FSM 322: Food Processors Have a Role in Reducing Heavy Metals in Food

Episode transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute. Did you know food processing practices may eventually reduce the heavy metal concentrations in food products? For example, rice may contain cadmium, a heavy metal entering the plant during growth and cultivation. Cadmium may come from natural geologic sources, fertilizers, or industrial contamination of air and irrigation water. A process called “washing” reduces cadmium. Using an alkaline solution, 95% of the cadmium is removed with “washing”. Sorting technologies may help. This includes pre-testing food and ingredients for heavy metals and using electromagnetic radiation tools to identify and sort food ingredients. A process called adsorption may be used in the future to filter heavy metals from liquids found in food processing which could improve food safety while reducing food waste. Thanks for listening, I’m Susie Craig. [Music] Resources Institution of Food Technologists (10/24). Challenges, Risks, and Potential Solutions to Mitigate Heavy Metal Exposure: A Roundtable Discussion. https://164454.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/164454/Challenges%2c%20Risks%20and%20Potential%20Solutions%20to%20Mitigate%20Heavy%20Metal%20Exposure-1.pdf. Accessed online 12/8/24.