Comprehensive Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Locally Consumed Tomato Paste in Libya

The problems of food pollution have become a major threat to human society. Evaluation of the pollution status of canned food provides a reference for further work to reduce the risk of heavy metal pollution. In this case, the tomato paste product consumed in Libya and imported from abroad, was selected as a case study. This study assesses the occurrence and levels of heavy metals (zinc, lead, cadmium, iron, and copper) in canned and bottled tomato paste. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) for quantitative analysis. A thorough sample preparation technique was employed, incorporating drying, digestion with nitric and sulfuric acids, and dilution to guarantee uniformity and precision. The results indicated a broad spectrum of heavy metal concentrations: zinc levels varied from 0.00 ± 0.00 to 2.41 ± 0.03 mg/kg, lead from 0.00 ± 0.00 to 1.66 ± 0.01 mg/kg, Cadmium from 0.00 ± 0.00 to 0.62 ± 0.01 mg/kg, iron from 1.36 ± 0.02 to 38.20 ± 1.60 mg/kg, and copper from 0.00 ± 0.00 to 0.62 ± 0.01 mg/kg. Although the safety levels set by Libyan and international norms, samples displayed heavy metal concentrations surpassing permitted limits. The elevated quantities of these metals were associated with causes including environmental pollution from dirty irrigation water, soil deterioration, and processing conditions, which may involve leaching from packaging materials. The levels of heavy metals pollution, in this study, showed that it is necessary to pay attention to the health risks of heavy metals and establish stringent quality control protocols throughout the manufacturing chain.