Chemicals · Metals
Mercury in food
In food, mostly methylmercury in fish; food tests usually report total mercury. FDA background
What's a lot?
EPA's daily reference dose (methylmercury): 0.1 µg per kg of body weight. That is about 1.5 µg a day for a 33-lb toddler and 7 µg for a 154-lb adult. EPA's estimate of a daily amount unlikely to cause harm over a lifetime, with safety margins built in. It is for methylmercury; food tests usually report total mercury, which overstates it outside fish. Source
Cod, baked (typically 83.4 ppb): a toddler reaches the EPA reference dose (methylmercury) with about 18 g (0.63 oz) a day; an adult with about 84 g (3 oz).
ppb means micrograms per kilogram of food: 100 ppb is 100 µg in 2.2 lb of food. A daily limit is about long-run averages; one high day is not the same as eating it every day.
Foods highest in mercury
From FDA's Total Diet Study: everyday foods bought around the US and tested as eaten. FDA found mercury in 35 of the 307 foods it tested.
How much of a toddler's daily limit one serving holds (a cup of a drink, 100 g of a food, a teaspoon of a spice), at FDA's average level
The numbers as a table
| Food | Average | A toddler reaches the limit at |
|---|---|---|
| Tuna, canned in water, drained solids 2018-2020, found in 3 of 3 Canned Seafood · Canned Tuna · Sushi | 230 ppb | about 6.5 mL (under ¼ cup) a day adult: about 30 mL (¼ cup) |
| Baking powder 2020, found in 1 of 1 Baking/Cooking Mixes/Supplies · Baking Additives & Extracts · Baking Needs | 120 ppb | about 13 g (0.46 oz) a day adult: about 58 g (2 oz) |
| Cod, baked 2017-2020, found in 27 of 27 Frozen Fish & Seafood · Fish & Seafood · Fish Unprepared/Unprocessed | 83.4 ppb | about 18 g (0.63 oz) a day adult: about 84 g (3 oz) |
| Salmon, steaks/fillets, baked 2017-2020, found in 27 of 27 Fish & Seafood · Canned Seafood · Sushi | 20.8 ppb | about 72 g (2.5 oz) a day adult: about 340 g (12 oz) |
| Cocoa powder 2020, found in 1 of 1 | 15 ppb | about 100 g (3.5 oz) a day adult: about 470 g (17 oz) |
| Catfish, pan-cooked with oil 2017-2020, found in 27 of 27 Fish Unprepared/Unprocessed · S/O Fresh Fish Fillets/Steaks | 8.46 ppb | about 180 g (6.3 oz) a day adult: about 830 g (29 oz) |
| Shrimp, pre-cooked, shells removed, no tails 2017-2020, found in 27 of 27 Frozen Fish & Seafood · Fish & Seafood · Sushi | 7.19 ppb | about 210 g (7.4 oz) a day adult: about 970 g (34 oz) |
| Fish sticks or patty, frozen, oven-cooked 2018-2020, found in 3 of 3 Frozen Appetizers & Hors D'oeuvres · Frozen Fish & Seafood · Frozen Fish/Seafood | 7.13 ppb | about 210 g (7.4 oz) a day adult: about 980 g (35 oz) |
| Tilapia, baked 2017-2020, found in 27 of 27 Frozen Fish & Seafood · Fish & Seafood · Fish Unprepared/Unprocessed | 6.68 ppb | about 220 g (7.8 oz) a day adult: about 1 kg (2.2 lb) |
| Cornbread, homemade 2018-2020, found in 3 of 3 Bread & Muffin Mixes | 3.3 ppb | about 450 g (16 oz) a day adult: about 2.1 kg (4.6 lb) |
| Cereal, crisped rice 2018-2020, found in 2 of 3 Cereal · Cereals Products - Ready to Eat (Shelf Stable) · Breakfast Cereals - Hot And Cold | 2.37 ppb | about 630 g (22 oz) a day adult: about 3 kg (6.6 lb) |
| Baby food, cereal, rice, dry 2018-2020, found in 9 of 9 | 2 ppb | about 750 g (26 oz) a day adult: about 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) |
"Average" counts samples below the lab's limit as zero. A food high on this list matters only if you eat a lot of it, which is what the last column shows.
Foods with lab results
491 named foods have published results; the 10 highest are below. Each links to the full record.
| Product | Median | Found in | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinammon powder (brand not recorded) | 24 ppb | 1 of 1 | Measured in this product NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com |
| Wheat and Honey Cereal Nestum/Cerelac |
9 ppb | 1 of 1 | Maker's own test Maker's own tests (California AB 899), via detectlead.com |
| Infant 5 Cereals Nestum/Cerelac |
9 ppb | 2 of 2 | Maker's own test Maker's own tests (California AB 899), via detectlead.com |
| Enriched Medium Grain Rice Goya |
8.9 ppb | 1 of 1 | Measured in this product Healthy Babies Bright Futures (2025), via detectlead.com |
| Morelos Enriched Rice Verde Valle |
7.2 ppb | 1 of 1 | Measured in this product Healthy Babies Bright Futures (2025), via detectlead.com |
| Simple Truth Organic Banana, Kiwi, Spinach & Oat Baby Food Puree Kroger Simple Truth |
6.65 ppb | 7 of 7 | Maker's own test Maker's own tests (California AB 899), via detectlead.com |
| Simple Truth Organic Blueberry, Banana, Apple, Sweet Potato & Beet Baby Food Puree Kroger Simple Truth |
6.55 ppb | 11 of 11 | Maker's own test Maker's own tests (California AB 899), via detectlead.com |
| White Enriched Long Grain Rice Riceland |
6.5 ppb | 1 of 1 | Measured in this product Healthy Babies Bright Futures (2025), via detectlead.com |
| Instant Rice - Enriched Pre-cooked Long Grain Market Basket |
6.4 ppb | 1 of 1 | Measured in this product Healthy Babies Bright Futures (2025), via detectlead.com |
| Nestum 3 Cereals 14.1 oz Canister Nestum/Cerelac |
6 ppb | 2 of 2 | Maker's own test Maker's own tests (California AB 899), via detectlead.com |
Supplements, medicines and remedies (135)
Mostly imported remedies tested by health departments during lead-poisoning investigations.
- Puspadhanwa Rasmedian 170,000,000 ppb, highest 170,000,000 · NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com
- Brihadwata Chintamani (Bhi. Ra.) (Ayurvedic)median 140,000,000 ppb, highest 140,000,000 · NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com
- Garbha Dharak Yog (Ayurvedic)median 100,000,000 ppb, highest 100,000,000 · NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com
- Mahashakti Rasayan (Ayurvedic)median 70,000,000 ppb, highest 70,000,000 · NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com
- Laxmi Vilas Ras (Nardiya) (Ayurvedic)median 59,000,000 ppb, highest 59,000,000 · NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com
- Ovarin (Ayurvedic)median 44,000,000 ppb, highest 70,000,000 · NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com
- Shukramatrika Batimedian 43,000,000 ppb, highest 43,000,000 · NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com
- Manmath Rasmedian 42,000,000 ppb, highest 42,000,000 · NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com
- Vasant Kusumakar Ras With Gold & Pearl (Ayurvedic)median 39,000,000 ppb, highest 39,000,000 · NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com
- Swarnamahayogamedian 38,000,000 ppb, highest 38,000,000 · NYC Health Department, via detectlead.com
Recent FDA recalls naming mercury
10 recalls in FDA's records name mercury as the reason; the 5 most recent are below.
- 2017-04-05 · Butala Emporium, Inc.Baidyanath brand Arogyavardhini Bati, Dietary Supplement, 80 Tablets -- Product of India --- Mfd in India - Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan (P) Ltd. 1 Gupta Lane, Kolkata 700006The dietary supplements were found to contain lead, mercury and/or arsenic at levels exceeding permissible limits. FDA record
- 2017-04-05 · Butala Emporium, Inc.Baidyanath brand Chitrakadi Bati, Dietary Supplement, 80 Tablets -- Product of India --- Mfd in India - Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan (P) Ltd. 1 Gupta Lane, Kolkata 700006The dietary supplements were found to contain lead, mercury and/or arsenic at levels exceeding permissible limits. FDA record
- 2017-04-05 · Butala Emporium, Inc.Baidyanath brand Brahmi Bati, Dietary Supplement, 80 Tablets -- Product of India --- Mfd in India - Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan (P) Ltd. 1 Gupta Lane, Kolkata 700006The dietary supplements were found to contain lead, mercury and/or arsenic at levels exceeding permissible limits. FDA record
- 2017-04-05 · Butala Emporium, Inc.Baidyanath brand Rajahpravartini Bati, Dietary Supplement, 80 Tablets -- Product of India --- Mfd in India - Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan (P) Ltd. 1 Gupta Lane, Kolkata 700006The dietary supplements were found to contain lead, mercury and/or arsenic at levels exceeding permissible limits . FDA record
- 2017-04-05 · Butala Emporium, Inc.Baidyanath brand Marichyadi Bati, Dietary Supplement, 80 Tablets -- Product of India --- Mfd in India - Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan (P) Ltd. 1 Gupta Lane, Kolkata 700006The dietary supplements were found to contain lead, mercury and/or arsenic at levels exceeding permissible limits. FDA record
Levels in people
CDC measures mercury in people across the US. Compare a test result with the US population.