Essential and toxic elements in home-grown vegetables: A comparison with store-bought produce

Kód výsledku v 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>

Výsledek na webu

<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>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Essential and toxic elements in home-grown vegetables: A comparison with store-bought produce

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

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.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Essential and toxic elements in home-grown vegetables: A comparison with store-bought produce

Popis výsledku anglicky

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.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

30304 - Public and environmental health

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Journal of Food Composition and Analysis

ISSN

0889-1575

e-ISSN

1096-0481

Svazek periodika

146

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

October 2025

Stát vydavatele periodika

US - Spojené státy americké

Počet stran výsledku

9

Strana od-do

1-9

Kód UT WoS článku

001512999700002

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-105008020094