Metals in select beers commercially available in the US: Unmonitored sources of concerning exposure

Abstract

Stemming from the need to inform US consumers about the potential health hazards originating from regulatory deficiencies and an inadequate capacity to conduct the complete screening of beverage products entering the US, this study aimed to answer two questions: (1) how do concerning metal concentrations of beers imported to the US market compare to those in US produced beers; and (2) do imported and domestic beers exhibit concerning metal concentrations below the existing US primary drinking water standards. To address this aim: (1) beers manufactured worldwide, which were commercially available on the US market were obtained; (2) the concentration of concerning metals in the beers was analyzed; and (3) data were examined and correlated to explore any US maximum contaminant level (MCL) exceedances and determine whether geographic or grain-related trends exist. The results showed that there are no significant differences between the concerning metal concentrations of imported vs. domestic beers in the US market. Some specific heavy metals, like arsenic, are present in both imported and domestic beers in concentrations that exceed the national primary drinking water standards MCLs. Although water quality may be a factor contributing to the elevated concentrations of concerning metals in beers, it is more likely that the grain ingredients are greater contributors to the observed trends.