US EPA

1070349 

Journal Article 

Toxicity of so-called edible hijiki seaweed (Sargassum fusiforme) containing inorganic arsenic 

Yokoi, K; Konomi, A 

2012 

1 

Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology
ISSN: 0273-2300
EISSN: 1096-0295 

63 

2 

291-297 

English 

22561181 

10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.04.006 

WOS:000305380900009 

The UK Food Standards Agency and its counterparts in other countries have warned consumers not to eat hijiki (Sargassum fusiforme; synonym Hizikia fusiformis), a Sargasso seaweed, because it contains large amounts of inorganic arsenic. We investigated dietary exposure of hijiki in weaning male F344/N rats fed an AIN-93G diet supplemented with 3% (w/w) hijiki powder for 7weeks, compared with those fed only an AIN-93G diet. Body weight, body temperature, blood and tissue arsenic concentrations, plasma biochemistry and hematological parameters were measured. We found that feeding rats a 3% hijiki diet led to a marked accumulation of arsenic in blood and tissues, and evoked a high body temperature and abnormal blood biochemistry including elevated plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and inorganic phosphorus, consistent with arsenic poisoning. These findings should prompt further investigations to identify the health hazards related to consumption of hijiki and related Sargassum species in humans. 

Inorganic arsenic; Toxicity; Rats; Poisoning; High body temperature; Alkaline phosphatase