A new study shows that young children may be especially vulnerable when eating certain locally grown foods in southeastern Brazil.
According to the researchers, this does not constitute an acute danger but rather a risk that arises from repeated consumption over a longer period.
The calculations are based on international health models and consumption data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
For adults, the overall health risk remains below established limits. For children under the age of six, however, the picture is different.
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In this group, the risk exceeds the threshold value when bananas grown in the area are consumed.
The main reason is the presence of lead, which is known to be capable of harming children’s brain development.
Contaminated soil
The background to the study published in Environmental Geochemistry and Health is the collapse of the Fundão mine tailings dam in 2015 in the state of Minas Gerais.
Large amounts of mining waste were carried by rivers toward the Doce River delta, including areas around the city of Linhares in Espírito Santo.
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According to the researchers, the soil still contains elevated levels of metals such as cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, and lead.
These substances are bound to iron oxides in the waste and can still be taken up by plants.
Foods in focus
The researchers examined bananas, cassava, and cocoa. The results show that metals in bananas and cassava mainly accumulate in the roots, while cocoa tends to store them to a greater extent in the flesh of the fruit.
In several cases, levels of copper and lead exceeded the limits recommended by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
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The risk is greatest for children because their bodies are smaller and still developing, and because even small amounts can have a greater impact over time.
Sources: SciTechDaily, and Environmental Geochemistry and Health.
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