Document Type : Research article
Authors
1
Department of Environmental Affairs, Assiut University Hospitals, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
2
Department of Nutrition, Assiut University Hospitals, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
Abstract
Milk and dairy products are vital sources of essential macro minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. This study aimed to evaluate the concentrations of these macro minerals (Ca, P, Mg, K, and Na) in raw milk, Ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk, dried milk, Kareish cheese, white soft cheese, and yogurt. Additionally, it sought to compare these levels to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) established by the U.S. National Research Council in 1989 for adults.
A total of 180 random samples of various dairy products were collected from Assiut Governorate, Egypt, from May 2023 to June 2024. The concentrations of macro minerals were determined using an atomic absorption/flame spectrophotometer. The results revealed the following calcium levels: 1.286%, 0.853%, 1.374%, 2.658%, 1.339%, and 1.114% in raw milk, UHT milk, dried milk, Kareish cheese, white soft cheese, and yogurt, respectively. For phosphorus, the concentrations were 1.084%, 0.632%, 0.903%, 2.188%, 2.220%, and 0.891%, respectively. These findings indicate that milk and dairy products serve as excellent sources of calcium and phosphorus. However, they are moderate sources of magnesium (0.219%–0.289%) and potassium (0.956%–1.728%). Sodium levels, on the other hand, were generally low in the examined products, except for Kareish cheese and white soft cheese, which recorded higher concentrations of 2.971% and 1.295%, respectively. The study also explored the health implications of these macro mineral concentrations, underlining their nutritional importance for consumers.
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