Arsenic: Toxin In Food?

Arsenic (As) is one of the ten chemicals of the World Health Organization which may cause major public health concerns due to arsenic is highly toxic in its inorganic form. The toxicity of as decreases from inorganic compounds containing as to the organic compounds, which are the least toxic ones. It mostly present in contaminated water, food preparation, and irrigation of food crops pose the greatest threat to public health. Intoxication through rice and rice-based products is one important source of as poisoning. Long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking-water and food may cause lung and bladder cancer, skin lesions or other non-carcinogenic diseases.