Cadmium is a metal that occurs naturally in the environment and can reach food through farming and industry. The EU sets maximum levels for it in point 3.2 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2023/915.
449 notifications since 1 January 2020 named cadmium, 1% of all EU notifications in that time. 79 in the 365 days to 8 November 2026, against 80 in the 365 days before, down 1%. 11% were border rejections and 74% had a serious risk decision.
The origins named most often were China (49), Peru (49) and Spain (33). The product categories named most often were fruit and vegetables (161), cephalopods (69) and fish and fish products (39). The products named most often were avocados (52), squid (41) and horse meat (25).
Explainer sources, checked 18 October 2026: Metals as contaminants in food, EFSA; Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 on contaminants, consolidated text of 19 August 2026, Annex I.
Counts start on 1 January 2020 and run to 8 November 2026, the day the list was last read. A notification that names two countries of origin counts for each. Findings come from our word list matched against the EU subject line, which is never shown; 96% of all notifications match it, the rest count as other finding. Each reference links to the official record on RASFF Window. How this works.
Latest notifications that named cadmium
The newest 25 of 449, newest first, each built from fixed word lists. The reference opens the official record.
- Border rejection notified by Greece: cadmium in avocados from Peru, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9107, validated 14 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Belgium: cadmium in raspberries from Serbia, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.8996, validated 9 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: cadmium in squid from Italy and Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8745, validated 2 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: cadmium in beans from Venezuela, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8465, validated 23 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Switzerland: cadmium in raspberries from Serbia, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.8316, validated 18 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Romania: pesticide residues and cadmium in horse meat from Romania, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.8155, validated 15 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: cadmium in chilli peppers from Peru, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7882, validated 7 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Spain: cadmium in lobsters from Canada, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7786, validated 3 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Lithuania: cadmium in squid from Argentina, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7677, validated 31 August 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: cadmium in avocados from Peru, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7400, validated 20 August 2026.
- Alert notified by Poland: pesticide residues and cadmium in fish from Poland and Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7285, validated 17 August 2026.
- Alert notified by Belgium: cadmium in horse meat from Belgium, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7120, validated 11 August 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Spain: mercury and cadmium in fish from Japan, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6898, validated 4 August 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Belgium: cadmium in avocados from Peru, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.6678, validated 27 July 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: cadmium in avocados from Peru, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6667, validated 27 July 2026.
- Alert notified by the Netherlands: cadmium in avocados from Peru, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6651, validated 27 July 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by the Netherlands: cadmium in a feed material from Belgium, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.6677, validated 27 July 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Greece: cadmium in fruit or vegetables from Iraq, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6343, validated 16 July 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Germany: cadmium and migration from a food contact material in plates and bowls from China, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6316, validated 15 July 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Belgium: cadmium in cocoa from the Netherlands, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.6227, validated 13 July 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: cadmium in garlic powder from China, risk decision serious, reference 2026.5781, validated 30 June 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: cadmium in mangoes from Colombia, risk decision serious, reference 2026.5678, validated 26 June 2026.
- Alert notified by the Netherlands: cadmium in mangoes from Indonesia, risk decision serious, reference 2026.5630, validated 25 June 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Slovenia: cadmium in cocoa from Bolivia, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.5494, validated 22 June 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Belgium: cadmium in a feed additive from Germany, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.5058, validated 9 June 2026.
The numbers
| Year | Notifications |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 41 |
| 2021 | 51 |
| 2022 | 64 |
| 2023 | 66 |
| 2024 | 79 |
| 2025 | 83 |
| 2026 (to 8 Nov 2026) | 65 |
| Type | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Border rejection | 49 | 11% |
| Alert | 162 | 36% |
| Information for follow up | 36 | 8% |
| Information for attention | 202 | 45% |
| Risk decision | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | 331 | 74% |
| Potentially serious | 53 | 12% |
| Potential risk | 30 | 7% |
| Not serious | 26 | 6% |
| Undecided | 9 | 2% |
| Product | Notifications |
|---|---|
| Avocados | 52 |
| Squid | 41 |
| Horse meat | 25 |
| Cups and mugs | 18 |
| Cuttlefish | 15 |
| Cocoa | 13 |
| Peppers | 13 |
| Rice | 13 |
| Octopus | 12 |
| Mussels | 10 |
| Origin | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | 49 | 11% |
| Peru | 49 | 11% |
| Spain | 33 | 7% |
| India | 31 | 7% |
| Italy | 29 | 6% |
| Poland | 22 | 5% |
| Colombia | 19 | 4% |
| Belgium | 15 | 3% |
| Romania | 15 | 3% |
| Chile | 14 | 3% |
| Germany | 13 | 3% |
| France | 13 | 3% |
| Product category | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetables | 161 | 36% |
| Cephalopods | 69 | 15% |
| Fish and fish products | 39 | 9% |
| Meat other than poultry | 29 | 6% |
| Food contact materials | 26 | 6% |
| Cereals and bakery products | 22 | 5% |
| Cocoa, coffee and tea | 20 | 4% |
| Bivalve molluscs | 15 | 3% |
| Nuts, nut products and seeds | 14 | 3% |
| Crustaceans | 12 | 3% |
| Herbs and spices | 10 | 2% |
| Feed materials | 8 | 2% |
| Notifying country | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 117 | 26% |
| Italy | 54 | 12% |
| Belgium | 43 | 10% |
| Spain | 39 | 9% |
| France | 36 | 8% |
| Germany | 33 | 7% |
| Poland | 27 | 6% |
| Switzerland | 16 | 4% |
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