Abstract
Rice is one of the most consumed staple foods around the world and its trade is highly globalized. Increased environmental pollution generates a large amount of waste that, in many cases, is discarded close to culture fields. Some species are able to bioaccumulate toxic substances, such as metals, that could be transferred to the food chain. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the content of metallic (Al, Cd, Pb, and Cr) and metalloid elements (As) in 14 of the most consumed varieties of rice in Spain and their effects on human health. The samples were cooked, and human digestion was simulated by using a standard in vitro digestion method. Metallic and metalloid element levels were analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), previous called microwave digestion. Both the human health risk index, Hazard Quotient, and Lifetime Cancer Risk did not show toxic values in any case. Rice with a higher non-digestible fraction showed a higher liberation of proteins and a lower glycemic index. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of metallic and metalloid elements in cooked rice or in the digestible fraction in all varieties analysed. However, Al concentrations were higher than other metals in all varieties studied due to its global distribution. No relationship has been observed between the digestibility of rice and the bioaccessibility of each metallic and metalloid element. All of the studied rice varieties are healthy food products and its daily consumption is safe. The regular monitoring of metals and As in rice consumed in Spain may contribute to improvements in the human health risk evaluation.
Highlights
IntroductionFood consumption is nowadays not limited to the production of each country
Due to globalization, food consumption is nowadays not limited to the production of each country
In all varieties the content of macro-components: carbohydrates, proteins, ash, and fats are within normal range for rice, with no significant differences, and similar to that described by others [32]
Summary
Food consumption is nowadays not limited to the production of each country. The food consumed can come from any part of the world [1]. Rice consumed in Spain is not limited to that produced in the Albufera of Valencia, the. Ebro Delta, or the Marsh of Guadalquivir, as, in addition, a large quantity of rice from abroad is consumed. In this sense, rice is considered a staple food for more than half of the population worldwide as is, for many, their unique source of carbohydrates and proteins. Rice is a product valuable for its energetic fuel (carbohydrates and proteins) and for its content of healthy molecules such as vitamin B1 (thiamine) and vitamin B6. In 2019, just over 496 million tons of rice were consumed worldwide [2]
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