Abstract:
Spices are used as diet ingredients often to enhance aroma, colour, palatability and acceptability of food. Thus, the contamination of spices by heavy metals may result in the accumulation of these metals in the body organs through consumption of these spices. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of Pb, Cu and Cd in common spices available on Cape Coast markets. A total of 60 samples of 10 different spices from Abura and Kotokoraba markets in the Cape Coast Metropolis were analyzed for Pb, Cu and Cd concentrations using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer after acid digestion. However, the spices were selected based on a preliminary study of the market that sought the opinions of both buyers and sellers of natural spices on the kinds of spices which are frequently purchased by consumers using an interview guide. Hence, the study adopted the exploratory sequential mixed method design. Results from the study indicated total mean concentrations of Pb (77.33mg/kg), followed by Cu (31.18mg/kg), though Cd was not detected in any of the samples. Mean concentrations for Pb ranged between 4.50mg/kg to 208.04mg/kg in bay leaf and chilli pepper from Abura market, whereas Cu recorded 12.44mg/kg to 139.92mg/kg in rosemary and ginger from Kotokoraba market. However, total mean concentration for Pb and Cu in all samples ranged between 20.07mg/kg in negro pepper to 119.54mg/kg in chilli pepper and 12.85mg/kg in negro pepper to 87.70mg/kg in ginger. It was further revealed that 80% and 5% of all samples exceeded WHO (2007) permissible limits of 10mg/kg and 50mg/kg for Pb and Cu respectively. Attention should be paid to the study of spices and harmful substances they may probably contain by the FDA due to their frequent use in Ghana.
