Heavy Metals Limit Policy

Heavy Metals Limits (Policy) The Committee on Food Chemicals Codex notes the importance of providing limits for individual heavy metals as required by the source and composition of individual food additives. Thus, it has decided to remove from most monographs the general heavy metals (as lead) limits and tests and, based on the current level and availability of scientific information and on the policy stated below, to replace them with limits and tests for specific heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury as may be relevant to each substance. 

Revision Lead and Heavy Metals Limits (Policy) revised to remove the heavy metals (as Pb) specifications and to replace them with individual tests for relevant heavy metals. 

The DETECTION LIMIT (Lq) is one of the most important characteristics of any Measurement Process. Recognizing the existence of such limits is crucial both for strictly scientific endeavors, such as the search for a new fundamental particle ( >. and for vital societal applications of scientific measurements, such as the detection of a pathological state or a hazardous level of a heavy metal. In this latter regard, important progress has been made in conveying to the public and their policy makers that it is a law of measurement science that the detection capability of all Measurement Processes must stop short of zero, in close analogy with the Third Law of Thermodynamics. 

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