Semicarbazide in baby food: a European survey

The concentration of semicarbazide (SEM) in baby food packed in glass jars with lids sealed with plastic gaskets was determined in more than 100 samples, produced in 11 European countries, and purchased at local supermarkets in 14 countries. The method used for the analyses has been recently validated in a collaborative study. A correlation between the measured SEM concentration and the type of food (fruit, vegetables, meat and combinations of those) was found. The lowest values of SEM were found in samples containing only fruit with a mean concentration of 5.5 +/- 3.8 mu g/kg. Some brands were characterised by low levels of SEM regardless of the composition. The levels of SEM found were comparable for the different countries of production. Both, high and low semicarbazide levels were found among organic and conventional samples.