title: A survey of 16 rare Earth elements in the major foods in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this survey was to investigate the level of contamination of the most consumed foods in China with 16 rare earth elements (REEs), and to provide the basic data for establishing and revising food safety standards for REEs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen REEs in foods were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the labs of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of four provinces and two municipalities, during 2009-2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1 231 samples were analyzed and 19 121 concentration data of 16 REEs were collected. The REEs levels in the investigated foods varied significantly. The concentrations of cerium (Ce), dysprosium (Dy), yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), and neodymium (Nd) were relatively high, while the remaining eleven REEs were at low levels. The mean values of total rare earth element oxides (REOs) in cereals, fresh vegetables, fresh aquatic products, fresh meats and eggs varied from 0.052 mg/kg to 0.337 mg/kg.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  16 REEs in the major foods were at very low contamination levels in the investigated regions.
authors: China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100021, China.
authors: Ding Guo
authors: DG
authors: Jiang
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Yang
authors: Shuo
authors: S
authors: Zhang
authors: Da Jin
authors: DJ
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry*; D004531:Eggs; D005399:Fishes; D005504:Food Analysis; D005506:Food Contamination; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth / Q000737:chemistry*; D008974:Mollusca; D013552:Swine; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008674:Metals, Rare Earth