Heavy metals in Whole wheat bread

Quick read

Whole wheat bread in the HMI library has 16 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, uranium and CrVI from 6 sources.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Cantoral A, Betanzos-Robledo L, Collado-López S, García-Martínez BA, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Díaz-Ruiz A, Ríos C, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Lead Levels in the Most Consumed Mexican Foods: First Monitoring EffortToxicsRead source →}^{5Cantoral A, Collado-López S, Betanzos-Robledo L, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, García-Martínez BA, Ríos C, Díaz-Ruiz A, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Dietary Risk Assessment of Cadmium Exposure Through Commonly Consumed Foodstuffs in MexicoFoodsRead source →}^{6Song G, Tan H, Cheng C, Li P, Sun X, Zhou Y, Fang Y · 2024Development of a Fast Method Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Exploration of the Reduction Mechanism of Cr(VI) in FoodsToxics 12(5): 325Read source →}

Metals measured:
Lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury and nickel and others, in 16 results from 6 sources.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Cantoral A, Betanzos-Robledo L, Collado-López S, García-Martínez BA, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Díaz-Ruiz A, Ríos C, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Lead Levels in the Most Consumed Mexican Foods: First Monitoring EffortToxicsRead source →}
Main drivers:
Form, basis and where the whole wheat bread was sampled; reporting limits decide how many results are non-detects.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Cantoral A, Betanzos-Robledo L, Collado-López S, García-Martínez BA, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Díaz-Ruiz A, Ríos C, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Lead Levels in the Most Consumed Mexican Foods: First Monitoring EffortToxicsRead source →}
Practical framing:
Ask for lot results with a quantification limit well below the limit that applies in the destination market.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Cantoral A, Betanzos-Robledo L, Collado-López S, García-Martínez BA, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Díaz-Ruiz A, Ríos C, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Lead Levels in the Most Consumed Mexican Foods: First Monitoring EffortToxicsRead source →}

Whole wheat bread overview

Whole wheat bread in the HMI library has 16 reported results for lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, uranium and CrVI from 6 sources.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Cantoral A, Betanzos-Robledo L, Collado-López S, García-Martínez BA, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Díaz-Ruiz A, Ríos C, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Lead Levels in the Most Consumed Mexican Foods: First Monitoring EffortToxicsRead source →}^{5Cantoral A, Collado-López S, Betanzos-Robledo L, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, García-Martínez BA, Ríos C, Díaz-Ruiz A, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Dietary Risk Assessment of Cadmium Exposure Through Commonly Consumed Foodstuffs in MexicoFoodsRead source →}^{6Song G, Tan H, Cheng C, Li P, Sun X, Zhou Y, Fang Y · 2024Development of a Fast Method Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Exploration of the Reduction Mechanism of Cr(VI) in FoodsToxics 12(5): 325Read source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported lead in whole wheat bread, cooked from 14 results in 1 reporting region, with a subgroup median of 3.1 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, whole wheat bread, as sold had a median lead result of 4.3 µg/kg across 27 composites from 2017–2020.^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}

Spungen et al. 2024 reported lead at 4.4 µg/kg (mean) and cadmium at 30 µg/kg (mean) in whole wheat bread, as sold from all samples.^{3Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}

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

What counts as whole wheat bread

This page covers whole wheat bread in 2 forms kept separate in every comparison: whole wheat bread, as sold (14 results) and whole wheat bread, cooked (2 results).^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Cantoral A, Betanzos-Robledo L, Collado-López S, García-Martínez BA, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Díaz-Ruiz A, Ríos C, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Lead Levels in the Most Consumed Mexican Foods: First Monitoring EffortToxicsRead source →}^{5Cantoral A, Collado-López S, Betanzos-Robledo L, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, García-Martínez BA, Ríos C, Díaz-Ruiz A, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Dietary Risk Assessment of Cadmium Exposure Through Commonly Consumed Foodstuffs in MexicoFoodsRead source →}^{6Song G, Tan H, Cheng C, Li P, Sun X, Zhou Y, Fang Y · 2024Development of a Fast Method Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Exploration of the Reduction Mechanism of Cr(VI) in FoodsToxics 12(5): 325Read 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 whole wheat bread

The table holds every extracted whole wheat bread result: one row for each statistic a source reports for a form, group and metal, 16 rows in all, grouped by metal and form; percentiles, ranges and maxima for the same samples as a mean or median are shown on that row.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Cantoral A, Betanzos-Robledo L, Collado-López S, García-Martínez BA, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Díaz-Ruiz A, Ríos C, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Lead Levels in the Most Consumed Mexican Foods: First Monitoring EffortToxicsRead source →}^{5Cantoral A, Collado-López S, Betanzos-Robledo L, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, García-Martínez BA, Ríos C, Díaz-Ruiz A, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Dietary Risk Assessment of Cadmium Exposure Through Commonly Consumed Foodstuffs in MexicoFoodsRead source →}^{6Song G, Tan H, Cheng C, Li P, Sun X, Zhou Y, Fang Y · 2024Development of a Fast Method Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Exploration of the Reduction Mechanism of Cr(VI) in FoodsToxics 12(5): 325Read source →} Monitoring medians are HMI calculations from individual submissions; non-detects remain intervals between zero and the reporting limit and are never read as zero.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

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

Comparison methods and scope

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

About this table

Food formCollection scopeFindingComparisonEvidence

Whole wheat bread 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)

3 findings · 3 studies
Whole wheat bread, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
Whole wheat bread, as soldSpungen et al. 2024	all samples2018–2020	mean.
Whole wheat bread, as soldCantoral et al. 2024	Cereals (retail, Mexico City)2022–2023Basis not stated	mean.
1 finding · 1 study
Whole wheat bread, cookedWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2013–2014	median.

4 findings · 3 studies
Whole wheat bread, as soldFDA Total Diet Study	6 collection regions2017–2020	median.
Whole wheat bread, as soldSpungen et al. 2024	all samples2018–2020	mean.
Whole wheat bread, as soldCantoral et al. 2024	all samples (single foodstuff, duplicate mean)2022–2023Basis not stated	sample value.
Whole wheat bread, as soldCantoral et al. 2024	all samples (single foodstuff, duplicate mean)2022–2023Basis not stated	sample value.
1 finding · 1 study
Whole wheat bread, cookedWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2011–2017	median.

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

1 finding · 1 study
Whole wheat bread, as soldWHO GEMS/Food	PAHO2014	median.

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

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

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

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

1 finding · 1 study
Whole wheat bread, as soldSong et al. 2024	all samplesCollection date unreported	not detected.

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 whole wheat bread Pb reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold

Reference and scope

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

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	≤4	4.3	5.9
Alternative weighting	≤4	4.35	5.9

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 whole wheat bread, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, as sold on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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:whole-wheat-bread-1e79853486a2:2d7f110f2bb3

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 whole wheat bread Pb reference · Whole wheat bread, cooked

Reference and scope

HMI whole wheat bread Pb reference · Whole wheat bread, cooked. Whole wheat bread, 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	2.9	3.38	3.85
Alternative weighting	2.9	3.38	3.85

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	2	100%

Methods

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

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

Limitations

WHO GEMS/Food is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, cooked on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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:whole-wheat-bread-87ca7875b31c:a2c83ceebbfa

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 whole wheat bread Cd reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI whole wheat bread Cd reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold. Whole wheat bread, 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	26	28	32
Alternative weighting	26	28	32

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 whole wheat bread, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, as sold on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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:whole-wheat-bread-0fd1e8fac0a6:0c6f15273194

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 whole wheat bread Cd reference · Whole wheat bread, cooked

Reference and scope

HMI whole wheat bread Cd reference · Whole wheat bread, cooked. Whole wheat bread, 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	24	25	28.5
Alternative weighting	24	25	28.5

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
WHO GEMS/Food	7	100%

Methods

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

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

Limitations

WHO GEMS/Food is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, cooked on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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:whole-wheat-bread-052ecc70c159:c2765ce2a6d2

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 whole wheat bread tAs reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI whole wheat bread tAs reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold. Whole wheat bread, 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	8.7	9.6	11
Alternative weighting	8.7	9.55	11

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 whole wheat bread, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, as sold on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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:whole-wheat-bread-8e197f081d79:abc0c2c89227

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 whole wheat bread iAs reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI whole wheat bread iAs reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold. Whole wheat bread, 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	≤0.03	≤0.03	≤0.03
Alternative weighting	≤0.03	≤0.03	≤0.03

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 whole wheat bread, 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

WHO GEMS/Food is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, as sold on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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:whole-wheat-bread-1f2de4ea83c3:915e03645a85

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 whole wheat bread tHg reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold

Reference and scope

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

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

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
FDA Total Diet Study	27	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for whole wheat bread, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, as sold on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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:whole-wheat-bread-8937980eca57:f75b559162d1

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 whole wheat bread Ni reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI whole wheat bread Ni reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold. Whole wheat bread, 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	160	180	200
Alternative weighting	160	185	200

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 whole wheat bread, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, as sold on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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:whole-wheat-bread-dbf3f8adb39d:076ee76e73fb

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 whole wheat bread Cr reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold

Reference and scope

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

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	≤50	≤50	≤50
Alternative weighting	≤50	≤50	≤50

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
FDA Total Diet Study	27	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for whole wheat bread, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, as sold on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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:whole-wheat-bread-a631e965652b:b9191352d26d

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 whole wheat bread U reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold

Reference and scope

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

Reference (µg/kg)	Q1	Median	Q3
Primary HMI reference	1.4	1.8	2
Alternative weighting	1.4	1.8	2

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 whole wheat bread, 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

FDA Total Diet Study is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, as sold on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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:whole-wheat-bread-020502b0a5dd:695510658f5b

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 whole wheat bread CrVI reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold

Reference and scope

HMI whole wheat bread CrVI reference · Whole wheat bread, as sold. Whole wheat bread, 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	≤0.1	≤0.1	≤0.1
Alternative weighting	≤0.1	≤0.1	≤0.1

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

Contributing family	Reference units	Weight
Song et al. 2024	1	100%

Methods

HMI pools subgroup medians for whole wheat bread, 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

Song et al. 2024 is the only compatible sampling family for whole wheat bread, as sold on this basis in the completed whole wheat bread 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

Song et al. 2024

Reference version and interpretation

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

hmi-pooled-reference-v2:whole-wheat-bread-880c8e23484c:22e399b89d0e

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 whole wheat bread

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

Which forms and regions measured lower

For cadmium, the HMI reference median was lowest for whole wheat bread, cooked (25 µg/kg) and highest for whole wheat bread, as sold (28 µg/kg); forms differ in water content, so this compares foods as sold or eaten, not uptake.^{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 →} The HMI reference for lead in whole wheat bread, as sold pools 27 subgroup units from 1 sampling family, with a median of 4.3 µg/kg and a middle half spanning below 4 (lower quartile) and 5.9 µg/kg (upper quartile).^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →} For cadmium in whole wheat bread, as sold, the reference median was 28 µg/kg, with a middle half from 26 to 32 µg/kg across 27 units.^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →} For cadmium in whole wheat bread, cooked, the reference median was 25 µg/kg, with a middle half from 24 to 28.5 µg/kg across 7 units.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

Processing, cooking and preparation

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

Mitigation for whole wheat bread

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 whole wheat bread for metals

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

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

Buying and verifying whole wheat bread

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

Exposure from whole wheat bread

No source in the library converted whole wheat bread 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 whole wheat bread was decided on its content: 6 occurrence extracted, 6 records in all. The occurrence table renders every extracted result; held values remain visible with their reason.

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

Whole wheat bread FAQs

What heavy metals are found in whole wheat bread?

The library reports lead, cadmium, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, total mercury, nickel, chromium, uranium and CrVI in whole wheat bread, most often lead, cadmium and total arsenic.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}^{2U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2022FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsFDA Total Diet StudyRead source →}^{3Spungen JH, et al. · 2024Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Food Additives & Contaminants: Part ARead source →}^{4Cantoral A, Betanzos-Robledo L, Collado-López S, García-Martínez BA, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Mariscal-Moreno RM, Díaz-Ruiz A, Ríos C, Téllez-Rojo MM · 2024Lead Levels in the Most Consumed Mexican Foods: First Monitoring EffortToxicsRead source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported lead in whole wheat bread, cooked from 14 results in 1 reporting region, with a subgroup median of 3.1 µg/kg.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

Which types of whole wheat bread have the lowest levels?

For cadmium, the HMI reference median was lowest for whole wheat bread, cooked (25 µg/kg) and highest for whole wheat bread, as sold (28 µg/kg); forms differ in water content, so this compares foods as sold or eaten, not uptake.^{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 →}

How much of the arsenic in whole wheat bread is inorganic?

Inorganic arsenic, the more toxic form, was measured in 1 result from 1 source, far fewer than total arsenic.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →} WHO GEMS/Food submissions reported inorganic arsenic in whole wheat bread, as sold from 44 results in 1 reporting region, with subgroup medians below 0.03 µg/kg, mostly non-detects.^{1World Health Organization · 2026GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsGEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment ProgrammeRead source →}

References

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

GEMS/Food Contaminants database heavy-metal exportsWorld Health Organization · GEMS/Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment Programme · 2026 · extranet.who.intDataset
FY2018-FY2020 TDS Elements Analytical ResultsU.S. Food and Drug Administration · FDA Total Diet Study · 2022 · www.fda.govDataset
Infants’ and young children’s dietary exposures to lead and cadmium: FDA total diet study 2018-2020Spungen JH and et al. · Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A · 2024 · doi.org/10.1080/19440049.2024.2396910Peer-reviewed
Lead Levels in the Most Consumed Mexican Foods: First Monitoring EffortCantoral A, Betanzos-Robledo L, Collado-López S, García-Martínez BA, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Mariscal-Moreno RM, et al. · Toxics · 2024 · doi.org/10.3390/toxics12050318Peer-reviewed
Dietary Risk Assessment of Cadmium Exposure Through Commonly Consumed Foodstuffs in MexicoCantoral A, Collado-López S, Betanzos-Robledo L, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, García-Martínez BA, Ríos C, et al. · Foods · 2024 · doi.org/10.3390/foods13223649Peer-reviewed
Development of a Fast Method Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Exploration of the Reduction Mechanism of Cr(VI) in FoodsSong G, Tan H, Cheng C, Li P, Sun X, Zhou Y, et al. · Toxics 12(5): 325 · 2024 · doi.org/10.3390/toxics12050325Peer-reviewed

Sources

Browse Whole wheat bread 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 whole wheat bread record in the library: 6 occurrence sources, references by form and basis, same-study contrasts.

Referenced by

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Food and Drug Administration

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Food Additives

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Heavy metals in Whole wheat bread

Whole wheat bread overview

What counts as whole wheat bread

Heavy metal contamination profile of whole wheat bread

How metals reach whole wheat bread

Which forms and regions measured lower

Processing, cooking and preparation

Mitigation for whole wheat bread

Trade-offs and limits of controls

Testing whole wheat bread for metals

Buying and verifying whole wheat bread

Exposure from whole wheat bread

Evidence review and remaining gaps

Whole wheat bread FAQs

References

Sources

Update history

Related ingredients

Referenced by

Graph View