Determination of sodi̇um content in bread by ICP-OES method and sodium consumption habits of food education students: suleymanpasa district sample in tekirdag

In this research, sodium (Na+) and other mineral contents of 5 bread types (white wheat flour bread, whole wheat flour bread, bran bread, sour dough bread and unsalted bread) taken for one month interval from 5 different bakery's of Süleymanpaşa District Sample in Tekirdağ were anaylzed by ICP-OES Methods. In addition, a questionnaire survey has been made to evaluate the salt comsumption awareness of Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University students who receive food education. Sodium content of the bread samples on dry matter has changed between 2759±795 ppm (bran bread) and 4599±488 ppm (whole wheat flour bread). Salt content of all bread samples were remaind under the legal limit of Turkish Food Codex, Bread and Bread Types Communique. Sodium content of unsalted bread samples which is categorized differently from the other berad types were found between 124±14 ppm and 330±214 ppm on dry matter. There is not a maximum sodium content value for unsalted breads in Turkish Food Codex. Except unsalted breds, statistical differences (p<0.05) has been found among bread types as well as bakery's which produce the same bread types in recpet to sodium content. On the other hand, there was no statistical differences (p>0.05) in respect to sodium content among the bakery's which produce unsalted bread samples. Besides sodium content, potassium K, P, Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and Al contents of the bread samples were found at varying levels. Other elements including Ag, As, B, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sb, Se, Sn ve W were found under the detectable limits of ICP-OES. According to the questionnaire survey results; 66,4% of the students has no information on WHO's suggested amount of per capita daily salt consumption; none of them could answer the question of salt consumtion per capita in Turkey; 98,2% of them did not know the upper allowable limit of salt amount that should be used in breads according to TGK and 48,2% of them did not want to reduce salt consumption with their daily diet. Results of the survey revealed that salt comsumption awareness level was poor among the university students who received food education. Due to being a major public health concern, much more effective strategies and programmes should be implemented at national scale to decrease the high salt consumption of all society.