Assessing exposure to 3-MCPD from bakery products based on monitoring studies undertaken throughout Poland.

BACKGROUND: The compound 3-monochloropropano-1,2-diol, (3-MCPD) is a contaminant found in foodstuffs that arises during food processing and storage. Conditions condusive to the former are low pH and a high temperature and it can also be formed during manufacturing, ie. food processing. Those favouring the latter are dampness, raised temperatures, packaging conditions and storage duration. For the first time, high levels of 3-MCPD have been reported in soy sauces and hydrolysate products of vegetable protein manufactured through using acid hydrolysis. Animal studies on rats and mice have found that 3-MCPD is a carcinogen, however it is not genotoxic. OBJECTIVES: To determine 3-MCPD levels in bakery products currently on the market and to estimate the resulting exposure to the those consumer groups most vulnerable. Results from a two year assessment of this contaminant are so presented. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Concentrations of 3-MCPD were measured in 244 samples of bakery foodstuff products found on the market which included; sponge cake, biscuits, cakes, crackers, breadsticks and rusks. Sampling was undertaken by the State Sanitary Inspectorate and analyses were performed by an accredited Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) method. The exposure was assessed by comparing the accepted Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for 3-MCPD with the different conditions it occurred in, the consumption of 3-MCPD in the aforementioned foodstuffs and the various consumer groups. RESULTS: Levels of 3-MCPD that exceeded the limits of quantification in the studied foodstuffs were found in 91 out of 244 samples, (ie. 37.3%). These samples included 11 sponge cakes (11.3%), 27 biscuits (55.2%), 10 crackers (8.33%), 17 breadsticks (8.93%), 21 rusks (63.6%) and 5 cakes (3.13%). The highest numbers of samples containing more than 10 (> or = 10) microg/ kg of 3-MCPD were successively found in the following; breadsticks (79%), biscuits (75%), rusks (33%), crackers (33%), cakes (31%), biscuits (24%) and sponge cakes (4%). In 60 samples (24.6%), levels of 3- MCPD were higher than 10 microg/kg. It was estimated that the mean daily adult exposure to 3-MCPD is 0.008 - 0.013 microg/kg body weight/day ie. 0.4 - 0.65% of the TDI, however at high exposures this became 6% of the TDI. In the children's group, the mean exposure was 0.022 - 0.036 microg/kg body weight/day ie. 1.1 - 1.8% of the TDI whilst at high exposure it became 16.4% of the TDI. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that sample levels of 3- MCPD in bakery products do not constitute a significant health risk to consumers.

[Fluorine content in total diets samples of small children in Poland]. / Zawartosc fluoru w calodziennych racjach pokarmowych malych dzieci w Polsce.

The aim of this study was investigation of the fluorine content in diets of children aged 1 - 4 years, living in 16 cities in different regions of Poland. Whole-day meals were collected for 10 subsequent days in spring and autumn seasons in orphanages. Fluorine contents was determined by potentiometric method. 457 whole day meals were tested. The fluorine contents in the daily diets ranged from 0.04 to 0.42 mg/kg, mean 0.15 +/- 0.07 mg kg, regardless of season collection. It was observed that diets with the highest level of fluorine include tea, fish, lettuce and cauliflower more than diets with the lowest levels of this element. There was a directly proportional dependence between fluoride in drinking water and children's meals, despite of the small difference between the maximum (0.32 mg/dm3) and minimum (0.09 mg/dm3) level of fluorine in water used for cooking in places covered by this survey. The average daily intake of fluorine was 0.28 mg (range 0.10-0.76 mg), median 0.25 mg, 90 percentile 0.47 mg. The average intake fluorine by children was 0.05 mg/kg b.w./day and not exceed the values specified in the standards of nutrition for the Polish population.

[Studies on the occurrence of furan in food for infants by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry method]. / Badania nad zawartoscia furanu w przetworach dla niemowlat metoda chromatografii gazowej ze spektrometria mas.

Furan is an organic compound formed during heat treatment. It has been shown to be carcinogenic in animal laboratory studies. The aim of this study was to determine the content of furan in vegetables and vegetable-meat products intended for infants. The testing system used during this study was gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The content of furan in 48 samples of processed food ready to eat has been determined. In all samples furan was detected within the range from 13.2 to 91.1 microg/kg, and its average value was 43.3 microg/kg. The paper estimate the exposure assessment of infants to furan found in food. The calculated exposure ranged from 0.23 to 1.77 microg/kg bw/day with the average content of furan in ready to eat products ranged from 35.3 to 52.2 microg/kg. Exposure did not exceed the ADI value 2 microg/kg bw/day.

[Analysis of notifications on exceeding of the acceptable level of histamine according to the RASFF reports]. / Analiza powiadomien dotyczacych przekroczen dopuszczalnego poziomu histaminy na podstawie raportów RASFF.

The histamine is biogenic amine produced in considerable amounts in fish and fish products contaminated with bacteria. Histamine content in fish should not exceed 200 mg/kg, higher levels can cause poisoning and the concentrations above 1000 mg/kg are toxic and may be dangerous for man. The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notifies the exceedances of the permissible level of histamine. In the years 2003-2009 there have been 272 notifications, including 72 alarm and 178 information. High histamine content in tuna exceeding the permissible level up to more than 40-fold (8299 mg/kg), in coryfena (mahi-mahi), more than 17-fold (3490 mg/kg), sardines 9-fold (1820 mg/kg), anchovii (anchovies) and 8-fold (1630 mg/kg) and fish sauce over a 7-fold (1467 mg/kg) was observed.

[Occurrence of biogenic amines in ripening cheeses taken from the Warsaw market]. / Wystepowanie amin biogennych w serach dojrzewajacych pochodzacych z rynku warszawskiego.

Biogenic amines occurring in foods, particularly fish products and cheeses, may pose a risk to consumer health, monitoring their levels in foods is still valid. The aim of this study was determination of biogenic amines in ripening cheeses available at retail on the Warsaw market and validation of two methods for the determination of amines: high performance liquid chromatography in reverse phase system (RP-HPLC) and spectrofluorimetric method in 1995 year The parameters validated RP-HPLC method for histamine, tyramine, putrescine and kadaweryne ranged: limit of detection (LOD) of 0.7 mg/ kg to 1.3 mg/kg, the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1.4 mg/kg to 2.6 mg/kg, the recovery of 92-111% and spectrofluorimetric method validation parameters of two amines: histamine and tyramine in the range: LOD of 2.4 mg/kg to 3.18 mg/kg, LOQ 4.8 mg/kg to 6.38 mg/kg, recovery 94-106.5%. The results indicate that the main amines occurring in the group studied ripened cheeses were tyramine and putrescine. The sum of all identified amines in the sample did not exceed 264.4 mg/kg.

[Occurrence of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) in food products]. / Wystepowanie 3-monochloropropano-1,2-diolu (3-MCPD) w produktach spozywczych.

3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) is a contaminant belongs to a group of chemicals called chloropropanols. 3-MCPD can be formed in foods as result of processing or storage condition. At the beginning 3-MCPD was identified as a contaminant of the acid-hydrolysed vegetable protein, which is produced using hydrochloric acid and high temperature. Studies have shown that 3-MCPD is carcinogenic for rats, however genotoxic adverse effect was not observed in vivo. The purpose of this studies was determination of 3-MCPD amounts in retail food products and comparison with the EC legislative limit. 99 samples of foodstuffs was tested: soya sauce, hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP), sugar, instant soups, stock cubes, bakery products, chips and edible fats. 3-MCPD was detected at levels below 10 microg/kg in 15% of the tested samples, and above 10 microg/kg in 63%. 3-MCPD was not occurred in 22% of the tested samples. The samples were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

[Benzo(a)pyrene contamination of vegetable oils]. / Zanieczyszczenie olejów roslinnych benzo(a)pirenem.

Benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) analysis was carried out with glass chromatographic column with alumina followed by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrofluorometric detection. B(a)P level in 40 vegetable oils were as follow: from 0.11 to 0.38 microg/kg in olive; from 0.92 to 3.74 microg/kg in rape seed oils; from 0.11 to 2.25 microg/kg in sunflower oils and from 0.33 to 1.26 microg/kg in soya oils. In another investigated oils: arachide (peanut) corn, safflower, linen, hempen, sesame, pumpkin seeds, grape seeds---values from 0.10 to 1.44 microg/kg and 3.83 microg/kg in sea buckthorn oil were detected. B(a)P concentration in 4 from 40 investigated oils exceed the 2 ppb limit proposed by the European Commission. Heating of sample of oils: olive, rape, soya, linen, corn, sesame, peanut, in temp. 240 degrees C for 30 min. has not influence on decreased of B(a)P level.

[Fluoride content of soft drinks produced in Poland]. / Zawartosc fluoru w napojach bezalkoholowych produkowanych w Polsce.

Fluoride content of 81 commercial brands of soft drinks and bottled waters were determined using potentiometric method with ion selective electrode. In the beverages produced in the same factory fluoride level were similar. The connection between elevation of fluoride levels and ingredients of investigated products such as juice or cola extract was not found. However, in some samples of ice tea drinks containing the tea extract fluoride levels might have been raised up to 1.28 mg/l. Fluoride contents of beverages from 28 producers ranged from 0.01 to 0.30 mg/l and only from 4 producers up to 0.60 mg/l. The highest level of fluoride (1.39 mg/l) has been determined in one sample of mineral water. In conclusion, ice tea beverages and certain mineral water, made and sold in Poland, may constitute an important source of fluoride in diet. Their consumption, particularly in case of children, must be controlled.