Cumulative veterinary drug and pesticide dietary exposure assessments: a global overview and Brazilian framework considerations.

Abstract

Pesticides and veterinary drugs are widely employed to support food production. Assessing potential risks associated with the dietary consumption of pesticide and veterinary drug residues is, however, essential. Potential risks depend on the toxicity degree of the analyzed residue and population exposure levels. Human populations are exposed to numerous chemical substances through different pathways with varying exposure times, leading to increased health risks when compared to exposure to individual chemicals. Cumulative exposure assessments usually assess combined exposures to multiple chemicals through multiple exposure pathways. In this sense, this comprehensive review aims to provide insights into cumulative dietary pesticide and veterinary drug residue exposures. The main methodologies, strategies, and legislation employed by international agencies to this end are discussed. A review concerning articles that apply existing methodologies and approaches, as well as the challenges in this context faced by Brazil is also presented. As this is a critical issue not only for Brazilian public health but also for the global community, regulatory agencies should prioritize formulating regulations that incorporate exposure assessments regarding the simultaneous presence of residues and contaminants in foodstuffs.