Análise do teor de sódio em preparações servidas por uma unidade de alimentação e nutrição em Cuiabá-MT

Abstract

Objective - To analyze the sodium contents of four preparations served at lunch in a Food and Nutrition Unit of a private hospital. Method - This is a cross-sectional study in which the amount of sodium in cooked white rice, cooked beans and two protein dishes in three consecutive days served at lunch by the Food and Nutrition Unit (UAN) , with partial self-service type distribution system, from a private hospital located in the city of Cuiabá-MT. Each preparation was analyzed separately in quadruplicate, totaling 48 replicates. For the sodium determination, the flame photometry method was used. The results were compared with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and those of the Workers' Food Program (PAT). Results - It was observed that the sodium contents found in the rice and beans portions were adequate, but in all the protein dishes there was inadequacy in the sodium supply. In the three days analyzed, the sodium values found in the four preparations exceeded the maximum sodium recommendation for large meals and, on the first day, exceeded the recommended total for the whole day. Conclusion - High levels of sodium are not in accordance with the recommendations of the WHO and the PAT and point to the possibility of health risk to workers, since the high consumption of sodium is a risk factor for the development of several diseases, being the most important of which is hypertension.