Heavy Metals Testing (food)

Heavy metals present widely in the environment from natural sources and human
activities. These metals are dangerous to our health as they tend to accumulate in
our food chain. Human, as a top consumer of the food chain, is subject to high risk
of heavy metal poisoning.
In Hong Kong, there are Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations
to safeguard the public from heavy metals poisoning. Below is a summary of the
regulations.
First Schedule: Maximum permitted concentration of certain metals naturally
present in specified foods applicable as food safety guidelines in Hong Kong:

Metal

Arsenic

Description of food

Maximum permitted
concentration in ppm*

Solids being fish and fish products

Solids being shellfish and shellfish products

10

(As2O3)

* parts per million (mg/kg)

Second Schedule: Maximum permitted concentration of certain metals present in

specified foods applicable as food safety guidelines in Hong Kong:

Metal

Description of food

Maximum permitted
concentration in ppm*

Cereals and vegetables

Fish, crab-meat, oysters, prawns and shrimps

Meat of animal and poultry

Antimony
(Sb)

Arsenic

Solids other than(i) fish and fish products; and

(ii) shellfish and shellfish products

1.4

All food in liquid form

0.14

Cereals and vegetables

0.1

(As203)

Cadmium
Fish, crab-meat, oysters, prawns and shrimps

(Cd)
Meat of animal and poultry

0.2

Cereals and vegetables

Fish, crab-meat, oysters, prawns and shrimps

Meat of animal and poultry

Lead

All food in solid form

(Pb)

All food in liquid form

Mercury

All food in solid form

0.5

(Hg)

All food in liquid form

0.5

Tin

All food in solid form

230

(Sn)

All food in liquid form

230

Chromium
(Cr)