Store-bought chicken breast was analyzed for chromium and arsenic species by HPLC-ICP-MS, with and without added oat protein isolates and hydrolysates. In control meat the hexavalent form exceeded the trivalent form, and adding the oat proteins lowered hexavalent chromium and raised trivalent chromium, which the authors link in part to thiol content.
Key numbers
- Control chicken breast: trivalent chromium 2.76 ± 0.15 to 3.38 ± 0.11 ng/g and hexavalent chromium 11.5 ± 0.3 to 14.3 ± 0.1 ng/g (Results, p. 4; Figure 3). The abstract prints the same figures in µg/g, a thousandfold unit conflict with the methods and results (ng/g of ground meat).
- With oat protein hydrolysates, hexavalent chromium fell to as low as 6.3 ± 0.5 and trivalent chromium rose to as high as 8.6 ± 0.7 (abstract units µg/g; results text ng/g) (abstract, p. 1; Results, p. 4).
- Calibration standards 0.5 to 10 µg/L for each species; detection at m/z 52 (Methods 2.5, p. 3).
Methods (brief)
Papain extraction with sonication, filtration and ion-pair reversed-phase HPLC coupled to ICP-MS (Agilent 7500cx); triplicate homogenates; storage at 4 and -20 degrees C for 24 h.
Evidence fitness
Supports a laboratory observation of both chromium species in one retail chicken sample and of hexavalent chromium reduction by added food proteins. It does not support market-wide occurrence or exposure estimates.
Limitations
No detection limits, reference material or spike recovery reported for chromium species; single store source; unit conflict between abstract and results; the dominance of hexavalent chromium in raw meat is not explained.
Related evidence
Update history
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