Objective To investigate lead and cadmium contamination in retailed livestock and poultry in Guangzhou city. Methods During 2006to 2011,9samples of poultry, livestock and pig''s viscera were collected from supermarkets, farm product markets, caterings, wholesale markets and the processing factories in 12administrative regions of Guangzhou city using stratified random sampling. The amount of lead and cadmium were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Results The detection rate of lead was 65.42% and qualification rate was 94.54%. The detection rate of cadmium was 55.38% and qualification rate was 97.42%. The average level of lead and cadmium were both lower than the national limits for food contaminants. Extreme value occurred in pig''s viscera, exceeding the national standard by 4.9times and 5.2times respectively. The qualification rate of lead was significantly different among different samples (χ2=14.181, P＜0.05), but no significant difference was observed in cadmium qualification rate (χ²=2.174, P≥0.05). Lead (70.21%) and cadmium (88.21%) detection rate in pig''s viscera was the highest among the all the sample. In the six years of monitoring data, there was no significant difference in lead qualification rate between each year (χ²=10.45, P＞0.05), but there was significant difference in cadmium qualification rate (χ²=14.82, P＜0.05) with an increasing trend. Conclusion The contamination of lead and cadmium in livestock and poultry were at low level in Guangzhou city, but with increasing trend on cadmium qualification rate. It''s suggested not to intake excessive viscera of livestock and poultry. \=