College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Curr Environ Health Rep. 2024 Dec;11(4):468-483. doi: 10.1007/s40572-024-00462-7. Epub 2024 Oct 1.
Exposure to toxic metals/metalloids, such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb), through food consumption is a global public health concern. This review examines the contamination status of these metals/metalloids in food, assesses dietary intake across different populations, and proposes strategies to reduce metal/metalloid exposures throughout the food chain.
For the general population, dietary intake of metals/metalloids is generally lower than health-based guidance values. However, for vulnerable populations, such as infants, children, and pregnant women, their dietary intake levels are close to or even higher than the guidance values. Among different food categories, seafood shows higher total As, but largely present as organic species. Rice accumulates higher As concentration than other cereals, with inorganic As (iAs) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) being the main As species. Methylated thioarsenate species, such as dimethylmonothioarsenate, have also been detected in rice. The distribution of iAs and DMA in rice shows geographical variation. Additionally, seafood and cocoa products generally contain more Cd than other food, but seafood consumption does not significantly increase in adverse health effects due to its high zinc and iron content. Compared to As and Cd, Pb concentrations in food are generally lower. To minimize the health risks of metal/metalloid exposure, several strategies are proposed. Food contamination with toxic metals/metalloids poses significant concerns for human health, particularly for vulnerable populations. This review provides scientific evidence and suggestions for policy makers to reduce human exposure of metals/metalloids via dietary intake.
通过食物摄入暴露于有毒金属/类金属（如砷（As）、镉（Cd）和铅（Pb））是全球公共卫生关注的问题。本综述考察了这些金属/类金属在食品中的污染状况，评估了不同人群的饮食摄入，并提出了在整个食物链中减少金属/类金属暴露的策略。
对于一般人群，金属/类金属的饮食摄入量通常低于基于健康的指导值。然而，对于弱势群体，如婴儿、儿童和孕妇，他们的饮食摄入量接近甚至高于指导值。在不同的食品类别中，海鲜显示出较高的总砷含量，但主要以有机形式存在。大米比其他谷物积累更高的砷浓度，无机砷（iAs）和二甲基砷酸（DMA）是主要的砷形态。大米中也检测到甲基硫代砷酸盐，如二甲基单硫代砷酸。大米中 iAs 和 DMA 的分布存在地域差异。此外，海鲜和可可产品一般比其他食品含有更多的 Cd，但由于其高锌和铁含量，海鲜的消费并没有显著增加对健康的不良影响。与 As 和 Cd 相比，食品中的 Pb 浓度通常较低。为了最大限度地降低金属/类金属暴露的健康风险，提出了几种策略。有毒金属/类金属对食品的污染对人类健康构成重大威胁，特别是对弱势群体。本综述为政策制定者提供了科学证据和建议，以通过饮食摄入减少人类对金属/类金属的暴露。
