EFSA scientific report on dietary exposure to lead in the European population

Following a request of the European Commission and the need for a joint assessment identified by the European Environmental Agency, the EFSA estimated the chronic dietary exposure to lead in the European population, updating the results of the 2012 assessment. The highest mean lead occurrence was observed for food category ‘Meat and meat products’, strongly affected by extreme lead concentrations found in game mammals' meat, the impact of which was assessed via two exposure scenarios including (A) an excluding (B) them. In the scenario A, the highest mean exposure upper bound (UB) and highest 95th percentile exposure UB were estimated respectively in toddlers (1.80 μg/kg body weight (bw) per day) and in infants (3.36 μg/kg body weight (bw) per day). Across the different age classes, the main contributors to the dietary exposure to lead in adults were the meat-based foods, mostly ‘Cured ripened raw sausages’, other types of sausages, game mammals' meat and ‘Bread and similar products’. Ad hoc exposure scenarios for high consumers of game animals’ meat showed ⁓six-fold higher exposure as compared to the total population when extreme lead levels were considered. The authority also investigated the time trend in the occurrence. A linear shape was considered appropriate to to describe the time trend. A random effect was used to account for similarity of measurements in the same country. The lead occurrence showed a slight decrease for most of the food categories with an increase observed for the ‘Legumes, nuts, oilseeds and spices’ (+0.32 μg/kg per month), ‘Vegetables and vegetable products’ (+0.17 μg/kg per month) and ‘Coffee, cocoa, tea and infusions’ (1.28 μg/kg per month). Uncertainties were identified and recommendations listed to improve future dietary exposure assessments to lead.