ArticleToxicology reports2023
Assessment of heavy metals and their human health risks in selected spices from South Africa.
Article in Toxicology reports, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 7 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Levels of Trace Metals and Radionuclides in Herbal Materials Obtained from Sales Outlets in Ile-Ife, Southwestern Nigeria.Biological trace element research · 2026Article
- Assessment of Toxic Metal Contamination and Consumer Safety of Medicinal Plants in Al-Diwaniyah Herbal Shops.Biological trace element research · 2026Article
- Heavy metals in spices from Lancaster, PA: arsenic, cadmium, and lead exposure risks and the need for regulation.Environmental monitoring and assessment · 2025Article
- Influence of geographical location on the distribution of heavy metals in dairy cattle feeds sourced from two South African provinces.Food science & nutrition · 2024Article
- Selenium and other heavy metal levels in different rice brands commonly consumed in Pretoria, South Africa.Heliyon · 2024Article
- Electrochemical Detection of CdNanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Trace and Heavy Metals in Locally and Imported Spices Sold on Markets in Accra Metropolis, Ghana.TheScientificWorldJournal · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The concerns of food safety are rising in developing countries such as South Africa as a result of heavy metal contamination of culinary herbs and spices. Spices and herbs are used for therapeutic purposes as well as flavoring and coloring food. Heavy metals in spices represent significant health risks due to their high toxicity in high quantities. A total of 20 spices samples were purchased from different registered shops, for heavy metals analysis. The samples were prepared, digested, and analyzed with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). To ensure the method's accuracy, Polish Certified Reference Mixed Polish Herbs (INCT-MPH-2) from the Food and Drugs Control Center, Poland, was analyzed. The concentrations of Fe (32.22 ± 1.22-131.1 ± 3.26 mg/kg), As (ND to 0.12 ± 0.04 mg/kg), Cr (0.08 ± 0.01-3.2 ± 0.09 mg/kg), Pb (N.D - 0.21 ± 0.02 mg/kg) and Cd (ND to 0.14 ± 0.08 mg/kg) mg/kg were measured. The results revealed that the concentrations of Cr in all spice samples tested were much higher than the Maximum permissible limit (MPL) values. All spices in this study had THQ and HI values less than one, indicating that consumers will experience no potential health hazards from consuming specific metals through spices. However, continual scrutiny should be maintained.
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