Clinical Pharmacist and Master’s student in Clinical Pharmacy with research interests in pharmacovigilance, behavioral interventions in mental health, and AI applications in clinical decision support. Experience includes digital health research with Bloomsbury Health (London) and pharmacovigilance practice in patient support programs. Published work covers drug awareness among healthcare providers, postpartum depression management, and patient safety reporting. 
Clinical Pharmacist and Master’s student in Clinical Pharmacy with research interests in pharmacovigilance, behavioral interventions in mental health, and AI applications in clinical decision support. Experience includes digital health research with Bloomsbury Health (London) and pharmacovigilance practice in patient support programs. Published work covers drug awareness among healthcare providers, postpartum depression management, and patient safety reporting. What was studied?
The focus keyphrase for this review is “heavy metal content in milk and milk products.” This original research study systematically evaluated the heavy metal content in milk and milk products available in Poland, with a specific focus on lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic. Conducted by the Department of Food and Consumer Articles Research at the National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, the study involved a comprehensive monitoring program in 2006-2007, incorporating samples from all 16 Polish voivodships. Laboratories used validated, accredited analytical methods, compliant with EU food safety regulations, to measure levels of these hazardous metals. The research aimed to determine the current contamination status, compare findings with national and international benchmarks, and assess the risk posed to consumers—especially vulnerable groups like infants and children—by the intake of these elements through dairy products. This work is highly pertinent for certification and regulatory programs such as the Heavy Metal Tested and Certified (HTMC) initiative, which requires detailed, evidence-based assessments of heavy metal exposure from commonly consumed foods.
Who was studied?
This extensive study analyzed a total of 483 samples of milk and milk products collected from both retail outlets and domestic producers throughout Poland. The sample set included liquid milk, various processed milk products (such as fermented and non-fermented products like yogurt, kefir, cream, and condensed milk), maturing and cottage cheeses, butter, and ice cream. Of these, 92% were domestic products and 8% were imported from other EU member states, with a higher proportion of imports observed in maturing cheeses and butter. The study population thus effectively represents the milk and dairy supply available to Polish consumers, with sampling protocols designed to reflect regional diversity and production sources. This broad coverage ensures the findings are representative of the exposure faced by the general population, including sensitive subgroups such as children, who have a higher relative intake of dairy products per body weight.
Most important findings
| Critical Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Heavy Metal Levels | Average concentrations in milk and milk products were: lead 0.008–0.017 mg/kg, cadmium 0.001–0.002 mg/kg, arsenic 0.005–0.009 mg/kg, and mercury 0.001–0.002 mg/kg. Most samples were well below EU regulatory limits. Only two milk samples exceeded the maximum permissible lead level (0.020 mg/kg), with the highest at 0.05 mg/kg. In processed milk products, higher lead levels were observed in imported versus domestic products, but these also generally conformed to legal thresholds. Cadmium, arsenic, and mercury levels were uniformly low across all products, with a few regional and product-specific exceptions. |
| Product-Specific Contamination | Maturing cheeses had the highest average concentrations for all four metals, particularly lead (average 0.026 mg/kg), with some outliers in salami cheese and rural cottage cheese. Butter consistently showed the lowest contamination. No significant differences were found between fermented and non-fermented products. |
| Comparisons with Other Countries | Internationally, Polish milk and dairy products had lower lead but higher cadmium content than most other EU countries. Mercury and arsenic levels were comparable to or lower than those reported elsewhere. In contrast, countries like the UK and New Zealand generally reported lower values for all four metals. |
| Dietary Exposure and Risk Assessment | Estimated intake of heavy metals from milk and dairy products constituted a small fraction of provisional tolerable weekly/monthly intakes or benchmark dose limits: lead (up to 13% of BMDL10 for adults, up to 50% for children at the 90th percentile), cadmium (up to 3% of EFSA’s tolerable weekly intake), arsenic (less than 2% of BMDL0.5), and mercury (less than 3% of methylmercury PTWI). Children, due to higher consumption per body weight, are a group of concern for lead exposure. |
| Temporal and Regional Trends | Heavy metal content in Polish dairy products has declined over time, especially lead, reflecting environmental improvements and regulatory action. However, certain regions and products occasionally show elevated levels, underscoring the need for ongoing surveillance. |
| Relevance to HTMC Program | The findings demonstrate that accredited monitoring and validated methods can reliably detect and quantify trace metal contamination in dairy products. The low contamination levels provide a strong baseline for industry certification. The study also highlights the importance of setting and updating regulatory thresholds based on the latest toxicological data, especially for vulnerable populations. |
Key implications
This research shows that heavy metal content in milk and milk products in Poland is generally low and compliant with EU regulations, supporting the feasibility of heavy metal certification for dairy. However, occasional exceedances—especially for lead—warrant ongoing monitoring, strict analytical controls, and special attention to vulnerable groups in certification criteria.
Citation
Starska K, Wojciechowska-Mazurek M, Mania M, Brulińska-Ostrowska E, Biernat U, Karłowski K. Noxious Elements in Milk and Milk Products in Poland. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies. 2011;20(4):1043-1051.
Heavy metals are high-density elements that accumulate in the body and environment, disrupting biological processes. Lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, nickel, tin, aluminum, and chromium are of greatest concern due to persistence, bioaccumulation, and health risks, making them central to the HMTC program’s safety standards.
Lead is a neurotoxic heavy metal with no safe exposure level. It contaminates food, consumer goods and drinking water, causing cognitive deficits, birth defects and cardiovascular disease. HMTC’s rigorous lead testing applies ALARA principles to protect infants and consumers and to prepare brands for tightening regulations.
Cadmium is a persistent heavy metal that accumulates in kidneys and bones. Dietary sources include cereals, cocoa, shellfish and vegetables, while smokers and industrial workers receive higher exposures. Studies link cadmium to kidney dysfunction, bone fractures and cancer.
Mercury (Hg) is a neurotoxic heavy metal found in various consumer products and environmental sources, making it a major public health concern. Its regulation is critical to protect vulnerable populations from long-term health effects, such as neurological impairment and cardiovascular disease. The HMTC program ensures that products meet the highest standards for mercury safety.
Arsenic is a naturally occurring metalloid that ranks first on the ATSDR toxic substances list. Inorganic arsenic contaminates water, rice and consumer products, and exposure is linked to cardiovascular disease, cognitive deficits, low birth weight and cancer. HMTC’s stringent certification applies ALARA principles to protect vulnerable populations.
