Evaluation of the Quality and Potential Risks of Imported Rice in Khuzestan Province

Rice is one of the most staple foods in the diet of people all over the world and the second most consumed food among the people in Iran. Therefore, it is expected this product be offered in suitable quality to the household food basket. In this study, microbial contamination, as well as concentrations of mycotoxins and heavy metals in imported rice samples available in the market of Ahvaz, were evaluated and the health risk of exposure to heavy metals was assessed in three groups of children, women, and men. According to the results, the contamination of rice with Bacillus cereus in all the samples was within the acceptable level set by Iran National Standards Organisation, but mold and yeast contamination in 14.28% of the samples was more than the acceptable level. Examination of mycotoxins showed that 71.42% of the samples contained aflatoxin B1 and total. Aflatoxin G1 and ochratoxin A were observed in 50% and 35.71% of the samples, respectively; the amount of these toxins in all the samples was less than the limit set by International NGO Safety Organization (INSO). Concentrations of cadmium, lead, and arsenic in the rice samples were 0.042±0.01, 0.14±0.03, and 0.13±0.03 (mg kg-1), respectively. Estimation of daily intake (EDI) of the elements through rice was less than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) recommended by Codex. Hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) values were less than 1 in all three groups of women, men, and children. However, the cumulative risk of cancer for children, women, and men were 2.14×103, 7.40×10-4, and 6.86×10-4, respectively. Therefore, the imported rice was safe in terms of the amount of mycotoxins, but it can be a potential source for exposure to heavy metals.