• Preserved fruit, vegetables and mushrooms
• Cooking salt, spices, pickling salt, seasoning, herbal and flavored
• salts
• Meat products, meat extracts, bouillon preparations, aspic,
• seasonings, soups, sauces

All methods have been worked out so that you can use them as so-called SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) in your laboratory. With this collection of methods almost all the titrimetric analysis required within the food industry are covered.