Control of chemical contaminants in foods: past, present, and future
In the late 1930s and early 1940s, almost the only analyses carried out for chemical contaminants in foods were for lead arsenate and other arsenical pesticides in fruits. Since then, a tremendous expansion has occurred in the types of chemical contaminants found in foods and in the activities of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other organizations responsible for monitoring and controlling the presence of these contaminants in the food supply. This paper describes the findings and control of additional chemical contaminants in foods, including synthetic pesticides, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), other industrial chemicals, fungal metabolites such as aflatoxins, toxic metals, and radionuclides. The common characteristics of problems connected with these different types of contaminants include uncontrolled entry into the food supply, incidents causing extreme public worry, and near impossibility in removing these contaminants from the food supply. Problems may also arise from new technologies and environmental developments. New approaches beyond ordinary regulatory activities are being used to meet these problems. Broader analytical methods requiring less time and faster and more sophisticated toxicological methods are needed to assess the hazard of these environmental food contaminants.
- Research Organization:
- Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC
- OSTI ID:
- 5637615
- Journal Information:
- J. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem.; (United States), Vol. 6
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Polychlorinated biphenyls in foods. August 1984-January 1988 (citations from the Food Science and Technology Abstracts data base). Report for August 1984-January 1988
Polychlorinated biphenyls in foods. August 1984-May 1990 (A Bibliography from the Food Science and Technology Abstracts data base). Report for August 1984-May 1990
Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CARCINOGENS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
FOOD
CONTAMINATION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HEALTH HAZARDS
METALS
PESTICIDES
REGULATIONS
RISK ASSESSMENT
TOXINS
ANTIGENS
AROMATICS
ELEMENTS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
TOXIC MATERIALS
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560306 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)