Determination of zinc concentrations in foods of animal origin, fish and shellfish from Croatia and assessment of their contribution to dietary intake

Zinc concentrations were determined in a total of 121 samples of meat and meat products, fish and fish products and shellfish collected and marketed in Croatia. The concentrations were determined in the following ranges (mg/kg): meat 4.65-64.9, meat products 4.55-51.8, fish 3.12-19.5, fish products 12.3-31.2, mussels 21.1-30.9, oysters 129-431. The highest and lowest mean zinc levels determined were 222 mg/kg in oysters and 6.15 mg/kg in fish. Average zinc recovery of the method used was 100.4% with precision expressed as RSD of 1.5%. Significant differences were found among the tested food items. The estimated mean daily intake (EDI) of zinc in different types of food contributing to the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for women and men were (%): meat 0.13-1.29 and 0.09-0.94; oysters 0.93 and 0.67, meat products < 0.5, both; fish, fish products and mussels < 0.15, both. The ranges of the average daily intake of zinc of the provisional maximum tolerable daily intakes (PMTDI) were (%): meat and oysters 1.05-10.3; meat products < 5; fish, fish products and mussels < 1. The results found in tested foods items were similar to results from other countries used for comparison.