Selected Trace Metal Evaluation of raw and Commercially Processed Spices Sold in Several Municipal Markets in Benin City, Southern Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluated the trace metal profiles of fourteen (14) different
spices collected from four (4) markets; Oba market, Uselu market,
New Benin market and Ekiosa market, all located in Benin City.
The collected spices were; Spice A; ShallotTM, Spice B; BennyTM,
Spice C; MivinaTM, Spice D; KnorrTM, Spice E; Kitchen GloryTM ,
Spice F ; OngaTM, African Locust Bean (Parkia biglobosa), Garlic
(Allium sativum), Uziza (Piper guineense), Nutmeg (Myristica
fragrans), Scent leaf (Ocimum gratissimum), Ginger (Zingiber
officinale) and Negro pepper (Xylopia aethiopica) respectively.
Trace metal analysis was conducted using wet digestion and flame
atomic absorbance spectrophotometry procedures respectively. The
Zn, Cu and Ni values of the examined spices varied from 0.12 mg/kg
to 1.03 mg/kg, 0.30 mg/kg to 1.50 mg/kg and 0.00 mg/kg to 0.70
mg/kg. All the mean trace metal values detected in the spices were
below the World Health Organization (WHO) maximum permissible
limit (MPL). Pb and Cr estimated daily intake (EDI) values ranged
from 0.000 mg/kg/day to 0.216 mg/kg/day and 0.056 mg/kg/day to
0.148 mg/kg/day respectively. The examined spices with regards to
trace metal contamination are safe for human culinary utilization as
the mean trace metal profiles of the all the examined spices was
relatively low and met the WHO recommended limits.