Who this standard is for
Four audiences read this page differently. Each has a route through it.
Read the Master Limit Table and the derivation. Every numeric claim traces to a source page on the independent literature index.
Read the Master Limit Table. The mark on a product means the brand tested at or below every value in it, in the product’s native basis.
Read the HMTc-limit column and the rationale tag. Each limit is set to the strictest applicable government maximum by lookup, in the native basis; for the Tier-1 toxics (Pb, Cd, iAs, MeHg) and for cells no government regulates, the program’s pooled occurrence distribution sets or tightens the value, never above the government maximum.
Read the rationale column and the firm/in-development split. Every published value carries its pooled figure, its native basis, and the reason for any gap with the pool.
Master Limit Table
All values in ppb, as sold. A firm limit renders only for an analyte that has cleared all five shipping gates; every other analyte shows its honest evidence state and no number. The pooled column shows the program’s occurrence figure for the analyte; the HMTc limit is the stricter of the applicable government maximum and — for Tier-1 toxics and cells no government regulates — that pooled figure, so the derivation stays re-derivable and the rationale tag names which bound. A brand meeting every firm value on a like-for-like basis qualifies for the mark for this subcategory.
| Analyte | Tier | HMTc limit | Pooled | Rationale | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pb | Tier 1 | 600 · 85.71 prepared for feeding | 600 | regulatory-alignment eu2023_pb_spice_fruit_600 | published |
| tAs | Tier 2 | — | — | PROVISIONAL: review sensitivity disagreement; distinct_sources=12; sens_band=provisional… | in development |
| iAs | Tier 1 | — | — | — | not in scope |
| Cd | Tier 1 | — | — | READY FOR REVIEW; distinct_sources=20; sens_band=stable; classify=resolved/firm | in development |
| tHg | Tier 2 | — | — | — | not in scope |
| MeHg | Tier 1 | — | — | — | not in scope |
| Ni | Tier 2 | — | — | — | not in scope |
| Cr-VI | Tier 2 | — | — | — | not in scope |
| Sn | Tier 2 | — | — | — | not in scope |
| Al | Tier 2 | — | — | — | not in scope |
Published values round to the HMTc primary increment ladder — 1 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 10 · 15 · 20 · 25 · 50 · 100 · 200 · 500 · 1000 · 1300 · 1500 · 2000 · 5000 · 10000 — so a brand has an unambiguous bin to test against.
Analyte scope
This disclosure travels with the mark so a certified product is never silently uncontrolled on an analyte. The panel is Pb, tAs, iAs, Cd, tHg, MeHg, Ni, Cr-VI, Sn, Al.
Cite this standard
Pendergrass, K. “Herbs/spices/dried seasonings (turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, oregano, cumin, chili powder, pepper).” In Heavy Metal Tested & Certified (HMTc) Herbs, Spices, Seasonings and Salt standard, version 2.2 (2026-06-09). Institute of Contaminant Standards (ICS), 2026.
The evidence each limit is applied to lives on the independent Heavy Metal Index; HMTc cites it one way and never the reverse. HMTc standards are living, versioned documents; this page reflects 2.2 (2026-06-09) and superseded versions remain at stable URLs so prior citations resolve. The threshold-setting methodology is described in Program structure.