<p>By Dr. Shelby Hollenbeck, Director, Food and Product Safety Programs, FMI</p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/rice-in-hands.tmb-large-350-.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=86e0ecc7_1" style="margin-bottom:10px;float:right;margin-left:10px;" class="-align-right" alt="Rice in Hands" sf-size="100" /><p>The issue of chemicals in food is evolving and is a growing concern for consumers. Of particular interest are environmental contaminants such as heavy metals and metalloids, including lead, cadmium, inorganic arsenic, and methyl mercury. These metals have important heath implications among vulnerable subpopulations such as infants and toddlers due to their lower body sizes and concentrated consumption patterns. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established efforts to ensure a safe food supply while maintaining access to nutritious foods in an initiative called <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/closer-zero-reducing-childhood-exposure-contaminants-foods" target="_blank"><em>Closer to Zero</em></a>. Most of the actions to date have focused on lead, but additional research is needed to develop guidance and action levels on the other metals such as cadmium. </p><p>To help FDA’s efforts in providing research and developing food manufacturer and consumer resources on cadmium, on November 14, 2024, a stakeholder group of food trade associations including the American Frozen Food Institute, FMI, the Frozen Potato Products Institute, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the National Confectioners Association, USA Rice and the Western Growers Association hosted a symposium, “Cadmium in the Food Supply: Exploring Health Risks, Regulatory Frameworks, Collaborative Approaches with Industry and Science for a Safe & Abundant Food Supply.” The symposium sought to educate and create an interactive dialogue among regulatory officials, congressional staff and the food industry, addressing the impact of cadmium in the food supply and ways to improve risk communication.<span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> </span></p><p>Expert panelists provided insight into mitigation measures available to reduce cadmium in commodities. Some of the potential proactive measures available include changing soil conditions such as adjusting zinc content in the soil, chlorine concentrations in irrigation water, and hydration status of the growing area. Research demonstrated that mitigation measures are not a one-size-fits-all approach. Each commodity requires an individualized mitigation plan, ensuring that changing soil conditions do not lead to unintended consequences such as increasing the uptake of one heavy metal in a commodity when attempting to lower another. </p><p>The symposium also addressed the impact on dietary intake of Americans. Research shows that the amount of cadmium that is absorbed into the body can be reduced by having adequate micronutrients (i.e. zinc, calcium, and iron). To achieve this nutritional status, the <em>Dietary Guidelines for Americans</em> (DGA) recommends eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods across all food groups (i.e. vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and protein). The challenge is that the average consumer does not meet the daily recommended DGA amounts<em>.</em> This is why the topic of risk communication is critically important and why it was an significant discussion point during the symposium.<span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> </span></p><p>The conversation also highlighted the lessons learned from the rice industry on arsenic, as well as how this practical knowledge can be applied to other heavy metals, such as cadmium. It is imperative that trusted and reliable sources are used when communicating. Research needs to not only be understandable and relatable for the consumer but also scientifically accurate and unbiased. </p><p>Through the Cadmium Symposium, stakeholders created a communications platform that can be used for additional future dialogues to urge continued partnership activities between regulatory officials, congressional staff, academia, researchers and the food industry. This is an opportunity to push for further mitigation research and funding, risk communication tools and consumer messaging. These issues are extremely complex and will take coordinated efforts, time and resources to address consumer concerns. Efforts like these will provide an opportunity for enhanced consumer communications and empower shoppers’ confidence that the U.S. food supply is safe and nutritious for their families. <span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> </span></p><p>You can view the recording of the symposium <a href="https://www.fmi.org/forms/store/ProductFormPublic/SymposiumonCadmium">here</a>.<span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> </span></p><p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/food-safety/food-safety-resources/backgrounders/background-information/food-safety-backgrounders/2024/12/18/cadmium" class="button">FMI Resource: Cadmium Backgrounder</a></p>
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