Effect of washing on heavy metals contents on date fruits

Abstract EN

The quantities of aluminum (Al, Cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni) and tin (Sn) were estimated in twenty samples of packaged dates imported from the Middle East and North Africa countries collected from the Malaysian markets in Selangor-West Malaysia.

The varieties include, Ajwa, Deglet Nour, Lulu, Mariami, Zahdi (two samples from different suppliers), Medjool, Mabroom, Khudri, Lamri, two unidentified species under trade marks (nomades standard, palm dates), Safawi (two samples from different suppliers), Khasouci, Khalas-Ihsa, fard, Roshdi, Mashrook and Rabbi .20 g of each sample was washed with 15 mL of deionized distilled water for 90 second.

Washing residues and washed date tissues were dried and digested by mixture of nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide (15:20).

The effectiveness of water washing on the removal of residues of heavy elements accumulated on dates was measured by comparing the contents in both washing residues and date tissue after washing, where the effectiveness ranged from 9.35 to 34% of the total content according to type of element.

The study concluded that washing dates before direct consumption or manufacturing can play an important role in the removing some of the contents of heavy elements and reduces the health risk that can be caused to the consumer.