MARKET BASKET SURVEY FOR CHROMIUM, COPPER, LEAD AND CADMIUM IN SOME VEGETABLES FROM DIFFERENT SHOPPING MALLS IN KOLKATA, INDIA

Food safety issues are of growing concern to consumers and both microbial and inorganic contaminants are of concern in fresh vegetables. A market basket survey was conducted to investigate the levels of four heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu and Cr) in various vegetables collected from seven shopping malls in Kolkata, India. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to estimate and evaluate the levels of these metals in the vegetables. The mean concentration of copper in all the samples (except two unwashed samples) collected from different shopping malls is within the safe value recommended by FAO/WHO. The results also showed that concentration of lead and cadmium in most of the vegetables tested even after washing and boiling exceed the permissible limit. Chromium content of few vegetables reduced to safe value after washing and boiling. The study concludes that the magnitude of heavy metal contamination in vegetables collected are of serious concern and pose a threat to the quality of the vegetables with consequences for the health of the consumers. Increase in vegetables consumption will worsen the situation in the future.