Chemical Hazard vs.

food
Case Studies
Group for Food Safety Risk Assessment
December 2013

Alle Dinge sind ein Gift und nichts ist

ohne Gift. Allein die Dosis macht, da
ein Ding kein Gift ist.
"All things are poison and nothing is
without poison. Only the dose makes
that a thing is not a poison."
Theophrastus Phillippus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim

Paracelso

Content
1. GROUP FOR FOOD SAFETY RISK
ASSESSMENT (UERIA)
2. Acrylamide in panela
3. Arsenic in rice
4. Mycotoxins in Cereals
5. Organochlorines in meat and milk
6. Mercury in fish

GROUP FOR FOOD SAFETY RISK

ASSESSMENT (UERIA)
National Health Institute of Colombia
We are a technical and scientific group
aimed to provide scientific support to the
Sanitary and Phytosanitary authorities,
who are responsible of adopt or enforce
food safety measures and formulate
policy-making processes.
UERIA follows risk assessment techniques
developed
by
relevant
international
organizations, such as Codex Alimentarius
(FAO/WHO).

Challenges
From its creation in 2009, UERIA group has
performed
several
studies
in
hazard/food
combinations, systematic reviews and scientific
concepts about relevant issues for Colombian food
safety.
Through UERIA Colombian Government is working
to improve food safety standards of national
production aimed to face international challenges
derived from current free trade agreements. (USA,
Canada, EFTA, Mexico, UE, Chile, and others), as
well as coming agreements (Korea, Japan, Turkey
Costa Rica)

Acrylamide in sugar cane

panela
Scientific concept

Why?
Codex International Standard of
sugar cane
Panela.
The possibility of acrylamide in panela.
caused by chemical reactions between the
components due to changes in temperature and
pH in some foods.

Terms of reference
(TOR)
1. Does the presence of acrylamide in panela a
risk factor for health?
2. Which are the sources of Acrylamide in Panela?
3. What is the DMU of acrylamide in food?, What
are those levels?
4. What are the techniques for the determination
of acrylamide in food?

Caractersticas generales

Conclusions
The presence of Acrylamide in foods is a risk factor
for health and this chemical hazard is classified in
Group 2A by IARC, considering a possible carcinogen.
Acrylamide on panela, it should be noted that
acrylamide is not a food additive is a product of the
Maillard reaction, this being a reaction which occurs in
the presence of reducing sugars and a free amino
group (for example the asparagine) that may be
present in raw food materials. The cane juice (raw
material panela) has reported the presence of
reducing sugars and asparagine in low concentrations.

Conclusions
The term DMU can not be applied to
acrylamide, it is not a food additive.
Gas chromatography coupled to mass
spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid
chromatography coupled to tandem mass
spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as the most used
techniques by international agencies and
scientists to determine acrylamide in food
research.

Recommendations

Priority is a chemical characterization of sugar cane juice

and sugarcane production region. This should be focused on
the determination of reducing sugars and free amino acids.
Sampling plan panela-producing region that includes the
monitoring of acrylamide in the final product.
Promoting research by academia or research groups to
document relevant information to the presence of
acrylamide in sugar.
Encourage technological development in the laboratories of
the country, especially in the actions they perform
inspection, monitoring and control in food, in order to have
reliable methodologies to report results of the acrylamide
content in panela and other foods

Team
Natalia Milena ACOSTA AMADOR
Yuly Andrea GAMBOA MARN
Jazmn Mercedes MANTILLA PULIDO
Mara Pilar MONTOYA GUEVARA
Ivn Camilo SNCHEZ BARRERA
Reviewers:
Teresa Prez Hernndez
Silvia Liliana Resnik

Arsenic in rice
Risk Profile

Why?
Arsenic: naturally occurring
mineral.
Presence in groundwater.
Inorganic arsenic (III) and (IV) IARC
carcinogen for humans.
Arsenicosis (skin, lung and
kidney cancer)
IDMT rice is 25 times higher than
the contribution from drinking
water China.
Study by INVIMA requires
analyzing information and its
impact on public health.

TOR
1. The levels of arsenic in Colombian rice,
may even be considered as a risk for the
population?
2. The possible sources of arsenic may
contaminate rice (presence in soils,
irrigation water or agricultural inputs)?

Scope and Limitations

We only have total
arsenic monitoring in rice
The document not include
water and fish
Not include also poisoning
associated with
occupational exposure
The study was limited to
raw white rice

Prevention and Control

Water used to irrigate crops should
not exceed 0.1 mg Arsenic / liter
The rainfed crops, decrease the
bioavailability of Arsenic and its
accumulation in the plant.
Improve drainage in soils used for
rice cultivation.
No arsenical pesticides
Control of suppliers in production.
Vegetarian group associated with
high consumption of rice.
Use potable water in washing and
preparing the rice.

Team
Natalia Milena ACOSTA AMADOR
Bibiana Carolina BARON MENDOZA
Ana Karina CARRASCAL CAMACHO
Diana Ximena CORREA LIZARAZO
ngela Mara OTLVARO LVAREZ
Henry REYES PINEDA
Gonzalo TABORDA OCAMPO
Reviewers:
Silvia Resnik
Alicia Fernndez Cirelli
Rodolfo G. Wuilloud

Mycotoxins in Cereals
Risk Assessment of Aflatoxin B1
(AFB1) in corn arepa in Colombia

Why?
Corn is one of the most consumed
foods in Colombia.
Arepa is a traditional food.
Increased consumer promotion
programs and production of this
product.
Program
managers
have
interested in monitoring the health
status of this product.

TOR
1. What is the substrate pair (maize, wheat and rice) mycotoxin (DON and AFB1) higher risk for the
Colombian population, based on the exposure
assessment?
2. Based on the selected pair in the TOR 1, What are
the most consumed products in the country that can
generate risk Colombian population?
3. What are the measures of prevention and control
recommendations in order to reduce contamination
of the selected products in the TOR 2?

Scope and objectives

Develop a qualitative risk assessment for the
selected pair, identify prevention and
control recommendations propose, in
response to TOR 2 and TOR 3.

F = Maize Diet

Prevention and control recommendations

According to the FAO the presence of fungi and
mycotoxins can be reduced mainly by the application of
good agricultural practices during harvesting, drying and
storage.
Preventing mycotoxins focuses on two strategies:
1.Prevent the synthesis of mycotoxins in agricultural
products
2.Food decontamination by removal or destruction of
mycotoxins

Prevention and control

recommendations
Support and strengthening of inspection
programs at ports, airports and border crossings
Refresh the current regulations on control and
levels of mycotoxins in foods.
Expand research on mycotoxins including greater
coverage in food, and in the studied mycotoxins.
Also that analytical methods are quantitative.
Strengthen the infrastructure of existing
laboratories for mycotoxin analysis.

Team
Bernardo CLAVIJO
Diana Ximena CORREA
Andrea GAMBOA MARN
Viviana GONZLEZ RUEDA
Olga Luca MARTNEZ LVAREZ
Teresa PREZ HERNNDEZ
Olga Liliana ROJAS CONTRERAS
Mara Consuelo VANEGAS

Organochlorine
pesticides in meat and
milk
Risk Profile

Why?
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are
associated with environmental damage
and a variety of toxic effects in animals
and humans.
Persistence,
bioconcentration
and
biomagnification through the food chain.
There are prohibitions and restrictions
on the use, sale and purchase of
organochlorine pesticides, however, still
residues of these pesticides in the
environment.
Stockholm Convention monitoring and
study of the presence of POPs in food.

TOR
1. What organochlorine pesticides could be found as
residues in bovine meat and milk in Colombia?
2. From predictive estimates and results of national
studies of organochlorines in meat and milk in
Colombia, compared with the current legislation of the
country, which of organochlorine pesticides identified as
residues in the TOR 1 could constitute a risk to public
health?
3. Consistent with the production of bovine meat and milk,
what regions or departments are likely to have residues
of organochlorine pesticides identified in the TOR 1?

Scope and objectives

Develop a risk profile in order to
present the risk manager an overview
of the current status of organochlorine
pesticide contamination through
consumption of meat and milk from
cattle produced and marketed in
Colombia.

Endosulfn
DDT
Aldrn
Dieldrn
Endrn
Heptacloro
HCH (Lindano)
Toxafeno
Organochlorine pesticides under study
correspond to those of greater use and
Clordano
marketing in Colombia
in the past,
.
2,4D
whose residues may be present in
Picloram
meat and milk
Triclopyr

Team
Cilia Leonor FUENTES DE PIEDRAHITA
Javier Francisco REY RODRIGUEZ
William ALBARRACN HERNNDEZ
Howard JUNCA DAZ
Mara Pilar MONTOYA GUEVARA
ngela Mara OTLVARO LVAREZ
Teresa PREZ HERNNDEZ
Henry REYES PINEDA
Ivn Camilo SNCHEZ BARRERA

Mercury in fish
Risk assessment of mercury in fresh
fish

Why?
High apparent fish consumption mainly in
areas surrounding rivers
Government policies.
Surveillance systems.
Environmental concern.
Research on residues in fish samples.
Elevated levels in biological samples in
mining areas and in areas of fish
consumption.

TOR

1. What are the economic activities and their impact

areas that contribute most to the addition of
mercury (Hg) in fish from inland waters of Colombia?
2. What are the species that could pose greater
accumulations of mercury (Hg) and methylmercury
(MeHg) identified in the TOR 1?
3. What is the risk associated with consumption of the
species identified in the TOR?
4. What are the preventive measures to minimize
exposure by fish consumption with Hg and MeHg
and possible intervention strategies?

Scope and objectives

To determine the risk of adverse effects
associated with the consumption of mercurycontaminated fish from inland waters in Colombia
and establish the possible prevention and
intervention strategies to minimize exposure of
the Colombian people to this danger.
Assess the risk associated with the consumption
of fresh fish of Colombia, fisheries and
aquaculture, and excludes marine species.

Economic activities associated

with the emission of mercury in
Colombia
Primary extraction of metals, especially gold and
silver
Production and use of fuels / energy sources
Production of recycled metals and metals
Production of raw materials and chemicals
Production processes and consumer products with
intentional use of mercury use and disposal of
products and substances containing mercury
Disposal of sanitary waste landfills and wastewater
treatment
Waste incineration, crematoria and cemeteries

Preliminary Findings
Risk group: children and pregnant women.
High adverse effect on health of exposure to
Hg and MeHg.
Many varieties of fish Hg levels and residual
MeHg.
Intake may exceed the allowable contaminant
levels in terms of underestimation of
consumption.

Team
lvaro WILLS FRANCO
Claudio JIMNEZ CARTAGENA
Guillermo DUQUE NIVIA
Hctor SUAREZ MAHECHA
Jennyfer ALEJO RIVEROS
Jos Igor HLEAP
Jos Luis MARRUGO NEGRETE
Mary Luz OLIVARES TENORIO
Mara Pilar MONTOYA GUEVARA
Ivn Camilo SNCHEZ BARRERA

Finally ...
Dynamic process.
Synergy between the risk manager
and the evaluator.
Promotion of the research.
Link Academia & Government.

Thanks for your

attention
Direccin Vigilancia y Anlisis de Riesgo en Salud Pblica
Subdireccin de Anlisis de Riesgo en Salud Pblica
Grupo de Evaluacion de Riesgos en Inocuidad de Alimentos (ERIA)
Mara Pilar Montoya Guevara
mmontoya@ins.gov.co
Instituto Nacional de Salud
Correo electrnico: ueria@ins.gov.co
Telfono (57-1) 220 77 00 Extensin 1333
Bogot, COLOMBIA
www.ins.gov.co
Lnea gratuita nacional: 01 8000 113 400