Chemical contaminants in food

what is the FSAI

Statutory, independent and science-based body, dedicated to protecting public health and consumer interests in the area of food safety and hygiene

what is the FSAI strategy 2019-23

vision: safe and trustworthy food for everyone

what is the framework regulation for contaminants in food

council regulation (EEC) nO 315/93 OF 8TH FEB 1993 LAYING DOWN COMMUNITY PROCEDURES FOR CONTAMINENTS IN FOOD

what does this regulation not apply to

contaminents which are the subject of specific EU legislation e.g. pesticides

what is the legislative definition of a contaminent

means any substance not intentionally added to food which is present in such food as a result of the production, manufacturing, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, packaging, transport or holding of such food or as a result of environmental contamination

what is not covered in this definition (article 1)

insect fragments or animal hair etc

what are the key principles of article 2

contaminents levels should be kept as low as can reasonably be achieved (ALARA) principle

amounts of unacceptable from the public health viewpoint will not be placed on the market

maximum tolerances for specific contaminents must be established

what is the obligatory consultation detailed in article 3

- consultation with the scientific committee of food which has since been transferred to EFSA

Article details 1-11

Pg. 12 and 13

What does section 1 detail

Mycotoxins

What are mycotoxins

secondary metabolites of fungi

what are important parameters for growth for mycotoxins

temperature and humidity

how are mycotoxins incorporated into the food chain

pre and post harvest infections of crops

may cause adverse health effects in humans and animals

Different types of mycotoxins

Pg. 15

What does section 2 detail

Plant toxins - Erucic acid and Tropane alkaloids, hydrocyanic acids and pyrrolizidine alkaloids,opium alkaloids, delta-9-tetrahydrocannibal

what is erucic acid

fatty acids present at high concentrations mianly in seeds of species of the plant family Brassicacae e.g. rapeseed

what are tropane alkaloids

secondary metabolites which occur naturally in plants of several families

- acutely toxic

what are hydrocyanic acid

cyanogenic glycosdies chemically bound cyanide groups and are present in numerous plants

acutely toxic

Pyrrolizidne alkaloids

secondary metabolites which naturally occur in plants of several families

unsaturated PAs are considered as genotoxic and carcinogenic substances

what is opium alkaloids

opium poppy plant contains narcotic alkaloids such as morphine and codeine

Acutely toxic

poppy seeds do not contain opium alkaloids but can become contaminated as a result of pest damage and during harvesting

what is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol

primary psychoactive cannabinoid in the hemp plant

acutely toxic - CNS

What is detailed in section 3

metals and other elements

details of tin

- acute risk

- gastric irritation and certain concentration

- canned food and beverages

- acidic products packaged in unlaquered tinplate cans

details of lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic

- environmental contaminants

- occur naturally and from anthropogenic activity

- bio accumulates in biological systesm

Lead in irish soils

pg. 22

what is detailed in section 4

halogenated, persistent organic pollutants dioxins and PCBs

what are dioxins

formed untentionally as a result of thermal reactions and as by-products of various industrial processes

what are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

man-made chemicals with widespread use in numerous industrial applications now banned

halogenated perssitent organic pollutants perfluoroakyl substances

- used in numerous commercial and industrial applications

- bioaccumulation in aquatic and terrestrial food chains, transfer from contact materials used in food processing and packaging

what is detailed in section 5

processing contaminants polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons \|(PAHs)

Examples of PAHs

chrysene and benzoapyrene

what are PAHs

- large class of organic compounds that are composed of two or more fused aromatic rings

- formed and releasedduring a variety of combustion processes

How does PAH contamination occur

- environmental presence

- industrial food processing methods

- home processing methods

- potentially genotoxic and carcinogenic

what other contaminents are detailed in section 5

3-MCPD (free) and 3-MCPD fatty acid esters

- Glycidyl fatty acid esters expressed as glycidol

pg.26

what does section 6 detail

Nitrates

characteristics of nitrates

- naturally occuring compound present in vegetables

- influential pre-harvest factors

- influential post-harvest factors

are nitrates toxic

relatively non-toxic but its metabolites and reaction products make nitrate of regulatory importance because of their potential adverse health implications, such as carcinogenesis and methaemoglobinaemia

Other contaminants detailed in section 6

Melamime

- do infant powder case study

Another section 6 contaminant

perchlorate

what is perchlorate

- released in environment from both natural and anthropogenic sources

- competitve inhibitor of iodine uptake in thyroid

- concentrations in food stuffs may be due to natural fertilisers and water disinfection substances

what is detailed in the annex and articles of commission regulation (EU) 2023/915

Pg. 30 and 31, 32

what is the EU risk assessor

established under the general food law regulation ec no.178/2002

- operates independently of the european legislative and executive institutions

- funded by EU

- Based on scientific evidence and risk assessment

what is the EU risk manager: european commission job

- drawing up proposals for new european leg.

- ensure EU law properly applied

- day-today running

- DG-Sante

what is primary law

EU treaties

what is secondary law

- regulation

- directive

- decision

- reccomendation and opinion (no binding force)

name for the development process for EU legislation

Comitology pg.38

Acrylamide

Pg. 39

Examples of other risk management options

- mximum levels combined with regional derogations

- maximum levels combined with measures on prevention and reduction

- maximum levels with dietary advice

- indicative levels combined with data collection

what are the two parts of EU coordinated control plan on contaminants

1. control plan for food placed on the union market

2. control plan for food of animal origin entering the union

sampling and analysis

pg. 43 and 44

what is the regulation regarding import controls

commission implementing regulation (EU) 2019/1793 on the temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures governing the entry into the union of certain goods from certain third countries

Examples of foodstuffs listed in Annex I of regulation (EU) 2019/1793 due to the risk of plant toxins

...

examples of nuts listed in Annex II of regulation (EU) 2019/1793 due to the risk of aflatoxins

pistachois and penuts?