Chemical and physical hazards in food

FS0401 1 2000

Perception of chemical hazards in food

FS0401 2 2000

Where chemical hazards arise in the food supply

Vehicle emission

Crops

ProcessingAgricultural

practices

Landfills

Industrial emissions and effluents

FS0401 3 2000

Livestock Retail

Storage

Seafood

Distribution

Cooking

Chemical hazards in food

- industrial and environmental contaminants

- biologically derived contaminants

- contaminants produced during

processing

- improperly used agrochemicals

- improperly used additives FS0401 4 2000

Contaminants of industrial and environmental origin

Chemical PCBs

Dioxins

Mercury

Lead

Cadmium

Radionuclides

Nitrate / nitrite FS0401 5 2000

Main source Transformers

By-product

Chlor - alkali

Vehicle emission, smelting, paint, glazes, solder

Sludge, smelting

Accidental release

Fertilizers

Associated food Fish, animal fat

Fish, animal fat

Fish

Canned food, acidic foods, drinking water

Grains, molluscs

Fish, mushrooms

Vegetables, drinking water

Inherent plant food toxicants

Chemical Associated Food

oxalates rhubarb, tea, cocoa, spinach, beet

glycoalkaloids green potato

cyanoglycosides lima bean, cassava

phytohaemagglutinin red kidney beans and other beans

various carcinogens spices and herbs

FS0401 6 2000

Mycotoxins

Chemical

Aflatoxins

Trichothecenes

Ochratoxin A

Ergot alkaloids

Fumonisins

Patulin

Zearalenone

FS0401 7 2000

Source

Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus

Mainly Fusarium

Penicillium verrucosum A. ochraceus

Claviceps purpurea

Fusarium moniliforme

P. expansum

Fusarium spp

Associated Food

corn, peanuts, tree nuts, milk

cereals and other foods

wheat, barley, corn

rye, barley, wheat

corn

apples, pears

cereals, oil, starch

Temperature range for growth of toxigenic moulds

Aspergillus

Penicillium

Minimum Optimum MaximumFS0401 8 2000

Minimum water activity for growth of toxigenic moulds

Mould Minimum Water Activity

Aspergillus ochraceus 0.78

Penicillium verrucosum 0.79

Aspergillus flavus 0.80

Fusarium moniliforme 0.87

Stachybotrys atra 0.94

FS0401 9 2000

Target organs of some mycotoxins

Mycotoxin

Aflatoxin

Ochratoxin A

Trichothecenes

Ergot alkaloids

Zearalenone

FS0401 10 2000

Target

liver

kidney

mucosa

peripheral vascular system

uro-genital tract

Contaminants of biological origin

FS0401 11 1999

Regulatory limits for mycotoxins in foods

Mycotoxin

Aflatoxins B+G

Aflatoxin M1

Ochratoxin A

Deoxynivalenol

Patulin

Zearalenone FS0401 12 2000

Limit (µg/kg)

0 - 50

0 - 1000

0.05 - 1.0

1 - 300

1000 - 4000

20 - 50

30 - 1000

Commodities

corn, peanuts, other foods

animal feeds

milk, dairy

rice, corn, barley, beans, pork kidney

wheat

apple juice

all foods

No. of Countries

48

21

17

6

5

10

4

Risk assessment for mycotoxin in foods

Mycotoxin

Aflatoxin B1

Patulin

Ochratoxin A

FS0401 13 2000

JECFA Benchmark

0.01 - 3 cancers per year per 100.000 people per µg of aflatoxin B1

per kg bw/day

0.4 µg/kg bw/day

0.1 µg/kg bw/day

Regulatory limits for aflatoxins in some Asian and Pacific countries

Country Australia/New Zealand

China

India Japan

Malaysia Philippines

Singapore Sri Lanka Thailand

Limit (µ/kg) 15 (T) 5 (T)

20 (B1) 30 (B1) 10 (B1) 5 (B1)

35 (T)

20 (B1)

Absence (B1)* 30 (T) 20 (T)

Commodity peanuts other foods maize, peanut all

rice other grains all coconuts, peanut products (export)

all all all B1 = Aflatoxin B1

*Limit of detection is around 10 mg/kg FS0401 14 2000 T = Total Aflatoxins

Other toxicants of biological origin

Toxicant Source Associated food

Ciguatera dinoflagellates tropical Fish

Shellfish toxins: dinoflagellates paralytic neurotoxic diarrhoeic amnesic

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids various toxic plants

Histamine spoilage bacteria

FS0401 15 2000

shellfish

cereals, honey

fish, cheese

Contaminants produced during processing

- polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons

- heterocyclic amines, nitropyrenes

- nitrosamines

- ethyl carbamate (urethane)

- chloropropanols

FS0401 16 2000

Improperly used agrochemicals

Insecticides organochlorine insecticidesorganophosphorus insecticidescarbamate insecticides

Animal Drugs antimicrobialsgrowth promotantsanthelminthicstherapeutics

fumigants fungicides herbicides

fertilizers plant growth regulators rodenticides

nematocides molluscicides

FS0401 17 2000

Food additives

anti-caking agents release agentsantimicrobial agents non-nutritive sweetenersantioxidants nutrient supplementscolours nutritive sweetenerscuring and pickling agents oxidising and reducing agentsemulsifiers pH control agentsenzymes propellants and gasesfirming agents sequestrantsflavour enhancers solvents and vehiclesflavouring agents stabilisers and thickenershumectants surface-active agentsleavening agents texturizers

FS0401 18 2000

Other potential hazards

processing Aids

food Contact Materials

packaging Materials

cleaning Agents

FS0401 19 2000

ion-exchange resins, filter aids enzyme preparations microorganisms solvents, lubricants, release agents specific function additives

utensils working surfaces equipment

metal, plastic, paper, wood, etc.

detergents sanitisers

Improperly used additives

Adulterants

- borax

- boric acid

- formaldehyde

- water

- unapproved colouring agents

FS0401 20 2000

Improper use of food additives

Illegal use in Indonesia

Pom Aceh - 2734 sauce bottles - Rhodamine B

Red drinks containing Rhodamine-B : Bogor 15 %Djakarta 8 %Rankasbitung 17 %Pacet 17 %Cikampek 24 %

Semarang

55% red drinks contained Rhodamine-B

31% food samples contained Rhodamine-B, Methanyl yellow or orange-RN

FS0401 21 2000

Risk analysis of chemicals in foods

Risk Characterisation

Hazard Socio-economic/Characterisation Political

End-point AssessmentDose response Risk-Benefit

Hazard Cost-Benefit RiskIdentification Exposure Communication

Assessment OptionsLevel in food RegulatoryDietary intake Voluntary

Non-intervention

Risk Assessment

FS0401 22 2000

Monitoring and Evaluation

Risk Management

Monitoring points for chemical hazards

- point source

- environmental compartments

- primary production

- import / export

- production and processing

- wholesale outlets and markets

- biomonitoring

FS0401 23 2000

Criteria for establishing priorities

- severity of potential effects on health

- levels in individual foods and the diet

- size and susceptibility of the exposed population

- significance in domestic and international trade

- nature and cost of management options

FS0401 24 2000

Chemical hazards in the home

- metal cookware contaminated with heavy metals

- ceramic or enamelled serving dishes with toxic glazes

- leaded crystal used with acid foods

- copper pans and utensils

- miscellaneous home-use chemicals

FS0401 25 2000

Chemical hazards in food

Disease and

Death

Exposure FS0401 26 2000

Potential physical hazards

- glass - slime or scum - metal - bone - plastic - stones and rocks - capsules or crystals - pits or shell - wood - paper - human and animal hair

FS0401 27 2000

Potential physical hazards

Distribution of complaints of foreign objects in food

soft drinks 19 %infant foods 16 %bakery 14 %chocolate and cocoa products 7 %fruits 7 %cereals 5 %vegetables 4 %fish 3 %others 25 %

FS0401 28 2000

Potential physical hazards

Possible control meas-res

- vis-al inspection

- filters or sieves

- metal detectors

- magnets

- separation by density

- personnel precautions (hair net, gloves)

FS0401 29 2000

Effect of thermal processing on nutrients

Vitamin B Vitamin A group* Vitamin C Vitamin E

Freezing - M M -

Pasteurisation L L M L

Boiling L M to H H L

Microwaving - L L -

Baking/Roasting L L to M M L

Ultra High temperature L L M L(UHT)

Canning M M to H H M

*Comprises a number of water soluble, low molecular weight compounds and includes Thiamine (B1),Riboflavin (B2), Niacin, Folate, B 6 and B12.

FS0401 30 2000

Effect of food processes on nutrients

Vitamin B

Milling

Air drying

Freeze drying

Salting

Aw reduction by sugars Fermentation

Acid pH (i.e. <4.6)

Vitamin A

-

M

L

-

-

-

M

-

group* Vitamin C Vitamin E M to H - -L to M H M

L M L

L L -

- - -

L L -

- L -

- -Additives (e.g. sulphite)

Irradiation -

H e.g. B1 - Thiamine

L to M L -

*Comprises a number of water soluble, low molecular weight compounds and includes Thiamine (B1),Riboflavin (B2), Niacin, Folate, B 6 and B12.

FS0401 31 2000

Mineral loss during food processing

Loss may be due to

- Physical removal

- Leaching into cooking water

- Shrinkage during cooking

FS0401 32 2000

Factors affecting mineral availability

Processes which may affect mineral availability

- Reducing or removing ingredients which inhibit mineral absorption

- Fermentation and germination

- Heating (increases availability of some minerals, decreases availability of others

- Addition of phosphates

FS0401 33 2000

Macronutrients

- Relatively stable to food processing

- Certain treatments physically remove macronutrients from the food (e.g. milling)

- Heat treatments can denature proteins, or cause fats to oxidise and degrade

- Certain treatments increase carbohydrate levels (e.g. adding sugar as a preservative)

FS0401 34 2000

Effect of nutrient loss on diet

- If a food is a principal source of a particular nutrient, it is important to minimise the loss of this nutrient

- Processed foods sometimes retain more nutrients than fresh foods

- Strategies to minimise overall nutrient loss must look at each processing stage

FS0401 35 2000

Minimising nutrient losses

To reduce nutrient loss

- Reduce water in cooking

- Minimise the time between harvest and eating

- Ensure optimum storage

FS0401 36 2000

Free radicals and chronic disease

Free radicals cause oxidative stress

Increasing evidence that free radicals may be responsible for and related to

- diabetes mellitus

- cardiovascular disease

- atherosclerosis

- tropical diseases

FS0401 37 2000

Counteracting oxidative stress

Oxidative stress is counteracted by

- antioxidative enzymes

- non-enzymic antioxidants (e.g. vitamins A, C, E and beta

carotene)

FS0401 38 2000