The oil was extracted from sesame seed with two extraction methods. Traditional (Ardeh oil) and industrial method (cold pressing method: virgin and refined sesame oil) oil extraction was studied to compare the quality and heavy metal content of extracted oils. The chemical properties (fatty acid composition, peroxide, anisidine, acid values, and TOTOX) and heavy metal contents were investigated. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) of heavy metal intakes were calculated. The results demonstrated that the predominant fatty acid in oil samples was oleic, linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. It was indicated the peroxide, anisidine, acid values, and TOTOX of oil samples were as the order of Ardeh oil > virgin sesame oil > refined sesame oil. The reduction pattern of Pb > Zn >Cu > Cd >As was reported in sesame seed. Although the oil refining had been greatly reduced the Pb of oil sample, but it had yet been much higher than the permissible levels set by Codex Alimentarius. The HQ and HI of all heavy metals were less than one, but they were higher in Ardeh oil compared to others. It is necessary to monitor the presence of heavy metal contaminants and the quality of imported sesame seeds prior to oil preparation.

Tea grows in the contaminated soils, absorbs the heavy metals, and enters them into the human food chain. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, As, and Hg of the imported black tea leaves to Hormozgan Province were evaluated by atomic absorption spectrometer. Then, the Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) levels of heavy metal intakes were calculated to estimate the health hazard for consumers. The Pb, Cd, Cu, As, and Hg concentrations in the Sri Lankan and Indian blank tea were 0.14, 0.017, 11.29, 0.057, 0.0076 mg/kg, and 0.21, 0.02, 14.56, 0.067, 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. It was found that except for As concentration in Indian black tea were higher than Sri Lankan black tea. The HQ and HI levels of all studied metals were less than one, but they were higher in Indian black tea compared with the Sri Lankan black tea. The HI of Indian and Sri Lankan black tea samples were 0.061 and 0.048, respectively, which indicated no significant health hazard for tea consumers. The results showed that the consumption of the studied tea could not have any risk of heavy metal exposure.

The efficacy of different refining stages on physicochemical parameters, heavy metal, and mineral contents of sesame oil were investigated. The sesame oil from different refining stages (crude oil, neutralization, bleaching, deodorization, and refining stages) was taken from the local oil factory in Yazd, Iran. The fatty acid composition of oil samples was determined by GC-FID. The oxidation indexes including peroxide value, p-Anisidine, free fatty acid, TOTOX, total polar material, as well as antioxidant activity (FRAP and DPPH), and total phenolic content were measured. The mineral and heavy metal content of oil samples were analyzed by ICP-OES. Linoleic acid (41.1-42.4%), oleic acid (41-41.4%), palmitic acid (8.3-9.1%), and stearic acid (6.1-6.3%) were reported as the most dominant fatty acids in all oil samples. The results illustrated that the refining process had no significant effects on fatty acid composition except for slight changes in palmitic acid. It was shown that all oxidation indexes, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and mineral, and heavy metals were decreased during oil refining. The highest decrease in oxidative indexes was reported in the deodorization stage. The total phenolic content, DPPH, and FRAP ranged from 4.79 to 56.56 mg GAE/100 g, 6852.64 to 867.89 mg/ml, and 54.74 to 127.4 mM FeSO4.7H2O in RSO and CSO, respectively, which the highest decrease was shown during the neutralizing stage. The order of metals in RSO was shown as P>Ca>K>Fe>Mg>Al>Cr>Pb>Ni>Cd>Cu>Co. Although all metals were decreased by the refining process, the Pb concentration (0.16 mg/kg) of RSO was evaluated as higher than the permissible limit. Considering that the refining process effectively reduces undesirable compounds, the consumption of crude sesame oil is not recommended.

Introduction: In recent years, the contamination of food with heavy metals has received much attention. Plants can absorb metal pollutants through contaminated water, soil, and air. Materials and Methods: In the current study, accumulation of minerals in three types of soybeans was investigated by wet and dry digestion methods using ICP-OES technique. Thereafter, the metals' health risk was assessed by estimated daily intake, toxic hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index (HI) values. Results: According to the results, the concentrations of Cr, Se, Ca, Fe, Mo, Mn, and Mg in soybean seeds were 0.034-170.88 mg/kg, 0.21-243.79 mg//kg, 2.50-33.37 mg/kg, 0.05-0.86 mg/kg, 0.071-203.57 mg/kg, 0-0.47 mg/kg, and 2.69-19.31 mg/kg, respectively. The ashing method had a better performance in determining Ca, Fe, Mo, Mn, and Mg concentrations than the wet digestion method. The THQ rates were below 1 for the three varieties of each mineral element, but the HI values of variety 2 and variety 3 were higher than 1 in both methods. Conclusion: Furthermore, continuous monitoring of the soybeans' mineral and heavy metal contents seems necessary

Background: In recent years, the mare's milk has been introduced as a rich source of nutrients with hypoallergic characteristics which is widely used for Iranian infants.Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the heavy metal concentration of mare's milk and its consumption risk assessment.Methods: About 88 mare's milk was collected from Yazd, the centre of Iran, during the summer of 2020. The raw mare's milk was digested and analysed for mineral and heavy metal content (As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb and Zn) by ICP-OES. To estimate the health hazard for consumers the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) of heavy metals were determined. Results:The Ca ranged from 260.52 to 201.43 mg/L, which was the highest mineral in mare's milk followed by P and Mg. By increasing the age, P and Ca content was