Heavy metals survey published
Tuesday 9 January 2007
A survey of the concentrations of eight metals and other elements in a variety of cultivated and wild foods has today been published by the Agency.
The survey was undertaken to provide data for a future review by the European Commission of permitted levels of these metals in our diet.
Estimated intakes for the metals and other elements measured during this survey do not cause concern for people's health.
Concentrations of aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, manganese and zinc were measured in 310 food samples: 120 samples of root vegetables, 30 of nuts, 35 of dried fruits, 50 of mushrooms, 25 of honey, 25 of sweets and 25 of deer and pheasant. These were bought throughout the UK from a range of shops.
The levels found in the survey were compared against legal limits where they exist - that is, for arsenic, lead and cadmium. Four samples of cultivated mushrooms and nine samples of nuts showed levels of cadmium above these limits. One sample of root vegetables and seven samples of nuts showed levels of lead above the limits. The Agency informed local authorities for them to consider whether to take enforcement action, and relevant companies.
None of the results of this survey pose a significant risk to people's health, and FSA advice to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables, each day is unchanged.
The science behind the story
The FSA regularly monitors the concentrations of metals and other elements in food. Some metals and other elements (such as copper, manganese and zinc) can act as nutrients and are essential for health, while others (such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury) have no known beneficial health effects. All may be harmful if excessive amounts are eaten.
In the most recent Total Diet Study, the levels of metals found in nuts and vegetables were low and did not present significant risks to the general UK population. Metals and other elements can be present in food either naturally, as a result of human activities (such as farming, industry or car exhausts), from contamination during manufacture/processing and storage, or by direct addition.
Cadmium is subject to a regulatory limit in nuts. The data used to set this limit did not include information on pine nuts which have now been found to accumulate cadmium naturally to a greater extent than other nuts. Data on nuts are being collected to allow the European Commission to consider revising the cadmium and lead limits.
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