Safety studies conducted on pecan shell fiber, a food ingredient produced from ground pecan shells

Safety of Elixinol Hemp Extract: In Vitro Genetic Toxicity and Subchronic Toxicity in Rats

The results of safety studies performed with Elixinol Hemp Extract, a blend of hemp extract, cannabidiol (CBD) isolate, and copaiba containing approximately 65% total CBD, are described in this paper. In a 15-day range-finding study in rats, there were no effects of treatment with up to 101.4 mg/kg bw/day of the extract by gavage on any safety parameter measured in the study, with the exception that centrilobular hepatocellular hypertrophy occurred in all treatment groups, which correlated with increases in absolute liver weight in high-dose females and liver to terminal body weight ratio in mid-dose and high-dose females. A GLP-compliant 90-day OECD Guideline 408 study in rats that included a behavioral battery and a 28-day recovery phase was also conducted with Elixinol Hemp Extract administered by gavage. The doses used in the 90-day study were 0 (vehicle), 28.94, 50.64, and 86.81 mg/kg bw/day. The findings were similar to those observed in the range-finding study. There were no effects of the test material on any test parameter in the 90-day study other than findings related to the liver (increased liver weight in high-dose main study males and mid-dose and high-dose main study females and low incidences of hepatocellular hypertrophy and vacuolation in main study high-dose males). Similar findings were not observed in the recovery animals, and there were no alterations in the clinical chemistry suggestive of liver toxicity in any of the main study or recovery animals. Therefore, the liver outcomes observed in the main study were not considered adverse. The test material also tested negative for mutagenicity in bacterial reverse mutation assays (plate incorporation and preincubation) in the absence and presence of metabolic activation. The results indicate that the oral 90-day no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of Elixinol Hemp Extract in rats is 86.81 mg/kg bw/day (highest dose administered), and that the extract is not mutagenic.

Screening and prioritization of nano- and microplastic particle toxicity studies for evaluating human health risks - development and application of a toxicity study assessment tool

Concern regarding the human health implications that exposure to nano- and microplastic particles (NMPs) potentially represents is increasing. While there have been several years of research reporting on the ecotoxicological effects of NMPs, human health toxicology studies have only recently emerged. The available human health hazard data are thus limited, with potential concern regarding the relevance and reliability for understanding the potential human health implications. In this study we develop and apply a NMP toxicity screening assessment tool (NMP-TSAT) for evaluating human health effects studies against a suite of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) criteria for both in vivo and in vitro studies. A total of 74 studies representing either inhalation or oral exposure pathways were identified and evaluated. Assessment categories include particle characterization, experimental design, and applicability for risk assessment; with critical and non-critical criteria organized to allow screening and prioritization. It is observed that the majority of studies evaluated using the NMP-TSAT have been performed on monodisperse particles, predominately spheres (≈60%), consisting of polystyrene (≈46%). The majority of studies have tested particles < 5 μm, with a minimal particle size of 10 nm and a maximum particle size of about 200 μm. The total assessment score (TAS) possible for in vivo studies is 52, whereas for in vitro studies it is 46, which is based on receiving a maximum score of 2 against 26 and 23 criteria, respectively. The evaluated TAS ranged from between 12 and 44 and 16-34, for in vivo and in vitro studies, respectively. Given the challenges associated with prioritizing studies based on ranking them according to their TAS we propose a Tiered approach, whereby studies are initially screened based on how they score against various critical criteria, which have been defined for their relevance for assessing the hazards and risks for human health. In this instance, studies that score a minimum of '1' against each of the critical criteria, regardless of how they rank according to their TAS, are prioritized as part of a Tier 1 screening and prioritization phase, which would then be followed by an expert evaluation, representing a Tier 2 level of assessment. Using this approach we identify 10 oral ingestion and 2 inhalation studies that score at least 1 against all critical criteria. Lastly, several key observations for strengthening future effects studies are identified, these include a need for the generation and access to standard reference materials representative of human exposure to NMPs for use in toxicity test systems and/or the improved characterization and verification of test particle characteristics, and the adoption of study design guidance, such as recommended by OECD, when conducting either in vivo inhalation or oral ingestion toxicity tests.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43591-021-00023-x.

Physical, chemical, and toxicological characterization of sulfated cellulose nanocrystals for food-related applications using in vivo and in vitro strategies

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are a next-generation cellulose product with many unique properties including applications in the food industry as a food additive, food coating, and in food-contact packaging material. While CNC is anticipated to be safe due to its similarity to the many forms of cellulose currently used as food additives, special consideration is given to it as it is the first manufactured form of cellulose that is nanoscale in both length and width. A proactive approach to safety has been adopted by manufacturers to demonstrate CNC safety toward responsible commercialization. As part of the safety demonstration, in vivo and in vitro testing strategies were commissioned side-by-side with conventional cellulose, which has been safely used in food for decades. Testing included a 90-day rodent feeding study as well as additional physical, chemical, and biological studies in vitro that follow European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) guidance to demonstrate the safe use of novel food ingredients. The strategy includes assessment of neat materials side-by-side with simulated digestion, mimicking conditions that occur along the gastrointestinal tract as well as intracellularly. An intestinal co-culture model examined any potential toxicological effects from exposure to either pristine or digested forms of CNC including cytotoxicity, metabolic activity, membrane permeability, oxidative stress, and proinflammatory responses. None of the studies demonstrated any toxicity via oral or simulated oral exposure. These studies demonstrate that CNC produced by InnoTech Alberta is similarly safe by ingestion as conventional cellulose with a no-observed-adverse-effect level of 2085.3 (males) and 2682.8 (females) mg/kg/day.

Characterization of pecan shells and their effect on the physical properties and acceptability of smoked chicken breast

Pecan shells were used as a source of smoke for cooked chicken breast and compared with samples smoked with hickory, mesquite, and apple tree wood. The wood moisture content ranged from 7.94% to 11.43%, whereas ash ranged from 0.97% to 3.11%. The particle size varied among the smoke sources, with chopped pecan shells having more pieces in the "coarse" category. Several properties related to quality of the cooked meat were measured including moisture content, water activity, color, cook loss, expressible moisture, and maximum shear force. Moisture content ranged from 70.13% to 71.72%, whereas pH ranged from 6.39 to 6.43. Chicken breasts smoked with pecan shells were darker (L^* = 72.86 compared to 74.94 to 76.57) and slightly redder (a^* = 5.71; b^* = 25.70) than other samples. Color development was localized to the surface of the meat. Cooking loss did not differ significantly among the samples (26.13% to 27.03%) nor did expressible moisture (9.68% to 11.87%). Meat tenderness was assessed by shear values, but did not differ among the samples. Consumer panels showed that all samples were well liked. Samples smoked with mesquite had slightly lower scores for flavor and overall likability, whereas the scores for samples smoked with hickory, apple, or pecan shells were no different. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Many meat products are cooked in the presence of smoke produced from burning hardwoods. This work shows that smoke can be produced from waste pecan shells, resulting in chicken breast with similar yield, texture, moisture retention, and acceptability as that smoked with hickory, mesquite, or apple tree wood.

A 90-day dietary study with fibrillated cellulose in Sprague-Dawley rats

Novel forms of fibrillated cellulose offer improved attributes for use in foods. Conventional cellulose and many of its derivatives are already widely used as food additives and are authorized as safe for use in foods in many countries. However, novel forms have not yet been thoroughly investigated using standardized testing methods. This study assesses the 90-day dietary toxicity of fibrillated cellulose, as compared to a conventional cellulose, Solka Floc. Sprague Dawley rats were fed 2 %, 3 %, or 4 % fibrillated cellulose for 90 consecutive days, and parallel Solka Floc groups were used as controls. Survival, clinical observations, body weight, food consumption, ophthalmologic evaluations, hematology, serum chemistry, urinalysis, post-mortem anatomic pathology, and histopathology were monitored and performed. No adverse observations were noted in relation to the administration of fibrillated cellulose. Under the conditions of this study and based on the toxicological endpoints evaluated, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for fibrillated cellulose was 2194.2 mg/kg/day (males) and 2666.6 mg/kg/day (females), corresponding to the highest dose tested (4 %) for male and female Sprague Dawley rats. These results demonstrate that fibrillated cellulose behaves similarly to conventional cellulose and raises no safety concerns when used as a food ingredient at these concentrations.

Characterization of Extruded Poly(lactic acid)/Pecan Nutshell Biocomposites

Pecan nutshells are a solid form of waste obtained from the pecan nut production and they have been explored as an inexpensive filler for incorporation by melt blending into the poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix. The pecan nutshells contain polyphenols, proteins, tannins, sugars, and lipids; some of these components must be released in order to improve adhesion with a polymeric matrix. The physicochemical characterization of the extruded biocomposites of pecan nutshell powder (PNSP) at 0, 5, and 7.5% wt. with two treatments (untreated and defatted) into PLA is presented in this work. The incorporation of PNSP into the PLA matrix caused a variation in color and density and increased the water absorption. However, some mechanical and thermal parameters of the biocomposites showed a significant decrease. The morphological analysis showed good dispersion and adhesion of the PNSP to the PLA matrix. Based on the results of the characterization, biocomposites formulated with defatted PNSP have a potential to be used as sustainable fillers in PLA biocomposites. These biocomposites have a potential application as food containers, packaging trays, or disposable items.