In addition to nutritional minerals, undesirable potentially toxic
elements can be present in these foods too. In fact, apart from those
communities exposed to high levels of pollution by industrial effluents
or emissions rich in heavy metals, for most of individuals, food
is the most important source of potentially toxic elements, such as
Cd, Hg, Ni or Pb. The exposure of the organism to high levels of these
metals can cause different adverse effects, from contact dermatitis
(Ni) to neurological or carcinogenic diseases (Cd) [1]. As a result, routine
control of their levels is required to ensure the safe consumption
of these products.