Abstract
In diets served at a hospital, the effects of sterilization on the contents of 20 nutrients were determined. The measured nutrients were protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, retinal, β-carotene, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C, vitamin E, cholesterol, dietary fiber, fat and fatty acid. The contents of inorganic compounds in the sterilized diet exceeded 90% of those in a normal diet, and the contents of vitamins were low. However, the vitamin B2 level was 97.2% of normal. Loss of retinal, β-carotene, vitamin B1, vitamin C and vitamin E resulting from diet sterilization was regarded as significant (p<0.01).
