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The cadmium contents of 94 and 105 foodstuffs bought in six-fold repetition in 1988 and in nine-fold repetition in 1991, respectively were analysed within the framework of a market-basket study. These foodstuffs were typical of German eating habits. Additionally, 170 samples of drinking water were investigated. The cadmium concentrations of the foodstuffs were comparable with results of recent studies carried out in Europe and North America. Fruit, milk and dairy products, sugar and sugar-rich foodstuffs as well as beverages showed mean cadmium contents < or = 5 ng/g fresh matter or ng/ml, respectively. The cadmium content of meat, sausage, fish and tinned fish was also low. Pork and beef, the most important kinds of meat, contained 5.4 and 2.5 ng/g on average. The majority of the vegetables investigated, including potatoes, had cadmium concentrations < 25 ng/g. However, individuals samples of lettuce showed very high cadmium levels. The cadmium content of bread, cakes and pastries as well as farinaceous products were within the range of 20-40 ng/g. The most important bread, cakes and pastries (wheat and rye bread, toasted bread, rolls) contained 25-35 ng/g. A median cadmium concentration of 0.2 micrograms/l was found in the drinking water. As expected, liver and kidneys showed the highest cadmium levels of 73 and 204 ng/g, respectively on average.

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The cadmium intake of adults in Germany was calculated within the framework of market basket studies. Data were available on cadmium content of representative food assortments from 1988 and 1991. Food intake data were obtained within the second MONICA (MONItoring trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease) survey 1988 and the nutrition survey in the new Federal lands 1991/92. Combining both data sets, an average cadmium intake of adults was found to be in the range 10-14 micrograms/day. This cadmium intake is 16-19% of the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) for cadmium and a toxicological risk from orally consumed cadmium can be excluded. The results were comparable to literature values. Cadmium intake was higher in men than in women owing to their higher food consumption. No differences were observed between cadmium intake in 1988 and 1991. The relative contribution of different food groups to cadmium consumption amounted to: bread, cake and pastries, 41%; potatoes, 14%; vegetables, 10%; meat, sausage and fish 9%.