Cadmium
Maximum permitted levels of cadmium in fish and fishery products are listed below.
| Seafood | Maximum permitted level (mg/kg wet weight) |
|
Muscle meat of: mackerel (Scomber species) |
0.10 |
|
Muscle meat of: bullet tuna (Auxis species) |
0.15 |
|
Muscle meat of: anchovy (Engraulis species) |
0.25 |
|
Muscle meat of fish species not mentioned above |
0.050 |
|
Crustaceans: muscle meat from appendages and abodomen. In the case of crab and crab-like crustaceans (Brachyura and Anomura), this applies to muscle meat from appendages. |
0.50 |
|
Bivalve molluscs |
1.0 |
|
Cephalopods (without viscera) |
1.0 |
|
Food supplements consisting exclusively or mainly of dried seaweed, products derived from seaweed, or of dried bivalve molluscs |
3.0 |
The relevant regulation in England, Scotland and Wales is assimilated EU Regulation 1881/2006 as amended by The Contaminants in Food (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. In Northern Ireland the relevant regulation is Regulation (EU) 2023/915.
Brown meat of crab
Brown crab meat often contains higher levels of cadmium than white meat.
UK advice is available from the NHS Eat well website and states: "Although it is recommended that regular fish-eaters should avoid eating brown crab meat [i.e. the brown meat of crab] too often, there is no need to limit the amount of white crab meat that you eat. There are no maximum recommended amounts for other types of shellfish."
In order to ensure that consumption advice is representative and proportionate, between 2012 and 2013 the FSA commissioned a survey of the levels of cadmium in brown crab meat on sale in the UK. You can read the report by clicking the link below:
The EU has produced an information note on cadmium levels in brown crab meat, which you can read via the link below:
The note recommends that member states issue advice relevant to their specific consumer habits.