ABSTRACT
Arsenic intake in the world is linked with drinking water and food; the main sources of inorganic As (i-As) exposure in food are rice and rice-based products. The consumption of rice in Ecuador is 53.2 kg year−1 and it is the most commonly used cereal for the preparation of many popular dishes especially for subjects with celiac disease. Objectives of this research were: (i) to determine the content of i-As in foods widely consumed by Ecuadorians with celiac disease, (ii) to calculate the i-As dietary intake, and (iii) to model and predict the health risks of the population under study as a result of their exposure to i-As from rice-based food. The estimated daily intakes of Ecuadorian children (below 3 years of age) and adults were established at 0.52 and 0.55 μg kg−1 body weight d−1, respectively. These values were above the lower BMDL01 value established for i-As established by the EFSA; consequently, it can be concluded that health risk cannot be excluded for the Ecuadorian population with celiac disease.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Author contributions
Development of questionnaire and collection of data from 500 volunteer people were done by some of the co-authors: I. Gavilanes-Terán, J. Idrovo-Novillo E. N. Veloz-Mayorga, R. Erazo-Arrieta and F. Cruz-Paca. Digestion and Analysis were done by M. Cano-Lamadrid and F. Burló. Discussion of the results in the manuscript was done by I. Gavilanes-Terán, M. Cano-Lamadrid and E. García-García. A.A. Carbonell-Barrachina controlled all the study and revised the manuscript.