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Session: Food Science and Nutrition (Poster Theater Flash Session 10)

(PTFS10-01-24) Vitamin K Concentrations in Nuts, Nut Butters, and Plant Oils

Sunday, June 30, 2024
4:00 PM – 4:04 PM CT
Location:  Hall F1 (The Hub) - Poster Theater
Objectives: There are multiple forms of vitamin K in the food supply. Phylloquinone (PK) is found in plant-based foods. When PK-rich oils are hydrogenated in food processing, PK is converted to dihydrophylloquinone (dK). Menaquinones (MK), of which there are 10 known forms, are primarily bacterially produced and found in fermented foods. While the PK contents of several plant-based foods have been reported, little is known about the PK contents of raw nuts and nut-based products. Moreover, the MK content of the U.S. food supply has not been well characterized. Here we report the PK, dK, and MK contents of raw nuts, plant-based butters, and plant-based oils found in the U.S. food supply.

Methods: Samples of products reported in USDA FoodData Central Foundation Foods were obtained for analysis of all forms of Vitamin K. (n = 8-9 samples per food). Concentrations of all forms of vitamin K were measured using HPLC and LC-MS. For PK and dK the lower limits of detection (LOD) were 0.1 μg/100g. For MKs, the LOD ranged from 0.1 (MK-4) - 0.8 (MK-12,13) μg/100g. Each sample was measured twice and the mean of the two measures was used.

Results: PK was the only form of vitamin K present in the nut, butter, and oil samples analyzed.  No dK or any form of MK was detected in any food analyzed. Of the oils tested (extra light olive, peanut, sunflower, and safflower), the highest PK concentration was detected in extra light olive oil, although the range was wide (0.1 – 52.4 μg/100g). The PK concentrations of peanut, sunflower and safflower oils ranged from 0.7 – 11.2 μg/100g, 0.4 – 11.6 μg/100g and 0.8-19.6 μg/100g, respectively.  Of the nut samples analyzed (almonds, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts), pecans contained the most PK (3.0 - 5.4 μg/100g) and almonds contained the least (all < LOD). No PK was detected in almond butter or peanut butter.

Conclusions: Plant oils contained the most PK, but the ranges indicate the concentrations are highly variable, even within the same type of oil. Some nuts contained PK but would need to be consumed in large amounts to substantially contribute to recommended intakes of vitamin K.

Funding Sources: USDA Cooperative Agreement 58-1950-7-707