Total arsenic and water-soluble arsenic species in foods of the first German total diet study (BfR MEAL Study)

New Method for Simultaneous Arsenic and Selenium Speciation Analysis in Seafood and Onion Samples

“…Bergquist et al (2014) found As(III) and As(V) in carrot, lettuce, and spinach after water extraction, but mainly arsenite form in the range 0.01-2.73 mg•kg −1 (one result for lettuce root at 89.3 mg•kg −1 ) [43]. In vegetables (broccoli and cucumber), studies undertaken by Hacketkal et al (2021) were similar, but only iAs forms were found in the range 0.003-0.024 mg•kg −1 , which was much lower compared to the concentration of iAs in onion samples [44]. Results of speciation analysis in onion samples are in accordance with As speciation studies with other plants including Pityrogramma calomelanos [45] and Pteris vittata [46], in which was also identified the predominance of As(III) in plant tissue.…”

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: The food type has a stronger impact on calcium, potassium and phosphorus levels than factors such as seasonality, regionality and type of production

“…Purchasing, preparation and homogenization of samples in order to represent German consumer behaviour were performed between 2017 and 2019 as described previously from our group ( Hackethal et al, 2021 , Sarvan et al, 2021 ). In total, 356 MEAL foods were analysed for Ca, K and P. If differences between regionally, seasonally and organically or conventionally produced MEAL foods were expected, foods were stratified accordingly.…”

“…Samples were digested using a microwave according to DIN EN 13805:2014 (German Institute for Standardization e.V. ; Berlin) and analysed as part of the multi-element method using an inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as described ( Hackethal et al, 2021 ) and summarized briefly in the supplementary document (Supplement material).…”

“…Sample digestion was adapted to the food matrix. Liquid and solid samples as well as fatty and oily samples were prepared as described elsewhere ( Hackethal et al, 2021 ) and briefly summarized in the supplementary document (Supplement material).…”

Collection of occurrence data in foods – The value of the BfR MEAL study in addition to the national monitoring for dietary exposure assessment

“…The datasets are subject of an extensive internal quality control and will be released successively afterwards. First results have been published for iodine ( German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), 2021 ), cadmium and lead ( Ptok et al, 2020 ), methylmercury ( Sarvan, Kolbaum, Pabel, Buhrke, Greiner & Lindtner, 2021 ) and arsenic ( Hackethal, Kopp, Sarvan, Schwerdtle & Lindtner, 2021 ). With both programmes, the food monitoring and the TDS, risk assessment in Germany has the advantage of having two comprehensive data sources available.…”