Dataset Information

Risks for human health related to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey, tea, herbal infusions and food supplements.

ABSTRACT: EFSA was asked by the European Commission to deliver a scientific opinion on the risks for human health related to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in honey, tea, herbal infusions and food supplements and to identify the PAs of relevance in the aforementioned food commodities and in other feed and food. PAs are a large group of toxins produced by different plant species. In 2011, the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel) assessed the risks related to the presence of PAs in food and feed. Based on occurrence data limited to honey, the CONTAM Panel concluded that there was a possible health concern for those toddlers and children who are high consumers of honey. A new exposure assessment including new occurrence data was published by EFSA in 2016 and was used to update the risk characterisation. The CONTAM Panel established a new Reference Point of 237 ?g/kg body weight per day to assess the carcinogenic risks of PAs, and concluded that there is a possible concern for human health related to the exposure to PAs, in particular for frequent and high consumers of tea and herbal infusions. The Panel noted that consumption of food supplements based on PA-producing plants could result in exposure levels too close (i.e. less than 100 times lower) to the range of doses known to cause severe acute/short term toxicity. From the analysis of the available occurrence data, the CONTAM Panel identified a list of 17 PAs of relevance for monitoring in food and feed. The Panel recommended continuing the efforts to monitor the presence of PAs in food and feed, including the development of more sensitive and specific analytical methods. A recommendation was also issued on the generation of data to identify the toxic and carcinogenic potency of the PAs commonly found in food.

SUBMITTER: EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM)

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7010083 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Risks for human health related to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey, tea, herbal infusions and food supplements.

Knutsen Helle Katrine HK Alexander Jan J Barregård Lars L Bignami Margherita M Brüschweiler Beat B Ceccatelli Sandra S Cottrill Bruce B Dinovi Michael M Edler Lutz L Grasl-Kraupp Bettina B Hogstrand Christer C Hoogenboom Laurentius Ron LR Nebbia Carlo Stefano CS Oswald Isabelle P IP Petersen Annette A Rose Martin M Roudot Alain-Claude AC Schwerdtle Tanja T Vleminckx Christiane C Vollmer Günter G Wallace Heather H Gomez Ruiz José Angel JA Binaglia Marco M

EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority 20170727 7

EFSA was asked by the European Commission to deliver a scientific opinion on the risks for human health related to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in honey, tea, herbal infusions and food supplements and to identify the PAs of relevance in the aforementioned food commodities and in other feed and food. PAs are a large group of toxins produced by different plant species. In 2011, the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel) assessed the risks related to the presen ...[more]

PMID: 32625569

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Project description:Consumption of tea and herbal infusions (THIs) have a long history in traditional medicine and cultural practices. The health-promoting benefits attributed to THIs are considered influential factors in consumer choices. However, there is limited data on consumer choices and attitudes that might interfere with the positive effects associated with THIs consumption. The aim of this study was to investigate the consumption pattern and behavior of THIs consumers in Portugal, assessing the influence of socio-demographic factors on the selection of THIs products and consumer practices related to these beverages. An online survey was conducted, and from the collected data, 720 responses met the aim of the study and were further analyzed. Most of the respondents were female, 74.4%, belonging to the 40-60 age group (40.6%) and were medium consumers of THIs (47.2%). Green tea was the most consumed type among participants, and its consumption was associated not only with age but also with the pattern of THIs consumption. Despite that, participants preferred herbal infusions, with citronella, chamomile, and lemon verbena being the most consumed types. For certain types of herbal infusions, consumption was associated with age, while other types were preferred by moderate or heavy consumers. Most participants purchased THIs in supermarkets, registered trademark and brand stores, in the form of THIs bag. Light consumers use only bag, while medium/heavy consumers indicated the use of other forms. Almost half of the respondents admitted to not reading the information on product labels before consumption and using THIs after the expiry date, while only one-third of them declared paying attention to the label instructions. This study revealed the impact of socio-demographic factors as age on the consumption patterns and preferences of THIs of consumers. Of concern is the neglect of label usage among Portuguese consumers. This emphasizes the urgency of implementing interventions to guide proper label use and promote good consumption practices to ensure the quality of THIs products.

Dataset Information

Risks for human health related to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey, tea, herbal infusions and food supplements.

Publications

Risks for human health related to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey, tea, herbal infusions and food supplements.

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