Food News

Trace metals constitute a group of substances that require rigorous monitoring. Some, such as iron, zinc, and copper, are essential in small quantities for human and animal metabolism; however, others can be toxic even at very low levels.

The uncontrolled presence of metals in food, feed, and food additives represents a significant risk to public health and consumer safety. In particular, additives that are not adequately regulated can be a source of metallic impurities, affecting both the quality of the final product and its compliance with current legislation. Therefore, rigorous analysis of trace metals throughout the entire food chain, including ingredients and additives, is essential to ensure safe, legal, and high-quality products. The monitoring of metals such as chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), antimony (Sb), thallium (Tl), uranium (U), vanadium (V), tin (Sn), molybdenum (Mo), and selenium (Se) is essential to ensure the safety and quality of food, feed, and food additives:

• Chromium (Cr) and vanadium (V)
  can be present as environmental or industrial contaminants and are toxic in certain chemical forms.
• Copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co)
  are essential trace elements, but excess amounts can cause toxicity, especially in animal nutrition.
• Antimony (Sb), thallium (Tl), and uranium (U)
  have no known nutritional functions and are considered highly toxic, even at low concentrations.
• Molybdenum (Mo) and selenium (Se)
  are essential elements at very low doses, but their safety margin is narrow, requiring precise monitoring.
• Tin (Sn) 
  although not classified as a heavy metal, can migrate from metal packaging into food and cause adverse effects if the tolerable limit is exceeded.

Analytical determination of these elements allows for verification of compliance with legal limits and guarantees safe products for human and animal consumption.

In this context, Regulation (EU) 2024/1987 introduces maximum limits for nickel (Ni) in certain food products, amending Regulation (EU) 2023/915. This new regulation seeks to reduce exposure to this metal, especially in sensitive individuals or in long-term exposure scenarios. The new limits will come into effect on July 1, 2025, with some exceptions that will apply starting in 2026. AGROLAB Ibérica (Burgos) has obtained accreditation according to ISO/IEC 17025 for the determination of all the aforementioned metals, specifically including nickel, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), which allows for achieving limits of quantification (LOQ) suitable for assessing compliance with the new legislative requirements.

YOUR PLUS: Our analytical capabilities position AGROLAB as a strategic partner in the monitoring of metal contaminants, supporting the food and feed industry in its commitment to food safety and the protection of public health in the European Union. Contact our Customer Service for more information.

Authors: Dra.Vanessa del Río, Dra. Isabel Gómez, AGROLAB Iberica