Regulatory positions by metal

For each metal, every regulatory body the index profiles and the position it has set. Values in different units (intake limits vs concentration limits vs benchmark doses) are not directly comparable — confirm the type and basis before comparing. For the per-body view, see each regulator profile.

Lead

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
JECFA	PTWI	withdrawn	Lead Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake	2010
EFSA	BMDL (no threshold)	no numeric threshold (BMDL basis)	Lead in Food	2010
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	Commission Regulation	2007
EC	Maximum level	0.2 mg/kg wet weight	Lead maximum level for cereals and pulses	2021
EC	Maximum level	multiple — see instrument	Lead Maximum Levels for Infant and Young-Child Foods	—
EC	Maximum level	multiple — see instrument	Commission Regulation	2002
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	EU Regulation 2023 915 maximum levels for contamin…	—
FDA	Action level	10 ppb	FDA Closer to Zero — 10 ppb Lead Action Level for…	—
FDA	Action level	20 ppb	FDA Closer to Zero — 20 ppb Lead Action Level for…	—
FDA	Action level	20 ppb	FDA Closer to Zero — 20 ppb Lead Action Level for…	—
FDA	—	50 ppb	FDA Juice HACCP — 50 ppb Lead Guidance Context for…	—
FDA	Action level	multiple — see instrument	FDA 2022 Draft — Lead Action Levels for Juice	—
FDA	Action level	see instrument	FDA 2025 Lead Action Levels for Processed Food Int…	—
US EPA	Oral RfD	value pending	EPA IRIS — Lead	2004
OEHHA	Prop 65	multiple — see instrument	Lead and Lead Compounds Listing	—

Cadmium

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
JECFA	PTMI	25 µg/kg bw/month	Provisional Tolerable Monthly Intake for Cadmium	2010
Codex	Maximum level	see instrument	Maximum Levels for Cadmium in Food	—
EFSA	TWI	2.5 µg/kg bw/week	Tolerable Weekly Intake for Cadmium	2009
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	Commission Regulation	2007
EC	Maximum level	multiple — see instrument	Cadmium maximum levels for cereals	2021
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	Commission Regulation	—
EC	Maximum level	multiple — see instrument	Commission Regulation	2002
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	EU Regulation 2023 915 maximum levels for contamin…	—
US EPA	Oral RfD	1 µg/kg bw/day food	EPA IRIS — Cadmium Oral Reference Doses	1989
ATSDR	MRL	0.1 µg/kg bw/day	Minimal Risk Levels for Cadmium	2012
OEHHA	Prop 65	4.1 µg/day oral	Cadmium Listing and Maximum Allowable Daily Level	1997

Inorganic arsenic

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
JECFA	BMDL	see instrument	JECFA inorganic arsenic BMDL₀.₅	—
EFSA	BMDL (no threshold)	no numeric threshold (BMDL basis)	Arsenic in Food	2009
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	Commission Regulation	2007
EC	—	multiple — see instrument	eu-2015-1006-iAs-rice	2016
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	EU Regulation 2023 915 maximum levels for contamin…	—
FDA	Action level	100 ppb	FDA Closer to Zero — 100 ppb Inorganic Arsenic Act…	2020
US EPA	MCL (water)	10 ppb	Maximum Contaminant Level for Arsenic in Drinking…	2006
US EPA	—	value pending	EPA IRIS — Inorganic Arsenic Toxicological Review	2025
OEHHA	Prop 65	value pending	Inorganic Arsenic Compounds Listing	—

Total arsenic

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	EU Regulation 2023 915 maximum levels for contamin…	—

Total mercury

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	Commission Regulation	2007
EC	Maximum level	multiple — see instrument	Commission Regulation	2002
EC	MRL	0.01 mg/kg as mercury	eu-reg-2018-73-mercury-compounds-mrls	2018
EC	Maximum level	multiple — see instrument	eu-reg-2022-617-mercury-fish	2022
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	EU Regulation 2023 915 maximum levels for contamin…	—

Methylmercury

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
JECFA	PTWI	1.6 µg/kg bw/week	Methylmercury Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake	2003
EFSA	TWI	1.3 µg/kg bw/week	Methylmercury Tolerable Weekly Intake	2012
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	Commission Regulation	2007
FDA	Action level	1 ppm methyl mercury expressed as mercury	FDA CPG Sec. 540.600 Fish	1984
US EPA	Oral RfD	0.1 µg/kg bw/day	EPA IRIS — Methylmercury Oral Reference Dose	2001

Inorganic mercury

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
EFSA	TWI	4 µg/kg bw/week	Inorganic Mercury Tolerable Weekly Intake	2012
US EPA	Oral RfD	0.3 µg/kg bw/day	EPA IRIS — Mercuric Chloride Oral Reference Dose	1995

Nickel

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
EFSA	TDI	13 µg/kg bw/day	Nickel Tolerable Daily Intake	2020
EC	Maximum level	0.10–40 mg/kg	maximum levels of nickel in certain foodstuffs	2024
EC	Monitoring	monitoring recommendation	Commission Recommendation	2024
EC	Directive	see instrument	EU Nickel Directive 94 27 EC	—

Aluminium

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
EFSA	TWI	1 mg/kg bw/week	Aluminium Tolerable Weekly Intake	2008
ATSDR	MRL	1 mg/kg bw/day	Minimal Risk Levels for Aluminum	2008

Hexavalent chromium

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
OEHHA	Prop 65	8.2 µg/day oral MADL	Hexavalent Chromium Listing and Safe-Harbor Levels	2008

Tin

Body	Type	Value	Instrument	Effective
Codex	Maximum level	multiple — see instrument	1995 - Tin maximum levels for canned foods	1995
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	Commission Regulation	2007
EC	Maximum level	see instrument	EU Regulation 2023 915 maximum levels for contamin…	—