Rice Consumption Research Articles

Evaluation of carcinogenic risk of heavy metals due to consumption of rice in Southwestern Iran

Pollution by heavy metals is a serious global problem due to its toxicity, abiotic characteristics, abundant sources, and cumulative behavior. On the other hand, considering the importance of rice consumption as an important part of nutrition in Lordegan and Ahvaz cities, this study was conducted to evaluate the carcinogenic risk of heavy metals lead, cadmium, zinc, nickel and in local Champa rice cultivated in these two cities. 16 Champa rice samples were collected from the fields of Lordegan and Ahvaz cities. The elements were read in three replicates by Varian 710-ES atomic emission device. The results showed that the concentration of cadmium and nickel in the cultivated rice in the two studied cities was within the range of the national standard of Iran and the Codex standard. Carcinogenic risk values for lead, cadmium and nickel in Champa Lordegan and Ahvaz rice were within the safe range. Also, the non-carcinogenic risk for these heavy metals in the two studied areas was less than 1 and was in the safe range. Rice pollution in Champa in Ahvaz can be due to the industrial nature of this city, and in Lordegan, it is due to pollution through pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and transportation. Long-term consumption of contaminated rice may endanger the health of residents of these areas. It is recommended to carry out regular and up-to-date monitoring strategies in these two cities to prevent the entry of these toxic heavy metals into the human food chain. Also, more studies are needed to evaluate the complete scenario and make definitive decisions.

Assessment of macro, trace and toxic element intake from rice: differences between cultivars, pigmented and non-pigmented rice

Pigmented and non-pigmented rice varieties (grown in different areas) were collected in China, Yunnan, to investigate the content of macro-, trace elements and potentially toxic elements (PTEs), and to assess the health risk associated with dietary intake. The order of elemental concentrations in rice was Mn > Zn > Fe > Cu > Se for trace elements, P > K > Mg > Ca > Na for macro elements, and Cr > As > Cd for PTEs. Rice with a high concentration of essential elements also associated with a high content of PTEs. In addition, higher content of Cr, Mn and Na were found in pigmented rice. The health risk assessment showed that the daily intake of all elements was below the tolerable limit (UL). Moreover the intake of Fe, Zn and Se was far from sufficient for the nutrient requirement. The PTEs in rice dominated the health risk. Of concern is that this rice consumption is likely to contribute to carcinogenic risks in the long term and that adults are at higher health risk from pigmented rice compared to non-pigmented rice. This study confirms that the lack of essential micronutrients in rice and the health risk associated with rice diets should remain a concern.

Antioxidant Activity, Glycemic Response, and Functional Properties of Rice Cooked with Red Palm Oil.

High rice consumption levels accompanied by a lifestyle lacking in physical activity leads to obesity and diabetes due to the rice consumed generally has high digestibility and high glycemic index. Red palm oil (RPO) is a vegetable oil suggested to have the potential to reduce starch digestibility and increase the bioactive compounds of rice. This research aimed to find out the best cooking method to produce rice with a sensory quality similar to regular rice and to study the effect of the best cooking method on the glycemic response and physicochemical properties of rice. The results showed that RPO addition increased the antioxidant activities and total carotenoid levels of rice. The addition of RPO after cooking has better antioxidant activity and total carotenoid than before cooking. Adding 2% RPO before or after cooking produced rice with similar or better sensory quality than regular rice. Rice cooked with 2% RPO added before cooking had a lower glycemic response than regular rice, which was suggested to be caused by the increasing formation of the amylose lipid complex and the triglycerides that protected the starch from amylase enzyme. The formation of the amylose lipid complex and triglyceride layers protecting rice starch was confirmed by the new peaks of the FTIR spectra, the appearance of oil-coated starch morphology, and the changes in the proportion of C and O atoms. In conclusion, the addition of 2% RPO before the cooking process can be considered as a cooking method to produce rice for diabetic patients.

Neonicotinoid insecticides in paddy fields: Dissipation dynamics, migration, and dietary risk

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NNIs) have caused widespread contamination of multiple environmental media and posed a serious threat to ecosystem health by accidentally injuring non-target species. This study collected samples of water, soil, and rice plant tissues in a water-soil-plant system of paddy fields after spaying imidacloprid (IMI), thiamethoxam (THM), and clothianidin (CLO) to analyze their distribution characteristics and migration procedures and to assess related dietary risks of rice consumption. In the paddy water, the concentrations of NNIs showed a dynamic change of increasing and then decreasing during about a month period, and the initial deposition of NNIs showed a trend of CLO (3.08 μg/L) > THM (2.74 μg/L) > IMI (0.97 μg/L). In paddy soil, the concentrations of the three NNIs ranged from 0.57 to 68.3 ng/g, with the highest residual concentration at 2 h after application, and the concentration trend was opposite to that in paddy water. The initial deposition amounts of IMI, THM, and CLO in the root system were 5.19, 3.02, and 5.24 μg/g, respectively, showing a gradual decrease over time. In the plant, the initial deposition amounts were 19.3, 9.36, and 52.6 μg/g for IMI, THM, and CLO, respectively, exhibiting concentration trends similar to those in the roots. Except for IMI in soil, the dissipation of the NNIs conformed to the first-order kinetic equation in paddy water, soil, and plant. The results of bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and translocation factor (TF) indicated that NNIs can be bi-directionally transported in plants through leaf absorption and root uptake. The risk of NNIs intake through rice consumption was low for all age groups, with a slightly higher risk of exposure in males than in females.

Maternal brown rice diet alleviates adverse effects of maternal obesity on offspring metabolism via enhancing DNA demethylation of AdipoR2

The prevalence of maternal obesity is increasing at an alarming rate, with maternal insufficient circulating adiponectin being identified as a crucial link to offspring metabolic disorders. Nutritional interventions during pregnancy have shown promise in mitigating the negative impacts of maternal obesity on offspring health. It is recommended that pregnant women with chronic metabolic diseases increase their consumption of whole grains such as brown rice. However, the specific mechanism through which brown rice consumption by obese pregnant women improves metabolic homeostasis in their offspring remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of a brown rice diet during pregnancy on the metabolic homeostasis of offspring exposed to maternal obesity. We found that the systemic energy metabolism homeostasis and the risk of obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in the offspring of obese mothers were altered by the maternal brown rice diet during pregnancy, including reducing systemic and hepatic lipid levels, improving insulin resistance, and protecting hepatic steatosis. Mechanistically, the maternal brown rice diet induced DNA methylation reprogramming in the livers of offspring mice, resulting in enhanced demethylation of the adiponectin receptor AdipoR2 and increased transcription of AdipoR2 mRNA. Adiponectin binding to AdipoR2, regulated hepatic lipid metabolism through AMPKα and PPARα-mediated pathways, effectively ameliorating metabolic disorders in offspring of obese mothers. Our study provides novel insights into combating obesity risk and lays the groundwork for further exploration of the physiological benefits of whole grain brown rice.

Strategies for Organic Rice Marketing at Luang Neua Sub-District, Doi Sa ket District, Chiang Mai, Thailand

This study was conducted to observe consumer behavior, to analyze marketing environment, and to propose strategies of organic rice marketing at Luang Nuea Sub-District, Doi Sa Ket District, Chiang Mai Province. Data were collected from 400 organic rice consumers using consumer behavior survey. Data from interview and focus group were also collected from 39 participants who were organic farmers and their household members, entrepreneurs of organic rice, consumers in community, and representatives of municipality. Data from survey were analyzed by descriptive statistics, presented as frequency and percentage. However, data from interview and focus group were analyzed by content analysis, whereas SWOT Analysis and TOWs Matrix were used to determine marketing strategy. The results indicated that the number of consumers buying rice once a month was highest, followed by buying for eating, eating 2-6 times per month, eating for testing, buying from local market, buying because of friends’ recommendations, buying 1-5 kilograms at a time, buying 1 kilogram by measuring, buying at a price higher than 35 baht per kilogram, and willingness to pay at the average 45.56 baht per kilogram. In addition, marketing strategies included: 1) proactive strategy – increasing public relations, developing learning center, educating about value-added of organic rice, promoting organic rice marketing, and learning about processing organic rice, 2) defensive strategy – studying techniques and methods to cope with climate change, communicating about identity of rice species, extending marketing networks, and promoting organic rice processing, 3) strategic solutions – developing group management, searching resources from government organizations, increasing channels for communication, and analyzing customer needs, and 4) preventive strategy – revising model of production and marketing of organic rice, maintaining standard of production and processing of organic rice, planning for communication and public relations, and controlling fair price of organic rice products.

Paddy Rice (<i>Oryza sativum</i>) Production and Processing in Nigeria: A Review

Rice stands as a crucial staple in Nigeria, where its substantial population renders the country and the region as the largest rice consumers. The demand for rice has surged in recent times, transforming it into both a vital food supply chain and cash commodity crop for the developing world. Virtually ubiquitous applied in daily food menu’ of Nigerian diet, the high demand for milled rice in Nigeria is significantly increasing with the increasing population which was estimated at 5.2 million tonnes with an average national production of 3.3 million metric tonnes. These results showed a supply and demand gap average of 1.9 million metric tonnes which necessitating rice imports. While rice processing capacity in Nigeria reaches 2.8 million metric tonnes for paddy rice annually, which covers half of the annual requirement, survey indicates that quality of domestically processed rice is inferior to imported varieties, marked by broken rice, foreign matters, stones, dirt and debris. This led to diminished quality interest in local rice preferring the imported with international quality. An uncompetitive standing of domestic rice both local and global markets present a significant challenge to rice production in Nigerian industries. Consequently, this review aims to assess paddy rice production, processing, consumption, as well as postharvest handling and storage methods in Nigeria. The full mechanization of riceprocessing operations is advocated to reduce paddy rice handling time and minimize deterioration, a key factor contributing to subpar milled-rice quality. It is imperative for both the private and public sectors to intensify efforts toward local rice production to meet citizens' demands. Urgent investments into the production machinery, methods of processing, infrastructure and the policies set by the Nigerian Government and its agencies in rice processing chain are necessary to enhance the quality of processing paddy rice, which will ultimately elevate the quality of domestic rice products.

Exposure assessment and risk characterisation of aflatoxins in randomly collected rice samples from local markets of Hyderabad, India

Aflatoxin (AF) poisoning of staple foods, such as rice, is caused by fungal contamination by Aspergillus species. These AFs are genotoxic, carcinogenic and suppress the immune system. Hence, the present study was conducted to elucidate the prevalence of AF contamination in rice samples collected from local markets of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The rice samples collected were analysed for AF by using HPLC-fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). Based on AF contamination levels and dietary intake of rice, the health risk was assessed by the margin of exposure (MOE) and liver cancer risk in adults, adolescence and children. The percentage detected contamination with AFB1 and AFB2 of rice samples was 54% and 34%, with the concentration ranging between 0–20.35 µg/kg and 0–1.54 µg/kg, respectively. Three rice samples exceeded the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) total AF acceptable limit of 15 µg/kg. The average MOE values were 53.73, 50.58 and 35.69 (all <10,000) for adults, adolescence and children, respectively. The average liver cancer risk associated with rice consumption in the population of Hyderabad was found to be 0.27, 0.28 and 0.40 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases/year/100,000 individuals in adults, adolescence and children, respectively. This study revealed an adverse health risk to population of Hyderabad due to consumption of AF contaminated rice.

Geographical indications and organic labels: complements or substitutes? - the case of online rice consumption in China

ABSTRACT Agricultural producers are increasingly adopting a multi-certification approach for their agricultural products, which includes designations such as organic and geographical indications, instead of relying solely on a single certification. This inclination towards multiple certifications predominantly stems from a desire to optimize profits. Nevertheless, the ultimate profitability for producers hinges on whether consumers are genuinely inclined to pay a premium for these recognized certifications. This study employed the hedonic model to estimate consumers’ willingness to pay for the geographical indication and organic label in China and their interaction effect, focusing on rice as the product of interest. We collected data from one e-commerce platform in China, JD.com, and developed a dataset with 2484 observations based on the actual transaction price. The results reveal that Chinese consumers exhibit positive and significant price premiums for products with geographical indications, regardless of whether they are well-known or normal geographical indications. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the organic and geographical indication labels function as substitutes rather than complements. This underscores the importance of government efforts to intensify promotion, emphasizing the unique attributes of these labels and accentuating their differences.

Metal (loid) Exposure and Overweight and Obesity in 6–12-Year-Old Spanish Children

AbstractEpidemiological studies focusing on metal(oid) exposure and excess body weight among children show inconsistent results and the influence of metal(loid) mixtures has been little studied. We aimed to explore the effect of 10 metal(loid)s, individually and in combinations, on overweight and obesity among children aged 6–12. Urinary levels of these metal(oid)s from 92 controls and 51 cases with overweight and obesity were analyzed. Metal(loid) levels were log-transformed and categorized into tertiles according to the control group cutoff points. Two logistic regression models and weighted quantile sum regressions (WQS) were run: model 1 adjusting for age, sex, creatinine, energy intake and physical activity and model 2 additionally adjusting for maternal education, rice and fish consumption. In the single metal(oid) exposure model, there was a trend of significant negative association for urinary cobalt (Co), where children in the third tertile had lower odds of present overweight and obesity than those in the first (Odds Ratio, OR = 0.43; 95% Confidence Interval, CI = 0.20–0.93). Urinary chromium (Cr) levels were borderline-significant negatively associated with overweight and obesity (ORa = 1.70; 95% CI = 0.97–2.98). Molybdemun, Cr and Co had a major contribution to the inverse association between metal(loid) mixture and overweight and obesity as well as lead, cadmium and total arsenic in the positive relationship. Our findings in this explorative study suggested an inverse association of high urinary Co levels with overweight and obesity. Moreover, metal(loid) mixture exposure may have influence on overweight and obesity with an important contribution of Co in the potential negative effect.

The Role of Root and Tuber Crops on Food Diversification Facing the Climate Change in East Java Indonesia

Root and tuber crops consisting of cassava, sweet potato, potato, taro and others root and tubers have the important roles as the source of food, nutrition and cash income for many farmers in Indonesia. These crops also as a source of carbohydrates beside rice, corn, cereals, wheat etc. Root and tuber crops are the second most important group of crop plants after the cereals. The government of Indonesia accelerate food diversification based on local food resources, especially facing the climate change. The objective of this study was to estimate the role of root and tuber crops on food diversification and to estimate the household root and tuber crops demand in East Java Indonesia. The research used SUSENAS (Indonesian National Socio-Economic Survey) 2020 data with 31.990 household respondents in East Java Indonesia. Demand for food was estimated by AIDS (Almost Ideal Demand System) model. The results show that the average consumption for root and tuber crops was 0,69 kg/household/week (11,23% from carbohydrates foods), whereas rice consumption amount 4,86 kg/household/week (79,68 %), maize amount 0,25 kg/household/week (4,13%) and cereals amount 0,3 kg/household/week (4,96%). The expenditure elasticity of root and tuber crops was 1,36, while the expenditure elasticity of rice amount 0,78 (normal food), maize (1,41) and cereals (1,27). The expenditure elasticity more than 1 means that root and tuber crops as a superior food, also for maize and cereals. People no longer considers that root and tuber crops to be an inferior food. The root and tuber crops consumptions have the highest proportion after rice. It can be mean that root and tuber crops have the important role on food diversification in East Java Indonesia. Facing the climate change, root and tuber crops development be a right decision, moreover, root and tuber crops can be planted on dry land which is still widely available in Indonesia.

Predictors of urinary heavy metal concentrations among pregnant women in Jinan, China

BackgroundToxic heavy metal exposure and insufficiency or excess of essential heavy metals may have negative effects on pregnant women’s health and fetal growth. To date, the predictors of pregnant women’s heavy metal exposure levels remain unclear and vary with different regions. The study intended to explore potential predictors of exposure to heavy metals individually and high co-exposure to heavy metal mixtures. MethodsWe recruited 298 pregnant women in first trimester from prenatal clinics in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, and collected spot urine samples and questionnaire data on their demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, consumption of food and dietary supplement, and residential environment. All urine samples were analyzed for seven heavy metals: cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), strontium (Sr), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg). ResultsFactors associated with single heavy metal concentration were as follows: a) urinary As, Sr and Cd increased with women’s age respectively; b) pregnant women with higher monthly household income per capita had lower Sr and Mo levels; c) pregnant women with intermittent folic acid supplementation and those not taking tap water as domestic drinking water had lower Sr concentrations; d) Cd was positively linked with consumption frequency of rice; e) Hg was adversely related to consumption frequency of egg and the women who took purified water as domestic drinking water had lower Hg exposure. In addition, pregnant women’s age was positively associated with odds of high co-exposure to Co, As, Sr, Mo, Cd and Pb; while those with an educational level of college had lower odds of high exposure to such a metal mixture compared with those whose educational levels were lower than high school. ConclusionPredictors of single urinary heavy metal concentration included pregnant women’s age (As, Sr and Cd), monthly household income per capita (Sr and Mo), folic acid supplementation (Sr), rice consumption frequency (Cd), egg consumption frequency (Hg) and the type of domestic drinking water (Sr and Hg). Pregnant women with older age, lower educational level tended to have high co-exposure to Co, As, Sr, Mo, Cd and Pb.

Metal and Pesticide Assessments of Imported and Locally Cultivated Rice (Oryza sativa) in Senegal

Identifying heavy metal and pesticide contaminants is an essential step in assessing the health indicators of rice cultivation and consumption in Africa. Information on the contaminant levels of the imported and cultivated rice consumed in Senegal seems lacking. In this study, we assessed heavy metals, pesticides, ash, and protein in rice using rice samples from India, Thailand, South America, Vietnam, and China. Arsenic, Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu, Mo, Co, Cr, and Al are usually found in the soils used for rice cultivation in northern Senegal. While the heavy metal levels measured in soils were above the threshold limit, only Pb, Cd, and Al were found in cultivated rice. In all the analyzed rice samples from each country, there were certain amounts of Pb, As Al, and Cd. The concentration ranges in the six countries were as follows: 0.635–1.165 mg kg−1 for Pb, 0.047–0.438 mg kg−1 for As, 2.22–95.54 mg kg−1 for Al, and 0.002–0.082 mg kg−1 for Cd. The protein content in cultivated rice in Senegal was 7.31 mg kg−1, while the average from the imported rice ranged between 6.42% and 7.32%. The humidity levels in imported rice ranged between 11.12% and 12.95%. The fat content for the rice from six countries ranged between 0.22% and 0.67%, and the ash content ranged between 0.23% and 0.48%. These results allowed for the determination of the carbohydrate concentration, which varied between 79.18% and 80.82%. Indeed, freshly harvested rice grains typically contain around 80% carbohydrates. We noticed the presence of pesticides in all rice samples. The levels of three pesticides (total Pyrethrin, Bensulfuron-methyl, Propanyl, and 2,4D) were found to be beyond their maximum residue limits (MRLs) from the Codex Alimentarius, whereas deltamethrin was found to be below its MRL. This study indicates the presence of heavy metals carcinogenic to humans (Al, As, Cd, and Pb). Additionally, this study reveals the presence of deltamethrin, which is classified as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, which is classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).

Assessment of potentially toxic and mineral elements in paddy soils and their uptake by rice (Oryza sativa L.) with associated health hazards in district Malakand, Pakistan

Rice, a primary food source in many countries of the world accumulate potentially harmful elements which pose a significant health hazard to consumers. The current study aimed to evaluate potentially toxic and mineral elements in both paddy soils and rice grains associated with allied health risks in Malakand, Pakistan. Rice plants with intact root soil were randomly collected from paddy fields and analyzed for mineral and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) through inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP‒OES). Through deterministic and probabilistic risk assessment models, the daily intake of PTEs with allied health risks from consumption of rice were estimated for children and adults. The results of soil pH (< 8.5) and electrical conductivity (EC > 400 μs/cm), indicated slightly saline nature. The mean phosphorus concentration of 291.50 (mg/kg) in soil samples exceeded FAO/WHO permissible limits. The normalized variation matrix of soil pH with respect to Ni (0.05), Ca (0.05), EC (0.08), and Mg (0.09), indicated significant influence of pH on PTEs mobility. In rice grains, the mean concentrations (mg/kg) of Mg (463.81), Al (70.40), As (1.23), Cr (12.53), Cu (36.07), Fe (144.32), Mn (13.89), and Ni (1.60) exceeded FAO/WHO safety limits. The transfer factor >1 for K, Cu, P and Zn indicated bioavailability and transfer of these elements from soil to rice grains. Monte Carlo simulations of hazard index >1 for Cr, Zn, As, and Cu with certainties of 89.93% and 90.17%, indicated significant noncarcinogenic risks for children and adults from rice consumption. The total carcinogenic risk (TCR) for adults and children exceeded the USEPA acceptable limits of 1×10−6 to 1×10−4, respectively. The sensitivity analysis showed that the ingestion rate was a key risk factor. Arsenic (As) primarily influenced total cancer risk (TCR) in children, while chromium (Cr) significantly impacted adults. Deterministic cancer risk values slightly exceeded probabilistic values due to inherent uncertainties in deterministic analysis. Rice consumption poses health risks, mainly from exposure to Cr, Ni and As in the investigated area.

Comprehensive exploration on transfer and human health risk of potential toxic element in soil‐rice system from the Pearl River Delta

AbstractThe transfers of potential toxic elements (PTEs) from root soil to rice grains and its driving factors are of major worldwide concern. And it is still not clear whether the parent material has influence on the transfers of PTEs in soil. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the transfers of PTEs in soil‐rice system from different parent materials area, identify its driving factors and evaluate human health risk. 157 sets of root soil and rice grains samples collected from the areas with quaternary sediments, acidic magmatic rocks and terrigenous clastic rocks in the Pearl River Delta, China. Pearson correlation analysis, discriminant analysis, redundancy analysis, path analysis and human health risk model were utilized for data processing and analysis. The results reveal that parent materials play a primary role affecting the transfers of PTEs in soil‐rice system, and its influence on transfers of PTEs is achieved by governing physicochemical properties of soil. And physicochemical parameters like MgO, SiO2, Al2O3, TFe2O3, and organic matter (OM) exerted significant influence on transfers of PTEs. The influences of some physicochemical parameters on the transfers of PTEs are most significantly in the area of quaternary sediments. The values of the total non‐carcinogenic and the total carcinogenic risks for children and adults caused by rice consumption are much higher than the corresponding risk limits, and the main contributing elements are Pb, As, and As, Cd, respectively. The human health risks caused by rice consumption are greatest in the area with quaternary sediments.

The Effect of E-Warong Accessibility on Household Consumption

BPNT/Sembako is a social assistance program provided by the government to improve the welfare of people experiencing poverty by providing food with balanced nutrition and providing choice and control over food. BPNT/Sembako uses e-wrong as the only distribution. Households must come to e-wrong with a KKS. Because e-wrong is the only place for distribution, e-wrong is very important, including the distance of the e-wrong from the location of the beneficiary. However, e-wrong still has a limited distribution. The purpose of this study is to generally investigate the effectiveness of the e-wrong program and specifically investigate the effect of e-wrong accessibility on household consumption, especially rice consumption, taking into account aspects of price and quality of rice, characteristics of other consumer goods, household characteristics, residential area characteristics, local government assistance, and consumption motivation. This study uses 4-month panel data (November 2019-February 2020) of BPNT/Sembako recipients in the March 2020 Susenas and the random effects (RE) approach. The results of the study show that the accessibility of e-warong has a significant effect on household consumption (rice consumption). The farther the e-warong is, the higher the consumption of rice.&#x0D;

Neurotoxicity and brain metabolic dysfunction induced by long-term food-derived arsenic exposure

Rice consumption are a major cause of long-term exposure to arsenic. However, the exact mechanism of the neurotoxic action caused by arsenic exposure remain elusive. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of arsenic exposure on the behavior and neuronal structure of Caenorhabditis elegans, followed by the establishment of a 14-month mice model to simulate long-term effects. To elucidate the toxic effects of arsenic on brain metabolism, comprehensive analyses of neurotransmitter content and brain metabolomics were conducted. The findings demonstrated that arsenic exposure led to behavioral impairment, reduced levels of glutamatergic, GABAergic, dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmitters, as well as structural abnormalities. The majority of amino acid and fatty acid compounds were found to be upregulated in the hippocampus and cortical tissues. Respectively, an increase in nucleic acid and hydroxy acid-related compounds was observed in hippocampal tissues, while an upregulation of purine ribose-related compounds was detected in cortical tissues. The identified differential metabolites were primarily impacted by glutathione metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, as well as alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. Correlation analysis of the hippocampus and cortex yielded compelling evidence of a strong association between glutamate and the majority of the presented metabolites.

The BDNF protein is associated with glucose homeostasis and food intake in carriers of common BDNF gene variants.

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations may differ between BDNF gene genotype carriers. These changes occur in individuals with metabolic and mental disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the associations of glucose homeostasis parameters and the frequency of food consumption with BDNF protein concentrations based on the BDNF single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Among the 439 participants, some common rs10835211 BDNF gene variants were analyzed. We evaluated BDNF concentration, fasting glucose and insulin concentrations and during oral glucose tolerance tests. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, and body fat distribution were assessed, and 3-day food intake diary and food frequency questionnaire were completed. We noticed significant differences in concentration of BDNF between AA and AG genotype rs10835211 carriers (p=0.018). The group of AA genotype holders were older, and positive correlation was found between age and BDNF in the whole study population (p=0.012) and in the GG genotype carriers (p=0.023). Moreover, BDNF protein correlated with fasting insulin (p=0.015), HOMA-IR (p=0.031), HOMA-B (p=0.010) , and the VAT/SAT ratio (p=0.026) in the GG genotype individuals. Presence of the GG genotype was negatively correlated with nut and seed (p=0.047), lean pork consumption (p=0.015) and the BDNF protein. Moreover, we observed correlations between the frequency of chicken (p=0.028), pasta (p=0.033) and sweet food intake (p=0.040) and BDNF concentration in the general population. Among carriers of the AA genotype, we observed a positive correlation between the consumption of rice (p=0.048) and sweet food (p=0.028) and the BDNF protein level. Peripheral BDNF may be associated with visceral fat content and insulin concentrations in the GG genotype carriers and may depend on variable food intake, which warrants further investigation.

Effects of foliar application of Zn combined with organic matters on Cd accumulation and its chemical forms in rice.

Rice consumption is a key Cd exposure pathway, which poses a health risk to humans. Reducing cadmium (Cd) concentrations in rice remains challenging. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted to examine the effects of foliar spray of Zn combined with organic matters (including Zn-lysine (Zn-Lys), Zn-fulvic acid (Zn-FA), Zn-amino acid (Zn-AA), and Zn combined with glutathione (Zn + GSH)) on Cd accumulation in rice grains. Compared with the control group, all treatment groups exhibited reduced Cd concentration in rice grains, while improving plant growth, and reducing Cd transport from other tissues to the grains. Zn-FA was found to be the most effective fertilizer, which considerably reduced Cd concentrations in grains from 0.77 ± 0.068 to 0.14 ± 0.021mg/kg and yielded reductions of up to 81%, which is within the Chinese food maximum tolerable limit of 0.2mg/kg. Furthermore, the analysis of the chemical forms of Cd of rice tissues indicated that the treatment groups had increased proportions of integrated with pectates and protein in the stems. Except for the group treated with Zn-Lys spray, the percentages of undissolved Cd phosphate in the leaves were increased in all treatment groups, which reduced Cd toxicity to rice plants. The foliar application of Zn combined with organic matters may be a promising strategy to decrease Cd concentration in rice grains cultivated in severely Cd-contaminated agricultural soil, particularly in the karst area in southwest China with limited available cultivable agricultural land.

Provincial-scale Soil As Migration and Transformation and Rice Safe Planting Zoning: A Case Study of Guizhou Province

To explore the distribution characteristics of paddy soil and rice AS content, as well as the health risks of rice consumption, and to evaluate the safe planting ability of rice, 209 paddy soil samples and 1 567 groups of paddy soil-rice samples were collected, their As content and basic soil physical and chemical properties were determined, and the single-factor pollution index method was used to evaluate the pollution degree of the samples. The results showed that:① the soil of paddy fields in Guizhou Province was mainly neutral, and its fertilizer retention capacity and organic matter content were above the medium level, and the soil was relatively fertile. The range of ω(As) in paddy soil was 0.042-91.75 mg·kg-1, the geometric mean was 10.03 mg·kg-1, and the cumulative effect of paddy soil As was lower than that of natural soil As (P<0.05) by independent sample T. Compared with the screening value (0.2 mg·kg-1) of the Soil Pollution Risk Management and Control Standard for Agricultural Land (GB 15618-2018), the excess rate of soil samples was 15.37%. ② The ω (As) range of rice grain samples was 0.001-0.937 mg·kg-1, the geometric average value was 0.108 mg·kg-1, 10.21% of the rice grain samples exceeded the limit value of "Limit of Contaminants in Food (trial)" (GB 2762-2022), and the locations where the exceedances are mainly found are in the central and northern parts of Qiannan Prefecture, as well as around industrial and mining activity zones in the southern counties and districts of Zunyi. ③ As ingested through rice posed non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk for adults and children, and the impact on children was greater than that of adults. There is no strict control area for safe rice planting in Guizhou Province, and rice can be safely planted.