Background & objectives: This study was performed due to increasing concern about intake of heavy metals by contaminated foods. Health effects due to dietary intake of heavy metals is well known. Metals can be entered into cheese at various stages of production. The aim of this study was to estimate weekly intake of heavy metals (i.e. lead, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, tin, zinc and nickel) through consumption of cheese in Iran to estimate proportion of metal intake through dietary pathway.

Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 54 cheese samples with high consumption which their producers were distributed across the country. Lead, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, tin, zinc and nickel in cheese samples were measured by ICP-OES and weekly intake of metals through consumption of cheese was estimated. Then the proportion was expressed as a percentage of provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTWI).

Results: The highest metal concentration (µg/g wet weight) was determined for Zinc (5.10) and the lowest for cadmium (0.005). The highest Estimated Weekly Intake (EWI) was determined for Zn (464.1µg) and the lowest (0.45 µg) for cadmium. All estimates of the metals intake (through consumption of cheese), excluding nickel (1.19 %) was less than 1% of the maximum tolerable weekly intake.

Conclusion: The results show that cheese has no significant contribution to intake of the investigated heavy metals in Iran. It should be considered that cheese is not the only source for metal intakes and maximum residue level (MRL) for Pb in present study is greater than Codex limit of 0.02 mg/kg. Studing sources for lead contaminant in cheese is recommended to better understand, manage and prevent from further pollution.