Assessment of dietary exposure to nonylphenol in infant formula retailed in Shanghai / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo assess the health risk of dietary exposure to nonylphenol in infants aged 0-36 months through infant formula in Shanghai. MethodsA monitoring of nonylphenol pollution in infant formula was conducted in 2022. A total of 90 samples were obtained from maternal and infant stores， supermarkets， and online stores in Shanghai. Based on the daily consumption data of infant formula， a point assessment method was used to assess the dietary exposure to nonylphenol in infant formula. ResultsThe prevalence of nonylphenol in infant formula retailed in Shanghai was 95.6% （86/90）. The amount of nonylphenol varied from non-detected to 22.70 μg·kg-1， with the mean value of 8.47 μg·kg-1 and the P50 value of 7.77 μg·kg-1. The mean daily nonylphenol exposure （estimated by body weight） from infant formula in infants aged 0-6 months， 7-12 months and 13-36 months in Shanghai was 0.091， 0.068 and 0.054 μg·kg-1， respectively； furthermore， the P95 value of daily exposure （by body weight） was 0.228， 0.152 and 0.119 μg·kg-1， respectively. These amounts were much lower than the tolerable daily intake （TDI） of nonylphenol （by body weight 5 μg·kg-1）. ConclusionThe health risk of daliy nonylphenol intake from infant formula remains low among infants aged 0-36 months in Shanghai.

Dietary exposure assessment of deoxynivalenol in wheat flour and its products sold in Shanghai / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo investigate the pollution level of deoxynivalenol （DON） in wheat flour and its products sold in Shanghai， and to assess the health risks of DON exposure for residents in Shanghai who ingested DON from wheat flour and its products. MethodsRisk monitoring data of DON in wheat flour and its products sold in Shanghai from 2017 to 2021 were combined with the consumption data of wheat flour and its products by Shanghai residents. A probabilistic assessment method was used to assess dietary exposure of DON in wheat flour and its products. ResultsThe overall detection rate of DON in wheat flour and its products was 77.3% （1 041/1 347）， with a mean concentration of 226.3 μg·kg-1， P50 of 130.0 μg·kg-1 and a maximum value of 3 080.0 μg·kg-1. The mean daily exposure and 95th percentile daily exposure （by body weight） of DON from wheat flour and its products in Shanghai residents were 0.279 μg·kg-1 and 1.146 μg·kg， accounting for 27.9% and 114.6% of the daily tolerable intake of DON TDI， 1 μg·kg， respectively. The probability assessment results indicated that 6.1% of the whole population in Shanghai had DON exposure exceeding the TDI value. Among them， 12.8% of the population aged 6 years old and below， 16.4% of the population aged between 7 and 17 years old， 3.9% of the population aged between 18 and 59 years old and 3.2% of the population aged 60 years old and above exceeded the TDI value for daily DON exposure through wheat flour and its products. ConclusionCertain populations in Shanghai may face certain health risks from daily DON intake wheat flour and its products. Special attention should be paid to the health risk of daily DON exposure through wheat flour and its products for individuals age below 18 years old .

Dietary exposure assessment of chlorate in infant formula / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo investigate chlorate contamination level in infant formula sold in Shanghai， and to evaluate the dietary exposure risk to infants in Shanghai. MethodsWith the risk monitoring data of chlorate in infant formula sold in Shanghai in 2020， combined with the dietary consumption data of infants， the dietary exposure of chlorate in infant formula was assessed via the point assessment method. ResultsIn 2020， the overall detection rate of chlorate in 120 infant formula samples was 98.3% （118/120）， the mean content was 124.5 μg⋅kg-1， the 50 percentile value was 64.6 μg⋅kg-1， and the maximum value was 1 475.0 μg⋅kg-1. The mean and 95 percentile value of daily chlorate intake from infant formula for infants aged 0‒36 months in Shanghai were 1.10 and 1.84 μg⋅kg-1， accounting for 36.7% and 61.3% of the tolerable daily intake （TDI） of chlorate （3μg⋅kg-1）， respectively. The mean， 50 percentile value and 95 percentile value of daily chlorate exposure of infants in different month-age groups （0‒6 months， 6‒12 months， 12‒36 months） through infant formula were lower than the TDI value. ConclusionThe health risk of daily chlorate intake from infant formula for infants and young children aged 0‒36 months in Shanghai is at an acceptable level.

Risk Assessment of Coumarin Intake in the Norwegian Population

The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet, VKM) has at the request of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) conducted a risk assessment of the coumarin intake in the Norwegian population. VKM was asked to assess if any part of the population has a total intake of coumarin that will exceed the tolerable daily intake (TDI). It should further be considered whether an intake of coumarin exceeding TDI 1-2 times a week for several years would represent a risk to the health of the consumer. The assessment has been performed by the VKM Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food and Cosmetics (Panel 4). Coumarin is a naturally flavouring substance in cinnamon and occurs in many plants. The substance can be found in different types of cinnamon to a varying degree. The two main types are Ceylon (Cinnamomum zeylandicum) and Cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum). Cassia cinnamon, which currently is most frequently used in food products on the Norwegian market, contains more coumarin than the lesser used Ceylon cinnamon. Oral intake of coumarin is mostly related to consumption of cinnamon-containing foods or cinnamon as a spice. This includes both direct addition of cinnamon to foods as well as the use of cinnamon oils and other cinnamon extracts by the food industry. Other important sources of exposure could be food supplements based on cinnamon or the use of cosmetic products through dermal exposure, as synthetic coumarin is added as a fragrance ingredient to perfumes, skin gels, lotions and deodorants. It is known from animal experiments that coumarin can cause liver toxicity. It is considered as a non-genotoxic carcinogen in mice and rats. In 2004, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established a TDI of 0.1 mg coumarin/kg body weight (bw), based on a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for liver toxicity in a 2-year dog study. This TDI was maintained when the substance was re-evaluated in 2008. EFSA further concluded that exposure to coumarin resulting in an intake 3 times higher than the TDI for 1-2 weeks was not of safety concern. In order to answer the second question as stated in the terms of reference, the VKM Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food and Cosmetics found it necessary to further examine the data on toxicity of coumarin, which were the basis for the TDI established by EFSA. The most significant hazards of coumarin appears to be liver toxicity, which is well documented, and demonstrated in mice, rats, dogs, baboons and humans, and kidney adenomas in male rats. In a review of human case reports, a small subgroup of the human population appears for unknown reasons to be more susceptible to medical treatment with coumarin. The lowest reported dose of coumarin associated with liver toxicity in humans is around 0.4 mg/kg bw/day. It should be noted that the liver toxicity of coumarin in humans usually is reversible. Since there were no dose-response data for humans, animal data were used in the hazard characterisation. The VKM Panel decided to use the benchmark dose (BMD) approach to determine a point of departure for adverse effects of coumarin. The 2-year chronic toxicity/carcinogenicity study in rats by the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) was chosen for model simulation and BMD/BMDL (benchmark dose lower confidence limit) calculations. The best model fit of the dose-response data combined with the lowest BMDL05 (dose where the response is likely to be smaller than 5%) was seen for increased relative liver weight in female rats, which gave a BMDL05 of 7 mg/kg bw/day (converted from 10 mg/kg bw, 5 times per week). The VKM Panel used the BMDL05 for relative increase in liver weight in female rats to establish a TDI of 0.07 mg/kg bw/day using an uncertainty factor of 100 to account for interand intraspecies variation. The intake calculations for coumarin from food and drinks in this opinion are based on both data from the nationally representative food consumption surveys Norkost, Ungkost, Småbarnskost and Spedkost, as well as on assumed worst intake scenarios of different cinnamon-containing food products. The average coumarin levels found in cinnamoncontaining food categories such as ginger bread, cinnamon buns and similar bakery products, cinnamon-containing cakes, thin pastry with cinnamon and cinnamon-based tea sold on the Norwegian market, were used to calculate the total coumarin intake in different age groups in the population. For the calculation of the coumarin intake from cinnamon powder sprinkled on oatmeal porridge and rice porridge, a coumarin level of 3000 mg/kg in cinnamon powder was used. The frequency of consumption and the amount of cinnamon powder (from ¼ - 1 teaspoon) sprinkled on the porridge were taken into account in the calculations. To assess if any part of the Norwegian population has an intake of coumarin that will exceed the TDI, the different intake scenarios presented in the opinion have been compared with the TDI of 0.07 mg/kg bw/day established by VKM. The main conclusions from the VKM Panel were: The total estimated intake of coumarin for mean and high consumers of cinnamon-containing foods are below the TDI for all age groups when consumption of cinnamon-based tea and porridge with cinnamon was excluded. Children and adults who regularly consume oatmeal porridge sprinkled with cinnamon may exceed the TDI by several folds depending on the frequency of consumption and the amount of cinnamon used. Small children (1- and 2-years old) who have a mean or high consumption of oatmeal porridge may exceed the TDI even if they use moderate amounts of cinnamon powder on the porridge. In a worst case scenario with high consumption of porridge and use of high amounts of cinnamon powder, the estimated coumarin intake could exceed the TDI by about 20-fold. This intake is similar to dose levels of coumarin used in medical treatment of adults and where cases of liver toxicity have been reported. Drinking of cinnamon-based tea, which may have a high content of coumarin, can also result in a total intake of coumarin that exceeds the TDI both for children and adults. Other relevant sources of coumarin are cosmetics and food supplements with cinnamon. The recommended dose of two cinnamon supplements sold on the Norwegian market can lead to an exceedance of TDI in adults. It is not anticipated that children will consume supplements with cinnamon. Cosmetic products (shower gels, body lotions, deodorants and oils) are important sources of coumarin exposure both for children and adults, but quantification of the coumarin exposure from cosmetics was not possible due to lack of data. The VKM Panel concludes that based on the available data, the possibility of an adverse health effect by exceeding the TDI 3-fold for 1-2 times per week for several years cannot be assessed. Generally, a minor or an occasional exceedance of TDI is not considered to increase the risk of adverse health effects. The coumarin intake could exceed the TDI by 7-20 fold in some instances. Liver toxicity may occur shortly after the start of coumarin exposure. Such large daily exceedances of TDI, even for a limited time period of 1-2 weeks, cause concern of adverse health effects.

Perchlorate contamination exposure assessment on commercial foods in Shanghai / 上海预防医学

Objective To ascertain the perchlorate contamination level in commercial foods and health risks so as to provide reference for perchlorate standard formulation and risk management.Methods Perchlorate risk survey was done on commercial foods in Shanghai;in combination with the survey results of residents'' food consumption,the exposure assessment on the presence of perchlorate in commercial food was performed by probability assessment approach.Results A total of 80 food samples from 8 food categories were analyzed,including grain,vegetables,fruits,dairy products,meat,eggs,aquatic products and teaand perchlorate detection rate was 78.8% with a mean value as 13.0±26.4 μg/kg.The highest mean value of perchlorates was 59.0±51.9 μg/kg in tea,and the lowest mean value was 3.4±2.3 μg/kg in fruits.With protection of human life and health as the maximum principle (there were supposed to be no losses of perchlorate during food processing),it was found that the estimated average dietary intake of perchlorate from the 8 food categories was 0.25 μg/kgbw.However,the 95 percentile exposure estimates reached up to 0.44 μg/kgbw,which exceeded the tolerable daily intake value of 0.3μg/kgbw established by European Food Safety Authority for healthy adults.Therefore,potential health risk may exist to certain groups of people.Conclusion Due to its high water-solubility,degradation of perchlorate in food processing probably occurs to certain extent.Therefore,there is need to carry out further actual exposure study.

Risk assessment of the amnesic shellfish poison, domoic acid, on animals and humans.

Risk assessment of the amnesic shellfish poison, domoic acid, a potent neurotoxin, is evaluated based on its current knowledge and its harmful effects, and is presented under four headings, viz., (1) hazard identification, (2) dose response assessment, (3) exposure assessment and (4) risk characterization. Domoic acid binds the glutamate receptor site of the central nervous system (CNS) of humans and causes depolarization of neurons and an increase in cellular calcium. In nature, domoic acid is produced by the algae, Pseudonitzschia spp. and they enter into the body of shellfish through their consumption. This toxin is reported to cause gastroenteritis, renal insufficiency, confusion and memory loss in humans, since it affects the hippocampus of the brain. In rats, intraperitonial and oral administration of domoic acid result in scratching, tremor and convulsions, and in monkeys, the toxic symptoms like mastication, salivation, projectile vomiting, weakness, teeth grinding and lethargy are apparent. The no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) in animals reveals that pure toxin is more effective than those isolated from shellfish. Based on LD50 values, it is found that intraperitonial administration of this toxin in animals is 31 fold more effective than oral administration. Low levels of domoic acid (0.20 – 0.75 ppm) show no toxic symptoms in non-human primates, but clinical effects are apparent in them and in humans, at a concentration of 1.0 ppm. The tolerable daily intake (TDI) of domoic acid for humans is calculated as 0.075 ppm, whereas for razor clams and crabs, the TDI are 19.4 and 31.5 ppm respectively. The hazard quotient (HQ) is found to be 2. Being an irreversible neurotoxin, domoic acid has severe public health implications. Death occurs in those above 68 years old. In order to ensure adequate protection to public health, the concentration of domoic acid in shellfish and shellfish parts at point of sale shall not exceed the current permissible limit of 20 μg g-1 tissue. While processing shellfish, it may be advisable to pay attention to factors such as environmental conditions, inter-organ variability in concentrations of domoic acid and cross contaminations.