Heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain: exposure, bioaccumulation, and risk assessment

Non-essential heavy metals (HMs) are one of the most toxic substances released into the environment, affecting the food chain and posing a threat to food security. The research data was collated after carefully observing some of the studies conducted on commonly consumed food products and highlighti...

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Main Authors: B. Raksha Shetty, Pai B. Jagadeesha, S. A. Salmataj
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:CyTA - Journal of Food
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19476337.2024.2438726
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author B. Raksha Shetty
Pai B. Jagadeesha
S. A. Salmataj
author_facet B. Raksha Shetty
Pai B. Jagadeesha
S. A. Salmataj
author_sort B. Raksha Shetty
collection DOAJ
description Non-essential heavy metals (HMs) are one of the most toxic substances released into the environment, affecting the food chain and posing a threat to food security. The research data was collated after carefully observing some of the studies conducted on commonly consumed food products and highlighting heavy metal exposure pathways to crops and techniques adapted to the quantification of HMs in the food chain. The tools developed to estimate the ecological and health risks induced via ingestion of HM-contaminated food products in both children and adults in India are discussed. It is observed that Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn are the most commonly studied heavy metals in food products. Bioaccumulation indices in Indian crops revealed varying heavy metal intake. Children suffer more from consuming food contaminated with HMs than adults. This review summarizes the distribution of HMs, their pollution, and the correlation between each HM concentration.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1947-6337
1947-6345
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publishDate 2025-12-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
record_format Article
series CyTA - Journal of Food
spelling doaj-art-8253eaa0fb2241078e96e120300a1a092025-01-02T13:41:47ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCyTA - Journal of Food1947-63371947-63452025-12-0123110.1080/19476337.2024.2438726Heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain: exposure, bioaccumulation, and risk assessmentB. Raksha Shetty0Pai B. Jagadeesha1S. A. Salmataj2Department of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, IndiaDepartment of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, IndiaDepartment of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, IndiaNon-essential heavy metals (HMs) are one of the most toxic substances released into the environment, affecting the food chain and posing a threat to food security. The research data was collated after carefully observing some of the studies conducted on commonly consumed food products and highlighting heavy metal exposure pathways to crops and techniques adapted to the quantification of HMs in the food chain. The tools developed to estimate the ecological and health risks induced via ingestion of HM-contaminated food products in both children and adults in India are discussed. It is observed that Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn are the most commonly studied heavy metals in food products. Bioaccumulation indices in Indian crops revealed varying heavy metal intake. Children suffer more from consuming food contaminated with HMs than adults. This review summarizes the distribution of HMs, their pollution, and the correlation between each HM concentration.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19476337.2024.2438726Heavy metal pollutionfood chainindustrial effluentscropscontamination indices
spellingShingle B. Raksha Shetty
Pai B. Jagadeesha
S. A. Salmataj
Heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain: exposure, bioaccumulation, and risk assessment
CyTA - Journal of Food
Heavy metal pollution
food chain
industrial effluents
crops
contamination indices
title Heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain: exposure, bioaccumulation, and risk assessment
title_full Heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain: exposure, bioaccumulation, and risk assessment
title_fullStr Heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain: exposure, bioaccumulation, and risk assessment
title_full_unstemmed Heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain: exposure, bioaccumulation, and risk assessment
title_short Heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain: exposure, bioaccumulation, and risk assessment
title_sort heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain exposure bioaccumulation and risk assessment
topic Heavy metal pollution
food chain
industrial effluents
crops
contamination indices
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19476337.2024.2438726
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AT paibjagadeesha heavymetalcontaminationanditsimpactonthefoodchainexposurebioaccumulationandriskassessment
AT sasalmataj heavymetalcontaminationanditsimpactonthefoodchainexposurebioaccumulationandriskassessment