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Lead content in grapefruit juice and its uptake upon storage in open containers
Author(s) -
Stilwell David E,
Musante Craig L
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740660320
Subject(s) - tin , chemistry , food science , polyethylene , paperboard , leaching (pedology) , materials science , environmental science , organic chemistry , soil science , composite material , soil water
The lead contents of 52 samples of grapefruit juice, 14 packaged in glass, eight in waxed paperboard, and 30 in tin‐coated carbon steel containers, were determined. Only those juices packaged in metal cans contained measurable amounts of lead, (< 1–27 μg litre‐ 1 ) averaging 7‐7 μg litre‐ 1 . Leaching studies were carried out on juices stored, under refrigeration, in opened containers for up to 30 days. The lead content increased considerably with time in juices stored in tin‐coated cans. For example, after 6 days of storage the lead contents of these juices ranged from 3 to 90 μg litre‐ 1 , and averaged 30 μg litre‐ 1 . The lead content did not increase in juices that were stored in glass, paperboard or polyethylene containers. The source of lead in the cans was traced to lead impurities in the tin coating. Higher lead impurities in the tin coating produced higher lead contents in the juice. The implications of these findings are discussed.