Heavy Metals Contaminant In Selected Roasted Street Foods Sold In Umuahia And Port-Harcourt Metropolis:- Onyenweaku, Ezenwanyi M

Abstract

Heavy metals contaminant in selected roasted street foods (chicken and plantain) in Umuahia and Port Harcourt metropolis was under studied. The proximate, heavy metals and vitamin composition was analysed using standard laboratory procedure. The proximate composition of roasted chicken results reviewed that, moisture ranged from Umuahia (17.93^b±0.73to 21.17^a±0.61)Port-Harcourt, dry matter (82.07^b±0.73 to 83.83^a±6.46), ash (3.27^b±0.01 to 5.28^a±0.03), protein (52.32^a±0.11 to 43.04^b±0.79), fibre (2.43^b±0.02 to 3.85^a±0.01), fat (3.42^b±0.00 to 6.87^a±0.04) and carbohydrate (20.62^a±0.65 to 19.78^b±0.24). Proximate composition of roasted plantain in Umuahia ranged from, moisture (11.39^a±0.01 to 12.81^a±0.04) Port-Harcourt, dry matter (88.61^a±0.01 to 87.19^a±0.04), ash (1.37^a±0.14 to 1.42^a±0.00), protein (5.69^a±0.01 to 5.78^a±0.03), fibre (2.35^a±0.01 to 2.47^a±0.02), fat (1.08^a±0.00 to 1.13^a±0.01), carbohydrate (78.13^a±0.01 to 76.39^b±0.01). Heavy metals composition of roasted chicken ranged from, Lead Umuahia (0.04^a±0.00 to 0.05^a±0.00) Port-Harcourt, Cadmium        (0.04^a±0.00 to 0.03^a±0.00), Aluminum (0.06^a±0.00 to 0.07^a±0.00) andNickel (0.01^a±0.00 to 0.03^a±0.00). Heavy metals composition of roasted plantain ranged from Lead Umuahia (0.01^a±0.00 to 0.02^a±0.00) Port-Harcourt, Cadmium (0.03^a±0.00 to 0.02^a±0.00), Aluminum(0.07^a±0.00 to 0.06^a±0.00) and Nickel(0.01^a±0.00       to 0.01^a±0.00). Vitamin composition of roasted chicken ranged from, B1Umuahia (0.08^a±0.00 to 0.08^a±0.00) Port-Harcourt, B2 (0.06^a±0.00 to 0.05^a±0.00), B3 (0.08^a±0.00 to 0.07^a±0.00), vitamin C (4.29^a±0.00 to 4.17^a±0.00)  and A (carotene) (1.12^a±0.00 to 1.07 ^a±0.0). Vitamin composition of roasted plantain ranged from, B1 Umuahia(0.12^a±0.00 to0.11^a±0.00) Port-Harcourt, B2 (0.07^a±0.00 to 0.06^a±0.00), B3 (0.10^a±0.00 to 0.10^a±0.00), vitamin C (5.47^a±0.00 to 3.37^b±0.00) and Vitamin A (carotene) (2.77^a±0.00 to 2.93^a±0.0). Inclusion, The results revealed that Pb and Cd were above the WHO maximum permissible limits. For Pb in adult which signifies the potential health. Pb and Cd have no biological importance in human body. Since roadside dust, pollutants released from vehicle exhausts and pyrolysis of spices are the potential sources of these toxic metals, therefore, there is need for adequate monitoring the processing of plantain and chicken as to prevent the adverse health effect of these metal.