Chemical risks from an industrial perspective Alejandro Barranco E-mail: [email protected] Food Safety Challenges for Mediterranean Products Zaragoza, June 10-11, 2014 www.azti.es 7/16/2014 1 Contents 1. Chemical Risks 2. Chemicals in the food production chain 3. Food Policy 4. Industrial perspective 5. Conclusions www.azti.es 7/16/2014 2 Chemical Risks RISK CODEX (2004) Hazard: A biological, chemical or physical agent in, or condition of, food with the potential to cause an adverse health effect. Risk: A function of the probability of an adverse health effect and the severity of that effect, consequential to a hazard(s) in food. International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS, 2004) Hazard: Inherent property of an agent or situationhttp://www.nanotechproject.org/inventories/consumer/analysis_draft having the potential to cause adverse effects when an organism, system or (sub)population is exposed to that agent. Risk: The probability of an adverse effect in an organism, system or (sub)population caused under specified circumstances by exposure to an agent. www.azti.es 7/16/2014 3 Chemical Risks Improve quality Bad considered Chemicals in food - Color Dangerous - Flavour Toxic - Odour Distrust - Increase shelf life Artificial products - … (not natural) Improve safety Long-term effects - Antimicrobials … - Functional products - … Figure: The location of chemical risks such as Chemical fertilizers or Pesticides that are related to POPs (Scholz and Siegrist, 2007) www.azti.es 7/16/2014 4 Chemicals in the food production chain Illustration by Harry Slaghekke http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/valuechains/value_chain_toolkit Producers Processor Distributor Retailer CONSUMER www.azti.es 7/16/2014 5 Chemicals in the food production chain Agriculture Phyitosanitary products Fertilizers Herbicides Pesticides Environmental contamination Organic contaminants Toxic elements Stockbreeding Veterinary products Hormones Antibiotics Fisheries and aquaculture Environmental contamination Veterinary products Hormones Antibiotics Environmental contamination www.azti.es 7/16/2014 6 Chemicals in the food production chain Methyl-mercury in fishery products Risk assessment Dietary recommendations (EFSA, EPA, FDA, national authorities,…) Women Who Might Become Pregnant Women Who are Pregnant Nursing Mothers The global distribution of average mercury concentrations (ppm, wet Young Children weight) in sharks and rays, ony fish, seals, and toothed whales from muscle tissue. Most samples exceed 0.3 ppm, the U.S. EPA human health criterion. Map from Biodiversity Research Institute, Gorham, ME, based on data summarized from published literature. www.azti.es 7/16/2014 7 Chemicals in the food production chain www.azti.es 7/16/2014 8 Chemicals in the food production chain Food additives Cleaning and sanitizing Preservatives Antimicrobials Antioxidants Detergents Dyes Acids and bases Sweeteners Chlorinated substances … … Processing Acrylamide Furan Food Contact Materials Ethyl carbamate Migration of chemicals from: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) Surfaces, instruments,… Application of novel technologies Packaging … www.azti.es 7/16/2014 9 Chemicals in the food production chain www.azti.es 7/16/2014 10 Chemicals in the food production chain Food contact materials Packaging Pallets Cleaning chemicals Storage Sale Other Cross-contamination (allergens) Contamination with non-food products Transport Petrol and diesel from vehicle fumes Distribution Food-security Terrorism Include procedures for the immediate recall of adulterated products from trade and consumer channels (this applies to processors, transporters, and wholesale and retail distributors) www.azti.es 7/16/2014 11 Chemicals in the food production chain www.azti.es 7/16/2014 12 Chemicals in the food production chain Food contact materials Others Kitchenware Intentionally contaminated food Home appliances: Culinary treatments Fridge Oven Microwave 100 90 80 70 60 50 Cadmium Mercury 40 % % 30 20 10 0 Raw Steamed Boiled Mouth step Gastric step Gastrointestinal step Biavailability of mercury from blackscabbard fish Biavailability of cadmium from edible crab Source: Maulvault et al., (2011). Food and Source: Maulvault et al., (2011). Food and Chemical Toxicology, 49(11), 2808-2815. Chemical Toxicology, 49(11), 2808-2815. www.azti.es 7/16/2014 13 Chemicals in the food production chain Summary Many different industries are involved in the food production chain. More than 10,000 chemical substances are allowed in food production. Much more chemicals may enter in contact with food. Not all chemicals may cause adverse effects. There are also benefits. The concentrations of hazardous substances in food may not have adverse effects. Food safety needs the collaboration and the involvement of all participants in the food production chain. www.azti.es 7/16/2014 14 Food policy Table 1. Summary of main food scares (1996-2006). Data from Knowles et al., 2007. Year Contaminant Alar pesticide (EU) 1989 Sewage contamination of fresh meat (Fr) 1990 Benzene in Perrier bottled water (EU) Dioxins in animal feeds (EU) 1999 Fungicide/poor carbon dioxide in Coca-Cola (EU) 2001 Olive oil contamination (Sp/UK) Nitrofuran in prawns (UK) 2002 Nitrofen in wheat (EU) Acrylamide (EU) Harmonisation: Mercury poisoning in swordfish (UK) - Risk assessment 2003 - Testing methodologies Sudan I (EU) Lasalocid in eggs (UK) 2004 PCBs and Dioxins in salmon (UK) Sudan I (EU) Sudan I (EU) 2005 Para Red (EU) Benzene in soft drinks (Fr/UK) 2006 www.azti.esDioxins in animal feeds (Be/Ne) 7/16/2014 15 Food policy Consumer or Market? http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/chemicalsafety/index_en.htm Sulphite Ascorbic acid Benzoic acid,… Forbidden: Chloramphenicol, nitrofurans, DDT… Maximum residue limits (MRL) List of authoritized ADDITIVES substances Maximum limits for certain VETERINARY PRODUCTS substances PHYTOSANITARY PRODUCTS EUROPEAN FLAVOURINGS POLICY FRAUDULENT PRACTICES CONTAMINANTS FOOD CONTACT MATERIALS Micotoxins Components should not migrate into food Dioxins, PAHs Hazardous substances: Polyaromatic amines(PAA), Heavy metals: Mercury heavy metals, Isopropylthioxanthone (ITX) Acrylamide www.azti.es 7/16/2014 16 Food policy U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food safety policy and decision making that incorporates precaution and science- based risk analyses. As in Europe, residue limits have been established and there are lists of approved substances. GRAS: Generally Recognized As Safe. They are exempted from food additive status and therefore free form the usual regulatory requirements Food industry can self-determine if its chemical food-additives are GRAS. Voluntary notification to FDA. Decisions are based on generally available data and information and does not require the same quantity or quality of scientific evidence needed for food additive approval. Color additives are not included in this list of substances FDA can perform complete studies of these substances (373 substances have been already reviewed) www.azti.es 7/16/2014 17 Food industry perspective Economy Policy Attacks Consumer Accidents Science Competitors Innovation FOOD INDUSTRY Threats or Opportunities? www.azti.es 7/16/2014 18 Food industry perspective New challenges from chemical risks A more strict regulatory framework New and lower MRLs New substances Many substances to be controlled Demand of rapid, cheap and easy detection systems On-line, in-line, at-line analysis. Real time analysis More pressure on SMEs Consumers’ demands High adaptation and compliance costs Competitors Unknown risks www.azti.es 7/16/2014 19 Food industry perspective New opportunities from chemical risks Advances in technical methods, approaches, capability Modernization Specialization Consumers “willing to pay” for food-safety attributes Consumers and media involvement www.azti.es 7/16/2014 20 Food industry perspective Seafood products without mercury Packaging without Bisphenol-A www.azti.es 7/16/2014 21 Food industry perspective Implementation of self-control systems Identification of gaps in food industries’ facilities from a food safety perspective Perform an action plan Verification and control Better results H. Diricks. 2010. The implementation of self checkingsystems in Belgium http://www.afsca.be/selfcheckingsystems/presentations /_documents/2.ACS-20101117v6HermanDiricks.pdf www.azti.es 7/16/2014 22 Food industry perspective Sensors Sample Biological Recognition Transductor Signal Data analysis • Rapid and selective • High throughput screening • Easy to use • Portability of devices www.azti.es 7/16/2014 23 Conclusions Chemicals are ubiquitous and food is one source of exposure to them All chemicals are not hazardous substances The presence of a chemical does not necessarily mean that a risk exists. Many things should be assessed: Toxicity Concentration level Diet exposure Culinary treatments Food industries make a lot of effort to produce safe food Cooperation and interaction among all agents involved is needed: producers, ingredients suppliers, food scientists, processors, authorities,…. Consumer trust and confidence Public health Business www.azti.es 7/16/2014 24 SAFE consortium main objective: • “To promote European food safety through cross domain cooperation and scientific excellence” AIMS of the SAFE consortium (www.safeconsortium.org) 1) to inform public debate in Europe with regard to all matters relating to food safety, by making available up-to-date knowledge based on independence through scientific integrity (i.e. SAFE congresses, seminars