To analyze the cadmium level in main food, and preliminarily assess the risk of dietary cadmium exposure of people in Fengtai District.MethodsIn 2011-2012,5samples of 6food categoriess were collected from Fengtai District. Cadmium contents in food were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption method and the cadmium exposure was estimated by the food consumption data．The health risk was assessed by comparing the cadmium exposure with provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI) and the margins of safety (MOS) of cadmium. ResultsThe concentration of cadmium in edible mushrooms and their products was 2.2778mg/kg, which was the highest among the 6food categories being tested. Respectively, in accordance with the mean value of food consumption estimates, the cadmium exposure of Fengtai District residents from 6major food categories were 0.00146mg/kg BW·m, did not exceed PTMI (0.025mg/kg BW·m), and the MOS values were 17.2. The highest contributions were from vegetable products (52.4%), grain and its product (25.8%), edible mushroom and their products (13.4%). Although consumption of edible mushroom and animal visceral was very low, the contribution was high due to the serious cadmium contamination. Therefore, edible mushroom and animal visceral were high risk food for cadmium exposure.ConclusionThe average dietary cadmium exposure from 6food categories did not exceed the PTMI, the MOS was bigger than 1, so the level of dietary cadmium exposure was safe in general. However, more attention should be paid to the possible cadmium contamination in mushrooms and animal visceral.