Chemical contaminants that are present in food pose a health problem and their levels are controlled by national and international food safety organizations. Despite increasing regulation, foods that exceed legal limits reach the market. In Europe, the number of notifications of chemical contamination due to pesticide residues, mycotoxins and metals is particularly high. Moreover, in many parts of the world, drinking water contains high levels of chemical contaminants owing to geogenic or anthropogenic causes. Elimination of chemical contaminants from water and especially from food is quite complex. Drastic treatments are usually required, which can modify the food matrix or involve changes in the forms of cultivation and production of the food products. These modifications often make these treatments unfeasible. In recent years, efforts have been made to develop strategies based on the use of components of natural origin to reduce the quantity of contaminants in foods and drinking water, and to reduce the quantity that reaches the bloodstream after ingestion, and thus, their toxicity. This review provides a summary of the existing literature on strategies based on the use of lactic acid bacteria or yeasts belonging to the genus Saccharomyces that are employed in food industry or for dietary purposes.

Inorganic arsenic (As) is the most toxic form of As found in food and water. Gastrointestinal disorders have been reported in populations chronically exposed to this arsenical form or to one of its metabolites; however, studies to determine the mechanisms of inorganic As toxicity at the intestinal level are scarce. The aim of this study is to determine the mechanisms of toxicity of inorganic As [As(iii) and As(v)] on intestinal epithelial cells. For this purpose, two human intestinal cell models were used: non-transformed colon epithelial cells (NCM460) and epithelial cells from a colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2). Exposure to As(iii) and As(v) generates an increase in the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 (57–1135%) and an increase in the generation of reactive oxygen and/or nitrogen species (130–340%) in both cell lines. This pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant response may be responsible for the structural and functional modifications demonstrated in the monolayers formed by both cell types. Treatments with As(iii) and As(v) produce a redistribution of zonula occludens 1 and a reduction in the expression of claudin 1, tight junction proteins that participate in maintaining the structure of the epithelium. All these toxic effects are finally translated into a loss of the barrier function of intestinal monolayers.

Seafood products are important sources of proteins, polyunsaturated lipids and phospholipids, and also of numerous micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). However, they may also present chemical contaminants that can constitute a health risk and that must be considered when evaluating the risk/benefit associated with consumption of this group of foods. Toxic metals and metalloids in seafood, such as mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and lead (Pb), are subjected to legislative control in order to provide the consumer with safe seafood. This review provides an exhaustive survey of the occurrence of these toxic metal(loid)s in seafood products, and of the risk resulting from their consumption. Consideration is given to aspects related to speciation, food processing, and bioavailability, which are key factors in evaluating the risk associated with the presence of these toxic trace elements in seafood products.