Dietary risk assessment of organochlorine pesticide residues in maize-based complementary breakfast food products in Nigeria

Mosudi B Sosan; Adeoluwa O Adeleye; John Adekunle O Oyekunle; Onehireba Udah; Philemon M Oloruntunbi; Miracle O Daramola; Waidi T Saka

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05803

Dietary risk assessment of organochlorine pesticide residues in maize-based complementary breakfast food products in Nigeria

Heliyon. 2020 Dec 22;6(12):e05803. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05803. eCollection 2020 Dec.

Authors

Mosudi B Sosan¹, Adeoluwa O Adeleye¹, John Adekunle O Oyekunle², Onehireba Udah¹, Philemon M Oloruntunbi¹, Miracle O Daramola¹, Waidi T Saka¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Crop Production and Protection, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 220005, Nigeria.
² Department of Chemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 220005, Nigeria.

Abstract

The study assessed the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in eight brands (A-H) of regularly consumed maize-based complementary/breakfast foods in Nigeria. We also evaluated the dietary exposure of infants and young children to the detected OCPs. The OCP residues were quantified using GC-ECD. A total of 10 OCPs residues (β-HCH, δ- HCH, heptachlor, endosulfan sulfate, aldrin, endrin, dieldrin, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT and methoxychlor) were detected. Total OCPs burden was highest in brands F, D, and G with mean concentrations of 45.98 mg kg^-1, 28.54 mg kg^-1 and 21.87 mg kg^-1, respectively and the lowest burdens in brands H (1.72 mg kg^-1) and A (6.61 mg kg^-1). Hazard index (HI) for all the age categories were >1 and all the 6 carcinogens (β-HCH, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDT) identified had cancer risk index range of 5.43 × 10^-4 to 2.05 × 10^-6 which were above acceptable risk. These results indicated the possibility of both systemic and cancer risks to infants and children consumers of the foods. Food brands manufacturers need to carry out regular pesticide residues analysis of raw materials especially maize prior to the production in order to ensure food safety and quality.

Keywords: Contamination; Health risk; Maize-based products; Organochlorine pesticide; Residues.