Determination of Heavy Metals in Some Selected Pastas in Nasarawa State Markets

Pasta is a common food product created from wheat flour combined with water or eggs, shaped into various forms, and cooked by boiling or baking. the primary route for heavy metals to enter the human body is through food consumption. this study aims to assess the presence of heavy metals in pasta products. we conducted an analysis using atomic absorption spectroscopy (aas) to determine the concentrations of manganese, cadmium, copper, chromium, lead, and zinc. the results of our heavy metal analysis revealed the presence of significant concentrations of these elements in four distinct pasta types: hws, gps, ds, and cs. notably, cs exhibited elevated levels of nickel (ni) contamination, while hws contained a high concentration of cadmium (cd). these findings suggest that manufacturing processes employed in the industry may be responsible for the contamination of these heavy metals in pasta products. furthermore, it is concerning that hws and cs still contain concentrations of ni and cd above the maximum permissible limits recommended by the world health organization (who). considering the limits of blank (lob), limits of detection (lod), repeatability (r), and reproducibility (rp) presented in this study, we observed minimal variability or uncertainty in the measurements. this suggests a notable level of precision in the measuring instruments and the tested samples. consequently, the pasta products investigated in this area can be considered safe for consumption. nevertheless, we recommend continued research of this nature in other regions of the state to ensure the safety of pasta products across the entire area.