Toxic Elements and Mineral Content of Different Tissues of Endemic Edible Snails (Helix vladika and H. secernenda) of Montenegro.

Vesna Vukašinović-Pešić,Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak,Nevzeta Trubljanin,Monika Rajkowska-Myśliwiec,Andrzej Zawal,Vladimir Pešić,Joanna Podlasińska,Tymoteusz Miller,Nada Blagojević,Bogumiła Pilarczyk

doi:10.3390/foods9060731

Vesna Vukašinović-Pešić, Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak + Show 8 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9060731

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Abstract

The objective of the present study is to determine the differences between the mineral content of various organs of Helix vladika and H. secernenda, the two most abundant edible snail species in Montenegro. The bioaccumulation of 12 examined elements (zinc, manganese, copper, aluminum, cadmium, lead, nickel, iron, chromium, lithium, selenium and mercury) was determined in the hepatopancreas, albumen gland, digestive tract, reproductive system, mantle, foot and shell from three sampling sites (Biogradska Gora, Nikšić and Malesija). The examined populations of H. vladika and H. secernenda showed a significant difference in their lithium and selenium contents. The levels of the most examined metals (Zn, Mn, Cu, Al, Cd, Pb, Se and Hg) varied significantly among organs. The digestive tract and hepatopancreas tend to bioaccumulate selenium and cadmium. The general mean concentration of cadmium in the examined snail tissues exceeded the maximum allowable level at the Biogradska Gora and Malesija sites. Therefore, the use of the Montenegrin edible snails collected from the wilderness for human consumption seems to be limited by their higher bioaccumulation capacity for toxic elements such as cadmium.

Highlights

Snail meat has long been recognized as a high-quality food
This study aims to determine the contents of zinc, manganese (Mn), copper, aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), lithium (Li), selenium and mercury (Hg) in different snail tissue of the two most abundant edible snails of the genus Helix in Montenegro
The study was performed on two species of edible snails of the genus Helix, i.e., H. vladika and H. secernenda, that inhabit the territory of Montenegro

Summary

Introduction

Snail meat has long been recognized as a high-quality food. Snail meat contains high amounts of protein, a relatively low lipid content [1] and a balanced intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that have led to its recognition, due to its nutritional and therapeutic benefits [2,3]. The edible snails of the genus Helix could be a. Depending on the soil mineral content and level of contamination, the snails can accumulate large quantities of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, making the snail meat a very high-risk food product [7]. In Montenegro, the harvesting of edible snails has boomed in the first decade of the 20th century

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