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This research project aims to provide a review of published data on the occurrence of about 40 organic contaminants in foodstuffs.
<p>Organic compounds may be present in the environment as a result of their production, use or disposal or they may be industrial/combustion byproducts.
<p>A prioritisation scheme was drawn up to identify those chemicals which, if present in food, might pose a hazard to human health.
<p>Since the prioritisation scheme there have been some reports in the literature of new organic contaminants being found in foodstuffs.
<p>This project will identify and provide data for compounds from the following classes, which have not previously been assessed by the Agency, but which have been identified as being present in food:<br> <ul>
<li>chlorinated and non-chlorinated PAHs
<li>chlorinated and non-chlorinated aliphatic organic compounds
<li>polycyclic musks
</ul>
<p>This project will supply data for the use in the FSA prioritisation scheme, which will facilitate effective risk assessment and help in the targeting of future food surveillance projects.
A comprehensive literature search will be performed to identify reports of the chemical types of concern being measured in food.
<p>A list of 40 chemicals will be selected for a further literature survey to gain information on physico-chemical properties, bioaccumulation, sources in the environment, persistence, toxicity profile and principal causes of concern.
<p>Information from the references on the occurrence of the chemicals in food, their behaviour in the environment and potential to accumulate in the food chain will be collated and both presented as a report and entered into a database for easy retrieval.
<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>.