Presence of HM has previously been reported in SF in Ghana. In particular, the general handling of street roasted and vended meats (SRVM) poses a safety threat because they are prepared and sold in open and dusty environment with high levels of contamination from various sources. Due to their non-biodegradability and toxicity at low concentration, HM-intake through the food chain is a problem receiving increasing attention. Heavy metals are ubiquitous in the environment as a result of natural and human activities, and are among the major contaminants of food materials. However, street meats may contain substantial amounts of toxic metals resulting from mode of preparation and exposure to polluted environment.įood safety is a major public health concern and its demand by consumers worldwide has stimulated research regarding the risk associated with consumption of foodstuffs contaminated by heavy metals (HM). It is also a very rich and convenient source of other nutrients including vitamins and microelements. It is an important source of protein of high biological value and whose amino acid composition can complement that of cereal and other vegetable proteins. Meat plays an important part in a healthy balanced diet because of its high nutrient density. In Uganda, roasted meat (RM) of beef, goat, pork, and chicken is popular SF. They account for 70% of the energy intake in African cities. These foods are consumed worldwide by an estimated 2.5 billion people per day due to low cost and convenience. Street foods (SF) are foods and beverages prepared and or sold by vendors and hawkers in streets and other public places for immediate consumption or consumption at a later time without further processing. Regular consumption of SRVM in Kampala is a health risk with respect to Pb, Cd and As. The combined non-carcinogenic effect of all metals considered in the study expressed as hazard index (HI) was >1, with values for children higher than those for adults. THQ values also presented Pb, Cd and As as dominant contaminants. THQ showed potential risk for humans due to the intake of Pb in pork and beef, and As in chicken with respect to children. The daily intake of Pb measured in beef and pork was higher than the recommended tolerable daily intake (TDI) for both children and adults while that of Cd, As, Cu, Zn and Fe was -4 for all the meats.
Lead, Cd and As content was above maximum limits according to EFSA and WHO, while Cr, Cu, Zn and Fe were below prescribed limits. The cancer and non-cancer risks were estimated using incremental lifetime cancer risk and target hazard quotient (THQ), respectively. Twelve samples of each SRVM (pork, beef, goat and chicken) were randomly purchased on the streets of Kampala and their HM content measured. The study aimed at quantifying the levels of heavy metals (HM) lead (Pb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) in street roasted and vended meats (SRVM) estimating daily HM intake determining the cancer and non-cancer risks associated with HM exposure using probabilistic risk assessment models. In contrast, SF represents a major public health risk due to chemical contamination especially with heavy metals. Street foods (SF) are important in meeting energy and nutrient requirements for urban populations because of their convenience and low-cost.
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