[Chemical contaminants in food]

Abstract

Due to a direct material linking between environment and man via breath, food and potable water, toxic substances have always been in the food of man, only modern analytical methods have made it possible to safely register concentrations in the ppb-range and below. This is why we discover more and more potential hazardous substances in food, becoming conscious of the full extent of contamination more and more. Such concentrations make a toxicological evaluation very difficult, most of all when a long-term effect is concerned. There are different reasons for the occurrence of toxic substances in our food. Substances occurring naturally in food like trypsin inhibitors, solanine and cumarin. Substances that are added to food purposely. To these belong artificial dyes and sweetening agents, sulphur dioxide and pesticides resp. herbicides. Substances that are formed during the production, preparation or storage of food like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, peroxides of unsaturated fatty acids, mycotoxins and nitrosamines. Substances that are taken in due to environmental influences, considering primarily the toxic heavy metals lead, cadmium and mercury as well as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Legislative authorities have taken numerous steps to protect the consumer against food that is detrimental to his health, based mainly on the so-called "principle of prohibition" that stands for the general prohibition of additives as long as they are not formally permitted. The fundamental prohibition of the "Lebensmittel- und Bedarfsgegenständegesetz" (law for food and requirements) to produce or handle food in such a way that its consumption is qualified to harm the health of the consumer, has an extensive protective effect. This effect is supported by regulation for additives and special directives. An important group of possibly toxic substances in our food are pesticides and their residues. In 1985 1839 pesticides based on 302 active components were officially admitted in the Federal Republic of Germany, 40% of these as herbicides, 23% as insecticides. The investigations of the food control authorities are oriented on the regulation of maximum amounts for pesticides which includes maximum values for about 470 active substances. There is a report on special investigations of the "Landesuntersuchungsamt" (office for the investigation of food and requirements).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)