Arsenic contamination in the food chain: A threat to food security and human health

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid naturally found in the earth's crust and released into the environment through natural and anthropogenic activities.Arsenic becomes exceptionally toxic even at low exposure levels because of its high water solubility and bioaccumulation tendency in different environmental matrices.Crops receiving arsenic contaminated irrigation water accumulate it in different degrees depending on the species and variety.Consumption of contaminated crops and drinking water has been identified as important routes for its transfer into the food chain.Besides, consuming seafood and livestock-based food products such as meat and milk from arsenic endemic regions also contributes to the food chain transfer and contamination.The literature clearly indicates that the toxic effect of arsenic in any food product is highly dependent on its chemical speciation.Inorganic arsenic compounds are generally more toxic than organic forms.On consumption of contaminated food products and water, only the bioavailable form of arsenic goes directly into human body and interferes with different metabolic pathways.Thus, prolonged arsenic toxicity leads to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks such as arsenicosis, cancers, hepatotoxicity, kidney failure, and skin diseases.Therefore, this review highlights the distribution and mobility of arsenic in soil-plant system, its bioavailability in plant and livestock-based food products, arsenic transfer into the food chain, and human health risks.In the current state when arsenic has emerged as a worldwide threat, an integrated strategy is urgently required to combat arsenic contamination, mandating the creation of national and international action strategies for arsenic contamination mitigation.