Impact of cadmium pollution on food safety and human health

Owing to modern-day urbanization and industrial activities, heavy metal pollution and its environmental impact have drawn the attention of the scientific community towards itself. Among all the heavy metals, cadmium is known to have no biological function, and its presence harms almost all life forms. Cadmium (Cd) has natural and anthropogenic sources of entry into the ecosystem. It is nonbiodegradable and is present in different trophic levels in the food chain, raising concern over food safety. The bioavailability, bioaccessibility, and accumulation of Cd in soil-plant systems are the main drivers of its transfer to different trophic levels via diverse routes. In the human system, bioaccumulation of Cd disrupts the antioxidant defense system due to induced oxidative stress as a result of reactive oxygen species generation, which further causes different ailments. This review provides an update on the effects of Cd exposure on the soil-plant system, food safety, and human health, focusing on the various mechanisms involved in cellular or molecular alterations.