A report due to be released this month by the Australian Government has uncovered dangerous levels of heavy metals in foods.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The Australian & New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) examined 69 different foods for the report and gathered data from state and territory health departments. It concluded that children around the age of two years are most at risk from metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and antimony.


ANZFA believes that some children are absorbing over two and a half times the recommended levels of the metals, and has now issued a warning concerning the high levels of mercury in fish. The authority is also set to review the Food Standards Code in light of the report’s findings.


The report does reveal however that the foods investigated were very low in contaminants and pesticides.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact