Concentrations and Human Health Risk Assessment of Trace Elements in Complementary Infant Foods Sourced from Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluated the concentrations and human health risk assessment of Mn, Ni, Se, and Cr in milk-based, cereal, fruit, and traditional tom brown food products commonly consumed by babies sourced from markets in Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria using rigorously validated analytical methods – wet acid digestion and microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, MP-AES, (R² > 0.997, LOD 0.0002 – 0.0012 mg/kg, LOQ 0.0006 – 0.004 mg/kg, accuracy of 92 -101% and precision of ≤ 7.55%). Metal concentrations were quantified, and estimated daily intakes (EDI), total hazard quotients (THQ), and hazard indices (HI) were calculated to assess potential health risks posed to infants and toddlers. The results revealed detectable levels of Mn, Ni, Se, and Cr across all samples, while lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) remained below the detection limits (< 0.0012 and < 0.0002 mg/kg respectively). Among the metals examined, selenium showed the highest THQ values, indicating it plays a major role in the overall hazard index (HI). Notably, HI values exceeded the safety threshold of 1 for the majority of products (> 77%), indicating potential health concerns arising from cumulative exposure. The results highlight the essential requirement for ongoing surveillance and strict regulatory control of trace metal contamination in baby foods to guarantee the safety and health of this susceptible demographic