Table 2.

Estimated UB Cd levels in MEAL foods, summarised by main food groups [mg/kg].

Main food group	Pooled samples (n)	MEAL foods (n)	Pooled samples < LOD/LOQ (%)	Mean	SD	Median	Min	Max
Grains and grain-based products	97	40	5	0.018	0.013	0.014	0.002	0.066
Vegetables and vegetable products	152	34	3	0.023	0.058	0.004	0.001	0.320
Starchy roots or tubers and products thereof	26	8	0	0.022	0.020	0.013	0.007	0.072
Legumes, nuts, oilseeds and spices	24	20	13	0.033	0.066	0.008	0.001	0.265
Fruit and fruit products	64	22	45	0.002	0.002	0.001	0.000	0.011
Meat and meat products	101	35	5	0.010	0.021	0.001	0.000	0.113
Fish, seafood and invertebrates	39	30	15	0.017	0.039	0.004	0.000	0.205
Milk and dairy products	37	23	57	0.001	0.002	0.001	0.000	0.007
Eggs and egg products	10	2	100	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Sugar, confectionery and water-based sweet desserts	18	15	33	0.018	0.027	0.008	0.002	0.110
Animal and vegetable fats and oils	13	8	100	0.002	0.000	0.002	0.002	0.002
Fruit and vegetable juices and nectars	12	10	67	0.001	0.001	0.000	0.000	0.002
Water and water-based beverages	41	6	93	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Coffee, cocoa, tea and infusions	12	9	50	0.034	0.084	0.001	0.000	0.270
Alcoholic beverages	11	8	100	0.001	0.001	0.000	0.000	0.002
Food products for infants and toddlers	15	11	20	0.008	0.006	0.008	0.000	0.021
Products for non-standard diets and food imitates	8	7	0	0.011	0.008	0.010	0.001	0.026
Composite dishes	170	52	0	0.010	0.008	0.008	0.001	0.050
Seasoning, sauces and condiments	19	16	11	0.007	0.008	0.004	0.000	0.033

Left-censored data were analysed using the upper bound (UB) approach, i.e. results below LOD were replaced by the value reported as LOD and results below LOQ and above LOD by the value reported as LOQ. Different LOQs applied, i.e. 0.001 mg/kg for moist foods, 0.005 mg/kg for dry foods and 0.0002 mg/kg for drinking water. The percentage of left-censored data for Cd amounts to 31 % (278 pooled samples) in the mLB and 19 % (171 pooled samples) in the UB.