Human dietary exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs through the consumption of Atlantic herring from fishing areas in the Norwegian Sea and Baltic Sea

The concentrations of dioxins [polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs)], and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in Atlantic herring depend on the fishing area. These substances originate from various anthropogenic sources and accumulate in the environment and in food. The influence of country-specific contaminant concentrations on human dietary exposure was studied exemplary for herring to show the influence of fish origin. PCDD/F and DL-PCB concentrations in herring from the Norwegian Sea and the Baltic Sea were combined with country-specific herring consumption. Herring concentrations showed geographical variation. For herring consumers, the 50th percentile dietary exposure to the total sum of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs amounted to 1.2 and 8.9 pg WHO-2005-TEQ/kg BW/week for Norway and Germany, respectively. The different exposure was mainly related to higher concentrations in herring from the Baltic Sea, rather than in herring from the Norwegian Sea. If contaminant concentrations are influenced by geographical origin, this should be integrated into the dietary exposure assessments. For herring, relevant fishing areas should be integrated into the sampling strategy to generate concentration data. The usage of country-specific data could refine exposure assessments.publishedVersio

A ranking method of chemical substances in foods for prioritisation of monitoring, based on health risk and knowledge gaps

Chemical contaminants are present in all foods. Data on the occurrence of contaminants in foods that are often consumed or contain high contaminant concentrations are critical for the estimation of exposure and evaluation of potential negative health effects. Due to limited resources for the monitoring of contaminants and other chemical substances in foods, methods for prioritisation are needed. We have developed a straightforward semi-quantitative method to rank chemical substances in foods for monitoring as part of a risk-based food control. The method is based on considerations of toxicity, level of exposure including both occurrence in food and dietary intake, vulnerability of one or more population groups due to high exposure because of special food habits or resulting from specific genetic variants, diseases, drug use or age/life stages, and the adequacy of both toxicity and exposure data. The chemical substances ranked for monitoring were contaminants occurring naturally, unintentionally or incidentally in foods or formed during food processing, and the inclusion criteria were high toxicity, high exposure and/or lack of toxicity or exposure data. In principle, this method can be used for all classes of chemical substances that occur in foods, both unintended contaminants and deliberately added chemical substances. Foods considered relevant for monitoring of the different chemical substances were also identified. The outcomes of ranking exercises using the new method including considerations of vulnerable groups and adequacy of data and a shortened version based on risk considerations only were compared. The results showed that the resolution between the contaminants was notably increased with the extended method, which we considered as advantageous for the ranking of chemical substances for monitoring in foods.publishedVersio

Risk assessment of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Opinion of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment

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Risk assessment of melatonin. Opinion of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment

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Protocol for risk assessment of “other substances”. The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment

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Scoping review of research on gastrointestinal effects of selected emulsifiers, stabilisers, and thickeners

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Risk-benefit assessment of sunscreen: Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food, and Cosmetics of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment

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Risk assessment of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food, and Cosmetics of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment

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Risk assessment of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food, and Cosmetics of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment

publishedVersio

Risk-benefit assessment of sunscreen: Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food, and Cosmetics of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment

publishedVersio