Heavy Metal Environmental Contaminants in Food

Heavy and semi-metals are toxic to organisms at concentrations above the critical threshold; however, some of them at lower concentrations such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe) and selenium (Se) are essential for metabolic processes. In water, heavy metals are first absorbed by phytoplankton, bacteria, fungi and other small organisms, which later become fish food and finally enter the human body with the eaten fish. It is worth realizing how important the processes of bioaccumulation and biomagnification of heavy metals and their influence on food products are. Water and soil and their contamination are equally important. Contaminants occurring there penetrate plants, which are food for humans and animals. Consequently, they become a source of animal protein for humans. Water, soil, plants and animals can all contribute to the over-regulated supply of heavy metals. Rarely do we really pay attention to the place of origin of a product, and those who deal with this topic know how important it is. It is worth knowing the state of metal contamination of numerous food products from different parts of the world. It is important to know when particularly toxic metals may be present in the products you consume.

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge on the links risk of contaminating food with heavy metals and understanding their pathways along the food chain at the end of which human stands.

New research papers, reviews, case reports, and conference papers are welcome to this issue.

Here are some examples of topics that could be addressed in this Special Issue:

1. Indices of food quality;
2. Different heavy metals in food.;
3. Human health risk assessment;
4. Nanotoxicology;
5. Food chain.
6. Food safety

Dr. Joanna Łuczyńska
Dr. Marek Jan Łuczyński
Dr. Magdalena Senze
Dr. Monika Kowalska-Góralska
Guest Editors

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