The Effect of Different Cooking Methods on Lead and Cadmium Contents of Shrimp and Lobster

Regular consumption of seafood has been widely recommended by the authorities. However, some species especially benthic crustaceans accumulate heavy metals. In addition, the health risks associated to the consumption of such seafood might increase if the consumers use cooking methods that enhance the concentration of heavy metals. In this study, the effects of different cooking methods (boiling, steaming and frying) on the concentrations of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in shrimp and lobster were studied. Samples were prepared by wet digestion and the contents of heavy metals were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Mean concentrations of lead and cadmium for raw samples of shrimp and lobster were 75.67±15.31 and 26.00±8.00 µg/kg and 316.67±66.58 and 195.33±131.46 µg/kg respectively. The findings indicated that the highest contents of lead and cadmium were observed in the fried samples (p<0.05), however the differences were not significant for cadmium. According to the results, boiling and steaming are suggested as the best cooking method to provide healthful seafood.