Inorganic arsenic in food – health concerns confirmed

The European Commission asked EFSA to update its assessment of inorganic arsenic to consider new studies on its toxic effects. EFSA consulted external stakeholders on its draft opinion and considered the numerous comments that were received before it was finalised.

What foods contain inorganic arsenic

Arsenic is a widely-occurring contaminant Any substance occurring in foodstuffs that was not added intentionally. Contaminants can arise from packaging, food processing and transportation, farming practices or the use of animal medicines. The term does not include contamination from insects or rodents. which is present both naturally and as a result of human activity. Arsenic appears in various forms, depending on its chemical structure. EFSA’s present opinion focuses on inorganic arsenic.

Food is the main source of exposure to inorganic arsenic for the general population Community of humans, animals or plants from the same species. in Europe. The main contributors to dietary exposure For the purposes of risk assessment, measurement of the amount of a substance consumed by a person or animal in their diet that is intentionally added or unintentionally present (e.g. a nutrient, additive or pesticide). are rice, rice-based products, and grains and grain-based products. Drinking water also contributes to exposure, although levels are usually low in Europe.

Health risks

Long-term intake The amount of a substance (e.g. nutrient or chemical) that is ingested by a person or animal via the diet. of inorganic arsenic has been associated with a range of adverse effects on human health, including some forms of cancer. For its assessment, EFSA considered the increased incidence The number of new events occurring within a specified time period within a defined geographical area; for example, the number of flu cases per year in Europe. of skin cancers associated with inorganic arsenic exposure as the most relevant harmful effect. The experts concluded that ensuring protection against skin cancer will also be protective against other potentially harmful effects.

When assessing genotoxic and carcinogenic substances that are unintentionally present in the food chain, EFSA calculates a margin of exposure ( MOE The margin of exposure (MOE) is a tool used in risk assessment to explore safety concerns arising from the presence of a potentially toxic substance in food or animal feed.) for consumers. The MOE is a ratio of two factors: the dose The total amount of a substance (e.g. a chemical or nutrient) given to, consumed or absorbed by an individual organism, population or ecosystem. at which a small but measurable adverse effect is observed, and the level of exposure to a substance for a given population. A low MOE represents a greater risk than a higher MOE.

Based on the available data from human studies, an MOE of 1 or less would correspond to an exposure level to inorganic arsenic that might be associated with an increased risk of skin cancer.

In adults, the MOEs are low – ranging between 2 and 0.4 for average consumers, and between 0.9 and 0.2 for high consumers. Experts concluded that this raises a health concern.

Next steps

EFSA is also assessing the potential risks linked with exposure to organic arsenic in food. Once this risk assessment  A specialised field of applied science that involves reviewing scientific data and studies in order to evaluate risks associated with certain hazards. It involves four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation. is completed, the possible risks of combined exposure to organic and inorganic arsenic in food will be assessed.