Organic acids

[Anonymous]

Discussion of organic acids within the Component Thesaurus can be based on the updates and policy issues described in the version 1.2 report.

Definitions

In general usage, the term Organic acid would include components that must be excluded from the food composition definition, for example fatty acids and amino acids.  If the definition includes only carboxylic acids, this would exclude sulphonic acids (e.g. taurine), phosphoric acids (e.g. phytic acid) and non-carboxylic acids such as ascorbic acid.

Total organic acids

The total amount of organic acids may be included in the calculation of energy, using either a general factor or factors specific to individual organic acids.  The component organic acids, total [OA] currently has the scope note:

Use for the total of organic acids, i.e. carboxylic acids that are not fatty acids or amino acids. Where the contribution to energy is calculated using a general factor for organic acids, the compositional value for total organic acids [OA] must be the value used in the energy calculation

Individual organic acids

Coverage of individual organic acids in the thesaurus must reflect the range of compositional values that may be reported and the need to remain harmonised with the INFOODS tagname list.  The individual organic acid currently included in the thesaurus are documented in the version 1.2 report.  Please post any requests for extra organic acids or suggested changes to the thesaurus information of existing acids to this discussion forum.

[Anna Giertlova]

I am glad, that some new organic acids are discussed to add to the Component Thesaurus. During documentation of new data from scientific literature, I miss also some organic acids in the EuroFIR component thesaurus. Most of them were added to the list of organic acids, but I would like to suggest adding of caffeic acid to the list, as well.

[Ian Unwin]

Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) would seem to be a useful addition to the thesaurus, probably with CAFAC as the identifier.   Its eBASIS ID is 1401.

Cinnamic acid and its derivatives have an asymmetric double bond in the side-chain, which normally has a trans configuration.   It is perhaps not necessary to specify this in the Scope Note for caffeic acid (or related compounds such as ferulic acid, FERAC), but it can be mentioned under Additional Information.   This would note the three ChEBI records (for the general structure and the two geometric isomers), similar to the entry for aconitic acid, ACONAC.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), the ester of caffeic acid and phenethyl alcohol, has putative beneficial properties.   Might this compound need a food component identifier?

Cinnamic acid derivatives are phenolic compounds.   However, the acids are at present assigned to the "Organic acids" group and do not appear under "Phenolic components".   Should cinnamic acids be assigned to the "Organic acids" group or the "Phenolic components" group?

Any comments on the above points would be much appreciated.

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