Trace metals concentrations in cheese collected from Kafr-El-Sheikh, Egypt

Abstract EN

-One hundred samples of cheese [10 cheddar cheese; 10 Edam cheese; 10 Gouda cheese; 10 ras cheese; 10 roquefort cheese; 15 Processed cheese; 10 Feta cheese; 10 Damietta cheese and 15 Kareish cheese] were randomly collected from different supermarkets in kafr el- sheikh Governorate, Egypt.

All samples were analyzed before their expiry date.

The collected samples were homogenized and packed in polyethylene bags and stored below -20 °c prior to analysis.

Samples were digested within a microwave digestion system.

A Perkin-Elmer analyst 3110 model atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) was used in this work.

Pb and CD in samples were determined by graphite furnace, using argon as the inert gas.

Other measurements were carried out in an air/acetylene flame.

The results revealed that the lead concentrations of investigated cheese samples were in the range of 0.19+0.03- 0.44±0.04 mg/kg (the highes wast in ras & gouda cheese and the lowest was in Feta cheese).

Cd levels in examined cheese samples varied from 0.16+0.02 to 0.54±0.02 mg/kg in Cheddar and Edam cheese.

The lowest and highest iron concentrations were found as 2.90±0.85 mg/kg in edam cheese samples and 24.4+12.73 mg/kg in Damietta cheese samples.

Highest copper level of examined cheese samples was found as 4.18+0.71 mg/kg in Cheddar cheese, while lowest in processed cheese as 1.45+0.14 mg/kg.

Mean zinc concentrations ranged from 21.72+1.19 to 43.18+0.53 mg/kg.

The minimum and maximum zinc levels were found in feta cheese and Edam cheese, respectively.

In, conclusion, in all types of examined cheese, extremely toxic heavy metals (Pb and CD) were detected above the toxicity levels but, the levels of fe, Cu and Zn were within the recommended daily intake.