Where do metals in food come from?
Metals and their compounds naturally occur in the environment—they are present in soil, water, and air. However, their levels in food can also increase due to human activity, including industry and agriculture. They can also enter food during processing or storage. The main concern is long-term exposure, as the body accumulates these elements over time, which can lead to serious health effects. These include diseases of the cardiovascular, nervous, and urinary systems, immune system disorders, as well as genetic damage that increases the risk of cancer.
EFSA actions – which metals are the most dangerous?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been monitoring risks related to heavy metals for years, such as lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic (especially inorganic), nickel, and inorganic tin. EFSA regularly publishes scientific opinions on their impact on health and updates TDI (tolerable daily intake) values. Recently, particular attention has been paid to nickel and inorganic arsenic, resulting in the European Commission adopting regulations defining the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of these metals in food.
At the end of 2024, EFSA also assessed the risk associated with the consumption of organic arsenic compounds found in fish, seafood, and seaweed. In some cases, no risk was identified, but for certain forms, such as arsenic compounds bound to fats, additional data are required.
Main sources of metals in the diet
Heavy metals can be present in many everyday foods—from fruits, vegetables, and grains to meat, fish, cocoa products, and spices. The table below presents examples of sources of elements for which MRLs were established in Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, as amended.
| Name of metal (symbol) | Food products |
| Lead (Pb)
|
fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, legume seeds, grains, dried spices, meat from animals, birds, and fish, seafood, milk, honey, oils and fats, fruit juices, wine, salts, dietary supplements |
| Cadmium (Cd)
|
fruit, vegetables, fresh herbs, nuts, mushrooms, legume seeds, grains, oilseeds, meat from animals, birds, and fish, seafood, cocoa and chocolate products, salt, dietary supplements |
| Mercury (Hg) | fish, seafood, salt, dietary supplements |
| Inorganic arsenic (AsIII + AsV) | rice, rice cereal products, rice-based beverages, fruit juices |
| Total arsenic (As) | salt |
| Inorganic tin
(SnII + SnIV) |
canned food and beverages |
| Nickel (Ni)
|
vegetables, nuts, fresh herbs, legume seeds, seaweed, oilseeds, grains, cocoa and chocolate products, fruit and vegetable juices |
New Regulations – Limits for Nickel
From 1 July 2025 came into force, Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/1987 amending Regulation (EU) 2023/915 as regards maximum levels of nickel in certain foodstuffs. The most important change is the inclusion of nickel under supervision, meaning that the list of elements subject to strict control has been expanded with another metal significant for consumer safety.
Food for children under special control
Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to metal contamination due to their low body weight and relatively monotonous diet. Rice-based products, often used in the diet of the youngest children—especially those with cow’s milk protein allergy or celiac disease—can be a significant source of inorganic arsenic. It is estimated that dietary intake of this element in this age group is 2–3 times higher than in adults. Therefore, Regulation (EU) 2023/915 sets significantly lower permissible metal limits for food intended for children up to 3 years old. For mercury, no MRL has been established; however, due to its harmful effects, a zero-tolerance principle is applied.
How are exceedances monitored?
Food products exceeding permissible metal levels are reported through the RASFF system (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed). This information is published in annual reports of the ACN warning network. In 2024, approximately 40 notifications were recorded concerning lead and cadmium in fruits and vegetables, as well as nearly 70 notifications related to the presence of mercury and cadmium in fish and fish products.
Metal testing at J.S. Hamilton Poland Laboratory
J.S. Hamilton Poland Laboratory conducts determinations of heavy metals for which limits are set in Regulation 2023/915, as amended. Analyses of lead, cadmium, mercury, total arsenic, tin, and nickel are performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The content of inorganic arsenic is determined using HPLC-ICP-MS, which combines high-performance liquid chromatography with detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
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