Strontium, silver, tin, iron, tellurium, gallium, germanium, barium and vanadium levels in foodstuffs from the Second French Total Diet Study

A total of 28 minerals and trace elements from 1319 food samples typically consumed by the French population were determined during the second French Total Diet Study (TDS). Among the main trace elements analysed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after microwave-assisted digestion, strontium (Sr), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), barium (Ba), iron (Fe), tellurium (Te), gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge) and vanadium (V) were retained for this work and their occurrence data reported here. The contents were compared using data from worldwide total diet studies. Data for tin in canned food and beverages were compared with European guidelines. The food groups with the highest levels were “Sweeteners, honey and confectionery” with dark chocolate (for Sr, Ag, Sn, Te, Ba, Fe Ga, Ge and V), “Fish and fish products” and particularly “Shellfish” (for Sr (14.3 mg kg−1), Ag (5.18 mg kg−1), Ga (0.002 mg kg−1), Ge (0.004 mg kg−1), Te (0.003 mg kg−1) and V (0.234 mg kg−1)), “Tofu” (for Sr (2.71 mg kg−1), Fe (29.0 mg kg−1) and Ba (0.824 mg kg−1)), “Ice cream” (Ba (0.621 mg kg−1), Fe (45.5 mg kg−1), Ag (0.193 mg kg−1)) and “Fat and oil” (for Te, Ga and Ge). Moreover, the highest concentrations of Sn were found in “Fruits and vegetables” (0.522 mg kg−1).

► Occurrence data of the Second French Total Diet Study (TDS).
► Sr, Ag, Sn, Fe, Te, Ga, Ge, Ba, V content from 1319 samples of foods consumed by the French population.
► Analysis by ICP-MS after microwave-assisted digestion.
► Comparison with results from available international studies.