A New Method for Calculating Vitamin B6 Content and Determining Appropriate Vitamin B6 Levels in Foods

Calculating the vitamin B6 (pyridoxine and related compounds) content per 100 kcal, 100 g or 100 mL, or the reference amount customarily consumed (RACC) of food shows the vitamin B6 content of some foods inappropriately. So, making some food choices based on them to achieve adequate vitamin B6 intake may increase the risks of some chronic diseases. Calculating the vitamin B6 content and determining appropriate vitamin B6 levels (to achieve adequate vitamin B6 intake) based on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), and the proposed method were performed in 7,725 food items. Making some food choices based on the FDA and CAC per serving (the serving is derived from the RACC) or CAC per 100 g or 100 mL to achieve adequate vitamin B6 intake exceeded energy needs, which could lead to overweight or obesity. Making some food choices based on the CAC per 100 kcal or CAC per 100 g or 100 mL to achieve adequate vitamin B6 intake did not meet vitamin B6 requirements, which could lead to vitamin B6 deficiency. Some foods that met vitamin B6 requirements were not appropriate food choices based on the CAC per 100 g or 100 mL or CAC per serving to achieve adequate vitamin B6 intake. On the basis of the proposed method, calculating the vitamin B6 content and determining appropriate vitamin B6 levels in foods are performed by considering RACCs and the energy content of foods. Thus, making food choices based on the proposed method met vitamin B6 requirements and did not exceed energy needs. About 95.2% of foods contained vitamin B6. On the basis of the proposed method, the average (%) of foods containing appropriate vitamin B6 levels in food groups was 34.17%, of which 17.85% was the average of vitamin B6 source (good source of vitamin B6) foods, and 16.32% was the average of high vitamin B6 (excellent source of vitamin B6) foods. Beef products with 90.97%, pork products with 86.79%, poultry products with 82.08%, breakfast cereals with 72.83%, baby foods with 70.14%, finfish and shellfish products with 59.85%, and lamb, veal, and game products with 53.08% had the highest averages of foods containing appropriate vitamin B6 levels. The highest amounts of vitamin B6 were found in energy drink (vitamin B6-fortified), breakfast cereal (vitamin B6-fortified), fruit juice (vitamin B6-fortified), meat substitutes (vitamin B6-fortified), ruffed grouse meat, formulated bar (vitamin B6-fortified), juice drink (vitamin B6-fortified), water (vitamin B6-fortified), drumstick leaves, liver, tuna, mamey sapote, leafy tips of bitter gourd, chicken meat, elk meat, turkey meat, salmon (except canned or smoked), pork meat, malted milk drink (vitamin B6-fortified), nutrition shake (vitamin B6-fortified), buffalo meat, emu meat, beef meat, pheasant meat, peanut butter (vitamin B6-fortified), waffles (vitamin B6-fortified), veal meat, potherb jute, cereal bar (vitamin B6-fortified), goose meat, protein shake (vitamin B6-fortified), wild duck meat, hearts of palm (not canned), granola bar (vitamin B6-fortified), quail meat, bison meat, ostrich meat, rice bran, deer meat, halibut, swordfish, squab meat, giblets, prune juice, octopus, rabbit meat, fireweed leaves, vegetable oil spread (vitamin B6-fortified), carrot juice, guinea hen meat, bananas, raw pistachio nuts, protein bar (vitamin B6-fortified), prairie turnips, mackerel, dove meat, potatoes (flesh and skin), whelk, striped mullet, French toast (vitamin B6-fortified), milkfish, Pacific herring, jackfruit (not canned), chocolate bar (vitamin B6-fortified), bluefish, mahi-mahi, sea bass, seatrout, snapper, spot (fish), wolffish, durian, potato skin, cusk, instant breakfast drink (vitamin B6-fortified), raw plantains, American shad, dried sunflower seed kernels, beaver meat, muskrat meat, opossum meat, raccoon meat, yam, cherimoya, toaster pastries (vitamin B6-fortified), boar meat, and dried safflower seed kernels. Foods containing appropriate vitamin B6 levels were not found in one food group (spices and herbs) and were very few in three food groups (fats and oils; sweets; dairy and egg products).