Levels of selected heavy metals in canned tomato paste sold in Ghana
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Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Food Additives & Contaminants
Abstract
Sixty-one samples of canned tomato paste comprising seven brands originating from three countries and sold in
local markets in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana were analysed for levels of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese
(Mn), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry and for levels of mercury (Hg)
by direct mercury analyzer. Mean heavy metal concentrations varied by brand, ranging from below the limit of
detection (Cd) to a maximum concentration range of 1.68 1.63 to 58.6 14.5 mgg 1 (Fe). Estimated mean
ranges of other heavy metals are 2.06 0.62 to 8.52 0.68 mgg 1 (Zn), 2.62 0.33 to 5.75 0.47 mgg 1 (Mn),
0.070 0.003 to 0.116 0.012 mgg 1 (Pb) and 0.011 0.001 to 0.102 0.001 mgg 1 (Hg). Assessed metal levels
in five brands were below the WHO/FAO permissible levels. Results of the one-way analysis of variance
(ANOVA) conducted on the data suggested no significant variations (P40.05) in the concentrations of the
metals in the same brands of canned tomatoes.
Description
This article is published by Food additives & Contaminants and is also available at https://doi.org/10.1080/19393210.2012.657250
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Citation
Nathaniel Boadi, John Mensah, Sylvester Twumasi, Mercy Badu & Irene Osei (2012) Levels of selected heavy metals in canned tomato paste sold in Ghana, Food Additives and Contaminants: Part B, 5:1, 50-54, DOI: 10.1080/19393210.2012.657250