(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Uncooked "enhanced" meat products may
contain high levels of phosphorous and potassium that are not
listed on food labels, making it difficult for kidney disease
patients to limit harmful dietary intake of these additives.
Patients on dialysis are at risk of premature sudden death should
their blood phosphate or blood potassium levels become too high.
"Enhanced" fresh meat and poultry products are an
increasingly common source of dietary phosphorous and potassium.
These foods are injected with a solution of water with sodium and
potassium salts (particularly phosphates) as well as antioxidants
and flavorings. While ingesting phosphates and potassium can be
deadly for dialysis patients, there is no requirement that these
ingredients be included on nutrition labels. There also have been
no studies on the levels of phosphates and potassium contained in
fresh meat and poultry products that have been enhanced.
Richard Sherman, MD, and Ojas Mehta, DO, University of
Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical
School, examined the potassium and phosphate content in a variety
of enhanced and additive-free meat and poultry products available
in local supermarkets. They found products labeled "enhanced" had
an average phosphate concentration that was 28 percent higher than
those "labeled additive-free," with some products almost 100
percent higher.
Although most foods with phosphate and potassium additives reported the additives on the labels, eight of the 25 enhanced products included in the study did not list the additives. The authors wrote, "The burden imposed on those seeking to limit dietary phosphorus and potassium could be ameliorated by more complete food labeling by manufacturers."
SOURCE:
Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology
(CJASN), July 23, 2009
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