為瞭解臺灣地區生產之食米中重金屬（鎘、汞）含量之現況，衛生署擬定本調查計畫，並由各縣市衛生局協助配合抽樣，於民國88 年7 月至89 年12 月間至各轄區包括台北縣、桃園、新竹市（縣）、基隆、宜蘭、花蓮、台東、苗栗、台中、彰化、南投、雲林、嘉義市（縣）、台南、高雄及屏東內之碾米廠抽樣一、二期作的食米檢體，檢體送至本局並依行政院衛生署公告方法進行分析檢驗。經檢驗134 件食米檢體，鎘含量總平均值為0.05 ppm（N.D.∼0.21ppm），汞含量總平均值為0.003 ppm（N.D.∼0.008 ppm）；第一期作食米67 件檢體中，鎘之平均含量為0.05 ppm（0.01∼0.16 ppm），汞之平均含量為0.003 ppm（N.D.∼0.008 ppm）；第二期作食米67 件檢體中，鎘之平均含量為0.05 ppm（N.D.∼0.21 ppm），汞之平均含量為0.003 ppm（N.D.∼0.007 ppm）。檢驗結果均未超出行政院衛生署所公告『食米重金屬限量標準』（鎘0.5 ppm 以下，汞0.05ppm 以下）之規定。顯示臺灣地區食米所含重金屬鎘及汞含量尚低，當可袪除民眾對食米衛生安全之疑慮。

In order to understand the content of heavy metals (cadmium and mercury) of rice in Taiwan, the Department of Health had scheduled to collect samples which were offered from the rice mills from July 1999 to December 2000. 134 rice samples including first and second crop rice were analyzed. The results showed that the total average content of cadmium of rice was 0.05 ppm (N.D.0.21 ppm), and that of mercury was 0.003 ppm (N.D.0.008 ppm). The average content of cadmium of 67 first crop rice samples was 0.05 ppm (0.010.16 ppm), and that of mercury was 0.003 ppm (N.D.0.008 ppm). The average content of cadmium of 67 second crop rice samples was 0.05 ppm (N.D.0.21 ppm), and that of mercury was 0.003 ppm (N.D.0.007 ppm). In this investigation, the results of all rice samples were shown good safety and under control. The contents of cadmium and mercury in rice samples collected from Taiwan area were all compliance with the regulation.