Arsenic in Mushrooms, Fish, and Animal Products

Arsenic is a ubiquitous metalloid that occurs in all kinds of soils. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has documented As and As complexes as group 1 carcinogens. Millions of people around the world are suffering from the toxic effects of arsenicals in many countries because of natural groundwater contamination as well as arsenic in food. This has stimulated a lot of efforts from researchers, NGOs, and government to understand the extent of As contamination in different types of food items. The continuous research is revealing the story of arsenic contamination, infiltration, and its effect on several crops, food, mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, sea animals, and fish and animal products. The commercial foodstuffs formulated from As-tainted raw material were also contaminated by As. Thus, the hazard of As exposure becomes relevant not only to people living in As-contaminated regions but also to other parts of the world. This chapter deals with As contamination issue in fish, mushrooms, and other animal products.