Due to increasing concern about the intake of heavy metal contamination in foods, this study was undertaken. Concentrations of Cd, Pb, Mn, Zn and Ni were determined in chicken meat (muscle, gizzard and liver) consumed by various categories of the population of Port-Harcourt Metropolis. A total of 120 meat samples were analyzed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophometory (FAAS) following sample digestion by wet oxidation. Estimation of the dietary exposure of the consumers to these metals were determined with a food frequency questionnaire based on chicken meat consumption. This was administered to 750 different categories of the population. The dietary intake was estimated based on the mean meat intake of the population and the associated risk was evaluated by comparing intakes with the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes (PTWIs). Nevertheless, the estimated dietary intakes for the whole population (μg/person/week) are: cadmium (20.83), lead (220.40), manganese (220.04) zinc 1586.34) and nickel (61.85) were well within the safe limits (below 20% of PTWIs). It therefore appears that the population of Port-Harcourt metropolis are not at any imminent health risk of due to heavy metals examined in this study.
