Environment; Action on Dioxins in Food.
Posted by cryote on November 27, 1999 at 05:20:57 ET:
Study Calls for Action on Dioxins in Food
Updated 3:15 AM ET November 27, 1999
By Nick Antonovics
BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) - A European Union-sponsored study published Friday called for binding limits for dioxins in foods, warning the presence of the dangerous chemicals in some breast milk and human tissue was above recommended levels.
"The most important route for human exposure to dioxins is food consumption, contributing 95 to 98 percent of total exposure," the report, by AEA Technology for the European Commission and Britain's Department of the Environment, said.
Evidence suggested the amount of the potentially cancer-causing chemicals in humans was falling, as earlier efforts to curb industrial emissions of dioxins and changes in diet had an impact, but some levels were still above norms.
The report said those eating fatty foods, particularly fatty fish, meat and dairy products, were most at risk.
"Data assembled in the course of this study suggests that the exposure of new-born infants up to two months of age could be between 27 and 144 times greater than the World Health Organization recommended total daily intake," it said.
It noted breast milk had been studied for dioxin for a number of years, whereas data on dioxin in blood were limited.
The EU has been alerted to the risk posed by dioxins in food since Belgium earlier this year admitted high levels of the chemical had entered the country's food chain via contaminated animal feed, sparking a temporary ban on meat and dairy exports.
The Belgian scare highlighted the absence of any agreed EU limits for dioxins in certain foodstuffs, and prompted some policy to be made on the spur of the moment.
The report called on the EU to better monitor dioxin release and exposure and establish "maximum tolerable concentrations of dioxins...for key foodstuffs across EU member states."
The public should be informed about the presence of dioxin in particular foods and if necessary the EU should set recommended levels of consumption of those foods, it said.
"This should present a cost effective route to targeting 'at risk' groups within the community, which might include various cultural, religious and ethnic groups, who consume above average quantities of certain foods...," said the report, published on the Commission environment department's Web site.
Posted by cryote on November 27, 1999 at 05:20:57 ET:
Study Calls for Action on Dioxins in Food
Updated 3:15 AM ET November 27, 1999
By Nick Antonovics
BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) - A European Union-sponsored study published Friday called for binding limits for dioxins in foods, warning the presence of the dangerous chemicals in some breast milk and human tissue was above recommended levels.
"The most important route for human exposure to dioxins is food consumption, contributing 95 to 98 percent of total exposure," the report, by AEA Technology for the European Commission and Britain's Department of the Environment, said.
Evidence suggested the amount of the potentially cancer-causing chemicals in humans was falling, as earlier efforts to curb industrial emissions of dioxins and changes in diet had an impact, but some levels were still above norms.
The report said those eating fatty foods, particularly fatty fish, meat and dairy products, were most at risk.
"Data assembled in the course of this study suggests that the exposure of new-born infants up to two months of age could be between 27 and 144 times greater than the World Health Organization recommended total daily intake," it said.
It noted breast milk had been studied for dioxin for a number of years, whereas data on dioxin in blood were limited.
The EU has been alerted to the risk posed by dioxins in food since Belgium earlier this year admitted high levels of the chemical had entered the country's food chain via contaminated animal feed, sparking a temporary ban on meat and dairy exports.
The Belgian scare highlighted the absence of any agreed EU limits for dioxins in certain foodstuffs, and prompted some policy to be made on the spur of the moment.
The report called on the EU to better monitor dioxin release and exposure and establish "maximum tolerable concentrations of dioxins...for key foodstuffs across EU member states."
The public should be informed about the presence of dioxin in particular foods and if necessary the EU should set recommended levels of consumption of those foods, it said.
"This should present a cost effective route to targeting 'at risk' groups within the community, which might include various cultural, religious and ethnic groups, who consume above average quantities of certain foods...," said the report, published on the Commission environment department's Web site.
