Overview
This is a narrative review article by University of East Sarajevo and University of Banja Luka researchers covering the entry pathways, human health effects, and published concentration ranges for essential and non-essential heavy metals in spice and medicinal plants, with regulatory context from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU. It does not present original measurement data. Its primary value for the HMI library is the regulatory comparison table (Table 1) and the summary of permissible limits and published concentration ranges cited from primary literature.
Key numbers
Regulatory maximum allowed values for heavy metals in spices and medicinal plants (Table 1):
| Category | Metal | Bosnia-Herzegovina (mg/kg) | EU (mg/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried spices | Pb | 0.60 | - |
| Fruit spices | Pb | 0.60 | 0.60 |
| Spices from roots and rhizomes | Pb | 1.50 | 1.50 |
| Spices from bark | Pb | 2.0 | - |
| Spices from buds and spices from the pistil | Pb | 1.0 | 1.00 |
| Spices from seeds | Pb | 0.90 | 0.90 |
| Herbs | Pb | - | 2.00 |
| Fresh ginger and fresh turmeric | Pb | 0.80 | - |
| ”Turovac” (white root/salsify) | Pb | 0.30 | - |
| Food (general) | Cd | - | 0.05-2.00 |
| Spices | Cd | 0.050 | - |
| Food (general) | Hg | - | 0.50-1.00 |
| Spices | Hg | 0.10 | - |
| Food (general) | As | - | 0.10-0.20 |
| BH spices | As | 0.15-0.30 | - |
Cumin seeds are classified as “spices from seeds” in EU Regulation 2023/915; the applicable EU lead (Pb) ML is 0.90 mg/kg for spices from seeds.
Published concentration ranges cited in the review (from primary studies, not measured here):
- Paper cites Albushan et al. [87]: concentrations of Cu, nickel (Ni), Zn, Pb, aluminum (Al), Ni, cadmium (Cd), As in 15 pharmaceutical herbal products for infants; Pb 1.5 mg/kg, Cd, Pb, arsenic (As), chromium (Cr) (ND to 0.12+/-0.04 mg/kg), Cr (0.08+/-0.01 to range noted)
- Permissible Pb in food: 0.01-3 mg/kg; permissible mercury (Hg): 0.10 mg/kg; permissible As: 0.1-0.2 mg/kg (from review citations)
Methods (brief)
Review article; no original analytical methods. Regulatory data from Bosnia and Herzegovina Rulebook on the amount of toxic elements in foodstuffs [86] and EU Regulation 2023/915 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food [92].
Implications
Regulatory reference: The EU Pb ML of 0.90 mg/kg for spices from seeds (which covers cumin seeds) under EU Regulation 2023/915 is correctly cited in this review. This is the primary applicable EU regulatory standard for cumin seed lead and is the reference point for assessing European market compliance in cumin studies.
Review scope: This paper does not provide original cumin data and should not be cited as a primary source for cumin heavy-metal concentrations. It is cited here for the regulatory table and as a systematic overview of the field.
Related evidence
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