Heavy Metals in Food and Food Systems

Dr. Matthew Chidozie Ogwu is an environmental scientist and Assistant Professor of Sustainable Development at Appalachian State University, USA. He holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Seoul National University, with research training spanning microbial ecology, environmental toxicology, biodiversity conservation, and food–environment interactions. His scholarship focuses on contaminant pathways in food systems, soil and water quality, exposure assessment, and human health risks, with particular emphasis on trace metals, agro-food contamination, and sustainability in the Global South. Dr. Ogwu has an extensive publication record, including numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, edited volumes, and scholarly books with leading publishers. He has led and collaborated on funded research projects across North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, integrating scientific evidence with regulatory and policy perspectives. His interdisciplinary work advances resilient, safe, and sustainable food systems through applied research, risk assessment, and evidence-based mitigation strategies. Dr. Sylvester C. Izah is a public health and environmental microbiology scholar at Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa, Nigeria, where he also serves as Assistant Director of Academic Planning, Research, and Innovations. He holds dual Ph.D. degrees in Public Health and in Applied Microbiology and Environmental Health, along with an M.Sc. in Applied Microbiology and a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from Niger Delta University, Nigeria. He is a licensed environmental health specialist in Nigeria. Dr. Izah’s research centers on environmental contaminants and their implications for food safety, human health, and sustainable food systems. His expertise includes heavy metal contamination of soil, water, and food matrices; exposure pathways and toxicological risk assessment; environmental microbiology; sanitation and waste management; and One Health–based sustainability frameworks. He has authored over 400 peer-reviewed publications and edited or contributed to books with leading publishers bringing a strong global perspective to this volume.

• PART I: Foundations and System Pathways1. Heavy Metals Across Food Systems: From Environmental Sources to Human Exposure2. Sources and Transport Pathways of Heavy Metals in Food Systems: Soil–Water–Air Deposition, Climate Drivers, and Global TradePART II: Agricultural Production and Food Chain Transfer3. Agricultural Practices and Plant Uptake of Heavy Metals4. Heavy Metals in Animal-Based and Aquatic Foods5. Food Processing, Packaging, and Heavy Metal Cross-Contamination PathwaysPART III: Detection, Exposure, and Risk Assessment6. Detection and Quantification of Heavy Metals in Food Systems: Method Selection, Sample Preparation, QA/QC, and Validation7. Dietary Exposure and Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy MetalsPART IV: Governance, Mitigation, and Future Directions8. Global Standards and Regulatory Frameworks for Mitigating Heavy Metals in Food and Food Systems9. Social Dimensions of Heavy Metal Risk in Food and Food System: Risk Communication, Trust Building, and Public Understanding10. Mitigation Strategies for Heavy Metals Across the Food Chain11. Global Case Studies on Heavy Metals in Food Systems: Patterns, Risks, and Responses12. Emerging Challenges and Innovations in Managing Heavy Metals in Food Systems