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Copyright of Journal of Cultivated Plants / Journal für Kulturpflanzen is the property of Verlag Eugen Ulmer and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The dietary exposure of a population to chemical substances is estimated based on representative consumption data and data on the occurrence of substances in foods. Consumption data in Germany for different age groups are provided by the National Nutrition Survey ll, VELS, EsKiMo and the ongoing KiESEL study. The data for the levels of substances in foods is currently obtained from the German food monitoring programme (Lebensmittel-Monitoring) and the German Food Composition Table (Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel) and is not sufficient for a comprehensive evaluation of dietary exposure in Germany. More data is needed and, in particular, the range of analysed substances should be broadened to reduce the uncertainties of the exposure assessment. A representative data basis for concentrations of substances in foods will be established with the first German total diet study, called the BfR MEAL study. The study will markedly reduce major uncertainties in the dietary exposure assessment through its wide coverage of substances in food groups, the inclusion of prepared foods, the orientation on low measurement limits as well as the analysis of substances without a reliable data basis.

Synephrine is a sympathomimetic phenylethylamine derivative that occurs naturally in citrus fruits. It is often added to dietary supplements intended for weight loss and enhancement of sports performance, typically in the form of Citrus aurantium extracts and in many cases in combination with caffeine. The health risks of synephrine were evaluated on the basis of the available toxicological data and in accordance to the EFSA guidance on the safety assessment of botanicals and botanical preparations intended for use in food supplements. In animal studies, orally applied synephrine induced adrenergic effects on the cardiovascular system (increase of blood pressure, ventricular arrhythmias), which were enhanced by the concomitant application of caffeine as well as physical activity. Some human intervention studies investigating the acute effects of synephrine on blood pressure and heart rate of healthy, normotensive test persons indicate that synephrine can induce cardiovascular effects in humans. A series of published case reports of adverse cardiovascular effects (hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial infarction) were associated with consumption of synephrine- and caffeine-containing dietary supplements. In conclusion, consumption of high amounts of synephrine, especially in combination with caffeine and physical exercise, is associated with an increased risk of adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. According to the assessment by the BfR (Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung), daily intake of synephrine through dietary supplements should not exceed the median intake from conventional foods.