Heavy metals in Soy sauce

Quick read

Soy sauce in the HMI library has 30 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, tin and uranium from 5 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 →}^{3Spungen 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 →}^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead source →}^{5Shindoh, Kumiko, Abe, Takashi, Yasui, Akemi · 2010Changes in Cadmium Content when Processing Soybean to Miso and Soy SauceReport of the National Food Research Institute (Rep. Nat’l Food Res. Inst), No. 74Read source →}

Metals measured:
Lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury and nickel and others, in 30 results from 5 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 →}^{3Spungen 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 →}^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead source →}
Main drivers:
Form, basis and where the soy sauce 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 →}^{3Spungen 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 →}^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead 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 →}^{3Spungen 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 →}^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead source →}

Soy sauce overview

Soy sauce in the HMI library has 30 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, tin and uranium from 5 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 →}^{3Spungen 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 →}^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead source →}^{5Shindoh, Kumiko, Abe, Takashi, Yasui, Akemi · 2010Changes in Cadmium Content when Processing Soybean to Miso and Soy SauceReport of the National Food Research Institute (Rep. Nat’l Food Res. Inst), No. 74Read source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported lead in soy sauce, as sold from 276 results in 3 reporting regions, with a subgroup median of 10 µg/kg.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →} In the US Total Diet Study, soy sauce, as sold had a median lead result below 4 µg/kg across 3 composites from 2018–2020.^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}

Spungen et al. 2024 reported cadmium at 11 µg/kg (mean) in soy sauce, as sold from all samples.^{3Spungen 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 soy sauce came from and the laboratory’s reporting limit. Testing finds contamination but does not remove it.

What counts as soy sauce

This page covers soy sauce, as sold (30 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 →}^{3Spungen 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 →}^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead source →}^{5Shindoh, Kumiko, Abe, Takashi, Yasui, Akemi · 2010Changes in Cadmium Content when Processing Soybean to Miso and Soy SauceReport of the National Food Research Institute (Rep. Nat’l Food Res. Inst), No. 74Read 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 soy sauce

The table holds every extracted soy sauce result: one row for each statistic a source reports for a form, group and metal, 30 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 →}^{3Spungen 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 →}^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead source →}^{5Shindoh, Kumiko, Abe, Takashi, Yasui, Akemi · 2010Changes in Cadmium Content when Processing Soybean to Miso and Soy SauceReport of the National Food Research Institute (Rep. Nat’l Food Res. Inst), No. 74Read 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 →}

8 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. 1 value from 1 source failed a check against their own source and are shown but not compared.^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead source →}

Comparison methods and scope

Each row is one statistic a source reports for one form of soy sauce, 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

Soy sauce 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)

8 findings · 4 studies
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2004–2023	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2022–2023	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2012–2017	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2013	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO1998	median.
Soy sauce, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.
Soy sauce, as soldSpungen et al. 2024	all samples2018–2020	not detected.
Soy sauce, as soldWu et al. 2021	single sample, unspikedCollection date unreported	sample value.

8 findings · 5 studies
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2004–2019	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2004–2017	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO1998	median.
Soy sauce, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.
Soy sauce, as soldShindoh et al. 2010	Soybean A (Cd 0.040 µg/g), soy sauce trialCollection date unreported	mean.
Soy sauce, as soldShindoh et al. 2010	Soybean B (Cd 0.320 µg/g), soy sauce trialCollection date unreported	mean.
Soy sauce, as soldSpungen et al. 2024	all samples2018–2020	mean.
Soy sauce, as soldWu et al. 2021	single sample, unspikedCollection date unreported	sample value.

5 findings · 2 studies
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2012–2023	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2022	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2007–2012	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO1998	median.
Soy sauce, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.

1 finding · 1 study
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2019	median.

4 findings · 2 studies
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2004–2012	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2012	median.
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO1998	median.
Soy sauce, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	1 collection regions2018–2020	median.

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

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

1 finding · 1 study
Soy sauce, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO1998	median.

1 finding · 1 study
Soy sauce, 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 soy sauce Pb reference · Soy sauce, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI soy sauce Pb reference · Soy sauce, as sold. Soy sauce, 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	≤5.85
Alternative weighting	≤4	≤4	≤5.85

15 reference units; 3 sampling families. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	11	33%
FDA Total Diet Study	3	33%
Spungen et al. 2024	1	33%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for soy sauce, 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

3 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:soy-sauce-8d452d8062e9:4192b06d50ce

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 soy sauce Cd reference · Soy sauce, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI soy sauce Cd reference · Soy sauce, as sold. Soy sauce, 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	9.6	12	12
Alternative weighting	9.6	12	12

15 reference units; 3 sampling families. Counts describe evidence units, not independent studies or certainty.

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	11	33%
FDA Total Diet Study	3	33%
Wu et al. 2021	1	33%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for soy sauce, 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

3 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:soy-sauce-15dd0718b085:59c3c06e1082

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 soy sauce tAs reference · Soy sauce, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI soy sauce tAs reference · Soy sauce, as sold. Soy sauce, 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	≤6.5	≤25
Alternative weighting	≤3	≤6.5	≤25

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 soy sauce, 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:soy-sauce-ae0ad7ba772b:9ba28fcd2a4a

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 soy sauce iAs reference · Soy sauce, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI soy sauce iAs reference · Soy sauce, as sold. Soy sauce, 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	≤13	≤13	≤13
Alternative weighting	≤13	≤13	≤13

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	1	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for soy sauce, 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

WHO GEMS/Food is the only compatible sampling family for soy sauce, as sold on this basis in the completed soy sauce 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

WHO GEMS/Food

Reference version and interpretation

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

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:soy-sauce-fa2f99650648:48d480da1afe

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 soy sauce tHg reference · Soy sauce, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI soy sauce tHg reference · Soy sauce, as sold. Soy sauce, 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	≤2.5
Alternative weighting	≤0.65	≤1	≤1.75

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

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

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for soy sauce, 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:soy-sauce-4b7fb67a6e6a:c0baa725a134

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 soy sauce Ni reference · Soy sauce, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI soy sauce Ni reference · Soy sauce, as sold. Soy sauce, 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	640	810	860
Alternative weighting	640	810	860

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 soy sauce, 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 soy sauce, as sold on this basis in the completed soy sauce 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:soy-sauce-79a5becf81e8:c313363042dd

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 soy sauce Cr reference · Soy sauce, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI soy sauce Cr reference · Soy sauce, as sold. Soy sauce, 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

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 soy sauce, 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 soy sauce, as sold on this basis in the completed soy sauce 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:soy-sauce-1978ff53a3f3:47fbf2051a27

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 soy sauce U reference · Soy sauce, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI soy sauce U reference · Soy sauce, as sold. Soy sauce, 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 soy sauce, 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 soy sauce, as sold on this basis in the completed soy sauce 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:soy-sauce-ba546fc63b30:833f915258aa

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 soy sauce

No study in the library compared soy sauce 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 soy sauce, as sold pools 15 subgroup units from 3 sampling families, with a median of below 4 µg/kg and a middle half spanning below 4 (lower quartile) and below 5.85 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 →}^{3Spungen 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 in soy sauce, as sold, the reference median was 12 µg/kg, with a middle half from 9.6 to 12 µg/kg across 15 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 →}^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead source →} For total arsenic in soy sauce, as sold, the reference median was below 6.5 µg/kg, with a middle half from below 3 to below 25 µg/kg across 10 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 soy sauce 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 soy sauce

No control for metals in soy sauce 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 soy sauce; 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 soy sauce 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 200 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 ranged from 0.5 µg/kg (Wu 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 →}^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead source →} Reporting limits for total arsenic ranged from 3 µg/kg (FDA Total Diet Study) to 439 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 soy sauce

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

Exposure from soy sauce

No source in the library converted soy sauce 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 soy sauce was decided on its content: 5 occurrence extracted, 5 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.

Soy sauce FAQs

What heavy metals are found in soy sauce?

The library reports lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, tin and uranium in soy sauce, 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 →}^{3Spungen 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 →}^{4Wu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, Guo Y · 2021Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierAtomic SpectroscopyRead source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported lead in soy sauce, as sold from 276 results in 3 reporting regions, with a subgroup median of 10 µg/kg.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

How much of the arsenic in soy sauce is inorganic?

Inorganic arsenic, the more toxic form, was measured in 1 result from 1 source, far fewer than total arsenic.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported inorganic arsenic in soy sauce, as sold from 6 results in 1 reporting region, with subgroup medians below 13 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
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
Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix ModifierWu Y, Liu S, Xu Y, Yu L, Yang Z, Wang H, et al. · Atomic Spectroscopy · 2021 · doi.org/10.46770/AS.2020.196Peer-reviewed
Changes in Cadmium Content when Processing Soybean to Miso and Soy SauceShindoh, Kumiko, Abe, Takashi, and Yasui, Akemi · Report of the National Food Research Institute (Rep. Nat’l Food Res. Inst), No. 74 · 2010 · scholar.google.comPeer-reviewed

Sources

Browse Soy sauce 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 soy sauce record in the library: 5 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

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

4

Determination of Trace Cd and Pb in Edible Salt and Soy Sauce by ETAAS Using Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles (FCNs) as Matrix Modifier

5

Changes in Cadmium Content when Processing Soybean to Miso and Soy Sauce

Food and Drug Administration