Heavy Metals in Broilers Meat and Its Relations to Health Risk to Human

Heavy metals pose significant risks to human health, and their presence in poultry products can serve as an indicator of environmental contamination. This study aims to determine and measure heavy metal concentrations in poultry muscle and liver tissues, assessing potential risks to human consumption. The levels of heavy metals, including Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, Co, Cr, Pb, Cd, and Ni, in chicken meat and meat products, feed, and litter, as well as laying hens’ eggs, feed, and litter. The purpose was to evaluate the safety and quality of these products based on recommended daily allowance (RDA) and tolerable upper levels. The liver showed the highest accumulation of heavy metals, except for Cr. Alarmingly, the intake of Pb and Cd from poultry products exceeded the RDA for adults, posing potential health risks. To ensure the safety and quality of poultry products for human consumption, stricter legislation and monitoring systems are necessary. Regulations should focus on the quality control of poultry products, feeds, and litter. Furthermore, detoxification methods should be implemented to reduce heavy metal concentrations in poultry waste.