Sarkis Sandra, Kashmar Rayan, Tzenios Nikolaos, Hoteit Maha, Tannous Tony, Matta Joseph
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ecole Doctorale Sciences et Santé (EDSS), Medical Sciences Campus, Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ), Beirut 1100, Lebanon.
GEPEA, Energy Systems and Environment Department, IMT Atlantique, Rue Alfred Kastler, 44307 Nantes Cedex 3, France.
Toxics. 2025 Jun 13;13(6):499. doi: 10.3390/toxics13060499.
The toxicity of metals such as lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) makes heavy metal contamination in food products a major health concern. The aim of this study is to measure the levels of Pb and Cd in yogurt samples that were collected from 11 distinct Lebanese locations and determine their compliance with the legal limits set by the European Commission (0.02 mg/kg for Pb and 0.005 mg/kg for Cd). A total of 165 yogurt samples were examined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Interestingly, the findings showed that 10.9% of samples had Pb concentrations over the allowable limit; the highest amounts were observed in Baalbeck-Hermel (0.118 mg/kg), North Area (0.125 mg/kg), and South Lebanon (0.115 mg/kg). In addition, the highest detected concentrations of Cd were found in North Area (0.094 mg/kg), Baalbeck-Hermel (0.076 mg/kg), and Akkar (0.042 mg/kg), with 14.5% of samples above the limit. The results show regional differences in contamination, which are probably caused by industrial emissions, agricultural activities, and environmental pollution. To better understand the potential health implications, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of Pb and Cd through yogurt consumption was calculated and compared to international health-based guidance values. Although the EDI values suggest a low risk from yogurt alone, the findings highlight the importance of cumulative exposure and emphasize the necessity of regular monitoring and stricter implementation of food safety laws to decrease exposure to heavy metals through dairy intake.
铅（Pb）和镉（Cd）等金属的毒性使得食品中的重金属污染成为一个主要的健康问题。本研究的目的是测量从黎巴嫩11个不同地点采集的酸奶样品中铅和镉的含量，并确定它们是否符合欧盟委员会设定的法定限值（铅为0.02毫克/千克，镉为0.005毫克/千克）。使用原子吸收分光光度法（AAS）对总共165个酸奶样品进行了检测。有趣的是，研究结果表明，10.9%的样品铅浓度超过了允许限值；在巴勒贝克 - 赫尔梅勒（0.118毫克/千克）、北部地区（0.125毫克/千克）和黎巴嫩南部（0.115毫克/千克）观察到了最高含量。此外，在北部地区（0.094毫克/千克）、巴勒贝克 - 赫尔梅勒（0.076毫克/千克）和阿卡尔（0.042毫克/千克）发现了最高检测浓度的镉，14.5%的样品超过了限值。结果显示了污染的区域差异，这可能是由工业排放、农业活动和环境污染造成的。为了更好地理解潜在的健康影响，计算了通过食用酸奶摄入铅和镉的估计每日摄入量（EDI），并与基于健康的国际指导值进行了比较。尽管EDI值表明仅食用酸奶的风险较低，但研究结果突出了累积暴露的重要性，并强调了定期监测和更严格执行食品安全法律以减少通过乳制品摄入重金属的必要性。
