[Metals and their compounds as contaminants in food : Arsenic, cadmium, lead and aluminum].

Metals and their compounds are ubiquitously distributed in the environment, thus reaching plant and animal derived food. While actual exposure levels in Europe do not give rise to concern for acute toxicity, chronic toxicity of some metals and metalloids cannot be completely ruled out. Thus, in the case of inorganic arsenic, an elevated risk of carcinogenicity in different organs cannot be excluded even under actual dietary exposure conditions. In the case of cadmium, nephrotoxicity may be a particular problem for certain subgroups, such as children. Regarding lead, exposure levels have dropped considerably during the last two decades; nevertheless, developmental neurotoxicity may still be a problem during prenatal development and early childhood. Also in the case of aluminum current dietary exposure levels are close to the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) value derived by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Taken together, for all four examples, further reductions in exposure levels are required.