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Between 2016 and 2021, Germany's first total diet study was performed to assess the variety of substances humans are exposed to by dietary intake. On a global scale rather unique, the natural radionuclides lead-210, uranium-234, uranium-238, radium-226, and radium-228 should be investigated in over 200 different food samples within that study. This paper serves as a guide how to successfully determine these natural radionuclides in very low concentrations in a variety of samples. Two independent laboratories were involved for comparison to assure the quality of the presented sample pretreatment and analyzing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The concentrations of dioxins [polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs)], and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in Atlantic herring depend on the fishing area. These substances originate from various anthropogenic sources and accumulate in the environment and in food. The influence of country-specific contaminant concentrations on human dietary exposure was studied exemplary for herring to show the influence of fish origin. PCDD/F and DL-PCB concentrations in herring from the Norwegian Sea and the Baltic Sea were combined with country-specific herring consumption. Herring concentrations showed geographical variation. For herring consumers, the 50th percentile dietary exposure to the total sum of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs amounted to 1.2 and 8.9 pg WHO-2005-TEQ/kg BW/week for Norway and Germany, respectively. The different exposure was mainly related to higher concentrations in herring from the Baltic Sea, rather than in herring from the Norwegian Sea. If contaminant concentrations are influenced by geographical origin, this should be integrated into the dietary exposure assessments. For herring, relevant fishing areas should be integrated into the sampling strategy to generate concentration data. The usage of country-specific data could refine exposure assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminium is one of the most abundant elements in earth's crust and its manifold uses result in an exposure of the population from many sources. Developmental toxicity, effects on the urinary tract and neurotoxicity are known effects of aluminium and its compounds. Here, we assessed the health risks resulting from total consumer exposure towards aluminium and various aluminium compounds, including contributions from foodstuffs, food additives, food contact materials (FCM), and cosmetic products. For the estimation of aluminium contents in foodstuff, data from the German "Pilot-Total-Diet-Study" were used, which was conducted as part of the European TDS-Exposure project. These were combined with consumption data from the German National Consumption Survey II to yield aluminium exposure via food for adults. It was found that the average weekly aluminium exposure resulting from food intake amounts to approx. 50% of the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 1 mg/kg body weight (bw)/week, derived by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). For children, data from the French "Infant Total Diet Study" and the "Second French Total Diet Study" were used to estimate aluminium exposure via food. As a result, the TWI can be exhausted or slightly exceeded—particularly for infants who are not exclusively breastfed and young children relying on specially adapted diets (e.g. soy-based, lactose free, hypoallergenic). When taking into account the overall aluminium exposure from foods, cosmetic products (cosmetics), pharmaceuticals and FCM from uncoated aluminium, a significant exceedance of the EFSA-derived TWI and even the PTWI of 2 mg/kg bw/week, derived by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, may occur. Specifically, high exposure levels were found for adolescents aged 11–14 years. Although exposure data were collected with special regard to the German population, it is also representative for European and comparable to international consumers. From a toxicological point of view, regular exceedance of the lifetime tolerable aluminium intake (TWI/PTWI) is undesirable, since this results in an increased risk for health impairments. Consequently, recommendations on how to reduce overall aluminium exposure are given. Article Highlights: Risk assessment of total aluminium exposure from different sources for different age groups. Use of data from the European TDS-Exposure project for the estimation of aluminium exposure from foodstuff. Comprehensive overview of the toxicological properties of aluminium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz is the property of Springer Nature 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.)

Copyright of Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz is the property of Springer Nature 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.)