Abstract
BACKGROUND: High dietary purine intake is linked to hyperuricemia and gout, 2 significant global public health concerns. In 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory released the "USDA and Office of Dietary Supplements- National Institutes of Health (NIH) Database for the Purine Content of Foods (Release 1.0)." However, current data on the purine contents in highly consumed United States foods are still lacking.
OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to provide accurate, representative, and up-to-date purine composition data in commonly consumed United States foods.
METHODS: Sixty-one foods (3-8 samples per food) were obtained through USDA sample procurement programs and convenience sampling in the United States. Selected raw meat samples were cooked using common methods. Four purine bases (adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine) and uric acid were quantified using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem high-resolution mass spectrometry.
RESULTS: Total purine content ranged from 96 mg/100 g to 448 mg/100 g in meat and seafood, with cooking altering levels due to water and fat loss. The total purine contents in legumes and vegetables ranged from 9 mg/100 g to 72 mg/100 g, whereas purines in milk, yogurt, cheeses, and eggs were negligible. Crab was the only food containing a significant amount of uric acid at 32 mg/100 g of food. The variation of purine contents and profiles both between different foods and within the same foods can be significant. The purine content and profile in certain food products changed over time, likely due to reformulation.
CONCLUSIONS: The data from this study filled critical knowledge gaps, which were used to update the "USDA and Office of Dietary Supplements-NIH Database for the Purine Content of Foods (Release 2.0)." Findings from this study will assist with more accurate estimations of dietary purine intake, provide useful insights for formulating dietary guidelines for the prevention and management of hyperuricemia and gout, and support future clinical and epidemiologic research.