Comparative study of selected essential and non‐essential metals in various canned and raw foodstuffs consumed in Pakistan

Levels of selected essential metals (Cu, Fe and Zn) and non‐essential metals (Cd and Pb) were determined by the wet digestion based atomic absorption flame spectrophotometric method in twenty canned foodstuffs of local and foreign origin. The study revealed that on average, the concentrations of Fe, Cd and Pb in local foodstuff were more than those found in imported canned products. The contents of Fe and Pb in local canned food were almost double that of the counterpart imported versions. Analysis of the construction materials of the tins indicated that some metals, such as Pb, had levels twice as high as those found in the foreign tin containers. The results showed that the Cu concentration in various foodstuffs ranged between 0.04 and 8.88mg/kg, Fe between 3.07 and 126mg/kg, Zn between 0.19 and 22.8mg/kg, Cd between 0.15 and 1.16mg/kg and Pb between 0.11 and 2.04mg/kg. The results are compared with the levels of metals in corresponding data from the literature.