Contamination levels of lead, cadmium and mercury in imported and domestic lobsters and large crab species consumed in France: Differences between white and brown meat

Lead, cadmium and total mercury contents have been determined by atomic absorption spectrometry in white and brown meat of 108 batches of crustaceans (lobsters, spider crabs, common crabs, swimming crabs and king crabs) collected in France between April and December 2009. With mean levels of 0.041, 0.132 and 0.128 mg kg−1 for Pb, Cd and Hg, respectively, concentrations in white meat were systematically below the European legislation maximum level of 0.50 mg kg−1. Cd concentration in the brown meat of common crabs (mean concentration: 11.8 mg kg−1 and maximum of 14.3 mg kg−1) was well above the observed levels for white meat. The consumption of one whole common crab of 1 kg (about 120 g of white and brown meat) would not contribute significantly to the Pb and Hg provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for adults, but the ingested Cd would greatly exceed the TWI of 2.5 μg kg−1 body weight, which may be a health issue for consumers of brown meat. Therefore, we recommend moderate brown meat consumption.