Non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks upon exposure to contaminants in food products

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UDC: 
613.2
DOI: 
10.21668/health.risk/2026.3.07.eng
Authors: 

D.A. Stepovaia1, T.N. Unguryanu1, A.V. Lyzhina2, M.V. Smolyaninova3, D.A. Makarov4

Organization: 

1Northern State Medical University, 51 Troitskii Ave., Arkhangelsk, 163000, Russian Federation
2Branch «Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance», Medical and Sanitary Unit No. 29 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, 27 Nikol’skii Ave., Arkhangelsk, 163020, Russian Federation
3North-West Research Center of Hygiene and Public Health, 34 Lenina Ave., Kirovsk, Murmansk Region, 184250, Russian Federation
4Russian State Center for Quality and Standardization of Veterinary Drugs and Feed, 5 Zvenigorodskoe Shosse, Moscow, 123022, Russian Federation

Abstract: 

Chemical contamination of food products is a serious health threat especially upon accumulated technogenic exposures.

The aim of this study was to analyze levels of chemical contamination in food raw materials and food products sold in the Arkhangelsk region and assess their effects on human health.

We analyzed test reports about 34,878 samples of food products and food raw materials issued by the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Arkhangelsk region and Nenets Autonomous Area. Samples for testing chemical levels were taken between 2003 and 2022 within production control, surveillance activities and sanitary-epidemiological inspections. We calculated daily intake, hazard quotients (HQ), hazard indexes (HI), and total carcinogenic risk (CR) at the level of median (Me) and the 90-th percentile (Р90) of chemical contents.

Median HQ values did not exceed 1.0 for all contaminants. Р90 HQ values were 1.80 for arsenic and 1.13 for nitrates. Р90 HI values corresponded to alerting risk of non-carcinogenic effects for the cardiovascular system (HI = 4.10), digestive system (HI = 3.42), kidneys (HI = 3.37), and the central nervous system (HI = 3.37). Main contributions were made to non-carcinogenic risks by lead and arsenic at the Ме level, 33.6–38.4 % and 30.0–34.3 %, respectively; at Р90, 20.3–24.7 % and 43.9–53.3 %, respectively. Total carcinogenic risk was alerting at the Ме level (9.0•10-4) and high at Р90 (6.07•10-3); it was predominantly caused by arsenic exposure (89–95 %).

High risks of chronic non-communicable diseases were identified for the Arkhangelsk region population for high contents of chemicals and high volumes of consumption established for specific groups of food products.

Keywords: 
contamination, food products, heavy metals, nitrates, hazard quotient, risk assessment, Arkhangelsk region, human health
Stepovaia D.A., Unguryanu T.N., Lyzhina A.V., Smolyaninova M.V., Makarov D.A. Non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks upon exposure to contaminants in food products. Health Risk Analysis, 2026, no. 3, pp. 77–85. DOI: 10.21668/health.risk/2026.3.07.eng
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Received: 
03.07.2026
Approved: 
02.09.2026
Accepted for publication: 
28.09.2026

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