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

Calculating the riboflavin (also known as vitamin B2) content per 100 kcal, 100 g or 100 mL, or the reference amount customarily consumed (RACC) of food shows the riboflavin content of some foods inappropriately. So, making some food choices based on them to achieve adequate riboflavin intake may increase the risks of some chronic diseases. Calculating the riboflavin content and determining appropriate riboflavin levels (to achieve adequate riboflavin intake) based on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), and the proposed method were performed in 8,008 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 riboflavin 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 riboflavin intake did not meet riboflavin requirements, which could lead to riboflavin deficiency. Some foods that met riboflavin requirements were not appropriate food choices based on the CAC per 100 g or 100 mL or CAC per serving to achieve adequate riboflavin intake. On the basis of the proposed method, calculating the riboflavin content and determining appropriate riboflavin levels in foods are performed by considering RACCs and the energy content of foods. Thus, making food choices based on the proposed method met riboflavin requirements and did not exceed energy needs. About 95.9% of foods contained riboflavin. On the basis of the proposed method, the average (%) of foods containing appropriate riboflavin levels in food groups was 40.13%, of which 23.58% was the average of riboflavin source (good source of riboflavin) foods, and 16.55% was the average of high riboflavin (excellent source of riboflavin) foods. Pork products with 88.29%, lamb, veal, and game products with 84.99%, breakfast cereals with 75.29%, poultry products with 75.06%, beef products with 75.05%, fast foods with 73.39%, baby foods with 65.48%, meals, entrees, and side dishes with 63.1%, and dairy and egg products with 53.48% had the highest averages of foods containing appropriate riboflavin levels. The highest amounts of riboflavin were found in energy drink (riboflavin-fortified), liver, kidney, breakfast cereal (riboflavin-fortified), orange drink (riboflavin-fortified), nutrition shake (riboflavin-fortified), goose meat, turkey giblets, cuttlefish, heart, meat analogue (riboflavin-fortified), chicken giblets, pork liver cheese, formulated bar (riboflavin-fortified), caribou meat, sea cucumber, grape drink (riboflavin-fortified), Braunschweiger (a liver sausage), chicken liver pate, muscadine grapes, bear meat, infant formula (riboflavin-fortified), protein bar (riboflavin-fortified), whey, drumstick leaves, pork shoulder petite tender, soy milk (riboflavin-fortified), protein shake, beef plate steak (trimmed to 0" fat), antelope meat, milk, milk-based drink, muskrat meat, white mushrooms, seal meat, liverwurst, pancreas, deer meat, emu meat, goat meat, maple syrup, kefir, portabella mushrooms, mackerel, buttermilk, winged bean leaves, pancakes (riboflavin-fortified), duck meat, taro leaves, scrambled eggs, waffles (riboflavin-fortified), lamb tenderloin, lamb leg, pork lungs, pork leg cap steak, potherb jute, sour dock young leaves, squid, tongue, breakfast bar (riboflavin-fortified), pork sirloin, clam chowder prepared with milk, almond milk beverage (riboflavin-fortified), beef tenderloin (trimmed to 0" fat), omelet, elk meat, pork Boston butt, wild Atlantic salmon, brown mushrooms (crimini), Gjetost cheese, veal meat, raccoon meat, blackfish, spleen, yogurt, quail egg, country-style pork ribs, pork center loin, beef ribeye, pork ham, Pacific oyster, pork tenderloin, lambsquarters, milkshakes, pork loin blade, pork shoulder breast, leafy tips of bitter gourd, beef top loin steak (trimmed to 0" fat), lamb loin, turkey gizzard, almonds, French toast (riboflavin-fortified), hard goat cheese, blue mussel, shiitake mushrooms, sweet potato leaves, rice milk beverage (riboflavin-fortified), ostrich meat, pesto sauce, egg custard prepared with milk, turkey thigh, soybeans, brain, turkey drumstick, passion-fruit juice, pork center rib, beef top blade steak (trimmed to 0" fat), beef ribeye cap steak (trimmed to 0" fat), toaster pastries (riboflavin-fortified), granola bar (riboflavin-fortified), turkey dark meat, opossum meat, quail meat, squab meat, ruffed grouse meat, tempeh, beef medallion (trimmed to 0" fat), almond butter, pork arm picnic, dove meat, moose meat, oyster mushrooms, beef top round (trimmed to 0" fat), and spinach soufflé. Foods containing appropriate riboflavin levels were not found in two food groups (fats and oils; spices and herbs) and were few in one food group (fruits and fruit juices).