Investigation of heavy metal levels in canned tomato paste, olives, and pickled.

Canned pickled cucumbers, tomato paste, and olives are three commonly consumed products in Iranian households that may be a source of heavy metals for individuals due to the type of packaging. Therefore, in this study, samples of these three types of food were collected from the market and were measured for mineral and heavy metal content. The levels of metals including Cadmium, Copper, Arsenic, Iron, Lead, and Zinc were determined using an AAS- Flame and Graphite furnace. Moreover, the concentrations of Mercury and Tin were determined using the ICP-MS. In canned cucumber samples, only two metals, tin and lead, were detected. The levels of heavy metals in these three products were compared using statistical tests. A significant difference was observed in the amount of cadmium (p < 0.05). The average lead content in these three products was above the permissible limit. The levels of copper, arsenic, iron, cadmium, zinc, mercury, and tin in the canned food samples were found to be within the acceptable limits set by national and international regulatory authorities.