Heavy Metals Contamination in Shellfish: Benefit-Risk Evaluation in Central Italy

Overview

Journal Foods

Specialty Biotechnology

Date 2020 Nov 26

PMID 33238443

Citations 6

Authors

Francesca Barchiesi

Raffaella Branciari

Mario Latini

Rossana Roila

Giuseppe Lediani

Giovanni Filippini

Giampiero Scortichini

Arianna Piersanti

Elena Rocchegiani

David Ranucci

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Seafood is a source of nutrients in human diet but also of environmental contaminants and its consumption could pose a risk to consumers' health. A survey regarding the exposure to cadmium, lead and mercury through the consumption of bivalve mollusks, gastropods and sea urchins collected on Italian coasts was carried out among central Italian population over a period of three years. A limited number of samples exceeds the threshold set by legislation (6 samples) and the average level of contamination was low in all the species considered. The contribution Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) was higher for cadmium (9.17%) than lead (1.44%) and mercury (0.20%). The benefit-risk evaluation suggests that the bivalve mollusks and sea urchins consumption (Benefit Risk Quotient < 1) could be increased without health detrimental effects.

Citing Articles

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