Biological Evidence 2018, Vol.8, No.2, 6-20
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Table 4 Heavy metal concentration (mg/kg) of selected spices used in Nigeria
Sample code Cr
Pb
Cd
Ni
Cu
Zn
Co
Mn
ACF
1.52±0.01
(1.50-1.54)
2.51±0.02
(2.48 – 2.53)
0.74±0.02
(0.71-0.76)
1.51±0.02
(1.48-1.54)
0.24±0.02
(0.22-0.27)
0.54±0.01
(0.52 – 0.56)
1.21±0.02
(1.18-1.25)
0.68±0.01
(0.66-0.70)
GVP
0.72±0.01
(0.70 –0.74)
1.14±0.02
(1.12 –1.17)
0.17±0.01
(0.15 –0.19)
1.13±0.02
(1.11-1.16)
2.16±0.01
(2.14-2.17)
7.41±0.01
(7.40-7.42)
0.34±0.01
(0.32-0.36)
21.45±0.01
(21.43-21.47)
FYJFS
0.88±0.01
(0.86-0.90)
3.26±0.01
(3.24-3.28)
0.67±0.01
(0.66-0.68)
2.13±0.02
(2.10-2.17)
0.51±0.01
(0.50-0.52)
0.87±0.02
(0.85-0.89)
1.75±0.01
(1.73-1.77)
1.00±0.01
(0.98-1.02)
KGBSP
1.16±0.01
(1.14 –1.18)
3.24±0.02
(2.25 –2.32)
0.66±0.02
(0.63-0.68)
2.37±0.02
(2.34-2.39)
0.34±0.03
(0.31-0.39)
0.98±0.02
(0.95-1.02)
2.03±0.02
(2.00-2.07)
1.89±0.17
(1.50-1.99)
KGCF
1.12±0.02
(1.09 –1.15)
2.28±0.02
(2.25-2.32)
0.84±0.21
(0.81-0.87)
2.35±0.02
(2.31-2.38)
0.47±0.02
(0.44-0.49)
1.25±0.03
(1.22 –1.29)
1.33±0.02
(1.30-1.36)
2.17±0.04
(2.10-2.21)
KGMS
0.53±0.02
(0.50 –0.56)
2.17±0.20
(2.14-2.19)
0.47±0.03
(0.42-0.49)
2.22±0.03
(2.20-2.27)
0.35±0.03
(0.32-0.39)
0.95±0.02
(0.93 –0.98)
1.00±0.02
(0.97-1.02)
1.90±0.04
(1.84-1.96)
MCS
0.74±0.03
(0.71 –0.78)
2.78±0.02
(2.75 –2.82)
0.60±0.02
(0.57-0.63)
2.36±0.02
(2.32-2.39)
0.12±0.01
(0.11-0.14)
0.90±0.02
(0.88-0.93)
1.57±0.01
(1.56-1.59)
1.66±0.02
(1.62-1.69)
NVGMF
1.34±0.01
(1.32-1.36)
2.89±0.01
(2.86-2.89)
0.68±0.01
(0.67-0.69)
2.34±0.02
(2.31-2.36)
0.06±0.01
(0.04-0.08)
0.27±0.02
(0.24-0.29)
2.18±0.01
(2.17-2.19)
0.91±0.01
(0.90-0.92)
SFRSP
1.30±0.03
(1.26-1.34)
3.56±0.03
(3.51-3.59)
0.62±0.02
(0.60-0.66)
2.87±0.02
(2.84 –2.89)
0.10±0.01
(0.08-0.11)
0.45±0.03
(0.42-0.49)
1.94±0.03
(1.91-1.98)
0.83±0.02
(0.80-0.85)
SSJSP
0.43±0.02
(0.40-0.53)
2.77±0.02
(2.73-2.79)
0.61±0.01
(0.60-0.62)
2.78±0.01
(2.76-2.79)
0.13±0.01
(0.12-0.15)
0.63±0.03
(0.60-0.67)
1.84±0.02
(1.81-1.86)
1.20±0.02
(1.18-1.22)
TCP
0.50±0.02
(0.46 – 0.53)
0.95±0.02
(0.92-0.97)
0.12±0.12
(0.10 –0.14)
2.17±0.03
(2.13-2.19
2.60±0.03
(2.54-2.63)
7.86±0.02
(7.83-7.88)
0.17±0.02
(0.14-0.19)
28.75±0.02
28.72-28.78)
TGP
0.47±0.02
(0.43 -0.49)
1.45±0.02
(1.43-1.49)
0.04±0.00
(0.04)
1.80±0.03
(1.74 – 1.84)
1.94±0.02
(1.91-1.97)
6.16±0.02
(6.13-6.18)
0.08±0.01
(0.07-0.09)
56.64±0.04
(56.58-56-69)
TTL
0.11±0.01
(0.10-0.13)
0.76±0.01
(0.74-0.78)
0.07±0.01
(0.06-0.08)
0.52±0.01
(0.50 – 0.54)
1.18±0.01
(1.16 – 1.20)
4.87±0.01
(4.85-4.89)
0.54±0.01
(0.53-0.56)
13.52±0.03
(13.47-13.57)
Note: Data were expressed as mean± standard deviation (n=7)
The level of Cr in the seasonings under study varied from 0.11-1.52 mg/kg. The values reported in these
seasonings were close to the range reported in variety of food products consumed in Nigeria. Some of previous
values ranged from 0.001 – 3.81 in some Nigerian spices (Asomugha et al., 2016), 0.01 – 3.43 mg/kg in poultry
products such as chicken meat and gizzard, and turkey meat (Iwegbue et al., 2008a), <0.01 – 10.8 mg/g in some
imported candies and chocolates (Ochu et al., 2012), <0.25 – 55.25 mg/kg in honey consumed in Nigeria
(Iwegbue et al., 2015b), 0.22 – 14.39 mg/kg in selected canned fish (Iwegbue et al., 2015c), <0.01 – 1.21 mg/kg in
milk products (Iwegbue et al., 2013b), 0.002 – 0.89 mg/kg in some canned fruit drinks (Iwegbue et al., 2008b),
0.39 – 0.72 mg/kg in some brands of biscuits (Iwegbue, 2012). But higher than the value of 0.01 – 0.10 mg/kg in
canned sardines consumed in Nigeria (Iwegbue et al., 2009), <0.001mg/kg in African giant snail (Iwegbue et al.,
2008c), 0.01mg/kg in some spices and vegetables in Nigeria (Iwegbue et al., 2011), and 8.12 – 31.72 mg/kg
reported in spices and vegetables sold in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state (Izah and Aigberua, 2017). Typically, Cr is an
important mineral needed for biosynthesis of glucose tolerance factor (Prashanth et al., 2015; Izah et al., 2016b;
2017a). Long term exposure to higher concentration of Cr could lead to skin cancer and dermatitis, kidney,
stomach, respiratory tract defects (Prashanth et al., 2015; Iwegbue et al., 2015a).
Pb concentration in the seasonings ranged from 0.76 – 3.56 mg/kg. Typically Pb is a non-essential metal as such
its presence in the samples suggest toxicity. The values reported in this study were higher than 0.3 mg/kg
recommended by WHO/FAO in food condiments such as spices (WHO/FAO, 2009; Batool and Khan, 2014;
Asomugha et al., 2016). The Pb concentration recorded in this study had some similarity with the work of other
authors on different food products. The findings of previous studies ranged from 2.61 – 8.97 mg/kg in edible part
of some Nigerian spices (Asomugha et al., 2016), 0.01 – 4.60 mg/kg in poultry products such as chicken meat and
gizzard, and turkey meat (Iwegbue et al., 2008a), <0.50 – 39.75 mg/kg in honey (Iwegbue et al., 2015b), 0.05 –
