Heavy metals: insidious contamination

Arsenic in rice, cadmium in chocolate, mercury in tuna, lead in water… Heavy metals are hidden in foods and everyday objects. Carcinogenic, neurotoxic, they accumulate silently in the body. Overview of the main sources of exposure and the precautions to take.

The term “heavy metals” refers to elements naturally occurring in nature that have a high atomic weight or density. These metallic chemical elements are often toxic to the environment and humans (…

  • References

  • Historical

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  2. Press release – World Environment Day 2025. Regional Unions of Liberal Doctors. 2025.

  3. Buha et al. Cadmium Exposure as a Putative Risk Factor for the Development of Pancreatic Cancer: Three Different Lines of Evidence. BioMed research international. 2017.

  4. Geraldine Woessner. Media excitement, Russian interests: the dismaying underbelly of the cadmium issue. The Point. June 18, 2025.

  5. What to Choose. Chocolate – A concentrate of cadmium. September 2025.

  6. EFSA. Cadmium in food – Scientific opinion of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain. EFSA Journal. 2009.

  7. INRAE. Why is there cadmium in soil and how is it found in food? Press release. July 10, 2025.

  8. Handles. Acrylamide and trace metal elements in food: exposure that remains a concern. 2026.

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  14. Raab et al. Cooking rice in a high water to rice ratio reduces inorganic arsenic content. J About Monit. 2009.

  15. Ecotox center. Mercury in the environment. 2019.

  16. High council of public health. Update of the practical guide for screening and management of lead exposure in minors and pregnant women. Final report. October 2017.

  17. Saah et al. Human health risks of lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals in lipsticks. Heliyon. 2024.

  18. Brisson and Kossowski. Kohl, a cosmetic responsible for lead poisoning. INSPQ. 2006.

  19. L’Oreal. Do cosmetic products contain heavy metals?

  20. Aguini et al. Kohl: source of exposure to lead – determination of the lead level in 45 samples by SAAE. Analytical and Clinical Toxicology. 2015.

  • 03/25/2026

    Publication by Marie-Céline Ray


    Science journalist

Laura
Laura

I'm Laura, the founder of Vegetarians.co.nz and a devoted vegetarian for over a decade, who turned her passion for a plant-based lifestyle into a platform to inspire and guide others. My journey has taught me the importance of nourishing the body with wholesome foods, and through our site, I aim to share this knowledge and help you discover the joy of vegetarian living.

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