Mania et al. 2021 — Lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and tin in Polish fruit and fruit products (2015 monitoring)
This paper reports results from a 2015 Polish national monitoring program, analyzing approximately 600 samples across multiple fruit categories (fresh, frozen, dried, preserved, and canned) for Pb, Cd, As (total), Hg (total), and Sn (canned products only). Contamination levels were generally low, broadly comparable to other EU member states, and estimated dietary exposures for all five elements were below EFSA and JECFA tolerable doses for both adults and children. The highest single-sample values were Pb in dried raisins from Iran (0.150 mg/kg) and Sn in canned pears from China (206 mg/kg, still below the EU ML of 250 mg/kg for canned fruit). Children showed up to 14.6% of the BMDL₀₁ for Pb from fresh fruits at mean contamination levels.
Key numbers
Lead in fresh berries and small fruits: mean (middle bound) 0.008–0.017 mg/kg; P90 0.026–0.038 mg/kg. Fresh fruits other than berries: mean 0.006–0.015 mg/kg; P90 0.022–0.029 mg/kg. Dried fruits: mean 0.021–0.034 mg/kg; P90 0.042–0.099 mg/kg. Canned fruits: mean (domestic 0.020 mg/kg, imported 0.015 mg/kg). Highest Pb: 0.084 mg/kg in red grapes from Peru; 0.150 mg/kg in dried raisins from Iran.
Cadmium in fresh berries: domestic mean 0.005–0.006 mg/kg; imported 0.000–0.001 mg/kg. Fresh fruits other than berries: mean 0.002–0.003 mg/kg. Frozen small fruits: mean 0.010–0.011 mg/kg. Dried fruits: domestic mean 0.007–0.008 mg/kg. Canned products Cd: mean 0.0003–0.002 mg/kg; P90 0.000–0.003 mg/kg.
Arsenic (total): mean 0.001–0.021 mg/kg across categories. Highest in frozen domestic strawberries at 0.123 mg/kg and fresh kiwi from Spain at 0.09 mg/kg. Most categories 0.001–0.016 mg/kg mean.
Mercury (total): mean 0.0004–0.0021 mg/kg in fresh fruits. Slightly higher in dried fruits (mean 0.0009–0.003 mg/kg). Highest value: 0.016 mg/kg in imported dried apples. Left-censored data were 100% below LOD for mercury in frozen fruits.
Tin (canned products only, n=69): mean (LB-UB) 69.7–70.1 mg/kg; P90 140 mg/kg; maximum 206 mg/kg in canned pears from China (EU ML for canned fruit = 250 mg/kg).
Exposure estimates — lead from fresh fruits at mean (MB): 3.3% of BMDL₁₀ (adults, nephrotoxicity), 1.4% of BMDL₀₁ (cardiovascular, adults), 14.6% of BMDL₀₁ (neurotoxicity, children). Cadmium from fresh fruits: 2.4–8.5% of TWI (adults–children, EFSA). Arsenic: 0.5–1.6% of BMDL₀.₅. Mercury (inorganic): 0.5–1.4% of TWI.
Sample composition: 269 fresh fruits (165 berries/small fruits, 104 other), 52 dried, 59 frozen, 222 preserves (67 berry, 83 other, 72 canned). Pb determined in 530 samples, Cd in 603, As in 554, Hg in 559, Sn in 69.
Methods (brief)
Pb and Cd by flame AAS (FAAS) or flameless electrothermal atomization AAS (GFAAS). As by hydride generation AAS (HGAAS). Hg by cold vapor AAS (CVAAS). Sample preparation per EN 13804:2013. No speciation performed — arsenic and mercury reported as total values; exposure calculations assume all Hg is inorganic. Left-censored data treated by lower (0), middle (½ LOD/LOQ), and upper (LOD/LOQ) bound substitution. Sn measured only in canned products (metal packaging). Official Polish state laboratory network with interlaboratory proficiency testing.
Limitation: total arsenic used, not inorganic arsenic speciation. Paper acknowledges HGAAS measures total arsenic; no iAs fractionation performed.
Implications
Certification: Pb in dried fruits (mean up to 0.034 mg/kg, P90 up to 0.099 mg/kg) is the most significant contamination signal in this Polish dataset. Sn in canned fruit (mean ~70 mg/kg) remains well below EU ML but is non-trivial; canned pears from China reached 206 mg/kg. Children’s Pb exposure from fresh fruits at P90 reaches 31.5% of BMDL₀₁.
Courses: Good baseline monitoring dataset for EU fruit categories; illustrates the total-vs-inorganic arsenic measurement problem in regulatory contexts (HGAAS measures total As; the paper uses this as a proxy for inorganic exposure).
App: Mean and P90 values for Pb and Cd across multiple fruit categories and processing states (fresh, frozen, dried, canned). Suitable for ingredient-level risk estimates in EU-origin products.