Objective. Street-vended foods offer numerous advantages to food security; nevertheless, the safety of street food should be considered. This study has investigated the level of potential toxic metal (Pb, Cd, Hg, Sb, Mn, and Al) contamination among street-vended foods in Benin City and Umunede. Methods. Twenty street food samples were purchased from vendors at bus stops. Metals were analyzed with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The methods developed by the US EPA were employed to evaluate the potential health risk of toxic metals. Results. The concentrations of the toxic metals in mg/kg were in the range of Pb (0.014–1.37), Cd (0.00–0.00017), Hg (0.00–0.00014), Sb (0.00–0.021), Mn (0.00–0.012), and Al (0.00–0.22). All the toxic metals except Pb were below permissible limit set by WHO, EU, and USEPA. The daily intake, hazard quotient, and hazard index of all toxic metals except for Pb in some street foods were below the tolerable daily intake and threshold value of 1, indicating an insignificant health risk. Total cancer risk was within the priority risk level of 1.0E − 04 but higher than the acceptable risk level of 1E − 06. Conclusion. Consumption of some of these street foods is of public health concern.

Objectives: Infant formulas are useful alternatives to breast milk in many circumstances but may pose health risks to infants and children due to contamination by potentially toxic metals. This study aimed to determine the aluminium, arsenic and mercury concentrations and carry out an exposure health risk assessment in commonly consumed infant formulas in Nigeria. Methods: Different brands of both locally manufactured and imported infant formulas were purchased in March 2017 from stores in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Analysis of metals in the samples was performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The health risk was assessed by comparing estimated daily intake of aluminium, arsenic and mercury with the provisional tolerable daily intake acceptable by the Joint Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Results: A total of 26 infant formulas were analysed. The levels of arsenic were higher in cereal-based formulas compared to milkbased formulas, but the difference was not significant (P >0.05). The intake levels of aluminium, arsenic and mercury in infant formulas were found to be 8.02–14.2%, 437.1–771% and 23.7–41.8% of the provisional tolerable daily intake JECFA threshold values, respectively. Conclusion: Commonly consumed infant formulas in Nigeria may add to the body burden of arsenic in children.Keyword: Infant Formulas; Toxicity Test; Aluminum; Arsenic; Mercury; Health Risk Appraisal; Child Health; Nigeria.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large group of well-known toxicants with carcinogenic potential and other health effects including on the immune system. The high health risks of non-communicable diseases and relevant comorbidities in Africa, particularly in contaminated areas like e-waste and crude oil and gas exploration areas and for high consumers of food commodity groupings which are most critical for PAH exposure, are exacerbated by dietary exposure due to unsafe practices in commonly consumed foods, like those street vended.In February 2016, 20 commonly consumed street foods were purchased directly from vendors at major bus stops in Benin City and Umunede in Nigeria. The concentration of 16 priority PAHs was determined. The dietary intake of B[a]P, ∑PAH, PAH4, PAH8, and ∑B(a)P was estimated for children, peripubertal children/adolescent, and adult using the total diet study (TDS) method. Among the analyzed PAHs, there was a predominance of chrysene (17.42 μg/kg). Roasted yam (14.15 μg/kg) and fried fish (1.40 μg/kg) had the highest levels of ∑PAH and B[a]P, respectively. The mean concentration of B[a]P, ∑PAH, PAH4, PAH8, and ∑B(a)P ranged from 0.65-1.40 μg/kg, 0.20-14.15 μg/kg, 0.43-5.22 μg/kg, 0.13-7.88 μg/kg, and 0.002-2.123 μg/kg, respectively. The mean concentration of B[a]P and PAH4 reported in this study was below the maximum allowable levels of 5 and 12 μg/kg for adults and above the maximum levels for young children set at 1.0 μg/kg for both B[a]P and PAH4 in food. The estimated dietary intake of B[a]P, ∑PAH, PAH4, PAH8, and ∑B(a)P for adult, adolescent, and children was 0.56, 0.37, and 0.31 μg/day; 17.6, 10.7, and 8.81 μg/day; 5.78, 4.01, and 3.26 μg/day; 9.22, 6.19, and 5.09 μg/day; and 1.72, 0.97, and 0.82 μg/day, respectively.Street foods represent one important source of PAHs. The exposure occurring through street food compounds with that from home-made foods, environmental pollution, and lifestyle (tobacco smoke) is making up an aggregate daily exposure in the general population.The incremental lifetime cancer risk for adults and children from the consumption of street food was 7.6 × 10 and 2.1 × 10, respectively. Along with initiatives to manage environmental contamination and promote healthier lifestyle, people should be empowered on healthy cooking practices and safe food cookery environments.

Nickel showed the highest carcinogenic risk with values of 4.83E-04 - 1.43E-01, 5.31E-04 - 1.00E-01 and 1.20E-03 - 2.29E-01 for adults, adolescents and children respectively. About 80% of TCR ranged from x10-1 - x10-3. Consumption of mushroom in Niger delta-Nigeria may pose significant health risk.

Trade liberalization led to the flooding of the Nigerian markets with ''made in China'' children's toys. Information about metal contamination in toys is vital to ensure the safety of children's product. This is a pediatric health risk assessment of three toxic metals (Pb, Cd and As) in children toys purchased from Nigerian market. Thirty cheap ''made in China'' toys were purchased from stores in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Three toxic metals (Pb, Cd and As) in the thirty toys samples were determined by absorption spectrophotometry. Pb, Cd and As were present in all the toys at levels below the limits set by EU. The oral and dermal exposure risk assessment showed no significant noncarcinogenic and carcinogen health risks of public health concern. Some ''made in China'' toys imported into Nigeria may not add to the body burden of these metals in children.