CONCERN FOR COUNTRY’S CONSUMER HEALTH AFTER RESEARCHERS’ POTATO FINDINGS.
HARMFUL metals found in potato tubers and the soil they are grown in in Bangladesh have raised concerns about public health.
Potatoes are a staple food for many Bangladeshis and the recent study by Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU) researchers has identified harmful heavy metals like nickel and cadmium in tubers and soil which could pose health risks, including cancer, if consumed in excess. They have the potential to disrupt digestion, damage kidneys and livers and contribute to infertility.
The metals are believed to be entering potatoes through industrial waste, irrigation water, fertilisers and pesticides, contaminating the soil and subsequently the crops, according to the report by Dutch academic publisher Elsevier.
In the study, scientists have identified the presence of a maximum of 2.938 micrograms of nickel and 0.0139 micrograms of cadmium per gram of potato. These two metals are harmful to human health even in small amounts.
Researchers collected potatoes and soil samples from potato fields in Muktagacha, Ishwarganj, Phulpur, and Gafargaon areas in the Mymensingh district and researched levels of nine metals like cadmium, nickel, lead, chromium, copper, zinc, iron, cobalt, and manganese.
On average, a person 69.7 grams of potato per dayin Bangladesh, according to a 2022 survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and Department of Agriculture Extension data reveals the country has produced about 1.09 crore tonnes of potatoes in the current financial year.
Among the soil samples used for potato production, researchers found 4.69-19.92 micrograms of lead, 21.27-99.84 micrograms of nickel, 0.04-0.32 micrograms of cadmium, 2.01-10.60 micrograms of cobalt, 44.79-88.61 micrograms chromium, 11.94-30.03 micrograms copper, 53.20-70.42 micrograms zinc, 14541-41,153 micrograms iron, and 562-782.2 micrograms manganese in per gram of soil. That means, the soil also has excessive lead, nickel, and cadmium.
