The French National Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) has published the first set of results from the third Total Diet Study and Evaluation of Targeted Assessment (EAT3), providing an updated overview of chemical contaminants in food and exposure levels in the French population.

EAT3, which was launched in 2018, includes more than 250 substances. The results will be published over time by substance group.

The second Total Diet Study and Evaluation of Targeted Assessment (EAT2) was conducted between 2006 and 2011 and analyzed 445 substances. The EAT studies involve the collection of food samples, preparation of the samples in a way that is representative of the general population’s habits, and laboratory analysis to identify and quantify chemical substances present in the prepared samples.

The first set of results from EAT 3 focuses on acrylamide and several metals, including silver, cadmium, lead, aluminum, and mercury.

Future EAT 3 results will cover other trace elements and metals, substances from food contact materials such as bisphenols and phthalates, pesticide residues, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and other contaminants.

Overall Levels of Several Metals are Decreasing, but Not in All Foods

EAT3 shows an overall decrease in the average concentration of acrylamide, silver, aluminum, cadmium, and lead in food. However, increases were still observed in certain food groups; most notably in some cereal-based products such as bread, sweet biscuits, pastries, and pasta. Additionally, the concentrations of the contaminants measured in the first part of EAT3 are increasing in some vegetables.

The risk assessments for most of the contaminants studied so far in EAT3 reached the same conclusions as those in EAT2. Specifically, exposures to acrylamide, cadmium, lead, aluminum, and methylmercury remain concerningly high for all or parts of the population.   

Limiting Methylmercury Exposure from Fish

A difference between the EAT3 and EAT2 analyses is the exclusion of the risk associated with inorganic mercury, which was not previously possible.

Regarding methylmercury, which is found primarily in all types of fish, contamination and exposure levels reported in EAT3 are similar to those observed in EAT2. Predatory fish at the top of the food chain, such as tuna, have the highest methylmercury concentrations. To limit the risk of overexposure to methylmercury while gaining the nutritional benefits of fish, ANSES recommends consuming two portions of fish per week, including one oily fish, while making sure to vary the species and sources.

Lead Exposure is Decreasing

Between EAT2 and EAT3, average dietary exposure to lead has decreased by 27–41 percent in children and 37–49 percent in adults, reflecting the effect of policies banning the use of lead in gasoline, water pipes, paints, and other sources.

Although water remains a major driver of lead exposure, other important contributors include bread, vegetables, and alcoholic beverages.

Acrylamide Levels are Going Down, but Further Improvement is Necessary

Acrylamide is a compound that forms during high-temperature cooking processes (above 120 °C), such as frying or roasting, in foods rich in starch or certain other sugars, and in specific amino acids such as asparagine. Fried potatoes, sauteed potatoes, potato chips, and cookies are the foods most likely to be contaminated by acrylamide.

Between EAT2 and EAT3, average acrylamide concentrations decreased in the most highly contaminated foods that were the main contributors to exposure. Most notably, acrylamide is no longer detected in coffee. These reductions reflect the effectiveness of mitigation measures implemented by the food industry in recent years to decrease the presence of acrylamide in food.

However, ANSES warns that consumer exposure to acrylamide remains worryingly high, and encourages continued efforts to reduce concentrations in food, especially in French fries and fried potatoes, which are major contributors to exposure.

Main Sources of Cadmium Exposure

The main food groups contributing to cadmium exposure in EAT3 were similar to those identified in EAT2, which are: potatoes, vegetables, and wheat-based products such as bread, pasta, pastries, cakes, and biscuits. Mollusks and crustaceans are also a main driver of cadmium exposure for people who eat them regularly.