Human Exposure to Arsenic and Toxic Metals Through Meat Consumption in Africa: A Review of Scientific Literature

While meat consumption trends show decreases in some high-income countries, significant increases are observed elsewhere. Although this includes African nations, average meat consumption in Africa remains generally lower than in many other continents, though patterns vary regionally. Meat provides essential nutrients, but inadequate consumption can pose health problems, while consumption also carries risks including potential exposure to environmental contaminants. This review focuses on recent scientific literature (published 2000-2024) regarding human exposure to specific toxic metals/metalloids—namely the non-essential elements arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb), along with potentially toxic forms/elements like chromium (Cr, particularly Cr(VI)) and nickel (Ni)—through the consumption of meat (muscle, organs, processed products) in Africa. Searches in PubMed and Scopus databases indicate that published information on this topic is limited for many African regions, with a notable concentration of studies originating from Nigeria. Concentrations of these toxic metals/metalloids reported in meat tissues and estimated dietary intakes vary significantly across the reviewed studies, influenced by the element, tissue type (organs like liver and kidney often show higher concentrations than muscle), geographical location, and local pollution sources. While some studies raise concerns about specific metals (e.g., Pb, Cd, As) potentially exceeding exposure guidelines in certain contexts, the available literature suggests that, similar to findings in other continents, meat is generally not the primary dietary contributor to total human exposure for most of these toxic trace elements in African countries compared to other food groups like fish, seafood, or staple crops affected by local contamination.