This work investigates the level of exposure to cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) via fish and seafood products in adult population in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Metals content was determined in seven commercial species of fish and seafood products widely available and consumed in BiH. Analysis of Cd and Pb was performed by GFAAS (Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry), and analysis of Hg by FIAS AAS (flow injection cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry) in accredited laboratory for food analysis. The health risk was determined by the estimated weekly intake, hazard index, target hazard quotients, and percent of tolerable weekly intake or percent of benchmark dose lower confidence limit. Concentration above the maximum residue level (MRL) set in the European Union was found in only one sample (Hg in mackerel). Cd content was generally high in squid, approaching the corresponding MRL in two samples. The hazard index was close to 1 in bluefin tuna and mackerel, mostly due to Hg content. These two fish species should be consumed in moderation, especially by pregnant women. While consumption of various fish and seafood on average is not of significant concern, health risk could not be ruled out for high consumers. Fish is considered a significant part of a healthy, well-balanced diet due to its exceptional nutritional properties (high-quality proteins, vitamins, essential omega-3 fatty acids). Fish and seafood are unique dietary sources of cardioprotective docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) fatty acids. Thus, many public health authorities recommend regular fish consumption equivalent to at least 1-2 serving per week in order to prevent diet-related chronic diseases 1-3. Unfortunately, anthropogenic environmental impacts (industry, agriculture, mining) significantly increase the naturally occurring amounts of heavy metals in the environment, including the marine ecosystem. Consequently, marine organisms (fish, shellfish, crustaceans) can accumulate these metals to potentially toxic concentrations. Often, fish and other seafood represent one of the main sources of exposure to metals in the general population. Foods that contain toxic metals above the permitted levels are considered to be harmful to human health and are banned for trade by many national and international regulations. Maximum levels (MRL) of harmful substances in food in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) are defined in the Regulation on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food 4. The same rules apply to food in the European Union 5-9. Some of the toxic effects of heavy metals include: impaired renal (Pb, Cd, Hg) and liver (Pb and Cd) function, decreased cognitive function (Pb, Hg), impaired reproductive capacity (Cd, Pb), hypertension (Cd), neurological changes (Hg, Pb), teratogenic effects (Hg), and cancers (Cd) 10-12. Our previous work showed that the content of heavy metals in certain samples of fish from the Neretva river (BiH) exceeds MRLs for some metals, and content found in many commercially available fi...

No abstract

The aim of this research was to examine physicochemical parameters of finished and semi-finished meat products: minced meat (beef, pork and mixed meat) and raw formed meat products (ćevapi, patties/burgers and sujuk sausages), and to determine quality parameters of these products on the Bosnia and Herzegovina market. Examined parameters included: protein content, fat, collagen in meat proteins and salt (NaCl). We analysed 282 samples of these products and found deviations with regard to the applicable Ordinance on minced meat and semi-finished and finished meat products of “The Law on Food of Bosnia and Herzegovina” in all parameters, except salt (NaCl). The majority of deviations referred to the content of collagen in meat proteins, with as much as 21.98 % of examined samples in violation of the applicable legislation.

Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati utjecaj termičke obrade kuhanjem na sadržaj željeza (Fe), cinka (Zn), bakra (Cu) i magnezija (Mg) u mišićnom tkivu i jetri junadi u ovisnosti od sustava tova iz kojeg životinje potječu. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorcima mišićnog tkiva (but i plećka) i jetre junadi u dobi od 9 do 12 mjeseci koja su tovljena ekstenzivno (n=12) ili intenzivno (n=12). Svaki uzorak je podijeljen na dva jednaka dijela od kojih je jedan analiziran u sirovom stanju, a drugi nakon termičke obrade kuhanjem u vodi na 100°C. Rezultati su iskazani u apsolutno suhoj tvari mesa. Sadržaj pepela (mineralnog ostataka) u termički obrađenim uzorcima bio je smanjen u odnosu na sirove uzorke, ali to nije bilo praćeno značajmeso junadi, termička obrada, minerali nim promjenama u sadržaju Fe, Zn i Cu u mišićnom tkivu, niti promjenama Zn i Cu u jetri. Termička obrada dovela je do smanjenja sadržaja Mg u svim ispitivanim partijama mesa (za 40-50%), a do smanjenja sadržaja Fe došlo je samo u jetri (za 25-42 %). Učinak termičke obrade na sadržaj ispitivanih minerala u mišićnom tkivu i jetri bio je neovisan od sustava tova, iako su razlike po sustavu tova bile evidentne kod svih ispitivanih minerala, osim kod Fe. Sadržaj Zn u mišićnom tkivu buta junadi iz ekstenzivnog tova bio je manji, a sadržaj Cu veći u odnosu na uzorke buta iz intenzivnog sustava tova. Suprotno od buta, u jetri je sadržaj Cu bio veći kod junadi iz intenzivnog tova. U svim ispitivanim partijama mesa iz ekstenzivnog tova sadržaj Mg je bio značajno veći nego kod junadi iz intenzivnog tova.

The indigenous Travnik (Vlasic) cheese is produced in central Bosnia in the area of Mt. Vlasic. This cheese belongs to the group of white soft cheeses, ripened in brine under anaerobic conditions, and made from raw, thermally untreated sheep’s milk. The production technology is very simple and is adapted to mountainous conditions. Cheese is an important source of essential nutrients, in particular proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of macroelements (Ca, Na, K, Mg, P) and microelements (Zn, Fe, Cu) in 15 samples of Travnik sheep cheese using the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and ultraviolet–visible spectrometry (UV-VIS) methods. A tendency of increasing Mg and K, Fe and Ca, Fe and Mg, and Fe and P was determined in the examined samples, but without statistical significance. The correlation coefficient values showed statistical validity at the level of high significance of differences (P<0.01).