The problem of heavy metals in our food supply has received a lot of attention, particularly in the wake of a US Congressional Report from 2021 that found dangerously high concentrations of hazardous compounds in baby food products. Concerns have only grown since lead was found in fruit puree pouches intended for children.
Two recent research looked into the relationship between the ingestion of heavy metals and serious health hazards, such as cancer.
The study will be presented at the Society for Risk Analysis Annual Conference. It emphasizes the urgent need for stricter food safety laws.
tainted agricultural products.
Felicia Wu, a food scientist at Michigan State University, oversaw the research. They concentrated on the effects of lead, arsenic, and cadmium that are present in common foods on human health. These heavy metals, which seriously endanger human health, are absorbed by food crops from contaminated sources such as soil, water, and air.
Dietary dangers
Wu, Charitha Gamlath, and Patricia Hsu carried out a thorough assessment of the health hazards associated with dietary exposure to heavy metals in the first study.
The group looked at the connection between metal consumption and health consequences—both malignant and non-cancerous—by analyzing data from a variety of sources.
Lead
Lead can be present in dietary items such as root vegetables as well as in contaminated soil, water pipes, and old paint.
Lead has been linked to a moderate to high risk of developing lung, kidney, and brain cancer, according to the experts. Neurological and respiratory side effects were likewise rated moderately to highly among non-cancer hazards.
Arsenic
Naturally occurring arsenic contaminates food and water, especially in locations where soil arsenic levels are high. Common sources include foods like rice and leafy greens. According to the study, there is a moderate to high chance of developing skin and lung cancer as well as non-cancer concerns like cardiovascular illness and developmental impacts if one is exposed to arsenic.
Cadmium
Cadmium is a mineral that can be obtained from nuts, potatoes, tobacco smoke, fertilizers, and industrial pollutants.
Research has shown that cadmium presents a moderate to high risk for non-cancerous dangers such as effects on the kidneys and reproductive system, as well as malignancies including breast and pancreatic cancer.
Wu previously co-authored a study that showed popular foods expose newborns and young children to cadmium. Children are particularly vulnerable, as evidenced by this research, as their cadmium exposure frequently exceeds recommended limits.
exposure to arsenic
In the second study, the researchers evaluated the risks of cancer posed by inorganic arsenic in food products sold in the United States.
Preliminary findings indicate that annual exposure to inorganic arsenic in the United States may be responsible for over 6,000 new instances of bladder and lung cancers as well as over 7,000 cases of skin cancers.
Additionally, the researchers discovered that some food items may have a greater risk of cancer than others. Leafy green vegetables, rice, and wheat are a few of these.
The results of these investigations demonstrate the necessity of more stringent public health policies and regulations about food safety.
More significantly, the study highlights how consumers must be made aware of the possible risks that could be present in common foods.
Farmers took responsibility
Farmers rely heavily on these bodies of water for irrigation. The city also receives vegetables from these regions. Consequently, although there isn’t any concrete proof to support the theory, it’s plausible that industrial effluents in irrigation water constitute a significant contributor to the contamination.
The report centers on farmers as the primary cause of the problem, based on this concept. Four of the report’s six suggestions are directed at farmers. Farmers should test their soil and water by law, according to the guidelines. Additionally, it advises farmers “not to resort to unethical farming practices, like irrigating crops with effluent and drainage waters.”
The EPA, however, offers no proof that farmers intentionally irrigate crops using untreated effluents. Strangely, neither industry nor government are advised to treat effluents. In the meantime, inorganic fertilizers and pesticides represent a significant additional possible source of heavy metals that are overlooked in the study.
Chemical versus organic inputs in agriculture
The lowest concentrations of heavy metals, including cadmium, were found in vegetables found in organic supermarkets. Fertilizers and pesticides used in inorganic farming are sources of heavy metals, just like industrial effluents. A significant source of metals like cadmium and other metals like lead, copper, and zinc are agricultural chemicals. However, agricultural inputs are not mentioned in the report as a possible cause for worry. The presence of heavy metals in the veggies may be the result of a mix of agricultural inputs and industrial effluents. Nevertheless, this is not addressed in the report.