Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-7qhmt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T16:42:01.926Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Dietary exposure to chemicals within the process of risk assessment: possible applications to substances that may cause allergic reactions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2007

D. Arcella
Affiliation:
National Research Institute for Food and Nutrition, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178-Rome, Italy
C. Le Donne
Affiliation:
National Research Institute for Food and Nutrition, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178-Rome, Italy
C. Leclercq*
Affiliation:
National Research Institute for Food and Nutrition, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178-Rome, Italy
*
*Corresponding author:Dr Catherine Leclercq, fax +39 06 51494550, email leclercq@inran.it
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Exposure assessment is one of the key parts of the risk assessment process. This task is crucial when evaluating substances for which only intake of toxicologically-important amounts can lead to adverse health effects. Ideally, dietary exposure to hazardous substances can be assessed by combining data on concentration in all food products with data on their consumption. However, it is considered to be neither cost-effective nor necessary to collect detailed data for every substance, and a stepwise procedure is commonly used to focus resources on the most important issues. Screening methods, designed to look for ‘worst case’ situations, are first used to target chemicals that might be of health concern for the general population or for certain at-risk groups. The quality of the dietary exposure assessments not only depends on the quality of the data collected, but also on the integration tools used for initial screening or for the eventual more precise estimations. A particular challenge is the evaluation of food allergens and components causing other forms of intolerances, since no reliable data seem to be currently available on the type of exposure (amounts and duration) required to induce a food allergy. A different approach from that used for dietary exposure to other hazardous substances has to be adopted. However, the methodologies (such as those used to collect food consumption data) and databases (in particular, information about food labels) developed in such a context could be useful to investigate the exposure conditions leading to the development of food allergies.

Type
Symposium on ‘Reacting to allergy’
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2005

References

Arcella, D & Leclercq, C (2005) Assessment of dietary intake of flavouring substances within the procedure for their safety evaluation. Advantages and limitations of estimates obtained by means of a per capita method. Food and Chemical Toxicology 43, 105116 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arcella, D, Le Donne, C, Piccinelli, R & Leclercq, C (2004) Dietary intake of intense sweeteners by Italian teenagers. Present levels and projections derived from the INRAN-RM-2001 food survey. Food and Chemical Toxicology 42, 677685 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cadby, P (1996) Estimating intakes of flavouring substances. Food Additives and Contaminants 13, 453460 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Codex Alimentarius Commission (2004) Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme:Procedural Manual13th ed.RomeFAO/WHO.Google Scholar
Crevel, RW (2001) Risk assessment for food allergy – the industry viewpoint. Allergy 56, 9497 Suppl. 67CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
EFCOSUM Group (2001) European Food Consumption Survey Method. TNO Report V3766. Zeist, The Netherlands: TNO Nutrition and Food Research.Google Scholar
European Commission (1988) Council Directive 88/388/EEC of 22 June 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to flavourings for use in foodstuffs and to source materials for their production. Official Journal of the European Communities L184, 6171 Google Scholar
European Commission (1993) Council Directive 93/77/EEC of 21 September 1993 relating to fruit juices and certain similar products. Official Journal of the European Communities L244, 5866 Google Scholar
European Commission (1994a) European Parliament and Council Directive 94/34/EC of 30 June 1994 amending Directive 89/107/EEC on the approximation of the laws of Member States concerning food additives authorized for use in foodstuffs intended for human consumption. Official Journal of the European Communities L237, 12 Google Scholar
European Commission (1994b) European Parliament and Council Directive 94/35/EC of 30 June 1994 on sweeteners for use in foodstuffs. Official Journal of the European Communities L237 10.9.94: 318 Google Scholar
European Commission (1994c) European Parliament and Council Directive 94/36/EC of 30 June 1994 on colours for use in foodstuffs. Official Journal of the European Communities L237, 1329 10.9.94Google Scholar
European Commission (1995) Council Directive No 95/2/EC of 20 February 1995 on food additives other than colours and sweeteners. Official Journal of the European Communities L061, 23 Google Scholar
European Commission (1996) Regulation (EC) 2232/96 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 October 1996 laying down a Community procedure for flavouring substances used or intended for use in or on foodstuffs. Official Journal of the European Communities L299, 14 Google Scholar
European Commission (1998) Report on methodologies for the monitoring of food additive intake across the European Union (Final report submitted by the Task Co-ordinator 16 January 1998). Reports of a Working Group on Scientific Co-operation on Questions Relating to Food. Task 4.2. SCOOP/INT/REPORT/2. Brussels: European Commission Directorate General III Industry.Google Scholar
European Commission (1999) Council Regulation (EC) 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine. Official Journal of the European Communities L179, 184 Google Scholar
European Commission (2000a) Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs. Official Journal of the European Communities L109, 2942 Google Scholar
European Commission (2000b) Commission Regulation (EC) 1565/2000 of 18 July 2000 laying down the measures necessary for the adoption of an evaluation programme in application of Regulation (EC) 2232/96 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Official Journal of the European Communities L180, 816 Google Scholar
European Commission (2000c) First Report on Harmonisation of Risk Assessment Procedures. Scientific Steering Committee Advising the European Commission in the Area of Human and Environmental Health. Brussels: European Commission.Google Scholar
European Commission (2002) Commission Decision 2002/113/EC of 23 January 2002 amending Commission Decision 1999/217/EC as regards the register of flavouring substances used in or on foodstuffs. Official Journal of the European Communities L49, 1160 Google Scholar
European Commission (2003) Directive 2003/89/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 November 2003 amending Directive 2000/13/EC as regards indication of the ingredients present in foodstuffs. Official Journal of the European Communities L308, 1518 Google Scholar
European Commission (2005) Directive 2005/26/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 March 2005 establishing a list of food ingredients or substances provisionally excluded from Annex IIIa of Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. Official Journal of the European Communities L75, 3334 Google Scholar
European Food Safety Authority (2004) Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies on a request from the Commission related to a notification from AAC on wheat-based glucose syrups including dextrose pursuant to Article 6 paragraph 11 of Directive 2000/13/ECScientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (EFSA-Q-2004–091). http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/nda/nda_opinions/681_en.html. Google Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organization (2003) FAO food balance sheets, 1999–2001. http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/DOCREP/006/Y5065M/Y5065M00.HTM Google Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (2001) Pesticide Residues in Food - 2000. Report of the Joint Meeting of the FAO Panel of Experts on Pesticide Residues in Food and the Environment and the WHO Core Assessment Group. FAO Plant Production and Protection Paper.Report no. 163.Rome:FAO.Google Scholar
Gilsenan, MB & Gibney, MJ (2004) Assessment of the influence of energy under-reporting on intake estimates of four food additives. Food Additives and Contaminants 21, 195203 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hansen, SC (1979) Conditions for use of food additives based on a Budget for an Acceptable Daily Intake. Journal of Food Protection 42, 429434 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Huggett, AC & Hischenhuber, C (1998) Food manufacturing initiatives to protect the allergic consumer. Allergy 53, 8992 Suppl. 46CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kroes, R, Muller, D, Lambe, J, Lowik, MR, van Klaveren, J, Kleiner, J, Massey, R, Mayer, S, Urieta, I, Verger, P & Visconti, A (2002) Assessment of intake from the diet. Food and Chemical Toxicology 40, 327385 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lawrie, CA & Rees, NMA (1996) The approach adopted in the UK for the estimation of the intake of food additives. Food Additives and Contaminants 13, 411416 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leclercq, C, Arcella, D & Turrini, A (2000a) Estimates of the Theoretical Maximum Daily Intake of erythorbic acid, gallates, BHA and BHT in Italy. A stepwise approach. Food and Chemical Toxicology 38, 10751084 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leclercq, C, Molinaro, MG, Piccinelli, R, Baldini, M, Arcella, D & Stacchini, P (2000b) Dietary intake exposure to sulphites in Italy – Analytical determination of meals containing potential sulphite vectors. Food Additives and Contaminants 17, 979989 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Legault, L, Brandt, MB, McCabe, N, Adler, C, Brown, AM & Brecher, S (2004) 2000–2001 food label and package survey: an update on prevalence of nutrition labeling and claims on processed, packaged foods. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 104, 952958 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Madsen, C (2001) Where are we in risk assessment of food allergens? The regulatory view. Allergy 56, 9193 Suppl. 67CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mareschi, JP, François-Collange, M & Suschetet, M (1992) Estimation of sulphite in food in France. Food Additives and Contaminants 9, 541549 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Munro, IC, Kennepohl, E & Kroes, R (1999) A procedure for the safety evaluation of flavouring substances. Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. Food and Chemical Toxicology 37, 207232 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research (2003) Food labels database. Rome: INRAN.Google Scholar
NEVO Foundation (2004) Dutch Nutrient Database. Den Haag, The Netherlands: Voedingscentrum.Google Scholar
Ortolani, C, Ispano, M, Scibilia, J & Pastorello, EA (2001) Introducing chemists to food allergy. Allergy 56, 58 Suppl. 67CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ough, CS (1986) Determination of sulphur dioxide in grapes and wines. Journal of the Association Official Analytical Chemistry 69, 57 Google ScholarPubMed
Petersen, BJ (2000) Probabilistic modelling: theory and practice. Food Additives and Contaminants 17, 591599 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poms, RE, Klein, CL & Anklam, E (2004) Methods for allergen analysis in food: a review. Food Additives and Contaminants 21, 131 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Saba, A, Turrini, A & Cialfa, E (1992) Estimate of intakes: methodology and results of some studies carried out in Italy. Food Additives and Contaminants 9, 527534 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sampson, HA (1999) Food allergy. Part 1: immunopathogenesis and clinical disorders. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 103, 717728 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sicherer, SH, Munoz-Furlong, A, Murphy, R, Wood, RA & Sampson, HA (2003) Symposium: Pediatric food allergy. Pediatrics 111, 15911594 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, SL, Hefle, SL, Bindslev-Jensen, C, Bock, SA, Burks AW, Jr & Christie, L et al. . (2002) Factors affecting the determination of threshold doses for allergenic foods: how much is too much. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 109, 2430 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
TNO Nutrition and Food Research (2004) The Databank ALBA. www.allergenendatabank.nl Google Scholar
Trichopoulou, A (2001) The DAFNE databank as a simple tool for nutrition policy. DAta Food NEtworking. Public Health Nutrition 4, 11871198 Google ScholarPubMed
van Klaveren, JD (1999) Quality Programme for Agricultural Products. Results Residue Monitoring in The Netherlands. Wageningen, The Netherlands: RIKILT.Google Scholar
World Health OrganizationWorld Health Organization (1997) Food Consumption and Exposure Assessment of Chemicals. Food Consumption and Exposure Assessment of Chemicals.WHO/FSF/FOS/97 5Geneva:FAO/WHO.Google Scholar
Wuthrich, B (2000) Lethal or life-threatening allergic reactions to food. Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology 10, 5965 Google ScholarPubMed