A recent review published in Current Opinion in Food Science examined evidence linking food chemical contaminants (FCCs) with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. FCCs include a wide range of substances that may enter the food chain, including pesticides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, and contaminants formed during food processing or migration from food packaging materials.
The authors summarise experimental and epidemiological evidence suggesting that some of these chemicals may affect brain health through mechanisms such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and disruption of the blood–brain barrier. Many FCCs are capable of crossing biological barriers and may accumulate in the body following long-term dietary exposure.
Although the evidence linking dietary contaminants directly to neurodegenerative disease in humans remains limited, the review highlights growing concern that chronic low-dose exposure to multiple chemicals over a lifetime could contribute to neurodegenerative processes. The authors emphasise that further research is needed to better understand the cumulative effects of chemical mixtures and long-term exposure through diet.
Ramos, H., Araújo, A.M., Ferreira, I.M. and Faria, M.A. (2025). The neurotoxic impact of food chemical contaminants: a growing concern? Current Opinion in Food Science, [online] 67, p.101369.
