Overview
Oltulu and Daşman measured 17 elements, including lead, cadmium, arsenic, nickel and antimony, by ICP-MS in 34 food supplements bought from pharmacies in Edirne, Turkey. Products ranged from multivitamin tablets and herbal powders to lozenges, a protein bar and a meal replacement shake mix. Per-product means of triplicate analyses are given in Tables 6 and 7. The article appeared in the January 2024 issue (submitted 2023) and is cited here as 2023.
Key numbers
- Cadmium ranged 0.002 to 0.431 µg/g; samples 17 (0.431 µg/g, high calcium and vitamin D tablet) and 28 (0.316 µg/g, vitamin C and zinc powder) exceeded the WHO herbal limit of 0.3 µg/g (Table 7, p. 93).
- Lead ranged 0.035 to 0.694 µg/g, highest in a mixed herbs powder (sample 32) (Table 7, p. 93).
- Arsenic ranged 0.005 to 0.267 µg/g (Table 7, p. 93).
- Meal replacement shake mix powder (sample 11): lead 0.065, cadmium 0.051, arsenic 0.017 µg/g (Table 7, p. 93).
Methods (brief)
Homogenized samples (about 0.5 g) were digested with 65% nitric acid in a closed microwave system and analysed on an Agilent 7700 ICP-MS following EPA Method 200.8. Spike recoveries at 25 ppb were 95.20 to 105.70% (Table 4); LODs in solution are in Table 5. No certified reference material was used.
Evidence Fitness
One package per product with triplicate analysis and spike recoveries; no CRM. Bismuth is reported at about 2 µg/g in nearly every product, which is unusual. Only one product (a meal replacement shake mix, measured as dry powder) is a direct measurement for meal-replacement-drink; the other supplements are a proxy for that page.