The repeatedly heating cooking oil in preparation of fried food has become a main dietary habit among Malaysian which can cause health impacts on humans. The peroxide value (PV) can be applied to identify cooking oil’s quality through the oxidative change that takes place in fats or oils. High peroxide value indicates bad quality of cooking oil. This research was conducted to identify the awareness and practice of repeatedly heating cooking oil among food premise operators and to determine the peroxide value in repeatedly heating cooking oil samples. Methods: A total of 124 food premise operators in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, participated in this research. A face-to-face interview was carried out by using the structured questionnaire for data collection to obtain socio-demographics information as well as awareness and practice of repeatedly heating cooking oil among respondents. The peroxide values analysis was performed on five samples of respondent’s most favourable brands of cooking oil by using iodometric titration method. Results: Majority of respondents had moderate awareness (53.2%) and practice (50.0%) level regarding repeatedly heating cooking oil. The PV analysis showed that the peroxide value begin to exceed the AOCS standard limit of 10 meqO2/kg following the 5th cycles of frying. Conclusion: Relevant actions need to be taken by the governmental food authorities to address this issue and ensure safe consumption of fried foods by consumers.
Instant noodles had been found to be contaminated with heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As). This study aims to determine the heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As) concentration in popular instant noodles from Ma- laysian market. Seven different brands of commercially popular instant noodles were randomly sampled from the market. The samples were prepared by dry ashing method prior to analysis by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrophotometer (ICP-MS). Results showed that all seven samples detected with heavy metals which the concentration for Pb in two samples exceeded the maximum permitted level of Malaysian Food Act and Regulation of 2 mg/kg. This finding indicated that instant noodle can be one the sources of chronic exposure to toxic heavy metals through food consumption which later might cause health effects. Instant noodles in Malaysian market need to be closely monitored to ensure the food quality and safety for consumption. Further study which focuses on the source of contamination as well as the health risk of consuming this contaminated noodles is strongly recommended.
Introduction: Eating seafood has become a major health concern for many people due to the present of heavy met- al especially cadmium (Cd). Cd can accumulate in the body and disrupt the normal cellular processes which will eventually lead to organ damage. This study aims to determine the seafood consumption pattern and blood cadmium (BCd) as well as the association between these two variables among respondents living along the coastal area of Melaka. Methods: Pretested questionnaires were used to collect background and food frequency intake from coastal villagers through convenient sampling method. Venous blood samples were analysed by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for BCd determination. Results: A total of 63 respondents who 54% were female with median age of 34 years old provided complete data in this study. The most frequently consumed seafood and its product were shrimp paste (31.5%) followed by mackerel (13.6%), hardtail-scad (6.2%), flatfish (4.5%) and fish ball (4.0). All blood samples showed the present of Cd with median (IQR) = 0.076 (0.1) μg/L and ranged between 0.007 to 1.284 μg/L. The finding showed no association between frequently consumed seafood and low BCd of the respondents. On the other hand, gender was found to be significantly associated with the BCd. Conclusion: Seafood consumption pattern was not significantly associated with BCd which suggests that frequent seafood consumption may not contribute much to BCd level among the respondents as well as it may indicates safe consumption of these seafood available in the study location.
Introduction: Accumulation of heavy metals through seafood consumption constitutes a significant potential threat to human health. Biomonitoring of whole blood heavy metals level gave an insight into the internal body burden to the exposure of heavy metals. The aims of this study were to assess the blood heavy metals (arsenic and lead) level among the coastal community of Melaka and to determine their association with sociodemographic background and potential sources of heavy metals accumulation. Methods: Respondents were recruited through purposive sampling technique based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The questionnaires were distributed to obtain sociodemograph- ic information, the frequency of seafood intake and smoking habit. Blood samples were obtained on a voluntary basis. A total of 63 respondents completed all the information required. The heavy metals concentration in blood was determined by inductively coupled plasma- mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results: The blood arsenic (BAs) con- centration of respondents was 0.076 (0.059 – 0.107) µg/L and the blood lead (BPb) concentration of respondents was 1.204 (0.670 – 2.094) µg/L respectively. A significant association was observed between seafood-based product frequency intake and BPb concentration (p < 0.05). Other seafood frequency intake and background factors were not significantly associated with the BAs and BPb concentration of respondents. Conclusion: The findings showed that arsenic and lead levels in the blood of respondents along the coastal area of Melaka did not exceed the blood heavy metals reference levels and there was also lack of associations between blood heavy metals concentration and the potential factors of heavy metals accumulation studied.