Local Food Samples Research Articles

Risk assessment of dietary perchlorate exposure in typical areas of fireworks manufacturing in China using a perchlorate intake model

Perchlorate can disrupt the production of thyroid hormones, impact metabolism, and even affect the cognitive development of infants and toddlers. Typical areas of fireworks manufacturing might face severe perchlorate pollution due to perchlorate is an important raw material. But related study has not been reported. We assess the risk caused by perchlorate and identify the critical exposure pathways for different age/gender groups in typical area of fireworks manufacturing. Liuyang city, a major fireworks manufacturing center in China, was selected as study region. Perchlorate concentrations were measured in 230 local food samples from Liuyang using LC/MS/MS. Risks for different age/gender groups were estimated using a perchlorate intake model. The detection rate of perchlorate in samples from all eight food groups, including vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood, egg, cereal, beans, and drinking water was 100%, and the perchlorate concentrations were higher than those reported in the United States, Canada, South Korea, Kuwait, and other regions of China. Liuyang residents are currently facing an extremely high perchlorate dietary exposure risk, with the mean Estimated Daily Intakes (EDIs) approximately 6–49 times higher than US EPA's recommended reference dose (RfD, 0.7 μg/kg bw/day), and 14–115 times higher than the tolerable daily intake (TDI, 0.3 μg/kg bw/day) established by EFSA. Breast milk and drinking water are identified as the primary exposure pathways for infants and toddlers under the age of two, contributing 44–86% and 13–41% to their total exposure, respectively. For individuals > two years, vegetable consumption (constituting 54–66% of exposures) and ingestion of drinking water (constituting 23–32% of exposures) represent the chief exposure routes. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) values for Liuyang City residents all exceed 2, indicating an extremely high non-carcinogenic risk associated with perchlorate. Scientific and systematic perchlorate pollution control measures should be taken by local government.

Natural Radioactivity in some Local Food Samples Consumed by Children in Iraq

This work was directed towards studying the specific activity of natural radioactivity (40k, 238U, and 232Th) in 13 samples of foodstuff that are consumed by children in Iraq. The foodstuffs such as biscuit, cocoa powder, milk powder, indomie, and soup were collected from markets in the Al-Najaf governorate. This food was analyzed in the laboratory, which belongs to the University of Kufa, using a scintillation detector (NaI(Tl)) detector (gamma spectrometer systems) and provided with software MESTRO-32. The results found that, the specific activity for potassium-40 were ranged from 52.11 Bq/kg to 619.61 Bq/kg, while the specific activity for uranium-238 ranged between 4.11 Bq/kg to 18.9 Bq/kg, but for thorium-232 were ranged from 0.39 Bq/kg to 12.06 Bq/kg. The specific activity for 40K, 238U, and 232Th for all samples was found to be within the worldwide range for radioactivity in food 420, 30, and 45 Bq/kg, respectively, except for cocoa powder samples have specific activity for 40K higher than worldwide. This study has shown that the levels of radioactivity in most samples of children food were within the limit value of organization UNSCEAR. Finally, the present study will provide data about natural radioactivity in food used by children in all governorates of the country to protect all children.

Accumulation characteristics of metals in human breast milk and association with dietary intake in northeastern China

The trace elements present in breast milk play a vital role in the growth and development of infants. Nevertheless, numerous studies have reported the presence of toxic metal contamination in breast milk from various countries and regions, which poses potential risks to breastfed infants. This article aimed to investigate the characteristics of trace elements in breast milk and explore the relationship between breast milk and diet in Dalian, a coastal city in northeastern China. Breast milk samples and representative local food samples were collected from Dalian for research. The results revealed that 57 % of breast milk samples significantly exceeded the WHO safety limit (0.6 μg/L) for arsenic, with a measured mean value of 0.96 μg/L. Moreover, the levels of chromium (mean value: 2.63 μg/L) in 34 % of breast milk samples exceed the WHO recommended safety level (chromium: 1.5 μg/L). Aquatic foods accounted for 60 % to 90 % of the total intake of arsenic, cadmium, vanadium, mercury, and lead. The Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated strong positive correlations among breast milk metal elements, including copper-zinc (r = 0.68) and nickel‑chromium (r = 0.89). Furthermore, the food-to-milk accumulation factors (FMAF) of strontium, nickel, arsenic, vanadium, cadmium, and mercury were relatively low (median values <0.005). While the FMAF values for chromium and lead were higher, with median values of 0.038 and 0.07, respectively. The results indicated potential risks of the toxic metal arsenic in breast milk from Dalian, China for breastfed infants. Therefore, continuous monitoring of breast milk for toxic metals and foodborne contamination is necessary.

241Am and 137Сs in the Khoiniki district of Belarus: updated radiological assessment of the local existing exposure situation

The results covered in this paper relate to the “Khoiniki” research sub-unit of a larger-scale sequence of studies focused on the local assessments of the present-day 241Am and 137Cs concentrations in the soils and locally produced foods, with the estimation of the public internal radiation doses in the residential areas of the Gomel region of the Republic of Belarus most closely adjacent to the ChNPP resettlement zone. The objective was to make a conservative estimate of a committed annual dose of internal exposure from 241Am and 137Сs received by the villagers of 96 farmsteads in 30 settlements of the private sector of Khoiniki countryside through both, inhalation and consumption of local foodstuffs. The results obtained in this study include an update of the existing contamination levels of 241Am and 137Сs present in the local soils and foods grown or produced in private backyards and households. 241Am in food samples was determined by alpha-spectroscopy radiochemical analysis with the use of selective extraction-chromatographic resins. Gamma-spectrometry techniques were used to measure 241Am in soil samples and 137Сs in soil and food samples. Based on our findings, the present-day deposition density of 241Am in the soils does not exceed 4 kBq/m2 , while the values of 137Cs contamination are by one to two orders of magnitude higher than that of 241Am and vary between 30 and 500 kBq/m2 . Generally, the values of activity concentration of 241Am detected in local soils are well within 10 Bq/kg in the majority of inspected villages, with the exception of three sites where higher levels of 241Am contamination is soils were detected ranging from 14 to 16 Bq/kg. The ambient dose rates in the countryside range from 0.05 to 0.38 μSv/hour, with the average of 0.15 μSv/hour. No cases of 137Сs contamination above the established reference levels of 80, 100 and 90 Bq/ kg have been found in the local food samples of, respectively, potatoes, vegetables (incl. roots and tubers) and grains. The content of 241Am in the staple foods produced in the area varies from single digits to tenths of mBq/ kg, which is less by three orders of magnitude than 137Сs activities concentrationd found in the same staples. Of the two pathways contributing to the local committed internal exposure from 241Am, the dominant one is through inhalation (0.006–0.038 mSv/year) prevailing over the consumption pathway of this same radioisotope by at least one order of magnitude. At the time of gardening and other household field works, the existing levels of 241Am contamination in soils are estimated to produce from 85 to 98% of the internal radiation dose received by individuals from inhaling the total of 241Am and 137Сs. The maximum committed annual doses of internal exposure from 137Сs are estimated to be above 1 mSv/year in 6 out of 30 villages engaged in our study. At the same time, the estimated internal radiation dose due to 241Am does not surpass 0.04 mSv/year. The 137Сs major contribution to the internal exposure of villages in the Khoiniki countryside is through food consumption.

Total mercury and methylmercury in human hair and food: Implications for the exposure and health risk to residents in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China

Three Gorges Dam (TGD) is the largest hydroelectric construction in the world, and its potential impacts on the ecological environment and human health risks have invoked considerable global concern. However, as a mercury (Hg) sensitive system, limited work was conducted on the Hg exposure level of local residents around the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). Thus, 540 human hair samples and 22 species of local food samples were collected to assess the Hg exposure and human health risk to the residents located in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) and to investigate their dietary exposure to Hg. The results showed that the geometric mean concentrations of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in hair were 0.42 ± 0.43 μg g−1 and 0.23 ± 0.32 μg g−1, respectively, lower than the reference level (1.0 μg g−1) recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), indicating a low level Hg exposure for residents around the TGR. No significant difference in the accumulation of Hg in hair between the gender subgroups was observed, whereas age difference, smoking and alcohol drinking behavior, and fish consumption frequency were significant predictors of hair Hg level. Besides, THg and MeHg of all the investigated food samples did not exceed the corresponding Chinese national standard. The average probable daily intakes (PDIs) of THg and MeHg were 0.032 μg kg−1 day−1 and 0.007 μg kg−1 day−1, which were obviously below the recommended values of 0.57 μg kg−1 day−1 and 0.1 μg kg−1 day−1, respectively. The cereal (mainly rice) contribution of THg (76.0%) and MeHg (74.4%) intakes to the local residents around the TGR was much higher than that of fish (10.7% and 22.9%, respectively) due to the considerable rice consumption. Overall, residents around the TGR were at a low Hg exposure and rice consumption was the major pathway for Hg exposure.

Partial Sequencing of IS1216V Transposase Gene of Staphylococcus Aureus Isolated from Food Samples

Background: Insertion sequence is a short DNA sequence encode for proteins implicated in the transposition activity. Transposase catalyzes the enzymatic reaction allowing the insertion sequence to +9*lo2 move. ;qqa;.&#x0D; Objective: To study the sequencing of transposase gene, tnp, IS1216V of S. aureus isolated from food and then compared with that documented in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).&#x0D; Methods: Food samples of animal and plant origin were collected, and screened for presence of S. aureus, IS1216V was identified in the Tn1546-like elements in the genomes of all Staphylococcus aureus isolates.&#x0D; Results: About 75% of total food samples were positive to S. aureus especially in the food of animal origin. tnp amplification showed that, 85% of isolates gave positive result. Sequencing of amplified part of IS1216V tnp of S. aureus isolates showed that, tnp gene had high identity (78-79%) with the reference strains of NCBI.&#x0D; Conclusion: High percentage of local food samples were contaminated with S. aureus especially of animal origin. Most of the S. aureus isolates showed the presence of transposase gene (tnp) of IS1216V. Sequencing showed some dissimilarity between the sequence of transposase gene (tnp) of IS1216V S. aureus isolated from local foods and strains recorded in database of NCBI.

Determination of the Iodine Content of Some Commonly Consumed Foods in Zaria Metropolis, Nigeria, Using PCNAA and Sandell-Kolthoff Reaction

The Nigerian Research Reactor-1 was employed in the analysis of iodine in local food samples at an operating flux of 5.0×1011 ncm−2 s−1. Preconcentration neutron activation analysis (PCNAA) was compared against the most common spectroscopic (Sandell-Kolthoff reaction) technique, giving a concentration range of 0.295 to 2.960 mg/Kg and 0.264 to 2.725 mg/Kg, respectively, with an average percentage deviation of 11.34% and a positive correlation between the methods at 0.89. PCNAA and Sandell-Kolthoff spectroscopy of NIST 1548a reported values of 0.759±0.06 mg/Kg and 0.751±0.05 with Student’s t-test score of 1 and 0.95 and percentage standard deviation of 0 and 1.12%, respectively.

AN EVALUATION OF THE DETERMINABILITY OF LOW LEVEL DIOXIN CONCENTRATIONS BY HRGC/LRMS-NCI

High resolution gas chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry systems are often used for the analyses of dioxins at low concentrations in environmental sample matrices such as soil, vegetation, sediment, air and food. Since the construction and operation costs of these systems are so expensive, the most of the laboratories in the developing countries haven’t the systems with high resolution mass spectrometry. Thus, cheaper systems with similar sensitivity such as high resolution gas chromatography coupled with low resolution mass spectrometry systems in negative chemical ionization mode may be beneficial to assess the dioxin pollution levels in environmental samples before the elaborate studies on dioxin contamination and stochastic risk assessment. In this manuscript, 17 toxic congeners of dioxins were analyzed by a system with low resolution mass spectrometry. The sensitivity, stability and resolution power of the system for the analysis of dioxins were investigated. The calibration experiments in 3 different periods were studied and the minimum detection limits were determined by using the labeled and unlabeled standard solutions. The differences according to operation conditions of the ion source were examined and expounded by using relative response factor and relative standard deviation values obtained from sequential injections. Finally, it was performed a sample analysis program for some local food samples with the aim of observing the feasibility of the system on food samples that have very low level dioxin concentrations such as egg and cow's milk. It was found that the systems with low resolution mass spectrometry in negative chemical ionization mode are capable to fulfill the requirements for the environmental analyses of dioxins at ppt levels, with the exception of 2,3,7,8-TCDD showing lower sensitivity in negative chemical ionization. Thus, using the systems with low resolution mass spectrometry in negative chemical ionization mode may be recommended for the some environmental studies for dioxins in the absence of the systems with high resolution. On the other hand, the proposed methodology cannot be used for the direct analysis of dioxins without improvement of 2,3,7,8-TCDD detection and quantification.

Mercury in food items from the Idrija Mercury Mine area

As a consequence of over 500 years of mining and smelting activities (1490–1995), and of its natural geological occurrence, the soil in the Idrija region is highly contaminated with Hg. In order to assess the present situation regarding the Hg levels in local food samples, concentrations of total mercury (THg) and monomethyl mercury (MeHg) were determined in selected vegetables, mushrooms and fish from the Idrija Hg mine area. Hg levels in the foodstuffs analysed were not very high but were elevated compared to the levels in food from non-contaminated areas. The study showed that THg accumulates in mushrooms (X=5680ng/g dry weight, Min=346ng/g dry weight, Max=17,100 dry weight) and chicory (X=1950ng/g dry weight, Min=86ng/g dry weight, Max=17,100ng/g dry weight). In addition, Se and Cd concentrations were determined by ICP-MS in those vegetable and mushroom species in which the highest Hg levels were found. The levels of Cd and Se were below the threshold levels. Based on data from previous studies, we can conclude that the levels of Hg in food have not diminished significantly during the past 15 years after closure of the Hg mine. Special attention should be given to vegetables such as chicory, representing a local seasonal vegetable eaten frequently.

Thiamine Deficiency in Cambodian Infants with and without Beriberi

To test the hypothesis that heavy metal toxicity and consumption of thiaminase-containing foods predispose to symptomatic thiamine deficiency. In a case-control study, thiamine diphosphate (TDP) blood concentrations were measured in 27 infants diagnosed with beriberi at a rural clinic, as well as their mothers and healthy Cambodian and American controls. Blood and urine levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and thallium were measured. Local food samples were analyzed for thiaminase activity. Mean TDP level among cases and Cambodian controls was 48 and 56 nmol/L, respectively (P = .08) and was 132 nmol/L in American controls (P < .0001 compared with both Cambodian groups). Mean TDP level of mothers of cases and Cambodian controls was 57 and 57 nmol/L (P = .92), and was 126 nmol/L in American mothers (P < .0001 compared with both Cambodian groups). Cases (but not controls) had lower blood TDP levels than their mothers (P = .02). Infant TDP level decreased with infant age and was positively associated with maternal TDP level. Specific diagnostic criteria for beriberi did not correlate with TDP level. There was no correlation between heavy metal levels and either TDP level or case/control status. No thiaminase activity was observed in food samples. Thiamine deficiency is endemic among infants and nursing mothers in rural southeastern Cambodia and is often clinically inapparent. Neither heavy metal toxicity nor consumption of thiaminase-containing foods account for thiamine deficiency in this region.

Levels of PCDD/Fs in local and non-local food samples collected from a highly polluted area in Turkey

A sampling and analysis program were conducted to determine the PCDD/F levels in various food samples collected in Kocaeli, one of the highly polluted areas in Turkey. Several food samples including animal (egg, chicken, meat and cow’s milk) and plant (fruits, leafy vegetables, fruiting vegetables, rooty vegetables and flour) products were collected from both local and non-local (commercial) sources. The local food samples were taken from 20 sampling points selected by taking into account the location of the possible PCDD/F sources, dominant wind directions and representing the major part of the Turkish daily diet The PCDD/F concentrations in local eggs and milk samples were ranged from <1.16 to 10.94 pg TEQ g −1 fat and from <0.43 to 3.29 pg TEQ g −1 fat, respectively. On the other hand, the PCDD/F concentrations were measured between 0.28–1.81 pg TEQ g −1 fat in local meat samples and 0.15–2.92 pg TEQ g −1 fat in local chicken samples. The PCDD/F concentrations in the plant products were relatively low and most of the congeners were measured below the detection limits except for the leafy vegetables. In addition, several commercial samples were analyzed in order to evaluate the differences of PCDD/F levels in samples collected from both the local and non-local sources. The results showed that the local animal products have higher PCDD/F concentrations than the non-local ones. Moreover, the commercial plant products showed undetectable concentrations for most of the congeners. Finally, the PCDD/F levels in some animal products were found to be higher than the national limit values.

Composition of local and purchased foods consumed by the Gidra in Lowland Papua

Seventy‐eight foods (70 locally exploited and 8 purchased) consumed by the Gidra in lowland Papua were sampled and their nutrient compositions and metal concentrations were determined. Because local food samples were collected in the state in which they were normally eaten by the villagers, the water content of several of our samples, especially of sago flour, was much greater than that in the literature. The variation of protein and energy content in nine samples of banana (genus Musa) was greater than that in six samples of tuberous crops belonging to four different genera. The most important purchased plant foods were wheat flour and rice, which have gradually replaced the local plant staples, mainly sago flour. The ratio of protein per energy unit of wheat flour is twice as high as that of tubers and more than 15 times as high as that of sago flour.

Presence and Distribution of Salmonella Species in some Local Foods from Baghdad City, Iraq

A total of 353 local food samples were cultured for Salmonella species using mannitol broth and two selective enrichment media, tetrathionate brilliant green bile broth and selenite cystine broth. Fifteen Salmonella species and serotypes were isolated: Salmonella paratyphi B. Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella 4,5,12:-:-. Salmonella muenchen, Salmonella senftenberg, Salmonella lille, Salmonella alachua, Salmonella 6,7:-:-. Salmonella anatum, Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella havana, Salmonella eppendorf, Salmonella emek, Salmonella california, and Salmonella 1.3.19:-:-. Salmonella was recovered from 27% of food samples examined. The occurrence of some species was as high as 11% of the samples. S. lille and S. alachua were isolated and are reported for the first time in Iraq. Seventy food samples (19.8%) harbored one type of Salmonella. 11 (5.9%) harbored two types and four (1.1%) harbored three types. Isolation of Salmonella from foods is affected by types of enrichment media. Tetrathionate brilliant green bile broth was superior to selenite cystine for Salmonella recovery from most foods. Some species prefer certain enrichment media for growth and multiplication. Use of more than one type of selective medium increases the chance of isolation of more Salmonella species and serotypes.