Chemical Hazard vs. food Case Studies

Group for Food Safety Risk Assessment

December 2013

Alle Dinge sind ein Gift und nichts ist ohne Gift. Allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift

ist.

"All things are poison and nothing is without poison. Only the dose makes that a thing is not

a poison."

Theophrastus Phillippus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim

Paracelso

Content

1. GROUP FOR FOOD SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT (UERIA)

2. Acrylamide in panela3. Arsenic in rice4. Mycotoxins in Cereals5. Organochlorines in meat and milk6. Mercury in fish

GROUP FOR FOOD SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT (UERIA)National Health Institute of Colombia

• We are a technical and scientific group aimed to provide scientific support to the Sanitary and Phytosanitary authorities, who are responsible of adopt or enforce food safety measures and formulate policy-making processes.

• UERIA follows risk assessment techniques developed by relevant international organizations, such as Codex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO).

Challenges

• From its creation in 2009, UERIA group has performed several studies in hazard/food combinations, systematic reviews and scientific concepts about relevant issues for Colombian food safety.

• Through UERIA Colombian Government is working to improve food safety standards of national production aimed to face international challenges derived from current free trade agreements. (USA, Canada, EFTA, Mexico, UE, Chile, and others), as well as coming agreements (Korea, Japan, Turkey Costa Rica)

Acrylamide in sugar cane “panela”

Scientific concept

Why?

Codex International Standard of sugar cane “Panela”. The possibility of acrylamide in panela. caused by chemical reactions between the components

due to changes in temperature and pH in some foods.

Terms of reference (TOR)

1. ¿Does the presence of acrylamide in panela a risk factor for health?

2. ¿ Which are the sources of Acrylamide in Panela?

3. ¿ What is the DMU of acrylamide in food?, What are those levels?

4. ¿ What are the techniques for the determination of acrylamide in food?

Características generales

Conclusions

• The presence of Acrylamide in foods is a risk factor for health and this chemical hazard is classified in Group 2A by IARC, considering a possible carcinogen.

• Acrylamide on panela, it should be noted that acrylamide is not a food additive is a product of the Maillard reaction, this being a reaction which occurs in the presence of reducing sugars and a free amino group (for example the asparagine) that may be present in raw food materials. The cane juice (raw material panela) has reported the presence of reducing sugars and asparagine in low concentrations.

Conclusions

•The term DMU can not be applied to acrylamide, it is not a food additive.•Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as the most used techniques by international agencies and scientists to determine acrylamide in food research.

Recommendations• Priority is a chemical characterization of sugar cane juice and sugarcane

production region. This should be focused on the determination of reducing sugars and free amino acids.

• Sampling plan panela-producing region that includes the monitoring of acrylamide in the final product.

• Promoting research by academia or research groups to document relevant information to the presence of acrylamide in sugar.

• Encourage technological development in the laboratories of the country, especially in the actions they perform inspection, monitoring and control in food, in order to have reliable methodologies to report results of the acrylamide content in panela and other foods

Team

Natalia Milena ACOSTA AMADOR Yuly Andrea GAMBOA MARÍN

Jazmín Mercedes MANTILLA PULIDO María Pilar MONTOYA GUEVARA Iván Camilo SÁNCHEZ BARRERA

Reviewers:Teresa Pérez Hernández Silvia Liliana Resnik

Arsenic in rice Arsenic in rice Risk ProfileRisk Profile

Why?• Arsenic: naturally occurring mineral.• Presence in groundwater.• Inorganic arsenic (III) and (IV) IARC

carcinogen for humans.• Arsenicosis (skin, lung and kidney

cancer)• IDMT rice is 25 times higher than the

contribution from drinking water China.

• Study by INVIMA requires analyzing information and its impact on public health.

TOR

1. The levels of arsenic in Colombian rice, may even be considered as a risk for the population?

2. The possible sources of arsenic may contaminate rice (presence in soils, irrigation water or agricultural inputs)?

Scope and Limitations

• We only have total arsenic monitoring in rice

• The document not include water and fish

• Not include also poisoning associated with occupational exposure

• The study was limited to raw white rice

Prevention and Control• Water used to irrigate crops should not

exceed 0.1 mg Arsenic / liter• The rainfed crops, decrease the

bioavailability of Arsenic and its accumulation in the plant.

• Improve drainage in soils used for rice cultivation.

• No arsenical pesticides• Control of suppliers in production.• Vegetarian group associated with high

consumption of rice.• Use potable water in washing and

preparing the rice.

Team Natalia Milena ACOSTA AMADOR

Bibiana Carolina BARON MENDOZAAna Karina CARRASCAL CAMACHODiana Ximena CORREA LIZARAZO

Ángela María OTÁLVARO ÁLVAREZHenry REYES PINEDA

Gonzalo TABORDA OCAMPO

Reviewers:Silvia ResnikAlicia Fernández CirelliRodolfo G. Wuilloud

Mycotoxins in Cereals

Risk Assessment of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in corn Risk Assessment of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in corn arepa in Colombiaarepa in Colombia

Why? Corn is one of the most consumed foods

in Colombia.

Arepa is a traditional food.

Increased consumer promotion programs and production of this product.

Program managers have interested in monitoring the health status of this product.

TOR

1. What is the substrate pair (maize, wheat and rice) - mycotoxin (DON and AFB1) higher risk for the Colombian population, based on the exposure assessment?

2. Based on the selected pair in the TOR 1, What are the most consumed products in the country that can generate risk Colombian population?

3. What are the measures of prevention and control recommendations in order to reduce contamination of the selected products in the TOR 2?

Scope and objectives

Develop a qualitative risk assessment for the selected pair, identify prevention and control recommendations propose, in response to TOR 2 and TOR 3.

F = Maize Diet

According to the FAO the presence of fungi and mycotoxins can be reduced mainly by the application of good agricultural practices during harvesting, drying and storage.

Preventing mycotoxins focuses on two strategies:

1.Prevent the synthesis of mycotoxins in agricultural products

2.Food decontamination by removal or destruction of mycotoxins

Prevention and control recommendationsPrevention and control recommendations

  • Support and strengthening of inspection programs at ports, airports and border crossings

• Refresh the current regulations on control and levels of mycotoxins in foods.

• Expand research on mycotoxins including greater coverage in food, and in the studied mycotoxins. Also that analytical methods are quantitative.

• Strengthen the infrastructure of existing laboratories for mycotoxin analysis.

Prevention and control Prevention and control recommendationsrecommendations

TeamBernardo CLAVIJO

Diana Ximena CORREAAndrea GAMBOA MARÍN Viviana GONZÁLEZ RUEDA

Olga Lucía MARTÍNEZ ÁLVAREZTeresa PÉREZ HERNÁNDEZ

Olga Liliana ROJAS CONTRERASMaría Consuelo VANEGAS

Organochlorine pesticides in meat and milk

Risk ProfileRisk Profile

Why?• Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are

associated with environmental damage and a variety of toxic effects in animals and humans.

• Persistence, bioconcentration and biomagnification through the food chain.

• There are prohibitions and restrictions on the use, sale and purchase of organochlorine pesticides, however, still residues of these pesticides in the environment.

• Stockholm Convention monitoring and study of the presence of POPs in food.

TOR

1. What organochlorine pesticides could be found as residues in bovine meat and milk in Colombia?

2. From predictive estimates and results of national studies of organochlorines in meat and milk in Colombia, compared with the current legislation of the country, which of organochlorine pesticides identified as residues in the TOR 1 could constitute a risk to public health?

3. Consistent with the production of bovine meat and milk, what regions or departments are likely to have residues of organochlorine pesticides identified in the TOR 1?

Scope and objectives Endosulfán

DDT Aldrín

Dieldrín Endrín

Heptacloro HCH (Lindano)

Toxafeno Clordano

2,4D Picloram Triclopyr

.

Develop a risk profile in order to present the risk manager an overview of the current status of organochlorine pesticide contamination through consumption of meat and milk from cattle produced and marketed in Colombia.

Organochlorine pesticides under study correspond to those of greater use and marketing in Colombia in the past, whose residues may be present in meat and milk

Team

Cilia Leonor FUENTES DE PIEDRAHITAJavier Francisco REY RODRIGUEZ

William ALBARRACÍN HERNÁNDEZHoward JUNCA DÍAZ

María Pilar MONTOYA GUEVARAÁngela María OTÁLVARO ÁLVAREZ

Teresa PÉREZ HERNÁNDEZHenry REYES PINEDA

Iván Camilo SÁNCHEZ BARRERA

Mercury in fish

Risk assessment of mercury in fresh Risk assessment of mercury in fresh fishfish

Why?

High apparent fish consumption mainly in areas surrounding riversGovernment policies.Surveillance systems.Environmental concern.Research on residues in fish samples.Elevated levels in biological samples in mining areas and in areas of fish consumption.

TOR1. What are the economic activities and their impact areas that

contribute most to the addition of mercury (Hg) in fish from inland waters of Colombia?

2. What are the species that could pose greater accumulations of mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) identified in the TOR 1?

3. What is the risk associated with consumption of the species identified in the TOR?

4. What are the preventive measures to minimize exposure by fish consumption with Hg and MeHg and possible intervention strategies?

Scope and objectives

• To determine the risk of adverse effects associated with the consumption of mercury-contaminated fish from inland waters in Colombia and establish the possible prevention and intervention strategies to minimize exposure of the Colombian people to this danger.

• Assess the risk associated with the consumption of fresh fish of Colombia, fisheries and aquaculture, and excludes marine species.

• Primary extraction of metals, especially gold and silver• Production and use of fuels / energy sources• Production of recycled metals and metals• Production of raw materials and chemicals• Production processes and consumer products with

intentional use of mercury use and disposal of products and substances containing mercury

• Disposal of sanitary waste landfills and wastewater treatment

• Waste incineration, crematoria and cemeteries

Economic activities associated with the emission of mercury in Colombia

Risk group: children and pregnant women.

High adverse effect on health of exposure to Hg and MeHg.

Many varieties of fish Hg levels and residual MeHg.

Intake may exceed the allowable contaminant levels in terms of underestimation of consumption.

Preliminary FindingsPreliminary Findings

Team Álvaro WILLS FRANCO

Claudio JIMÉNEZ CARTAGENAGuillermo DUQUE NIVIA

Héctor SUAREZ MAHECHAJennyfer ALEJO RIVEROS

José Igor HLEAPJosé Luis MARRUGO NEGRETEMary Luz OLIVARES TENORIO

María Pilar MONTOYA GUEVARAIván Camilo SÁNCHEZ BARRERA

Finally ...

• Dynamic process.• Synergy between the risk manager and the

evaluator.• Promotion of the research.

• Link Academia & Government.

Dirección Vigilancia y Análisis de Riesgo en Salud PúblicaSubdirección de Análisis de Riesgo en Salud PúblicaGrupo de Evaluacion de Riesgos en Inocuidad de Alimentos (ERIA)

María Pilar Montoya Guevarammontoya@ins.gov.co

Instituto Nacional de SaludCorreo electrónico: ueria@ins.gov.coTeléfono (57-1) 220 77 00 Extensión 1333Bogotá, COLOMBIAwww.ins.gov.coLínea gratuita nacional: 01 8000 113 400

Thanks for your attention