Elemental distribution in summer fruits of Pakistan
Abstract
Levels of the selected major and minor elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, Zn and Fe) in 11 summer fruits grown in Pakistan were estimated by the flame AAS method based on HNO3/HClO4 wet‐digestion method. The metal concentrations are expressed as X for triplicate sub‐samples with a standard deviation of ±1.0‐1.5 per cent. Of all the minor elements analyzed, Fe was found to be the dominant metal on mean basis as compared with other metals in fruits, its concentration being 14.25mg/kg. The increasing order of minor‐element concentration was: Cd<Pb<Zn<Cr<Ni<Fe. While for major elements, K concentration was found to be maximum as 409.7mg/kg and increasing order was: Ca<Na<Mg<K. In general, minor‐element concentrations were found to surpass the safe limit laid down by the World Health Organization. Fruits were found to be a rich resource of major elements.
Keywords
Citation
Zahoor, A., Jaffar, M. and Saqib, M. (2003), "Elemental distribution in summer fruits of Pakistan", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 33 No. 5, pp. 203-207. https://doi.org/10.1108/00346650310499712
Publisher
:MCB UP Ltd
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited