Introduction: While enteral diets for hospitalized patients normally follow nutrient composition guidelines, more than 90% of hospitalized patients receive oral diets with unknown mineral composition. Objective: To evaluate the mineral contents and adequacy of three types of oral diets (regular, blend and soft) and complementary snacks offered to patients of a Brazilian hospital. Methods: The amount of minerals was determined in two non-consecutive days in duplicate samples of breakfast, collation, lunch, snack, dinner, supper and a complementary snack meal. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) were used to determine the adequacy of the daily amounts served to patients. Results and discussion: The regular diet met the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) requirements only for Mn, P and Se, while the blend diet was deficient in Ca, K and Mg, and the soft diet met RDA requirements only for P and Zn. Iron was below the RDA requirement in all diets for women in fertile age, and Na was above the safe limit of intake (UL) in all the diets. The use of complementary snack was effective in meeting RDA requirements for Cu in the regular diet, and Mn and Se in the soft diet, but promoted overconsumption of Na. Conclusions: Evident nutritional imbalances have been detected at a key interphase between nutrition and public health services, but a solution does not appear to be insurmountable. A permanent nutritional evaluation of hospital oral diets should be an integral part of routine health care in order to speed the recovery of the hospitalized patient and dispel eventual risks due to critical mineral imbalances.

Introducción: Mientras las dietas enterales para pacientes hospitalizados siguen normas de composición nutricional, más del 90% de los pacientes internados en Latinoamérica reciben dietas orales de composición mineral desconocida. Objetivo: Evaluar el contenido mineral y la adecuación de tres tipos de dietas orales (regular, blanda y fluida) y meriendas complementarias ofrecidas a los pacientes de un hospital brasilero. Métodos: La cantidad de minerales fue determinada en dos días no consecutivos, en duplo muestreo de desayuno, onces, almuerzo, merienda, cena y una merienda complementaria. Se usaron los Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) para determinar los grados de adecuación de cada porción diaria servida. Resultados y discusión: La dieta regular cumplió con la RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) solamente para Mn, P and Se. En cambio, la dieta blanda fue deficiente en Ca, K and Mg, y la dieta fluida cumplió con la RDA apenas para P and Zn. Sin embargo, el hierro permaneció abajo de la RDA en todas las dietas para mujeres en edad fértil, contrastando con el and Na, que se encontraba arriba del límite de seguridad (UL) en todas dietas. El apelo a meriendas complementarias fue un recurso que permitió alcanzar las exigencias de las RDA para Cu en la dieta regular, y Mn y Se en la dieta fluida. Conclusión: Desbalances nutricionales se hicieron evidentes en la interfase nutrición-servicios de salud pública, cuya solución no es insuperable. La evaluación nutricional de dietas orales de hospitales debería ser parte integral de la rutina en los servicios de salud para garantizar la más rápida recuperación de los pacientes e, inclusive, para minimizar los riesgos de agravamiento debidos a desbalances críticos de minerales.

O esteatito, rocha metamórfica composta por talco, dolomita e anfibólios, é abundantemente encontrado no Quadrilátero Ferrífero brasileiro, em Minas Gerais. O esteatito tem aplicação industrial, sendo também usado na confecção de esculturas e utensílios culinários, conhecidos como panelas de pedra-sabão. A tradição na aplicação culinária das panelas de pedra-sabão ainda se mantém ativa. Cerca de 80% da população nativa de Ouro Preto (MG, Brasil) possui as referidas panelas, sendo que estas são usadas no preparo de alimentos por 63% dos seus habitantes. A sabedoria popular indica que seu uso auxilia no tratamento e prevenção da anemia ferropriva. Porém, mesmo sendo o esteatito um dos primeiros materiais usados pelo homem na fabricação de utensílios para contato com alimentos, o respaldo acadêmico sobre sua interação com alimentos é recente e pontual. Pela ausência de dados, os primeiros testes feitos usaram simulantes de alimentos a fim de predizer o comportamento do material nas condições domésticas de uso: cocção e estocagem de alimentos. A migração de metais como ferro, cálcio, magnésio e manganês, além de níquel, foi constatada nestes estudos. Todavia, a migração dos metais durante a vida útil do recipiente continua desconhecida. Ampliar o conhecimento sobre a implicação nutricional dos utensílios culinários de pedra-sabão ainda se faz necessário pela escassez de dados sobre o comportamento deste material. O presente artigo visa, mediante a revisão da literatura, apresentar à comunidade científica os dados disponíveis sobre a composição do esteatito (pedra-sabão) e sua influência no contato com alimentos e na saúde humana.

Steatite is a metamorphic rock composed mainly of minerals talc, dolomite and amphibolites. It is abundantly found in the Southeast of Brazil especially in the state of Minas Gerais. In addition to its industrial use, it has also been used for manufacture of sculptures and cooking utensils, called "soapstone cookware". The tradition of food preparation using soapstone cookware is alive among in habitants of Ouro Preto (MG, Brazil), where 80% of the native population has this utensil and 63% of them use it in food preparation. The common knowledge shows that it can be used to treat and prevent iron anemia. Although steatite was found to be one of the first materials used by man in the manufacture of cooking utensils, the scientific knowledge of its interaction with food is limited. Due to lack of data, tests were made with food simulants in order to predict its behavior in domestic use, as cookware and food container, in which was observe the migration of metals such as iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium and nickel. However, the metals migration of during the shelf life of the cookware continues unknown. More studies about nutritional implication of soapstone cookware still necessary. The scientific information about the behavior of this material is limited. The aim of this paper was to provide to the scientific community the recent review of the information about steatite composition and its influence in food contact and human health.