Mineral material, heavy metal concentrations and potassium ferrocianide content of salt varieties

In this study, heavy metal and the mineral matter (Na, Mg, K, Ca, P, Fe, Cu, B, Mn, Zn, Al, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Mo, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sb, Se, Sn ve Hg) contents of 8 samples of the iodized and non-iodized varieties of rock salt, sea salt, lake salt and himalayan salt collected from the market has been studied by ICP-OES method. Al element has been detected among the heavy metalts in the researched salts and Zn, Cr and Hg content has not been detected. The highest Al element was found in the non-iodized lake salt (0,12 mg/kg). Al amount detected in the salt variety seems to be not threatening human health according to weekly tolerable aluminum amount (2 mg/kg) per body mass defined by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) studies. The results of mineral content and heavy metal concentrations that found has compared by the previous researches and the coverage percentage of advised daily mineral content need of an adult human who consumes 6 g salt in a day has been determined. It has been seen that salt is an important source for the Na need of human body but for the substances like Mg, K, Ca, P, Fe, salt is not a viable source. In addition, it was seen that the amount of iodine contained in the iodized salt samples in our study did not meet the iodine value required to be added to the iodized salts specified in the Turkidh Food Codex Salt Communique. According to the results of analysis, iodized lake salt sample has 10,52 mg/kg potassium ferrocyanide content but other 7 salt samples has no content. All analyze results of the samples are in the suitable values of potassium ferrocyanide content stated in the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives and according to that Codex, it has been seen that none of them has any toxic effect on human health.