Eating croissants and baguettes ‘raises cancer risk’ due to toxic heavy metal, French health chiefs warn

Croissants, baguettes and even breakfast cereals could be exposing millions to a cancer-linked toxic metal, French health chiefs have warned.

A major report has raised alarm over levels of cadmium in everyday foods, with experts saying nearly half of the French population may be consuming ‘concerning’ amounts through their diet alone.

The heavy metal, which is found in fertilisers used in modern farming, can build up in soil and enter staple foods eaten daily by millions.

Scientists say products ranging from bread and pastries to pasta, rice and potatoes are among the biggest sources of exposure, with diet accounting for up to 98 per cent of intake in non-smokers.

The findings, published by France’s food safety agency ANSES, have been described as ‘worrying’, with warnings the risks could grow if no action is taken.

Cadmium has been linked to a range of cancers, including those affecting the pancreas, bladder, prostate and breast. 

It has also been associated with brittle bones, kidney damage and cardiovascular disease.

Géraldine Carne, an expertise coordinator at the agency, warned that long-term health impacts are likely to increase if exposure is not reduced.

‘If current exposure levels are maintained and no action is put in place, long-term adverse effects are likely to increase across the population,’ she said.

Researchers examined multiple potential sources of cadmium, including air, water, soil, dust and even cosmetics, but found diet to be by far the dominant route.

Bread, pastries, pasta, rice and potatoes were all identified as key contributors, alongside processed wheat products such as cakes, biscuits and breakfast cereals.

Tobacco was also highlighted as a major source of additional exposure.

The findings are likely to spark concern in Britain, where many of the same foods form a cornerstone of the national diet.

Everyday items such as sliced bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits and pasta are consumed by millions across the UK, raising questions about whether similar low-level exposure could be occurring.

While levels recorded in France are said to be up to three or four times higher than those seen in England, experts warn this does not mean the UK is risk-free.

Because cadmium accumulates in the body over time, even relatively small amounts consumed regularly could pose a risk over decades.

In response to the findings, health officials are urging people not to abandon bread altogether, but to vary their diets to avoid repeated exposure from the same sources.

They recommend incorporating more foods such as lentils and chickpeas, which tend to contain lower levels of the metal.

At the same time, the agency has called on the French government to tighten rules on fertilisers, which are a key driver of cadmium contamination in agricultural soil.

France currently permits up to 90mg of cadmium per kilogram of phosphate fertiliser, compared with a limit of 60mg in many other European countries.

However, the report also noted that some fertilisers approved for use in organic farming can contain cadmium.

Despite the stark warnings, experts stressed there is no need for alarm, with occasional consumption of bread and pastries unlikely to pose a significant risk on its own.

Cadmium has been classified as a carcinogen in France since 2012, but growing concern over its presence in everyday foods has brought renewed scrutiny to its potential long-term impact on health.