Lead Contributed by the Environment and Raw Materials to Popular Street Foods in Metro Manila, Philippines

Different hazardous chemicals have been introduced in our environment. Heavy metals, like lead is among those. As the earth approximates that of a closed system, such contaminant will freely distribute itself from one sphere to another at an infinite number of years. Street foods and the raw materials used to prepare it may then be laden with lead. The health and safety of the public is thus at stake particularly if the concentration of lead in food would go beyond the 0.5 ppm EPA standard limit.. According to survey, banana cue, kamote cue, turon, different peanut varieties and kwek were the five most popular street foods from Manila City Hall to Baclaran in Metro Manila, Philippines. Using FAAS, the concentrations of lead in these street foods were obtained and ranged from 0.5667 to 0.7924 ppm. All went above EPA standard limit for lead in food. Lead from combined main and additive raw materials to prepare the different popular street foods, ranged from 0,3266 to 0.7329 ppm. Possible mean lead concentrations in blood upon ingestion of the popular street foods ranged from 17.001 to 39.620 ug/dL The possible blood lead levels went beyond the safe 10ug/dL level set by the Center for Disease Control. Peanuts (with skin) showed the highest lead levels as contributed by the immediate environment. For the recommendations, sample collection schedule must include the start and the end of the selling day of the vendors. Study of the possible sources of lead contamination of raw materials used must be explored. The Philippine Government may use this study as basis for policy making for lead-free street foods and raw materials, and for the improvement of environment and health conditions in Metro Manila.