Pesticides and Metals in Grain Products and Ready-to-Eat Meals - April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017

Grain-based and vegetable-based products are staple foods consumed in Canada. These are products of agricultural commodities and may contain pesticide residues introduced from the environment or if the crops were treated with pesticides in the field, during transport and/or during storage to prevent damage from insects, moulds or other pests. These products may also contain levels of metals from environmental sources. Though metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury are not permitted to be added to foods, and manufacturers are responsible for measures aimed at reducing accidental introduction of these elements in foods (for example, from lead solder in steel equipment), their presence is expected in foods, at very low levels, primarily as a result of their natural presence in the environment.

A total of 3998 samples of grain-based products, and RTE meals such as pizza, soup and complete toddler meals, were collected and tested for pesticides and metals. Residues of 127 different pesticides were detected in 1189 (30%) of the samples. The overall compliance rate for pesticides in grain and RTE meals tested was 99.6%.

All samples collected were subjected to a multi-metal laboratory method that analyzes for 20 metals. Only the data for metals of highest concern to human health at low levels of exposure, most notably: arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, are presented in this report.

There are no regulations in Canada for metal levels in the products tested. All data generated were forwarded to HC for human risk assessment and determined to pose no concern to human health.