Liverwurst: 1182 micrograms of vitamin A in one slice

Liverwurst is above all a large dose of preformed vitamin A. The US survey database gives 4220 micrograms per 3.5 oz (100 g), all of it as retinol, the form for which an upper limit is set. One 0.99 oz (28 g) slice carries 1181.6 micrograms and a 56 g sandwich portion 2363.2. The UK tables give liver sausage 2600 micrograms per 3.5 oz (100 g), about 1.6 times lower, a gap that comes from how much liver goes into the recipe. NIH sets the upper limit for preformed vitamin A at 3,000 micrograms a day for adults, pregnancy included, counting food and supplements together. For children it is 600 micrograms up to age 3, so one slice is about twice that limit, and a sandwich portion is above every child limit up to age 13. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, UK Government advice, restated by the Committee on Toxicity in 2022, is not to eat liver products such as pate unless a GP advises it, and EFSA advises the same group not to eat liver products. NIH states that preformed vitamin A above the upper limit can cause birth defects of the eye, skull, lungs and heart. Liverwurst is also a ready-to-eat deli meat. In a 2024 US Listeria outbreak linked to meats sliced at delis, 61 people fell ill, 60 were hospitalized and 10 died, and 27 of the 44 asked had eaten deli-sliced liverwurst. CDC tells pregnant women, newborns, adults 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems to avoid unheated deli meats and refrigerated pate or meat spreads, and to eat deli meats only reheated to 165°F (74°C) or until steaming hot. In pregnancy, listeriosis can lead to miscarriage, preterm birth, stillbirth and infection of the newborn. We found no trial that fed people liverwurst. The closest trial evidence comes from other meat pâtés. In 22 people at high cardiovascular risk, four weeks of reduced-fat pâtés and frankfurters with added n-3 left LDL cholesterol 12 percent lower than the normal-fat versions, and LDL rose on the normal-fat products. That trial is about the fat in pâté, and its periods ran in a fixed order.

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• The UK composition tables give liver sausage 2600 micrograms of retinol, 6.00 mg of iron and 10.0 micrograms of vitamin B12 per 3.5 oz (100 g). — UK composition dataset CoFID 2021, code 19-106, Liver sausage Evidence E source
  Retinol 2600 micrograms, iron 6.00 mg, vitamin B12 10.0 micrograms, sodium 810 mg, energy 226 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g)
• By the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, concentrations of preformed vitamin A are highest in liver, fish, eggs and dairy products. — general population, NIH Office of Dietary Supplements vitamin A fact sheet for health professionals Evidence E source
  Liver named first among the richest sources of preformed vitamin A

What a real portion looks like

• In the USDA survey database, liverwurst carries 4220 micrograms of vitamin A (RAE) per 3.5 oz (100 g), so one 0.99 oz (28 g) slice gives 1181.6 micrograms and a 56 g sandwich portion 2363.2 micrograms. — USDA FNDDS food code 25230560, Liverwurst, portion weights from the survey Evidence E source
  Vitamin A 4220 micrograms RAE per 3.5 oz (100 g), all as retinol; 1181.6 per slice, 2363.2 per regular sandwich, 3544.8 per large sandwich
• In the USDA survey database, a 56 g liverwurst sandwich portion carries 547.1 mg of sodium, 5.2 g of saturated fat and 6.3 mg of iron. — USDA FNDDS food code 25230560, Liverwurst, portion weights from the survey Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: sodium 977 mg, saturated fat 9.307 g, iron 11.2 mg, cholesterol 180 mg, energy 327 calories; per 56 g: 547.1 mg, 5.2 g, 6.3 mg

What your body absorbs

• In a randomized crossover trial of 17 iron-deficient women, 2.8 oz (80 g) of meat pâté carrying 19 mg of iron raised serum iron to a peak at 2 to 4 hours, with no difference between three iron forms. — 17 women with low iron stores (ferritin below 30 micrograms/L), single test meals of 80 g fortified meat pate on white bread (n = 17) Evidence B source
  Serum iron peak between hours 2 and 4 with all three fortificants; effect of fortificant type not significant

What cooking and storage change

• Observational outbreak data link chicken liver pâté to campylobacteriosis, with a crude relative risk of 12.95 at one English hotel meal. — guests of a Christmas set-menu meal at a hotel in North Yorkshire, England, January 2017, 19 cases (n = 19 cases) Evidence C source
  Crude relative risk 12.95 for chicken liver pate, P < 0.001, with a dose-response relationship

What it does to your health

• In a crossover trial of 22 people at high cardiovascular risk, four weeks of reduced-fat pâtés and frankfurters with n-3 left LDL cholesterol 12% lower than the normal-fat versions. — 22 volunteers at increased cardiovascular risk, three 4-week periods with 4-week washouts; normal-fat pâté 30.8% fat (n = 22) Evidence C source
  LDL cholesterol 12%, oxidized LDL 15% and LDL/HDL ratio 10% lower after n-3 reduced-fat than normal-fat products; LDL rose after normal-fat (p = 0.040)
• Case-control data from Japan link the highest retinol intake, mainly from liver, to lower colorectal cancer odds in women (OR 0.55) but a modest rise in men. — 816 colorectal cancer cases and 815 controls, Fukuoka, Japan (n = 1631) Evidence C source
  OR 0.55 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.88) highest against lowest retinol intake in women; modest increase in men

Safety, limits and interactions

• In a 2024 US Listeria outbreak linked to meats sliced at delis, 61 people in 19 states fell ill, 60 were hospitalized and 10 died. Of 44 patients asked, 27 had eaten deli-sliced liverwurst. The recall covered the maker's ready-to-eat liverwurst. — 61 people infected with the outbreak strain in 19 US states, 2024 (n = 61) Evidence E source
  61 ill, 60 hospitalized, 10 deaths; 27 of 44 asked (61%) ate deli-sliced liverwurst, 20 named Boar's Head; recall of all deli products from one plant, ready-to-eat liverwurst included

Who this works differently for

• NIH sets the upper limit for preformed vitamin A, the form in liverwurst, at 3,000 mcg a day for adults, pregnancy included. For children it is 600 mcg up to age 3, 900 mcg at 4 to 8, 1,700 mcg at 9 to 13 and 2,800 mcg at 14 to 18. The limits cover food and supplements together. — infants, children, adolescents and adults by age band, including pregnancy and lactation Evidence E source
  UL for preformed vitamin A: 600 mcg (birth to 3 years), 900 mcg (4-8 years), 1,700 mcg (9-13 years), 2,800 mcg (14-18 years), 3,000 mcg (19 years and older, pregnancy included)
• NIH states that total intakes of preformed vitamin A above the upper limit can cause birth defects of the eye, skull, lungs and heart, as can retinoid medicines such as isotretinoin. Experts advise women who are or might be pregnant not to take vitamin A supplements above 3,000 mcg a day. — women who are or might be pregnant; people using retinoid medicines Evidence E source
  Intakes above the UL and some retinoid drugs (isotretinoin, etretinate) can cause birth defects of eye, skull, lungs and heart
• EFSA in 2024 kept the upper limit for preformed vitamin A at 3,000 mcg a day for adults, pregnancy included, and 800 to 2,600 mcg for children by age. It says Europeans stay below it if liver and offal are eaten once a month or less. Women planning a pregnancy or pregnant are advised not to eat liver products. — European population, including women of child-bearing age, pregnant and lactating women, children Evidence E source
  UL 3000 mcg RE/day for adults including pregnancy; 800 (1-3 y) to 2600 (15-17 y) mcg RE/day for children; liver and offal once a month or less; no liver products before and during pregnancy
• UK Government advice, restated by the Committee on Toxicity in 2022, is that pregnant women and women thinking about having a baby should not eat liver or liver products such as pate, or take vitamin A supplements, unless a GP advises it. — pregnant women and women planning pregnancy, UK Evidence E source
  Do not eat liver or liver products such as pate, or vitamin A supplements including fish liver oil, unless advised by a GP
• CDC lists pregnant women, newborns, adults 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems as at higher risk from Listeria. It tells them to avoid unheated deli meats and refrigerated pate or meat spreads, and to eat deli meats only reheated to 165°F (74°C) or until steaming hot. — pregnant women, newborns, adults 65 or older, people with weakened immune systems Evidence E source
  Avoid unheated deli meat and refrigerated pate or meat spreads; choose deli meats reheated to 165°F (74°C) or until steaming hot, and pate in sealed shelf-stable containers
• An umbrella review of 9 systematic reviews found that the risk of listeriosis rises in pregnancy and that it can lead to miscarriage, preterm birth, stillbirth and infection of the newborn. — pregnant women and newborns (n = 9 systematic reviews) Evidence C source
  Listeriosis can cause miscarriage, preterm birth, stillbirth and neonatal infection

The bottom line

By the US survey database, a 56 g sandwich portion also carries 547.1 mg of sodium, 5.2 g of saturated fat and 6.3 mg of iron. The UK entry gives 6.00 mg of iron per 3.5 oz (100 g) against 11.2 mg in the US one. Most of that iron comes from liver, and we found no study that measured how much of it people absorb from liverwurst. The nearest trial used meat pâté with added iron. In 17 women with low iron stores, 80 g carrying 19 mg of iron raised serum iron to a peak at 2 to 4 hours, with no difference between three iron forms. Serum iron is a rough marker, and liver iron was not what was tested. Case-control data from Fukuoka, Japan, with 816 colorectal cancer cases and 815 controls, link the highest retinol intake, mainly from liver, to lower odds of the cancer in women (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.88) and a modest rise in men. Odds pointing in opposite directions for the two sexes, from a design that cannot show cause, leave this open. Liverwurst was not analyzed on its own. The vitamin A limits and the pregnancy and Listeria advice are set out at the top of this page. EFSA adds that Europeans are unlikely to exceed the adult limit if liver, offal and their products are eaten once a month or less. Supplements that contain retinol count toward the same limit. NIH adds that retinoid medicines such as isotretinoin can also cause birth defects. We have no card on liverwurst for other medicines. A second food-poisoning caution comes from liver itself. At one hotel Christmas meal in North Yorkshire in 2017, homemade chicken liver pâté carried a crude relative risk of 12.95 for campylobacter illness among 19 cases, and illness rose with the amount eaten. The authors stress that thorough cooking kills campylobacter, and industrially cooked liverwurst is a different product from a homemade pâté.

Sources

1. lvw-daily-r4-02 · reference dataset
   19-106 Liver sausage | Retinol (µg) 2600 | Iron (mg) 6.00 | Vitamin B12 (µg) 10.0 | Sodium (mg) 810 | Energy (kcal) 226
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, OGL v3.0 · checked 2026-09-28
2. lvw-daily-r4-04 · agency fact sheet
   Concentrations of preformed vitamin A are highest in liver, fish, eggs, and dairy products [1].
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin A and Carotenoids Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-09-28
3. lvw-daily-r4-01 · reference dataset
   Liverwurst | Vitamin A, RAE 4220 UG per 100 g | 1 slice, NFS 28 g 1181.6 UG | Guideline amount on regular sandwich 56 g 2363.2 UG | Guideline amount on large sandwich 84 g 3544.8 UG || Retinol 4220 UG per 100 g
   USDA FNDDS (Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies), Liverwurst, FNDDS 25230560, fdc_id 2706213 · checked 2026-09-28
4. lvw-daily-r4-03 · reference dataset
   Liverwurst | Sodium, Na 977 MG per 100 g, 56 g 547.1 MG | Fatty acids, total saturated 9.307 G per 100 g, 56 g 5.2 G | Iron, Fe 11.2 MG per 100 g, 1 slice 28 g 3.1 MG, 56 g 6.3 MG
   USDA FNDDS (Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies), Liverwurst, FNDDS 25230560, fdc_id 2706213 · checked 2026-09-28
5. lvw-daily-r4-06 · randomized crossover trial
   Seventeen women with low iron stores (ferritin <30 microg/L) took part in a three-way, randomized, crossover, double-blind postprandial intervention. ... Serum iron concentration evolution during the postprandial study was similar with the three meals, and maximum concentrations were obtained between hours 2 and 4. The effect of type of fortificant was not significant.
   Nutrition, 2009 · checked 2026-09-28
6. lvw-daily-r4-08 · retrospective cohort
   Chicken liver pâté was the food item most strongly associated with illness (P < 0.001) with a corresponding high crude relative risk (12.95).
   Epidemiol Infect, 2020 · checked 2026-09-28
7. lvw-daily-r4-07 · non-randomized controlled trial
   LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.040) and oxidized LDL (p = 0.016) increased significantly after NF product consumption; systolic blood pressure did not show significant variations after this period. ... However, LDL-cholesterol, oxidized LDL, and the LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio were lower (12, 15 and 10 %, respectively) after n-3 RF versus NF product consumption.
   Eur J Nutr, 2014 · checked 2026-09-28
8. lvw-daily-r4-09 · case-control
   Retinol intake was significantly, inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk; the odds ratio for the highest vs. lowest was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.35, 0.88; P (trend) = 0.01) in women, but a modest increase in the risk was observed among men with the highest intake of retinol. Liver was the major source of retinol intake and showed similar associations with colorectal cancer risk in men and women.
   Nutr Cancer, 2012 · checked 2026-09-28
9. hf2-lvw-5 · outbreak investigation
   As of November 19, a total of 61 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria were reported from 19 states. ... Of 61 people with information available, 60 were hospitalized ... Ten deaths were reported ... Of the 44 people who answered if they ate liverwurst, 27 (61%) reported deli-sliced liverwurst before getting sick and 20 specifically reported Boar's Head brand. ... In July 2024, Boar's Head issued a recall of all deli products made at their Jarratt, VA facility ... which included prepackaged deli products and ready-to-eat liverwurst products ... This outbreak is over.
   CDC, Listeria Outbreak Linked to Meats Sliced at Delis, investigation update 21 November 2024 (page updated 30 January 2025) · checked 2026-10-08
10. hf2-lvw-1 · agency advice
    The FNB has established ULs for preformed vitamin A that apply to both food and supplement intakes [5]. The FNB based these ULs on the amounts associated with an increased risk of liver abnormalities in men and women, teratogenic effects, and several toxic effects in infants and children. ... Birth to 12 months 600 mcg 600 mcg 1–3 years 600 mcg 600 mcg 4–8 years 900 mcg 900 mcg 9–13 years 1,700 mcg 1,700 mcg 14–18 years 2,800 mcg 2,800 mcg 2,800 mcg 2,800 mcg 19+ years 3,000 mcg 3,000 mcg 3,000 mcg 3,000 mcg
    NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin A Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-08
11. hf2-lvw-2 · agency advice
    Total intakes of preformed vitamin A that exceed the UL as well as some retinoid medications used as topical therapies (such as isotretinoin, used to treat severe acne, and etretinate, a treatment for severe psoriasis) can cause congenital birth defects [1]. These birth defects can include malformations of the eye, skull, lungs, and heart [14]. Experts advise women who are or might be pregnant and those who are lactating not to take high doses (more than 3,000 mcg RAE [10,000 IU] daily) of vitamin A supplements [1].
    NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin A Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-08
12. hf2-lvw-3 · EFSA scientific opinion
    The Panel proposes to retain the UL for preformed vitamin A of 3000 μg RE/day for adults. This UL applies to men and women, including women of child‐bearing age, pregnant and lactating women and post‐menopausal women. ... These are 2600 μg RE/day for adolescents 15 to 17 years; 2000 μg RE/day for adolescents 11 to 14 years; 1500 μg RE/day for children 7 to 10 years; 1100 μg RE/day; and 800 μg RE/day for children 1 to 3 years. ... Based on available intake data, European populations are unlikely to exceed the UL for preformed vitamin A if consumption of liver, offal and products thereof is limited to once per month or less. Women who are planning to become pregnant or who are pregnant are advised not to consume liver products.
    EFSA NDA Panel, Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for preformed vitamin A and beta-carotene, EFSA Journal 2024;22:e8814 · checked 2026-10-08
13. hf2-lvw-4 · agency statement
    UK Government dietary advice, as given on the NHS website, recommends that pregnant women, or women thinking about having a baby, should not consume liver or liver products such as pate, or supplements that contain vitamin A, including fish liver oil, unless advised by a GP
    Committee on Toxicity (COT), Statement on the effects of excess Vitamin A on maternal health, 2022, para 6 · checked 2026-10-08
14. hf2-lvw-6 · agency guidance
    Listeria infection is rare. But it can be especially harmful for some people. ... Women who are pregnant ... Newborns ... People who are 65 years or older ... People who have a weakened immune system ... Unheated deli meat, cold cuts, hot dogs, and fermented or dry sausages ... Deli meat, cold cuts, hot dogs, and fermented or dry sausages reheated to 165°F or until steaming hot ... Refrigerated pâté or meat spreads ... Pâté or meat spreads in sealed, airtight containers that don’t need to be kept refrigerated before opening
    CDC, Preventing Listeria Infection (last reviewed 16 January 2025) · checked 2026-10-08
15. hf2-lvw-7 · umbrella review
    Compared with the general population, the risk of being diagnosed with listeriosis increases during pregnancy. Listeriosis can lead to miscarriage, spontaneous preterm labour and preterm birth, stillbirth and congenital neonatal infections.
    BJOG, 2022 · checked 2026-10-08