New USDA-ARS Database Features Proanthocyanidins 38235

New USDA-ARS Database Features Proanthocyanidins

WASHINGTONTo better promotethe health benefits of consuming diets rich in plant foods, the AgriculturalResearch Service (ARS), the chief scientific research agency of the U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA), recently launched a special interest databasefor foods containing proanthocyanidins.

The database was created through a collaborative effortbetween the Nutrient Data Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center(BHNRC), ARS and USDA in collaboration with the Arkansas Childrens NutritionCenter; Beltsville, Md.-based Food Composition Laboratory; Hackettstown,N.J.-based Mars Inc. and Lakeville, Mass-based Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc.

The online database (www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/PA/PA.html) contains values for 205 food items for the followingproanthocyanidins: monomers, dimers, trimers, 4-6 mers (tetramers, pentamers andhexamers), 7-10 mers (heptamers, octamers, nonamers and decamers) and polymers(DP>10). The database includes three tables: Table 1.USDA Database for theProanthocyanidin Content of Selected Foods - 2004, Table 2. Foods ContainingUndetectable Amounts of Proanthocyanidins and Table 3.Foods ContainingProdelphinidins, Propelargonidins and A-Type Linkages.

Proanthocyanidins, a subclass of flavonoids, are abundant incertain fruits, nuts, beverages (such as red wine and purple grape juice) andchocolate. They have been found to have several health benefits includingprotection against urinary tract infections, reduced risk of cardiovasculardiseases, cancer and blood clotting. USDAARS created the database forepidemiologists and health researchers to better estimate intakes and toinvestigate relationships between intakes and reduction in the risks of variousdiseases. The new database complements the previously released database, USDADatabase for Flavonoid Contents in Selected Foods(www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/Flav/flav.html), which contains values for26 monomeric compounds in five subclasses of dietary flavonoids: flavonols,flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols and anthocyanidins.