Lead and Cadmium in Foods

As part of its evaluation of arsenic in foods commonly eaten by toddlers and infants, FDA also analyzed samples for lead and cadmium. Overall, these data indicate levels of lead and cadmium in infant/toddler foods, on average, are relatively low and are not likely to cause a human health concern. FDA continues to evaluate the public health impact of toxic elements in the food supply, including for the most vulnerable populations.

• Dataset for Lead and Cadmium in Infant Foods (XLSX: 94.5KB)

Arsenic, Lead and Cadmium in Food Ingredients

As part of its ongoing mission to protect public health, FDA performed testing for arsenic, lead and cadmium on the food additive carrageenan. Carrageenan is used in very low levels in food as an emulsifier, stabilizer, and thickener. It is derived from natural sources, seaweeds, which like other natural sources, may contain arsenic, lead, or cadmium. Our test results confirmed that all the carrageenan samples we collected and analyzed are well below the specification levels for arsenic, cadmium, and lead established by the Food Chemicals Codex, 10th edition, and by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, and adopted by the Codex Alimentarius.

• Dataset for Arsenic, Lead and Cadmium in Carrageenan (XLSX: 15.4KB)