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An earlier study had focused on organic contaminants in milk from flood-prone farms, while this study will investigate contaminants in meat and offal from grazing livestock on flood-prone farms, as well as continuing to monitor milk from farms where increased levels of PCBs and dioxins had been observed in the 1999 survey.
Background: <BR> Previous research (FSA project C01037) showed that milk from flood-prone farms along the River Trent and the Doe Lea / Rother / Don river system generally contained higher levels of dioxins and polychlrorinated biphenyls (PCBs) than milk from matched control farms. This was attributable to elevated levels of these contaminants in soil and herbage on flood-prone pastureland caused by sediment deposited during repeated flooding events. However, the effects of flooding on dioxin and PCB levels in meat or offal from grazing livestock were not investigated.
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The EU recognised that levels of dioxins and PCBs in food products originating from flood-prone regions could be affected as a consequence of flooding and recommended monitoring the levels of these contaminants in foodstuffs from flood-prone regions. Increased river-flooding associated with climate change could result in contaminated sediment deposition onto pasture becoming a more significant source of contamination of the terrestrial food chain.
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Research Approach: <BR> Three interlinked strands of work will provide further knowledge concerning the long-term effects of river flooding on levels of persistent organic environmental contaminants in food from livestock reared on flood-prone pastures.
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The previous research, which demonstrated increased levels of dioxins and PCBs in milk from flood-prone farms, will be extended by looking at the impact of flooding on a meat and offal from beef cattle and sheep.
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Further monitoring of milk and environmental samples from selected flood-prone farms, where milk was shown to contain elevated levels of PCBs and dioxins (and their matched controls) will be carried out. Any trends in contaminant levels in milk, soil and grass since the previous sampling in 1999 will be examined.
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.