Food additives & contaminants. Part B, Surveillance最新文献

Rice is a dietary staple throughout Latin America and serves as a major source for heavy‑metal exposure by consumers. This study investigated arsenic, lead and cadmium levels in rice from Guyana and Chile, assessing associated public health risks. The quantification of these metals was carried out by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). The mean level of total As in Guyanese rice (100 ± 21 ng/g dw) was higher than in those marketed in Chile (75 ± 36 ng/g dw), while comparison of their mean Pb and Cd levels revealed no statistical differences. Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values indicated that the population in Guyana may face non-cancer health risks, as the THQ reached 1, while Chilean rice posed no non-cancer risks. Carcinogenic risks were estimated at 4.3 × 10^-4 for Guyana and 6.4 × 10^-5 for Chile, suggesting potential cancer risks from rice consumption by their population.

The nickel contamination in 243 samples of cereals and their products in Gansu Province was analysed by ICP-MS. The overall nickel detection rate was 89.3% and the average nickel content was 0.33 mg/kg. The average daily exposure per unit body weight of young children (3-6 years old), adults (20-59 years old) and elderly adults (60-79 years old) were 5.32-5.62 µg/kg bw/day, 3.48-3.77 µg/kg bw/day and 3.54-3.60 µg/kg bw/day, respectively. The non-carcinogenic risks of each age-sex group were (3.63-3.80) × 10^-8/year for young children, (2.35-2.55) × 10^-8/year for adults and (2.39-2.43) × 10^-8/year for the elderly. The carcinogenic risks of the adult group of (3.90-4.28) × 10^-5/year and the elderly group of (4.02-4.08) × 10^-5/year were below the acceptable annual risk level. For the children group, these data were slightly higher than the maximum acceptable annual risk level, indicating they may be at carcinogenic health risks.

The present study aimed to quantify the levels of eight marker PAHs and six indicator PCBs in canned sardine fish using the QuEChERS (fast, easy, cheap, effective, resistant, and safe) method and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Recoveries of PAHs and PCBs varied from 62% to 120% and 82% to 103% respectively, with a maximum relative standard deviation of 12.2%. Raw sardine contained BaP, PAH8, and Σ6PCBs levels of 4.07 ± 0.30 µg/kg, 23.3 ± 0.55 µg/kg, and 7.19 ± 0.15 µg/kg, respectively. Levels of PAH8 and Σ6PCBs in canned sardine fish varied from

This study investigated fluorinated pesticide residues in food commodities marketed in Luxembourg, focusing on substances listed in the European Chemicals Agency's Annex XV Restriction Report Proposal as potential precursors of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a persistent degradation product of concern. From 6,034 samples collected between 2011 and 2024, 48.1% contained quantifiable residues, with fluorinated compounds detected in 12.3% of the samples. Tea (65.3%) and dried fruits (45.6%) showed the highest contamination rates. Detection rates of fluorinated pesticide residues rose from 9.6% of the samples in 2011 to 26.8% in 2024. In 18 cases (1.8%) EU maximum residue limits (MRLs) were exceeded. Thirty-one distinct fluorinated pesticides were identified, with six compounds, fluopyram, lambda-cyhalothrin, trifloxystrobin, bifenthrin, fluopicolide, and flonicamid accounting for nearly 80% of the detections, all being considered potential precursors of TFA. These findings underline the need for continued monitoring and regulatory attention to limit environmental and health risks from TFA formation.

Rapid urbanisation has increased heavy metal pollution. While vegetables are vital for health, rising metal contamination can pose significant risks that need attention. To evaluate the health risks of consuming vegetables for residents in Gansu Province, this study used ICP-MS to determine Pb and Cd content in 178 vegetable samples and to conduct risk assessments. The average levels of Pb and Cd in vegetables were 0.104 and 0.014 mg/kg, with Cd exceeding Chinese maximum limits in 8.4% of the samples. Deterministic assessment indicated that the hazard quotients (HQs) and hazard index (HI) of Pb and Cd were below 1. Probabilistic assessments were consistent. The carcinogenic risk (CR) of Pb in vegetables was below 10^-4. CR of Cd was above 10^-4 in 80.1% of males and 82.4% of females. Thus, Pb in vegetables did not pose a health risk, but Cd may pose a carcinogenic risk.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are an emerging class of organic compounds that are widely used in industrial production and therefore can be found in the environment. Dietary intake is the main route of human exposure to PFAS, especially in animal-derived foods. In this study, 25 PFAS compounds were determined in 234 animal by-products sold in Lanzhou City, China, by LC-MS/MS. In total 22 PFAS compounds were detected, among which PFBA and PFOS were detected most frequently, with average levels of 2.1 μg/kg and 1.8 μg/kg, respectively. The average level of total PFAS was 0.65 μg/kg, among which the contamination of liver was relatively high. Health risk assessment indicated that local animal by-products did not pose a significant risk to the health of the population, but attention needs to be paid to the health risks for children.

A selective and robust analytical method based on BS EN 15,662:2008 extraction coupled with LC-MS/MS analysis was used to determine 72 multiclass pesticides simultaneously in tomatoes. Method accuracy ranged from 70-120%, with standard deviations ranging from 0.85% to 19.9%. The limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.005 to 1.39 mg/kg and 0.01 to 4.17 mg/kg, respectively. A survey of pesticide residues in tomatoes from different agro-ecological zones of Pakistan was performed and overall, 25 out of 113 (22%) samples contained 13 different pesticides. Tomato samples from Punjab province contained more pesticides when compared to other areas of Pakistan. Fungicides azoxystrobin and tebuconazole were the most frequently detected pesticides. Two tomato samples were non-compliant with the European Union legislation, while one sample was non-compliant with Codex Alimentarius MRLs. For the general population, acute and chronic health risks associated with the consumption of tomatoes containing pesticides were insignificant.

In this study 49 plant secondary metabolites such as phytoestrogens (PEs) and pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) were determined in dairy total mixed rations (TMR) collected from dairy farms in Punjab, Pakistan. A validated multi-metabolite method based on liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC - MS/MS) was used to screen a range of plant-derived metabolites. Across 30 TMR samples, PEs and other bioactive compounds, including PAs, were found at mean levels of 42,300 ± 25,400 and 340 ± 249 µg/kg dry matter, respectively, with 100% occurrence of PEs daidzein, genistein and glycitein, followed by biochanin A (96%), genistin (96%), daidzin (93%), glycitin (93%) and coumestrol (83%). All PEs, except biochanin A, coumestrol and ononin, positively correlated with proportions of corn grain, soybean meal, canola meal and molasses (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the widespread presence of PEs and PAs requires investigation of their effects in animals, to determine maximum levels in feed, considering animal and food safety perspectives.

Moniliformin (MON), a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species, has recently raised health concerns. Therefore, MON levels were determined in 399 cereal grain samples obtained from retail stores across Japan between April 2020 and July 2024. The survey showed the presence of MON in 36% of the tested samples. It was mainly found in Job's tears products, corn-based products, Japanese wheat flour and rye. The highest level (3109 µg/kg) was present in a Job's tears product. Co-occurrence of MON with fumonisins was observed in corn-based products and the contamination of both mycotoxins was correlated. The obtained results indicate that Japanese people may be exposed to MON through the consumption of cereal products. Further studies on its occurrence and toxicity are advisable to achieve a more accurate health risk assessment of MON for the Japanese population.

Coix seed (C. lacryma-jobi L.) is used as a medicinal and edible grain in China. In this study, nontargeted screening of pesticide residues in 126 coix seed samples was conducted in Guizhou Province, southwestern China. The 39 pesticides screened were detected and quantified using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method after modified QuEChERS pretreatment. The samples were extracted with an acetonitrile-formic acid (98:2;v/v) mixture. Method linearity was confirmed between 0.001-1 mg kg^-1, with significant correlation coefficients (R² >0.980). Mean recoveries were 72.2%-115% and the limit of quantification was 0.01 mg kg^-1. Intraday repeatability and inter-day reproducibility ranged from 0.2% to 17.8% and 0.3% to 18.0%, respectively. Risk assessment showed that Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) were well below 1. This method can help to regulate pesticide use in cultivation areas and improve the quality and safety of coix seed products.