A multiannual survey of cadmium content in pig tissues collected in the Czech Republic during the years 2015–2019

Abstract

The assessment of cadmium content in the muscle, liver and kidneys of fattening pigs and sows was conducted in the Czech Republic during the period of 2015–2019. The samples were collected from a total of 32 sows and 210 fattening pigs. The mean cadmium content in the livers and kidneys of all sows was 0.102 ± 0.010 and 0.361 ± 0.032 mg·kg-1, respectively. The mean cadmium content in the livers and kidneys of all fattening pigs was 0.028 ± 0.001 and 0.141 ± 0.005 mg·kg-1, respectively. The maximum residual limit for human consumption was not exceeded in any sample. The cadmium content in the liver did not differ significantly between sows and fattening pigs in any particular year. In contrast, the cadmium content in kidneys differed significantly between sows and fattening pigs, being higher in sows (P < 0.05). No significant decreasing trend was observed for the cadmium content in tissues during the whole time period. It can be concluded that there is a need for further monitoring of the cadmium content in pig tissues in the Czech Republic.