Table 3.

Estimated UB Pb 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	1	0.005	0.002	0.005	0.002	0.012
Vegetables and vegetable products	152	34	10	0.014	0.024	0.005	0.001	0.128
Starchy roots or tubers and products thereof	26	8	4	0.007	0.008	0.004	0.002	0.026
Legumes, nuts, oilseeds and spices	24	20	8	0.013	0.033	0.004	0.003	0.155
Fruit and fruit products	64	22	19	0.004	0.003	0.003	0.001	0.012
Meat and meat products	101	35	0	0.008	0.013	0.004	0.002	0.080
Fish, seafood and invertebrates	39	30	10	0.008	0.020	0.003	0.002	0.115
Milk and dairy products	37	23	27	0.003	0.002	0.002	0.001	0.006
Eggs and egg products	10	2	70	0.002	0.000	0.002	0.002	0.002
Sugar, confectionery and water-based sweet desserts	18	15	0	0.012	0.008	0.009	0.004	0.030
Animal and vegetable fats and oils	13	8	46	0.003	0.001	0.003	0.003	0.004
Fruit and vegetable juices and nectars	12	10	33	0.003	0.003	0.002	0.001	0.013
Water and water-based beverages	41	6	34	0.001	0.000	0.001	0.001	0.002
Coffee, cocoa, tea and infusions	12	9	25	0.016	0.035	0.002	0.002	0.113
Alcoholic beverages	11	8	45	0.005	0.005	0.002	0.001	0.012
Food products for infants and toddlers	15	11	0	0.004	0.001	0.004	0.002	0.008
Products for non-standard diets and food imitates	8	7	13	0.005	0.004	0.005	0.001	0.011
Composite dishes	170	52	0	0.004	0.002	0.004	0.002	0.010
Seasoning, sauces and condiments	19	16	0	0.006	0.004	0.006	0.002	0.014

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. 0.002 mg/kg for moist foods, 0.004 mg/kg for dry foods and 0.0002 mg/kg for drinking water. The percentage of left-censored data for Pb amounts to 26 % (232 pooled samples) in the mLB and 10 % (85 pooled samples) in the UB.