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Abstract Beaked redfish (Sebastes mentella) and Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) were collected in waters around Svalbard (Barents Sea) to study the influence of different muscle separation/filleting techniques at small and medium fishes on the dioxin/PCB content. Sampling of both species included preparation techniques such as fillets with or without belly flaps, commercially trimmed fillets and cutting into anterior and posterior cutlets. In case of Greenland halibut also the whole edible muscle part and middle cutlets were studied. All samples analysed were far below the maximum level of 6.5 pg/g wet weight (ww) WHO-PCDD/F-PCB-TEQ and 75 ng/g ww ndl-PCB. Trimmed fillets of beaked redfish had the lowest fat content and the lowest level of dioxins and PCB (1.70%, WHO-PCDD/F-PCB-TEQ = 0.320 pg/g ww). The respective posterior cutlets showed the highest fat content and highest levels of dioxins and PCB (2.66%, WHO-PCDD/F-PCB-TEQ = 0.729 pg/g ww). Levels of dioxins and PCB in Greenland halibut samples were generally higher and ranged between WHO-PCDD/F-PCB-TEQ = 0.784 pg/g ww (fillets without bells flaps, fat content = 8.83%) and WHO-PCDD/F-PCB-TEQ = 2.022 pg/g ww (edible part whole muscle, fat content = 8.62%). The results show a considerable influence of the different sampling methods on the dioxin and PCB levels of the species analysed. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Accumulation of dioxins/PCB in fish varies depending on the analysed body part. • Sampling method may contribute decisively towards the analytical outcome. • Depending on part of fishes consumed, contribution to exhaustion of TDI varies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A number of zero tolerance provisions are contained in both food and animal feed law, e.g. for chemical substances whose occurrence is not permitted or is directly prohibited in food or animal feed. In the European Union, bans of this kind were introduced to give consumers and animals the greatest possible protection from substances with a possible hazard potential within the intendment of the hazard prevention principles and current precautionary measures. This also applies to substances for which an acceptable daily intake cannot be derived and a maximum residue limit cannot, therefore, be established, e.g. due to missing or inadequate toxicological data. Zero tolerances are also under discussion as trade barriers because their use has triggered numerous legal disputes. This paper draws together the results of an evaluation of alternative risk assessment methods to be used for the risk assessment of substances to which currently only zero tolerances apply. It will demonstrate that, depending on the available toxicological data, a scientifically sound risk assessment may still be possible. In this context, the two concepts – margin of exposure and threshold of toxicological concern – are very promising approaches. Until the scientific and sociopolitical discussions have been completed, it is essential that the principle of zero tolerances be upheld, especially for those substances which may be genotoxic carcinogens. In microbiology, there is no legal room for manoeuvre with regard to food safety criteria established for reasons of consumer health protection on the basis of scientific assessments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) forming plants are found worldwide and may contaminate food products at levels being of concern for human health. Due to the high biodiversity of PA producing plants many different types of PA structures are formed. PAs themselves are not toxic but require metabolic activation to exert toxicity. To investigate if the structure of the PAs affects their in vitro metabolism, we incubated a set of 22 PAs and compared the degradation rates and the amount of formed glutathione (GSH) conjugates. With human liver microsomes, no metabolic degradation of monoesters was found. Degradation rates of diester PAs tended to correlate with their hydrophilicity, whereby the more polar and branched-chained PAs exhibited lower degradation. There was a trend towards higher degradation rates in the presence of rat liver microsomes, but the GSH conjugate levels were similar. Although an effective degradation seems to be related with high GSH conjugate levels, no clear correlation between both parameters could be deduced. For both species no GSH conjugates, or only trace amounts, were formed from monoesters. However, for both open-chained as well as cyclic diesters GSH conjugates were detected and determined levels were comparable for both ester types without major structure-dependent differences. • The in vitro metabolism of 22 PA with human and rat liver microsomes was investigated. • Species specific differences in degradation rates were obtained for monoesters. • Both species showed similar levels of formed DHP-glutathione conjugates. • DHP-glutathione conjugates have been detected mainly for PA-diesters but not for monoesters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Game meat may contain elevated concentrations of lead especially if lead-containing ammunition is used for hunting. Then a health risk is possible for consumer groups with high game meat intake. The lead concentrations in three edible parts (marketable meat from the area close to the wound channel, saddle and haunch) of meat from red deer (Cervus elaphus) between animals hunted either with lead or non‑lead ammunition were compared. Furthermore, lead levels in game meat of lead-shot red deer were compared with those of lead-shot roe deer and lead-shot wild boar. Ninety red deer were shot and killed in the context of this study (64 with lead and 26 with non‑lead ammunition). Since the lead concentration for a number of the samples was below the limit of detection or the limit of quantification, statistical methods for left-censored data were applied. The median concentrations of lead in game meat did not differ significantly between lead shot and non‑lead shot animals. However, when we analyzed the more elevated lead concentrations, they were significantly higher in edible parts of animals shot with lead ammunition than non-lead ammunition. The highest concentrations were found in samples from edible meat from the area close to the wound channel (max 3442 mg Pb/kg), followed by the saddle (max 1.14 mg Pb/kg) and with the lowest levels in the haunch (max 0.09 mg Pb/kg). A comparison of game species revealed that the lead concentration in haunch and saddle of lead shot red deer was higher than in the corresponding samples of lead shot roe deer. Our results have shown that by the use of non-lead ammunition, a significant reduction of the lead concentration especially in edible parts near the wound channel is possible. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • There is an ongoing discussion about the use of lead ammunition in hunting. • We compared the lead concentration of meat from red deer (Cervus elaphus). • Animals were hunted either with lead or non-lead ammunition. • We used state of art statistical methods for left-censored data. • High concentrations of lead in samples of lead shot red deer were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatotoxic 1,2-dehydro-pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) and their N -oxides (PANO) in feed are a potential threat for animal and human health. However, their risk assessment in preserved animal forage is difficult due to data gaps regarding their occurrence in field samples and contradictory results regarding their behavior during the ensilage process. In this study, 115 samples of grass silage originating from different districts in Bavaria (Germany) were analyzed for their PA and PANO contents. A sensitive LC–ESI-MS/MS method for the detection of 10 PA and 4 PANO was developed including a clean-up of the aqueous acidic extract by cation-exchange cartridges. The mean recoveries were between 70% for seneciphylline- N -oxide and 104% for senecionine- N -oxide. The limits of detection ranged between 0.14 μg senkirkine/kg dry matter (DM) and 1.3 μg retrorsine- N -oxide or monocrotaline- N -oxide/kg DM. Eighteen percent of the samples contained one or more of the analyzed compounds. The highest observed value, calculated as the sum of seneciphylline and senecionine, was 30 μg/kg DM. Other samples contained senecionine- N -oxide, seneciphylline- N -oxide, lycopsamine, intermedine, echimidine, and heliotrine in lower amounts. An accompanying laboratory scale ensilage trial showed a compound-dependent transformation of PANO during the fermentation process while PA-amounts remained stable or even increased. Impacts on safety of ensiled animal feed are discussed with regard to animal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]