Abstract
Objective. Street-vended foods offer numerous advantages to food security; nevertheless, the safety of street food should be considered. This study has investigated the level of potential toxic metal (Pb, Cd, Hg, Sb, Mn, and Al) contamination among street-vended foods in Benin City and Umunede. Methods. Twenty street food samples were purchased from vendors at bus stops. Metals were analyzed with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The methods developed by the US EPA were employed to evaluate the potential health risk of toxic metals. Results. The concentrations of the toxic metals in mg/kg were in the range of Pb (0.014–1.37), Cd (0.00–0.00017), Hg (0.00–0.00014), Sb (0.00–0.021), Mn (0.00–0.012), and Al (0.00–0.22). All the toxic metals except Pb were below permissible limit set by WHO, EU, and USEPA. The daily intake, hazard quotient, and hazard index of all toxic metals except for Pb in some street foods were below the tolerable daily intake and threshold value of 1, indicating an insignificant health risk. Total cancer risk was within the priority risk level of 1.0E − 04 but higher than the acceptable risk level of 1E − 06. Conclusion. Consumption of some of these street foods is of public health concern.
Highlights
In Nigeria and all over the world, millions of people daily consume street foods that provide a wide range of essential energy needs and nutrients
Pb was detected in 100% of the investigated street food samples, 70% of the street food samples showed Cd levels which were below the limit of detection (
The consumption of fried meat and white rice with an estimated daily intake (EDI) of 5.70E − 6 was observed to be the source for highest intake of Sb in adults while the highest intake of Sb for children was seen in fried meat (1.20E − 4)
Summary
In Nigeria and all over the world, millions of people daily consume street foods that provide a wide range of essential energy needs and nutrients. According to a survey by the World health Organization (WHO) in 1996, 74% of countries reported that street foods contribute significantly to urban food supply [1], defined as “ready-to-eat foods,” processed or fresh, which are sold at stationary locations or hawked in streets and open places as opposed to stores and licensed establishments [2]. These foods are mostly cheap and they are accessible [3,4,5]. Contamination of street food is as a result of so many factors such as preparation methods, poor packaging, vehicular exhaust emission, indiscriminate waste disposal, poor sanitation, industrial emission, and a list of all other pollution sources in the surrounding vending area [7]
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