Iranian Journal of Toxicology

en Risk assessment of colorant additives and heavy metal content of jelly products targeting pediatric populations in Arak market, Iran عمومى General پژوهشي Research Background: The present research aimed at the assessment of the contamination levels of heavy metals and synthetic colorants present in soft jelly and jelly powder products, alongside an evaluation of the associated potential health risks for pediatric populations. Method: The study utilized a screening technique grounded in thin-layer chromatography for the identification of synthetic colorants. Following a novel microwave-assisted sample preparation process, the quantification of artificial colorants was executed via high-performance liquid chromatography. Furthermore, the detection of lead, cadmium, and copper was conducted using established methodologies. Results: The research indicated the presence of synthetic colorants in the analyzed samples, including orange, yellow, red, and blue. Notably, no samples were found to contain a synthetic green colorant. The maximum concentration of synthetic colorants was recorded at 15.46 mg/kg Brilliant Blue in jelly powder, whereas the minimum concentration was identified at 4.6 mg/kg Sunset Yellow in soft jelly. The concentration ranges for heavy metals were delineated as follows: lead (0.0019-1.4950 μg/g), cadmium (0.0001-0.0415 μg/g), and copper (13.0247-21.0031 μg/g). In addition, hazard indices were calculated to be 0.882 for jelly powder and 5.28 for soft jelly. Conclusion: The results of this study highlighted the critical necessity of ongoing surveillance of synthetic colorant and heavy metal concentrations in food products, especially those aimed at children. The hazard index values exceeding 1 imply a potential health hazard for children consuming these products, thereby underscoring the imperative for further research and the development of potential mitigation strategies. Artificial colors, Risk assessment, Heavy metal, Jelly products 112 120 http://ijt.arakmu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1326-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Abbas Alimoradian ab_alimoradian@yahoo.com 100319475328460017533 100319475328460017533 No Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran Behnoosh Ansari Asl 100319475328460017534 100319475328460017534 No Food and Drug Deputy, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran. Sonia Asadi 100319475328460017535 100319475328460017535 No Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran. Mahdi Abdollahi 100319475328460017536 100319475328460017536 No Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran. Rahmatollah Moradzadeh 100319475328460017537 100319475328460017537 No Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran. Khazra Alimoradian 100319475328460017538 100319475328460017538 No School of Paramedicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran. Nafiseh Khansari khansari.n@arakmu.ac.ir 100319475328460017539 100319475328460017539 Yes School of Paramedicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.