ABSTRACT
IntroductionThe imported food products are more than 60 percent of total food consumption of Mongolia. Thelead residue in food products causes chronic and acute poisoning to the human health when exceedsmaximum residues limits, and human exposure and significant public health problems in many partsof the world.GoalTo assess lead residues and health risk of some commonly consumed imported food productsamong Mongolian population.Objectives:1. To determine consumption of some imported food products of Mongolian population;2. To investigate lead residue in some commonly consumed imported food products;3. To assess potential health risk related lead residue.Materials and MethodsThe research used analytic study of cross-sectional study design. Randomly selected 1290 people’simports food consumption was analyzed by questionnaire and body weight measurements. Tooksamples from 145 import products, identified lead residue with Academy of Sciences Soil ResearchLaboratory`s, ASS (USA, 2002) equipment.Results60.7% of imported food samples were lead residues exceeded to Maximum Residues Limits, suchus mean lead residues in meat product were 1.55 mg/kg, in milk product 1.22 mg/kg, in cerealproducts 1.15 mg/kg, in vegetables 1.57 mg/kg, in fruit and fruit juice 1.03 mg/kg, in alcohols drink1.31 mg/kg, and in tea 1.93 mg/kg (p=0.001). Estimated Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI)of lead exposure for survey responses was 0.079mg/kg body weight.Conclusions:1. 60.7% of imported food samples were lead residues exceeded to Maximum Residues Limits,such us mean lead residues in meat product, milk products, fruits and vegetables.2. Imported vegetables (54.0%), cereal 8.4% products (15.5%), fruit and fruit juice (11.8%), andmilk products (8.4%) is main contributing to lead residues in imported food.3. Estimated Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) of lead exposure for survey responseswas 0.079mg/kg body weight, which is 3.2 times higher than toxicological guidance (PTWI 0.025mg/kg per 1 kg human body weight) and the high health risk level.