Field Day...or Orchard day on Arsenic.

Many of you may have already heard about the link between arsenic and apple juice.  The levels are significant enough where we shouldn't be drinking buckets full of it and dilution is possibly an answer.  But besides knowing that arsenic is a carcinogen, has anyone ever thought of what it exists to begin with?  I truly believe that everything in our environment exists for a reason and besides the appendix, there are few things that will not be missed if we don't have it.  Curiously, I did some digging.....

Chemistry minded individuals know that Arsenic is a trace element that is found almost every where.  Most adults consume 12-50mcg/day where the daily recommended amount is suggested to be between 12-25mcg/day.  It seems like we consume it unknowingly so where does it come from?  The American Cancer Society discussed briefly an array of food sources that include arsenic: seafood, rice, cereal, mushroom and poultry.  Before you think you are doomed, what else is arsenic found in?  Treating cancer.  That's right a carcinogen is effective in the treatment of leukemia (acute promyelocytic leukemia).  There are other use of it but there is insufficient evidence as indicated by WebMD - Uses.  The medication is available only by prescription so let's get back to the food.

Arsenic, as Dr. Oz mentioned on the Today Show, has two types: inorganic and organic.  What does that mean?  Inorganic has been found in rice and mushrooms and Organic has been found in seafood.  In a study written in 2009 by Discovery News, indicated that inorganic has been linked to cardiovascular disease and cancer while organic, has been deemed safe.  As a result, organic arsenic has been less and less regulated.  In the same article, the researchers were interested in seeing the metabolism and excretion of arsenic.

There were 6 brave souls who signed up for the study where they ingested pure form of arsenic in liquid form.  Four of the 6 individuals excreted 85-95% of the arsenic via urine on the first day.  One individual excreted only 15% and the remaining individual excreted only 4%.  Where that arsenic when, the researchers were unable to locate.  But it's in there somewhere.  Physiological and environmental factors dictate the rate of metabolism and the process of metabolism hence different results for each individual.  Either way, accumulation of arsenic is not good news.  Within the organic category, it can be naturally-occurring or synthetically-made.  Synthetic, organic arsenic has the ability to convert into toxic substance once it's metabolized in the body. 

European Food Safety Authority considered regulating all types of arsenic with similar understanding.  While more needs to be done, the 2009 article was titled: "Arsenic in Seafood May Pose Health Risk - Once thought harmless, certain forms of arsenic that appear in seafood may be toxic".  In 2011, the report on arsenic in apple juice by Consumer Report was titled: "Arsenic in your juice - How much is too much? Federal limits don’t exist". 

So at what point do we know enough to do something about this and establish some strict guidelines, not just for the apples juice but for the rest of the foods?  More importantly, we are truly in harms way if we don't over consume these products?  I am especially interested in the seafood as I had some curiosities about those little creatures...but more on that later!