Exposure to toxic chemicals in the diet: is the Brazilian population at risk?

Resolving the twin human and environmental health hazards of a plant-based diet

Food can be health-giving. A global transition towards plant-based diets may equally help curb carbon emissions, slow land-system change and conserve finite resources. Yet, projected benefits of such 'planetary health' diets imperfectly capture the environmental or societal health outcomes tied to food production. Here, we examine pesticide-related hazards of fruit and vegetable consumption, and list proven management alternatives per commodity, geography and chemical compound. Across countries, pesticide use in these alleged healthful foods is extensive with up to 97% food items containing residues and up to 42% posing dietary risks to consumers. Multiple residues are present in 70-92% of US- and China-grown stone fruit while 58% US cauliflower is tainted with neonicotinoid insecticides. Science-based alternatives and decision-support frameworks can help food producers reduce risks and potential harm by deliberately abstaining from pesticide use. As such, opportunities abound to advance 'win-win' diets that simultaneously nurture human health and conserve global biodiversity.

Fungal diversity and metabolomic profiles in GM and isogenic non-GM maize cultivars from Brazil

There is little knowledge of the microbial diversity, mycotoxins and associated secondary metabolites in GM maize and isogenic non-GM cultivars (cvs). This study has quantified the microbial populations and dominant fungal genera in 6 cvs of each type representative of herbicide, pesticide or stacked resistance to both. The predominant mycotoxins and targeted metabolomics profiles were also compared between the two sets of cvs. This showed that the overall fungal populations were 8.8 CFUs g⁻¹ maize. The dominant genera, isolated from maize samples, whether surface-sterilised or not, in all maize cvs were Fusarium, followed by Penicillium, Aspergillus and occasionally Cladosporium and Alternaria. The analysis of the targeted metabolomics showed that approx. 29 different metabolites were detected. These were dominated by fumonisins and minor Penicillium spp. metabolites (questiomycin A and rugulovasine A). Interestingly, the range and number of mycotoxins present in the GM cvs were significantly lower than in the non-GM maize samples. This suggests that while the fungal diversity of the two types of maize appeared to be very similar, the major contaminant mycotoxins and range of toxic secondary metabolites were much lower in the GM cvs.

Safety of Corn and Corn-Based Products Intended for Human Consumption Concerning Fumonisins from a Brazilian Processing Plant

Brazil is one of the world’s largest corn producers and is a leader in exportation. Due to intense globalization, corn may be commercialized worldwide and the issue concerning the safety of corn-based products has become a topic of widespread international interest. Dietary exposure evaluation is a relevant criterion for mycotoxin risk assessment. Thus, human exposure to fumonisins were assessed for corn grain and its derivatives (endosperm, cornmeal, and grits; n = 320) sampled from one of the large-scale corn processing plants in Brazil. The total probable daily intake (PDI) for fumonisins in Brazil was 96.9 ng kg⁻¹ body weight day⁻¹, which corresponds to 5% of the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) of 2000 ng kg⁻¹ b.w. day⁻¹ for fumonisins. In countries that import Brazilian corn, the total PDI is lower in European countries (from 35.7 to 177 ng kg⁻¹ b.w. day⁻¹) and higher in Angola (1553 ng kg⁻¹ b.w. day⁻¹). Taking into account that dietary exposure in populations in Brazil and importing countries was low, the corn-based products were safe for human consumption regarding fumonisins, even for regions with high corn consumption.

The influence of tomato processing on residues of organochlorine and organophosphate insecticides and their associated dietary risk

Due to the increasing food demand, the use of pesticides in agriculture is increasing. Particularly in low income countries poor training among farmers, combined with the use of obsolete pesticides may result in a high risk for the consumers. In this study six organochlorines and five organophosphates were analyzed in 54 samples of tomatoes from small scale farmers in Bolivia. The analyses were done on unprocessed, stored, washed and peeled tomatoes. The cumulated risk associated with consumption of the tomatoes after different storage times and processing treatments was evaluated using the Hazard Index (HI) for acute risk assessment. All 11 pesticides were detected in the analyses although several of them are obsolete and included in the Stockholm convention ratified by Bolivia. The organochlorines were found in the μg pesticide/kg tomato range and below the HI, while the organophosphates were present in the mg pesticide/kg tomato range and most often above the HI. The low organochlorine concentrations were not significantly affected by time or treatment, but storage significantly decreased the concentrations of organophosphates. Washing decreased the initial concentrations to between 53% (malathion) down to 2% (ethyl parathion), while peeling had a larger effect reducing the initial concentrations to between 33% (malathion) and 0.7% (chlorpyriphos). Both the acute and chronic cumulative risk assessment of organophosphates showed a dietary risk for unprocessed tomatoes three days after harvest. For children, also the consumption of washed tomatoes constituted a dietary risk. To reduce the dietary risk of pesticide residues in Bolivia, there is an urgent need of farmer education and introduction of less hazardous pesticides as well as resources for surveillance and enforcement of legislation in order to ensure public health.

Human biological monitoring of suspected endocrine-disrupting compounds

Endocrine-disrupting compounds are exogenous agents that interfere with the natural hormones of the body. Human biological monitoring is a powerful method for monitoring exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds. In this review, we describe human biological monitoring systems for different groups of endocrine disrupting compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, brominated flame retardants, phthalates, alkylphenols, pesticides, metals, perfluronated compounds, parabens, ultraviolet filters, and organic solvents. The aspects discussed are origin to exposure, metabolism, matrices to analyse, analytical determination methods, determinants, and time trends.

Role of environment and sex differences in the development of autoimmune diseases: a roundtable meeting report

Autoimmune diseases (ADs) impose substantial health and financial burdens in the United States and in many parts of the world. Women are disproportionately affected by many of these disorders, which often contribute to lifelong disabilities. While the number of patients with some ADs appears to be rising, the complexities of conducting epidemiological studies prevent a thorough understanding of the prevalence and incidence of these various conditions. Research on environmental influences of these illnesses is limited, although they are generally hypothesized to result from the interaction of environmental agents in genetically susceptible individuals. Further, there is little known regarding the role of sex and gender in the environmentally influenced mechanisms leading to the development of AD. To address these issues, particularly the roles of environment and sex and gender in ADs and the factors that contribute to the rise in ADs, the Society for Women's Health Research convened an interdisciplinary roundtable of experts from academia, medicine, and government agencies to share their expertise, address knowledge gaps in research, and propose future research recommendations.