As numerous metals are a normal part of the environment, they conceivably have always been a constituent of foods.  The presence of metals in foods and food ingredients has long been recognized as an important factor in assuring a safe and secure food supply. However, the effect of “chasing zero” from an analytical chemistry perspective has led to the ability to detect metals including Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in foods at very low (ppb) levels.  A number of stakeholders have communicated that there can be no safe level of certain metals in the food supply.  This is an unrealistic view, but one that must be addressed from a scientific perspective.  Placing the proper context on analytical data for metals in foods or food ingredients by critically evaluating the exposure in such situations is important in the development of sound risk assessments and risk management decisions.  A tool, based on NHANES intake data, was developed that provides individuals highly trained in fields such as toxicology or risk assessment with information on exposure to metals from various foods that can be incorporated into risk management decisions associated with findings of certain metals in those foods.  This symposium will provide: a) An overview on occurrence of metals in food b) Use of the heavy metal screening tool for risk assessment and c) Examples to demonstrate the effective use of the heavy metal screening tool in evaluating the low, medium and high risk of the occurrence of heavy metals in foods.

Presentations