Heavy metals in Sweet potato

Quick read

Sweet potato in the HMI library has 290 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury, methylmercury, nickel, chromium, aluminium, tin, antimony, uranium, Co, Cu, Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg and Na from 18 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 →}^{3Antoine JMR, Hoo Fung LA, Grant CN · 2017Assessment of the potential health risks associated with the aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead content in selected fruits and vegetables grown in JamaicaToxicology Reports 4 (2017) 181-187Read source →}^{4Fechner C, Hackethal C, Höpfner T, Dietrich J, Bloch D, Lindtner O, Sarvan I · 2022Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foodsFood Chemistry: XRead source →}^{5Guerra F, Trevizam AR, Muraoka T, Marcante NC, Canniatti-Brazaca SG · 2012Heavy metals in vegetables and potential risk for human healthScientia Agricola 69(1):54-60Read source →}^{6Kawsar Hossen, Nahian Rahman, Zannatul Ferdowsi, Tahmina Ferdous · 2026Assessment of heavy metal levels and associated health risks linked to vegetables grown in Noakhali region of BangladeshEnvironmental Health InsightsRead source →}

Metals measured:
Lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury and methylmercury and others, in 290 results from 18 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 →}^{3Antoine JMR, Hoo Fung LA, Grant CN · 2017Assessment of the potential health risks associated with the aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead content in selected fruits and vegetables grown in JamaicaToxicology Reports 4 (2017) 181-187Read source →}^{4Fechner C, Hackethal C, Höpfner T, Dietrich J, Bloch D, Lindtner O, Sarvan I · 2022Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foodsFood Chemistry: XRead source →}
Main drivers:
Form, basis and where the sweet potato 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 →}^{3Antoine JMR, Hoo Fung LA, Grant CN · 2017Assessment of the potential health risks associated with the aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead content in selected fruits and vegetables grown in JamaicaToxicology Reports 4 (2017) 181-187Read source →}^{4Fechner C, Hackethal C, Höpfner T, Dietrich J, Bloch D, Lindtner O, Sarvan I · 2022Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foodsFood Chemistry: XRead 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 →}^{3Antoine JMR, Hoo Fung LA, Grant CN · 2017Assessment of the potential health risks associated with the aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead content in selected fruits and vegetables grown in JamaicaToxicology Reports 4 (2017) 181-187Read source →}^{4Fechner C, Hackethal C, Höpfner T, Dietrich J, Bloch D, Lindtner O, Sarvan I · 2022Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foodsFood Chemistry: XRead source →}

Sweet potato overview

Sweet potato in the HMI library has 290 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury, methylmercury, nickel, chromium, aluminium, tin, antimony, uranium, Co, Cu, Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg and Na from 18 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 →}^{3Antoine JMR, Hoo Fung LA, Grant CN · 2017Assessment of the potential health risks associated with the aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead content in selected fruits and vegetables grown in JamaicaToxicology Reports 4 (2017) 181-187Read source →}^{4Fechner C, Hackethal C, Höpfner T, Dietrich J, Bloch D, Lindtner O, Sarvan I · 2022Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foodsFood Chemistry: XRead source →}^{5Guerra F, Trevizam AR, Muraoka T, Marcante NC, Canniatti-Brazaca SG · 2012Heavy metals in vegetables and potential risk for human healthScientia Agricola 69(1):54-60Read source →}^{6Kawsar Hossen, Nahian Rahman, Zannatul Ferdowsi, Tahmina Ferdous · 2026Assessment of heavy metal levels and associated health risks linked to vegetables grown in Noakhali region of BangladeshEnvironmental Health InsightsRead source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported lead in sweet potato, as sold from 1,801 results in 4 reporting regions, with subgroup medians from 2.2 to 10.8 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, sweet potato, cooked had a median lead result of 6.9 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 4 other studies of ordinary farms and markets, reported lead means and medians on an as-sold or fresh-weight basis ranged from 13 µg/kg (Spungen et al. 2024) to 520 µg/kg (Guerra et al. 2012).^{5Guerra F, Trevizam AR, Muraoka T, Marcante NC, Canniatti-Brazaca SG · 2012Heavy metals in vegetables and potential risk for human healthScientia Agricola 69(1):54-60Read source →}^{7Spungen 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, 3 studies on an as-sold or fresh-weight basis reported means and medians from 5.7 µg/kg (Spungen et al. 2024) to 120 µg/kg (Guerra et al. 2012).^{5Guerra F, Trevizam AR, Muraoka T, Marcante NC, Canniatti-Brazaca SG · 2012Heavy metals in vegetables and potential risk for human healthScientia Agricola 69(1):54-60Read source →}^{7Spungen 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 sweet potato came from and the laboratory’s reporting limit. Testing finds contamination but does not remove it.

What counts as sweet potato

This page covers sweet potato in 4 forms kept separate in every comparison: sweet potato, as sold (275 results), sweet potato, cooked (9 results), sweet potato, dried (5 results) and sweet potato, flour or meal (1 result).^{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 →}^{3Antoine JMR, Hoo Fung LA, Grant CN · 2017Assessment of the potential health risks associated with the aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead content in selected fruits and vegetables grown in JamaicaToxicology Reports 4 (2017) 181-187Read source →}^{4Fechner C, Hackethal C, Höpfner T, Dietrich J, Bloch D, Lindtner O, Sarvan I · 2022Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foodsFood Chemistry: XRead source →}^{5Guerra F, Trevizam AR, Muraoka T, Marcante NC, Canniatti-Brazaca SG · 2012Heavy metals in vegetables and potential risk for human healthScientia Agricola 69(1):54-60Read source →}^{6Kawsar Hossen, Nahian Rahman, Zannatul Ferdowsi, Tahmina Ferdous · 2026Assessment of heavy metal levels and associated health risks linked to vegetables grown in Noakhali region of BangladeshEnvironmental Health InsightsRead 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 sweet potato

The table holds every extracted sweet potato result: one row for each statistic a source reports for a form, group and metal, 290 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 →}^{3Antoine JMR, Hoo Fung LA, Grant CN · 2017Assessment of the potential health risks associated with the aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead content in selected fruits and vegetables grown in JamaicaToxicology Reports 4 (2017) 181-187Read source →}^{4Fechner C, Hackethal C, Höpfner T, Dietrich J, Bloch D, Lindtner O, Sarvan I · 2022Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foodsFood Chemistry: XRead source →}^{5Guerra F, Trevizam AR, Muraoka T, Marcante NC, Canniatti-Brazaca SG · 2012Heavy metals in vegetables and potential risk for human healthScientia Agricola 69(1):54-60Read source →}^{6Kawsar Hossen, Nahian Rahman, Zannatul Ferdowsi, Tahmina Ferdous · 2026Assessment of heavy metal levels and associated health risks linked to vegetables grown in Noakhali region of BangladeshEnvironmental Health InsightsRead 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 →}

94 rows can be rated against an HMI reference for the same form and basis, 28 rows have a direct same-study comparison, and the rest stay unrated with the reason recorded. 15 values from 3 sources failed a check against their own source and are shown but not compared.^{6Kawsar Hossen, Nahian Rahman, Zannatul Ferdowsi, Tahmina Ferdous · 2026Assessment of heavy metal levels and associated health risks linked to vegetables grown in Noakhali region of BangladeshEnvironmental Health InsightsRead source →}^{8Jane Houlihan, Charlotte Brody · 2019What’s in My Baby’s Food? A National Investigation Finds 95 Percent of Baby Foods Tested Contain Toxic Chemicals That Lower Babies’ IQ, Including Arsenic and LeadHealthy Babies Bright FuturesRead source →}^{9Zhang Y, Li X, Kong F · 2026Trace metal pollution and ecological effects on five crops around a typical manganese mining area in Chongqing, ChinaScientific ReportsRead source →}

Comparison methods and scope

Each row is one statistic a source reports for one form of sweet potato, 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.

Filter findings

AnalyteFood formCollection regionCollection periodSourceCompare withComparable findings only

282 of 282 findings · 19 analytes

About this table

Food formCollection scopeFindingComparisonEvidence

Sweet potato 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)

66 findings · 12 studies · 2 spread figures folded in
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	AFRO2018	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2004–2019	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2008–2017	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2013	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2019	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2016	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2016	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2016	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2014–2017	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO2003–2009	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO2009	median.
Sweet potato, as soldAntoine et al. 2017	Jamaican-grown, markets and farms island-wide, all samplesCollection date unreported	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldFechner et al. 2022	all samples (Germany, national)2017–2019	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldGuerra et al. 2012	CEAGESP wholesale market2009	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldHossen et al. 2026	farm 42024	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Fruit & Veggie2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Grain-Based Snacks, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20192009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20132009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20182009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20202009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	AFRO2012Dry weight	median.
Sweet potato, as soldAl 2010	Vegetables, Riyadh city markets, May 20092009Dry weight	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	mean.Same samples: 9,000 µg/kg (minimum); 27,000 µg/kg (maximum)
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	min.
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	max.
Sweet potato, as soldZhang et al. 2026	Xiushan Mn mining and smelting area2020Dry weight	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	fermented 48 h then shade-driedCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Kano tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Minna (Niger State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	oven-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	shade-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	sun-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Zaria (Kaduna State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Reform, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy 2021	US baby-food manufacturer A2016–2019Basis not stated	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Reform, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy 2021	US baby-food manufacturer A2016–2019Basis not stated	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Reform, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy 2021	US baby-food manufacturer A2016–2019Basis not stated	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Reform, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy 2021	US baby-food manufacturer A2016–2019Basis not stated	not detected.
2 findings · 2 studies
Sweet potato, cookedFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
Sweet potato, cookedSpungen et al. 2024	all samples2018–2020	mean.
1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, driedHoulihan et al. 2019	Infant cereal: multi- and single non-rice grain2019	sample value.

50 findings · 10 studies
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	AFRO2018	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2004–2019	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2011	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2015–2016	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2017	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO2009–2010	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO1998–2001	median.
Sweet potato, as soldAntoine et al. 2017	Jamaican-grown, markets and farms island-wide, all samplesCollection date unreported	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldGuerra et al. 2012	CEAGESP wholesale market2009	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldHossen et al. 2026	farm 42024	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Fruit & Veggie2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Grain-Based Snacks, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20192009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20232009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20132009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20182009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20202009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	AFRO2012Dry weight	median.
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldZhang et al. 2026	Xiushan Mn mining and smelting area2020Dry weight	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldJoint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives 2022	GEMS/Food contaminants database2011Basis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldSuzuki-Inoue et al. 2024	supermarkets1979–1980Basis not stated	geometric mean.
2 findings · 2 studies
Sweet potato, cookedFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
Sweet potato, cookedSpungen et al. 2024	all samples2018–2020	mean.
1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, driedHoulihan et al. 2019	Infant cereal: multi- and single non-rice grain2019	sample value.
1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, flour or mealCardini et al. 2025	Danish online-store purchaseCollection date unreportedDry weight	mean.

44 findings · 6 studies
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	AFRO2018	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2004–2023	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2011	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO2009	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO2004	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO2000	median.
Sweet potato, as soldAntoine et al. 2017	Jamaican-grown, markets and farms island-wide, all samplesCollection date unreported	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldHossen et al. 2026	farm 42024	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Fruit & Veggie2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Grain-Based Snacks, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20192009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20232009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20132009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20182009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20202009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldZhang et al. 2026	Xiushan Mn mining and smelting area2020Dry weight	mean.
1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, cookedFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, driedHoulihan et al. 2019	Infant cereal: multi- and single non-rice grain2019	sample value.

1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	sample value.
1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, driedHoulihan et al. 2019	Infant cereal: multi- and single non-rice grain2019	sample value.

31 findings · 5 studies
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	AFRO2018	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2004–2016	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	EURO2001	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO2004	median.
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO2001	median.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Fruit & Veggie2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHoulihan et al. 2019	Vegetable2019	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Mixtures, FY20222009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20212009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	sample value.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20232009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	Vegetables, FY20242009–2024	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldPlants in a World Large-scale Abandoned Hg Mining Site: A Potential Risk of Exposure to Grazing Animals Xiaoli Qian Guizhou University Chendong Yang Guizhou University Xiaohang Xu 2021	aboveground shootsCollection date unreportedDry weight	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldU.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Reform, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy 2021	US baby-food manufacturer A2016–2019Basis not stated	sample value.
1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, cookedFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, driedHoulihan et al. 2019	Infant cereal: multi- and single non-rice grain2019	sample value.

1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, as soldPlants in a World Large-scale Abandoned Hg Mining Site: A Potential Risk of Exposure to Grazing Animals Xiaoli Qian Guizhou University Chendong Yang Guizhou University Xiaohang Xu 2021	aboveground shootsCollection date unreportedDry weight	mean.

10 findings · 4 studies
Sweet potato, as soldGuerra et al. 2012	CEAGESP wholesale market2009	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldZhang et al. 2026	Xiushan Mn mining and smelting area2020Dry weight	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	fermented 48 h then shade-driedCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Kano tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Minna (Niger State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	oven-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	shade-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	sun-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Zaria (Kaduna State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, cookedFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.

4 findings · 4 studies
Sweet potato, as soldGuerra et al. 2012	CEAGESP wholesale market2009	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldHossen et al. 2026	farm 42024	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	not detected.
Sweet potato, as soldZhang et al. 2026	Xiushan Mn mining and smelting area2020Dry weight	mean.
1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, cookedFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.

1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, as soldAntoine et al. 2017	Jamaican-grown, markets and farms island-wide, all samplesCollection date unreported	mean.

1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	WPRO2000–2001	median.

1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, as soldZhang et al. 2026	Xiushan Mn mining and smelting area2020Dry weight	mean.

1 finding · 1 study
Sweet potato, cookedFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.

8 findings · 2 studies
Sweet potato, as soldGuerra et al. 2012	CEAGESP wholesale market2009	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	fermented 48 h then shade-driedCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Kano tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Minna (Niger State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	oven-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	shade-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	sun-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Zaria (Kaduna State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.

10 findings · 4 studies · 2 spread figures folded in
Sweet potato, as soldHossen et al. 2026	farm 42024	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	mean.Same samples: 2,300 µg/kg (minimum); 16,000 µg/kg (maximum)
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	min.
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	max.
Sweet potato, as soldZhang et al. 2026	Xiushan Mn mining and smelting area2020Dry weight	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	fermented 48 h then shade-driedCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Kano tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Minna (Niger State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	oven-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	shade-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	sun-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Zaria (Kaduna State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.

9 findings · 3 studies · 2 spread figures folded in
Sweet potato, as soldHossen et al. 2026	farm 42024	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	mean.Same samples: 760 µg/kg (minimum); 387,000 µg/kg (maximum)
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	min.
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	max.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	fermented 48 h then shade-driedCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Kano tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Minna (Niger State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	oven-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	shade-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	sun-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Zaria (Kaduna State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.

9 findings · 3 studies · 2 spread figures folded in
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	mean.Same samples: 1,700 µg/kg (minimum); 65,000 µg/kg (maximum)
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	min.
Sweet potato, as soldMehari et al. 2015	Greensboro grocery store, category summaryCollection date unreportedDry weight	max.
Sweet potato, as soldZhang et al. 2026	Xiushan Mn mining and smelting area2020Dry weight	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	fermented 48 h then shade-driedCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Kano tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Minna (Niger State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	oven-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	shade-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	sun-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Zaria (Kaduna State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.

7 findings · 1 study
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	fermented 48 h then shade-driedCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Kano tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Minna (Niger State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	oven-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	shade-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	sun-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Zaria (Kaduna State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.

7 findings · 1 study
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	fermented 48 h then shade-driedCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Kano tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Minna (Niger State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	oven-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	shade-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	sun-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Zaria (Kaduna State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.

7 findings · 1 study
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	fermented 48 h then shade-driedCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Kano tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Minna (Niger State) tubersCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	oven-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	shade-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	sun-dried, pooled across Zaria, Kano and Minna samplesCollection date unreportedBasis not stated	mean.
Sweet potato, as soldauthors 2025	Zaria (Kaduna State) tubersCollection 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 sweet potato Pb reference · Sweet potato, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato Pb reference · Sweet potato, as sold. Sweet potato, 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	2–4.3 (bounded)	6.4–8 (bounded)	11.3–14.1 (bounded)
Alternative weighting	2–4.3 (bounded)	6.4–8 (bounded)	11.3–13.5 (bounded)

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	35	33%
Houlihan et al. 2019	11	33%
U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	24	33%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for sweet potato, 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 to 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:sweet-potato-ae327e5f3511:cf42eca87a18

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 sweet potato Pb reference · Sweet potato, as sold, dry weight

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato Pb reference · Sweet potato, as sold, dry weight. Sweet potato, as sold; Dry 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

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 sweet potato, as sold on a dry 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 sweet potato, as sold on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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:sweet-potato-e481c630c995:adc935555761

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 sweet potato Pb reference · Sweet potato, cooked

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato Pb reference · Sweet potato, cooked. Sweet potato, 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	≤4	6.9	19
Alternative weighting	≤4	7.15	19

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 sweet potato, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, cooked on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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:sweet-potato-4434835a477b:35d3c5cad15c

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 sweet potato Pb reference · Sweet potato, dried

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato Pb reference · Sweet potato, dried. Sweet potato, dried; 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	39.8	39.8	39.8
Alternative weighting	39.8	39.8	39.8

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
Houlihan et al. 2019	1	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for sweet potato, dried 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

Houlihan et al. 2019 is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, dried on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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

Houlihan et al. 2019

Reference version and interpretation

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

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:sweet-potato-b3d375b2af60:a0d82e0758fe

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 sweet potato Cd reference · Sweet potato, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato Cd reference · Sweet potato, as sold. Sweet potato, 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	2.1–2.7 (bounded)	3.5–4 (bounded)	7.8
Alternative weighting	2.1–2.2 (bounded)	3.5–4 (bounded)	7.8

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	23	33%
Houlihan et al. 2019	11	33%
U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	21	33%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for sweet potato, 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 to 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:sweet-potato-76658d1d98ae:6b457ac336fb

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 sweet potato Cd reference · Sweet potato, as sold, dry weight

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato Cd reference · Sweet potato, as sold, dry weight. Sweet potato, as sold; Dry weight, µg/kg; no moisture conversion. Distribution of subgroup median concentration values.

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	150	150	150
Alternative weighting	150	150	150

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 sweet potato, as sold on a dry 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 sweet potato, as sold on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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:sweet-potato-890f4de7a0db:fd41472ad008

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 sweet potato Cd reference · Sweet potato, cooked

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato Cd reference · Sweet potato, cooked. Sweet potato, 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	3.5	4.8	7.4
Alternative weighting	3.5	5.1	7.4

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 sweet potato, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, cooked on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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:sweet-potato-392b1571740e:b833f16ff77f

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 sweet potato Cd reference · Sweet potato, dried

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato Cd reference · Sweet potato, dried. Sweet potato, dried; 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	20.3	20.3	20.3
Alternative weighting	20.3	20.3	20.3

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
Houlihan et al. 2019	1	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for sweet potato, dried 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

Houlihan et al. 2019 is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, dried on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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

Houlihan et al. 2019

Reference version and interpretation

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

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:sweet-potato-850fd4bc06cb:30e1cea24944

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 sweet potato tAs reference · Sweet potato, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato tAs reference · Sweet potato, as sold. Sweet potato, 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	≤2.4	2.4–4 (bounded)	4.3–7.1 (bounded)
Alternative weighting	≤2.4	2.4–4.8 (bounded)	5.6–10.1 (bounded)

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	20	33%
Houlihan et al. 2019	11	33%
U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	21	33%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for sweet potato, 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 to 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:sweet-potato-9b89f56a4ce1:d716ec768209

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 sweet potato tAs reference · Sweet potato, cooked

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato tAs reference · Sweet potato, cooked. Sweet potato, 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	≤3	3.2	7.5
Alternative weighting	≤3	1.6–3.1 (bounded)	7.1

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 sweet potato, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, cooked on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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:sweet-potato-4bb460506ee0:14c534887330

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 sweet potato tAs reference · Sweet potato, dried

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato tAs reference · Sweet potato, dried. Sweet potato, dried; 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	35.9	35.9	35.9
Alternative weighting	35.9	35.9	35.9

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
Houlihan et al. 2019	1	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for sweet potato, dried 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

Houlihan et al. 2019 is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, dried on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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

Houlihan et al. 2019

Reference version and interpretation

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

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:sweet-potato-6b478de9586e:f5bf5dd7cf06

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 sweet potato iAs reference · Sweet potato, dried

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato iAs reference · Sweet potato, dried. Sweet potato, dried; 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	26	26	26
Alternative weighting	26	26	26

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
Houlihan et al. 2019	1	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for sweet potato, dried 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

Houlihan et al. 2019 is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, dried on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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

Houlihan et al. 2019

Reference version and interpretation

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

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:sweet-potato-b79ae42e4567:b81904b61f14

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 sweet potato tHg reference · Sweet potato, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato tHg reference · Sweet potato, as sold. Sweet potato, 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	≤0.141	0.1–0.42 (bounded)	1.1
Alternative weighting	≤0.141	0.1–0.42 (bounded)	1.1

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	15	33%
Houlihan et al. 2019	11	33%
U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024	1	33%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for sweet potato, 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 to 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:sweet-potato-b152587467e2:7f07013bde81

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 sweet potato tHg reference · Sweet potato, cooked

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato tHg reference · Sweet potato, cooked. Sweet potato, 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	≤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 sweet potato, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, cooked on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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:sweet-potato-b66033e66c67:e640f74e7283

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 sweet potato tHg reference · Sweet potato, dried

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato tHg reference · Sweet potato, dried. Sweet potato, dried; 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	0.389	0.389	0.389
Alternative weighting	0.389	0.389	0.389

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
Houlihan et al. 2019	1	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for sweet potato, dried 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

Houlihan et al. 2019 is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, dried on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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

Houlihan et al. 2019

Reference version and interpretation

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

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:sweet-potato-647bfca4645e:00baa3596d42

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 sweet potato Ni reference · Sweet potato, cooked

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato Ni reference · Sweet potato, cooked. Sweet potato, 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	51	67	100
Alternative weighting	55	68.5	100

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 sweet potato, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, cooked on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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:sweet-potato-cdfd3b6e4814:ed11b8638689

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 sweet potato Cr reference · Sweet potato, cooked

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato Cr reference · Sweet potato, cooked. Sweet potato, 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	≤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 sweet potato, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, cooked on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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:sweet-potato-f10a804ebe36:899f36e93cf7

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 sweet potato U reference · Sweet potato, cooked

Reference and scope

HMI sweet potato U reference · Sweet potato, cooked. Sweet potato, 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	≤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 sweet potato, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for sweet potato, cooked on this basis in the completed sweet potato 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:sweet-potato-eadf916be97e:dae404d9c0ec

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 sweet potato

No study in the library compared sweet potato 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 sweet potato, as sold pools 70 subgroup units from 3 sampling families, with a median of between 6.4 and 8 µg/kg and a middle half spanning between 2 and 4.3 (lower quartile) and between 11.3 and 14.1 µg/kg (upper quartile).^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{8Jane Houlihan, Charlotte Brody · 2019What’s in My Baby’s Food? A National Investigation Finds 95 Percent of Baby Foods Tested Contain Toxic Chemicals That Lower Babies’ IQ, Including Arsenic and LeadHealthy Babies Bright FuturesRead source →}^{10U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2024Analytical Results for Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury in Food Intended for Babies and Young Children - TEP (FY2009-FY2024)FDA analytical results tableRead source →} For lead in sweet potato, cooked, the reference median was 6.9 µg/kg, with a middle half from below 4 to 19 µg/kg across 27 units.^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →} For cadmium in sweet potato, as sold, the reference median was between 3.5 and 4 µg/kg, with a middle half from between 2.1 and 2.7 to 7.8 µg/kg across 55 units.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{8Jane Houlihan, Charlotte Brody · 2019What’s in My Baby’s Food? A National Investigation Finds 95 Percent of Baby Foods Tested Contain Toxic Chemicals That Lower Babies’ IQ, Including Arsenic and LeadHealthy Babies Bright FuturesRead source →}^{10U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2024Analytical Results for Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury in Food Intended for Babies and Young Children - TEP (FY2009-FY2024)FDA analytical results tableRead source →}

Among GEMS/Food reporting regions, sweet potato, as sold had the lowest lead subgroup median in WPRO (2.2 µg/kg) and the highest in PAHO (10.8 µg/kg); reporting regions are markets, not growing areas.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →} For cadmium, the lowest regional median was in AFRO (1 µg/kg) and the highest in AFRO (150 µg/kg).^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

In one study, lead across 24 groups of sweet potato ranged from 1.2 µg/kg (Mixtures, FY2023) to 27.3 µg/kg (Vegetables, FY2021); the lowest is the lowest observed in that study, not an established sourcing preference.^{10U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2024Analytical Results for Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury in Food Intended for Babies and Young Children - TEP (FY2009-FY2024)FDA analytical results tableRead source →} In another study, lead across 11 groups of sweet potato ranged from 1.5 µg/kg (Vegetable) to 29.3 µg/kg (Vegetable); the lowest is the lowest observed in that study, not an established sourcing preference.^{8Jane Houlihan, Charlotte Brody · 2019What’s in My Baby’s Food? A National Investigation Finds 95 Percent of Baby Foods Tested Contain Toxic Chemicals That Lower Babies’ IQ, Including Arsenic and LeadHealthy Babies Bright FuturesRead source →}

Processing, cooking and preparation

No processing study for metals in this food is in the library yet.

Mitigation for sweet potato

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 sweet potato for metals

Results depend on the method and its reporting limit. Reporting limits for lead ranged from 1 µg/kg (WHO GEMS/Food) to 100 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 0.3 µg/kg (WHO GEMS/Food) to 128 µg/kg (Mehari et al. 2015), 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 →}^{11Mehari TF, Greene L, Duncan AL, Fakayode SO · 2015Trace and Macro Elements Concentrations in Selected Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, and Processed Foods in North Carolina, USAJournal of Environmental Protection, 2015, 6, 573-583Read source →} Reporting limits for total arsenic ranged from 0.667 µg/kg (WHO GEMS/Food) to 600 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 →}

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

Buying and verifying sweet potato

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

Exposure from sweet potato

No source in the library converted sweet potato 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 sweet potato was decided on its content: 18 occurrence extracted, 18 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.

Sweet potato FAQs

What heavy metals are found in sweet potato?

The library reports lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury, methylmercury, nickel, chromium, aluminium, tin, antimony, uranium, Co, Cu, Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg and Na in sweet potato, 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 →}^{3Antoine JMR, Hoo Fung LA, Grant CN · 2017Assessment of the potential health risks associated with the aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead content in selected fruits and vegetables grown in JamaicaToxicology Reports 4 (2017) 181-187Read source →}^{4Fechner C, Hackethal C, Höpfner T, Dietrich J, Bloch D, Lindtner O, Sarvan I · 2022Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foodsFood Chemistry: XRead source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported lead in sweet potato, as sold from 1,801 results in 4 reporting regions, with subgroup medians from 2.2 to 10.8 µg/kg.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

Which regions report the lowest levels in sweet potato?

Among GEMS/Food reporting regions, sweet potato, as sold had the lowest lead subgroup median in WPRO (2.2 µg/kg) and the highest in PAHO (10.8 µg/kg); reporting regions are markets, not growing areas.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →} For cadmium, the lowest regional median was in AFRO (1 µg/kg) and the highest in AFRO (150 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 sweet potato is inorganic?

Inorganic arsenic, the more toxic form, was measured in 2 results from 1 source, far fewer than total arsenic.^{8Jane Houlihan, Charlotte Brody · 2019What’s in My Baby’s Food? A National Investigation Finds 95 Percent of Baby Foods Tested Contain Toxic Chemicals That Lower Babies’ IQ, Including Arsenic and LeadHealthy Babies Bright FuturesRead 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
Assessment of the potential health risks associated with the aluminium, arsenic, cadmium and lead content in selected fruits and vegetables grown in JamaicaAntoine JMR, Hoo Fung LA, and Grant CN · Toxicology Reports 4 (2017) 181-187 · 2017 · doi.org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2017.03.006Peer-reviewed
Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foodsFechner C, Hackethal C, Höpfner T, Dietrich J, Bloch D, Lindtner O, et al. · Food Chemistry: X · 2022 · doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2022.100326Peer-reviewed
Heavy metals in vegetables and potential risk for human healthGuerra F, Trevizam AR, Muraoka T, Marcante NC, and Canniatti-Brazaca SG · Scientia Agricola 69(1):54-60 · 2012 · doi.org/10.1590/s0103-90162012000100008Peer-reviewed
Assessment of heavy metal levels and associated health risks linked to vegetables grown in Noakhali region of BangladeshKawsar Hossen, Nahian Rahman, Zannatul Ferdowsi, and Tahmina Ferdous · Environmental Health Insights · 2026 · doi.org/10.1177/11786302261440637Peer-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
What’s in My Baby’s Food? A National Investigation Finds 95 Percent of Baby Foods Tested Contain Toxic Chemicals That Lower Babies’ IQ, Including Arsenic and LeadJane Houlihan and Charlotte Brody · Healthy Babies Bright Futures · 2019 · www.hbbf.orgNGO
Trace metal pollution and ecological effects on five crops around a typical manganese mining area in Chongqing, ChinaZhang Y, Li X, and Kong F · Scientific Reports · 2026 · doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37535-6Peer-reviewed
Analytical Results for Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury in Food Intended for Babies and Young Children - TEP (FY2009-FY2024)U.S. Food and Drug Administration · FDA analytical results table · 2024 · www.fda.govDataset
Trace and Macro Elements Concentrations in Selected Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, and Processed Foods in North Carolina, USAMehari TF, Greene L, Duncan AL, and Fakayode SO · Journal of Environmental Protection, 2015, 6, 573-583 · 2015 · doi.org/10.4236/jep.2015.66052Peer-reviewed

Sources

Browse Sweet potato 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 sweet potato record in the library: 18 occurrence sources, references by form and basis, same-study contrasts.

Referenced by

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Heavy metals in Sweet potato

Sweet potato overview

What counts as sweet potato

Heavy metal contamination profile of sweet potato

How metals reach sweet potato

Which forms and regions measured lower

Processing, cooking and preparation

Mitigation for sweet potato

Trade-offs and limits of controls

Testing sweet potato for metals

Buying and verifying sweet potato

Exposure from sweet potato

Evidence review and remaining gaps

Sweet potato FAQs

References

Sources

Update history

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