Arsenic

Arsenic (chemical symbol As) is a toxic element that contaminates foods and water, notably drinking water in geologically affected regions and seafoods, which accumulate mainly its less harmful organic forms. Inorganic arsenic is the greater health concern: chronic exposure is associated with skin lesions, cardiovascular disease, developmental effects, and several cancers. Because arsenic is a natural contaminant rather than an added substance, regulators set maximum limits for foods such as rice, rice-based infant foods, and juices, and they monitor drinking water strictly. Processors manage the risk through careful sourcing, supplier verification, and routine analytical testing of raw materials and finished products.