Preparation of Food Products of Animal Origin with a Reduced Content of Toxic Metals

Abstract

Excessive concentrations of heavy metals in food we eat are among the current issues of food safety. This becomes especially evident if we consider highly toxic elements such as copper, lead and cadmium. With regard to the foregoing, it would be helpful to get information about use of novel sorbents in livestock farming and their effects on distribution of heavy metals in animal bodies. The drug we study is based on natural mineral raw materials and contains up to 60% of silicon dioxide. It has prominent sorption properties. The drug was introduced to diets of brood sows, growing piglets and finishing pigs in a dose 120 mg/kg of body mass. Lead concentrations in three-month-old piglets decreased by 17% in striated muscle tissue; and in the skin and hair covering of the piglets receiving sorbents there were just traces of lead. In striated muscle tissue of piglets in the control group the cadmium levels were 0.14±0.003 mg/kg, i.e. 2.8 times higher than the maximum permissible concentration. Sorbents introduces to the piglet diet caused decrease in concentrations of this metal by 35%. Use of the sorptive dietary supplement has certain prospects as a method of obtaining organic food.