Work

Unintended food safety impacts of agricultural circular economies, with case studies in arsenic and mycotoxins

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: For millennia, food systems worldwide have employed practices befitting a circular economy: recycling of agricultural and food waste or byproducts, environmentally sustainable production methods, and food preservation to reduce waste. Many modern-day agricultural practices may also contribute to a circular economy through the reuse of waste products and/or reducing agricultural inputs. There are, however, food safety impacts. This paper describes two sustainable agricultural practices that have unintended positive and negative impacts on food safety: alternative rice cultivation practices and no-till agriculture. We highlight how alternative rice cultivation practices have intended benefits of water conservation and economic savings, yet also unintended effects on food safety by reducing foodborne arsenic levels while increasing cadmium levels. No-till agriculture reduces soil erosion and repurposes crop residues, but can lead to increased foodborne mycotoxin levels. Trade-offs, future research, and policy recommendations are discussed as we explore the duality of sustainable agricultural practices and food safety.

Source: npj Science of Food

DOI: 10.1038/s41538-024-00293-8

Authors: Christian Kelly Scott, Felicia Wu

Institution: Michigan State University

Language: English

Topic: Arsenic contamination and mitigation

Subfield: Environmental Chemistry

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,590