Occurrence of 30 trace elements in foods from a multi-centre Sub-Saharan Africa Total Diet Study: Focus on Al, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb

International audienceThis paper reports occurrence data related to 30 trace elements in food composite samples from a multi-regional Sub-Saharan Africa Total Diet Study. Herein, 2700 samples grouped in 225 food composite samples corresponding to 13 food groups: cereals, tubers, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts/seeds, meat, eggs, fish, milk/dairy, oil/fats, and beverages from eight locations in four countries, namely Benin (Littoral/Borgou), Cameroon (Duala/North), Mali (Bamako/Sikasso), and Nigeria (Lagos/Kano) were prepared as consumed, pooled, and analysed using a validated method based on inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The occurrence data for Al, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb as regulated by the Codex Alimentarius are discussed herein. Although the levels of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb were above the limit of quantification, they were below the maximum limits set by the Codex in most samples analysed. A distinct feature was observed for cereals and tubers, as they were mostly contaminated with Al and Pb. A pilot study regarding the impact of using artisanal cookware (made from recycled aluminium) on the contamination of food samples was performed. Relevant contamination with Al and Pb when cooking tomato samples from Cameroon and Nigeria using artisanal aluminium cookware was compared to that when cooked using stainless-steel

Levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in foods from the first regional Sub-Saharan Africa Total Diet Study

International audienceFor the first time, a multi-centre Total Diet Study was carried out in Benin, Cameroon, Mali and Nigeria. We collected and prepared as consumed 528 typical fatty foods from those areas and pooled these subsamples into 44 composites samples. These core foods were tested for a wide spectrum of POPs, including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame-retardants (BFRs), organochlorine compounds (OCs), perfluoro alkyl substances (PFAS) and chlorinated flame retardants (CFRs). The POPs contamination levels were similar or lower than those reported in total diet studies previously conducted worldwide. In most cases, core foods belonging to fish food group presented higher POPs concentrations than the other food groups. Interestingly, we observed a difference in both contamination profile and concentration for smoked fish compared to non-smoked fish. Such finding suggests that the smoking process itself might account for a large proportion of the contamination. Further investigation would require the assessment of combustion materials used to smoke fish as a potential vehicle, which may contribute to the dietary exposure of the studied populations to POPs