Health effects of trans fatty acids (TFAs) on human organisms can vary according to their type, structure, composition, and origin. Even though the adverse health effects of industrial TFAs (iTFAs) have been widely discussed, the health effects of natural TFAs (nTFAs) are still questionable. Hence, it is important to review the literature and provide an overall picture on the health effects of different TFAs coming from industrial and ruminant sources, underlining those types that have adverse health effects as well as suggesting methods for reducing their harmful effects. Multiple databases (PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, etc.) were searched with the key words “trans fatty acid sources”, “ruminant”, “industrial”, “conjugated trans linoleic acid”, “human”, “coronary heart disease”, “cancer”, etc. Reference lists of the studies were scanned discussing the health effects of iTFAs and nTFAs. The review of the literature showed that iTFAs are found to be more harmful than ruminant-produced nTFAs. Although several beneficial effects (such as reduced risk of diabetes) for nTFAs have been observed, they should be used with caution. Since during labeling it is usually not mentioned whether the TFAs contained in food are of industrial or natural origin, the general suggestion is to reduce their consumption.

Mining leads to excessive heavy metal contamination of agricultural products in Armenia and can adversely impact human health. We quantify the concentrations of toxic heavy metals (lead, nickel, cadmium, and mercury) in food sampled from local markets of the capital city, Yerevan. We combine these measured concentrations with data from a diet survey of 1,195 people. The results provide an estimate of people's heavy metal intake in a typical day. The study finds that only dietary exposure to lead raises consumer safety concerns. More than 50 % of the population have daily intakes of lead that exceed the benchmark dose level (BMDL10) of 0.63 μg/kg b.w./day established by European Food Safety Authority. Moreover, risk assessment results indicate that approximately 96 % of the population has dietary exposure values for lead that exceed the threshold level, with animal products as the primary source. The lead exposure observed in sampled population has the potential to increase blood pressure on average by 0.54 mmHg, lower IQ levels by 1.2 point, and reduce lifetime earnings by $5000. The study reveals a strong need to determine the specific pathways by which lead enters the food supply, to mitigate the excess exposures, and to reduce the potential or severity of the resulting adverse health impacts.