Investigation into Levels of Dioxins, Furans, Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Brominated Flame Retardants in Fishery Products in Ireland
Author:
Food Safety Authority of Ireland
Date Published:
4/2013
Description:
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland in collaboration with the Marine Institute (MI) has carried out a further surveillance study of levels of dioxins (PCDDs), furans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish, in addition to those already carried out in 2001 and 2004. The study was carried out in a variety of wild and farmed finfish species and also prawns and cultivated mussels available on the Irish market. It was undertaken because of concern about the possible effects on human health of these biopersistent environmental contaminants, known to be present in a number of foodstuffs including, in particular, fish, meat, eggs and dairy products. Furthermore, the study also proactively monitored fish and other seafood for a number of emerging new contaminants, in order to contribute to the knowledge base on the occurrence of these contaminants in food and to aid national and international efforts in their management. These include the brominated flame retardants and related compounds, some of which are known to be persistent and hence, like PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs, are regarded as persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
The study showed that levels of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs (both DL-PCBs and indicator PCBs) in Irish fish and other seafood are well below the limits laid down for these POPs in Council Regulation 1881/2006, as amended. The mean sum of PCDD/F and DL-PCBs in farmed salmon (the species with the highest content of these contaminants) was 1.47 ± 0.55 ng WHO TEQ/kg wet weight, compared with a legal limit of 6.5 ng/kg wet weight. Legal limits for the sum of the six indicator PCBs (PCB-28, 52, 101, 138, 153, and 180) have been recently introduced into legislation. The levels of these indicator pollutants were also well below the statutory limits, with 11.1 ± 4.06 μg/kg wet weight being detected in farmed salmon, compared with the legal limit of 75 μg/kg wet weight. Levels of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs in the non-oily marine species surveyed, and also in mussels and crustaceans, were much lower than those found in the four oily fish species surveyed (salmon, sea reared trout, mackerel and tuna). This is not unexpected since these lipophilic contaminants accumulate in fatty tissues and therefore will be higher in foods with a relatively high fat content.
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