Avaliação do teor de açúcares e rotulagem nutricional em papinhas infantis comercializadas em Manaus- Amazonas

Abstract

Introduction: The presence of sugar in baby foods marketed to infants from six months onwards can contribute to the development of cavities, bacterial plaques on the first teeth, as well as the risk of stimulating a preference for sweets, which can lead to excess weight and diseases related to high sugar consumption such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and others. With health problems related to sugar intake, qualitative and quantitative information about this item on food labels has become essential. Objective: To evaluate sugar levels and compliance with legislation in baby foods sold in Manaus-AM. Methods: Titrimetry (Lane-Eynon) of reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars, total soluble solids (TSS) in Brix degrees, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Results: In the titration method, it was possible to quantify reducing and non-reducing sugars by the Fehling liquor redox reaction, and obtain total sugars. The baby food with the highest total sugar content was 22.72% (varied fruit base) and 21.84% (plum base). The lowest total sugar content was 2.50% (pumpkin and coconut milk base). The highest levels of total soluble solids were found in baby food, açaí and banana with 20ºBrix, followed by banana baby food with 19ºBrix and pitaya baby food with 18ºBrix. The baby food with the lowest content was made from pumpkin and coconut, with just 3ºBrix. In the analysis by mass spectrometry, the predominant presence of glucose and sucrose in the samples was confirmed. Baby food based on açaí and banana, grapes and banana and apple presented approximately 90% of the main sugars investigated. The pumpkin-based baby food showed 100% of these sugars. In relation to the current Brazilian legislation on nutritional labeling of packaged foods, the foods for infants analyzed did not comply with the nutritional information tables for sugars. In NMR analysis, high levels of glucose and fructose were determined in fresh samples of baby food. The sample (G) of plum, banana and lemon juice had the highest sugar content, totaling 8.95% of total sugars. Baby food (A) made from açaí, banana, yam and dried grapes and baby food (B) made from pitaya presented total sugar mass in their samples corresponding to 7.87% and 7.41%, respectively. Conclusion: All baby food samples analyzed had a high sugar content, with glucose and sucrose being the predominant ones, in addition, all labels were in non-compliance with current ANVISA legislation. The results found in the present study demonstrate the need for measures that guarantee the nutritional control of children's foods and enforce legislation, considering that the consumption of sugar in childhood can cause diseases, as well as making it difficult for children's palates to accept foods. more healthy.