Effects of Different Cooking Methods on Cd Content and Health Risk Assessment of Cabbage Under Cd Stress

Different cooking and processing methods to some extent influence the content of food elements. Karst plateau mountainous regions have a significant geochemical high background of Cd.

The study aims to explore the differences in health risks associated with different cooking methods for cabbage and provide a theoretical basis for safe production of cabbage in karst areas and reduction of consumption-related risks.

Three varieties of cabbage [Chi bai er hao (CB), Chun xin huo guo wang (CX), and Qing cui chi bai cai (QC)] and three different cooking methods to cook cabbage according to the cooking habits of local residents (raw, boiled, and fried) were studied for their Cd content. The cabbages were grown in soil dosed with known amounts of Cd.

: Cd content in cabbage significantly increased (P < 0.05) with the increase of exogenous Cd levels. The Cd content of cooked cabbage was significantly lower than that of raw cabbage (P < 0.05). The general rule was raw > stir-fried > boiled. The target hazard quotient (THQ) of cabbage consumption by local residents was found to be QC > CX > CB, and the THQ of different cooking methods was raw > stir-fried > boiled.

Residents of a Karst region should choose vegetables that have a Cd content below the standard limit and adopt reasonable cooking methods to reduce health risks. Compared to raw, the cooking method of boiling is the most effective, followed by stir-frying.

This study used common cabbage varieties grown in karst areas to investigate the effects of different cooking methods on cadmium content in cabbage, and to evaluate the health risks of different cooking methods on different consumer groups.