Heavy Metals in US Foods: Exposure Assessment by Age Group and Mitigation Strategies

Heavy metals such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) have the potential to cause neurocognitive impairment to infants and young children who are exposed to them in their diets. These elements can also cause chronic toxicological effects in older children and adults. They are unintended contaminants that arise from agricultural soils or other environmental sources.

To help address these risks it is important to identify which foods contain the highest levels of these metals; and based on US consumption of these foods by age group, which food-metal combinations cause the greatest potential exposure via diets.

This research examined which foods contain the highest levels of heavy metals; and based on US consumption of these foods by different age groups, which food-metal dyads cause the greatest human exposures.

The researchers also explored mitigation strategies to reduce these most severe exposures. Feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the strategies were assessed to provide a realistic picture of what we can achieve in the short term to quickly lower exposures.