Assessment of Heavy Metals Residues in Some Food Stuffs and Its Biocontrol by Probiotic Strain Enterococcus facium (E980) In an Experimental Model

Abstract

The interest of contamination of food stuffs with heavy metals increasing because the increasing the global environmental pollution with these heavy metals. Ingestion of contaminated food with heavy metals cause harmful effect to human health. Among foods that could be contaminated with these harmful materials are dairy products and eggs which represent an important part of human’s diet especially children. The present study was conducted for detecting and measuring the residues of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, chromium and copper) among seventy-five (75) samples of milk products (infant milk formula, milk powder, processed cheese) and table hen eggs (commercial eggs and native breed) were collected from El Monefia governorate, Egypt. The incidence of lead were 40%,26.67%,26.67%,46.67% and 66.67% in infant milk formula, milk powder , processed cheese, commercial eggs and native breed eggs, respectively. The incidences of cadmium in all of the examined samples were the same incidence (33.33%) except that of native breed egg samples was 53.33%. The incidences chromium were 40%, 33.33% ,33.33%, 26.67% and 53.33% in infant milk formula, milk powder , processed cheese ,commercial eggs and native breed eggs, respectively. All of the examined samples were positive for Copper, By comparing the concentration of heavy metals present in the analyzed samples to their permissible limits, it was concluded that some of the tested samples don’t comply with the standards and may carry a potential health hazards for the consumers so, strict monitoring program are required to prevent contamination of food In a trial to biocontrol of these toxic heavy metals a probiotic strain (Enterococcus.facium(E980)) was used with lead & cadmium. It was proved that this strain has strong chelating effect on lead and cadmium as it reduced them efficiently from the milk. The reduction rate ranging between 79.4% to 82.8% and 72.0% to 75.0% in lead and cadmium, respectively.