Estimation of cadmium load from soybeans and soy-based foods for vegetarians

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment 2020-02, Vol.192 (2), p.89, Article 89
• Main Authors: Kosečková, Pavlína, Zvěřina, Ondřej, Pruša, Tomáš, Coufalík, Pavel, Hrežová, Eliška
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption spectroscopy; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Atomic absorption analysis; Atomic absorption spectroscopy; Body Weight; Cadmium; Cadmium - analysis; Cadmium content; Consumption; Czech Republic; Diet; Dietary Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Dietary intake; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Management; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental science; Fabaceae; Female; Food; Food availability; Food consumption; Food Contamination - statistics & numerical data; Food intake; Foods; Glycine max - chemistry; Heavy metals; Humans; Legumes; Male; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soy Foods - analysis; Soybeans; Spectral analysis; Spectrometry; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Tempeh; Tofu; Vegan; Veganism; Vegetables; Vegetarianism; Vegetarians
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-8034-7

Soybeans, as legumes, belong among food items that contribute most to the dietary intake of the heavy metal cadmium (Cd). The consumption of soy-based foods may contribute significantly to Cd intake in vegetarians as probably the most frequent consumers of these foods. In this research, the weekly dietary intake of Cd from soy-based foods was investigated in 119 participants (including vegetarians, vegans, and non-vegetarians) in the Czech Republic by means of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) with personal assistance and the measurement of body weight. Cd content in soy-based foods available on the market was determined by means of atomic absorption spectrometry after microwave digestion. Tofu, as the most frequently consumed food item in the vegetarian/vegan group, contributed most to the total dietary Cd intake. It contained 7.6 ± 0.1 μg Cd/kg, while the highest Cd content was observed in tempeh (18.1 ± 0.4 μg/kg). The highest mean dietary Cd intake per week from soy-based foods was 0.4 μg/kg b.w. and was found in the vegan group. The consumption of soy-based foods was the lowest in the non-vegetarian group as was the dietary intake of Cd, which was 0.04 μg/kg b.w. per week.