Heavy Metals Testing in Food, Beverages, & Supplements

The presence of trace levels of heavy metals in food, beverages, and dietary supplements has come under heightened scrutiny due to increasing consumer awareness and a wave of recent regulatory actions.  In particular, U.S. and international agencies have intensified efforts to reduce exposure to toxic elements such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium — especially in products consumed by vulnerable populations like infants and young children.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded its Closer to Zero initiative, aiming to lower allowable levels of heavy metals in foods to the lowest achievable levels through science-based, enforceable standards.  In 2024, the FDA emphasized the need for enhanced control points in food manufacturing to prevent contamination.   These updates reflect a broader regulatory trend toward proactive risk management and tighter enforcement, including increased scrutiny of imported food products.

Many natural ingredients inherently absorb heavy metals from their environment—soil, water, and air—making contamination difficult to avoid entirely. However, accurately determining the levels of these contaminants requires highly sensitive analytical methods. Given that background concentrations often fall in the low parts-per-billion range, laboratories must be equipped with advanced instrumentation and rigorous protocols to avoid cross-contamination and ensure reliable results.