Cadmium levels in hulls and kernels of three sunflower varieties
What it found
In field-grown sunflowers, the edible kernel held 78 to 87% of the total cadmium.
Washing the seeds did not lower the overall cadmium amount.
What they found
Cadmium above food limit
All three varieties grown in soil with 1 mg Cd/kg had seed cadmium between 0.76 and 0.88 mg Cd/kg. Each was above the 0.5 mg Cd/kg limit set for human food.
Washing did not help
Washing the seeds did not change the total cadmium. It slightly raised cadmium in the kernels while lowering it in the hulls.
Cadmium split by variety
The share of cadmium found in the edible kernel ranged from 78 to 87% across the three varieties. This difference was significant even though whole-seed levels were similar.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest that breeding sunflowers could improve food safety by choosing types that keep more cadmium in the hull.
- They note that kernel size relative to hull size may affect how much cadmium ends up in the part people eat.
How it was done
Sunflower plants take up a lot of cadmium from soil. This matters because cadmium can end up in food and animal feed.
Researchers grew three sunflower varieties in a field with moderately high soil cadmium. They measured cadmium in whole seeds, hulls and kernels, and tested whether washing changed those levels.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work looked at where cadmium sits inside the seed, not what happens when people eat it.
- It only tested three varieties in one type of soil, so results may differ elsewhere.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- ITERG: Institut Des Corps Gras, France
The paper
- Title
- Cadmium partitioning between hulls and kernels in three sunflower varieties: consequences for food/feed chain safety
- Type
- Study
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Nguyen C, Loison JP, Motard C, Dauguet S (2024). Cadmium partitioning between hulls and kernels in three sunflower varieties: consequences for food/feed chain safety. Environmental science and pollution research international. doi:10.1007/s11356-023-31631-0PubMed 38147238DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error