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Exploring the Complexities of Seafood: From Benefits to Contaminants
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This review examines the dual nature of seafood as both a nutritional powerhouse and a potential source of harmful contaminants, including microplastics, heavy metals, and pathogens. While seafood provides essential omega-3 fatty acids and protein, contamination from microplastics and other pollutants can offset these benefits and pose health risks. The authors call for better monitoring and safety standards to ensure that the health benefits of eating seafood are not undermined by environmental contamination.
Seafood plays a vital role in human diets worldwide, serving as an important source of high-quality protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins and minerals that promote health and prevent various chronic conditions. The health benefits of seafood consumption are well documented, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, improved cognitive function, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the safety of seafood is compromised by multiple hazards that can pose significant health risks. Pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites, in addition to microbial metabolites, are prominent causes of the foodborne diseases linked to seafood consumption, necessitating reliable detection and monitoring systems. Molecular biology and digital techniques have emerged as essential tools for the rapid and accurate identification of these foodborne pathogens, enhancing seafood safety protocols. Additionally, the presence of chemical contaminants such as heavy metals (e.g., mercury and lead), microplastics, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in seafood is of increasing concern due to their potential to accumulate in the food chain and adversely affect human health. The biogenic amines formed during the microbial degradation of the proteins and allergens present in certain seafood species also contribute to food safety challenges. This review aims to address the nutritional value and health-promoting effects of seafood while exploring the multifaceted risks associated with microbial contamination, chemical pollutants, and naturally occurring substances. Emphasis is placed on enhanced surveillance, seafood traceability, sustainable aquaculture practices, and regulatory harmonization as effective strategies for controlling the risks associated with seafood consumption and thereby contributing to a safer seafood supply chain.
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Nutritional Benefits and Health Risks of Seafood Consumption
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This review summarized the nutritional benefits and potential health risks of seafood consumption, covering both macro- and micronutrient profiles across fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. The authors noted that while seafood provides essential fatty acids and minerals, contamination by heavy metals, microplastics, and other pollutants introduces risks that vary by species and region.
Microplastics in seafood: Implications for food security, safety, and human health
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This review examines how microplastics contaminate seafood -- from fish and shellfish to seaweed -- and what that means for food safety and human health. Marine organisms accumulate microplastics along with the harmful chemicals and antibiotic-resistant bacteria attached to them, creating multiple exposure risks when people eat seafood. With global seafood consumption rising sharply, the authors argue that microplastic contamination in the food supply deserves urgent attention from food safety regulators.
Microplastic: pollution issue and seafood security
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This review explains how microplastics enter the marine environment and contaminate seafood, summarizing evidence of their presence in fish and shellfish consumed by humans. The authors highlight seafood safety concerns and call for better regulation and monitoring of microplastic contamination in food systems.
Insight Into the Relation Between Nutritional Benefits of Aquaculture Products and its Consumption Hazards: A Global Viewpoint
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This review examines the nutritional benefits of aquaculture products alongside consumption hazards from contaminants including microplastics, heavy metals, and antibiotics, emphasizing the need for improved aquaculture practices to ensure food safety globally.
Marine microplastic debris: An emerging issue for food security, food safety and human health
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This review examines the evidence for microplastic contamination in seafood and discusses what it means for food security and human health. Researchers found that microplastics have been detected in commercially important fish and shellfish species worldwide, but the actual health risks to humans from consuming contaminated seafood remain poorly understood. The study identifies critical knowledge gaps and calls for standardized methods to better assess the dietary exposure and potential toxicity of microplastics.
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