Essential and toxic elements in home-grown vegetables: A comparison with store-bought produce
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216224%3A14110%2F25%3A00141414" target="_blank" >RIV/00216224:14110/25:00141414 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157525007112" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157525007112</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2025.107896" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.jfca.2025.107896</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Essential and toxic elements in home-grown vegetables: A comparison with store-bought produce
Original language description
Home-grown vegetables are often perceived by the general population as a healthier alternative to store-bought products. However, they are not subject to safety monitoring, which raises concerns about potential contamination. We analyzed 205 samples of four commonly consumed vegetables – carrots, lettuce, onions, and potatoes – for 25 essential and potentially toxic elements, comparing home-grown and store-bought sources. Elemental concentrations were determined using ICPMS after microwave-assisted acid digestion. No consistent differences in elemental composition were found between the two sources. Variations in essential element levels were greater across vegetable species than between cultivation methods, highlighting the importance of diverse vegetable intake. Potassium was the most nutritionally relevant element, with median levels of 2026–4183 mg/kg (onion–potato), covering 10–21 % of the nutrient reference value per 100 g. Levels of toxic elements remained within legislative limits, and estimated dietary exposures were generally low. Only potato consumption contributed to a higher cadmium intake; the highest estimated exposure reached 71 % of the tolerable intake in children with high consumption of store-bought potatoes (median level 0.022 mg/kg). These findings suggest that vegetables from urban home gardens without major pollution sources are generally safe. Nonetheless, the perceived nutritional superiority of home-grown produce may be overestimated.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
30304 - Public and environmental health
Result continuities
Project
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Continuities
S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
ISSN
0889-1575
e-ISSN
1096-0481
Volume of the periodical
146
Issue of the periodical within the volume
October 2025
Country of publishing house
US - UNITED STATES
Number of pages
9
Pages from-to
1-9
UT code for WoS article
001512999700002
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105008020094