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Toxicologists Expose Risks of Heavy Metals Found in Common Foods. Scientists have warned that arsenic and other heavy metals found in food have consistently been linked with increased cancer risks and other major health concerns. 'Newsweek' reports that while heavy metals naturally occur in the environment, they can also build up as a result of industrial processes and pollution. Those metals are then absorbed by plants, including food crops. Two new studies from the U.S. Society for Risk Analysis looked at the health risks associated with exposure to heavy metals in common foods. Felicia Wu, Michigan State University food scientist and incoming president of the Society for Risk Analysis, and her team looked at the dietary intake of lead, cadmium and arsenic. The team found that lead was most commonly detected in rice, wheat and leafy greens, while cadmium was present in nuts, potatoes, seeds, cereals and tobacco. Lead is associated with a moderate to high risk of lung, kidney, bladder, stomach and brain cancers, while cadmium is associated with conditions effecting the reproductive system, immune system and general development. Arsenic, which was found in rice, wheat and leafy greens, was linked to high-risk scores for skin, bladder, lung, kidney and liver cancers. "Results from these studies have important implications for food safety regulations, public health policies, and consumer awareness.", Felicia Wu, Michigan State University food scientist and incoming president of the Society for Risk Analysis, via 'Newsweek'. The team's previous work found that babies and children under the age of five are the most highly- exposed group to cadmium from consuming common foods. THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT