Levels of Pb and Cd in Single Feeding Stuffs and Compound Feeds for Poultry Petra Wolf 1 & Maria Grazia Cappai 2 Received: 3 April 2020 /Accepted: 14 May 2020 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020 Abstract The assessment of heavy metals in feeds for food-producing animals is of particular importance both for animal and human health. Single feeds can be mixed and offered to animals either crushed or pelleted, and it would be recommendable to assess heavy metal content before mixing. A total of 408 feed samples for poultry were sent to our laboratory by farmers and feed manufacturers from Germany. Single feeding stuffs (cereals and legume seeds, n = 109 and n = 86, respectively) and compound mixed feeds for laying hens (n = 63), broilers (n = 83) and turkeys (n = 67) in the years 2015 to 2018 were processed for Pb and Cd content. Analyses pointed to the lowest Pb contents in cereal feeds (0.031 and 0.101 mg/kg feed). In compound feeds, values ranged between 0.089 (broilers) and 0.181 mg/kg on an as fed basis (laying hens). The highest Pb content of 0.358 mg/kg (as fed) was determined in one sample of mixed feed for turkeys. Cd levels in cereal feeds and compound feeds were similar; Cd in legume seeds turned out to be slightly higher (0.089 mg/kg feed). Results point to differences between cereals and legume seeds as single feeds; however, safe levels were found for both, as well as for compound feeds, below the maximum permitted for Pb 10 mg/kg and Cd 1 mg/kg in feed dry matter (88%). Keywords Broiler . Feedstuff . Heavy metal . Laying hen . Turkey Introduction Public concern about the biosafety of food from producing animals has sharply increased in the last years. In this scenario, possible contamination of feeding stuffs for livestock, poultry and aquaculture is an issue, and the scientific community strives to find solutions oriented to increase food quality and safety across all animal productions. Maximum level of unde- sirable substances in feedstuffs circulating in the European Union is being constantly updated and involves a series of contaminants for which respective maximum limits are established (Directive 32/2002/EC). Heavy metals, such as lead (Pb) or cadmium (Cd), are toxic agents involved in a number of disturbances for animals and humans, which limits in feeds intended for food-producing animals should not exceed the maximum levels reported in the Annex 1 of the European Union (EU) Regulation (Reg) 186/2015. In the Mineral tolerance of animals [29], the concern about mercury (Hg, above all in water), Pb and Cd exposure of animals has increased more and more over the last decades, if compared with NRC report of 1980. Such undesirable substances can be found in feed due to environmental load, with special regards to vulnerable sites at global levels and industrial areas, as well as the result of misuse or disposal of wastes. Particularly, cereal fields located in the immediate surrounding area of highly productive industrial sites, residential areas or high traffic routes (car/rail traffic) are at a higher risk of contami- nation. For this reason, the European Council (EC) Regulation 882/2004 for feed sample analysis was issued with the aim to harmonize official monitoring and control in all European countries. Poultry production in Europe displays a continuous positive trend, and the number of plants consistently increased in the last years [13]. The leading country for broiler meat production in 2017 was Poland, followed by the UK and Germany. However, in the same year, Germany led the European production of turkey meat [28]. In 2018, Poland continued to lead the European production of poultry meat followed by the UK. Also other countries gained positions, like France and Spain, * Petra Wolf Petra.Wolf@uni-rostock.de 1 University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6b, 18059 Rostock, Germany 2 Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna no. 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy Biological Trace Element Research https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02197-6