Minerals in Food
The problem of theses presence of mineral components in food is complicated.
Some metals are necessary for human life and play very important roles in bodily functions.
Macronutrients such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, calcium, sodium, phosphorous and chlorine are the main components of organic matter but also have important metabolic functions.
So-called microelements are the main cellular and structural building materials but also take part in osmotic pressure and acid/base regulation.
Micronutrients such as B, Co, Cr,. Cu, F, Fe, I, Li, Mo, Mn, Ni, Rb, Si, V and Zn participate un the metabolic functions and are the constituents of enzymes, hormones, vitamins etc.
The content of the main components in an adult man are estimated to be 1200 g Ca, 800 g P, 200 g K, 160 g S, 95 g Na, 95 g Cl, 30 g Mg, 4 g Fe, 3.5 g F, 2 g Zn, 0.007 g Cu and 0.003 g I.
A deficiency of these elements can cause adverse effects not only in humans but in other animal species and plants.
Some of these elements (CU, Cr, F, Mo, Ni, Sc, or Zn) are toxic at higher concentrations, so their levels in a human body and in food must be kept below the toxic threshold, which should be higher than the level necessary for organisms.
Very often the difference between an indispensable and toxic dose is very small. Some of these elements are antagonistic to organisms, and their presence can cause very harmful effects.
Most notorious among these are the so-called Big Four elements, namely Cd, Hg, As and Pb.
Intensive industrialization of the world has resulted in an increased input of metals in the environment, drastically altering the quality of surface and groundwater as well as agricultural land and food.
Metals can be transported by water and air over long distances. Anthropogenic pollution of drinking water supplies and resources indispensible for food production has become a fact of life.
The main route of introduction of metals to the human organism is through ingestion of food and drinking water but the inhalation route can sometimes be significant.
People are at the top of the food chain, increasing their exposure to already enriched toxicants.
Minerals in Food
