Consumer exposure to phthalates from paper packaging: an integrated approach

This paper presents an integrated approach to estimate the exposure of the Portuguese population to phthalates as a contaminant originating from paperboard packaging. The approach combined data of migrant concentration in the foods resulting from a stochastic simulation with consumption data of food packaged in paperboard. The results from the exposure model were validated with experimental values actually found in the food. A short surveillance exercise was conducted with samples collection from market shelves to identify and quantify the phthalates present in both the packages and the food. The distribution of values for the di-butyl phthalate concentration in the packages was used as the input of the initial concentration in the Weibull model to estimate the concentration of this phthalate in the foods. This distribution of occurrence data was then combined with the packaging usage data in a probabilistic simulation with a Monte Carlo sampling method. Exposure values ranged between zero and 8.95 µg day^?1 kg_bw, a value close to the tolerable daily intake established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)–10 µg day^?1 kg_bw. However, the 97.5th percentile and the average were 1.82 and 0.44 day^?1 kg_bw, respectively, indicating that further refinement of the estimates is not necessary. Other phthalates were also detected in the packaging samples: di-isobutyl phthalate and di-ethylhexyl phthalate. The latter was present in all packaging samples collected and was detected in a few food samples at values requiring further investigation.     

Contamination of packaged food by substances migrating from a direct-contact plastic layer: Assessment using a generic quantitative household scale methodology

The contamination risk in 12 packaged foods by substances released from the plastic contact layer has been evaluated using a novel modeling technique, which predicts the migration that accounts for (i) possible variations in the time of contact between foodstuffs and packaging and (ii) uncertainty in physico-chemical parameters used to predict migration. Contamination data, which are subject to variability and uncertainty, are derived through a stochastic resolution of transport equations, which control the migration into food. Distributions of contact times between packaging materials and foodstuffs were reconstructed from the volumes and frequencies of purchases of a given panel of 6422 households, making assumptions about household storage behaviour. The risk of contamination of the packaged foods was estimated for styrene (a monomer found in polystyrene yogurt pots) and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene (a representative of the widely used phenolic antioxidants). The results are analysed and discussed regarding sensitivity of the model to the set parameters and chosen assumptions.     

欧美和日本等国食品包装材料膳食暴露评估方法的比较分析

本文介绍了美国、欧盟、日本和加拿大在开展食品包装材料暴露评估时采用方法的原理、所需资料和计算过程,并对各种方法的覆盖面、实用性、难易程度等方面进行了比较,分析各自优缺点,为建立适合于我国国情的食品包装材料暴露评估方法,制修订食品包装材料安全标准提供科学依据,同时为食品包装材料风险评估机构、监管部门以及相关行业、企业开展相关研究工作提供参考.     

Assessment of dietary exposure to aflatoxin B1 from corn arepas in Colombia

ABSTRACT

The aim of this research was to evaluate dietary exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB₁) in corn arepas in Colombia. In addition, in this study an assessment considering compliance to the maximum level of AFB₁ (4 µg kg^?1) for this food was conducted. AFB₁ concentration data in corn arepas were obtained from 168 samples. The samples were collected from factories in 16 departments in Colombia. AFB₁ was quantified by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with a fluorescence detector. Consumption data and body weight (b.w.) were measured from the 2005 Colombian National Survey of Nutritional Status. Probabilistic estimates were made by Monte Carlo simulation of dietary exposure and margin of exposure (MOE) segmented by age group. The results showed that 27% of corn arepa samples were contaminated with AFB₁, with an average concentration of 15.1 µg kg^?1 and a maximum value of 111.1 µg kg^?1. The stochastic dietary exposure assessment showed that the age group most exposed was children between 4 and 8 years old (10.014 ng (kg b.w. day)^?1). In addition, the MOE values for all age groups were lower than 10,000, indicating a potential risk for consumers. However, in the scenario where AFB₁ concentration level complies with the maximum limit of 4 µg kg^?1 AFB₁, the level of concern could be reduced for the adult population between 14 and 64 years old because the MOE value is above 10,000.     

青海省成年居民膳食铝暴露风险评估

目的 评价青海省成年居民膳食铝的暴露水平及潜在的健康风险。方法 利用2015—2020年青海省7类共499份主要含铝食品的铝含量数据,以及《第五次中国总膳食研究》和2010—2013年中国居民营养与健康监测中的食物消费量数据,采用点评估的方法,评估青海省不同年龄-性别组成年居民的铝暴露水平及潜在风险。结果 7类主要含铝食品铝的平均含量为72.210 mg/kg,最大值为1 220.000 mg/kg。总检出率为77.96%(389/499),总超标率为19.72%(57/289)。其中,即食海蜇的检出率和超标率均为最高,分别为100.00%(11/11)、90.91%(10/11)。青海省成年居民铝的平均每日暴露量为0.080 mg/(kg·d),占暂定每周耐受摄入量(PTWI)的27.86%,谷物及其制品对青海省成年居民膳食铝暴露的贡献率最高,达88.07%。不同年龄-性别组成年居民以≥60岁年龄组女性每日铝暴露量最高,平均为0.086 mg/(kg·d),占PTWI的30.05%。各年龄-性别组成年居民膳食铝中位暴露量(铝含量取P50)和平均暴露量(铝含量取均值)占PTWI百分比均＜1。结论 青海省成年居民膳食铝摄入的健康风险较低,谷物及其制品为主要贡献食品。     

Development of a new modelling tool (FACET) to assess exposure to chemical migrants from food packaging

The approach used to obtain European Union-wide data on the usage and concentration of substances in different food packaging materials is described. Statistics were collected on pack sizes and market shares for the different materials used to package different food groups. The packaging materials covered were plastics (both flexible and rigid), metal containers, light metal packaging, paper and board, as well as the adhesives and inks used on them. An explanation as to how these data are linked in various ways in the FACET exposure modelling tool is given as well as an overview of the software along with examples of the intermediate tables of data. The example of bisphenol A (BPA), used in resins that may be incorporated into some coatings for canned foodstuffs, is used to illustrate how the data in FACET are combined to produce concentration distributions. Such concentration distributions are then linked probabilistically to the amounts of each food item consumed, as recorded in national food consumption survey diaries, in order to estimate exposure to packaging migrants. Estimates of exposure are at the level of the individual consumer and thus can be expressed for various percentiles of different populations and subpopulations covered by the national dietary surveys.     

Migration of substances from food packaging materials to foods

The employment of novel food packaging materials has increased the number of occurring hazards due to the migration from packaging material to the packaged food. Although polymers have mainly monopolized the interest of migration testing and experimentation, recent studies have revealed that migration also occurs from "traditional" materials generally considered to be safe, such as paper, carton, wood, ceramic, and metal. The regulations and the directives of the EU tend to become stricter in this respect. The emphasis is on reaching a consensus in terms of food simulants and testing conditions for migration studies. Furthermore, the list of hazardous monomers, oligomers, and additives continues to augment in order to ensure that the consumer safety is in current agreement with the HACCP, which is continuously gaining ground.     

Estimation of exposure to food packaging materials. 3: Development of consumption factors and food-type distribution factors from data collected on Irish children

There are many initiatives in Europe trying to refine the exposure assessment for food packaging migrants. In the USA, the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) uses food consumption and food-type distribution factors to aid the exposure assessment process and generate more realistic estimates of exposure. The present study developed food-consumption factors and food-type distribution factors for Irish children aged 5-12 years from data collected as part of a National Children's Food Survey (NCFS) completed in Ireland in 2003-04, combined with data from the 2003-05 Irish Food Packaging Database and from literature data on surface area-to-weight ratios for food packaging. Consumption factors are defined as the fraction of a person's diet likely to contact a specific food-contact material, while food-type distribution factors reflect the fraction of all food contacting each material that is aqueous, acidic, alcoholic or fatty. In this study, it was found that 'total plastics' had the highest consumption factor of 0.83, while 'total paper and board' had a factor of 0.13 and 'total metal and alloys' had a factor of 0.06. Although it is tentative to compare the US FDA factors with the factors derived in the current study, as the US FDA data are for the total US population, the consumption factor for 'total plastics' in the present study (0.83) was similar to that used by the US FDA (0.79). However, a large difference existed for the consumption factor for 'total metal and alloys' in the Irish data (0.06) and the US FDA data (0.2). In terms of the type of materials used for foods, glass was used mainly for acidic foods (0.67), while plastic was uniformly used for all food types. The food-contact area for plastic packaging for all foods consumed by children was 10.67 dm²/child day^-1, which is slightly lower than the proposed value for the average European consumer of 12.4 dm²/person day^-1. However, this should be expected, as children do not consume as much food as adults. When scenario exposure estimates were made, it was found that when using European Union assumptions, estimates were much larger than when using consumption factors and food-type distribution factors in the exposure assessment, even when conservative assumptions were employed for the consumption factor. This study highlights the potential use of consumption factors and food-type distribution factors in the refinement of the exposure assessment process and how these factors can be calculated using data collected as part of a national food survey.     

吉林省居民膳食汞暴露评估

目的掌握吉林省居民主要食物中汞含量水平,对居民食品中汞的膳食暴露健康风险进行初步评估。方法按照随机采样方法,2015~2016年在全省63个县市区采集8类1237份食物样品,按照GB/T5009.17-2003《食品中总汞及有机汞的测定》,结合居民膳食消费数据,计算、比较每周耐受摄入量(provisional tolerable weekly intake,PTWI)。结果 8类食物中汞的平均含量均值为7.07μg/kg。总汞的每周平均暴露量为0.50~1.01μg/kg·bw,占PTWI的12.54%~25.19%。谷物类、水产类和蔬菜类是居民膳食中总汞的主要来源。结论吉林省地区居民膳食中总汞暴露水平是安全的。谷物类食品对居民膳食贡献率最高,且吉林省谷物类食物消费量大,故建议强化谷物类食物中汞污染的控制,从源头上降低其污染量,减少膳食风险。     

Consumer exposures to anthocyanins from colour additives,colouring foodstuffs and from natural occurrence in foods

Anthocyanins are responsible for the red/blue colour of grapes, currants, and other fruits and vegetables. They may also be extracted for use as colour additives (E163) or concentrated for use as colouring foods. Consumer exposures have been assessed using data on natural occurrence, use levels and frequencies from food manufacturers and European food consumption data. Intakes from natural occurrence can be up to 4 mg kg bw^?1 day^?1 at the mean and up to 17 mg kg bw^?1 day^?1 for children who are high level consumers of red/black berries and small fruits. High-level intakes for children from food colour and colouring food applications lie in the range 0.3–6.3 mg kg bw^?1 day^?1 and for adults at 0.6–2.8 mg kg bw^?1 day^?1. Exposures from food colour use and colouring foods separately or combined are therefore lower than those from natural occurrence in foods.     

上海市闵行区部分食品镉污染暴露评估

目的 通过分析上海市闵行区居民膳食消费量及食品中镉污染物含量,了解我区居民通过膳食的镉暴露量,评估膳食的安全性.方法 采用食品类别选择性研究的方法,将2009年上海市居民食品消费量调查(闵行区)的数据和2007-2010年上海市闵行区8类食品污染物监测数据相结合,获得不同人群膳食镉暴露量,并对由膳食摄入的镉进行安全性评估.结果 (1)8类130件食品样品中镉的检出率为91.54％,超标率5.62％,超标食品主要是食用菌、猪肾及海水贝类;(2)平均每月镉的暴露量为0.441 1 mg/人,占每月可耐受摄入量(PTMI)的39.20％,每月暴露镉量的第90百分位值为1.096 4 mg/人,占PTMI的97.46％;(3)食用菌对镉暴露量的贡献率最高,为42.67％,其次是动物内脏,为20.39％,二类食品对镉暴露的贡献率占到63.06％;(4)各类人群所摄食品对镉暴露的贡献率有所不同,3岁以下儿童摄食的动物内脏对镉暴露的贡献率较高,而其他人群则为食用菌.结论 闵行区人群膳食总体处于安全状态;膳食中食用菌、猪肾、海水贝类对镉暴露的风险较大,应采取针对性措施,提高食品安全性.     

Updated evaluation of the migration of styrene monomer and oligomers from polystyrene food contact materials to foods and food simulants

Due to the 2011 labelling of styrene monomer as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” by the National Institutes of Health’s National Toxicology Program (NTP) and the controversy over whether styrene oligomers mimic the physiological effects of estrogen, an updated review of styrene monomer and oligomers in food and food contact materials (FCMs) was performed. The concentrations of styrene monomer and oligomers were determined in 24 polystyrene (PS) products and ranged from 9.3 to 3100 mg kg^–1 for the styrene monomer, 130–2900 mg kg^–1 for the sum of three styrene dimers, and 220–16,000 mg kg^–1 for the sum of six styrene trimers. Foods in contact with PS packaging had styrene monomer concentrations ranging from 2.6 to 163 ng g^–1; dimer concentrations from the limit of quantitation (LOQ) to 4.8 ng g^–1 and trimer concentrations were all below the LOQ (2 ng g^–1). Diffusion coefficients (D_p) and partition coefficients (K) were also calculated for styrene dimers and trimers. The results presented here indicate that styrene monomer concentrations in foods have not significantly changed since the 1980s and monomer concentrations in food packaging quantified in this study were all below USFDA limits. Although styrene dimers and trimers are present in higher concentrations in PS FCMs than the monomer, their migration to food is limited because of their high K values (4 × 10² to 2 × 10⁶) and their low diffusion coefficients in PS products. Additionally, diffusion coefficients calculated using USFDA-recommended food simulants and Arrhenius plots describing the temperature dependence of styrene dimers and trimers can be used in future calculations of dietary intake of the styrene oligomers.     

我国饮料食品接触材料暴露评估参数构建研究

目的建立我国饮料食品接触材料的暴露评估参数。方法利用2013年中国9省(市)居民饮料消费状况调查数据,计算饮料消费人群中各类包装的不同类型饮料的消费量,构建不同饮料食品接触材料的消费系数和食品分配系数。结果我国居民平均每天饮用的饮料为1 243.34 g,其中,塑料、玻璃、金属(带涂层)、纸和纸板(聚合物涂层)食品接触材料的消费系数分别为0.28、0.24、0.23和0.21。接触材料为塑料的饮料,主要为酸性和水性食品,食品分配系数分别为0.96和0.04。以无涂层金属材料包装的饮料为茶叶等干性食品。纸和纸板(无涂层)包装的饮料,主要是水性和酸性食品,食品分配系数分别为0.67和0.26。结论基于饮料实际消费状况调查数据构建的饮料食品接触材料暴露评估参数可为我国饮料食品接触材料安全性评估工作提供数据支持。     

2018年石家庄市蔬菜中农药残留及慢性膳食暴露评估

目的 了解河北省石家庄市蔬菜中农药残留现状,评估蔬菜中农药残留的慢性膳食暴露风险。方法 随机采集2018年石家庄市主要蔬菜生产基地和集贸市场的蔬菜样品,采用NY/T761-2008方法检测3521批次14类蔬菜样品中的65种农药残留,分析石家庄市蔬菜中农药残留现状,并结合我国居民的蔬菜消费情况和食品安全指数对石家庄市居民于蔬菜中摄入的农药风险进行慢性膳食暴露评估。结果 石家庄市抽检的蔬菜中农药残留检测合格率达99.80%,14类蔬菜样品中检出8类、超标1类,检出率为3.10%,超标率0.20%,超标均为叶菜类蔬菜。定量检测出13种农药,超标农药为水胺硫磷和毒死蜱,分别超标5批次和2批次。对所有检出农药进行慢性膳食暴露评估结果表明,水胺硫磷和毒死蜱的日摄入量相对较高,所有检出农药的食品安全指数值均小于1。结论 石家庄市市蔬菜中农药残留量的安全风险均在安全范围内,居民蔬菜中农药残留的慢性膳食暴露风险小,水胺硫磷、毒死蜱是潜在的风险因子,应重点防患其残留风险。     

Dietary exposure to furan of the Austrian population

ABSTRACT

In the period from 2007 to 2017 furan levels of foods were analysed by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety. Based on these analytical data and the Austrian consumption data the dietary exposure of children and adults to furan was estimated by using a deterministic approach. For the adult population the mean and 95^th percentile dietary exposures to furan were estimated at 0.31 µg/kg bodyweight per day and at 0.72 µg/kg bodyweight per day, respectively. The mean dietary exposure of children was estimated at 0.18 µg/kg bodyweight per day and is thus only about half as high as for Austrian adults. At the 95^th percentile the dietary exposure of children was estimated at 0.49 µg/kg bodyweight per day. The main contributor to the total dietary exposure for adults is coffee followed by convenience products and for children the main contributors are grain products as well as convenience products, bread and snacks. Based on the BMDL₁₀ of 0.064 mg/kg bodyweight per day for the development of cholangiofibrosis, the MOE-calculation revealed that the current levels of dietary exposure to furan are of concern for Austrian adult high consumers. The MOE-calculation, based on the BMDL₁₀ of 1.31 mg/kg bodyweight per day for the development of hepatocellular adenomas, indicated a health concern for Austrian children and adults.     

Use of a food-consumption database with packaging information to estimate exposure to food-packaging migrants: expoxidized soybean oil and styrene monomer

There is no set protocol for completing refined exposure assessments of food-packaging migrants in the European Union. One novel method that could be used to provide more realistic exposure assessments and also reduce uncertainty in the exposure estimation could be the use of food consumption surveys that also have packaging information. The aim of the current study was to estimate exposure to two food-packaging migrants (expoxidized soybean oil (ESBO) and styrene monomer) using a food-consumption database that collected packaging information. The Irish National Children's Food Survey (NCFS) was completed in 2003-04 and it collected information on the type and amount of food consumed by 594 Irish children aged 5-12 years, in addition to the type of packaging used for these foods. The Irish Food Packaging Database (IFPD) was completed in parallel to this food consumption survey and recorded exact information on the contact layer used for the packaging. In a database that combined information from the NCFS and the IFPD, the packaging materials that could contain the target migrants were identified. If a food was packaged in a material that could contain the migrant, it was assumed that the migrant was present in the food. For the exposure assessment of ESBO the 90th percentile migration values of ESBO in foods derived from the literature were used. This was similar to a method as used by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in their exposure assessment of ESBO for adults. Two scenarios of styrene exposure were undertaken in this study. In the first scenario the 90th percentile migration value for styrene found in foods was used; in the second scenario the maximum level of styrene found in foods was used. These migration values were derived from the literature. The mean intake of ESBO for Irish children was 0.023 mg kg^-1 body weight day^-1, which is well below the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 1 mg kg^-1 body weight day^-1 set by the Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) in 1999. The food group that contributed most to ESBO intake was tomato sauces packed in glass jars with polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-lined metal lids (46.8%). For styrene, the mean intake was 0.122 µg kg^-1 body weight day^-1 when using the 90th percentile migration values and 0.169 µg kg^-1 body weight day^-1 when using the maximum migration values. These estimated intakes are below the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) of 40 µg kg^-1 body weight day^-1, which was established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in 1984. Therefore, the estimated intakes of the two migrants are not of concern for Irish Children and uncertainty is reduced in the assessment due to the fact that information is available on the type of foods consumed the type of packaging used for these foods.     

Dietary exposure to aluminium of urban residents from cities in South China

A dietary survey was conducted over three consecutive days by using 24-hour dietary recall in the Pearl River Delta of South China to investigate the dietary consumption status. A total of 1702 food samples, 22 food groups, were collected, and aluminium concentrations of foods were determined by using ICP-MS. Weekly dietary exposure to aluminium of the average urban residents of South China was estimated to be 1.5 mg kg^?1 body weight, which amounted to 76% of the provisional tolerable weekly intake. Wheat-made products (53.5%) contributed most to the dietary exposure, followed by vegetables (12.2%). The high-level consumers’ weekly exposure to aluminium was 11.1 mg kg^?1 body weight, which amounted to 407% of the provisional tolerable weekly intake. The results indicated that the general urban residents in South China might be safe from aluminium exposure, but the high-level consumers might be at some risk of aluminium exposure. The foods contributing to aluminium exposure were processed food with aluminium-containing food additives. It is necessary to take effective measures to control the overuse of aluminium-containing food additives.     

Estimates of dietary exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) from light metal packaging using food consumption and packaging usage data: a refined deterministic approach and a fully probabilistic (FACET) approach

The FACET tool is a probabilistic model to estimate exposure to chemicals in foodstuffs, originating from flavours, additives and food contact materials. This paper demonstrates the use of the FACET tool to estimate exposure to BPA (bisphenol A) from light metal packaging. For exposure to migrants from food packaging, FACET uses industry-supplied data on the occurrence of substances in the packaging, their concentrations and construction of the packaging, which were combined with data from a market research organisation and food consumption data supplied by national database managers. To illustrate the principles, UK packaging data were used together with consumption data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) dietary survey for 19–64 year olds for a refined deterministic verification. The UK data were chosen mainly because the consumption surveys are detailed, data for UK packaging at a detailed level were available and, arguably, the UK population is composed of high consumers of packaged foodstuffs. Exposures were run for each food category that could give rise to BPA from light metal packaging. Consumer loyalty to a particular type of packaging, commonly referred to as packaging loyalty, was set. The BPA extraction levels used for the 15 types of coating chemistries that could release BPA were in the range of 0.00005–0.012 mg dm^–2. The estimates of exposure to BPA using FACET for the total diet were 0.0098 (mean) and 0.0466 (97.5th percentile) mg/person/day, corresponding to 0.00013 (mean) and 0.00059 (97.5th percentile) mg kg^–1 body weight day^–1 for consumers of foods packed in light metal packaging. This is well below the current EFSA (and other recognised bodies) TDI of 0.05 mg kg^–1 body weight day^–1. These probabilistic estimates were compared with estimates using a refined deterministic approach drawing on the same input data. The results from FACET for the mean, 95th and 97.5th percentile exposures to BPA lay between the lowest and the highest estimates from the refined deterministic calculations. Since this should be the case, for a fully probabilistic compared with a deterministic approach, it is concluded that the FACET tool has been verified in this example. A recent EFSA draft opinion on exposure to BPA from different sources showed that canned foods were a major contributor and compared results from various models, including those from FACET. The results from FACET were overall conservative.     

混合物联合暴露风险评估方法进展及其对我国构建相关体系借鉴作用

基于人类通过多种途径暴露于多种物质,以及混合物共存可能诱导联合毒性效应的现实,混合物联合暴露风险评估受到国际社会的广泛关注。许多国家依据各自提出的评估指南开展风险评估,其评估结果为科学决策提供依据。本文通过分析国际上混合物联合暴露风险评估模型构建方法和框架,探讨构建我国食品中混合物联合作用风险评估体系和框架。