Arsenic in Food
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Arsenic (As) contamination from geologic, anthropogenic, and food origins is an increasing concern for the US and globally. Arsenic is associated with cancer and noncancer health effects. In general, oral exposure is the primary route of exposure to environmental inorganic arsenic in most populations, typically occurring through dietary intake of contaminated drinking water or food. Drinking water can be an important exposure pathway for some U.S. populations, especially those located in areas near smelting and mining operations and those obtaining drinking water from high-arsenic geological formations. Dietary intake of foods contaminated with arsenic can also be an important pathway; indeed, for U.S. residents for whom exposures via drinking water are low, most arsenic exposure is likely to come via the diet (at relatively low levels). Consumption of food contaminated with arsenic can lead to more significant exposures if the food is grown on or near sources, such as contaminated soil that is deposited on food surfaces, or if food is prepared using contaminated water. This symposium will highlight the current state of research of As in food. Discussions will include aggregate exposure, food sources, the analysis of arsenic in food products, how the microbiome affects metabolism, and a regulatory perspective.