Abstract:
Rice, glutinous rice, millet and corn collected from markets in Bangkok were analysed for zinc and copper by flame and flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry respectively. The mean concentrations ± S.D, of zinc and copper in rice, glutinous rice, millet and corn were : rice, 23.6 ± 3.2 µg/g Zn (range 17.5-28.8 µg /g) and 2.3 ± 0.6 µg /g Cu (range 1.1-3.3 µg /g); glutinous rice, 27.1 ± 5.6 µg /g Zn (range 17.8-37.7 µg /g) and 2.5 ± 1.7 µg /g Cu (range 0.7-5.9 µg /g); millet 45.2 ± 8.4 µg /g Zn (range 26.2-67.5 µg /g) and 6.8 + 1.3 µg /g Cu (range 4.9-10.4 µg /g) corn 28.5 ± 11.2 µg /g Zn (range 15.0-56.0 µg /g) and 2.2 ± 0.7 µg /g Cu (range 0.9-3.7 µg /g). The ratios of zinc to copper in these cereals were: rice, 6.1:1-24.0:1; glutinous rice, 5.5:1-36.6:1; millet, 4.0:1-10.4:1 and corn 6.5:1-37.3:1. It indicated, from the results obtained, that these cereals could be good dietary sources for zinc and copper.
