Ethnic food beverages with heavy metal contents: Parameters for associated risk to human health, North-East India

Food beverage consumption is a worldwide age-old practice. It is also a common run-through habit among the tribes of North Eastern parts of India. The food beverage group Jou is a traditionally fermented rice-based beverage by Bodo community of Assam, the largest plain tribe. It is not only consumed by Bodos on regular basis but also widely used in their socio-cultural activities. Joubidwi (JB, fermented product), Joufinai (JF, preserved product) and Jougwran (JG, distilled) are the three varieties of Jou. Herewith, it had been reported; the concentrations of metals such as Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb and Zn in the three varieties of Jou to make people aware about the possible health benefits as well as the risks associated with the consumption of Jou. The metal contents were estimated using ICP-OES after digesting the samples with 10:1 mixture of concentrated nitric and concentrated sulfuric acid. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of metals from consumption of JB, JF and JG were also within the recommended daily allowances (RDA). From the estimated target hazard quotient (THQ) values, it was observed no health risk associated with the consumption of Jou; whereas total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) of Joufinai were associated with more health risks. Metal concentrations of all metals in Bodo beverages was lower in comparison with barely based and wheat based beverages.