Food-Type-Driven Detection, Concentration Profiling and Probabilistic Risk Mapping of Pb, Cd and Hg in Foods

Food contamination by heavy metals is a long-standing issue in public health. This paper presents a food-type based surveillance system for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) comprising detection, concentrations in detected samples and screening of the health risk. Based on 2,114 weighted tests, detection rates differed significantly: Hg (84.5%; 579/685) > Pb (19.1%; 241/1,264) > Cd (10.9%; 18/165). Pb detection was highest in fish/seafood (28.0%) and lowest in oils/fats (1.4%) and legumes (0.0%). Cd concentrations were observed to be highest in spices/herbs (mean 0.3606 mg/kg; median 0.1900 mg/kg; P95 0.97 mg/kg), whereas Hg concentrations in fish/seafood were right-skewed (median 0.0419 mg/kg; max 2.68 mg/kg). Probabilistic exposure mapping (BW = 70 kg; IR = 25-300 g/day) denoted a seafood-driven Hg concern Probability of Target hazard quotient (P(THQ > 1) ) = 12.27% at 50 g/day and 64.07% at 300 g/day) and a spice-driven Cd concern P(THQ > 1) = 2.30% at 25 g/day and 43.11% at 300 g/day). The framework is supportive of focused monitoring and control.