The influence of culinary processing on content of lead and cadmium in carrots

: The research was performed to determine both safety of carrot dishes consumption taking into account lead and cadmium intake and prospect of lowering content of these elements in carrot during culinary processing. Different but unspecified varieties of investigated carrot came from the Warsaw market and from allotments and fields in Upper Silesia. Lead and cadmium level was determined in raw material as well as the elements' distribution in different parts of carrot root. The impact of initial treatment including peeling and soaking in water of the crumbled vegetable was studied. The carrot was cooked traditionally beginning with boiling or cold water. Lead and cadmium content were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry for extracts of APDC complexes. The investigated raw material contained little lead (an average 0.019 mg/kg) and cadmium (average 0.015 mg/kg). Both elements are distributed in layers in entire carrot root. The highest concentration of both lead and cadmium can be found in the skin (0.075 mg Pb and 0.0115 mg Cd/kg skin), lower in parenchyma (0.028 mg Pb and 0.066 mg Cd/kg parenchyma) and the lowest in the core (0.027 mg Pb and Cd/kg core). Because of unequal concentration of both elements in each layer, peeling eliminates up to 25% lead and about 19% cadmium. Keeping carrot in water showed a tendency to diminish the level of both elements in raw material. Soaking carrot for 24 h made it shed 40% of lead and 67% of cadmium. Cooking process decreased both metal's concentration in the vegetable. The traditional cooking method diminished lead content by 6-47% and cadmium content by 35-44%.