Number 33 July 1994
MAFF UK - A SURVEY OF CADMIUM, ARSENIC, MERCURY AND LEAD CONCENTRATIONS
IN INDIVIDUAL FOODS
Index to MAFF, UK Food Surveillance Information
Sheets, 1994
see also:
32: MAFF, UK - Multi-element Survey
of Various Food Types (July 1994)
93: MAFF,UK - Multi-element Analysis
of Infant Foods - Follow-up Survey (August 1996)
113: MAFF, UK - Survey of Lead and
Cadmium in Foods (June 1997)
119: MAFF UK - Survey of Mercury
in Foods (August 1997)
131: MAFF, UK: 1994 Total Diet
Study: Metals and Other Elements (November 1997)
138: MAFF, UK: Metals in Cold
Pressed Oils (December 1997)
146: MAFF UK - Concentrations of
Metals and Other Elements in Selected Snack and Convenience Foods (March
1998)
149: MAFF UK - 1994 Total Diet
Study (Part 2) Dietary Intakes of Metals and Other Elements (May 1998)
150: MAFF UK - Metals and Other
Elements in Cows' Milk and Vegetables Produced Near Industrial Sites
(May 1998)
151: MAFF UK - Concentrations of
Metals and Other Elements in Marine Fish and Shellfish (May 1998)
152: MAFF UK - Summaries of Food
Surveillance Papers - 'Lead, Arsenic and Other Metals in Food' and
'Cadmium, Mercury and Other Metals in Food' (June 1998)
155: MAFF UK - Lead in Dried
Fruit (August 1998)
156: MAFF UK - Metals and Other
Elements in Dietary Supplements and Licensed Medicinal Products
(November 1998)
159: MAFF UK: - Metals and Other
Elements in Beverages (September 1998)
190: MAFF UK - Metals and other
elements in infant foods (November 1999)
191: MAFF UK - 1997 Total Diet
Study - Aluminium, Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Lead, Mercury,
Nickel, Selenium, Tin and Zinc (November 1999)
199: MAFF UK - Multi-Element
Survey of Wild Edible Fungi and Blackberries (March 2000)
Background
The Food Safety Directorate has carried out a small survey of individual
foods for their cadmium, arsenic, mercury and lead content to extend and
update the data currently available on concentrations of these potentially
toxic elements found in foods and to establish whether these differed from
previous surveillance data. Analysis of these foods was undertaken at the
Laboratory of the Government Chemist, during the period 1991-93. The
results from previous surveys have already been published in previous Food
Surveillance Papers.1-5
Results
A total of 66 individual foods were selected for analysis including a
range of meat, fish, vegetable and fruit products processed in a variety
of ways; bottled, frozen, and canned. The results of the survey are shown
below in Table 1 and are generally in the
expected range. For most foods analysed the metal concentrations were low
and frequently at the limit of determination. However, the mercury
concentrations for the two cod samples analysed (0.44 and 0.31 mg/kg) were
slightly elevated compared with monitoring data collected for cod in
1988/89. In general, however, when relatively high concentrations were
recorded these were often present as a result of the natural occurrence of
these elements in particular foods. Examples of this are the arsenic
concentrations found in the fish samples and the high cadmium
concentrations in crab, lobster and mussel samples. Cadmium concentrations
in some vegetable and offal samples were also elevated, but again the
concentrations recorded were not atypical as these foods are known to
accumulate cadmium.
Interpretation
In the main, the metal concentrations found for the foods surveyed are
in keeping with previously reported surveillance data. However, because of
the small sample sizes taken for each food type the results may not
accurately represent the entire range of concentrations which might be
found in these foods. Frequently the concentrations of these elements were
slightly lower than reported for previous surveillance data, which may
possibly reflect the improved analytical techniques employed rather than a
reduction in the metal concentration of the foods sampled.
- Food Surveillance Paper No. 8 : Survey of Arsenic in Food (ISBN No.
0 11 241212-2).
- Food Surveillance Paper No. 10 : Survey of Lead in Food: Second
Supplementary Report (ISBN No. 0 11 2425534).
- Food Surveillance Paper No. 12 : Survey of Cadmium in Food: First
supplementary Report (ISBN No. 0 11 2425771).
- Food Surveillance Paper No. 17 : Survey of Mercury in Food: Second
Supplementary Report (ISBN No. 0 11 242796 0).
- Food Surveillance Paper No. 27 : Lead in Food: Progress Report (ISBN
No. 0 11 242886 X).
- Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report No. 26: Monitoring and
Surveillance of Non-Radioactive Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment
and Activities Regulating the Disposal of Wastes at Sea, 1988-89 (ISSN
0142-2499).
Contact Point:
Further details on this survey are available from:
Dr T Boshier
MAFF, Joint Food Safety and Standards Group
Additives and Novel Foods Division
Room 239, Ergon House
c/o Nobel House, 17 Smith Square
London, SW1P 3JR
Tel: +44 (0)20 7238 6099
Fax: +44 (0)20 7238 6382
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