The Concentrations of Selected Trace Elements (Cd, Pb, As, Zn, Fe) in Traditional Food Products and in Food Products Containing House Crickets (Acheta domesticus)-Preliminary Study.

Abstract

The acceleration of global population growth will consequently result in a surge of demand for food. The cultivation of insects for human consumption represents a significant method of satisfying human nutritional requirements. The aim of this study is to analyze the concentration of selected metals, namely iron, zinc, lead, cadmium, and arsenic, in traditional food products and to compare them with the concentrations of these trace elements in food products containing house crickets. The samples of traditional food products (n = 27) and food products containing house crickets (n = 30) were classified to the food categories: flour, pasta, crisps, bars, chocolate, crisp bread, crackers, bread spreads, bread sticks, and dried snacks. The concentration of lead, cadmium, zinc, arsenic, and iron was determined through the use of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET-AAS). The number of scientific reports on the assessment of the health risk associated with dietary exposure to metals through the consumption of food containing edible insects is relatively limited. The results of the present study demonstrate that products containing house crickets exhibit higher concentrations of zinc, iron, and arsenic than traditional products (Mann-Whitney U test). The R-Spearman rank correlation test revealed a statistically significant correlation between the percentage content of house crickets in food products and the concentrations of zinc and iron. The results of the study indicate a positive correlation between the percentage of house crickets in food products and the concentration of metals.