Heavy Metal Contamination of Natural Foods Is a Serious Health Issue: A Review

Naveed Munir, Muhammad Jahangeer, Abdelhakim Bouyahya, Nasreddine El Omari, Rokia Ghchime, Abdelaali Balahbib, Sara Aboulaghras, Zahed Mahmood, Muhammad Akram, Syed Muhammad Ali Shah, Ivan N. Mikolaychik, Marina Derkho, Maksim Rebezov, Baskar Venkidasamy, Muthu Thiruvengadam and Mohammad Ali Shariati
Additional contact information
Naveed Munir: Department of Biochemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Muhammad Jahangeer: Department of Biochemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Abdelhakim Bouyahya: Laboratory of Human Pathologies Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat 10056, Morocco
Nasreddine El Omari: Laboratory of Histology, Embryology and Cytogenetic, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat 10056, Morocco
Rokia Ghchime: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Hospital of Specialities, Rabat Institute, Ibn Sina University Hospital, Rabat 10056, Morocco
Abdelaali Balahbib: Laboratory of Biodiversity, Ecology, and Genome, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat 10056, Morocco
Sara Aboulaghras: Physiology and Physiopathology Team, Department of Biology, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat 10056, Morocco
Zahed Mahmood: Department of Biochemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Muhammad Akram: Department of Eastern Medicine, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Syed Muhammad Ali Shah: Department of Eastern Medicine, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Ivan N. Mikolaychik: Department of Scientific Research, Kurgan Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education, Kurgan State Agricultural Academy by T.S. Maltsev, 641300 Kurgan, Russia
Marina Derkho: Department of Scientific Research, South Ural State Agrarian University, 13 Gagarin St., 457100 Troitsk, Russia
Maksim Rebezov: V. M. Gorbatov Federal Research Center for Food Systems, 26 Talalikhina St., 109316 Moscow, Russia
Baskar Venkidasamy: Department of Biotechnology, Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore 641062, India
Muthu Thiruvengadam: Department of Crop Science, College of Sanghuh Life Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
Mohammad Ali Shariati: Department of Scientific Research, K. G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (The First Cossack University), 73 Zemlyanoy Val, 109004 Moscow, Russia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: Heavy metals play an important role in the homeostasis of living cells. However, these elements induce several adverse environmental effects and toxicities, and therefore seriously affect living cells and organisms. In recent years, some heavy metal pollutants have been reported to cause harmful effects on crop quality, and thus affect both food security and human health. For example, chromium, cadmium, copper, lead, and mercury were detected in natural foods. Evidence suggests that these elements are environmental contaminants in natural foods. Consequently, this review highlights the risks of heavy metal contamination of the soil and food crops, and their impact on human health. The data were retrieved from different databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, Google scholar, and the Directory of Open Access Journals. Results show that vegetable and fruit crops grown in polluted soil accumulate higher levels of heavy metals than crops grown in unpolluted soil. Moreover, heavy metals in water, air, and soil can reduce the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet requires a rational consumption of foods. Physical, chemical, and biological processes have been developed to reduce heavy metal concentration and bioavailability to reduce heavy metal aggregation in the ecosystem. However, mechanisms by which these heavy metals exhibit their action on human health are not well elucidated. In addition, the positive and negative effects of heavy metals are not very well established, suggesting the need for further investigation.

Keywords: heavy metals; environmental; pollution; vegetables; fruits; health issues (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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