Toxic Metals (Al, Cd, and Pb) in Instant Soups: An Assessment of Dietary Intake

Instant soups and noodles are one of the most widely consumed commercial food products. These products are made from ingredients of animal (chicken, meat) and/or vegetable origin, in addition to various food additives that prolong the shelf life of the product. It should be noted that instant soups are a dehydrated product, whose water-removal process can increase the accumulation of contaminants, such as toxic metals (Al, Cd, or Pb), that are harmful to the health of consumers. The content of toxic metals (Al, Cd, and Pb) in a total of 130 samples of instant soups of different types (poultry, meat, and vegetables) was determined by ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry). The Al content (32.28 ± 19.26), the Cd content (0.027 ± 0.016), and the Pb content (0.12 ± 0.13) in the vegetable soups were worth mentioning. Considering an intake of twenty grams (recommended by the manufacturer), the dietary intake of Al (19.56% of the TWI set at 1 mg/kg bw/week), the intake of Cd (6.59% of the TWI set at 2.5 µg/kg bw/week), and the Pb intake (16.18% of the BMDL set for nephrotoxic effects at 0.63 µg/kg bw/week and 6.84% of the BMDL set for cardiovascular effects at 1.50 µg/kg bw/week) in the population aged 3–10 years, instant soups are not recommended for the population aged 3–10 years, while their consumption does not pose a health risk for adults. However, it is necessary to consider the cooking water used in the preparation of these products, as it may increase exposure to these toxic metals, in addition to the rest of the diet.