Health Risk Assessment of Exposure to Heavy Metals and Aflatoxins via Dietary Intake of Dried Red Pepper from Marketplaces in Antalya, Southern Turkey

Bread Consumption-Induced Heavy Metal Exposures and Health Risk Assessment of Pregnant Women: Turkey

Affordable, nutritious, and easily available bread has a significant place in the nutrition of pregnant women. This study aims to determine bread consumption-induced heavy metal exposure in pregnant women with different sociodemographic characteristics living in Turkey and to evaluate it for non-carcinogenic health risks. Bread consumption data of pregnant women covered a retrospective 24-h period. Heavy metal exposure was calculated according to the deterministic model. Non-carcinogenic health risk assessment was evaluated by target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI). Bread consumption-induced Mn, Al, Cu, Ni, Pb, As, Cr, Co, Cd, and Hg exposures of all pregnant women (n = 446) were 44.0, 25.0, 6.62, 0.69, 0.15, 0.06, 0.04, 0.03, 0.03, and < 0.00 µg/kg bw/day, respectively. Bread consumption-induced Mn exposure was higher than the tolerable daily intake level. The HI (1.37 [Formula: see text] 1.71) related to bread consumption is greater than 1 in all pregnant women in different age groups and trimesters and bread consumption may cause some health concerns in terms of non-carcinogenic health risks for pregnant women. The bread consumption can be limited, but bread consumption should not be abandoned.

Determination of potentially toxic elements and health risk assessment of dried fruits

This study aims to measure the concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Cr, and Ni in dried fruits and examine the health effects of these trace metals in relation to people's daily dietary intake. 29 samples of dried fruits purchased at bazaar place were analyzed in terms of toxic elements, which have been reported as cancerous by the World Health Organization (WHO). Dried fruits were digested in a microwave oven with HNO3 and H2O2. Metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb) in these samples were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), specificity/selectivity, and recovery (%) were all evaluated. The correlation coefficients of elements in this method were good (R2 > 0.9997). The amount of consumption in the area was used to calculate a health risk assessment. The results showed that the samples of dried fruit, which are widely consumed in the identified area, had variable levels. All dried fruits had element concentrations that were lower than the WHO/FAO safe limit.

Heavy metals induced health risk assessment through consumption of selected commercially available spices in Noakhali district of Bangladesh

There are growing concerns for food safety due to the risks associated with heavy metal contamination of culinary herbs and spices in developing countries like Bangladesh. The objective of the present cross-sectional study is to determine the concentrations of the heavy metals Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), and Iron (Fe) in the branded and non-branded spices collected from the Noakhali district by Atomic absorption spectrophotometry method, as well as to assess the health hazard risk associated with heavy metals intake via consumption of spices. The findings revealed that the greatest concentrations of Pb (15.47 ± 1.93), Cd (1.65 ± 0.011), Cr (31.99 ± 3.97), Cu (18.84 ± 1.97), and Fe (9.29 ± 1.71) were found in Cardamom, Coriander leaf, Bay leaf, Dried chili, and Black pepper respectively. Around 37 % of Cr and 5 % of Fe Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) were greater than reference doses (RfD). All spices had Total Hazard Quotient (THQ) values for Pb, Cd, Cu, and Fe that were below acceptable, and 37 % of all spices had Total Target Hazard Quotient (TTHQ) values for Pb, Cd, Cu, and Fe that were over the standard range, suggesting adverse health impacts for consumers. Green chili, ginger, coriander leaf, and all kinds of chili powder and turmeric powder have been reported to have exceptionally high TTHQ levels of Cr. The estimated carcinogenic risk for chromium in non-branded coriander leaf was found to be higher than safe levels. This study provides valuable insights into the commonly consumed spices in Bangladesh and their potential health risks associated with heavy metal contamination. The findings of this study can be used by regulatory authorities to develop effective strategies and actions to mitigate these risks and safeguard public health.

Aflatoxins: Source, Detection, Clinical Features and Prevention

The most potent mycotoxin, aflatoxins are the secondary metabolite produced by fungi, especially Aspergillus, and have been found to be ubiquitous, contaminating cereals, crops, and even milk and causing major health and economic issues in some countries due to poor storage, substandard management, and lack of awareness. Different aspects of the toxin are reviewed here, including its structural biochemistry, occurrence, factors conducive to its contamination and intoxication and related clinical features, as well as suggested preventive and control strategies and detection methods.

Simultaneous Detection of Ochratoxin A and Aflatoxins in Industrial and Traditional Red and isot Pepper Flakes along with Dietary Exposure Risk Assessment

This study focused on the co-occurrence of aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in traditionally and industrially dried red pepper flakes (DRPFs) and isot pepper flakes (IPFs). Following the multitoxin immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) was used to quantify AFs and OTA. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values were 0.11 and 0.18 μg kg^-1 (AFB₁), 0.04 and 0.08 μg kg^-1 (AFB₂), 0.13 and 0.18 μg kg^-1 (AFG₁), 0.04 and 0.11 μg kg^-1 (AFG₂), and 0.10 and 0.21 μg kg^-1 (OTA), respectively. AFB_1, AFB₂, AFG₁, and OTA were found to be positive in 93, 74, 17, and 94% of all samples, respectively. The contamination levels in positive samples ranged from 0.23 to 38.69, 0.04 to 2.14, 0.13 to 0.88, and 0.18 to 52.19 μg kg^-1 for AFB₁, AFB₂, AFG₁, and OTA, respectively, while no AFG₂ was found above the detection limit (0.04 μg kg^-1). None of the industrial isot peppers exceeded the European Union limits, while the levels of AFB₁ (5 μg kg^-1), total AFs (10 μg kg^-1), and OTA (20 μg kg^-1) of the traditional peppers were above the limit by 30% (16/54), 26% (14/54), and 4% (2/54), respectively. Co-occurrence of AFB₁-AFB₂-OTA was the most frequent, accounting for 54% (29/54) of all samples. At the upper bound (UB), estimated average exposure to AFB₁, total AFs, and OTA was determined to be 0.175, 0.189, and 0.124 ng kg^-1 bw day^-1 in all samples, respectively. The margin of exposure (MoE) value of AFB₁ and total AFs was found to be 977 and 909, indicating high health concerns compared to OTA (MoE >10,000). AFB₁ and total AFs may result in 0.0058 and 0.0062 liver cancer cases/100,000 person/year at UB, respectively, and weekly OTA exposure was 0.868 ng kg^-1 bw, well below the provisional tolerable weekly intake, hence not of health concern. AFs exposure could endanger health, whereas OTA posed no toxicological concerns through dried red pepper consumption.

Determination of trace element contaminants in herbal teas using ICP-MS by different sample preparation method

In recent years, the consumption rate of herbal teas has increased rapidly. In this study, 28 different plants (fennel, linden, roots, chamomile, green tea, thyme, sage, rosemary, rosehip, ginger, balm, echinacea, blue tea etc.) used as herbal tea bags and leaves/flowers. Different types of herbal tea were prepared keeping boiling water in contact for ten min with herbal teas and were digested with HNO₃ and H₂O₂ in a microwave oven. In these samples, trace element concentrations (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Se, V, Zn) were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The analytical performances were assessed as linearity, the limit of detection, limit of quantification, specificity/selectivity and recovery (%). The recovery values changed between 88 and 112%.

Survey of trace elements in bottled natural mineral waters using ICP-MS

This study monitors the elemental composition of different brands of bottled natural mineral waters marketed in Turkey and discusses compositional parameters. Natural mineral water samples were analyzed for cesium (Cs), rubidium (Rb), thallium (Tl), cobalt (Co), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), gallium (Ga), vanadium (V), silver (Ag), cadmium (Cd), uranium (U), thorium (Th), and molybdenum (Mo) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Method trueness was confirmed by using 1640A natural water certified reference materials purchased from Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC). The linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, repeatability, and recovery (%) were assessed. Method validation data and results obtained from the certified reference material suggested that the method could be applied to determine elemental contaminants of the samples. Cd, Tl, Ag, and Th could not be determined (< LOD) in the samples. Pb, Cs, Co, Rb, Ga, V, U, As, Cr, and Mo were determined in samples. The results were compared with elemental standards for natural mineral waters set according to the World Health Organization and United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the concentrations of all metals did not exceed these values.