Cadmium in organs and tissues of horses slaughtered in Italy.
Abstract: The cadmium content of muscle, liver, kidney and blood samples from 62 horses slaughtered in Italy was investigated. Cadmium was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) after wet digestion of the samples. The mean and median contents of all samples were (on a fresh weight basis) 75 and 41 micrograms kg-1 for muscle, 2.46 and 2.10 mg kg-1 for liver, 20.0 and 13.5 mg kg-1 for kidney. The cadmium level in blood samples was always below 6 micrograms l-1. The cadmium concentrations in muscle, liver and kidney were found to be related to the life span of the specimens and increased with age. Females exhibited higher levels than males, but this difference was significant only in the case of muscle tissue. The geographical origin was recognized as the main factor influencing the cadmium content of the equine specimens analysed. The differences between horses coming from the three main breeding countries considered in this study (Poland, Lithuania, Hungary) were marked and statistically significant. The average intake of cadmium from equine meat was estimated for the general population and for population groups resident in areas with high consumption of this food item. While the cadmium intake from equine meat for the average consumer accounts for about 1% of the total cadmium intake estimated for Italy, in the latter case the enhanced consumption of equine muscle is often accompanied with the consumption of substantial quantities of equine liver and this may lead to high cadmium intakes.
Publication Date: 2000-10-12 PubMed ID: 11027029DOI: 10.1080/02652030050083204Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research investigates the content of cadmium metal in various organs and tissues of horses that were slaughtered in Italy. It further examines the factors influencing these levels, such as the age, gender, and geographic origin of the horses.
Research Methodology
- The study involved analyzing cadmium content in various specimens from 62 horses. The specimens included muscle, liver, kidney, and blood samples.
- The process of determining the cadmium content involved wet digestion of the samples, followed by a technique known as graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS).
Data Analysis and Findings
- On average, the cadmium concentration was 75 micrograms per kilogram in muscle tissue, 2.46 milligrams per kilogram in liver tissue, and 20 milligrams per kilogram in kidney tissue.
- The cadmium level in blood samples was observed to be below 6 micrograms per liter consistently.
- There was a correlation found between the lifespan of the horses and the cadmium concentration, with older horses exhibiting higher cadmium levels.
- Female horses showed higher cadmium levels than males, a difference that was significant when it came to muscle tissue.
- Another influential factor was the horses’ geographical origin. Differences in cadmium content were significant among horses from Poland, Lithuania, and Hungary.
Implications of the Findings
- The study indicates that the average intake of cadmium from horse meat accounts for about 1% of the total cadmium intake estimated for Italy. However, in areas where consumption of horse meat is higher, this could lead to higher intake of cadmium.
- The higher intake is often due to the consumption of substantial amounts of horse liver along with the muscle meat, both of which contain high levels of cadmium.
- The findings of this study suggest that the source of horse meat (specifically the geographical origin and the gender of horses) can significantly affect the amount of cadmium exposure a person may get from consuming horse meat.
Cite This Article
APA
Baldini M, Stacchini P, C뫝a F, Miniero R, Parodi P, Facelli P.
(2000).
Cadmium in organs and tissues of horses slaughtered in Italy.
Food Addit Contam, 17(8), 679-687.
https://doi.org/10.1080/02652030050083204 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Laboratorio Alimenti, Rome, Italy. baldini@iss.it
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Cadmium / analysis
- Female
- Food Contamination
- Horses
- Italy
- Kidney / chemistry
- Liver / chemistry
- Male
- Maximum Allowable Concentration
- Meat / analysis
- Muscles / chemistry
- Spectrophotometry, Atomic / methods
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Liu C, Zhang R, Yang L, Ji T, Zhu C, Liu B, Zhang H, Xu C, Zhang N, Huang S, Chen L. Neuroprotection of resveratrol against cadmium-poisoning acts through dual inhibition of mTORC1/2 signaling.. Neuropharmacology 2022 Nov 15;219:109236.
- Carpenè E, Andreani G, Ferlizza E, Menotta S, Fedrizzi G, Isani G. Trace Elements in Home-Processed Food Obtained from Unconventional Animals.. Life (Basel) 2020 May 23;10(5).
- Passlack N, Mainzer B, Lahrssen-Wiederholt M, Schafft H, Palavinskas R, Breithaupt A, Zentek J. Concentrations of strontium, barium, cadmium, copper, zinc, manganese, chromium, antimony, selenium, and lead in the liver and kidneys of dogs according to age, gender, and the occurrence of chronic kidney disease.. J Vet Sci 2015;16(1):57-66.
- Paßlack N, Mainzer B, Lahrssen-Wiederholt M, Schafft H, Palavinskas R, Breithaupt A, Neumann K, Zentek J. Concentrations of strontium, barium, cadmium, copper, zinc, manganese, chromium, antimony, selenium and lead in the equine liver and kidneys.. Springerplus 2014;3:343.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
