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?
This EFSA scientific report quantified cadmium dietary exposure in Europe using extensive occurrence data and detailed individual food consumption records from the EFSA Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database. The analysis estimated lifetime and age-specific weekly intakes and identified the food categories contributing most to exposure. Using weighted age-group results, the report derived a middle-bound lifetime average of 2.04 µg/kg body weight per week and explored potential 95th-percentile exposure under a constant high-intake assumption. It contextualised these estimates against health-based guidance values, notably EFSA’s tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 2.5 µg/kg b.w./week, and contrasted contributions from broad and specific food groups such as grains, vegetables, potatoes, bread and rolls, and water molluscs. The analysis supports cadmium dietary exposure in Europe risk management by linking consumption patterns to exposure drivers and highlighting subgroups likely to exceed guidance values.
Who was studied?
The target population was the European general population disaggregated by age: infants, toddlers, other children, adolescents, adults, the elderly, and the very elderly. EFSA compiled and harmonised multiple national dietary surveys, then weighted age-group exposures by years within a 77-year lifespan to obtain lifetime estimates. Mean middle-bound exposures ranged from 1.56 µg/kg b.w./week in the elderly to 4.85 µg/kg b.w./week in toddlers; potential lifetime 95th-percentile exposure was 3.66 µg/kg b.w./week, reaching 8.19 µg/kg b.w./week during the toddler period. Individual survey means spanned 1.15–7.84 µg/kg b.w./week, with 95th-percentiles 2.01–12.1 µg/kg b.w./week, reflecting country and methodology differences. These age-resolved estimates anchor cadmium dietary exposure Europe risk considerations for vulnerable subgroups.
Most important findings
| Critical point | Details |
|---|---|
| Lifetime exposure and guidance value | Toddlers showed the highest average exposure at 4.85 µg/kg b.w./week; at P95, toddlers could reach 8.19 µg/kg b.w./week, well above the TWI. The elderly had the lowest averages near 1.56 µg/kg b.w./week. |
| Vulnerable age groups | About half of the food samples were |
| Range across surveys | Mean survey results ranged from 1.15 (LB) to 7.84 (UB) µg/kg b.w./week; 95th-percentiles ranged from 2.01 (LB) to 12.1 (UB) µg/kg b.w./week, underscoring variability in diet and survey methods. |
| Dominant contributing categories (Level 1) | Grains and grain products 26.9%, vegetables 16.0%, starchy roots and tubers 13.2%; these high-consumption categories drive exposure more than the highest-Cd items. |
| Key foods (fine detail) | Potatoes 13.2%, bread and rolls 11.7%, fine bakery wares 5.1%, chocolate confectionery 4.3%, leafy vegetables 3.9%, water molluscs 3.2%; at the finest detail, wheat bread/rolls 6.4% and boiled potatoes 5.7% were notable contributors |
| Occurrence profile | About half of food samples were |
| Health-based values | JECFA PTMI 25 µg/kg b.w./month (~5.8 µg/kg/week); EFSA TWI 2.5 µg/kg/week. Children and adults at P95 can exceed guidance values. |
| Drivers of exposure | Foods eaten in large quantities have the greatest impact; examples include bread, potatoes, and chocolate products, whereas high-Cd items like offal and water molluscs contribute via high concentration despite lower consumption. |
| Toddler survey spread | Across nine toddler surveys (n=1,597), middle-bound mean exposure ranged 3.84–6.77 µg/kg/week; P95 5.32–10.1 µg/kg/week, illustrating consistent risk of exceedance in this group. |
Key implications
For regulators, aligning HTMC criteria with EFSA’s TWI is prudent to manage cadmium dietary exposure in Europe. Certification should cap cadmium in high-contribution staples like grains, potatoes, and chocolate products, and set stricter limits for offal and water molluscs. Industry can prioritise sourcing, soil and fertiliser controls, and product testing for toddler-targeted foods. Research gaps include harmonised occurrence data and lower LOQs for under-characterised categories. Practical recommendations include batch-level cadmium testing, supplier verification, consumer guidance on dietary diversity, and transparent labelling for high-risk commodities.
Citation
European Food Safety Authority. Cadmium dietary exposure in the European population. EFSA Journal. 2012;10(1):2551. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2551.
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.
