Abstract
The aim of this study was to provide a quantitative exposure assessment to essential elements through the consumption of canned fish in Serbia. This objective was fulfilled by analyzing content of essential elements in canned fish and by using data from a food consumption survey. Consumption survey of canned fish was designed and performed to general principles and EFSA guidelines on data collection of national food consumption. The questionnaire was performed on 1,000 respondents during 2018. Determination of copper, zinc and iron levels were performed on 454 canned fish and seafood samples divided into four groups (canned tuna, canned sardines, canned other sea fish and canned seafood) during five consecutive years (2014–2018). This study showed significant association between sex, BMI and weight and consumption patterns. Obtained average weekly consumption of canned fish confirms our assumption that consumption of canned fish is significant in Serbia. Zinc and iron were found in all 454 samples (100%), and copper in 222 samples (48.9%). The average obtained concentration in all samples were 1.268 mg kg–1 for Cu, 5.661 mg kg–1 for Zn and 9.556 mg kg–1 for Fe. The highest concentration for all three minerals were found in canned sardines (Cu — 6.49 mg kg–1, Zn — 37.2 mg kg–1 and Fe — 21.8 mg kg–1). Obtained mean exposure to intake of copper, zinc and iron from canned fish was 1.2241 μg/kg bw/day, 5.4634 μg/kg bw/day and 9.2231 μg/kg bw/day, respectively. Exposure of Serbian population to zinc, copper, and iron through consumption of canned fish is less than recommended daily reference intakes and there is no risk of reaching toxic levels by consuming fish.
Highlights
It is considered that eating fish has beneficial impact on human health
The aim of this study was to provide a quantitative exposure assessment to essential elements through the consumption of canned fish in Serbia. This objective was fulfilled by analyzing content of essential elements in canned fish in period of five years (2014–2018) and by using data from a food consumption survey performed during 2018
Minitab was used for probability distribution fitting for body weight and weekly intake of canned fish and for Monte Carlo simulation
Summary
It is considered that eating fish has beneficial impact on human health. It is reach in omega‐3 fatty acids, highly digestible good quality proteins containing all the essential amino acids and liposoluble vitamins (A and D), as well as vitamin B12 [1]. Zinc and iron have important biochemical functions, their excess can cause adverse health effects, as well as deficit. If there is excess or deficit of zinc in the organism, it may affect cell function and multiplication, threatening cell survival, which may lead to disease [7]. Excess levels of iron in human body can lead to liver damage, and can affect pancreas, heart, and lungs. It can lead to hormonal irregularities, diabetes mellitus, pancreatic hypertrophy and other health disorders [9]
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