France is considering ways to reduce the amount of cadmium in its food products, particularly in baguettes, after a warning that the heavy metal could be contaminating breakfast cereals and other foods.
Cadmium is a chemical element naturally found in the ground, but its concentration can increase through deposits, including phosphate fertilizers used to grow crops.
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Nearly half of the French population had cadmium exposure levels exceeding reference values last year, according to France’s National Agency for Health Security (ANSES).
The agency warned of “worrying cadmium contamination at all ages, starting from a very young age,” with non-smokers primarily exposed through consuming contaminated food, including breakfast cereals, bread, croissants, and other pastries.
French doctors last year urged the authorities to act, saying women and children were especially being contaminated and blaming “phosphate fertilizers containing too much cadmium.”
Cadmium’s Health Effects
Cadmium can cause multiple health effects, including damage to the kidneys, bones, respiratory system, nervous system, and cardiovascular system, and can be carcinogenic.
When inhaled, cadmium can cause lung cancer, according to the World Health Organization.
Ingesting too much cadmium may also cause cancers of the kidney and prostate.
France’s Response
France is considering two ways to help reduce cadmium exposure: testing people to get a better measure of how widespread contamination is, and regulating fertilizers to limit new cadmium entering soils.
A reimbursable urine test will be introduced this summer for people living in higher-risk areas, and doctors could also recommend it outside these regions.
Francois Blanchecotte, president of France’s Federation of Medical Laboratories, said the test would be able to determine if someone suffered from a “significant chronic intoxication.”
Toxicologist Robert Garnier said reducing exposure was key, as there was no medication to help eliminate cadmium from the body.
Reducing Exposure
The National Agency for Health Security (ANSES) has recommended lowering the maximum permitted cadmium levels in phosphate fertilizers from 90 mg/kg to 20 mg/kg.
A bill to be discussed in parliament next month wants to cap allowed cadmium levels in fertilizer to 40 mg/kg by next year and 20 mg/kg by 2030.
The National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment has also suggested farmers select wheat varieties for pasta and bread that are “less prone to accumulating cadmium.”
Doctors have urged the government to help boost organic food consumption, especially in schools.
At a meeting in room 205 of the French health ministry, officials discussed the details of the proposed urine test.
On July 15, the health minister’s office will announce the exact date for the introduction of the reimbursable test.
The European Union allows up to 60 mg/kg of cadmium in fertilizers, but France is considering stricter regulations to reduce exposure.
A petition with over 10,000 signatures has been submitted to the French government, demanding action to reduce cadmium levels in food products.
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