Document Type : Original Articles
Authors
1
Department of Food Hygiene, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2
Department of Food Hygiene, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3
Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.66224/ari.2026.371921.4016
Abstract
Introduction: Caviar, a luxury food product derived from sturgeon, may contain pesticides, dyes, antibiotics, and heavy metal residues, making a comprehensive risk assessment essential for consumer safety. Objective:This study specifically investigated the concentrations of diverse contaminant residues in aquaculture-produced caviar. Multiple analytical approaches can be employed to identify and measure contaminant residues in caviar. Material and Methods: In this study, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were employed to determine 55 target residues, including three heavy metals, nineteen organochlorine pesticides, seven organophosphate pesticides, twenty two antibiotics, and four dye residues in Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) caviar samples. The samples were collected from major Iranian aquaculture facilities (16 sturgeon farms) located in the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, Qom, and Fars during the 2024-2025 production cycle. Results: The study revealed that heavy metal levels did not exceed 10 μg/kg, dye residues were beneath 0.2 μg/kg, and the pesticide residues were under 5 μg/kg. Additionally, the antibiotic residues present in the samples were below the detection threshold and in compliance with European Commission food regulations. Conclusion: The results of this survey can be attributed to the effectiveness of modern, controlled farming practices, such as monitoring water quality, optimized feeding schedules, and notice to veterinary drug withdrawal periods. Furthermore, it can be concluded that the levels of pesticide, synthetic dye, heavy metals, and antibiotic residues in Iranian cultivated caviar were beneath the method’s limit of detection (LOD) and do not pose health concerns for consumers.
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