Heavy Metal Testing Ensures Better Supplement Safety

Abstract

Heavy metal contamination in our food and supplements is a very real and serious issue. Surveillance activities in a number of countries in recent years have identified high levels of the heavy metals like lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury in certain food supplements. Consumption of such contaminated food supplements may contribute to human exposure to these metals. Heavy metal testing is a cornerstone of any GMP-certified manufacturer’s quality assurance program, and to ensure consumer safety. The aim of the study was to compare the levels of these metals found in food supplements, which are available in the local market of Dubai with the legislative requirements. Over 200 food supplements were analyzed in this study during the year 2018. The concentration of heavy metals in supplement products were determined using microwave digestion and high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with concentrated nitric acid. The results showed a high degree of compliance with the limits of 3 μg lead/g, 1 μg cadmium/g and 0.1 μg mercury/g in the products with the exception of two samples were above the maximum levels of 3 μg lead/g and 1 sample above the maximum levels of 0.1 μg mercury/g. Cadmium were below regulations set by the European Union. However, total arsenic has no regulatory limits set up by the European Union legislation to assess the risk. The concentration ranges were as follows: arsenic, <50-32381 μg/kg; cadmium, <10-958 μg/kg; mercury, <50-139 μg/kg; and lead, <50-44303 μg/kg. Therefore, determination of these elements in these products is necessary and the authorities should be survey and monitor these products at regular intervals.