Austria is bringing increasing public attention to the problematic presence of heavy metals in food and soil. Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal with long-term health effects, is of particular concern. Its accumulation in crops and subsequent entry into the food chain poses risks such as kidney damage, hypertension and osteoporosis, making it a pressing issue for consumer protection and public health.
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According to the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), cadmium is a toxic heavy metal with a half-life of up to 30 years, entering soils and food through natural erosion, industrial emissions, phosphate fertilizers and sewage sludge. Once absorbed, it accumulates in kidneys and bones, with long-term intake linked to kidney damage, hypertension and osteoporosis. National monitoring has found cadmium in nearly all samples of cereals, vegetables, potatoes, oilseeds, cocoa, seafood and mushrooms, with algae and cocoa products showing the highest average concentrations. While many levels remain below EU thresholds, Austria’s findings underline that cumulative exposure is significant, especially for high consumers of cereals, potatoes and chocolate.
EU rules, most recently updated through Regulation 2023/915, set maximum cadmium levels in food categories such as vegetables, cereals, fish and baby products. However, AGES stresses that even when limits are met, cadmium intake can approach 30–70% of the weekly tolerable intake, depending on diet. Vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women with low iron status, are at particular risk of higher absorption. Alongside food exposure, smoking remains a major additional source.
Austria’s approach combines EU rules with nationaly set thresholds, regular food testing and dietary advice, encouraging consumers to limit intake of highly contaminated foods like algae or wild mushrooms while maintaining a varied diet. These efforts are also highlighted in the Safer Phosphates’ Ground Rules report, which presents the first EU-wide comparison of how Member States regulate cadmium and other contaminants in fertilizers. The report concludes that stricter limits and proactive monitoring are not only feasible but beneficial for public health. By demonstrating how national vigilance can reduce cadmium levels in foods over time, Austria provides a model for scaling best practices across Europe.
At the same time, the Ground Rules report stresses that EU-level alignment is necessary to ensure consistent protection for all citizens. Austria’s experience shows that systematic monitoring and public guidance can mitigate risks and the report underlines that such national practices demonstrate the feasibility of stricter standards. Taken together, the findings reinforce the case for stronger EU-wide measures to reduce cadmium exposure.
More information available at:
AGES’s activities on cadmium - link
Ground Rules report - link