The BfR MEAL Study provides representative levels of substances in foods consumed in Germany. Mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel are contaminants present in foods introduced by environmental and industrial processes. Levels of these elements were investigated in 356 foods. Foods were purchased representatively, prepared as consumed and pooled with similar foods before analysis. Highest mean levels of mercury were determined in fish and seafood, while high levels of cadmium, lead, and nickel were present in cocoa products and legumes, nuts, oilseeds, and spices. The sampling by region, season, and production type showed minor differences in element levels for specific foods, however no tendency over all foods or for some food groups was apparent. The data on mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel provide a comprehensive basis for chronic dietary exposure assessment of the population in Germany. All levels found were below regulated maximum levels.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9114524PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2022.100326DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

cadmium lead
16
lead nickel
16
bfr meal
8
meal study
8
germany mercury
8
fish seafood
8
mercury cadmium
8
foods
7
levels
7
study germany
4

Similar Publications

Soil polluted system shapes endophytic fungi communities associated with : a field experiment.

PeerJ

January 2025

Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Restoration Ecology in Karst Terrain, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin, China.

With the expansion of the mining industry, environmental pollution from microelements (MP) and red mud (RM) has become a pressing issue. While bioremediation offers a cost-effective and sustainable solution, plant growth in these polluted environments remains difficult. is one of the few plants capable of surviving in RM-affected soils.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Interactions between contaminants and the trophic ecology of two seabirds in a coastal lagoon of the Gulf of California.

Ecotoxicology

January 2025

Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México.

Monitoring the dynamics of contaminants in ecosystems helps understand their potential effects. Seabirds have been used as biomonitors of marine ecosystems for this purpose. However, exposure and vulnerability to pollutants are understudied in tropical species, and the relationships between various pollutants and the trophic ecology of seabirds are poorly understood.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Increasing research has shown that heavy metal as a neurotoxicant affects cognitive function across the lifespan. Nutritional status may modify susceptibility to heavy metal exposures, which further impacts cognition.

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search for cross-sectional studies, longitudinal studies, case-control studies and clinical trials on the interaction between nutrient and heavy metal, as well as mixed heavy metal exposure, in relation to cognition across the lifespan.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Prevalence of chronic kidney disease and anemia in Hirakud Command Area, Odisha, India: unveiling the role of environmental toxicants.

J Nephrol

January 2025

Laboratory of Renal Toxicopathology & Medicine, P.G. Department of Environmental Sciences, Sambalpur University, Burla, Odisha, 768019, India.

Background: The present community-based study assessed the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD)/chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) as well as anemia in some intense agricultural zones under Hirakud Command Area and evaluated their association with pesticides and heavy metal exposure.

Methods: Random cluster sampling method was used to assess the prevalence of CKD and anemia. Hematological analysis was carried out using autoanalyzer.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Toxic Trace Elements in Meat and Meat Products Across Asia: A Comprehensive Literature Review and Implications for Human Health.

Foods

December 2024

Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorens 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain.

Meat and meat products are vital sources of essential nutrients for human health and development. However, an excessive or inappropriate consumption can pose significant health risks. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified red meat as "probably carcinogenic to humans" and processed meat as "carcinogenic to humans", yet the role of environmental contaminants in these products was not addressed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!