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 Processing Agricultural practices Livestock Retail Cooking Landfills Storage Seafood Industrial emissions and effluents Distribution FS0401 3 2000

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 Main source Associated food Transformers By-product Chlor - alkali Fish, animal fat Fish, animal fat Fish PCBs Dioxins Mercury Lead Vehicle emission, smelting, paint, glazes, solder Canned food, acidic foods, drinking water Sludge, smelting Accidental release Fertilizers Grains, molluscs Fish, mushrooms Cadmium Radionuclides Nitrate / nitrite Vegetables, drinking water FS0401 5 2000

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 Source Associated Food Aflatoxins Aspergillus flavus and corn, peanuts, tree nuts, milk A. parasiticus Trichothecenes Mainly Fusarium cereals and other foods Ochratoxin A Penicillium verrucosum wheat, barley, corn A. ochraceus Ergot alkaloids Fumonisins Claviceps purpurea Fusarium moniliforme rye, barley, wheat corn apples, pears cereals, oil, starch Patulin P. expansum Zearalenone Fusarium spp FS0401 7 2000

Temperature range for growth of toxigenic moulds Aspergillus Penicillium Minimum Optimum Maximum FS0401 8 2000

Minimum water activity for growth of toxigenic moulds 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 Aflatoxin liver Ochratoxin A Trichothecenes Ergot alkaloids kidney mucosa peripheral vascular system Zearalenone uro-genital tract FS0401 10 2000

Contaminants of biological origin 1999

for mycotoxins in foods Regulatory limits for mycotoxins in foods Mycotoxin Limit (µg/kg) Commodities No. of Countries Aflatoxins B+G 0 - 50 corn, peanuts, other foods 48 animal feeds milk, dairy 0 - 1000 21 Aflatoxin M1 Ochratoxin A 0.05 - 1.0 17 1 - 300 rice, corn, 6 barley, beans, pork kidney Deoxynivalenol Patulin 1000 - 4000 wheat 5 apple juice all foods 20 - 50 10 Zearalenone 30 - 1000 4 FS0401 12 2000

Risk assessment for mycotoxin in foods Mycotoxin JECFA Benchmark Aflatoxin B1 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 Patulin 0.1 µg/kg bw/day Ochratoxin A FS0401 13 2000

Regulatory limits for aflatoxins in some Asian and Pacific countries Country Limit (µ/kg) Commodity Australia/New Zealand China 15 (T) 5 (T) peanuts other foods maize, peanut all 20 (B1) India Japan 30 (B1) 10 (B1) rice 5 (B1) other grains all Malaysia Philippines 35 (T) 20 (B1) coconuts, peanut products (export) all Singapore Sri Lanka Thailand Absence (B1)* all all 30 (T) 20 (T) B1 = Aflatoxin B1 *Limit of detection is around 10 mg/kg T = Total Aflatoxins FS0401 14 2000

Other toxicants of biological origin Source Associated food Ciguatera dinoflagellates tropical Fish Shellfish toxins: dinoflagellates shellfish paralytic neurotoxic diarrhoeic amnesic cereals, honey fish, cheese Pyrrolizidine alkaloids various toxic plants Histamine spoilage bacteria FS0401 15 2000

Contaminants produced during processing - polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons - heterocyclic amines, nitropyrenes - nitrosamines - ethyl carbamate (urethane) - chloropropanols FS0401 16 2000

Improperly used agrochemicals Insecticides organochlorine insecticides organophosphorus insecticides carbamate insecticides Animal Drugs antimicrobials growth promotants anthelminthics therapeutics fumigants fungicides herbicides fertilizers plant growth regulators rodenticides nematocides molluscicides FS0401 17 2000

Food additives anti-caking agents release agents antimicrobial agents non-nutritive sweeteners antioxidants nutrient supplements colours nutritive sweeteners curing and pickling agents oxidising and reducing agents emulsifiers pH control agents enzymes propellants and gases firming agents sequestrants flavour enhancers solvents and vehicles flavouring agents stabilisers and thickeners humectants surface-active agents leavening agents texturizers FS0401 18 2000

Other potential hazards processing Aids ion-exchange resins, filter aids enzyme preparations microorganisms solvents, lubricants, release agents specific function additives food Contact Materials utensils working surfaces equipment packaging Materials cleaning Agents metal, plastic, paper, wood, etc. detergents sanitisers FS0401 19 2000

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 Characterisation Hazard Socio-economic/ Characterisation Political End-point Assessment Dose response Risk-Benefit Cost-Benefit Hazard Risk Exposure Identification Communication Assessment Options Level in food Regulatory Dietary intake Voluntary Non-intervention Risk Risk Management Assessment Monitoring and Evaluation FS0401 22 2000

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 group* Vitamin C Vitamin E M to H - - Vitamin A - Milling M L L to M H M Air drying Freeze drying Salting L M L - L L - - - - - Aw reduction by sugars Fermentation - L L - M - - L - Acid pH (i.e. <4.6) - - Additives H (e.g. sulphite) e.g. B1 - Thiamine - Irradiation 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