[Evaluation of lead sampling from food products]

Lead is recognised as an element most harmful to human health. Food is the main source of human exposure to lead. The level of this element in foodstuff is limited by the national and international legal regulations. The level of lead was determined in daily diet of children and youngsters as well as in selected agricultural products (vegetables, potatoes, fruit, cereals), flour, bakery products and children foods. Samples of agricultural products were collected from regions which were not directly contaminated by industrial plants and motor transport (20 voivodships). Altogether 1700 meals were analysed, about 2500 samples of vegetables, 1023 of fruit, 919 of cereals and 676 of other foodstuffs. It was revealed that mean intake of lead among adults was lower than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) compulsory at that time, while in small children PTWI values were exceeded in 6 out of 10 voivodships investigated. On the ground of these results certain changes were suggested or already made in the national legislation concerning the admissible level of lead.