The levels of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) were evaluated in 251 samples of fish and fishery
products randomly collected between January 2010 and December 2013 from products imported through
the airport of Milan Malpensa from extra-European Union (extra-EU) Countries and inspected at the
Border Inspection Post by official public veterinarians. In this study, products were classified in four
categories: predatory fish (larger predatory fishes like tunafish and swordfish, and spiny dogfish), nonpredatory
fish (other species of fishes of lower dimensions and different feeding behavior, mollusc
(cephalopods and bivalves) and crustacean). Analyses were performed by accredited laboratory. All the
concentrations were below the levels expressed in Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 except for two samples
of swordfish that exceeded in Hg content. Predatory fish had a significantly higher content of Hg (median
value 375 mg kg1
) while mollusc had a significantly higher content of Cd (median value 66.5 mg kg1
)
compared to the other groups of seafood included in this study. No relationship was found between the
individual concentration of metals.