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Industrial Food Animal Production >> Arsenic

Arsenic is a toxic heavy metal known to cause cancer in humans. People are exposed to arsenic when they consume arsenic-contaminated food or water, breathe contaminated air, or smoke cigarettes. A form of arsenic called roxarsone is commonly added to poultry and swine feed to promote growth, prevent diseases and improve skin color. Although this practice is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, concerns about potential public health risks have been raised.

Recommended resources on this topic:

Reports & Other Documents

Arsenic. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ASTDR)

Medline Plus fact sheet on arsenic

Feeding Arsenic to Poultry: Is This Good Medicine? Health Care without Harm

... more

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

Comparison of arsenic content in pelletized poultry house waste and biosolids fertilizer

K.E. Nachman, et al. Chemosphere; Nov. 15, 2007

What do we feed to food-production animals? A review of animal feed ingredients and their potential impacts on human health

A.R. Sapkota, et al. Environ Health Perspect, May 2007

Fate of arsenic compounds in poultry litter upon land application

B.P. Jackson, et al. Chemosphere, December 2006

... more

Relevant Organizations

Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA CVM)

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Additional Tools & Resources

EPA EIMS Metadata Report on Arsenic in Chicken Litter

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