Hassan et al. 2025 — Heavy metals in cornflakes from Lebanese retail markets
This study measured arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and lead in 42 commercially sold cornflake products available on the Lebanese market by ICP-MS, comparing results against EU and Codex Alimentarius maximum limits and calculating estimated daily intakes (EDI) and hazard quotients (HQ) for risk assessment. All five metals were detected across samples, with chromium registering the highest mean concentrations, and the authors evaluated both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for adult and child consumers. The paper provides one of the first occurrence datasets for heavy metals in cornflakes from Lebanon, a country with limited regulatory monitoring infrastructure for cereal contaminants.
Key numbers
All values in µg/kg (ppb) dry weight unless stated. Method: ICP-MS.
- As (total): mean not individually extracted in summary text; range reported across the 42 samples
- Cd: mean 0.0020–0.0053 ppm range noted for analytes across categories; exact per-metal per-sample statistics are in the published tables
- Cr: highest mean concentration among the five analytes measured
- Hg (total): detected across samples at trace levels
- Pb: detected; compared against EU Regulation No. 1881/2006 and Codex limits for cereal products
Risk assessment findings: non-carcinogenic HQ values for all metals were below 1 for both adults and children under typical consumption scenarios, indicating acceptable non-carcinogenic risk. Carcinogenic risk from As and Cd was within the acceptable range (1×10⁻⁶ to 1×10⁻⁴) for most scenarios. Pb and Cd concentrations in all tested products were below EU maximum limits applicable to cereal products.
Sample: n=42 cornflake products, 2025 Lebanese retail market (supermarkets and hypermarkets across Beirut and major cities). Analytical method: ICP-MS following microwave acid digestion.
Methods (brief)
Samples were microwave-acid-digested and analyzed by ICP-MS for As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb simultaneously. Method validation included certified reference materials. LODs and LOQs reported per element. Speciation between iAs and tAs was not performed; all arsenic values are total arsenic. Chromium reported as total Cr; Cr-VI speciation not conducted.
Implications
Certification: Cornflake products are relevant to breakfast cereal product categories; As and Pb are the primary HMT&C analytes for cereal matrices. Cr and Hg data supplement total contamination picture but Cr-VI and MeHg speciation is absent.
Courses: Demonstrates applicability of EU maximum limits as a reference benchmark in a non-EU market context; useful for supply-chain risk discussions.
App: Corn-flour-based breakfast cereals confirmed as a multi-metal occurrence matrix for As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb.