Tin and Aluminium Concentration in Canned Foods, Drinks and Beverages Sold in Nigerian Markets

Abstract

Concentration of tin and aluminium in twenty-four samples of different brands of canned foods, drinks and beverages sold in the Nigerian markets was determined using Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. This was with the aim of establishing the extent to which the containers leach into their contents and also the degree of health hazard such containers could cause. From the results obtained, for canned soft drinks; the mean average concentration ranged from <0.01-74.9µg ml^-1and for canned energy drinks and alcoholic drinks, they were below detection limits for tin but for aluminium, the mean average concentration ranged from <0.01-71.2 µg ml^-1. For canned beverage drinks; the mean average concentration ranged from <0.01-516.0µg ml^-1 for tin and 9.76-387.5µgml^-1 for aluminium and for canned foods, the mean average concentration ranged from <0.01-202.9 µg ml^-1 for tin and 5.25-63.6µgml^-1for aluminium .  In all the analyzed samples, some products had in excess of the limits while some were below the maximum limits established by WHO/FAO and EU which says according to EC 1881/2006 maximum limit for tin which says 200mg/kg in canned food other than beverages should be 100mg/kg including fruit and vegetable juices and 50mg/kg for baby food. It could be inferred that the metals container leached into the product more at low pH than at higher pH and it can also be leached into the products as a result of poor manufacturing processes.

KEYWORDS: Concentration of tin and aluminium in the canned products, leaching, sources, toxicity.