Essentail and Toxic Metals in Lebanese Marketed Canned Food: Impact of Metal Cans

Samira I Korfali,Weam Abou Hamdan

doi:10.5539/jfr.v2n1p19

Abstract

<p>Canned foods are frequently consumed in Lebanon, and limited reported information about metal content in Lebanese marketed canned food. The objective of this study is to assess metal content of different canned food sold in Lebanese market and the impact of metal cans on food quality. Results indicated that Fe has the highest percentage of metals in cans, some cans the % of Al was comparable to Fe and 50% of cans had Sn up to 12%. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) of each metal indicated statistically significant difference of metal levels in the different food categories, except for Cr. In food Fe, Zn, Cu, Al, and Sn levels were below the international permissible levels. But in some artichoke and mushroom Sn levels were close to EU permissible limit, a correlation existed between levels of Sn and Al in cans and the respective food. Lead highest levels were in corn and fava beans, Hg in fish, and both were below PTWI levels. Thirty percent of vegetables and legumes and 45% of fish samples had Cd levels above EU permissible level (0.1 ug/g). This finding necessitates continuous monitoring of Cd levels in canned food for providing citizens with safe food.</p>

Highlights

Canned food are popular food sources all around the world (Mol, 2011), because they are inexpensive and affordable (Storelli, Barone, Cuttone, Giungato, & Garofalo, 2010; Shiber, 2011) such as canned tuna and sardine
In view of the scarcity of information about essential and toxic metal content in Lebanese sold canned food, the objective of this study is to assess the metal content in different canned food types sold on the Lebanese market and the impact of metal can on food quality
This study has assessed the metal content in different canned food categories and brands sold in Lebanese market and the impact of metal cans on food quality

Summary

Introduction

Canned food are popular food sources all around the world (Mol, 2011), because they are inexpensive and affordable (Storelli, Barone, Cuttone, Giungato, & Garofalo, 2010; Shiber, 2011) such as canned tuna and sardine. Copper and zinc are essential micronutrients consumed in adequate amounts to maintain certain physiological functions. These same essential metals become toxic when consumed excessively (Tuzen & Soylak, 2007a; Nasreddine et al, 2010; Mol, 2011; Mahalakshmi et al, 2012). In contrast Cd, Pb, and Hg are toxic metals These metals have been associated with acute and chronic health symptoms (Bakircioglu, Kurtulus, & Ucar, 2011). They are harmful at low concentration and they are not biodegradable (Radwan & Salama, 2006; Ganjavi et al, 2010). The provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for Pb is 25 μg/kg body weight (JEFCA, 2000), for Hg as total inorganic is 4 μg/kg body weight and as methyl mercury is 1.6 μg/kg body weight, and for Cd is 2.5 μg/kg body weight (EFSA, 2009)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion