Mineral Profile of Selected Spices: Nutritional and Toxicological Assessment

Spices represent edible parts of plants used in the human diet to enhance food's flavor, aroma, and nutritional value. In addition to organic compounds, they contain significant amounts of macro- and microelements, including potentially toxic elements. The study aim to analyze the mineral composition of nine commonly used spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, turmeric, sesame, basil, chili, oregano, and ginger. Sample preparation was performed using a wet digestion method with concentrated HNO₃ and H₂O₂, while quantitative elemental analysis (Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Ca, K, Na, Mg, Al) was carried out using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The results showed that potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) were the most abundant macroelements in all analyzed samples, while magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and aluminum (Al) were present in lower concentrations. Among the microelements, the highest zinc (Zn) content was found in cinnamon, while ginger showed the highest copper (Cu) content. Iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) were present significantly, highlighting their nutritional importance. The concentrations of toxic elements (Pb, Ni, Cr, Cd) did not exceed permissible limits, confirming the relative safety of the tested samples for human consumption. The results indicate the potential use of spices as supplementary sources of essential minerals in the daily diet.