To Eat or Not to Eat?—Food Safety Aspects of Essential Metals in Seafood

Abstract

The popularity of seafoods is high due to their superb dietary properties and healthy composition. However, it is crucial to understand whether they adequately contribute to our essential nutritional needs. Small amounts of essential metals are indispensable in the human body to proper physiological functioning; their deficiency can manifest in various sets of symptoms that can only be eliminated with their intake during treatment or nutrition. However, the excessive consumption of metals can induce undesirable effects, or even toxicosis. Shellfish, oyster, and squid samples were collected directly from a fish market. After sample preparation, the concentration of essential metals (cobalt, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc) was detected by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. The results were analyzed statistically using ANOVA and two-sample t-tests. The average concentration of the investigated essential elements and the calculated burden based on the consumption were below the Recommended Dietary Allowances and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels. Based on these results, the trace element contents of the investigated seafoods do not cover the necessary recommended daily intake of them, but their consumption poses no health hazard due to their low levels.

Keywords

• seafood
• oyster
• shellfish
• squid
• essential metals
• micronutrients