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

Nickel is a food contaminant of natural or anthropogenic origin. Monitoring of contaminants in food in general allows obtaining an overview on the presence of substances that are undesirable to health. The aim of this study was to analyse nickel content in food of non-animal origin and beverages sold in Luxembourg to determine the exposure of the population to this contaminant. In total, 660 samples were analysed in the timeframe from 2017 to 2021. The results demonstrate high concentrations of nickel in cashew nuts, walnuts, hemp and sunflower seeds, dried peas, oregano, and cocoa powder. Surveillance of contaminants in food allows identifying contributors to the chronic and acute exposure of nickel in order to potentially set official maximum levels in European legislation in the future, allowing for better enforcement actions in case of contaminated products and increasing consumer protection.

This study aimed to determine the content of elemental levels of eight plants species originating from Mauritania and used as medicinal plant and to assess their risk for human health. The range of elemental content in the studied plant parts of these plant species were 0.51-16.1 mg/g for Ca, 2.63-6.49 mg/g for Mg, 11.2-201 μg/g for Al, 6.5-28.2 μg/g for Zn, 5.6-453 μg/g for Fe, 1.1-6.4 μg/g for Ni, 11.0-302 μg/g for Mn and 0.7-9.0 μg/g for Cu. The Cr, Pb, Cd and Co levels were below the limits of detection in all samples. The estimated weekly intake (EWI) and target hazard quotient (THQ) were calculated. Except for Al the THQ values were below 1, so it could be concluded that these plant species have low probability of causing non-cancer health problems for the consumer.

Upward trend in the use of food supplements urged the assessment of their safety. Eighty-eight liquid herbal supplements collected in Novi Sad (Serbia) in 2018 (36 samples) and 2021 (52 samples) were analysed for the presence of benzoates and sorbates (HPLC-UV) and benzene (HS-GC/MS). Benzoic acid varied from 599 to 9253 mg/kg and sorbic acid between 185 and 1658 mg/kg. The acceptable daily intake of sorbic acid was not reached, but in case of benzoic acid, it was exceeded by 5.3% of the samples. The presence of benzene was confirmed in 41.2% of benzoate preserved supplements (0.9-51.7 µg/kg). Benzene exposure revealed no health concern: maximum hazard quotients ranged from 0.39% (toddlers) to 0.84% (adolescents); minimum margins of exposure were between 35,680 (adolescents) and 77,419 (toddlers); estimates of lifetime cancer risk did not reach one extra cancer case per 100 000 persons. However, measures to mitigate benzene presence in food should be considered.

Concentrations of toxic and essential trace elements (Hg, Ni, Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, Mn, As and Se) were determined in different tissues (muscle, skin and liver) of three commercial fish species (Diplodus sargus, Zeus faber, Pomatomus saltatrix). The concentration of the elements was measured by ICP-MS. Arsenic was the most accumulated element in fish tissues. As concentrations in tissues of all fish species, except muscle and skin of John Dory fish, were higher than the maximum limits (MLs). The highest Se concentrations in all fish tissues were in found in the liver. Mn levels were higher than the maximum limits in all tissues of Sargoz fish, skin of John Dory fish, livers of Bluefish and Big Bluefish. In addition, Cr concentrations in tissues of all fish species were found to be higher than the maximum limits of FEPA and WHO.

Using GC-MS/MS, 365 pesticides were analysed simultaneously in multigrains collected in the metropolitan area in 2018 and 2019. A risk assessment was performed for the detected pesticides. The limit of quantification, recovery and relative standard deviation for the pesticides ranged from 0.9-10.5 μg/kg, 70.3-89.3% and 3.0-10.3%, respectively. Among the 240 samples of multigrains, a total of 104 pesticides were detected, resulting in a detection rate of 32.9%. Out of these, 79 samples contained more than one pesticide. Risk assessment was conducted across all age groups, ranging from children to the elderly. The hazard quotient of phenothrin in glutinous rice was found to be 0.977, which was the highest in this study. However, the hazard index did not exceed 1 in any age group. These results indicated that the detected pesticides do not pose a serious public health concern. Nonetheless, regular monitoring is necessary to ascertain food safety.

Alcoholic beverages are multicomponent mixtures containing several carcinogenic compounds, including ethyl carbamate, which was evaluated in fruit spirits against the limit proposed by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) and then in terms of associated health. It was above the limit in 40% of the samples and statistically higher in stone fruit spirits. The MOE values below the limit were obtained for 49% and 98% of the samples at average and chronic heavy consumption by men, while for women the limit was reached by 19% and 96% of the samples, respectively. The lifetime cancer risk (LCR) approach based on the oral slope factor indicated risk concern for 96% of the samples at average consumption, regardless of gender, while LCR based on virtually safe dose indicated 25% and 69% of the samples posing a risk to women's and men's health, respectively. Preventive measures during spirit production and legal regulation of ethyl carbamate should be considered.

The natural co-occurrence of aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in liquorice roots obtained from different herbal outlets of Karachi, Pakistan, was evaluated. A total of 60 samples were obtained during 2019‒2021 and analysed using HPLC with fluorescence detection. The method was validated according to the European Union (EU) regulation. The incidence of AFs was 52 in all tested samples (87%), with a contamination range of 1.2‒6.4 µg kg^-1 and an average of 2.1 ± 0.3 µg kg^-1. In all samples, the AFs contamination was below the maximum limit (ML) of 10 µg kg^-1 for total AFs as set by the EU. The OTA contamination in all samples ranged 1.5‒60.3 µg kg^-1, with a mean of 18.9 ± 0.8 µg kg^-1. In 36 samples (60%) the OTA contamination was below the ML of 20 µg kg^-1 as set by the EU. These results led to the recommendation to test liquorice root on mycotoxins, as it comes to food quality standards.

The occurrence of pesticide residues, their metabolites and degradation products in 49 edible mushrooms (fresh, dried, canned and frozen) was investigated. Using QuEChERS extraction, followed by liquid and gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, the samples collected from Czech markets were tested for 427 analytes. A total of 21 pesticide residues, their metabolites and pesticide synergists were found in quantifiable concentrations. The most frequently detected pesticide residues included prochloraz and its metabolites, metrafenone and carbendazim. Two mushroom samples were found to be in violation of the maximum residue level. In addition, the fate of 13 pesticides during the processing of fresh mushrooms was investigated. The processing factors calculated from the data ranged from 6.0 to 12.3 for drying and from 0.3 to 1.3 for deep-freezing. The results showed that most of the pesticide residues tested were stable under the conditions of mushroom processing.

People with coeliac disease have a limited diet. Therefore, rice-based products are an ideal alternative. Highlighting this import item, an analytical methodology was validated to determine pesticides in rice-based product samples. The precision was satisfactory for all pesticides since the RSD did not exceed 13% in any case. Regarding recovery, the method had values close to 100%. The limit of quantification was established at 10 µg/kg and the expanded uncertainty was less than 20%. After validation, 80 samples of toasts and rice crackers were analysed. All samples were compliant with the national regulations for dichlorvos and tebuconazole. The pesticide that was present in the highest number of samples was pirimiphos - methyl, but all below the maximum residue limit. From all samples analysed, 38 were positive for at least one pesticide and only one contained four pesticides simultaneously: deltamethrin, pirimiphos-methyl, kresoxim-methyl and epoxiconazole.

Twenty two mycotoxins in 136 durum wheat collected from Tunisia in 2020 and 2021 were investigated. Mycotoxins were analyzed by UHPLCMS/MS. In 2020, 60.9% of the samples were contaminated with Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and/or enniatin. Whereas, in 2021, 34.4% were contaminated by enniatins. AFB1 was detected only in 2020, in the continental region (6/46) and all samples exceeded limits. AFB1 was detected in stored wheat (24-37.8 µg/kg) but also in pre-stored wheat (17-28.4 µg/kg) and in one sample collected in the field (21 µg/kg). Enniatin A1, enniatin B and enniatin B1 were detected in wheat collected in the field (30-7684 µg/kg), pre-storage (42-1266 µg/kg) and storage (65.8-498.2 µg/kg) from the continental region also, in sample collected in pre-storage (31.3-1410 µg/kg) and at harvest (48- 1060 µg/kg). Samples had a water activity less than 0.7 and moisture content ranged between 09-14%. AFB1 level represent a health risk to the Tunisian consumers.