Elsevier

The Journal of Nutrition

Volume 152, Issue 9, September 2022, Pages 2023-2030
The Journal of Nutrition

Biomarkers of Fruit Intake Using a Targeted Metabolomics Approach: an Observational Cross-Sectional Analysis of the ELSA-Brasil Study

https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxac115Get rights and content
Under an Elsevier user license
open archive

Abstract

Background

Advances in technology have led to the identification of a greater number of metabolites related to diet. Although fruit intake biomarkers have been reported in some studies, these findings require further replication, considering the relevance of fruits for diet quality and health.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore the associations of a set of potential urinary biomarkers of diet, assessed using a targeted metabolomics approach, with self-reported fruit intake data in participants of a computer-assisted 24-h dietary recall (GloboDiet software) validation study.

Methods

A total of 93 individuals aged 43–72 y, 54% female, participated in this study. The subjects were a subsample of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). A 24-h dietary recall was obtained with the aid of GloboDiet software matching a 24-h urine sample from each participant. Candidate biomarkers were selected in a literature search and identified in urine by LC coupled to high-resolution MS. Spearman correlation analyses were performed between fruit intake and each biomarker.

Results

Spearman correlation analysis showed that total fruits intake was significantly correlated with citric acid (ρ = 0.213, P = 0.041), ferulic acid sulfate I (ρ = 0.240, P = 0.020), hesperetin glucuronide/homoeriodictyol glucuronide (ρ = 0.303, P = 0.003), hydroxyhippuric acid (ρ = 0.239, P = 0.021), homovanillic alcohol sulfate (ρ = 0.339, P = 0.001), methylgallic acid sulfate (ρ = 0.268, P = 0.009), naringenin glucuronide (NG; ρ = 0.278, P = 0.007), proline betaine (PB; ρ = 0.305, P = 0.003), syringic acid sulfate (ρ = 0.210, P = 0.044), and sinapic acid sulfate (ρ = 0.412, P < 0.001). Among them, 3 have been described in literature as promising biomarkers for intake of total fruit, oranges, and citrus fruit: NG, hesperetin glucuronide, and PB.

Conclusions

Associations of total fruits intake with urinary measurements indicate the potential usefulness of dietary biomarkers in the Brazilian population as a complement to self-reported dietary assessments.

Keywords:

dietary assessment
globodiet
mass spectrometry
metabolomics
24-h urine

Abbreviations used:

dhFAG
dihydroferulic acid glucuronide I
ELSA
Longitudinal Study of Adult Health
ESI
electrospray ionization
HG
homoeriodictyol glucuronide
HHA
hydroxyhippuric acid
HPPAG
hydroxyphenyl propionic acid glucuronide I
HVAS
homovanillic alcohol sulfate I
mGAS
methyl gallic acid sulfate
NG
naringenin glucuronide I
OHTYS
hydroxytyrosol sulfate
PB
proline betaine
qToF
time-of-flight analyzer
SiAG
sinapic acid glucuronide
SiAS
sinapic acid sulfate
UroAG
urolithin A glucuronide
24h-DR
24-h dietary recall
24h-U
24-h urine

Cited by (0)

Supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP; grant number 2016/20054-6). JL and LTC received a doctoral scholarship (FAPESP grant numbers 2018/08319-0 and 2019/13424-0, respectively). JFRA received a postdoctoral scholarship (FAPESP grant number 2019/11324-8). The funding agencies had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the article.

Author disclosures: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Supplemental Table 1 is available from the “Supplementary data” link in the online posting of the article and from the same link in the online table of contents at https://academic.oup.com/jn/.

Abbreviations used: dhFAG, dihydroferulic acid glucuronide I; ELSA, Longitudinal Study of Adult Health; ESI, electrospray ionization; HG, homoeriodictyol glucuronide; HHA, hydroxyhippuric acid; HPPAG, hydroxyphenyl propionic acid glucuronide I; HVAS, homovanillic alcohol sulfate I; mGAS, methyl gallic acid sulfate; NG, naringenin glucuronide I; OHTYS, hydroxytyrosol sulfate; PB, proline betaine; qToF, time-of-flight analyzer; SiAG, sinapic acid glucuronide; SiAS, sinapic acid sulfate; UroAG, urolithin A glucuronide; 24h-DR, 24-h dietary recall; 24h-U, 24-h urine.