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Metal(loid) contamination in seafood products
Gabriela Chiocchetti1, Carlos Jadán-Piedra1, Dinoraz Vélez1
1a Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de los Alimentos , Paterna , Valencia , Spain.
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
|April 8, 2016
Summary
Seafood offers vital nutrients but can contain toxic metals like mercury and cadmium. This review assesses their occurrence and risks, considering factors like speciation and processing for safer consumption.
Area of Science:
- Food safety and toxicology
- Environmental health
- Marine biology
Background:
- Seafood is a rich source of essential nutrients, including proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals.
- Potential health risks arise from chemical contaminants, particularly toxic metals and metalloids, in seafood.
- Legislative controls aim to ensure consumer safety regarding toxic elements in seafood products.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct an exhaustive survey of toxic metal(loid) occurrence in seafood.
- To evaluate the health risks associated with the consumption of contaminated seafood.
- To explore factors influencing risk assessment, including speciation, food processing, and bioavailability.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review on toxic metal(loid)s in seafood.
- Analysis of occurrence data for mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and lead (Pb).
- Examination of studies on speciation, food processing effects, and bioavailability.
Main Results:
- Documented presence of toxic metals and metalloids in various seafood products globally.
- Identified variability in contaminant levels influenced by seafood type, origin, and environmental factors.
- Highlighted the critical role of speciation, processing, and bioavailability in determining actual health risks.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the occurrence and risk of toxic metals in seafood is crucial for public health.
- Speciation, food processing, and bioavailability are key determinants of risk and require further investigation.
- Informed risk-benefit evaluations are necessary for safe seafood consumption guidelines.
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