en تخصصي Special Original article Original article <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="line-height:115%">Background: </span></b><span class="fontstyle11"><span style="color:black"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="line-height:115%">Cereals are the most staple foods in human diet and the main components of the daily diet. This work was designed to determine the level of</span></span></span></span></span><span style="line-height:115%"> <span class="fontstyle11"><span style="color:black"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="line-height:115%">essential and non-essential elements, the </span></span></span></span></span><span class="fontstyle31"><span style="color:black"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:115%">in vitro </span></span></span></span></span><span class="fontstyle11"><span style="color:black"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="line-height:115%">bioavailability, interrelationship, and</span></span></span></span></span> <span class="fontstyle11"><span style="color:black"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="line-height:115%">associated health risk in consumed cereal grains in Nigeria to assess their</span></span></span></span></span> <span class="fontstyle11"><span style="color:black"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="line-height:115%">safety and wholesomeness.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="line-height:115%">Methods:</span></b><span style="line-height:115%"> <span class="fontstyle11"><span style="color:black"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="line-height:115%">The contents of phytate, oxalate, and some major-, trace- and potentially toxic elements were determined in 36 samples of barley, maize, millet, rice, sorghum, and wheat marketed in Nigeria.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="line-height:115%">Results:</span></b><span style="line-height:115%"> <span class="fontstyle11"><span style="color:black"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="line-height:115%">The data showed variable significant (</span></span></span></span></span><span class="fontstyle11"><span style="color:black"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-style:normal"><i><span style="line-height:115%">p</span></i><span style="line-height:115%"><0.05) levels of elements, phytate, and oxalate in the cereals but they were below European commission maximum permissible limits. Estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of elements in the cereals were all below maximum permissible limits set by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) values, though higher in children than adults, were less than one except in wheat and sorghum. The incremental lifetime Cancer Risk (CR) and Total Cancer Risk (TCR) values were below the threshold limit.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="line-height:115%">Conclusion:</span></b><span style="line-height:115%"> This study revealed that barley, maize, millet, rice, sorghum, and wheat available in Nigeria markets contain varying quantities of essential elements, potentially toxic elements, and antinutrients.</span><br> <br> <b><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="color:black">DOI:</span></span></b> <span style="line-height:115%">10.18502/jfqhc.9.3.11152</span></span></span></span></div> Edible Grains, Minerals, Nutrients, Biological Availability, Risk Assessment, Nigeria 137 146 http://jfqhc.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1325-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 N.A. Obasi 0000-0003-1404-7427 No Environmental Biochemistry, Health and Toxicology Research Unit, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Nigeria S.E. Obasi No Plant Ecology Research Unit, Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Nigeria L.O. Ajala segunajala001@gmail.com 0000-0002-7969-6316 Yes Chemistry Research Unit, Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Nigeria G.O. Aloh No Department of Geography and Meteorology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria C. Aloke No Environmental Biochemistry, Health and Toxicology Research Unit, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Nigeria S.S. Ogundapo No Biochemistry Research Unit, Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Nigeria G.N. Onyeji No Environmental Biochemistry, Health and Toxicology Research Unit, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Nigeria