Total diet study in Cameroon-A sub-saharan african perspective

Abstract

Dietary exposure to pesticide residues was assessed using the total diet study (TDS) method. Sixty-three pooled samples representative of the total diet in Yaoundé, Cameroon, were analysed. Limits of detection of the methods were 0.0008-0.005 and 0.05 mg/kg. The overall contamination was low with 9 out of 63 composite samples below the LOD for 37 out of 46 pesticides. The estimated upper bound of the mean dietary exposures ranged from 0.24 % to 3.03 % of the acceptable daily intakes. This study suggests a low dietary exposure to pesticide residues in Yaoundé. This was a first step for a regional TDS in sub-Saharan Africa.