Abstract

Arsenic Compounds in Foodstuffs – Recent Developments in Speciation Analysis and Food Safety Assessment

Jens Sloth, Senior Scientist, Technical University of Denmark

Arsenic (As) is a ubiquitous metalloid found in soils, groundwater, surface water, air, and consequently also in various food items. It is released into the environment from natural sources such as volcanic activity and weathering of minerals as well as from anthropogenic sources including ore smelting, burning of coal, and the use of As-containing pesticides and growth promoters. Arsenic is bioaccumulated in the marine food chain and total arsenic concentrations in the mg/kg range is usually found in marine organisms. Arsenic has a quite complex chemistry, especially in the marine environment, where more than 100 different naturally occurring As-containing compounds have been identified, comprising both organic and inorganic forms, both water- and lipid-soluble. The various arsenic species have very different toxicities and analytical methods to distinguish between the different forms are required (speciation analysis) in order to make a correct food safety risk assessment analysis. In the present presentation an overview of arsenic chemistry in selected foodstuffs will be given together with an update on methods of analysis for arsenic speciation analysis and the expected future developments within this emerging scientific area will be discussed.