Exposure assessment and risk-based limit levels evaluation of ochratoxin A in Astragali Radix in China.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin found in a variety of foods and herbal medicines, and several governmental bodies around the world have set maximum allowable levels of OTA in different foods and herbal medicines. This study aims to evaluate the health risk of OTA in Astragali Radix (AR) in China, and to evaluate the effects of different limit levels on the risk control of OTA in AR. The concentrations of OTA in 187 samples of AR were investigated, and 61 (32.6%) samples were positive. The mean, 50th and 95th percentile values of OTA in positive samples were 56.2, 5.1 and 304.5 µg/kg, respectively. A margin of exposure (MOE) approach was applied to assess the risk. Considering other food sources, long-term consumers have a relatively high risk of OTA exposure due to the ingestion of AR. Theoretical limit levels of OTA in AR were evaluated from two dimensions by weighing the costs and the benefits. The results indicated that the limit levels that might be applied to the management of OTA contamination in AR in China could be screened out through risk-based evaluation of limit levels.

Health risk assessment of arsenic and some heavy metals in the edible crab (Portunus trituberculatus) collected from Hangzhou Bay, China.

In 2018, 108 swimming crabs (P. trituberculatus) were collected from the local market in Zhoushan. Each crab was separated into huang (the edible lipid portion) and meat groups and prepared according to different cooking methods. In most uncooked samples the levels of seven trace metals; mercury, cadmium, lead, zinc, copper, chromium and arsenic were higher in huang than in meat. Cadmium and total arsenic concentrations exceeded the maximum safe residue levels for China. Risk assessments revealed that only the cadmium levels in huang samples posed a toxicological risk to consumers, and uncooked huang were of carcinogenic concern. Cooking methods eliminated the carcinogenic risk and reduced the toxicological risk in huang by approximately 20%. These results show that the seven trace metals identified in P. trituberculatus from Hangzhou bay do not pose a safety concern for consumption of the meat or of the complete crab, after conventional cooking.

Dietary exposure to mineral oil hydrocarbons of Chinese infants aged 0-6 months.

Consumers are exposed to a range of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) via food. The potential adverse health effect of MOH varies widely. Since infant formula (IF) is the major food source for infants, it is necessary to understand MOH exposure and consequent health impact. In the present study, occurrence data of 42 IF samples and food consumption data of 0-6 months infants from China National Food Consumption Survey in 2015 were linked to evaluate the dietary exposure to MOH of 0-6 months infants in China. Ordinary consumers (who purchased IF for 0-6 months infants in different packaging type randomly), packaging type loyal- and brand loyal-consumers were selected as three representative populations. For ordinary consumers and packaging-loyal consumers, dietary exposure to MOH was estimated both deterministically and probabilistically. For brand-loyal consumers, point-estimation was used as the exposure assessment method. Due to toxicological gaps for MOHs, it was inappropriate to derive health-based guidance value and perform the robust human health risk assessment. MOE approach was used to characterise MOSH risk. The no-observed-adverse-effect level for induction of liver microgranulomas, 19 mg/kg BW per day, was used as a reference point for calculating margins of exposure (MOEs) for MOSH exposure. Although first exposure occurs in babies, there are no relevant toxicology studies. All MOE values for different scenarios were higher than 100. There are no dose-response data on the carcinogenicity of MOAH mixtures and hence it is not possible to establish a reference point to calculate the MOE and characterise its risk. Therefore, it is not possible to draw conclusions about the full nature of possible concerns for infants aged 0-6 months. This study evaluates by a probabilistic approach the dietary intake of Chinese infants aged 0-6 months to MOH for the first time and describes the associated uncertainties.

[Contamination of zearalenone and its dietary exposure assessment in coix seed in Shanghai].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the zearalenone(ZEN) level in coix seed, and assess the risk of dietary exposure of ZEN in coix seed in Shanghai. METHODS: The ZEN contents of 147 coix seed samples collected in Shanghai were determined. The consumption data of 730 adults in Shanghai was collected by questionnaire survey with random sampling method. Dietary intake of ZEN from coix seed in Shanghai was simulated by Monte Carlo simulation. RESULTS: The total detection rate of ZEN in coix seed was 69. 39 %(102/147), with the content range of <1. 0-9361 µg/kg and the average value of 327. 7 µg/kg. The average exposure level of populations to ZEN in coix seed was 0. 0216 µg/(kg·d), which was much lower than the tolerable daily intake(TDI). The high exposure level(P95) of populations to ZEN in coix seed was 0. 0609 µg/(kg·d), which accounted for about 24% of TDI. There were about 1. 1% people with the dietary exposure to ZEN exceeding TDI on the basis of the ZEN contents in coix seed and consumption data of coix seed in Shanghai. CONCLUSION: The health risk of ZEN exposure of coix seed in Shanghai population is lower when taking coix seed regularly, and there are potential health risks when taking coix seed highly contaminated with ZEN at a higher dose for a long time.