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Traceability and Characterization of Heavy Metals in Food
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Traceability and Characterization of Heavy Metals in Food

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Analytical Methods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 10837

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Alena Vollmannova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia
Interests: heavy metals in soil–plant system; safety of food sources and food safety; functional foods; biological valuable food plant components
Prof. Dr. Judita Lidikova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia
Interests: heavy metals in food sources and foods; safety of food sources and food safety; antioxidants; bioactive compounds in food sources

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hygienic soil state in Europe and other countries worldwide is continually evaluated via local monitoring from the standpoint of the of risk heavy metals content. As a consequence of long lasting environmental loading, there are many areas with not only higher soil toxic element contents, but also with soils that have been contaminated by heavy metals. Studies targeting the problem of soil metal input into food crops and into wild-grown food sources, as well as factors influencing metals bioavailability in concrete environmental conditions and effective treatments ensuring food safety, are still necessary. Another interesting problem is the mutual relationship between heavy metals and chemoprotective components of food sources, e.g., phenolics or antioxidants, in crops designed for functional food production. Within modern nutrition trends, producers prefer the utilisation of traditional, but also non-traditional or recovered, food sources, such as pseudo-cereals, minor legumes, mushrooms, forest fruit species, herbs, valuable vegetable and fruit species. The ability to accumulate risk metals in real locations with specific conditions could be an another scientific goal.

Prof. Dr. Alena Vollmannova
Prof. Dr. Judita Lidikova
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • heavy metals
  • food systems
  • food sources
  • food safety
  • chemoprotective components
  • antioxidants
  • fruit
  • vegetables
  • crops

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 31841 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Strategies for the Agricultural Development of Shaanxi Province Based on the Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution
by Junhua Wu, Yiping Chen, Jifu Ma, Jing Cao and Yao Jiang
Foods 2022, 11(10), 1409; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11101409 - 13 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1735
Abstract
Heavy metal elements in farmland soil can be absorbed by crops and endanger food security. To assess the risk of heavy metal elements in farmland soil to crops in Shaanxi Province, we collected 693 soil samples and analyzed the concentrations of nine heavy [...] Read more.
Heavy metal elements in farmland soil can be absorbed by crops and endanger food security. To assess the risk of heavy metal elements in farmland soil to crops in Shaanxi Province, we collected 693 soil samples and analyzed the concentrations of nine heavy metals (As, Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Ni). According to the National Standard (GB 15619-2018) of the People’s Republic of China, the proportions of soil sample points in which the concentration of heavy metals was higher than the risk screening value were 2.02% (Cd), 0.29% (Cr), 0.29% (Zn), 2.31% (Cu), 1.15% (Ni), and 0.14% (Pb). The proportions of areas in which the concentration of heavy metal was higher than the background value were as follows, from largest to smallest: Zn (53.20%) > Mn (49.86%) > Cd (29.51%) > Hg (26.77%) > As (26.58%) > Ni (14.95%) > Cu (13.90%) > Pb (6.49%) > Cr (1.40%). The assessment of the risk of heavy metal exposure (geo-accumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk index (RI)) determined that Hg was the most concerning heavy metal in the farmland soil of Shaanxi Province. Moreover, 11.56% of these areas had Hg contamination, and they were mainly distributed in the western Guanzhong region. The farmland soil in the Guanzhong region was the most contaminated, followed by the southern Shaanxi region and then the northern Shaanxi region. The main sources of heavy metal contamination causing large-scale farmland soil pollution are agricultural production activities, transportation, and air pollution caused by coal combustion in Shaanxi Province. Therefore, sustainable strategies for the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution and agricultural development must be applied in different regions. Heavy metal pollution should be managed, and relevant policies should be created and enforced, such as the standardization of the use of qualified pesticides and fertilizers, improved treatment of livestock and poultry manure, development of the clean energy industry structure, and promotion of renewable energy vehicles. In terms of the high-quality development of agriculture, developing modern and local agriculture in different regions should be based on local geographical, climatic, and economic conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traceability and Characterization of Heavy Metals in Food)
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20 pages, 1864 KiB  
Article
Accumulation of Selected Metal Elements in Fruiting Bodies of Oyster Mushroom
by Marcel Golian, Alžbeta Hegedűsová, Ivana Mezeyová, Zuzana Chlebová, Ondrej Hegedűs, Dana Urminská, Alena Vollmannová and Peter Chlebo
Foods 2022, 11(1), 76; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11010076 - 29 Dec 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2509
Abstract
The species Pleurotus ostreatus is a commercially, gastronomically, and biotechnologically important fungus. Its strain variability has been little researched. The study provides an evaluation of 59 oyster mushroom production strains in terms of the ability to accumulate selected metals in the cap and [...] Read more.
The species Pleurotus ostreatus is a commercially, gastronomically, and biotechnologically important fungus. Its strain variability has been little researched. The study provides an evaluation of 59 oyster mushroom production strains in terms of the ability to accumulate selected metals in the cap and stipe. The fruiting bodies were grown under identical model conditions on straw substrate. Metal concentrations (ET-AAS) in dry fruiting bodies ranged in values 1.7–22.4 mg kg−1 for Al, 2.6–9.7 mg kg−1 Ba, 199–4560 mg kg−1 Ca, 1.7–12.0 mg kg−1 Cu, 12–120 mg kg−1 Fe, 16,000–49,500 mg kg−1 K, 876–2400 mg kg−1 Mg, 0.39–11.0 mg kg−1 Mn, 46–920 mg kg−1 Na and 11–920 mg kg−1 for Zn. More Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Zn accumulated in the cap, while in the stipe Ba was amassed. No significant difference was found between Al, Ca and Na between the accumulation in the cap and the stipe. Furthermore, the dependence of metal uptake from the substrate depending on the fortification of the substrate was confirmed. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) synergistic relationships were shown in pairs Al and Ba, Al and Fe, Ba and Na, Ba and Ca, Ca and Na, Cu and Fe, Fe and Mn, Fe and Zn, K and Mg, K and Mn, K and Zn, Mg and Mn, Mg and Na, Mg and Zn and Mn and Zn in the substrate without the addition of sodium selenate to the substrate. Altered relationships were observed after the application of sodium selenate to the substrate, synergism of Se and Ni, Se and Co and Se and Hg, Cu and Mn, Cu and Fe, Zn and Co, Zn and Ni, Zn and Hg, Mn and Fe, Mn and Cr, Co and Ni, Co and Hg, Ni and Hg, Pb and Cd. The findings of the study may help in the selection of production strains with hypercumulative properties for a particular metal and subsequent use in the addition of fortified fruiting bodies (e.g., with Zn). Based on the study the strains less sensitive to the accumulation of hazardous metals is possible to select for large-scale production, which is important from the perspective of food safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traceability and Characterization of Heavy Metals in Food)
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14 pages, 1975 KiB  
Article
Detection of Changes in Total Antioxidant Capacity, the Content of Polyphenols, Caffeine, and Heavy Metals of Teas in Relation to Their Origin and Fermentation
by Alica Bobková, Alžbeta Demianová, Ľubomír Belej, Ľuboš Harangozo, Marek Bobko, Lukáš Jurčaga, Katarína Poláková, Monika Božiková, Matúš Bilčík and Július Árvay
Foods 2021, 10(8), 1821; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10081821 - 06 Aug 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2730
Abstract
Tea (Camellia sinensis) is widely sought for beverages worldwide. Heavy metals are often the main aims of the survey of teas, given that the use of agricultural fertilization is very frequent. Some of these may affect the content of bioactive compounds. Therefore, [...] Read more.
Tea (Camellia sinensis) is widely sought for beverages worldwide. Heavy metals are often the main aims of the survey of teas, given that the use of agricultural fertilization is very frequent. Some of these may affect the content of bioactive compounds. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed fermented and non-fermented teas of a single plant origin from Japan, Nepal, Korea, and China, and described mutual correlations and changes in the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and the content of polyphenols (TPC), caffeine, and heavy metals in tea leaves, in relation to the origin and fermentation process. Using UV-VIS spectrophotometry and HPLC-DAD, we determined variations in bioactive compounds’ content in relation to the fermentation process and origin and observed negative correlations between TAC and TPC. Heavy metal content followed this order: Mn > Fe > Cu > Zn > Ni > Cr > Pb > Co > Cd > Hg. Given the homogenous content of these elements in relation to fermentation, this paper also describes the possibility of using heavy metals as determinants of geographical origin. Linear Discriminant Analysis showed an accuracy of 75% for Ni, Co, Cd, Hg, and Pb, explaining 95.19% of the variability between geographical regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traceability and Characterization of Heavy Metals in Food)
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22 pages, 1549 KiB  
Article
Heavy Metals Presence in the Soil and Their Content in Selected Varieties of Chili Peppers in Slovakia
by Judita Lidiková, Natália Čeryová, Marek Šnirc, Janette Musilová, Ľuboš Harangozo, Alena Vollmannová, Jan Brindza and Olga Grygorieva
Foods 2021, 10(8), 1738; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10081738 - 28 Jul 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2868
Abstract
Capsicum chili peppers are popular vegetables in Slovakia. They provide a supply of health-promoting substances, but contaminated vegetables can pose a serious health risk to the people who consume them. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the content of heavy [...] Read more.
Capsicum chili peppers are popular vegetables in Slovakia. They provide a supply of health-promoting substances, but contaminated vegetables can pose a serious health risk to the people who consume them. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the content of heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb and Hg) in the soil as well as in selected varieties of the genus Capsicum grown in southern Slovakia. The results were compared with the limit values given by the Law no. 220/2004 (valid in the SR) as well as threshold values proposed by the European Commission (EC) (2006). The gained result showed that the total content of Cd (1.64 mg/kg) as well as the available mobile forms of Cd (0.12 mg/kg) and Pb (0.26 mg/kg) was exceeded on the soil on which Capsicum cultivars were grown. The limit values of other monitored heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Hg) were not exceeded. The studied species of the genus Capsicum did not accumulate monitored heavy metals. It can be stated that consumption of chili peppers does not pose any risk for human health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traceability and Characterization of Heavy Metals in Food)
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