Metal Concentrations in Canned Fish in Developing Countries and Its Relation with Human Health Risk

Abstract

Fish protein consumption by humans, including that of canned tuna fish, is rising stead-ily all over the world. There are some concerns, though, regarding the potential for exposure to high metal concentrations in canned fish products. Numerous studies on the concentration of metals in seafood, including, lead (Pb), tin (Sn), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), and cadmium (Cd) in canned fish, have been carried out worldwide. Majority of the reports indicated that the heavy metals in the canned fish were low, in the permissible limit and safe for human consumption. Some factors such as fish habitat water quality, exposure time of fish to heavy metals in wa-ter, levels of concentrations of the heavy metals in water, trophic pattern of fish, heavy metals contaminations of fish during processing, especially soldering of packaging cans, quality and shelf life of canned fish can bring about elevated rise in the heavy metals of the canned fish. It is recommended that before a fish is used for canning, prior assessment of its heavy metal concentrations should be done. Also, regular mon-itoring of the levels of heavy metals that may occur in the canned fish due to processing and canning should be carried out. All these will help in determining the safety of the canned fish, guide against any adverse health risk associated with consumption of canned fish and allay consumers` fear of cancer from the consumption of canned fish.