We measured daily dietary Cr intake in southern Spain by sampling duplicate
diets for seven consecutive days in different population groups. Cr was de
termined by electrothermal atomization-atomic absorption spectrometry. The
samples were mineralized in a digestion block with HNO3, HClO4 and V2O5. A
total of 161 duplicate diets from twenty-three subjects were analysed, and
mean levels of Cr intake ranged from 9.39 to 205.16 mug/d. Mean Cr intake (
100 mug/d) was similar to levels found for most other countries, and was wi
thin the range recommended by the National Research Council for a safe and
adequate daily intake (50-200 mug/d). Chromium intake correlated significan
tly with energy, protein and carbohydrate intake, and with the daily intake
of Zn, Fe, Mg, K, Na, Ca and nicotinic acid in the diets analysed.