Summary Food Toxicology

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• 1 Introduction to the field and the course

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• What are the 3 major aims of the field of food toxicology?

  1. Define toxicity, mechanisms of action and structure activity relationships for chemicals to which humans are exposed via food 
     
  2. risk assessment: evaluation of health and environmental hazards and risks
  3. advisory task for authorities, industries and consumers 

• What are the 3 phases of food changes  (historical perspective)

  • Phase 1: hunting, fishing, gathering

  • Phase 2:  agriculture development

  • Phase 3:  industrial development

• Describe phase 1 of food changes  (historical perspective)

  Phase 1: hunting, fishing, gathering
  

  • knowledge on acute toxic properties of plants, mushrooms, minerals
  • no knowledge on long-term exposure/chronic disease  

• Describe phase 2 of food changes  (historical perspective)

  Phase 2: agricultural development
  

  • 5000 - 3000 B.C.
  • cooking allowed cultivation of new plants containing toxins as crop
  • storage and transport induced new toxic compounds such as molds (mycotoxins)  

• Describe phase 3 of food changes (historical perspective)

  Phase 3: industrial development
  

  • distance between food source and consumer increases
  • new preservation methods 
  • canning
  • addition of food additives for preservation or coloring
  • regulation and control to guarantee safe food
  • legal steps

• Why are there regulations and control needed to guarantee safe food?

  Because there are more hazards in modern food chain 
  

  • avoidable and unavoidable chemicals  

• What is the difference between avoidable and unavoidable chemicals?

  • Avoidable chemicals:
    
  • added on purpose by men 
  • can be regulated 

  
  

  • unavoidable chemicals 
  • present in nature 
  • cannot be regulated 

• Give examples of avoidable chemicals

  • Additives (E-numbers) 
    
  • flavorings
  • veterinary medicine 
  • pesticides 
  • supplements 
  • packaging materials  

• Give examples of unavoidable chemicals

  • Contaminants 
  • persistent organic pollutants (POPs) 
  • metals 
  • natural toxins 
  • from plants 
  • from animals 
  • nanomaterials 
  • mycotoxins 

• What are the 4 most important metals in the field of food safety?

  1. Mercury (Hg)
     
  2. Lead (Pb) 
  3. Cadmium (Cd) 
  4. Arsenic