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Trace Elements in Breakfast Cereals and Exposure Assessment in Moroccan Population: Case of Lead and Cadmium

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Abstract

The role of breakfast cereals in a balanced diet has been recognized for many years. Such foods should be safe and not contain toxic substances, especially trace elements. Among these elements, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are two important inorganic food contaminants. In this study, we assessed the contamination levels of breakfast cereal samples available in Morocco with Pb and Cd. For this, a total of sixty-two (n = 62) samples of breakfast cereals purchased in different markets in the country were surveyed for their Pb and Cd contents by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (GF-AAS) after total mineralization of samples. Results showed that out of 62 total samples, 47 samples (75.8%) were contaminated with Pb concentrations in the range of 0.016–1.057 μg/g. The remaining samples (24.2%) were under the detection limit (LOD) of Pb. In the case of Cd, 41 samples (66.1%) were contaminated with Cd levels that ranged between 0.011 and 0.123 μg/g. In the present study, four samples (6.45%) of breakfast cereals are above the maximum limit (0.2 μg/g) set by the European Commission Regulation No 1881/2006 for Pb in cereals. However, for the Cd, only one sample exceeded the maximum limit set for this element (0.1 μg/g). The levels compare well with those reported worldwide for similar foodstuffs. The estimation of the provisional weekly intakes of the two elements (Pb and Cd) showed that the risks of development of toxicological effects through breakfast cereals are very low. However, it is important that the long-term exposure to these elements be kept to minimum. This is the first study on the co-occurrence of the two trace elements (Pb and Cd) in breakfast cereal samples commercialized in Morocco.

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Acknowledgments

The first author is most grateful to the INH Institute for facilities and the technical assistance given.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Nanomaterials, Nanotechnologies and Environment, Center of Materials, Mohammed V University, Faculty of Sciences, Avenue Ibn Battouta, BP:1014, 10000, Rabat, Morocco

    Aicha Sifou & Mohammed Halim

  2. Laboratory of Biodiversity, Ecology and Genome, Research Center ‘Plant and Microbial Biotechnology, Biodiversity and Environment’, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Avenue Ibn Batouta, Rabat, Morocco

    Asmae Benabbou

  3. Laboratory of Food Toxicology, National Institute of Hygiene (INH), BP 769 Agdal, 27, Avenue Ibn Batouta, Rabat, Morocco

    Rachid Ben Aakame & Naima Mahnine

  4. School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland

    Alistair Antonopoulos

  5. Laboratory of Marine Biotechnologies and Environment (BIOMARE), Chouaib Doukkali University, Faculty of Sciences, Route Ben Maachou PO Box 20, El Jadida 24000, Morocco

    Abdellah Zinedine

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  1. Aicha Sifou
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  2. Asmae Benabbou
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Sifou, A., Benabbou, A., Ben Aakame, R. et al. Trace Elements in Breakfast Cereals and Exposure Assessment in Moroccan Population: Case of Lead and Cadmium. Biol Trace Elem Res 199, 1268–1275 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02265-x

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