In a balanced diet, regular fish consumption provides positive outcomes for human health. On the other hand, the seafood supply chain faces a significant food safety risk due to the presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). In the present study, to assess the risk for Italian consumers, the concentrations of five PTEs, namely lead, chromium, cadmium, mercury, nickel, and aluminum, were determined in the three most consumed preserved fish in Italy: tuna (Thunnus albacares, Katsuwonus pelamis), mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus). Samples were collected from the national market, and the instrumental analysis was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The analyzed PTEs were found in all the species that were investigated. However, after considering the target hazard quotient (THQ) and the hazard index (HI), it was observed that the three fish preserves did not pose any risk of chronic toxicity for the average consumer, even at the highest concentrations detected. However, for significant consumers, mercury detected in tuna samples represented almost 90% of the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) reported by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), representing a matter of concern for consumers, particularly regarding developmental neurotoxicity, whose HI exceeded 111%. The acute toxicity of nickel was also considered for significant consumers at the highest concentration detected, and the margin of exposure (MOE) calculated was above 7000, much higher than the value of 30 indicated by EFSA. Due to the lack of data on non-professional carcinogenicity or human intake through foods with low cancer risk, this toxicity was not considered in the analysis of PTEs.

Evaluation of the Risk from Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) in Italy’s Most Consumed Processed Fish Products / M. Nobile, G. Mosconi, F. Arioli, L. Chiesa, M. Peloso, D. Accurso, E. Butovskaya, G. Fedrizzi, D. Curci, S. Panseri. - In: FOODS. - ISSN 2304-8158. - 13:3(2024), pp. 456.1-456.13. [10.3390/foods13030456]

Evaluation of the Risk from Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) in Italy’s Most Consumed Processed Fish Products

M. Nobile
Co-primo
;
G. Mosconi
Co-primo
;
F. Arioli
Secondo
;
L. Chiesa;G. Fedrizzi;D. Curci
Penultimo
;
S. Panseri
Ultimo
2024

Abstract

In a balanced diet, regular fish consumption provides positive outcomes for human health. On the other hand, the seafood supply chain faces a significant food safety risk due to the presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). In the present study, to assess the risk for Italian consumers, the concentrations of five PTEs, namely lead, chromium, cadmium, mercury, nickel, and aluminum, were determined in the three most consumed preserved fish in Italy: tuna (Thunnus albacares, Katsuwonus pelamis), mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus). Samples were collected from the national market, and the instrumental analysis was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The analyzed PTEs were found in all the species that were investigated. However, after considering the target hazard quotient (THQ) and the hazard index (HI), it was observed that the three fish preserves did not pose any risk of chronic toxicity for the average consumer, even at the highest concentrations detected. However, for significant consumers, mercury detected in tuna samples represented almost 90% of the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) reported by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), representing a matter of concern for consumers, particularly regarding developmental neurotoxicity, whose HI exceeded 111%. The acute toxicity of nickel was also considered for significant consumers at the highest concentration detected, and the margin of exposure (MOE) calculated was above 7000, much higher than the value of 30 indicated by EFSA. Due to the lack of data on non-professional carcinogenicity or human intake through foods with low cancer risk, this toxicity was not considered in the analysis of PTEs.
potentially toxic elements; ICP-MS; PTEs; mass-spectrometry; fish preserves; fish
Settore VET/04 - Ispezione degli Alimenti di Origine Animale
Settore VET/07 - Farmacologia e Tossicologia Veterinaria
   ON Foods - Research and innovation network on food and nutrition Sustainability, Safety and Security – Working ON Foods
   ON Foods
   MINISTERO DELL'UNIVERSITA' E DELLA RICERCA
2024
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
metalli in acciughe, sgombri e tonni in scatola_foods.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Article
Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Dimensione 264.5 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
264.5 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1027428
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 1
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 1
social impact