Cadmium in Food: Medical Concerns and EU Fertilizer Regulation Under Fire

A toxic heavy metal used in phosphate fertilizers is raising serious health alarms, with food remaining the main route of human exposure.

According to Euractiv, citing several studies, cadmium — a carcinogenic heavy metal — originates from rock phosphate used in fertilizers and accumulates in soil and crops over time, contaminating food staples like bread and pasta.

⚠️ Medical Warnings in France

French doctors have issued strong warnings about the presence of dangerous cadmium levels in essential food products. In an open letter to the government, the French General Practitioners’ Association linked cadmium contamination in cereal-based foods to a rise in pancreatic cancer cases.

They highlighted that more than one-third of children under the age of 3 are already exposed to cadmium levels deemed unsafe — pointing the finger at phosphate fertilizers with high cadmium content as a key source.

📉 EU Limits and National Inaction

Since July 2022, the EU has capped cadmium levels in phosphate fertilizers at 60 mg/kg, with a mandatory review scheduled for 2026. While EU member states are permitted to adopt stricter national limits, only a handful — Hungary, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark — have taken that step.

France’s national food safety agency (ANSES) recommended lowering the limit to 20 mg/kg as early as 2019, but the French government has yet to act.

France is the largest fertilizer user in Europe and remains heavily dependent on rock phosphate imports from Morocco, where cadmium concentrations in raw materials can reach as high as 507 mg/kg.

🤐 Political Silence and Industry Pressure

On June 10, French Health Minister Yannick Neuder acknowledged the urgency of the issue, stating that the agriculture ministry should propose legislation to reduce cadmium levels to 20 mg/kg. However, the ministry has not responded to repeated media inquiries.

France is far from alone. In 2023, Morocco was the EU’s main phosphate fertilizer supplier, with countries like Spain, Italy, Romania, Belgium, Ireland, and Poland importing significant volumes.

⏳ Legacy Pollution: A Slow Clean-Up Ahead

Even if cadmium limits in fertilizers are reduced, the problem won’t disappear overnight. Heavy metals accumulate in soil, and ANSES warns that decontaminating European farmland could take decades.

A 2024 study revealed that Poland, Ireland, Finland, and Sweden have the highest topsoil cadmium levels in the EU — mainly due to intensive phosphate fertilizer use and sewage sludge application.

🇮🇹 Italy Tops EU Alerts

Interestingly, France is not the top offender in terms of food contamination. Over the past two decades, Italy has issued the highest number of EU alerts for cadmium in food — mostly for imported products.

🌱 The Organic Illusion

In response to public pressure, Minister Neuder announced a reimbursement scheme for cadmium testing starting this autumn and encouraged people to eat organic food.

However, while organic crops contain 48% less cadmium on average, they are not entirely risk-free. In 2025, the EU flagged France over cadmium levels in organic wholemeal flour, labeling it a "serious risk."

🧾 Conclusion

With food remaining the main source of human cadmium exposure, stricter enforcement and a science-based EU-wide strategy are increasingly urgent. While some countries act independently, uneven rules and legacy soil pollution continue to expose millions of Europeans to this silent, invisible threat.