Omega-3 fatty acids VS heavy metals: A quantitative estimation of the benefit-risk ratio for the consumption of commonly-consumed fish and products in Metro Manila

• Main Author: Briones, Dave Pitargue
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2012
• Subjects: Omega-3 fatty acids; Fishes—Heavy metal content; Chemistry
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/4113; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_masteral/article/10951/viewcontent/CDTG005110_P.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

Fish consumption is the main route of heavy metal exposure to human which poses health risks if taken in high dosage. On the other hand, the nutritional benefits of fish are mainly due to the content of high-quality protein and high content of the two kinds of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The study aims to assess and compare the benefit-risk ratio for the consumption of commonly consumed fish and products in Metro Manila. Fish and product samples were analyzed for moisture, crude fat, heavy metals (As, Cd, Pb) and fatty acid profile (saturated, mono- and polyunsaturated) including omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Heavy metal contents of fish and products were less than the provisional tolerable weekly intake. This was also true for the target hazard quotients for all the toxicants except for As in dried sardine. These findings generally indicate that the consumption of fish and products studied posed no risk to human health. Essential fatty acids EPA and DHA were highest for dried anchovy (1.5 and 7.3mg/100g sample), mussel (1.5 and 1.0mg/100g sample), round scad (0.9 and 3.4mg/100g sample) and skipjack tuna (1.1 and 3.9mg/100g sample). The hazard quotients of essential fatty acids versus heavy metals were also less than 1 except for Cd in squid (1.8), As of dried sardine (19.9), squid (1.8), shrimp (3.4), and skipjack tuna (1.7) and this suggests that these seafood should be monitored regularly. In conclusion, analysis of the heavy metal contents of fish and products revealed that the values were below the provisional tolerable weekly intake by these metals indicating that no risk is posed by the consumption of fish most commonly eaten by Filipino adults. The target hazard quotients for all the fish and products also showed values less than 1, which suggest that health risks were insignificant.