The objective of this study was the estimation of the exposure over time to heavy metals
(cadmium, mercury, and lead) due to shellfish consumption in the Veneto Region, Italy.
Shellfish consumption was investigated by a food frequency consumption survey. Altogether,
1949 households, stratified into the five most populated areas of theVeneto Region,
were involved in the study. Exposure estimation to heavy metals was carried out taking
into account the level of metal measured in samples of Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum)
and grooved carpet shell (Ruditapes decussatus), collected in the frame of the
monitoring activities of mollusk production areas ofVeneto Region, between January 2007
and December 2012. A general high contribution of the considered shellfish to theTolerable
Weekly Intake was noticed in the case of cadmium, especially in 2011, when a considerable
increase in cadmium intake was estimated. This was probably due to a heavy rainfall
event that triggered catastrophic flooding with high impact on shellfish capture areas in
November 2010.The results strongly emphasize the importance of dealing with food safety
in a holistic way, taking into account the potential impact of extraordinary natural events
on food chain contamination, in order to identify food hazards at an early stage, before
developing into a real risk for consumers.