Heavy metal contamination and its impact on the food chain: exposure, bioaccumulation, and risk assessment

Non-essential heavy metals (HMs) are one of the most toxic substances released into the environment, affecting the food chain and posing a threat to food security. The research data was collated after carefully observing some of the studies conducted on commonly consumed food products and highlighting heavy metal exposure pathways to crops and techniques adapted to the quantification of HMs in the food chain. The tools developed to estimate the ecological and health risks induced via ingestion of HM-contaminated food products in both children and adults in India are discussed. It is observed that Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn are the most commonly studied heavy metals in food products. Bioaccumulation indices in Indian crops revealed varying heavy metal intake. Children suffer more from consuming food contaminated with HMs than adults. This review summarizes the distribution of HMs, their pollution, and the correlation between each HM concentration.