Heavy metals in Brownie

Quick read

Brownie in the HMI library has 16 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, aluminium and uranium from 6 sources.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Alexandra Gavelek, Judith Spungen, Dana Hoffman-Pennesi, Brenna Flannery, Laurie Dolan, Sherri Dennis, Suzanne Fitzpatrick · 2019Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{5Judith H. Spungen · 2019Children’s exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{6Takanashi M, Ogimoto M, Suzuki K, Haneishi N, Shiozawa Y, Tomioka N, Kimura C, Okamura R, Teramura W, Uematsu Y, Monma K, Kobayashi C · 2018Survey of Aluminium Content of Processed Food Using Baking Powder (2015–2016)Shokuhin Eiseigaku Zasshi (Food Hygiene and Safety Science)Read source →}

Metals measured:
Lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel and chromium and others, in 16 results from 6 sources.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Alexandra Gavelek, Judith Spungen, Dana Hoffman-Pennesi, Brenna Flannery, Laurie Dolan, Sherri Dennis, Suzanne Fitzpatrick · 2019Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}
Main drivers:
Form, basis and where the brownie was sampled; reporting limits decide how many results are non-detects.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Alexandra Gavelek, Judith Spungen, Dana Hoffman-Pennesi, Brenna Flannery, Laurie Dolan, Sherri Dennis, Suzanne Fitzpatrick · 2019Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}
Practical framing:
Ask for lot results with a quantification limit well below the limit that applies in the destination market.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Alexandra Gavelek, Judith Spungen, Dana Hoffman-Pennesi, Brenna Flannery, Laurie Dolan, Sherri Dennis, Suzanne Fitzpatrick · 2019Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}

Brownie overview

Brownie in the HMI library has 16 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, aluminium and uranium from 6 sources.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Alexandra Gavelek, Judith Spungen, Dana Hoffman-Pennesi, Brenna Flannery, Laurie Dolan, Sherri Dennis, Suzanne Fitzpatrick · 2019Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{5Judith H. Spungen · 2019Children’s exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{6Takanashi M, Ogimoto M, Suzuki K, Haneishi N, Shiozawa Y, Tomioka N, Kimura C, Okamura R, Teramura W, Uematsu Y, Monma K, Kobayashi C · 2018Survey of Aluminium Content of Processed Food Using Baking Powder (2015–2016)Shokuhin Eiseigaku Zasshi (Food Hygiene and Safety Science)Read source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported lead in brownie, as sold from 26 results in 1 reporting region, with subgroup medians below 15 µg/kg, mostly non-detects.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →} In the US Total Diet Study, brownie, as sold had a median lead result of 5.9 µg/kg across 3 composites from 2018–2020.^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}

Across 2 other studies of ordinary farms and markets, reported lead means and medians on an as-sold or fresh-weight basis ranged from 6.7 µg/kg (Spungen et al. 2024) to 13 µg/kg (Gavelek et al. 2019).^{3Alexandra Gavelek, Judith Spungen, Dana Hoffman-Pennesi, Brenna Flannery, Laurie Dolan, Sherri Dennis, Suzanne Fitzpatrick · 2019Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →} Spungen et al. 2024 reported cadmium at 21 µg/kg (mean) in brownie, as sold from all samples.^{4Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}

For a buyer the practical points are the form bought, the basis a result is reported on, where the brownie came from and the laboratory’s reporting limit. Testing finds contamination but does not remove it.

What counts as brownie

This page covers brownie, as sold (16 results).^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Alexandra Gavelek, Judith Spungen, Dana Hoffman-Pennesi, Brenna Flannery, Laurie Dolan, Sherri Dennis, Suzanne Fitzpatrick · 2019Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{5Judith H. Spungen · 2019Children’s exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{6Takanashi M, Ogimoto M, Suzuki K, Haneishi N, Shiozawa Y, Tomioka N, Kimura C, Okamura R, Teramura W, Uematsu Y, Monma K, Kobayashi C · 2018Survey of Aluminium Content of Processed Food Using Baking Powder (2015–2016)Shokuhin Eiseigaku Zasshi (Food Hygiene and Safety Science)Read source →}

Results stay on the basis each source reports: as sold or fresh weight, dry weight, or unstated. Dry-weight, as-sold and unstated results are never pooled, and no moisture conversion is applied.

Heavy metal contamination profile of brownie

The table holds every extracted brownie result: one row for each statistic a source reports for a form, group and metal, 16 rows in all, grouped by metal and form; percentiles, ranges and maxima for the same samples as a mean or median are shown on that row.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Alexandra Gavelek, Judith Spungen, Dana Hoffman-Pennesi, Brenna Flannery, Laurie Dolan, Sherri Dennis, Suzanne Fitzpatrick · 2019Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{5Judith H. Spungen · 2019Children’s exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{6Takanashi M, Ogimoto M, Suzuki K, Haneishi N, Shiozawa Y, Tomioka N, Kimura C, Okamura R, Teramura W, Uematsu Y, Monma K, Kobayashi C · 2018Survey of Aluminium Content of Processed Food Using Baking Powder (2015–2016)Shokuhin Eiseigaku Zasshi (Food Hygiene and Safety Science)Read source →} Monitoring medians are HMI calculations from individual submissions; non-detects remain intervals between zero and the reporting limit and are never read as zero.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

7 rows can be rated against an HMI reference for the same form and basis, 0 rows have a direct same-study comparison, and the rest stay unrated with the reason recorded.

Comparison methods and scope

Each row is one statistic a source reports for one form of brownie, group and metal; percentiles, ranges and maxima reported for the same samples as a mean or median are shown on that row. Different forms and preparation states are kept apart, and dry-weight results never share a reference with as-sold or fresh-weight results. Ratings place a result against an HMI reference built from monitoring results and ordinary-setting medians for the same form and basis. Same-study contrasts compare a contaminated or treated site with its control, targeted with random sampling, a prepared form with the unprocessed one, or one group of a study with the median of its other groups. Held rows failed a check against their own source and are shown but not compared.

About this table

Food formCollection scopeFindingComparisonEvidence

Brownie findings from monitoring programmes, total diet studies and every extracted field, market and contaminated-site study, in µg/kg with each source’s form, basis, statistic and censoring retained.
Food form	Collection scope	Finding (µg/kg)

6 findings · 5 studies
Brownie, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2019	median.
Brownie, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2012–2017	median.
Brownie, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.
Brownie, as soldGavelek et al. 2019	US FDA Total Diet Study 2014-2016, all regions and collections2014–2016	mean.
Brownie, as soldSpungen et al. 2024	all samples2018–2020	mean.
Brownie, as soldSpungen 2019	all samples, TDS market baskets 2014-20162014–2016Basis not stated	mean.

4 findings · 3 studies
Brownie, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2019	median.
Brownie, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2011–2017	median.
Brownie, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.
Brownie, as soldSpungen et al. 2024	all samples2018–2020	mean.

1 finding · 1 study
Brownie, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.

1 finding · 1 study
Brownie, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.

1 finding · 1 study
Brownie, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.

1 finding · 1 study
Brownie, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.

1 finding · 1 study
Brownie, as soldTakanashi et al. 2018	Brownie2015–2016Basis not stated	sample value.

1 finding · 1 study
Brownie, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.

Shared dataset methods and interpretation

Source summaries retain their original statistic, material, basis and censoring. Each source drawer identifies methods and overlapping samples. No matched reference or pooled distribution is inferred.

HMI brownie Pb reference · Brownie, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI brownie Pb reference · Brownie, as sold. Brownie, as sold; As sold, as eaten or fresh weight, µg/kg; no moisture conversion. Distribution of subgroup median concentration values.

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	3.5–5.9 (bounded)	5.9–8.7 (bounded)	8.7–11 (bounded)
Alternative weighting	3.5–5.9 (bounded)	5.9–8.7 (bounded)	8.7–11 (bounded)

10 reference units; 2 sampling families. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	7	50%
FDA Total Diet Study	3	50%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for brownie, as sold on a as sold, as eaten or fresh weight basis: monitoring results summarized as one median per reporting region, sampling type and collection year, total diet composites and printed sample values as single observations, and printed subgroup medians from ordinary farms or markets. Each sampling family has equal total weight. Non-detects stay as zero-to-limit intervals, so quartiles carry lower and upper bounds. Means, ranges and maxima never enter as observations. Other forms, other bases, targeted sampling and results from mining, industrial, wastewater-affected, experimental, fertiliser or manufacturer settings are kept out of this reference.

Inverse weighted empirical CDF; midpoint at exact cumulative-weight boundaries. At least four reference units and a definitely positive Q1–Q3 spread are required. This is a display eligibility rule, not statistical validation.

Limitations

2 sampling families with different designs; none is a probability sample of world supply. Reporting regions and purchase markets are not growing areas. Non-detects with differing limits widen the bounds. A position is descriptive concentration, not a safety or compliance judgment.

Admitted source families

Reference version and interpretation

Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:brownie-0e99955cc364:2062e191357e

The reference is computed by HMI from admitted evidence, not copied from a study baseline. It describes the evidence currently in this scope; it is not a worldwide or current-lot benchmark. Source, year and region filters do not change it. Different HMI scopes are not one common ranking.

HMI brownie Cd reference · Brownie, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI brownie Cd reference · Brownie, as sold. Brownie, as sold; As sold, as eaten or fresh weight, µg/kg; no moisture conversion. Distribution of subgroup median concentration values.

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	17	21	25
Alternative weighting	17	21	25

11 reference units; 2 sampling families. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	8	50%
FDA Total Diet Study	3	50%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for brownie, as sold on a as sold, as eaten or fresh weight basis: monitoring results summarized as one median per reporting region, sampling type and collection year, total diet composites and printed sample values as single observations, and printed subgroup medians from ordinary farms or markets. Each sampling family has equal total weight. Non-detects stay as zero-to-limit intervals, so quartiles carry lower and upper bounds. Means, ranges and maxima never enter as observations. Other forms, other bases, targeted sampling and results from mining, industrial, wastewater-affected, experimental, fertiliser or manufacturer settings are kept out of this reference.

Inverse weighted empirical CDF; midpoint at exact cumulative-weight boundaries. At least four reference units and a definitely positive Q1–Q3 spread are required. This is a display eligibility rule, not statistical validation.

Limitations

2 sampling families with different designs; none is a probability sample of world supply. Reporting regions and purchase markets are not growing areas. Non-detects with differing limits widen the bounds. A position is descriptive concentration, not a safety or compliance judgment.

Admitted source families

Reference version and interpretation

Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:brownie-2bfba9d1da52:e9ec31e7e844

The reference is computed by HMI from admitted evidence, not copied from a study baseline. It describes the evidence currently in this scope; it is not a worldwide or current-lot benchmark. Source, year and region filters do not change it. Different HMI scopes are not one common ranking.

HMI brownie tAs reference · Brownie, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI brownie tAs reference · Brownie, as sold. Brownie, as sold; As sold, as eaten or fresh weight, µg/kg; no moisture conversion. Distribution of subgroup median concentration values.

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	≤3	3.1	3.7
Alternative weighting	≤3	3.1	3.7

3 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
FDA Total Diet Study	3	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for brownie, as sold on a as sold, as eaten or fresh weight basis: monitoring results summarized as one median per reporting region, sampling type and collection year, total diet composites and printed sample values as single observations, and printed subgroup medians from ordinary farms or markets. Each sampling family has equal total weight. Non-detects stay as zero-to-limit intervals, so quartiles carry lower and upper bounds. Means, ranges and maxima never enter as observations. Other forms, other bases, targeted sampling and results from mining, industrial, wastewater-affected, experimental, fertiliser or manufacturer settings are kept out of this reference.

Inverse weighted empirical CDF; midpoint at exact cumulative-weight boundaries. At least four reference units and a definitely positive Q1–Q3 spread are required. This is a display eligibility rule, not statistical validation.

Limitations

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for brownie, as sold on this basis in the completed brownie ledger, so this single-family reference cannot represent other markets. Reporting regions and purchase markets are not growing areas. Non-detects with differing limits widen the bounds. A position is descriptive concentration, not a safety or compliance judgment.

Admitted source families

FDA Total Diet Study

Reference version and interpretation

Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:brownie-3b9542a2f508:f4e1ee403ab1

The reference is computed by HMI from admitted evidence, not copied from a study baseline. It describes the evidence currently in this scope; it is not a worldwide or current-lot benchmark. Source, year and region filters do not change it. Different HMI scopes are not one common ranking.

HMI brownie tHg reference · Brownie, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI brownie tHg reference · Brownie, as sold. Brownie, as sold; As sold, as eaten or fresh weight, µg/kg; no moisture conversion. Distribution of subgroup median concentration values.

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	≤1	≤1	≤1
Alternative weighting	≤1	≤1	≤1

3 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
FDA Total Diet Study	3	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for brownie, as sold on a as sold, as eaten or fresh weight basis: monitoring results summarized as one median per reporting region, sampling type and collection year, total diet composites and printed sample values as single observations, and printed subgroup medians from ordinary farms or markets. Each sampling family has equal total weight. Non-detects stay as zero-to-limit intervals, so quartiles carry lower and upper bounds. Means, ranges and maxima never enter as observations. Other forms, other bases, targeted sampling and results from mining, industrial, wastewater-affected, experimental, fertiliser or manufacturer settings are kept out of this reference.

Inverse weighted empirical CDF; midpoint at exact cumulative-weight boundaries. At least four reference units and a definitely positive Q1–Q3 spread are required. This is a display eligibility rule, not statistical validation.

Limitations

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for brownie, as sold on this basis in the completed brownie ledger, so this single-family reference cannot represent other markets. Reporting regions and purchase markets are not growing areas. Non-detects with differing limits widen the bounds. A position is descriptive concentration, not a safety or compliance judgment.

Admitted source families

FDA Total Diet Study

Reference version and interpretation

Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:brownie-79f36e2269be:6e907b33613f

The reference is computed by HMI from admitted evidence, not copied from a study baseline. It describes the evidence currently in this scope; it is not a worldwide or current-lot benchmark. Source, year and region filters do not change it. Different HMI scopes are not one common ranking.

HMI brownie Ni reference · Brownie, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI brownie Ni reference · Brownie, as sold. Brownie, as sold; As sold, as eaten or fresh weight, µg/kg; no moisture conversion. Distribution of subgroup median concentration values.

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	470	540	570
Alternative weighting	470	540	570

3 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
FDA Total Diet Study	3	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for brownie, as sold on a as sold, as eaten or fresh weight basis: monitoring results summarized as one median per reporting region, sampling type and collection year, total diet composites and printed sample values as single observations, and printed subgroup medians from ordinary farms or markets. Each sampling family has equal total weight. Non-detects stay as zero-to-limit intervals, so quartiles carry lower and upper bounds. Means, ranges and maxima never enter as observations. Other forms, other bases, targeted sampling and results from mining, industrial, wastewater-affected, experimental, fertiliser or manufacturer settings are kept out of this reference.

Inverse weighted empirical CDF; midpoint at exact cumulative-weight boundaries. At least four reference units and a definitely positive Q1–Q3 spread are required. This is a display eligibility rule, not statistical validation.

Limitations

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for brownie, as sold on this basis in the completed brownie ledger, so this single-family reference cannot represent other markets. Reporting regions and purchase markets are not growing areas. Non-detects with differing limits widen the bounds. A position is descriptive concentration, not a safety or compliance judgment.

Admitted source families

FDA Total Diet Study

Reference version and interpretation

Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:brownie-7e643fc91370:d00d7b36cc5e

The reference is computed by HMI from admitted evidence, not copied from a study baseline. It describes the evidence currently in this scope; it is not a worldwide or current-lot benchmark. Source, year and region filters do not change it. Different HMI scopes are not one common ranking.

HMI brownie Cr reference · Brownie, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI brownie Cr reference · Brownie, as sold. Brownie, as sold; As sold, as eaten or fresh weight, µg/kg; no moisture conversion. Distribution of subgroup median concentration values.

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	200	200	300
Alternative weighting	200	200	300

3 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
FDA Total Diet Study	3	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for brownie, as sold on a as sold, as eaten or fresh weight basis: monitoring results summarized as one median per reporting region, sampling type and collection year, total diet composites and printed sample values as single observations, and printed subgroup medians from ordinary farms or markets. Each sampling family has equal total weight. Non-detects stay as zero-to-limit intervals, so quartiles carry lower and upper bounds. Means, ranges and maxima never enter as observations. Other forms, other bases, targeted sampling and results from mining, industrial, wastewater-affected, experimental, fertiliser or manufacturer settings are kept out of this reference.

Inverse weighted empirical CDF; midpoint at exact cumulative-weight boundaries. At least four reference units and a definitely positive Q1–Q3 spread are required. This is a display eligibility rule, not statistical validation.

Limitations

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for brownie, as sold on this basis in the completed brownie ledger, so this single-family reference cannot represent other markets. Reporting regions and purchase markets are not growing areas. Non-detects with differing limits widen the bounds. A position is descriptive concentration, not a safety or compliance judgment.

Admitted source families

FDA Total Diet Study

Reference version and interpretation

Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:brownie-90bf5baf48fe:e9a6036403ca

The reference is computed by HMI from admitted evidence, not copied from a study baseline. It describes the evidence currently in this scope; it is not a worldwide or current-lot benchmark. Source, year and region filters do not change it. Different HMI scopes are not one common ranking.

HMI brownie U reference · Brownie, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI brownie U reference · Brownie, as sold. Brownie, as sold; As sold, as eaten or fresh weight, µg/kg; no moisture conversion. Distribution of subgroup median concentration values.

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	≤1	≤1	≤1
Alternative weighting	≤1	≤1	≤1

3 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
FDA Total Diet Study	3	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for brownie, as sold on a as sold, as eaten or fresh weight basis: monitoring results summarized as one median per reporting region, sampling type and collection year, total diet composites and printed sample values as single observations, and printed subgroup medians from ordinary farms or markets. Each sampling family has equal total weight. Non-detects stay as zero-to-limit intervals, so quartiles carry lower and upper bounds. Means, ranges and maxima never enter as observations. Other forms, other bases, targeted sampling and results from mining, industrial, wastewater-affected, experimental, fertiliser or manufacturer settings are kept out of this reference.

Inverse weighted empirical CDF; midpoint at exact cumulative-weight boundaries. At least four reference units and a definitely positive Q1–Q3 spread are required. This is a display eligibility rule, not statistical validation.

Limitations

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for brownie, as sold on this basis in the completed brownie ledger, so this single-family reference cannot represent other markets. Reporting regions and purchase markets are not growing areas. Non-detects with differing limits widen the bounds. A position is descriptive concentration, not a safety or compliance judgment.

Admitted source families

FDA Total Diet Study

Reference version and interpretation

Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:brownie-68254b2e24aa:786d01eb955f

The reference is computed by HMI from admitted evidence, not copied from a study baseline. It describes the evidence currently in this scope; it is not a worldwide or current-lot benchmark. Source, year and region filters do not change it. Different HMI scopes are not one common ranking.

How metals reach brownie

No study in the library compared brownie from contaminated and ordinary settings, so the routes by which metals reach it are not measured here.

Which forms and regions measured lower

The HMI reference for lead in brownie, as sold pools 10 subgroup units from 2 sampling families, with a median of between 5.9 and 8.7 µg/kg and a middle half spanning between 3.5 and 5.9 (lower quartile) and between 8.7 and 11 µg/kg (upper quartile).^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →} For cadmium in brownie, as sold, the reference median was 21 µg/kg, with a middle half from 17 to 25 µg/kg across 11 units.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}

Among GEMS/Food reporting regions, brownie, as sold had the lowest cadmium subgroup median in PAHO (19 µg/kg) and the highest in PAHO (23 µg/kg); reporting regions are markets, not growing areas.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

Processing, cooking and preparation

No study in the library measured the same brownie before and after washing, peeling, drying or cooking for metals, so no processing effect can be stated. Heat does not destroy metals; cooking or drying changes a concentration by moving water or metal, not by removing the element.

Mitigation for brownie

No control for metals in brownie was measured in the library; lot testing against the applicable limit remains the verifiable step.

No study in this library has yet measured a way to lower heavy metals in brownie; the results above show the levels measured, and lot testing against the applicable limit remains the verifiable check.

Trade-offs and limits of controls

Metals do not move together, so a lot that passes a lead limit says little about cadmium, arsenic or nickel unless those are tested as well.

Testing brownie for metals

Results depend on the method and its reporting limit. Reporting limits for lead ranged from 4 µg/kg (FDA Total Diet Study) to 3,000 µg/kg (WHO GEMS/Food), so a non-detect from a less sensitive method says much less.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →} Reporting limits for cadmium were 1 µg/kg where sources stated them.^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}

A useful lot result names the form, the basis and a quantification limit well below the limit that applies.

Buying and verifying brownie

No maximum level for metals in brownie was verified from primary text for this page; buyers should confirm the limit that applies in the destination market.

Exposure from brownie

No source in the library converted brownie concentrations into a verified estimate of intake for a defined population. Concentrations describe the food, not individual risk.

Evidence review and remaining gaps

Every source record that names brownie was decided on its content: 6 occurrence extracted, 6 records in all. The occurrence table renders every extracted result; held values remain visible with their reason.

References identify the sources used in these answers. The Sources index preserves additional discovery links; inclusion there does not mean a source has been reviewed for this assessment. Corrections, completed searches, new direct evidence and changes in requirements should reopen the relevant answer.

Brownie FAQs

What heavy metals are found in brownie?

The library reports lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, aluminium and uranium in brownie, most often lead, cadmium and total arsenic.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Alexandra Gavelek, Judith Spungen, Dana Hoffman-Pennesi, Brenna Flannery, Laurie Dolan, Sherri Dennis, Suzanne Fitzpatrick · 2019Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported lead in brownie, as sold from 26 results in 1 reporting region, with subgroup medians below 15 µg/kg, mostly non-detects.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

Which regions report the lowest levels in brownie?

Among GEMS/Food reporting regions, brownie, as sold had the lowest cadmium subgroup median in PAHO (19 µg/kg) and the highest in PAHO (23 µg/kg); reporting regions are markets, not growing areas.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

References

Works cited on this page, in citation-number order. See Sources for this page’s source inventory. Each title links to a source record with bibliographic details, reported findings, and document provenance.

GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsWorld Health Organization · GEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment Programme · 2026 · extranet.who.intDataset
FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsU.S. Food and Drug Administration · FDA Total Diet Study · 2022 · www.fda.govDataset
Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16Alexandra Gavelek, Judith Spungen, Dana Hoffman-Pennesi, Brenna Flannery, Laurie Dolan, Sherri Dennis, et al. · Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A · 2019 · doi.org/10.1080/19440049.2019.1681595Peer-reviewed
Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Spungen JH and et al. · Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A · 2024 · doi.org/10.1080/19440049.2024.2396910Peer-reviewed
Children’s exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2014-16Judith H. Spungen · Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A · 2019 · doi.org/10.1080/19440049.2019.1595170Peer-reviewed
Survey of Aluminium Content of Processed Food Using Baking Powder (2015–2016)Takanashi M, Ogimoto M, Suzuki K, Haneishi N, Shiozawa Y, Tomioka N, et al. · Shokuhin Eiseigaku Zasshi (Food Hygiene and Safety Science) · 2018 · doi.org/10.3358/shokueishi.59.275Peer-reviewed

Sources

Browse Brownie Sources for sources cited on this page and additional discovery candidates. The searchable index distinguishes verified citation use from discovery relationships whose relevance has not been established.

Update history

22 October 2026: Rebuilt from every brownie record in the library: 6 occurrence sources, references by form and basis, same-study contrasts.

Graph View

1

GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exports

2

FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical Results

3

Lead exposures in older children (males and females 7-17 years), women of childbearing age (females 16-49 years) and adults (males and females 18+ years): FDA total diet study 2014-16

4

Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020

5

Children’s exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2014-16

6

Survey of Aluminium Content of Processed Food Using Baking Powder (2015–2016)

Food and Drug Administration