Human Exposure to Toxic Elements Through Meat Consumption

Overview

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Key numbers

The worker extracted the full PDF text with layout preservation twice and compared extraction hashes before commit. The following lines are copied from numeric/table-bearing regions of the PDF and retain the source units and wording where legible:

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17111755 27% of global consumption, is the largest total meat consumer, although its per-capita
Table 1. Health risk benchmarks for toxic trace elements.
As BMDL0.1 (cancer) 0.3–8 µg/kg bw/day EFSA (40)
Cd PTWI 25 µg/kg bw/week WHO (41)
Hg PTWI 4 µg/kg bw/week WHO (41)
Pb BMDL0.1 (neurotoxicity) 0.5 µg/kg bw/day EFSA (42)
Cr (VI) RfD 3 µg/kg bw/day US EPA (43)
Ni TDI 2.8 µg/kg bw/day EFSA (44)
BMDL0.1 : Benchmark Dose Lower Confidence Limit for a 0.1% response; PTWI: Provisional Tolerable Weekly
than muscle, with up to 50–60% of samples exceeding national standards for Cd and
Pb in some studies (e.g., Ghana (45), Nigeria (46)). Figure 1 visualizes mean Cd and Pb
Nigeria (60% of studies), with limited representation from Central and North Africa.
Figure 1. Mean concentrations of Cd and Pb in meat across African countries. Data from studies
State. Mean Cd levels ranged from 0.24 to 0.44 µg/g, detected in 43% of muscle samples
and varying percentages of offal samples (100% of kidney, 95% of liver, 70% of intestine,
and 50% of tripe). Mean Pb levels ranged from 0.09 to 0.26 µg/g, detected in 70% of muscle
and 100% of offal samples. Cd concentrations were relatively high, while Pb concentrations
Mean Pb concentrations were 0.09 ± 0.16, 0.13 ± 0.07, 0.26 ± 0.25, 0.17 ± 0.12, and
quotients (THQs) ranged from 0.42 to 0.90 for Cd and 0.05 to 0.10 for Pb, all < 1, indicating
no significant health risks for consumers in that region (Table 2). Further analysis by
nickel (Ni), calculating mean Estimated Daily Intakes (EDIs) of 299 (Zn), 88.9 (Cr), and
0.76 (Ni) µg/kg bw/day; only Cr intake exceeded the recommended daily intake (RDI),
suggesting a potential concern. Meanwhile, Olusola et al. (50) analyzed frozen chicken
(thighs and wings) from Lagos and Ibadan, reporting mean Cd (0.0065–0.0078 µg/dL) and
kidney were 0.156, 0.172, and 0.197 µg/g, respectively. Mean Pb levels were 0.721, 0.809,
found Cd levels in corned beef and meaty sausage ranging from 0.35 to 1.20 µg/g (mean
Ogbomida et al. (53) assessed risks from consuming free-range animals near municipal
Njoga et al. (54) evaluated As, Cd, and Pb in goat carcasses in Enugu State, reporting mean
ranges (µg/g) of 0.45–0.57 (As), 0.02–0.06 (Cd), and 0.45–0.82 (Pb) across muscle, liver, and
Table 2. A summary of studies conducted in the current century in Nigeria on the levels of toxic trace
Mean Cd levels (range): and Pb were 0.55 µg/kg
Enugu State 0.24–0.44 µg/g. Mean Pb bw/week (intestine) and
Ogun State respectively. For Pb, the mean higher than the standards Adetunji et al. (46)
Cd levels ranged between 0.35 Cd concentrations
the estimated As intake exceeded the As RfD by 46.7–60%, indicating a potential health
and Kumasi, found over 50% of samples exceeded Ghanaian limits for Cd (0.5 µg/g) and
Pb (0.5 µg/g). In turn, Bortey-Sam et al. (59) assessed metals in free-range animals near
in chicken kidney (mean 0.73 µg/g ww), and Hg at its highest in chicken kidney (0.12 µg/g
Kasozi et al. (60) measured Cd and Pb in beef, finding no detectable Cd but a high mean
mean levels (µg/g) of 0.41 (Cd), 19.37 (Cr), 14.96 (Ni), and 5.42 (Pb); the calculated EDIs for
risks. A subsequent survey by Kasozi et al. (62) found similar mean levels in beef: 0.4 (Cd),
20% of samples) to a nearby landfill impacting well water used for poultry.

Methods (brief)

scientific rigor. Data extracted included toxic element concentrations, sample sizes, tissue
Sample sizes and handling of non-detectable samples were extracted where available, but
than muscle, with up to 50–60% of samples exceeding national standards for Cd and
State. Mean Cd levels ranged from 0.24 to 0.44 µg/g, detected in 43% of muscle samples
and varying percentages of offal samples (100% of kidney, 95% of liver, 70% of intestine,
and 100% of offal samples. Cd concentrations were relatively high, while Pb concentrations
Ihedioha et al. (49) on the samples of cow meat assessed zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), and
investigation, Adetunji et al. (46) measured Cd and Pb concentrations in cattle samples
detected in any sample, while
and 1.20 µg/g in samples of exceeded the maximum Adejumo et al. (51)
Zamfara State and Cd were found in samples The levels of Cd and Pb in
measured in meat samples of meats of goat and cow,
and Kumasi, found over 50% of samples exceeded Ghanaian limits for Cd (0.5 µg/g) and
be ubiquitous in the sampled beef, possibly from environmental sources.
20% of samples) to a nearby landfill impacting well water used for poultry.
between 2000 and 2024, with added details on sample sizes, QA/QC, detection limits, and
samples. Pb: >0.5 µg/g in over
Mbeubeuss landfill) samples. well water used for et al. (65)

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Update history

The five most recent substantive edits to this page, classified major (evidence or structure moved), correction (a published value or statement was wrong and has been fixed), or minor (narrative rewritten without changing the underlying evidence). Each description is derived from what the edit did to this page; the linked commit is the authoritative record, routine regeneration passes are excluded, and the full version history lives in git. When DOI minting comes online (see schema docs), each entry below will also link to a version-pinned DataCite DOI.

Commit	Date	Change	Description
b01ec52c	2026-08-04	major	2 sections added
d49e450f	2026-08-03	major	5 sections added; narrative text revised