Volume 59, Issue 329, May 2023

Potential cancer and non-cancer hazard of some heavy metals in children and adults via consumption of canned chicken luncheon and Turkey luncheon

Douye P Markmanuel¹, Jackson Godwin¹, Abinotami W Ebuete²

¹Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, PMB 071 Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
²Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, PMB 071 Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Canned meat products contain essential nutrients and trace mineral elements required for human adequate diet. However, most materials used for coating canned meat and other canned food products are often metals and their alloys and so, when the coated steel is damaged migration of the metals or other contaminants may occur. This study evaluated the potential cancer and non-cancer hazards of Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Fe, Sn, Zn and Ni in children and adults via canned Zwan Chicken and Turkey Luncheon meat products. The concentrations of the metals were determined by solar thermo elemental atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The average concentrations of the metals range from 0.008 – 24.924 mg/kg in Chicken Luncheon and 0.002 – 15.519 mg/kg in Turkey Luncheon. Mn, Pb, Ni and Cr levels were above permissible limits while, Zn, Fe, Cu and Cd were lower than permissible limits of regulatory bodies. The non-carcinogenic hazard revealed that, the exposed population is at safe limits (HI <1) while the carcinogenic hazard showed that the cumulative cancer hazards (ΣIELCH) were higher than the threshold limits of 10E^-06 – 10E^-04. Furthermore, the results pointed out that Pb was a major contributor to the cancer and non-cancer hazards, accounting over 90% of the HI and IELCH values. In addition, the study revealed that children are more susceptible to carcinogens and non-carcinogens compared to adults. Therefore, regular monitoring and periodic evaluation of these canned meat products should be carried out by the Nigerian food safety regulatory bodies.

Keywords: Canned meat, toxic element, food safety, elemental analysis, cancer and non-cancer hazard

Discovery, 2023, 59, e56d1237

PDF

Published: May 2023