Multielement Composition and in Vitro Bioaccessibility in Brazilian Edible Floral Supplement Capsules Containing Dandelion and Hibiscus
- 1Department of Life Sciences, State University of Bahia (UNEB), Bahia, Salvador 41195-001 Brazil
- 2Department of Exact and Earth Sciences, State University of Bahia (UNEB), Bahia, Salvador 41195-001 Brazil
- 3Agricultural Technology Center of the State of Bahia (CETAB), Salvador, Bahia, 40170 110 Brazil
Abstract
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) are notable unconventional edible flowers (UEFs) that have traditionally been used as food and in herbal preparations. This study examined the in vitro bioaccessibility content of six elements (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn) in edible flower capsules sold in Brazil. Acid digestion in a closed system and microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP OES) were employed, as well as simulated gastrointestinal digestion according to the INFOGEST 2.0 in vitro protocol. Additionally, we examined the contribution of the in vitro bioaccessible fraction (FBio) in relation to the recommended daily intake (RDI). The concentrations (in µg g⁻1) of the target elements were as follows: Cr (< 0.46–2.82), Cu (< 0.48–11.45), Fe (159.44–1880.90), Mn (48.94–441.34), Ni (< 0.44–3.21), and Zn (< 0.55–30.98). The FBio of the evaluated elements ranged from 0.13% to 14.31%. Although Fe had high total levels, its bioaccessibility was limited, contributing only 0.13%. In contrast, Mn and Ni exhibited high gastrointestinal release, accounting for 12.13% and 14.31% of the FBio, respectively. Mn showed high gastrointestinal release, providing up to 209.3% of the RDI. This study is the first to specifically evaluate the bioaccessible trace element content of these edible flowers using the INFOGEST 2.0 in vitro protocol and MIP OES to assess microelements. Overall, the results highlight the importance of incorporating chemical composition and bioaccessibility data into the multi-element characterization of dandelion and hibiscus.
Graphical Abstract:
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BibTeX
@article{fiais2026multielement,
title = {{Multielement Composition and in Vitro Bioaccessibility in Brazilian Edible Floral Supplement Capsules Containing Dandelion and Hibiscus}},
author = {Taís Lorena Santos Fiais and Jorge Machado Freitas Junior and Ygor Felipe Garcez Brito and Eliabe Sousa da Silva and Clícia Maria de Jesus Benevides and Thaís Luz de Souza and Jamille Santos Santana and Aníbal de Freitas Santos Júnior},
journal = {Biological Trace Element Research},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1007/s12011-026-05309-w},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-026-05309-w},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Multielement Composition and in Vitro Bioaccessibility in Brazilian Edible Floral Supplement Capsules Containing Dandelion and Hibiscus
AU - Taís Lorena Santos Fiais
AU - Jorge Machado Freitas Junior
AU - Ygor Felipe Garcez Brito
AU - Eliabe Sousa da Silva
AU - Clícia Maria de Jesus Benevides
AU - Thaís Luz de Souza
AU - Jamille Santos Santana
AU - Aníbal de Freitas Santos Júnior
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/03
JO - Biological Trace Element Research
DO - 10.1007/s12011-026-05309-w
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-026-05309-w
AB - Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) are notable unconventional edible flowers (UEFs) that have traditionally been used as food and in herbal preparations. This study examined the in vitro bioaccessibility content of six elements (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn) in edible flower capsules sold in Brazil. Acid digestion in a closed system and microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP OES) were employed, as well as simulated gastrointestinal digestion according to the INFOGEST 2.0 in vitro protocol. Additionally, we examined the contribution of the in vitro bioaccessible fraction (FBio) in relation to the recommended daily intake (RDI). The concentrations (in µg g⁻1) of the target elements were as follows: Cr (< 0.46–2.82), Cu (< 0.48–11.45), Fe (159.44–1880.90), Mn (48.94–441.34), Ni (< 0.44–3.21), and Zn (< 0.55–30.98). The FBio of the evaluated elements ranged from 0.13% to 14.31%. Although Fe had high total levels, its bioaccessibility was limited, contributing only 0.13%. In contrast, Mn and Ni exhibited high gastrointestinal release, accounting for 12.13% and 14.31% of the FBio, respectively. Mn showed high gastrointestinal release, providing up to 209.3% of the RDI. This study is the first to specifically evaluate the bioaccessible trace element content of these edible flowers using the INFOGEST 2.0 in vitro protocol and MIP OES to assess microelements. Overall, the results highlight the importance of incorporating chemical composition and bioaccessibility data into the multi-element characterization of dandelion and hibiscus. Graphical Abstract:
SN - 0163-4984
SN - 1559-0720
ER -