ABSTRACT
Analysis of almost any plant sample will detect the presence of most of the metals and metalloids. Though food is likely to contain a wide range of metals and metalloids, many are at such low levels of concentration to hardly merit the designation of pollutant. Fertile soils contain, as well as the elements needed for plant growth, a wide range of other metals and metalloids in varying concentrations. Food processing equipment has long been recognized as a source of metal contamination, though in modern plants high-quality metals approved for use with foods normally prevent this. Lead in domestic water can be a significant source of the metal in the diet. Copper was probably among the first of the metals to be used by humans because it is relatively easily extracted from ores and is sometimes found in its metallic state. There is little evidence that tin is not a safe metal for use in connection with food and beverages.
