Monitoring of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Levels in Seafood Products: A Ten-Year Analysis
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) monitors the presence and concentration of contaminants in food to mitigate health risks. EU legislation sets maximum levels of heavy metals in foods, including cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and total Hg (THg) in seafood, due to their toxicity. In the framework o...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/3/451 |
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| author | Luisa Garofalo Marcello Sala Claudia Focardi Patrizio Pasqualetti Daniela Delfino Francesca D’Onofrio Barbara Droghei Francesca Pasquali Valentina Nicolini Flavia Silvia Galli Paola Scaramozzino Alessandro Ubaldi Katia Russo Bruno Neri |
| author_facet | Luisa Garofalo Marcello Sala Claudia Focardi Patrizio Pasqualetti Daniela Delfino Francesca D’Onofrio Barbara Droghei Francesca Pasquali Valentina Nicolini Flavia Silvia Galli Paola Scaramozzino Alessandro Ubaldi Katia Russo Bruno Neri |
| author_sort | Luisa Garofalo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) monitors the presence and concentration of contaminants in food to mitigate health risks. EU legislation sets maximum levels of heavy metals in foods, including cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and total Hg (THg) in seafood, due to their toxicity. In the framework of official control, between 2014 and 2023, 5854 seafood samples were collected and 4300 analyses for THg, 3338 for Cd, and 2171 for Pb were performed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). The aim was to assess the proportion of contaminated foods in the dataset, the concentration of contaminants, and the potential health risks associated with their intake. Of the total samples analyzed, 142 (2.43%) were found to be non-compliant (n.c.). Concentrations exceeding the limits for Cd were primarily detected in cephalopods (n = 17), mainly squids. In contrast, Hg levels exceeded the limits in marine fish (n = 118), notably in swordfish (11.30% of n.c. samples among those analyzed for this species), sharks (6.48%), and tuna species (3.11%). Regarding Pb, only a single bivalve sample was found to exceed the maximum limits. A preliminary assessment of weekly exposure to Hg through swordfish consumption raised concerns about the frequent intake of marine top predators, particularly for vulnerable people. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d8c8d059aaed4ee3ade8d6686e1ccb5f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj-art-d8c8d059aaed4ee3ade8d6686e1ccb5f2025-08-20T03:12:35ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-01-0114345110.3390/foods14030451Monitoring of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Levels in Seafood Products: A Ten-Year AnalysisLuisa Garofalo0Marcello Sala1Claudia Focardi2Patrizio Pasqualetti3Daniela Delfino4Francesca D’Onofrio5Barbara Droghei6Francesca Pasquali7Valentina Nicolini8Flavia Silvia Galli9Paola Scaramozzino10Alessandro Ubaldi11Katia Russo12Bruno Neri13Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via di Castelpulci, San Martino alla Palma, 50010 Firenze, ItalyDipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana <i>M. Aleandri</i>, Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, ItalyThe European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) monitors the presence and concentration of contaminants in food to mitigate health risks. EU legislation sets maximum levels of heavy metals in foods, including cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and total Hg (THg) in seafood, due to their toxicity. In the framework of official control, between 2014 and 2023, 5854 seafood samples were collected and 4300 analyses for THg, 3338 for Cd, and 2171 for Pb were performed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). The aim was to assess the proportion of contaminated foods in the dataset, the concentration of contaminants, and the potential health risks associated with their intake. Of the total samples analyzed, 142 (2.43%) were found to be non-compliant (n.c.). Concentrations exceeding the limits for Cd were primarily detected in cephalopods (n = 17), mainly squids. In contrast, Hg levels exceeded the limits in marine fish (n = 118), notably in swordfish (11.30% of n.c. samples among those analyzed for this species), sharks (6.48%), and tuna species (3.11%). Regarding Pb, only a single bivalve sample was found to exceed the maximum limits. A preliminary assessment of weekly exposure to Hg through swordfish consumption raised concerns about the frequent intake of marine top predators, particularly for vulnerable people.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/3/451heavy metalscontaminantsCE regulationfishery productsofficial controlschemical tests |
| spellingShingle | Luisa Garofalo Marcello Sala Claudia Focardi Patrizio Pasqualetti Daniela Delfino Francesca D’Onofrio Barbara Droghei Francesca Pasquali Valentina Nicolini Flavia Silvia Galli Paola Scaramozzino Alessandro Ubaldi Katia Russo Bruno Neri Monitoring of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Levels in Seafood Products: A Ten-Year Analysis Foods heavy metals contaminants CE regulation fishery products official controls chemical tests |
| title | Monitoring of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Levels in Seafood Products: A Ten-Year Analysis |
| title_full | Monitoring of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Levels in Seafood Products: A Ten-Year Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Monitoring of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Levels in Seafood Products: A Ten-Year Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Monitoring of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Levels in Seafood Products: A Ten-Year Analysis |
| title_short | Monitoring of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Levels in Seafood Products: A Ten-Year Analysis |
| title_sort | monitoring of cadmium lead and mercury levels in seafood products a ten year analysis |
| topic | heavy metals contaminants CE regulation fishery products official controls chemical tests |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/3/451 |
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