Work

Exposure to silver, aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and lead from food in Swedish children, adolescents and adults

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Total diet studies monitor exposure to contaminants from food. This study investigates the intakes of the harmful metals silver (Ag), aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), inorganic As, cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) in Swedish young children, adolescents and adults, and relate them to health-based guidance values (HBGV). Whereas intakes of Ag and Al did not give rise to any concern for adverse health effects, most of the young children had intakes of inorganic As (≥97 %), Cd (≥71 %) and Ni (≥92 %, for acute effects) above the HBGV set by European Food Safety Authority. Some young children (2-3 %) also had higher intake of methyl-Hg (estimated by Hg from fish and eggs) than the HBGV. Whether the higher exposure to these metals during early childhood cause a greater risk of adverse health effects is unknown but our findings indicate that potential adverse health effects due to their exposure cannot be excluded. Hence, actions to reduce these intakes are desirable. Estimated intakes of Pb were below HBGV which partly disagree with blood Pb levels measured in previous studies, indicating that there are other important Pb sources than food.

Source: Food and Chemical Toxicology

DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2025.115728

Authors: Helena Bjermo, Daniel Edgar, Sanna Lignell, Barbro Kollander

Institution: National Food Administration

Language: English

Topic: Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,670