Heavy metals are an example of contaminants that penetrate into food and feed products to a significant extent from the surrounding environment. According to available literature, plants and products of plant origin, such as bread and all cereal products, fish and seafood, are most vulnerable to contamination.
The heavy metals most frequently associated with the development of health problems are cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic. Long-term exposure to elevated levels of these elements may cause an increased risk of cancer and nervous system disorders, as well as immune system dysfunction.The primary source of migration of heavy metals into the environment is industrial dust and wastewater discharged into waterways and ultimately entering the food chain. Many metals can enter food as industrial by-products and waste.
Maximum levels for heavy metals in foodstuffs and animal feed are regulated and contained in the relevant legislation. In the case of foodstuffs, there is Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs, as amended, which also sets requirements for tin in canned foodstuffs. For animal feed, the limits are set out in Directive 2002/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 May 2002 on undesirable substances in animal feed, as amended.
Investigations into heavy metals levels are carried out at the J.S. Hamilton Poland Laboratory in Gdynia and the Hamilton UO-Technology in Słomczyn with the use of appropriately developed research methodologies – based on the guidelines of Polish and international standards, as well as own research procedures. The most frequently used are the technique of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma ionisation mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Should you want to check your food or feed for metal content, contact our team and schedule tests with us.