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Samples of muscle, liver and kidney were taken from 147 cattle in slaughterhouses throughout the UK. The samples were split between three different age groups:
<ul><li>48 cattle aged less than 30 months</li>
<li>51 cattle aged between 30 and 72 months</li>
<li>48 cattle aged over 72 months</li></ul>
<p>All samples were analysed for cadmium and other elements of interest (lead, arsenic, copper and selenium) using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP MS). From this, 25 of the muscle and 25 of the liver samples (paired meat and liver from the same animal) were analysed for dioxins, furans and biphenyls using high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). </p>
<p>Background: Recent studies carried out in other European member states have reported higher concentrations of cadmium in kidneys from older animals, with some samples above the EU maximum limit of 1mg/kg. This is because cadmium can build up in tissues such as the liver and kidneys over the animal’s lifetime. This data will provide information on the current situation in UK cattle.</p>