Assessment of the risks from dietary lead exposure in China

The dietary lead (Pb) risk across China was assessed based on the margin of exposure (MOE) approach by comparing the level (1.5 μg/kg/d) based on the Pb concentrations in foodstuffs from1386 published articles. The Pb averages of the 18 foods were lower than their corresponding limits enacted by the Chinese government, ranging from 0.09 to 0.30 mg/kg. Food from plants had a much higher contribution to dietary Pb intake than that from animals (86% vs. 14%), and cereals and vegetables contributed 79% of the Pb intake from plant-based food. Although each category of food contained a relatively low Pb concentration, the accumulated Pb from the total diet posed a high risk to human health. The MOE risk from dietary Pb averaged 1.57 and ranged from 0.13 to 6.18, with high risks in southern, southwestern, eastern, central, and northern China. The MOE risk from Pb could be decreased by adjusting the dietary structure, and the ratio of people categorized as high risk (MOE < 1) would decrease from 56% to 37%, 41%, or 24% if the category of cereal or vegetable or both cereals and vegetables with the lowest Pb concentration in their local areas were selected, respectively.