ASSESSMENT OF SOME HEAVY METALS IN The EDIBLE OFFAL AND THEIR PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE

Abstract

The present study was undertaken on 210 samples of bovine edible offal to de!ennine the residues of the lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic in this offal. The effect of ordinary cooking procedures on the estimated levels of this toxic metal was investigated. For all specimens analysed lead, cadmium and mercury were detected in I 00% percent of the samples while arsenic was failed to be detected in sum of

59 samples out of the 210 examined samples. It is worthy to point that the limit of concentration of the majority of the investigated heavy metals• iri the. tested offal, attained to its lowest values in the youngest age (S 3 years), while these va.lues were increaoed extremely in the elder one (2 5 years) and also, exceeded the Egyptian pennissible limits established by [E.O.S.Q.C. (1993)]. In general the different methods of processing result in an increase in the

estimated levels of the investigated metals, while the only reduction occur in the level of ars•enic. However, cooking did not change the absolute amounts of the metals.