[Risk assessment of human exposure to pesticides in food]. / Procjena rizika od izlozenosti ljudi pesticidima unesenim hranom.

This review presents methods for the assessment of acute and chronic risk from pesticide residues in food. Multiple pesticide residues can often be found in food. Currently, there is no internationally accepted procedure for the assessment of cumulative exposure to multiple pesticide residues in food. Therefore, risk assessment is based on toxicological evaluation of single compounds in a food matrix. The international estimation of short-term intake model (IESTI) has been used to calculate acute intake. IESTI is based on "the worst-case scenario" and addresses the possibility that consumers sometimes eat large amounts of a food item, and such a large amount might contain residues at highest levels. However, it should take into account uneven distribution of pesticide residues in food. Chronic exposure is based on a deterministic approach, analogous to the calculation of the theoretical maximum daily intake.

Determination of artificial sweeteners in beverages and special nutritional products using high performance liquid chromatography.

This paper presents two high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods used for the separation and determination of artificial sweeteners aspartame, acesulphame K, sodium saccharin, and sodium cyclamate in beverages and special nutritional products (special food intended for specific population groups). All four compounds are soluble in aqueous solutions and can easily be separated and determined by HPLC with a diode array detector (DAD). The first method involved separation of aspartame, acesulphame K, and sodium saccharin on a C18 column with an isocratic elution of phosphate buffer and acetonitrile as mobile phase. The second method was used to separate sodium cyclamate on a C18 column with methanol and water as mobile phase. Under optimum conditions, both methods showed good analytical performance, such as linearity, precision, and recovery. The methods were successfully applied for the analysis of real samples of soft drinks and special nutritional products.

Concentrations of trace elements in tissues of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and stone marten (Martes foina) from suburban and rural areas in Croatia.

Trace elements concentrations (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Hg) were determined in the liver, kidney and muscle of 28 red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and 16 stone marten (Martes foina) from suburban and rural habitats from Croatia. Rural and suburban habitats affected Cd and Hg levels in the muscle, liver and kidney of red fox. Significant differences in metal concentrations in the muscle, liver and kidney were detected among species. Suburban stone marten accumulated the highest levels of trace elements (mg/kg w.w.): in muscle 0.019 for Hg; in liver 0.161 for Cd, 36.1 for Cu and 0.349 for Pb; in kidney 1.34 for Cd and 0.318 for Pb. Values observed were higher than those found in suburban red fox and therefore, may represent an important bioindicator for the accumulation of toxic metals in urbanized habitats.