Introduction:

Analyses of environmental matrices and foods, both natural and processed, have revealed contamination with metals trace, which represents a considerable risk due to their non-degradation, bioaccumulation and toxicity, causing physiological and biochemical alterations that affect all life forms and food safety. These aspects led to the development of the present research.

Objective:

To determine heavy metals lead and cadmium concentrations in the pericarp of Capsicum annuum L. (sweet pepper) fruit, to provide safe, effective and efficient information that contributes to food safety and, therefore, to commune population health.

Materials and Methods:

For the analysis, wet digestion with nitric, hydrochloric and perchloric acid and the atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique with acetylene - air flame were applied; the determinations were made with three reading replicates and three repetitions for each sample; the detection and quantification limits were 0.01 mg.kg-1 and 0.02 mg.kg-1 and 0.005 mg.kg-1 and 0.01 mg.kg-1 for Pb and Cd, respectively; the variation coefficient throughout the range was less than 5%.

Results and Discussion:

The concentrations of Cd and Pb contained in the fresh sweet bell pepper pulp samples were quantified, reflecting values below the maximum permissible levels, as established by the CODEX Alimentarius.

Conclusions:

Despite the sources of contamination identified in the sector, low levels of contamination of heavy metals Cd and Pb were found in agricultural products.

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