Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for IJERPH Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Health Impacts Associated with Dietary Exposure to Chemical Contaminants and Residues

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 10873

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Martin David Rose

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
Interests: food chemical safety/regulation; food science; environmental sciences; environmental contaminants (dioxins, PCBs, flame retardants, POPs); dietary exposure; risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue has a focus on trace chemicals that can be found in foods that have been associated with adverse health effects. The most concerning chemicals from a health protection perspective tend to fall into three broad categories: (i) residues of chemicals used in food production, such as veterinary medicines used to rear farm animals and pesticides used to protect plants used for food; (ii) contaminants that may arise either as a result of industrial pollution or can arise due to natural contamination; and (iii) contaminants that arise as a result of food processing.

To assess the risk to health from food chemicals, it is necessary to (i) make an estimate of exposure and (ii) characterize the hazard.

The surveillance of occurrence in foods (and feeds in case of animal risk assessment) and dietary intake estimates are required to estimate the exposure for these chemicals, and can inform priorities for food control and risk management. Exposure estimates may be performed for the general population or specific population groups, e.g., defined by age, dietary preference or on a geographical basis of either the population or area of food production.

Toxicological studies using conventional animal studies, new approach methodologies (NAMs) or epidemiological studies looking at health outcomes in exposed population groups can be used to characterize the hazard.

This Special Issue aims to collect papers that (i) describe surveys of food products for residues and contaminants, (ii) dietary exposure estimates for consumers, and (iii) toxicological and epidemiology studies. The papers can cover established food chemicals or food chemicals that are of emerging concern. Papers that cover the wider risk assessment process and public health and control measures for food chemicals are also welcome for submission to this Special Issue.

Topics that are suitable for this issue include food surveys, dietary exposure estimates toxicological studies, epidemiology studies and risk assessment for the following:

Residues of veterinary medicines;
Residues of pesticides;
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs);
Dioxins and PCBs;
Flame retardants;
Per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs);
Heavy metals and arsenic;
Mycotoxins;
Shellfish toxins;
Acrylamide;
3‐monochloropropane diol (3‐MCPD);
Furan;
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs);
Food contact materials;
Other food chemicals.

Dr. Martin David Rose
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

residues
chemical contaminants
risk assessment
consumer exposure
dietary intake
toxicology
new approach methodologies (NAMs)
epidemiology
food control

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

19 pages, 4076 KB

Open AccessArticle

Through the Eye: Retinal Changes of Prenatal Mercury Exposure in Grassy Narrows First Nation, Canada

by Véronique Small, Aline Philibert, Annie Chatillon, Judy Da Silva, Myriam Fillion, Donna Mergler and Benoit Tousignant

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23010001 - 19 Dec 2025

Viewed by 1765

Abstract

Since the 1960s, Grassy Narrows First Nation, Canada, has been exposed to methylmercury (MeHg) from fish consumption following Hg discharge from a chloralkali plant. Prenatal exposure to MeHg is known to affect the neurodevelopment of fetuses and the retina is sensitive to neurodevelopmental damage. The multidisciplinary, cross-sectional Niibin study, developed with Grassy Narrows First Nations, included visual examinations with retinal evaluation using optical coherence tomography (OCT). The present analyses focused on the 59 participants (116 eyes) with umbilical cord Hg measurements, sampled between 1971 and 1992. Associations between cord blood Hg and retinal thickness layers surrounding the optic nerve head (RNFL) and inner macula (GC-IPL) were examined using mixed-effect models. Higher cord blood Hg was significantly associated with reduced thickness of GC-IPL layers across all macular sectors; less pronounced associations were observed for RNFL. A qualitative clinical assessment of the OCT results showed that persons with cord blood Hg concentrations ≥ 5.8 µg/L were more likely to present bilateral abnormal retinal thinning (OR = 3.51; [95% CI: 1.06–11.53]). These findings suggest that, in this Indigenous community, prenatal MeHg exposure may have enduring effects on retinal thickness and underline the importance of OCT technology in providing tailored eye care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts Associated with Dietary Exposure to Chemical Contaminants and Residues)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 336 KB

Open AccessArticle

Testing the Development of a Diet-Based Bisphenol a Score to Facilitate Studies on Child Neurodevelopment: A Pilot Project

by Marisa A. Patti, Apollo Kivumbi, Juliette Rando, Ashley Song, Lisa A. Croen, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Heather E. Volk and Kristen Lyall

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(8), 1174; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081174 - 25 Jul 2025

Viewed by 1938

Abstract

While gestational Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure has been associated with autism, limited work has focused on dietary sources. Here, we sought to develop a summary metric to capture dietary exposure specifically and test its associations with measured levels, as well as child traits related to autism. Participants (n = 116) were from the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) Study, which recruited pregnant women who previously had a child diagnosed with autism. Maternal concentrations of BPA were quantified in urine, and dietary sources of BPA were ascertained via food frequency questionnaires during gestation. A novel BPA “dietary burden score” was developed based on reported intake of foods known to contribute to BPA exposure (i.e., canned foods) from a Dietary History Questionnaire modified for pregnancy. Child autism-related traits were assessed via the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2). We examined associations between BPA biomarkers, dietary burden scores, and child SRS scores. Dietary burden scores were weakly correlated with urinary BPA concentrations (R = 0.19, p = 0.05) but were not associated with child SRS scores. Our work suggests that more detailed dietary assessments may be needed to fully capture diet-based BPA exposures and address diet as a modifiable source of chemical exposure to reduce associated health impacts of BPA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts Associated with Dietary Exposure to Chemical Contaminants and Residues)

Review

Jump to: Research

29 pages, 904 KB

Open AccessReview

Risks Associated with Dietary Exposure to Contaminants from Foods Obtained from Marine and Fresh Water, Including Aquaculture

by Martin Rose

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(1), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23010085 - 7 Jan 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1512

Abstract

Aquatic environments have been a critical source of nutrition for millennia, with wild fisheries supplying protein and nutrients to populations worldwide. A notable shift has occurred in recent decades with the expansion of aquaculture, now representing a fast-growing sector in food production. Aquaculture plays a key role in mitigating the depletion of wild fish stocks and addressing issues related to overfishing. Despite its potential benefits, the sustainability of both wild and farmed aquatic food systems is challenged by anthropogenic pollution. Contaminants from agricultural runoff, industrial discharges, and domestic effluents enter freshwater systems and eventually reach marine environments, where they may be transported globally through ocean currents. Maintaining water quality is paramount to food safety, environmental integrity, and long-term food security. In addition to conventional seafood products such as fish and shellfish, foods such as those derived from microalgae are gaining attention in Western markets for their high nutritional value and potential functional properties. These organisms have been consumed in Asia for generations and are now being explored as sustainable foods and ingredients as an alternative source of protein. Contaminants in aquatic food products include residues of agrochemicals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), as well as brominated flame retardants and heavy metals. Public and scientific attention has intensified around plastic pollution, particularly microplastics and nanoplastics, which are increasingly detected in aquatic organisms and are the subject of ongoing toxicological and ecological risk assessments. While the presence of these hazards necessitates robust risk assessment and regulatory oversight, it is important to balance these concerns against the health benefits of aquatic foods, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, high-quality proteins, vitamins, and trace elements. Furthermore, beyond direct human health implications, the environmental impact of pollutant sources must be addressed through integrated management approaches to ensure the long-term sustainability of aquatic ecosystems and the food systems they support. This review covers regulatory frameworks, risk assessments, and management issues relating to aquatic environments, including the impact of climate change. It aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for researchers, policymakers, food businesses who harvest food from aquatic systems and other stakeholders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts Associated with Dietary Exposure to Chemical Contaminants and Residues)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 512 KB

Open AccessReview

Potential Role of Glyphosate, Glyphosate-Based Herbicides, and AMPA in Breast Cancer Development: A Review of Human and Human Cell-Based Studies

by Hannah M. Schluter, Hajar Bariami and Hannah Lui Park

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(8), 1087; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21081087 - 17 Aug 2024

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4659

Abstract

The potential connection between exposure to glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) and breast cancer risk is a topic of research that is rapidly gaining the public’s attention due to the conflicting reports surrounding glyphosate’s potential carcinogenicity. In this review, we synthesize the current published biomedical literature works that have explored associations of glyphosate, its metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), and GBHs with breast cancer risk in humans and human cell-based models. Using PubMed as our search engine, we identified a total of 14 articles that were included in this review. In the four human studies, urinary glyphosate and/or AMPA were associated with breast cancer risk, endocrine disruption, oxidative stress biomarkers, and changes in DNA methylation patterns. Among most of the 10 human cell-based studies, glyphosate exhibited endocrine disruption, induced altered gene expression, increased DNA damage, and altered cell viability, while GBHs were more cytotoxic than glyphosate alone. In summary, numerous studies have shown glyphosate, AMPA, and GBHs to have potential carcinogenic, cytotoxic, or endocrine-disruptive properties. However, more human studies need to be conducted in order for more definitive and supported conclusions to be made on their potential effects on breast cancer risk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts Associated with Dietary Exposure to Chemical Contaminants and Residues)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Health Impacts Associated with Dietary Exposure to Chemical Contaminants and Residues

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI