mostly contributed by anthropogenic
activities. Heavy metals in food groups showed strong significant correlations by forming egg–
meat–milk, vegetables–cereals and fruit–fish groups/clusters. Most of the metals from dietary intake
were higher than the maximum tol- erable daily intake (MTDI), suggesting a considerable risk to the
consumers. The cumulative risks of the studied metals through consumption of fish, vegetables,
cereals, and fruits exceeded unity (THQs 4 1), indicated that people would experience potential
risks if they being exposed to the toxic metals from consumption of the
studied food items.