Results of continuous monitoring of unwanted substances in seafood from the resource 2022

Undesirable substances in seafood – results from the Icelandic marine monitoring activities in the year 2022

Matís has since 2002 monitored Icelandic seafood for undesirable substances.

The results are published at the beginning of each year, and they routinely show that Icelandic seafood is free from undesirable substances.

The results of the 2022 monitoring have been published in a report that is available here and the most important results are shown in the figures below.  

Dioxins (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin like PCBs

All the samples analyzed contained dioxins (PCDD/PCDFs) below EU maximum limits:

Dioxins (PCDD/PCDFs) in edible parts of fish from Icelandic fishing grounds in 2022 in relation to maximum EU limit in WHO-TEQ pg/g wet weight.

The sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in all samples analyzed:

Sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in edible parts of fish from Icelandic fishing grounds in 2022 in relation to maximum EU limit in WHO-TEQ pg/g wet weight.

ICES-6 PCBs in fish and fishery products from Icelandic waters

The results obtained for all the samples analyzed in 2022 were well below the maximum limit set for non-dioxin-like PCBs ie, the so-called ICES-6:

ICES-6 PCBs in edible parts of fish from Icelandic fishing grounds in 2022 in relation to maximum EU limit in µg/kg wet weight.

Pesticides in fish and fishery products from Icelandic waters

∑DDT in edible parts of fish from Icelandic fishing grounds in 2022 in μg/kg wet weight.
HCB in edible parts of fish from Icelandic fishing grounds in 2022 in μg/kg wet weight

Inorganic trace elements in fish and fishery products from Icelandic waters

Mercury (Hg) in edible parts of fish from Icelandic fishing grounds in 2022 in mg/kg wet weight.
Lead (Pb) in edible parts of fish from Icelandic fishing grounds in 2022 in mg/kg wet weight. Maximum EU limit only applies to muscle meat of fish.
Cadmium (Cd) in edible parts of fish from Icelandic fishing grounds in 2022 in mg/kg wet weight.
Arsenic (As) in edible parts of fish from Icelandic fishing grounds in 2022 in mg/kg wet weight

The report can be found here: