The proposed EU maximum levels for non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (ndl-PCBs) in food are too high
| Main Author: | German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment |
|---|---|
| Format: | Report |
| Terbitan: |
, 2007
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
https://zenodo.org/record/582179 |
Daftar Isi:
- PCBs – polychlorinated biphenyls – rank amongst the most dangerous environmental toxins. Consumers mainly ingest these substances from milk, meat, eggs and fish. For the first time the European Commission has suggested maximum levels in food for non-dioxin-like PCBs (ndl-PCBs) that are intended to reduce consumer exposure to PCBs. BfR was asked to assess the EU proposal for a maximum level for PCBs from the angle of consumer health protection. BfR welcomes the fact that for the majority of PCBs, the ndl-PCBs, maximum levels are to be laid down across Europe. This would also lead to a replacement of the maximum levels for PCBs in the national contaminants ordinance which are deemed to be too high. According to the Institute, the maximum levels proposed still do not afford the population sufficient protection. Furthermore, some foods of animal origin with above-average levels of contamination, like wild game and fish liver are not taken into account in the EU provisions. The EU proposal envisages using the sum of 6 ndl-PCBs (Σ6PCBs), which account for around half of the PCB contamination in food, for the establishment of a maximum level. BfR has no objections to this procedure but is of the opinion that, with the maximum levels proposed by the EU, it is still the case that scarcely any foods with elevated PCB levels will be objected to. The reason: because of the correlation between dl-PCBs and ndl-PCBs in Germany, the proposed EU maximum levels would only then take effect after the already existing EU maximum levels for dioxin and dioxin-like PCBs (WHO-TEQs) had been exceeded. In the opinion of BfR, the WHO-TEQs already protect the population in Germany from elevated PCB exposure more effectively than the EU maximum levels proposed for Σ6PCBs could.
- DE; de; efsa-focal-point@bfr.bund.de