| Abstrakt: |
Infants and children are highly susceptible to contaminated foods, evaluating the presence of toxic metals in commercial infant formulas and children food products is prerequisite to ensuring good and safe nutrition for infants and children. The study was conducted to determine the concentration of selected heavy metals in infant formulas and children food products sold in Gusau, Zamfara State Nigeria. The concentrations of Cd, Co, As, Pb, Cr and Al in infant formulas and children food products were analyzed using Microplasma atomic emission spectrophotometer (MP-AES). The mean concentrations of Cd, Co, As, Pb, Cr and Al in infant formula samples were 2.500, 0.859, 0.796, 0.563, 0.484 and 1.641µg/g, respectively. The concentrations of metals in children food products were in the decreasing order of Al > Cd > Cr > Pb > As > Co. The calculated EWI (estimated weekly intakes) for all the analyzed metals in the samples were within the PTWI (provisional tolerated weekly intakes) values established by FAO/WHO. The THQ values of Cd, As, Pb, and Al were greater than the threshold value of 1. This implies that the infant formulas marketed at the time of this study in the area have likelihood to induce non-carcinogenic health risk over long term consumption. Based on CR values established in this study, Cd, As, Cr and to some extent Pb have values above 10-6 . Thus, making them unfit for human consumption and demonstrating potential health risk to infants. Therefore, monitoring and evaluation of manufacturing steps, packaging, storing and preparation of infant formulas and children food products is very crucial to reduce exposure to toxic metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
