Occurrence of heavy and trace metals in traditionally fermented milk consumed in Narok and Kericho regions of South Rift in Kenya

by Open Science Repository Chemistry
(January 2014)

Abstract

The Kalenjins living in Kericho and the Maasai in the Narok region of Kenya, process and use fermented milk as food after addition of food preservatives. In the present study lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and chromium (Cr) in fermented cow milk was determined. Samples were collected from selected areas of Kericho and Narok counties of south Rift in Kenya. An atomic absorption spectrometric (AAS) was used for analysis. The amounts of trace metals, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were also similarly quantified. Fermented milk from Narok had higher amounts of copper (0.013±0.03ppm) compared to the other metals Cd (0.012±0.03ppm), Pb (0.206±0.03ppm), Zn (0.222±0.03ppm) and Hg (0.002±0.03ppm). On the other hand, milk samples from Kericho also had a higher copper content (0.127±0.03ppm) than the other metals, Cd (0.004±0.03ppm), Pb (0.100±0.03ppm), and Zn (0.085±0.03ppm). Chromium was not detected in milk samples fro the two regions while mercury was undetected only in milk samples from Narok. Lead levels were higher (0.206±0.03ppm) in milk samples from Narok than in those from with Kericho County with 0.100±0.03ppm. In addition, mercury residues were present in the Narok samples averaging 0.002ppm. Nevertheless, no significant statistical differences were found between the quantities of heavy and trace elements between Kericho and Narok cow milk in reference to the permissible limits by Codex/ WHO. The presence of these heavy and trace metals in fermented milk samples calls for further monitoring in other areas where milk is thus processed and consumed. In addition, some caution in the use of such milk is necessary.

Keywords: fermented milk, copper, lead, chromium, cadmium.

Full text

Occurrence of heavy and trace metals in traditionally fermented milk consumed in Narok and Kericho regions of South Rift in Kenya