Institute of Food and Nutrition Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Jun;28(21):27047-27055. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-12547-z. Epub 2021 Jan 27.
This study aims to quantify the amount of selenium (Se) generally consumed in the Chinese diet via Se-enriched eggs, as well as the levels of lead (Pb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and mercury (Hg) in such eggs, and to assess the health risks associated with their consumption in China. As would be expected, Se was found to present significantly higher geometric mean levels in the Se-enriched eggs (0.464 mg/kg) than in normal eggs (0.304 mg/kg); however, Se concentrations were also closely related to the Cr and Pb in the eggs, with the Pb levels found to exceed the Chinese standard limit. Therefore, the quantity of Pb in Se-enriched eggs requires attention. According to estimated daily intake (EDI) evaluations of Se and heavy metals, levels were found to be highest via children for all metals in the eggs, In adults, the total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) for Se, Pb, Cd, As, Hg, and Cr contamination in eggs were calculated to be below the standard limit of 1, thus confirming that Se-enriched eggs may be considered safe for consumption by adults. However, the THQ of as was higher than 1 in the children aged of 2-4 years, and the TTHQ values were higher than 1 in boys aged 2-9 and girls aged 2-8, indicating a significant non-carcinogenic health risk due to the intake of maximum metals in the eggs samples. Thus, the safety of selenium-enriched eggs for children should be of wide concern. In conclusion, while Se-enriched eggs offer high levels of selenium, their health safety is concerning.
本研究旨在量化中国饮食中通过富硒蛋摄入的硒（Se）总量，以及此类鸡蛋中铅（Pb）、砷（As）、镉（Cd）、铬（Cr）和汞（Hg）的水平，并评估其在中国消费的相关健康风险。如预期的那样，富硒蛋中的 Se 几何平均值明显高于普通蛋（0.464mg/kg）（0.304mg/kg）；然而，硒浓度也与鸡蛋中的 Cr 和 Pb 密切相关，发现 Pb 水平超过了中国标准限制。因此，需要关注富硒蛋中的 Pb 含量。根据对 Se 和重金属的估计日摄入量（EDI）评估，所有金属在鸡蛋中的摄入量均为儿童最高。在成年人中，鸡蛋中 Se、Pb、Cd、As、Hg 和 Cr 污染的总目标危害系数（TTHQ）被计算为低于标准限值 1，这表明富硒蛋可能被认为对成年人食用安全。然而，2-4 岁儿童的 As 的 THQ 高于 1，2-9 岁男孩和 2-8 岁女孩的 TTHQ 值高于 1，这表明由于摄入了鸡蛋样本中最大金属，存在显著的非致癌健康风险。因此，富硒蛋对儿童的安全性应引起广泛关注。总之，虽然富硒蛋提供了高水平的硒，但它们的健康安全性令人担忧。
