Lead exposure estimation through a physiologically based toxicokinetic model using human biomonitoring data and comparison with scenario-based exposure assessment: A case study in Korean adults.

Pb toxicity is linked to cardiovascular and nephrotoxicity issues. Exposure to this heavy metal can occur through food and drinking water. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate Pb exposure and assess health risks in Korean adults using a physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) model. Human blood Pb concentrations were monitored using the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) Cycle 4. The average Pb exposure in Korean adults was 0.520 µg/kg bw/day. The PBTK results were compared with scenario-based results from the 2021 risk assessment report of five heavy metals, including Pb, conducted by the MFDS. Exposure determined through reverse dosimetry was approximately two times higher than scenario-based exposure (0.264 µg/kg bw/day). The higher exposure levels obtained during PBTK analysis may be attributed to sustained exposure within historically more contaminated living environments and the long half-life of Pb. These findings suggest that the PBTK-based method can quantify aggregated exposure levels in the body over time, potentially serving as a complementary tool to address the constraints of scenario-based assessment methods for integrated risk assessment. Moreover, this model is convenient and cost-effective compared with scenario-based exposure estimation. These findings can facilitate the application of model for tracking continuous national changes in hazardous substance levels.

Occurrence and risk characterization of non-nutritive sweeteners in selected food products from Korea.

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are food additives that impart a sweet taste to food product with lower calories. Acesulfame potassium, aspartame, sodium saccharin, sucralose, steviol glycosides and enzymatically modified stevia are permitted in Korea. The study established the method of each NNS and applied it to each food items consumed in Korea. For risk assessments, the estimated daily intake (EDI) value for each NNS was calculated. EDI values of NNS were compared directly with each ADI (acceptable daily intake). The total estimated daily intake ranges by age compared with the % ADI were 0.12-0.53, 0.93-1.68, 0.05-0.20, 0.06-0.42 and 0.17-0.98% for acesulfame potassium, sodium saccharin, aspartame, sucralose and sum of stevioside and rebaudioside A, which were based on the overall averages. It can be concluded that the daily dietary intake of each of the five NNS is at a safe level when considered as a proportion of the ADI. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-021-01012-9.

Exposure assessment of benzoic acid from processed foods in South Korea.

To evaluate the dietary exposure to benzoic acid of Korean consumers, the daily intake of benzoic acid was estimated using benzoic acid concentrations from processed food survey data in South Korea and food consumption data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2018. The results were compared with the acceptable daily intake (ADI) stipulated by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. In addition, we estimated the effects and risk of benzoic acid intake, which may be increased by including amounts of naturally occurring benzoic acid recently established by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Benzoic acid analyses were conducted in South Korea in 2020 for a total of 127,628 samples; it was detected in 1,803 samples, a detection rate of 1.4%. The mean contents of total samples and detected samples were 1.3 mg/kg and 89.4 mg/kg, respectively. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of benzoic acid for average consumers using a mean value of detected samples was 207.3 µg/kg.bw/day, which is 4.1% of ADI. The EDI of benzoic acid for high consumers (95th percentile) of processed foods among the consumers was 1,406.7 µg/kg.bw/day, which is 28.1% of the ADI. As a result of estimating the intake of benzoic acid, which may be increased by a newly established standard on natural occurrence in South Korea, the theoretical maximum EDI of benzoic acid was 109.9 µg/kg.bw/day, which is 2.2% of the ADI.

Migration of substances from food contact plastic materials into foodstuff and their implications for human exposure.

The safety of food contact plastic materials, including PP, PE, PET, PCT, PLA, PBT and cross-linked polyester, was assessed with regard to migrated substances. The migrated concentrations of overall migrants (OMs), terephthalic acid, acetaldehyde, 1,4-butanediol and lead, were determined according to the standards and specifications for utensils, containers and packages in Korea. Food simulants of 4% acetic acid, water and n-heptane were used for the analysis of the substances. The dietary exposures of terephthalic acid, acetaldehyde and 1,4-butanediol were assessed using the dietary concentrations and the food consumption data. As a result, the dietary exposures were considered to be safe comparing to the health-based guidance values. In the case of lead, the margin of exposure (MOE) approach was applied. The MOEs calculated using the UB concentration and mean consumption data were ranged from 3 to 1000, which indicated low concern for health risk. Moreover, in this study, the dietary exposures were estimated by the Korean MFDS and U.S. FDA methods, respectively. As a result, the assessed risks were considered to be low in both cases. Based on the results of current exposure assessments, it could be considered that the food contact plastic materials are properly controlled by the regulatory authorities.

Association between beverage intake and obesity in children: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2013-2015.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Numerous researches have studied the association between sugar intake and obesity of children in many countries. This study was undertaken to investigate the association between beverage intake and obesity of children by reviewing a database for total sugar contents established in all foods and presented in a nutrition survey by the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). SUBJECTS/METHODS: Data of 1,520 children aged 6-11 years in the 6th KNHANES (2013-2015) were analyzed for this study. A database for total sugar intake comprises the total sugar contents of all foods included in the results of a nutrition survey using the 24-hour recall method of 6th KNHANES. Beverages were categorized into carbonated beverages, fruit & vegetable drinks, other drinks, tea, and coffee. RESULTS: The average daily beverage intake of all children was 131.75 g/day, and the average daily total sugar intake in beverages was 13.76 g/day. Carbonated beverages had the highest intake rate (58.85 g/day) and also ranked highest for sugar intake (6.36 g/day). After adjusting for confounding variables, the odds ratio for obesity in children with beverage intake of ≥ 200 mL/day significantly increased by 1.83 times (95% CI, 1.11-3.00) as compared to children with beverage intake of < 200 mL/day. Also, a significant increase was observed in the odds ratio for obesity in total children (2.41 times; 95% CI, 1.35-4.33) and boys (3.15 times; 95% CI, 1.53-6.49) with carbonated beverage intake of ≥ 200 mL/day when compared with children who consumed < 200 mL/day. CONCLUSION: A positive association is observed between beverage intake and obesity in Korean children. In particular, an intake of carbonated beverages has a positive correlation with childhood obesity in boys. This study can therefore be used as scientific evidence for reducing sugar, and for the continuous management and research on beverages.

Incomplete recoveries of fumonisins present in naturally contaminated corn foods from an immunoaffinity column.

Following previous observations of apparent instability of fumonisin B1 in corn starch and corn meal, immunoaffinity column (IAC) cleanup, of the type used in the analysis of commercial starch-containing corn foods for fumonisins, was investigated. Foods analyzed for naturally occurring fumonisins B1, B2, and B3 included corn flour (3 different products), corn meal, and corn flakes. In 2 series of experiments, fractions were eluted by gravity or vacuum from narrow- or wide-bore Fumonitest IACs either with 2 x 2 mL methanol, followed by 2 mL methanol-water (8 + 2, v/v), or with 2 mL methanol, then 2 mL methanol-water (8 + 2, v/v). The ratio (%) of fumonisin B1 concentration in the first methanol eluate to the total concentration measured from all eluates in most cases varied from 25-70%. Incomplete recoveries were also observed for fumonisins B2 and B3. It is concluded that there can be a major underestimation of naturally occurring fumonisins in methods using only methanol elution for IAC cleanup, as in AOAC INTERNATIONAL Official Method 2001.04 (accuracy of these methods had been determined only by spiking the food with fumonisins). Elution with 2 x 2 mL methanol-water (8 + 2, v/v) was chosen as a practical procedure; means of 81-98% of the total fumonisin B1 concentration were found in the first eluate, except for corn flakes and 2 experiments with corn meal.

Fumonisins B1 and B2 in agricultural products consumed in South Korea: an exposure assessment.

To survey fumonisins B1 (FB1) and B2 (FB2) in agricultural products consumed in South Korea and provide an exposure assessment, ground samples were extracted (80% MeOH), filtered (0.2 microm), and cleaned up. After evaporation, dry residues were reconstituted in 50% MeOH, and a 50-micro1 aliquot of this sample was mixed with 200 micro1 of o-phthaldialdehyde for derivatization. The derivatives were analyzed with a high-performance liquid chromatography system equipped with a fluorescence detector. For validation of the detection procedure, linearity, accuracy, precision, detection limit, and quantification limit were determined. The validated detection method was then used to survey fumonisins in white rice, brown rice, barley, barley tea, beer, wheat flour, millet, dried corn, corn flour, corn tea, canned corn, popcorn, and breakfast cereal. Retention times for FB1 and FB2 standards were 7 and 18 min, respectively. Linearity (R2 = 0.99995 to 0.99998), accuracy (81.47 to 108.83%), precision (2.35 to 5.77), detection limit (25 ng/g or ng/ml), and quantification limit (37 ng/g or ng/ml) indicated that this procedure is capable of quantifying fumonisins in agricultural products. Only FB1-positive samples (5.12%, three dried corn samples and five corn flour samples) were found at 90.89 to 439.67 ng/g. According the survey results, an estimated daily intake of FB1 and FB2 in Korea was 0.087 ng/kg of body weight per day. These results indicate that continuous monitoring of these mycotoxins is necessary to establish appropriate risk assessment, and the maximum tolerable daily intake of fumonisins in Korea is lower than the 2 microg/kg set by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization-World Health Organization Expert Committee.

Determination of deoxynivalenol in cereal-based foods and estimation of dietary exposure.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a trichothecene mycotoxin. DON contamination in agricultural food staples such as wheat, barley, and maize due to Fusarium colonization is an increasing problem. In order to provide risk managers with better guidance for regulatory measures, the concentration of DON in cereal-based foods (n = 689), collected from six cities between June 2005 and August 2008, was determined. Further, dietary exposure to DON was estimated by combining data on DON concentration in these foods with their consumption rates. Among 689 samples, 272 samples (39%) were contaminated with DON. Relatively high DON concentrations were found in dried corn, with a mean concentration of 109 microg/kg (n = 74). Daily intake of DON simulated by the @Risk program was estimated to between 0.066 and 0.142 microg/kg body weight (bw)/d for males and between 0.066 and 0.144 microg/kg bw/d for females. The major contributor to DON exposure in the 50th and 95th percentile intake groups was polished rice. For each age class, young children (3-6 yr) showed the highest relative intake, with a mean intake of 0.142 microg/kg bw/d for males and 0.144 microg/kg bw/d for females. However, the estimated daily DON intake did not exceed the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (1 microg/kg bw/d) for any age group or gender. From our risk assessment, it was concluded that the current intake of DON in South Korea may not serve as a serious health hazard.