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 reviewed?
This review consolidates global evidence on heavy metals in foods and beverages, detailing sources, typical concentrations across major food groups, analytical methods, regulatory limits, and mitigation strategies, content directly relevant to HTMC certification design and auditing. It synthesizes data on fruits and vegetables, milk and dairy, meat products, edible oils, and alcoholic beverages, alongside Codex/OIV limits and practicable reduction methods such as adsorption, electrodialysis, and selective precipitation. According to the article’s introduction and scope, the aim is to translate widespread contamination concerns into actionable food safety control points for regulators and industry.
Who was reviewed?
The paper aggregates findings from studies worldwide, with especially dense evidence from China, Romania, Egypt, Turkey, and Ukraine, and a notable focus on population health endpoints for women, pregnancy, and children. Food matrices include leafy greens (e.g., spinach, lettuce), root and tuber crops, cereals, fresh fruit, dairy, meat and sausages, plant oils, beer, and wine. Limits and surveillance frameworks are drawn from Codex Alimentarius and OIV documents, positioning the synthesis to inform certification schemes operating across jurisdictions. The maps and tables (see keyword maps on p.2 and extensive concentration tables on pp.8–16) reflect both geographic and commodity-specific variability relevant to risk-based program design.
Most important findings
| Critical point for HTMC | Details for certification and control |
|---|---|
| Codex/OIV limits define actionable thresholds | Examples include As ≤0.1 mg/kg in fats/oils; Pb ≤0.02 mg/kg in milk; Cd ≤0.01 mg/L in wine; multiple matrix-specific maxima for rice, vegetables, and beverages—provide clear pass/fail criteria for HTMC specs. |
| Highest-risk commodities | Olive, sesame, rapeseed, sunflower, and coconut oils from multiple markets showed Pb or As near or above 0.1 mg/kg; speciation was rarely reported. Require routine ICP-MS panels (Pb, Cd, As, Hg, Ni) and supplier COAs for HTMC. |
| Oils warrant targeted surveillance | FAAS/GF-AAS are cost-effective for single-element or routine screens; ICP-AES is robust for multi-element quantitation; ICP-MS offers the lowest LOQs and speciation with higher cost—define tiered HTMC testing pathways. |
| Alcoholic beverages mostly compliant but quality-sensitive | Wines and beers are usually below health limits, yet Fe, Cu, Mn, and Pb impact haze, oxidation, and flavor stability—relevant to label claims and quality elements of certification. |
| Validated analytics enable enforcement | FAAS/GF-AAS are cost-effective for single-element or routine screens; ICP-AES is robust for multi-element quantitation; ICP-MS offers lowest LOQs and speciation with higher cost—define tiered HTMC testing pathways. |
| Feasible reduction methods | Adsorption with carbon/chitosan or mineral sieves, electrodialysis (especially in dairy), and sulfur-based precipitation remove Cd, Pb, Cu, Hg; effectiveness depends on matrix pH/chemistry—codify corrective actions before certification. |
| Exposure and health endpoints | Lead remains linked to neurotoxicity; cadmium to renal and skeletal effects; arsenic to carcinogenicity and cardiometabolic risks; methylmercury to neurodevelopment—prioritize these four in HTMC hazard categories. |
| Monitoring imperative despite “generally low” risk | The authors note overall low risk in many regions but increasing environmental load, advocating continuous surveillance—aligns with HTMC’s periodic audit cadence. |
Key implications
For HTMC, heavy metals in foods and beverages require commodity-specific maximum levels harmonized to Codex/OIV, a tiered analytical strategy, and corrective processing options. Primary regulatory impacts include clear enforcement thresholds and periodic surveillance. Certification requirements should mandate ICP-MS confirmation for high-risk lots, supplier COAs, and chain-of-custody. Industry applications span oil refining, winery/ brewery metal management, and produce sourcing from low-pollution soils. Research gaps include speciation in oils and longitudinal storage effects. Practical recommendations include risk-based sampling, validated digestion protocols, and documented mitigation before seal issuance.
Citation
Scutarasu EC, Trincă LC. Heavy Metals in Foods and Beverages: Global Situation, Health Risks and Reduction Methods. Foods. 2023;12(18):3340. doi:10.3390/foods12183340
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.
