Dioxin and dioxin-like PCB levels found in food, and recommended levels
Average PCDD/Fs + dioxin-like PCB (pg CALUX-TEQ/g wet weight) levels in fish on the Belgian market (2004–2006) .
CALUX TEQ is comparable with WHO TEQ (Calux teq is determined with the same method as used in Global POP)
|
Number
of samples |
Average |
STD |
| Salmon |
77 |
1.11 |
0.65 |
| Shrimp |
16 |
1.96 |
0.67 |
| Shellfish |
6 |
1.54 |
0.51 |
| Ray |
13 |
0.71 |
0.61 |
| Plaice |
17 |
0.9 |
0.65 |
| Shark |
16 |
0.53 |
0.13 |
| Whiting |
11 |
0.73 |
0.54 |
| Cod |
19 |
0.85 |
0.64 |
| Trout |
19 |
1.04 |
0.67 |
| Young herring |
14 |
1.41 |
0.4 |
| Eel |
12 |
1.16 |
0.61 |
| Sea eel |
35 |
1.17 |
0.75 |
| Oyster |
10 |
1.57 |
0.49 |
| St. James' shell |
15 |
1.09 |
0.51 |
| Turbot |
4 |
2.36 |
1.55 |
| Sole |
16 |
0.72 |
0.4 |
| All fish |
300 |
1.18 |
0.29 |
Reference: Baeyens W. et al., Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 52, 563–571 (2007). PCBs and PCDD/FS in Fish and Fish Products and Their Impact on the Human Body Burden in Belgium
Concentration ranges and medians (in parentheses) of dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) (based on 1997 WHO toxic equivalency factors, TEFs) and indicator PCBs in various fish
TEQ=TE
PCDD/Fs=dioxins
DL-PCBs+PCDD/Fs (pg TEQ/g ww) values are based on the summation of individually measured compounds.
| Species |
Origin |
Year |
n |
Lipids (%) |
DL-PCBs+PCDD/Fs
(pg TEQ/g ww) |
| EC MRL(a) |
recommended maximum residue level set by the European Commission |
2006 |
|
|
8 |
| Anchovy |
Mediterranean |
2000 |
1 |
4.4 |
8.5 |
| Coalfish |
North Sea |
2000 |
2 |
0.9–1.7 |
0.3–1.0 (0.6) |
| Cod |
North Sea |
2000 |
2 |
0.8–1.0 |
0.3–0.8 (0.6) |
| Eel farmed |
The Netherlands, Italy |
2000 |
4 |
25–34 |
3.9–10.7 (7.8) |
| Eel wild |
IJsselmeer |
2000 |
5 |
21–25 |
8.7–37 (18) |
| Herring |
The English Channel, North Sea |
2000 |
4 |
1.8–15 |
2.4–5.7 (3.7) |
| The English Channel, North Sea, Shetland Islands |
2003 |
4 |
14–20 |
1.3–2.4 (2.0) |
| The English Channel, North Sea, Skagerrak |
2004 |
3 |
2.6–16 |
1.6–4.0 (2.1) |
| Mackerel |
Skagerrak, Atlantic Ocean, Celtic Sea |
2000 |
3 |
17–24 |
1.3–2.2 (1.3) |
| North Sea, Shetland Islands, Atlantic Ocean |
2003 |
3 |
3.3–17 |
0.8–2.4 (0.8) |
| North Sea, Shetland Islands |
2004 |
2 |
4.8–5.4 |
1.4–1.7 (1.6) |
| Mussel |
Eastern Scheldt, Wadden Sea |
2000 |
2 |
1.5–1.7 |
2.3–3.5 (2.9) |
| Pike perch |
Nieuwe Merwede, rivers Lek, Amer, Rhine, Waal |
2000 |
5 |
0.9–1.3 |
2.7–5.5 (3.7) |
| Salmon |
Norway, Scotland |
2000 |
4 |
15–24 |
3.3–4.3 (4.0) |
| Norway, Scotland |
2004 |
2 |
12–17 |
1.9–2.0 (2.0) |
| Seabass |
Mediterranean |
2000 |
1 |
3.6 |
15 |
| Shrimp |
Norway, Western Scheldt, Wadden Sea |
2000 |
4 |
1.2–2.1 |
0.2–2.0 (1.2) |
| Tuna |
Sri Lanka, Mediterranean |
2000 |
3 |
0.6–4.0 |
0.03–9.8 (4.2) |
(a) new European maximum residue levels (MRLs), set in 2006
PCDD/Fs polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans, MRL maximum residue level, TEQ toxic equivalents, ww wet weight
Reference: S. P. J. van Leeuwen & P. E. G. Leonards & W. A. Traag & L. A. P. Hoogenboom & J. de Boer Anal Bioanal Chem (2007) 389:321–333. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and biphenyls in fish from the Netherlands: concentrations, profiles and comparison with DR CALUX® bioassay results
Median CALUX-TEQ values for meat, fish and milk samples bought on the Belgian market.
| Samples |
CALUX
(pg TEQ/g lipid) |
% fat |
CALUX
(pg TEQ/g fresh tissue) |
Number
of samples |
| Meat |
|
|
|
|
| Beef |
1.9 (1.7–2.0) |
1.6 |
0.03 |
6 |
| Chicken |
1.4 (0.8–1.6) |
3 |
0.04 |
8 |
| Pork |
1.8 (1.6–1.9) |
38 |
0.69 |
9 |
| Minced pork |
1.2 (1.1–1.4) |
20 |
0.24 |
8 |
| Mutton |
1.4 |
20 |
0.27 |
3 |
| Fish |
|
|
|
|
| Salmon |
4.5 (3.9–4.9) |
14 |
0.63 |
9 |
| Redfish |
7.4 (6.5–14.0) |
3.6 |
0.27 |
8 |
| Herring |
15.8 (6.3–21.2) |
16 |
2.53 |
6 |
| Mackerel |
3.0 (2.3–7.3) |
12 |
0.36 |
5 |
| Smoked mackerel |
1.8 |
28 |
0.50 |
3 |
| Plaice |
16.9 |
2 |
0.34 |
2 |
| Shrimp |
6.0 |
2 |
0.12 |
1 |
| Milk |
|
|
|
|
| Individual farms |
3.5 (2.6–4.2) |
– |
– |
35 |
| Dairy factories |
2.0 (1.5–2.3) |
– |
– |
27 |
Reference: Schoeters G, Goyvaerts MP, Ooms DL, et al. CHEMOSPHERE (2004) 54, 1289-1297. The evaluation of dioxin and dioxin-like contaminants in selected food samples obtained from the Belgian market: comparison of TEQ measurements obtained through the CALUX bioassay with congener specific chemical analyses
Some selected links: maximum levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in fish & fish food advisories
- COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 199/2006 of 3 February 2006 amending Regulation (EC) No 466/2001 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs as regards dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:032:0034:0038:EN:PDF
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm (main page)
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_home.htm
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/Scientific_Document/efsa_dioxins1,0.pdf
- Dioxin in food - BYRNE welcomes adoption by Council of dioxin limits in food
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/press_corner/press_releases/archives/com01/com01_68_en.htm
- UK: The Food Standards Agency, DIOXINS AND DIOXIN-LIKE PCBs IN FOODS – EU MONITORING 2006
http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/fsis0407.pdf
- Nordic information- and communication network regarding safety of seafood products and utilization of resources from the sea
http://www.seafoodnet.info/publications/
- A comprehensive assessment of fish and other seafood in the Norwegian diet, 2007
http://www.vkm.no/eway/default.aspx?pid=0&oid=-2&trg=__new&__new=-2:17473
- Et helhetssyn på fisk og annen sjømati norsk kosthold, 14.02.2006
http://www.vkm.no/eway/default.aspx?pid=0&oid=-2&trg=__new&__new=-2:16532
- US EPA: 2007 National Fish Forum, Proceedings of the 2007 National Forum
http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/forum/2007/
http://www.who.int/topics/chemical_safety/en/
- WHO: Chemical risks in food
http://www.who.int/foodsafety/chem/en/
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