Aiming to identify new emerging chemical risks in the food chain, researchers from the Wageningen Food Safety Research institute (project lead), the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague and Fraunhofer ITEM (Division of Chemical Safety and Toxicology) are collaborating in the EFSA-funded project “Screening for emerging chemical risks in the food chain” (OC/EFSA/SCER/2020/02).
In previous projects, 212 industrial chemicals registered under REACH were already prioritized as “potential emerging risk” substances that could possibly be present in the food chain. In the present project, screening methods for detecting these compounds will be developed following a tiered approach and will be used for their detection and quantification in food raw materials from different countries. In addition, the foodstuffs will be screened for unknown halogenated organic chemicals by using a non-targeted screening strategy. Experts from Fraunhofer ITEM are working to establish targeted detection limits based on the toxicity of the substances. They will perform a preliminary human health risk assessment for selected substances identified in the foodstuffs to evaluate the significance level of occurrence. Furthermore, they will assess the potential intake and compare it to toxicological points of departure in a margin-of-exposure approach.
Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine