Health Risk Associated with Copper Intake through Vegetables in Different Countries

Abstract

Sustainable development goals aim to attain food security by 2030. To attain food security, it becomes extremely important to target various aspects of food security where safety of food is a major factor. In order to meet the growing population demand, efforts are being made to increase production of food and thus the safety aspect is often ignored. Irrational anthropogenic activities have impacted and deteriorated the ambient environment. Degradation of soil and water has resulted in buildup of contaminants in these spheres and further transfer of contaminants into the food chain. Increase in heavy metals in our surroundings is reported in many parts of the world. Further, increase in concentration of metals in soil and water result in the transfer of these metals into food chain. Unlike other metals copper is although is an essential element for living organisms but excessive consumption of copper is known to cause toxic impacts to living organisms. Green leafy vegetables are considered as hyperaccumulators for copper. The excessive concentration of copper in vegetables is not limited to any one region of the world. The present review summarizes the reports of copper content in vegetables in various parts of the world and health effects associated with it.