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Published on: April 23, 2012
Fumonisin intake of the German consumer
I Zimmer1, E Usleber, H Klaffke
1Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Schönleutnerstrasse 8, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
German consumers have low dietary fumonisin intake, generally below the tolerable daily intake (TDI). However, specific products, especially infant foods, may pose risks, necessitating adherence to EU maximum levels.
Area of Science:
- Food Safety
- Mycotoxicology
- Public Health Nutrition
Background:
- Fumonisins are mycotoxins commonly found in maize-based foods.
- Dietary exposure assessment is crucial for evaluating public health risks associated with fumonisin consumption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To calculate the dietary fumonisin intake of the German consumer.
- To assess potential health risks based on established tolerable daily intake (TDI) levels.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 1960 food samples for fumonisins and 272 for hydrolysed fumonisins (HFB) using enzyme immunoassay, HPLC-FLD, and LC-MS/MS.
- Calculation of daily intake using contamination data and German food consumption data for 'mean' and 'bad' case scenarios.
Main Results:
- Overall daily fumonisin intake was 1.1 μg ('mean case') and 21 μg ('bad case').
- Elevated levels were found in specific products, particularly infant foods (decreasing over time).
- Hydrolysed fumonisins (HFB1) were detected in processed cereals at low concentrations.
Conclusions:
- German consumers generally do not exceed the TDI for fumonisins.
- Potential risks exist for specific consumer groups (infants, young children) with high intake of contaminated maize products.
- Current EU maximum levels may be insufficient to prevent TDI excess in infants if fully utilized.
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