Nutritional Value and Trace Metal Contamination of Soft Drinks Sold on the Ghanaian Market

Abstract

Soft drinks are consumed daily in Ghana on social occasions and for recreation. Generally, it is affordable and consumed widely across all age groups particularly due to their thirst quenching potential. These drinks are also important sources of nutrition as well as trace metal contamination. Thus, the study monitored for 4 months the nutritional content and trace metal contamination of forty-two different brands of new day soft drinks (totaling 672 samples), sampled from some markets in Accra Metropolis, Ghana. The metals were measured with atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) after acid digestion. Physical parameters of the drinks, for example, pH, turbidity, conductivity and total dissolved solids were also determined. The results indicated most of the drinks were acidic (pH: 2.20-3.52) and very rich in total dissolved solids. The major nutrients Ca, Mg and Na were found in appreciable levels whereas potentially toxic elements (Pb, Cd and As) were below detection limit in all the drinks examined. There was also associated health risks with few soft drinks (about 7%) in relation to trace metal contamination. Therefore, there is the need for continuous monitoring of these class of drinks flooding the Ghanaian markets lately.