Volume 59, Issue 332, August 2023

Heavy metal determination in selected local and foreign food seasonings sold in markets within Enugu metropolis and their health risk potentials

Aniobi CC¹, Ndubuisi JO², Ezeagwu PC², Okeke OR³, Igoche SA⁴, Ejinaka NO⁵

¹Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu State, Nigeria
²Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria
³Plastic Production Unit, Scientific Equipment Development Institute, Akwuke, Enugu State, Nigeria
⁴Department of Science Laboratory Technology (Applied Biology Option), Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
⁵Environmental Biotechnology and Bio Resource Development Centre, Mgbowo, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Lugbe, Abuja, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Studies were carried out to evaluate the heavy metal levels in the selected local and foreign food seasonings sold in markets within Enugu metropolis and their health risk potentials to the adult population, using standard analytical procedures and instrumentation. The purchased samples were wet digested and analyzed for heavy metal presence using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) and subsequently subjected to statistical analysis. The mean range for Pb in the local food seasoning (ogiri igbo and ogiri okpei) samples was 0.157 - 0.241 μg/g and 0.183 – 0.361 μg/g in the foreign food seasoning (knorr maggi, star maggi and royco maggi) samples. 1.892 – 2.534 μg/g was the mean range for Cu in the local food seasoning samples and 1.137 – 1.334 μg/g in the foreign food seasoning samples. 0.122 – 0.130 μg/g was the mean range for Cd in the local food seasoning samples and 0.108 -0.252 μg/g in the foreign food samples. The mean values of the investigated metals in the studied seasoning samples differed significantly. The studied metals were at non-toxic levels in both the local and foreign food seasoning samples. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) for the investigated metals by the adult population that consumes the studied food seasonings in their daily diets were within the provisional maximum tolerable daily intakes (PMTDI) established for the metals. Constant evaluation and monitoring of the levels of food toxicants such as heavy metals by food regulatory authorities in particularly food seasonings consumed daily by the people is critical to safeguarding the health of the people and maximizing the health benefits derivable from the consumption of the seasonings.

Keywords: Local food seasonings, foreign food seasonings, Heavy metals and estimated daily intake

Discovery, 2023, 59, e98d1302

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Published: 1 August 2023