Heavy metals in Salami

Quick read

Salami in the HMI library has 57 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, tin, uranium, Cu and Zn 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 →}^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read 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 →}^{5Chowdhury J, Chakraborty R, Biswas S, Sahoo S, Das SK · 2015Nutritional and Sensory Quality and Heavy Metal Contents of Commercial Pork Products in West BengalJournal of Meat Science 2015, 11(1): 39-42Read source →}^{6Lukáčová A, Lopašovský Ľ, Kňažická Z, Golian J · 2015CONCENTRATION OF CADMIUM IN MEAT AND SELECTED MEATS PRODUCTSJournal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences 4 (special issue 3), 102-105Read source →}

Metals measured:
Lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel and chromium and others, in 57 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 →}^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read 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 salami 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 →}^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read 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 →}^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read 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 →}

Salami overview

Salami in the HMI library has 57 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, tin, uranium, Cu and Zn 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 →}^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read 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 →}^{5Chowdhury J, Chakraborty R, Biswas S, Sahoo S, Das SK · 2015Nutritional and Sensory Quality and Heavy Metal Contents of Commercial Pork Products in West BengalJournal of Meat Science 2015, 11(1): 39-42Read source →}^{6Lukáčová A, Lopašovský Ľ, Kňažická Z, Golian J · 2015CONCENTRATION OF CADMIUM IN MEAT AND SELECTED MEATS PRODUCTSJournal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences 4 (special issue 3), 102-105Read source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported lead in salami, as sold from 238 results in 2 reporting regions, with subgroup medians below 40 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, salami, as sold had a median lead result below 4 µg/kg across 27 composites from 2017–2020.^{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 2.1 µg/kg (Spungen et al. 2024) to 290 µg/kg (Barone et al. 2021).^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read 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 →} For cadmium, 2 studies on an as-sold or fresh-weight basis reported means and medians from 0.9 µg/kg (Spungen et al. 2024) to 20 µg/kg (Barone et al. 2021).^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read 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 →}

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

What counts as salami

This page covers salami, as sold (57 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 →}^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read 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 →}^{5Chowdhury J, Chakraborty R, Biswas S, Sahoo S, Das SK · 2015Nutritional and Sensory Quality and Heavy Metal Contents of Commercial Pork Products in West BengalJournal of Meat Science 2015, 11(1): 39-42Read source →}^{6Lukáčová A, Lopašovský Ľ, Kňažická Z, Golian J · 2015CONCENTRATION OF CADMIUM IN MEAT AND SELECTED MEATS PRODUCTSJournal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences 4 (special issue 3), 102-105Read 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 salami

The table holds every extracted salami result: one row for each statistic a source reports for a form, group and metal, 57 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 →}^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read 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 →}^{5Chowdhury J, Chakraborty R, Biswas S, Sahoo S, Das SK · 2015Nutritional and Sensory Quality and Heavy Metal Contents of Commercial Pork Products in West BengalJournal of Meat Science 2015, 11(1): 39-42Read source →}^{6Lukáčová A, Lopašovský Ľ, Kňažická Z, Golian J · 2015CONCENTRATION OF CADMIUM IN MEAT AND SELECTED MEATS PRODUCTSJournal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences 4 (special issue 3), 102-105Read 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 →}

2 rows can be rated against an HMI reference for the same form and basis, 1 row 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 salami, 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

Salami 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)

9 findings · 5 studies · 2 spread figures folded in
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2004–2019	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2004–2019	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2003–2017	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2015	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2014–2016	median.
Salami, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	mean.Same samples: 160 µg/kg (minimum); 490 µg/kg (maximum)
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	min.
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	max.
Salami, as soldSpungen et al. 2024	all samples2018–2020	mean.
Salami, as soldChowdhury et al. 2015	produced at the Haringhata Farm meat plantCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	not detected.

15 findings · 5 studies · 5 spread figures folded in
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2009–2019	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2011–2019	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2015–2017	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2003–2007	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2003–2004	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2017	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2015	median.
Salami, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	mean.Same samples: 50 µg/kg (maximum)
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	min.
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	max.
Salami, as soldSpungen et al. 2024	all samples2018–2020	mean.
Salami, as soldLukáčová et al. 2015	domestic production, central Slovakia2013Basis not stated	median.
Salami, as soldLukáčová et al. 2015	domestic production, central Slovakia2013Basis not stated	mean.Same samples: 159 µg/kg (minimum); 358 µg/kg (maximum)
Salami, as soldLukáčová et al. 2015	domestic production, central Slovakia2013Basis not stated	min.
Salami, as soldLukáčová et al. 2015	domestic production, central Slovakia2013Basis not stated	max.
Salami, as soldLukáčová et al. 2015	foreign production, countries of West Europe2013Basis not stated	median.
Salami, as soldLukáčová et al. 2015	foreign production, countries of West Europe2013Basis not stated	mean.Same samples: 240 µg/kg (minimum); 540 µg/kg (maximum)
Salami, as soldLukáčová et al. 2015	foreign production, countries of West Europe2013Basis not stated	min.
Salami, as soldLukáčová et al. 2015	foreign production, countries of West Europe2013Basis not stated	max.

4 findings · 3 studies
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2008–2023	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2011–2023	median.
Salami, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
Salami, as soldChowdhury et al. 2015	produced at the Haringhata Farm meat plantCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	not detected.

6 findings · 3 studies · 1 spread figure folded in
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2009–2020	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2011–2016	median.
Salami, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2016–2017	median.
Salami, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	mean.Same samples: 50 µg/kg (maximum)
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	min.
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	max.

1 finding · 1 study
Salami, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.

2 findings · 2 studies · 2 spread figures folded in
Salami, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	mean.Same samples: 110 µg/kg (minimum); 290 µg/kg (maximum)
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	min.
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	max.

1 finding · 1 study
Salami, as soldChowdhury et al. 2015	produced at the Haringhata Farm meat plantCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	not detected.

1 finding · 1 study
Salami, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.

2 findings · 2 studies · 2 spread figures folded in
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	mean.Same samples: 850 µg/kg (minimum); 1,350 µg/kg (maximum)
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	min.
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	max.
Salami, as soldChowdhury et al. 2015	produced at the Haringhata Farm meat plantCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.

2 findings · 2 studies · 2 spread figures folded in
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	mean.Same samples: 5,010 µg/kg (minimum); 10,200 µg/kg (maximum)
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	min.
Salami, as soldBarone et al. 2021	retail samples, commercial centers of Apulia, South Italy2018	max.
Salami, as soldChowdhury et al. 2015	produced at the Haringhata Farm meat plantCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.

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 salami Pb reference · Salami, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI salami Pb reference · Salami, as sold. Salami, 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	≤4	≤4	≤20.6
Alternative weighting	≤4	≤4	≤21.3

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	35	50%
FDA Total Diet Study	27	50%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for salami, 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:salami-b5cdf9bfceeb:456443d3d15f

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 salami Cd reference · Salami, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI salami Cd reference · Salami, as sold. Salami, 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	≤1.6	1.2–5 (bounded)
Alternative weighting	≤1	≤1.6	1.2–5 (bounded)

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	24	50%
FDA Total Diet Study	27	50%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for salami, 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:salami-12efe0ce6e5b:30f440d31685

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 salami tAs reference · Salami, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI salami tAs reference · Salami, as sold. Salami, 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	2.13–3 (bounded)
Alternative weighting	≤3	≤3	2.6–5.35 (bounded)

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	21	50%
FDA Total Diet Study	27	50%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for salami, 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:salami-c56435bff7b2:e19b2cdfa802

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 salami tHg reference · Salami, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI salami tHg reference · Salami, as sold. Salami, 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	≤2
Alternative weighting	≤0.58	≤1	≤1.5

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	16	50%
FDA Total Diet Study	27	50%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for salami, 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:salami-6ee9788ea7c7:513e033385b3

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 salami Ni reference · Salami, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI salami Ni reference · Salami, as sold. Salami, 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	≤40	≤40	≤40
Alternative weighting	≤40	≤40	≤40

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 salami, 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 salami, as sold on this basis in the completed salami 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:salami-7caaaa96d7dd:ecebaf6fa3d6

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 salami Cr reference · Salami, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI salami Cr reference · Salami, as sold. Salami, 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	≤50	≤50	≤50
Alternative weighting	≤50	≤50	≤50

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 salami, 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 salami, as sold on this basis in the completed salami 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:salami-f0d86c3419e4:c8c37ebb6f8b

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 salami U reference · Salami, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI salami U reference · Salami, as sold. Salami, 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

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 salami, 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 salami, as sold on this basis in the completed salami 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:salami-df583dcce393:5dbc1df8a06b

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 salami

No study in the library compared salami 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 salami, as sold pools 62 subgroup units from 2 sampling families, with a median of below 4 µg/kg and a middle half spanning below 4 (lower quartile) and below 20.6 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 salami, as sold, the reference median was below 1.6 µg/kg, with a middle half from below 1 to between 1.2 and 5 µg/kg across 51 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 →} For total arsenic in salami, as sold, the reference median was below 3 µg/kg, with a middle half from below 3 to between 2.13 and 3 µg/kg across 48 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 →}

Processing, cooking and preparation

No study in the library measured the same salami 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 salami

No control for metals in salami 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 salami; 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 salami for metals

Results depend on the method and its reporting limit. Reporting limits for lead ranged from 2 µg/kg (WHO GEMS/Food) to 120 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 →} Reporting limits for cadmium ranged from 0.12 µg/kg (Barone et al. 2021) to 20 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 →}^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read source →} Reporting limits for total arsenic ranged from 3 µg/kg (FDA Total Diet Study) to 50 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 →}

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

Buying and verifying salami

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

Exposure from salami

No source in the library converted salami 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 salami 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.

Salami FAQs

What heavy metals are found in salami?

The library reports lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, tin, uranium, Cu and Zn in salami, 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 →}^{3Barone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, Storelli MM · 2021Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBiological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836Read 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 salami, as sold from 238 results in 2 reporting regions, with subgroup medians below 40 µg/kg, mostly non-detects.^{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
Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk CharacterizationBarone G, Storelli A, Quaglia NC, Garofalo R, Meleleo D, Busco A, et al. · Biological Trace Element Research (2021) 199: 2826-2836 · 2021 · doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02417-zPeer-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
Nutritional and Sensory Quality and Heavy Metal Contents of Commercial Pork Products in West BengalChowdhury J, Chakraborty R, Biswas S, Sahoo S, and Das SK · Journal of Meat Science 2015, 11(1): 39-42 · 2015 · www.acspublisher.comPeer-reviewed
CONCENTRATION OF CADMIUM IN MEAT AND SELECTED MEATS PRODUCTSLukáčová A, Lopašovský Ľ, Kňažická Z, and Golian J · Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences 4 (special issue 3), 102-105 · 2015 · doi.org/10.15414/jmbfs.2015.4.special3.102-105Peer-reviewed

Sources

Browse Salami 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 salami 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

Trace Metals in Pork Meat Products Marketed in Italy: Occurrence and Health Risk Characterization

4

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

5

Nutritional and Sensory Quality and Heavy Metal Contents of Commercial Pork Products in West Bengal

6

CONCENTRATION OF CADMIUM IN MEAT AND SELECTED MEATS PRODUCTS

Food and Drug Administration