Flour tortilla in the HMI library has 11 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium and uranium from 3 sources.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →3Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →
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Metals measured:
Lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel and chromium and others, in 11 results from 3 sources.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →3Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →
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Main drivers:
Form, basis and where the flour tortilla was sampled; reporting limits decide how many results are non-detects.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →3Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →
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Practical framing:
Ask for lot results with a quantification limit well below the limit that applies in the destination market.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →3Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →
Flour tortilla overview
Flour tortilla in the HMI library has 11 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium and uranium from 3 sources.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →3Infants’ 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 flour tortilla, cooked from 73 results in 1 reporting region, with subgroup medians below 10 µg/kg, mostly non-detects.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source → In the US Total Diet Study, flour tortilla, flour or meal had a median lead result below 4 µg/kg across 27 composites from 2017–2020.2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →
Spungen et al. 2024 reported lead at 2.8 µg/kg (mean) and cadmium at 26 µg/kg (mean) in flour tortilla, flour or meal from all samples.3Infants’ 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 flour tortilla came from and the laboratory’s reporting limit. Testing finds contamination but does not remove it.
What counts as flour tortilla
This page covers flour tortilla in 2 forms kept separate in every comparison: flour tortilla, flour or meal (9 results) and flour tortilla, cooked (2 results).1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →3Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead 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 flour tortilla
The table holds every extracted flour tortilla result: one row for each statistic a source reports for a form, group and metal, 11 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.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →3Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead 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.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →
6 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 flour tortilla, 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.
First displayed analyte: Lead: 3 findings from 3 sources. Each row retains its statistic and measurement basis.
Filter findings
11 of 11 findings · 7 analytes
About this table
| Food form | Collection scope | Finding (µg/kg) | Comparison | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2 findings · 2 studies | ||||
| Flour tortilla, flour or mealFDA Total Diet Study | 6 collection regions2017–2020 | median. | ||
| Flour tortilla, flour or mealSpungen et al. 2024 | all samples2018–2020 | mean. | ||
1 finding · 1 study | ||||
| Flour tortilla, cookedWHO GEMS/Food | PAHO2000–2017 | median. | ||
2 findings · 2 studies | ||||
| Flour tortilla, flour or mealFDA Total Diet Study | 6 collection regions2017–2020 | median. | ||
| Flour tortilla, flour or mealSpungen et al. 2024 | all samples2018–2020 | mean. | ||
1 finding · 1 study | ||||
| Flour tortilla, cookedWHO GEMS/Food | PAHO2003–2017 | median. | ||
1 finding · 1 study | ||||
| Flour tortilla, flour or mealFDA Total Diet Study | 6 collection regions2017–2020 | median. | ||
1 finding · 1 study | ||||
| Flour tortilla, flour or mealFDA Total Diet Study | 6 collection regions2017–2020 | median. | ||
1 finding · 1 study | ||||
| Flour tortilla, flour or mealFDA Total Diet Study | 6 collection regions2017–2020 | median. | ||
1 finding · 1 study | ||||
| Flour tortilla, flour or mealFDA Total Diet Study | 6 collection regions2017–2020 | median. | ||
1 finding · 1 study | ||||
| Flour tortilla, flour or mealFDA Total Diet Study | 6 collection regions2017–2020 | 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 flour tortilla Pb reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal
Reference and scope
HMI flour tortilla Pb reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal. Flour tortilla, flour or meal; 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 | ≤4 | ≤4 | ≤4 |
| Alternative weighting | ≤4 | ≤4 | ≤4 |
27 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.
| Contributing family | Reference units | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Total Diet Study | 27 | 100% |
Methods
HMI pools subgroup medians for flour tortilla, flour or meal 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 to 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 flour tortilla, flour or meal on this basis in the completed flour tortilla 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
Reference version and interpretation
Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.
hmi-pooled-reference-v2:flour-tortilla-f44049b902ee:2cfdb79d921f
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 flour tortilla Pb reference · Flour tortilla, cooked
Reference and scope
HMI flour tortilla Pb reference · Flour tortilla, cooked. Flour tortilla, cooked; 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 | ≤10 | ≤10 | ≤10 |
| Alternative weighting | ≤10 | ≤10 | ≤10 |
17 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.
| Contributing family | Reference units | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| WHO GEMS/Food | 17 | 100% |
Methods
HMI pools subgroup medians for flour tortilla, cooked 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 to Q3 spread are required. This is a display eligibility rule, not statistical validation.
Limitations
WHO GEMS/Food is the only compatible sampling family for flour tortilla, cooked on this basis in the completed flour tortilla 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
Reference version and interpretation
Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.
hmi-pooled-reference-v2:flour-tortilla-04e3dfc56cce:ce36e235c212
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 flour tortilla Cd reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal
Reference and scope
HMI flour tortilla Cd reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal. Flour tortilla, flour or meal; 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 | 23 | 26 | 29 |
| Alternative weighting | 23 | 25.5 | 28 |
27 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.
| Contributing family | Reference units | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Total Diet Study | 27 | 100% |
Methods
HMI pools subgroup medians for flour tortilla, flour or meal 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 to 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 flour tortilla, flour or meal on this basis in the completed flour tortilla 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
Reference version and interpretation
Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.
hmi-pooled-reference-v2:flour-tortilla-83a2b67b5e26:29353dead8a9
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 flour tortilla Cd reference · Flour tortilla, cooked
Reference and scope
HMI flour tortilla Cd reference · Flour tortilla, cooked. Flour tortilla, cooked; 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 | 18.5 | 21 | 23.5 |
| Alternative weighting | 18.5 | 21 | 23.5 |
15 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.
| Contributing family | Reference units | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| WHO GEMS/Food | 15 | 100% |
Methods
HMI pools subgroup medians for flour tortilla, cooked 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 to Q3 spread are required. This is a display eligibility rule, not statistical validation.
Limitations
WHO GEMS/Food is the only compatible sampling family for flour tortilla, cooked on this basis in the completed flour tortilla 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
Reference version and interpretation
Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.
hmi-pooled-reference-v2:flour-tortilla-b77678fd06e2:269697f33d7f
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 flour tortilla tAs reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal
Reference and scope
HMI flour tortilla tAs reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal. Flour tortilla, flour or meal; 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 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 5.6 |
| Alternative weighting | 3.8 | 4.25 | 5.6 |
27 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.
| Contributing family | Reference units | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Total Diet Study | 27 | 100% |
Methods
HMI pools subgroup medians for flour tortilla, flour or meal 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 to 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 flour tortilla, flour or meal on this basis in the completed flour tortilla 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
Reference version and interpretation
Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.
hmi-pooled-reference-v2:flour-tortilla-0c1c4dcca3b2:710f909fa036
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 flour tortilla tHg reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal
Reference and scope
HMI flour tortilla tHg reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal. Flour tortilla, flour or meal; 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 |
27 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.
| Contributing family | Reference units | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Total Diet Study | 27 | 100% |
Methods
HMI pools subgroup medians for flour tortilla, flour or meal 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 to 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 flour tortilla, flour or meal on this basis in the completed flour tortilla 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
Reference version and interpretation
Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.
hmi-pooled-reference-v2:flour-tortilla-3e6ce6aa7e61:6da48b65bc93
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 flour tortilla Ni reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal
Reference and scope
HMI flour tortilla Ni reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal. Flour tortilla, flour or meal; 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 | 68 | 80 | 95 |
| Alternative weighting | 68 | 79.5 | 89 |
27 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.
| Contributing family | Reference units | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Total Diet Study | 27 | 100% |
Methods
HMI pools subgroup medians for flour tortilla, flour or meal 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 to 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 flour tortilla, flour or meal on this basis in the completed flour tortilla 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
Reference version and interpretation
Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.
hmi-pooled-reference-v2:flour-tortilla-9c12688de5da:ada5abef4ca2
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 flour tortilla Cr reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal
Reference and scope
HMI flour tortilla Cr reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal. Flour tortilla, flour or meal; 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 | ≤50 | ≤50 | 62 |
| Alternative weighting | ≤50 | ≤50 | 62 |
27 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.
| Contributing family | Reference units | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Total Diet Study | 27 | 100% |
Methods
HMI pools subgroup medians for flour tortilla, flour or meal 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 to 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 flour tortilla, flour or meal on this basis in the completed flour tortilla 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
Reference version and interpretation
Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.
hmi-pooled-reference-v2:flour-tortilla-511a945b9ede:7d0c9834df8a
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 flour tortilla U reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal
Reference and scope
HMI flour tortilla U reference · Flour tortilla, flour or meal. Flour tortilla, flour or meal; 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 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 6.8 |
| Alternative weighting | 4.5 | 4.9 | 6.8 |
27 reference units; 1 sampling family. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.
| Contributing family | Reference units | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Total Diet Study | 27 | 100% |
Methods
HMI pools subgroup medians for flour tortilla, flour or meal 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 to 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 flour tortilla, flour or meal on this basis in the completed flour tortilla 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
Reference version and interpretation
Frozen evidence selection: 2026-10-22. Method: hmi-pooled-reference-v2.
hmi-pooled-reference-v2:flour-tortilla-2778588cc9b1:d1bc29befa81
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.
The result is below a reporting limit, and the range from zero to that limit crosses more than one band.
No findings match these filters. Change the selection or reset to show all source findings.
How metals reach flour tortilla
No study in the library compared flour tortilla from contaminated and ordinary settings, so the routes by which metals reach it are not measured here.
Which forms and regions measured lower
For cadmium, the HMI reference median was lowest for flour tortilla, cooked (21 µg/kg) and highest for flour tortilla, flour or meal (26 µg/kg); forms differ in water content, so this compares foods as sold or eaten, not uptake.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source → The HMI reference for lead in flour tortilla, flour or meal pools 27 subgroup units from 1 sampling family, with a median of below 4 µg/kg and a middle half spanning below 4 (lower quartile) and below 4 µg/kg (upper quartile).2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source → For lead in flour tortilla, cooked, the reference median was below 10 µg/kg, with a middle half from below 10 to below 10 µg/kg across 17 units.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source → For cadmium in flour tortilla, flour or meal, the reference median was 26 µg/kg, with a middle half from 23 to 29 µg/kg across 27 units.2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →
Processing, cooking and preparation
No processing study for metals in this food is in the library yet.
Mitigation for flour tortilla
Lot testing against the applicable limit is the check that can be verified.
No measured way to lower metals in this food is in the library yet.
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 flour tortilla 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.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source → Reporting limits for cadmium ranged from 1 µg/kg (FDA Total Diet Study) to 2 µg/kg (WHO GEMS/Food), so a non-detect from a less sensitive method says much less.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-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 flour tortilla
No maximum level for metals in flour tortilla was verified from primary text for this page; buyers should confirm the limit that applies in the destination market.
Exposure from flour tortilla
No source in the library converted flour tortilla 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 flour tortilla was decided on its content: 3 occurrence extracted, 3 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.
Flour tortilla FAQs
What heavy metals are found in flour tortilla?
The library reports lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium and uranium in flour tortilla, most often lead, cadmium and total arsenic.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →3Infants’ 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 flour tortilla, cooked from 73 results in 1 reporting region, with subgroup medians below 10 µg/kg, mostly non-detects.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →
Which types of flour tortilla have the lowest levels?
For cadmium, the HMI reference median was lowest for flour tortilla, cooked (21 µg/kg) and highest for flour tortilla, flour or meal (26 µg/kg); forms differ in water content, so this compares foods as sold or eaten, not uptake.1GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →2FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead 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 exportsDataset
- FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsDataset
- Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Peer-reviewed
Sources
Browse Flour tortilla 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 flour tortilla record in the library: 3 occurrence sources, references by form and basis, same-study contrasts.