Cadmium dietary exposure in the European population

Abstract Cadmium can cause kidney failure and has been statistically associated with an increased risk of cancer. Food is the dominating source of human exposure in the non‐smoking population. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives established a provisional tolerable monthly intake of 25 µg/kg body weight, whereas the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain nominated a tolerable weekly intake of 2.5 µg/kg body weight to ensure sufficient protection of all consumers. To better identify major dietary sources, cadmium levels in food on the European market were reviewed and exposure estimated using detailed individual food consumption data. High levels of cadmium were found in algal…