Ekhator O C, Udowelle N A, Igbiri S, Asomugha R N, Igweze Z N, Orisakwe O E
Department of Experimental Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
J Environ Public Health. 2017;2017:8458057. doi: 10.1155/2017/8458057. Epub 2017 Apr 26.
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. 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. 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 1.0 - 04 but higher than the acceptable risk level of 1 - 06. Consumption of some of these street foods is of public health concern.
街头小吃对食品安全有诸多益处；然而，街头食品的安全性也应予以考虑。本研究调查了贝宁城和乌穆内德街头食品中潜在有毒金属（铅、镉、汞、锑、锰和铝）的污染水平。从公交站的摊贩处购买了20份街头食品样本。采用原子吸收分光光度法分析金属。采用美国环境保护局制定的方法评估有毒金属的潜在健康风险。有毒金属的浓度以mg/kg计，范围为铅（0.014 - 1.37）、镉（0.00 - 0.00017）、汞（0.00 - 0.00014）、锑（0.00 - 0.021）、锰（0.00 - 0.012）和铝（0.00 - 0.22）。除铅外，所有有毒金属均低于世界卫生组织、欧盟和美国环境保护局设定的允许限值。一些街头食品中除铅外的所有有毒金属的每日摄入量、危害商数和危害指数均低于可耐受每日摄入量和阈值1，表明健康风险不显著。总癌症风险在1.0 - 04的优先风险水平范围内，但高于1 - 06的可接受风险水平。食用其中一些街头食品值得公众关注。
