title: [Survey of toxic heavy metals and arsenic in existing food additives (natural colors)].
abstract: Pollution levels of toxic heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg) and arsenic in existing food additives used as food colors (40 samples of 15 kinds) were investigated. Heavy metals were detected in 8 samples; Pb in 1 sample (2.8 microg/g), Hg in 8 samples (0.1-3.4 microg/g) and arsenic in 2 samples (1.7, 2.6 microg/g). The Pb level in 1 sample of lac color (2.8 microg/g) exceeded the limit of 2 microg/g proposed by JECFA and Hg levels in 3 samples of cacao color (1.2-3.4 microg/g) exceeded the limit of 1 microg/g in the EU specification.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogimoto
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uematsu
authors.forename: Kumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Junichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kabashima
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakazato
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D005504:Food Analysis; D005505:Food Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D005505:Food Coloring Agents; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury; D001151:Arsenic