How dangerous is eating fish sauce containing arsenic?

People who eat fish sauce containing arsenic that accumulates in the body for a long time can cause poisoning, illness, cancer and even death.

Illustration photo.

According to Associate Professor N.Nguyen Duy Thinh, Institute of Food Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, if the data125/150 samples of bottled fish sauce had at least one of the five chemical group indicators surveyed that did not meet the standards or those announced on the label. Of these, the arsenic content, also known as arsenic, in most samples was much higher than the prescribed level.To be exact, consumers will encounter many health problems when consuming this type of fish sauce.

Arsenic is a colorless, odorless, notoriously toxic metal that occurs in many allotropic forms. Arsenic and its compounds are used as pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, etc.Arsenic poisoning is a chronic disease caused by drinking water containing arsenic.at high concentrations for a long timei. Effects include skin discoloration, formation of hard spots on the skin, skin cancer, lung, kidney and bladder cancer... and can also lead to gangrene. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a limit of 0.01 mg/L of arsenic in drinking water; long-term ingestion of large amounts of arsenic can lead to poisoning.

Arsenic poisoning has two forms: acute and chronic.

- Acute poisoning: Symptoms are similar to cholera, appearing very quickly, possibly immediately after ingestion. Patients vomit, have abdominal pain, have continuous diarrhea, are extremely thirsty, have a weak pulse, have a pale face and then become purple, have urinary retention, and die after 24 hours.

- Chronic poisoningh: This form occurs due to the accumulation of small doses of arsenic over a long period of time. Symptoms include a gray face, hair loss, gastritis, enteritis, eye pain, unsteady gait... Tests show arsenic in urine, the person becomes emaciated, exhausted, and then dies within a few months or years.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong, Director of the Department of Food Safety, Ministry of Health said that he will verify the results of the fish sauce survey and resolve the issue to protect consumers' health.

According to VNE