Abstract:
Aluminium (Al) is a silvery-white metal with light weight and the third most abundant metallic element of the earth crust. It is used in diverse and important industrial applications such as: food packaging, cooking utensils, automobiles and crafts, solid fuel rocket propellant. This research investigated the leachability of aluminium in seasoned fish and beef cooked at 140 ºC and 200 ºC for 10 to 70 minutes in aluminium foil. Aluminium content of the samples was mineralized and analyzed by the dry ashing and atomic absorption spectrophotometric methods. The range of mean values of aluminum obtained for the beef samples at 140 ºC and 200 ºC were: 35.14 - 47.31, 37.37 - 52.46 and 47.66 - 73.54; 38.91 - 100.80, 45.60 - 125.14 and 51.78 - 183.43 (mg/kg) for unseasoned, salted and mixed seasoned beef samples respectively. Similarly, the range of mean values of aluminum obtained for the fish samples at 140 ºC and 200 ºC were of 32.23 - 51.43, 35.14 - 51.43 and 41.14 - 80.40; 26.57 - 43.20, 33.43 - 47.83 and 37.71 -76.97 (mg/kg) for unseasoned, salted and mixed seasoned fish samples respectively. The proportional increases observed in the aluminium content of the unseasoned, salted and mixed seasoned beef samples in percentage ranged in values such as : 5.4 - 34.6, 8.7 - 40.4 and 8.7 - 54.2 ; 10.9 - 62.6, 5.1 - 42.9 and 20.9 - 104.1 (%) respectively. Similarly, proportional increases observed in the aluminium content of unseasoned, salted and mixed seasoned fish samples in percentage ranged in values such as ; 9.6 - 59.6, 8.8 - 46.4 and 10.8 - 95.4 ; 5.1 - 42.9, 10.9 - 62.6 and 20.9 - 104.1 (%) respectively. The health risk assessment of aluminium estimated from daily intake of fish and beef ranged from 3.2 – 5.9;3.2-7.5 at 140 ºC and 200 ºC respectively. The hazard quotients for the study were above the provisional tolerable weekly intake of 2.00 mg Al/kg, indicating significant concern for consumer health.
