Overview
Regulation pages describe specific thresholds, action levels, and guidance from specific jurisdictions. Principal jurisdictions covered include the United States (Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, California Proposition 65, and state attorneys general), the European Union (European Food Safety Authority and the Commission Regulations on contaminants), the World Health Organization and Codex Alimentarius, and others where material appears in the literature. Every page preserves the exact value from the agency source; unit conversions are shown rather than concealed.
Cross-cut views
Two auto-generated cross-cuts compose every regulation tracked below into a single comparison surface — start here if you are scanning across jurisdictions or across time rather than reading a specific regulation top-to-bottom.
- Regulations by jurisdiction — country/region × metal matrix. Brand-legal and regulatory-affairs readers comparing how different jurisdictions regulate the same metal land here.
- Regulatory timeline — chronological view of every dated regulation, grouped by decade. Shows the trajectory of the regulatory floor: when limits tightened, which superseded what, where international and US framings diverge.
For the Category 1 lead comparison layer, start with Lead benchmark context. It normalizes FDA, EU, Prop 65, and occurrence-context lead values into ppb while preserving each value’s legal or evidentiary role.
Australia/New Zealand Contaminants Maximum Levels
- Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code Schedule 19 maximum levels for contaminants and natural toxicants, including selected metal limits in food.
EU Contaminants Maximum Levels
- EU contaminants maximum-level framework - canonical HMI hub for Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, the EU maximum-level framework for contaminants in food.
- EU inorganic-arsenic limits for rice (2015) - historical Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1006 amendment adding inorganic-arsenic maximum levels for rice and rice products, including rice for infant and young-child foods.
- EU cadmium maximum levels - cadmium matrix maximum levels for infant foods, cereals, rice, vegetables, oilseeds, cocoa/chocolate, fishery products, offal, and supplements.
Category 5 Beverage Regulations
FDA Closer To Zero
- FDA 2025 lead action levels for processed baby foods - canonical hub for FDA’s January 2025 final guidance action levels for lead in processed foods intended for babies and young children.
- FDA Closer to Zero - program overview.
- FDA Closer to Zero — 10 ppb lead (baby food) - 10 ppb lead action level for covered processed baby-food fruits, non-root vegetables, mixtures, yogurts, custards/puddings, and single-ingredient meats.
- FDA Closer to Zero — 20 ppb lead (root vegetables) - 20 ppb lead action level for single-ingredient root vegetables.
- FDA Closer to Zero — 20 ppb lead (dry infant cereals) - 20 ppb lead action level for dry infant cereals.
California Drinking Water and Proposition 65
- California hexavalent-chromium drinking-water limit - California State Water Resources Control Board hexavalent-chromium drinking-water Maximum Contaminant Level (10 µg/L), effective October 1, 2024. A drinking-water standard, not a food limit.
- California Proposition 65 — hexavalent chromium - California Proposition 65 listing of hexavalent chromium (carcinogen 1987; developmental and reproductive toxicant 2008) and its safe-harbor levels. A product-labeling instrument, not a food limit.
- California Proposition 65 — lead - California Proposition 65 lead listing and Maximum Allowable Dose Level.
- California Proposition 65 — cadmium - California Proposition 65 cadmium listing and Maximum Allowable Daily Level.
- California Proposition 65 — inorganic arsenic - California Proposition 65 inorganic-arsenic listing.
Mexico Fishery Product Regulations
- Mexico NOM-242-SSA1-2009 (fishery products) - current Mexican sanitary standard for fresh, refrigerated, frozen, and processed fishery products, including fishery-product heavy-metal and metalloid limits.
- Mexico NOM-027-SSA1-1993 (fresh and frozen fish, superseded) - historical fresh/refrigerated/frozen fish standard cancelled by NOM-242-SSA1-2009.
- Mexico NOM-028-SSA1-1993 (canned fish, superseded) - historical canned-fish standard cancelled by NOM-242-SSA1-2009.
Turkey Contaminants Maximum Levels
- Turkish Food Codex — lead in raw milk - Turkish Food Codex raw milk, heat-treated milk, and milk for milk-based products lead maximum level.
Other regulations pages (183)
- ASEAN 2019 - cosmetic contaminant limits
- ASEAN health supplement contaminant limits, Version 2.0
- ASTM F963 — soluble migrated element limits (mandatory US toy standard under CPSIA §106)
- ATSDR — Minimal Risk Levels for Aluminum
- ATSDR — Minimal Risk Levels for Cadmium
- Australia Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations - heavy-metal import restrictions
- Australia NHMRC Drinking Water Guidelines - heavy-metal values
- Bangladesh BDS 1382:2019 - skin-cream heavy-metal limits
- Bosnia and Herzegovina Pravilnik - food contaminant maximum levels
- Brazil ANVISA RDC 628/2022 - cosmetic colorant metal impurities
- Brazil ANVISA RDC 722/2022 - contaminants in foods
- California Prop 65 / AB 2762 — exposure-based warnings and intentionally-added mercury prohibition; no numeric heavy-metal concentration limit for cosmetics
- California DCC 2026 - cannabis heavy-metals action levels
- California Proposition 65
- California SB 929 - children’s metal-containing jewelry
- California SWRCB 2024 - inorganic chemical MCLs including Cr(VI)
- Canada CFIA fertilizer and growing-media heavy-metal standards
- Health Canada 2025 drinking-water guideline summary
- Health Canada: mercury in commercial fish
- Health Canada natural health product heavy-metal quality limits
- Canada Toys Regulations - surface coating and removable material metals
- Canada SOR/2018-82 - children’s jewellery lead and cadmium
- Canada SOR/2018-83 - accessible lead in consumer products
- Canada Surface Coating Materials Regulations - lead and mercury limits
- Chile Decreto 977 - food and food-contact heavy-metal limits
- China Cosmetic Safety Technical Standards 2015 - heavy-metal limits
- China GB 21027-2020 - migratable metals in student articles
- China GB 2762 contaminant standards by edition
- China GB 2762-2012 - Maximum levels of contaminants in food (superseded)
- China GB 2762-2017 - Maximum levels of contaminants in food (superseded)
- China GB 2762-2022 - Maximum levels of contaminants in food
- China GB 2762-2025: Maximum levels of contaminants in food
- China GB 28480-2012 - harmful elements in adornments
- China GB 4806.9-2023 - food-contact metal materials specific migration limits
- China GB 14930.1-2022 detergent arsenic limits
- China draft pet food heavy-metal limits
- Codex Alimentarius — Maximum Levels for Cadmium in Food
- Codex CXS 193: Lead maximum levels
- Codex CXS 193-1995 - Tin maximum levels for canned foods
- Council of Europe CM/Res(2013)9 - specific release limits for metals and alloys in food contact
- Colombia Resolucion 4506:2013 - food contaminant maximum levels
- Colorado marijuana heavy-metal limits
- Connecticut Public Act 10-113 - cadmium in children’s jewelry
- Costa Rica RTCR 409:2008 - fishery and aquaculture contaminants
- Cuba NC 877:2012 - wheat flour metal contaminants
- EAC DEAS 425-1:2023 - body and face powder heavy-metal limits
- EAC DEAS 425-2:2021 - baby powder heavy-metal limits
- EAEU TR CU 009/2011 - toxic elements in cosmetics with natural raw materials
- Ecuador NTE INEN 184:2013 - canned tuna and bonito
- EFSA — Aluminium Tolerable Weekly Intake (1 mg/kg b.w./week)
- EFSA — Arsenic in Food (2009), No-PTWI Position
- EFSA — Tolerable Weekly Intake for Cadmium, 2.5 µg/kg b.w./week
- EFSA — Lead in Food (2010), No-Threshold Position
- EFSA — Inorganic Mercury Tolerable Weekly Intake (4 µg/kg b.w./week)
- EFSA — Methylmercury Tolerable Weekly Intake (1.3 µg/kg b.w./week)
- EFSA — Nickel Tolerable Daily Intake (13 µg/kg b.w./day)
- EPA — Maximum Contaminant Level for Arsenic in Drinking Water
- EPA 2001 methylmercury fish-tissue criterion
- EPA IRIS — Cadmium Oral Reference Doses
- EPA IRIS — Inorganic Arsenic Toxicological Review (January 2025)
- EPA IRIS — Lead, Oral RfD and Carcinogenicity Assessment
- EPA IRIS — Mercuric Chloride Oral Reference Dose
- EPA IRIS — Methylmercury Oral Reference Dose
- EU Regulation 10/2011 — specific migration limits for metals (plastic food-contact, Annex II)
- EU Regulation 1333/2008: food additives
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs
- EU Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC — element migration limits (Annex II Part III)
- EU Regulation 2015/1006 - inorganic arsenic in rice and rice products
- EU Directive 2020/2184 - drinking-water parametric values
- EU Regulation 2021/1317 - Lead maximum level for cereals and pulses
- EU Regulation 2021/1323 - Cadmium maximum levels for cereals
- EU Regulation 2023/915 — Lead Maximum Levels for Infant and Young-Child Foods
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/1987 — maximum levels of nickel in certain foodstuffs
- Commission Recommendation (EU) 2024/907 on the monitoring of nickel in food
- EU 2025/1891 - inorganic arsenic in fish and other seafood
- EU Regulation 231/2012: food-additive specifications
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 466/2001 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs
- EU Regulation 488/2014: historical cadmium amendment
- EU Regulation 853/2004: hygiene of foods of animal origin
- EU Regulation 2023/1542 - battery heavy-metal restrictions
- EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 — prohibited-substance framework, no numeric heavy-metal maximum levels
- EU Directive 2002/32/EC - animal-feed heavy-metal maximum levels
- EU drinking-water Directive 98/83/EC: historical record
- EU Regulation 2019/1009 fertilising-product heavy-metal limits
- EU Directive 84/500/EEC: ceramic food-contact articles
- EU Groundwater Directive 2006/118/EC
- EU Nickel Directive 94/27/EC
- EU REACH Annex XVII entry 20 — organotin compounds in skin-contact and childcare articles
- EU REACH Regulation 494/2011 - cadmium in plastics, paints, brazing fillers, and jewellery
- EU REACH Regulation 301/2014 - chromium VI in leather
- EU Regulation 2015/628 - lead in mouthable consumer articles
- EU Regulation 2018/1513 - CMR metal limits in consumer textiles
- EU REACH Regulation 2020/2081 - tattoo and permanent make-up metal limits
- EU Regulation 2018/73 - Mercury-compound MRLs in food and feed
- EU Regulation 2022/617 — Mercury Maximum Levels in Fishery Products
- EU RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU - homogeneous-material heavy-metal limits
- FAO Water Quality for Agriculture
- US FDA 21 CFR Part 73 - color-additive metal specifications
- US FDA 21 CFR Part 74 - certified color-additive metal specifications
- US FDA cosmetics heavy-metal policy — draft lead guidance (10 ppm) and the binding mercury trace rule (21 CFR 700.13, <1 ppm)
- FDA CPG Sec. 540.600 Fish, Shellfish, Crustaceans and other Aquatic Animals — Methyl Mercury
- FDA Closer to Zero — 10 ppb Lead Action Level for Processed Baby Food (Fruits, Non-Root Vegetables, Mixtures, Yogurts, Custards/Puddings, Single-Ingredient Meats)
- FDA Closer to Zero — 20 ppb Lead Action Level for Dry Infant Cereals
- FDA Closer to Zero — 20 ppb Lead Action Level for Single-Ingredient Root Vegetables (Baby Food)
- FDA Closer to Zero — 100 ppb Inorganic Arsenic Action Level for Infant Rice Cereal
- FDA arsenic in rice: sampling, assessment and guidance
- FDA Juice HACCP — 50 ppb Lead Guidance Context for Juice
- FDA 2022 Draft — Lead Action Levels for Juice
- FDA — 10 ppb Inorganic Arsenic Action Level for Apple Juice
- Fiji Food Safety Regulations 2009 chemical-contaminant limits
- Germany BVL 2017 - technically avoidable cosmetic metals
- Gulf GSO 193:2021 - contaminants and toxins in food and feed
- GSO 2783:2025 - heavy metals in food
- Guyana Fisheries (Products) Regulations 2023 - environmental contaminants
- Health Canada — Guidance on Heavy Metal Impurities in Cosmetics: lead (Pb) 10, arsenic (As) 3, cadmium (Cd) 3, mercury (Hg) 1, Sb 5 ppm
- Hong Kong Cap. 132V - Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations
- Hong Kong Mercury Control Ordinance - mercury in cosmetics
- India Cosmetics Rules 2020 heavy-metal limits
- India Cosmetics Rules 2020 - mercury and colourant heavy-metal limits
- India FSSAI 2015 chromium limit for gelatin
- India FSSAI 2016 heavy-metal maximum levels amendment
- India FSSAI 2026 contaminants amendment
- India BIS IS 3959:2004 - skin powder heavy metals
- India BIS IS 6608:2004 - skin cream heavy metals
- Indonesia BPOM 16/2024 - cosmetic heavy-metal limits
- Israel IMC-GMP cannabis heavy-metal limits
- Israel Food Control Services - heavy metals and tin in food
- Japan MHLW 2008 - tin in drink beverages
- Japan MHLW milk and milk-product standards
- Japan Notice 370 - food-contact heavy-metal composition limits
- Japan FAMIC pet-food heavy-metal standards
- JECFA aluminum evaluation: 74th meeting (2011)
- JECFA aluminum evaluations by meeting
- JECFA inorganic arsenic BMDL₀.₅ (lower-limit benchmark dose)
- JECFA — Provisional Tolerable Monthly Intake for Cadmium, 25 µg/kg b.w./month
- JECFA — Lead Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (Withdrawn 2010)
- JECFA — Methylmercury Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (1.6 µg/kg b.w./week)
- Kenya KS 2937:2021 - cosmetic heavy metal limits
- Korea MFDS 2024-29 - food-contact heavy-metal composition limits
- Korea MFDS Notice No. 2025-63 - cosmetic metal limits
- Korea Food Code - heavy-metal limits
- Malaysia NPRA 2022 - cosmetic heavy-metal limits
- Maryland cannabis heavy-metal action limits
- Massachusetts cannabis protocol heavy-metal limits
- MERCOSUR GMC Resolution 12/11 - inorganic contaminants in food
- MERCOSUR Project Resolution 07/23 - metal contaminants in food
- Mexico NOM-186-SSA1/SCFI-2013 - cacao and chocolate contaminant reference levels
- Mexico NOM-252-SSA1-2011 - bioavailable metals in toys and school articles
- Minnesota 325E.3892 - lead and cadmium in covered consumer products
- Minnesota Chapter 347 - cadmium in children’s jewelry
- Morocco Joint Order 2410-22 - food contaminant metal limits
- Nevada cannabis heavy-metal action levels
- New Zealand Cosmetic Products Group Standard - heavy-metal entries
- California Proposition 65 — Nickel Listings (Cancer; Soluble Nickel Compounds Reproductive Toxicity)
- Pakistan PS 3228:2017 - skin-cream heavy-metal limits
- Panama Decreto Ejecutivo 467/2007 - plant-product heavy metals
- Panama Resolucion 368:2009 - fishery product contaminants
- Paraguay Decree 1335/2019 - inorganic contaminants in food
- Philippines PNS/BAFS 194:2017 - contaminants and toxins in food and feed
- Singapore ACD Regulations - carbon black colourant impurity profile
- Singapore Food Regulations: heavy metals, arsenic and lead
- Singapore HSA 2024 advisory - cosmetic heavy-metal impurity limits
- Singapore HSA health supplement heavy-metal testing limits
- South Africa GN R1227 - cosmetic mercury-preservative exceptions
- South Korea MFDS Notice 2024-9 - cosmetic trace-metal limits
- Sri Lanka DSLS 187 draft - skin powder for children heavy-metal limits
- Switzerland VHK 817.022.15 - metal and metalloid maximum levels
- Taiwan draft feed-import phosphate heavy-metal limits
- Taiwan MOHW prohibited cosmetic ingredients table - heavy-metal residual limits
- Thailand MOPH Notification 414:2020 - food contaminant maximum levels
- Trinidad and Tobago Food and Drugs metal limits
- Uruguay Reglamento Bromatologico Nacional - heavy-metal limits
- US 16 CFR 1500.17(a)(13) - lead-cored candle wicks
- US CPSIA — lead in children’s products: 100 ppm total lead (substrate), 90 ppm (paint and surface coatings)
- US EPA 2018 drinking-water standards table - inorganic metal MCLs
- US FDA 21 CFR 165.110 - bottled-water metal limits
- US EPA 40 CFR Part 503 biosolids metal limits
- Vietnam QCVN 20-1:2024/BYT - health-supplement contaminant limits
- Vietnam QCVN 8-2:2011/BYT - heavy-metal limits in food
- Washington Children’s Safe Product Act - lead and cadmium in children’s products
- Washington State Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act — Toothpaste Pb 1000 ppb statutory limit
- WHO herbal-medicine contaminant guidance (2007)
- WHO 2022 drinking-water guideline values - metals
Update history
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