Intake of heavy metals from foods in Finland, West Germany and Japan.

Comparison of heavy metal intakes between Finland, West Germany and Japan suggests that the average oral exposure to lead and cadmium in Finland is 30-40% of that in the other two countries. Environmental contamination is the obvious cause of high heavy metal content of vegetables and liver in West Germany and Japan and this explains a part of the difference observed in the intake rates. For example cabbage and lettuce in West Germany contain on average over 10 times more lead than the corresponding Finnish products. On the other hand a part of the difference is explained by food consumption habits. For example there is a high consumption of fish and seaweed in Japan, and beer in West Germany, and these products also significantly contribute to intake of heavy metals. Since international comparisons of intakes of food contaminants are at present inaccurate and difficult to conduct, a co-ordinated international study should be implemented. The analytical work should be centralized or alternatively an intercalibration of participating laboratories could precede the actual study. The sampling should cover polluted areas in proportion to their yield of crops.