Abstract

Shrimp is a popular seafood in Trinidad and Tobago which is mainly caught in the coastal environs and sold mostly for domestic consumption. The objectives of the research were to determine if chemical contaminants copper, zinc, cadmium, chromium, nickel and mercury in the marine shrimp (Penaeus spp.) met international and local food safety standards and; to investigate any location by season interactions. Determination of all heavy metals was by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy except for mercury. Validation of methods was done using Certified Reference Materials namely dogfish liver and fish protein. The heavy metal findings in the marine shrimp were well below the United States Food and Drug Administration, Canada’s Food Inspection Agency and, Trinidad and Tobago’s admissible limits for human consumption. Significant differences were observed only for copper by location and season interaction and; zinc by location and season respectively.

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